SPRING 2020 Help shape North Somerset’s future Save time, do it online Visit www.n-somerset.gov.uk/myaccount Sign up for an online account and: • make payments • set up a direct debit • pay your council tax • apply for benefits • register a change of details and also a change of address • tell us about a pothole • report fly-tipping. Dear reader... As the new year springs into life in our Residents will well know we We are also supporting residents to gardens and green spaces, we in North always look after our most vulnerable make different decisions about their Somerset are working to find our own citizens as our biggest priority and so garden waste. Given our cost pressures, green shoots. Residents are aware of the we have to do both less elsewhere in asking all to contribute to the garden financial challenges we still face. There some cases and find ways to provide waste service through council tax, when is a central government budget due in services in different ways. The latter many have no garden, and then cut March and their new administration has also gives us the opportunity to vital services is just not fair. And the promised much, but, as yet, very little is offer choices to address the climate impact on our environment of moving there to help us. And any extra money emergency challenges we face. around large amounts of green waste we have is largely through raising more when that could be composted must We can influence how much car cash from us as residents rather than be something we need to do less of. use we encourage by looking at car any substantial funding from the centre. Realising that we need to assist people to parking costs. Currently all council tax We have been ‘allowed’ again to raise start composting, free and subsidised payers support our ‘free’ car parking a special precept of 2 per cent of council composting bins will be available. through council tax, as on average the tax for social care, but that unfortunately car parks cost the council £50,000 Cllr Don Davies does not address the underlying flawed each per year. It would be great for all funding system for social care, which has The Executive if there were fewer cars on the roads, been the subject of many promised but for the health of those not using their Cllr Don Davies (Independent) so far undelivered proposal papers by a cars and those already walking and Leader of North Somerset Council number of previous governments. cycling. As a start, I would ask as Cllr Mike Bell (Liberal Democrat) In the context of North Somerset, to many of you as are able to join me in Deputy Leader balance our budget we have had to a kilometre challenge this spring, make Cllr Mark Canniford (Liberal Democrat) cover a £5m cut in funding as well any journey less than 1,000 metres Cllr Ashley Cartman (Liberal Democrat) as £11m of extra cost pressures to either on foot or on a bicycle. It’s Cllr Caritas Charles (Independent) deliver our existing services, with more amazing how much more I see, how Cllr Catherine Gibbons (Labour) adults needing help and more children much more I talk to my neighbours and Cllr Bridget Petty (Green) coming into council care, as well as how much less lethargic I feel. wage and other cost increases. Cllr James Tonkin (Independent) Contents 26 Climate emergency 4 News update 28 Reducing flood risk 10 New fostering programme 36 Spotlight on parking 12 Budget and council tax set changes 16 Significance of hillfort 41 Enabling access for highlighted everyone 18 Make a big difference to 46 Valuable mentoring service your local community gets accreditation 24 Love your place – Blagdon 47 Contact details North Somerset Council does not endorse or recommend any commercial products or services advertising in Life magazine. This publication is available in large print, Braille or audio formats on request. Help is also available for people who require council information in languages other than English. www.n-somerset.gov.uk l @NorthSomersetC f NorthSomersetCouncil 3 News Bestselling author Zero Carbon group to visit Portishead Bestselling author Rosanna Ley launches in North Somerset is visiting Portishead library this Grassroots organisations It features the top 10 tips for climate month to talk about her latest work. action: are coming together across Find out how she writes and North Somerset to tackle 1. know your carbon footprint researches her books, which are set in places like the Italian Riviera, climate change. 