Last week’s Annual General Meeting of Bradley Stoke Town Council saw councillors select their new Mayor for the ensuing year, bringing to an end Cllr Charlotte Walker’s year’s term in office.

Cllr Walker was selected as Mayor last May, becoming the youngest female Mayor in the country.

Prior to presenting the chain of office to new Mayor Cllr Brian Hopkinson, she said:

“Firstly, I would like to express my thanks to Sharon and all the Bradley Stoke Town Council staff. They continue to work endlessly for the community and are definitely the hard working members of the council team.”

“I would also like to say thank you to all the town councillors who continue to actively work in the best interests of the town and the residents.”

As Mayor and Chair of Council I have tried to remain impartial to party politics and make decisions based on what I felt was best for the community. I can only hope that the next Chair continues this and the council as whole can remain transparent.”

More: Cheques totalling nearly £8,000 handed to two charities »

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With the second anniversary of the introduction of part-night street lighting in Bradley Stoke coming up next month, The Journal has today launched an online poll to gauge readers’ views on the scheme.

A public consultation carried out by the town council in 2010 found 54% of the 153 respondents in agreement with the plan put forward by South Gloucestershire Council (SGC), under which most street lights are turned off for five hours a night, nominally between midnight and 5am GMT (1am and 6am BST).

In general, all street lights have been switched to part-night operation, except on stretches of road within a specified distance of major junctions or roundabouts or where the road incorporates traffic-calming features. Lights are also left on throughout the night near pedestrian crossings and along enclosed footpaths.

According to information obtained by The Journal, installing the new photocells necessary to implement the scheme in Bradley Stoke cost SGC £25,756. The annual saving in electricity costs is estimated at £16,800, with annual carbon emissions being reduced by 105 tonnes.

SGC claims there has been no increase in recorded crime since the part-night street lighting scheme was introduced, although enquiries by The Journal reveal that the police are unable to provide crime statistics for the specific hours during which the lights are off, with the period 6pm to 7am being used as the basis for analysis.

When the switch-off first came into operation, there was a backlash from many residents, with one calling the scheme “insane” and others demanding the lights be switched back on in their street. One town councillor even claimed that residents’ human rights were being violated but he later had to accept that councils have no legal obligation to provide street lighting.

What do you think about the street light switch-off? Leave a comment on this story and complete the Journal poll in the sidebar of the website to let us know.

More info: Part-night street lighting in South Gloucestershire (SGC)

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The Willow Brook Centre in Bradley Stoke has been shortlisted for two prestigious national industry awards.

The SCEPTRE Awards, run by Shopping Centre magazine, recognise the best practice and the best people in the shopping centre industry.

The Willow Brook Centre has reached the shortlist in both the Waste Management Category and the Centre Manager (Medium) category.

The SCEPTRE Awards put the spotlight on management teams, retailers and suppliers that demonstrate real excellence. The winners will be announced at an awards dinner at The Dorchester in London on 25th June 2013.

Centre Manager Scott Lahive said:

“We are delighted to have been shortlisted for these awards. In particular the Waste Management category. We have achieved zero to landfill in the last year and are really proud of our waste management achievements.”

“The SCEPTRE awards are very highly regarded in the industry and shopping centres of all sizes across the country compete. It’s a great achievement just to get nominated.”

Related link: Shopping in Bradley Stoke (The Journal)

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Bradley Stoke Cricket Club’s (BSCC’s) First XI recorded their first win of the season away to Bitton whilst the Seconds romped home to a comfortable victory against Bristol Pakistanis, beating them by eight wickets. The Thirds and Fourth Teams’ matches were lost to the weather.

BSCC were put into bat first on a two-paced wicket but got off a solid start with Adam Davis and Joe Coles putting on a strong run partnership for the first wicket.

The First XI eventually won the game by 54 runs.

Listen to Connor Summers’s interview with BSCC Second team player Paul Peterson:

Audio clip courtesy of Connor Summers and Bradley Stoke Radio

Photo: Library image from 2012

More local sport: Football presentation evenings (BSTFC & BSYFC) »

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Local residents have the chance to voice their opinions on matters affecting the local area at two public meetings this week.

The Bradley Stoke Safer and Stronger Community Group (SSCG) meets tonight (Monday 13th May) at the Jubilee Centre in Savages Wood Road (7pm start, agenda).

SSCGs influence how services are delivered locally, establish longer-term plans to improve areas, help prevent future problems, and deal with current local issues.

Priority issues discussed at the previous meeting in February, for which progress will be reported tonight, include obstruction caused by on-street parking in Savages Wood Road, dog fouling in Webbs Wood Road & Juniper Way and unsatisfactory refuse collections in Coriander Drive.

The meeting will also hear the latest updates from Avon and Somerset Police and the Avon Fire & Rescue Service.

Tomorrow (Tuesday 14th May), a meeting of South Gloucestershire Council’s Southern Brooks Area Forum will discuss a number of projects with relevance for Bradley Stoke.

The meeting will hear reports on current or potential future local transport capital projects that include a raised table zebra crossing near Bowsland Green Primary School, waiting restrictions and safety measures near St Mary’s Primary School, adding a ‘raised table’ to an existing signal controlled crossing on Woodlands Lane and investigating pedestrian facilities on Brook Way, between Braydon Avenue and Baileys Court Road.

An application from Bradley Stoke Town Council for a grant of £26,489 from the forum’s Positive Activities Subsidy budget, to support detached youth work and the setting up of a ‘youth council’ in the town, will also be discussed.

The Town Council has also submitted three bids for funding from the forum’s New Homes Bonus budget: provision of disabled access at the Jubilee Green play park; pedestrian/cycle improvements outside the Brook Way Activity Centre; and the establishment of a picnic area in the Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve.

The area forum meeting takes place at Abbeywood Community School in New Road, Stoke Gifford (7pm start; agenda).

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