The Bradley Stoke Journal

Police investigating multiple reports of a prowler in Bradley Stoke and Little Stoke say they have arrested a man.

A statement posted today on the Avon and Somerset Police website reads:

“A 30-year-old man from Bradley Stoke was arrested shortly after 8pm last night, Thursday 26th January, by neighbourhood PC Claire Fletcher.”

“He remains in police custody today, Friday 27th January.”

The move comes after police said they had been called to investigate two separate reports of an early morning prowler in Elm Close (Little Stoke) and Oaktree Crescent on Wednesday 18th January.

Local police have said they arrested a man in connection with a similar incident in Bradley Stoke in November 2011 but following further enquiries he was released without charge.

An article in the The Bristol Evening Post earlier this week claimed a prowler was scared off after he was seen “trying to peer into a house” in the vicinity of Brook Way.

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Two Bradley Stoke Judo Club players have won the top two medals in their categories at the prestigious 2012 Commonwealth Judo Championships, held yesterday (Tuesday 24th January) at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff.

The players, Steph Walker and Lele Nairne (both just 14 years of age), won first the silver medal and then Lele bagged the gold and title of ‘Commonwealth Judo Champion’.

Commenting on their performance, Club Coach Pete Douglas said:

“The selection process for this championship started months ago when the best players England had to offer gathered to fight it out to distinguish the top athletes to represent England in this truly international event.”

“These two players proved themselves to be true titans in judo and right at the very top of their game. They are a credit to the club and South West and I know will shortly be going on to represent England again at other internationals at the very highest level.”

More: Youngsters are also members of the England elite squad »

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An article in today’s Bristol Evening Post claims shoppers have been put off from using Bradley Stoke’s Willow Brook Centre following the installation of speed humps back in November last year.

The humps on the approach road to the centre are said to be giving customers “too much of a jolt” and the obstacles are alleged to be causing traffic congestion because vehicles have to “virtually stop before driving over them”.

The story will be familiar to Journal readers as we covered it two months ago when the humps were first installed.

The paper quotes Bradley Stoke Town Councillor Keith Cranney as saying:

“… the centre should be doing everything it could to encourage customers in times of economic austerity – not put them off.”

“I’ve had a lot of complaints about this and it was raised at a recent forum meeting where someone said they wouldn’t be shopping there again.”

Members of the Bradley Stoke Police Beat Team which has a base at the centre, however, expressed different views in a presentation to a Town Council meeting last Wednesday.

More: Humps are "helping the cause" says PCSO »

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Bradley Stoke Town Council has voted to freeze the precept charge on residents’ council tax bills for the second successive year. The decision, agreed at last Wednesday’s Full Council meeting, sees the charge on a Band D property remain at £113.50 for 2012/13.

Commenting on the freeze, Cllr Roger Avenin (Con, Baileys Court), Chair of the Finance Committee, said:

“We continue to find ourselves in uncertain economic times and many residents’ household budgets are under pressure. As a Council we’re here to support the community and it simply wouldn’t be right to ask hard working families to pay any more this year.”

Councillors are also keen to point out that services aren’t under threat with Town Mayor Cllr Ben Walker commenting:

“We’re not making cuts, we’re still providing for the community; we’re just focusing very hard on doing everything we can as efficiently as possible. Our youth budget for example has been maintained but it has been opened up to a wider variety of organisations than ever before, so we can support a diverse range of activities for young people of all ages.”

The Town Council precept typically represents less than 10% of the total Council Tax bill. The largest proportion, around 80%, is taken by South Gloucestershire Council (SGC), with the police and fire services making up the remainder.

More: Government offers SGC a sweetener to freeze Council Tax »

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Police are urging people living in Bradley Stoke and Little Stoke to make sure doors and windows are secured after reports of an early-morning prowler.

Officers were called to two incidents yesterday morning (Wednesday 18th January) in which householders spotted a man in their gardens.

A man was seen in a garden in Elm Close, Little Stoke, at about 6:45am. He made off when the householder shouted at him.

A second, similar, incident happened in Oaktree Crescent, Bradley Stoke, at about 8:50am.

Neighbourhood PC Steve Palmer said:

“Officers have carried out house-to-house enquiries and patrols in response to these reports. At the moment it’s not certain the incidents are linked, but we are keeping an open mind.”

“There has been no attempt to get into any home, but I’d ask people to be vigilant, make sure side gates are secured and keep doors and windows locked.”

“Don’t leave the door unlocked when you leave for work or to take children to school, even though another family member is still at home.”

More: Man arrested after similar incident in November »

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Jobs could be lost at the Bradley Stoke branch of Peacocks after the national retailer confirmed it had entered administration after failing to secure its debts.

A spokesperson for administrators KPMG has told the BBC that there will “inevitably” be redundancies and store closures across the group.

The company’s Chief Executive Richard Kirk said:

“This is a hugely sad development for all of our stakeholders, especially our employees who have shown total commitment to the business over an uncertain and difficult period.”

The Peacocks store at the Willow Brook Centre opened on 3rd June 2010 and it is believed that around 15 people are employed there.

Staff at the store said on Tuesday that they had been instructed not to talk to the media.

Read more: Clothing firm’s staff braced for job losses (BBC)

Related link: Jobs in Bradley Stoke (The Journal)

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