The Bradley Stoke Journal

Schools and public services in Bradley Stoke look set to be affected by industrial action being taken tomorrow (Wednesday 30th November) by public sector workers protesting at pension reforms.

Four of the town’s seven schools – Bradley Stoke Community School, Baileys Court Primary School, Meadowbrook Primary School and Wheatfield Primary School – look set to be fully closed for the day.

The other three schools are expected to be partially closed (i.e. for some year groups): Bowsland Green Primary School, Holy Trinity Primary School and St Mary’s Primary School (closed only to Years 3 and 6).

Parents are advised to check directly with the schools for further details.

South Gloucestershire Council’s Streetcare helpdesk told us today that refuse collections will be carried out as normal on Wednesday.

Find out more about the services affected by the strike »

A public meeting in Bradley Stoke on Tuesday night (29th November) will see Councillors decide how to spend the area’s allocation of £50k for local transport schemes.

The meeting of South Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC’s) Southern Brooks Area Forum, at the Jubilee Centre (7pm start) will consider a total of 28 potential schemes, proposed by residents, Councils, Councillors and schools.

Seven of the proposed schemes lie within the Bradley Stoke town boundaries, these being:

• Kerb works near Pear Tree Roundabout on Woodlands Lane
• Improved school signage in Breaches Gate, near Baileys Court Primary School
• Noise and speed reduction measures in Woodlands Lane, near Woodlands Park
• Speed reduction measures in Ormonds Close, near Bowsland Green School
• Introduction of a pedestrian crossing on Brook Way between Braydon Avenue and Baileys Court Road
• Cycle track measures in Webbs Wood Road, near St Mary’s Primary School
• School ‘keep clear’ markings and traffic orders in Webbs Wood , near St Mary’s Primary School

The Bradley Stoke schemes are pitched against five from Filton, five from Patchway, six from Stoke Gifford and five from Winterbourne.

More: Chances are slim as budget is massively oversubscribed »

Bradley Stoke Community School (BSCS) has announced the creation of an ‘Associate Headteacher’ role, to ensure that there is clear leadership in the school on a day-to-day basis while Executive Headteacher Dave Baker (pictured) splits his time between BSCS and the struggling Abbeywood Community School in Stoke Gifford.

Mr Baker took on the leadership of Abbeywood in early October, after the previous headteacher resigned for personal reasons. The school, which moved to new £30m premises at the beginning of the current academic year, was served notice to improve after an inspection by Ofsted in October 2010.

A monitoring inspection in May 2011 concluded that the school was making “satisfactory progress in addressing the issues for improvement and in raising the pupils’ achievement.”

An article in the Bristol Evening Post this week said Abbeywood is now:

“… waiting the arrival of Government inspectors who will decide whether the school is providing a satisfactory standard of education or requires special measures.”

Mr Baker told the paper he has seen clear signs of improvement, adding:

“There has been progress since the notice to improve was given. Things are moving in the right direction. It’s a matter of whether they have moved far enough.”

With Mr Baker spending a lot of time over in Stoke Gifford, governors at BSCS have decided to shift former Deputy Headteacher Jenny Sutton Kirby to the role of Associate Headteacher.

More: BSCS to become academy on 1st Jan. Abbeywood to follow? »

The new Argos store at Bradley Stoke’s Willow Brook Centre has opened today, a day earlier than planned.

Situated in the retail terrace, between Brantano and Peacocks, the store opened to the public this morning (Friday 25th).

The Manageress of the store explained to The Journal that, with all systems ready to go, they had decided to opt for a “soft start” from 10am.

She stressed that the store’s opening offer of free £10 vouchers to the first one hundred customers would be implemented as advertised from 9am tomorrow (Saturday 26th).

Other opening offers advertised in the Evening Post this week include:

• Free vouchers worth £10 when you spend £50
• Free vouchers worth £20 when you spend £100

The store has lined up a programme of entertainment to celebrate the official opening of its new store tomorrow (Saturday 26th) – including children’s face painting (from 10am to 4pm).

Local radio station Jack FM will be broadcasting live from the Willow Brook Centre between 12 noon and 3pm, offering a chance to win one of ten £25 Argos gift vouchers.

On Sunday (27th November), Peppa Pig will be putting in appearances at 11am, 12 noon, 1pm, 2:30pm and 3:30pm.

Related link: Willow Brook Centre Stores (The Journal)

A public consultation on the provision of post office services in Bradley Stoke has demonstrated an overwhelming demand for a larger post office in the town.

The survey, conducted by the Town Council between August and October this year, saw 92.7% of the 273 respondents express the view that there is a need for a larger post office in Bradley Stoke.

A clear majority (68.1%) specifically said they would like to see a large post office at the Willow Brook Centre, a proportion that increases to 76.6% if those that expressed two or more locational preferences are included.

The town’s only current post office, within the Tesco Express store at Bradley Pavillions, Pear Tree Road, is criticised by many of the respondents for being too small and offering an inadequate range of services for a town the size of Bradley Stoke.

Parking facilities at the existing North Bradley Stoke post office are condemned by many respondents as inadequate and there are numerous complaints of people experiencing long waiting times at the two window facility.

The consultation was carried out after Cllr Tom Aditya, newly elected in May this year, raised the matter at July’s Full Council meeting, having campaigned as a resident for better post office facilities since as long ago as 2007.

The Town Council has now agreed to send the results of the consultation to the Royal Mail, Tesco, the Willow Brook Centre and the local MP.

Royal Mail and Tesco reluctant to change the status quo »