2. change to a renewable energy provider Burma and Havana. Volunteers have set up Zero Carbon 3. insulate your home Her two latest books are North Somerset, a partnership of 4. use active travel The Lemon Tree Hotel and organisations coming together to From Venice With Love. encourage people to live within their 5. move your money to an ethical allowable carbon footprint. bank Rosanna can be heard at 6. try a seasonal, organic, plant- Portishead library from 7-9pm, The organisation will provide a way based diet on Tuesday 17 March. to put individuals in touch with local 7. join a local group Tickets are free but booking in groups, identify funding to take advance is essential. action, and to collect information 8. fly less and feedback to North Somerset 9. buy well, less or second-hand Visit www.n-somersetlibraries. Council. 10. tell your friends. eventbrite.com A new website – Find out more at Volunteers needed to www.zerocarbonnorthsomerset.org www.zerocarbonnorthsomerset.org – has launched. help bereaved relatives Read more about the Could you provide emotional climate emergency on and practical support to someone page 26. attending an inquest? Being told about the last moments of your loved one’s life can be hard but having someone there to help can make the process less traumatic. Avon Coroner’s Court in Flax Bourton is now looking for more volunteers to join the Coroners’ Court Support Service (CCSS). Volunteers from CCSS are there to listen and offer emotional support and practical help to bereaved families, witnesses and others attending an inquest. Anyone interested can email [email protected] or call 07534 149 962. www.coronerscourtssupportservice. org.uk 4 North Somerset Life • Spring 2020 For the latest updates on North Somerset’s news visit www.n-somerset.gov.uk/news Local partnership helps tilt the For more information about the Hinkley balance for Connection Project and National Grid’s work visit birdlife www.hinkleyconnection.co.uk Wading birds are being The weir, built to a Dutch design “Unlike traditional sluices it can be encouraged to the marshy adapted for the site, retains and safely and accurately adjusted. wetland near Tickenham thanks raises water levels, so creating a more “This means we get just the right reliable feeding and breeding ground. to the installation of a specially- amount of water to support flora designed tilting weir. The idea was proposed during and fauna year-round, creating National Grid has partnered with consultation on the Hinkley stability for existing wildlife and a local landowner Stewart Plant Connection Project by local attracting wintering wildfowl and and Natural England to install the resident and North Somerset wading birds. weir on the Tickenham Moor Site Conservation Advisor for Natural of Special Scientific Interest near England, Mary Trump. “ Peat moors like this also the Causeway, between Nailsea Mary said: “The wetlands are a assist with carbon capture and Tickenham. precious resource and the tilting and flood mitigation.” weir is an impressive feature. Exhibition of Gypsy and Traveller history opens soon The history of Gypsies and as facts, photographs and artefacts This national event was established Travellers is being celebrated to create a vibrant and interactive in 2008 to challenge stereotypes during an exhibition at Weston experience. and raise awareness of different groups of Travellers. Museum from next month. It runs from April to June in the The free exhibition will combine Community Gallery, to coincide Find out more about recordings of oral histories from with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller events at Weston Museum, Travellers who live locally, as well History Month in June. in Burlington Street, at www.westonmuseum.org www.n-somerset.gov.uk l @NorthSomersetC f NorthSomersetCouncil 5 News Communities to come together to mark VE Day Towns, villages and organisations across North Piranhi / Shutterstock.com Somerset are being encouraged to come together to Activities could include a street party, poems read by mark VE Day in their local communities. local dignitaries, a short service, the call of a town crier, or more. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War Two in Europe (Victory in Europe) and in Tag any events with #VEDay75NS on social media, so the Far East (Victory in Japan). people in North Somerset can find details of your event. To mark VE Day, the bank holiday in early May is VJ Day activities will take place on Saturday 15 August. being moved to Friday 8 May to enable communities to organise their own VE75 activities across the weekend. www.veday75.org Change lives and earn a bonus Hundreds of pounds are on offer in their hospital discharge, For more information to people in North Somerset who reablement, end-of-life or dementia about working in care call: become new recruits into the care teams, you will be eligible for a • Weston-super-Mare – industry. Proud to Care bonus every six months of employment, thanks Alliance Living Care If you want to make a difference to to the scheme run with North 0300 012 1447 people’s lives and help someone Somerset Council.