The Bradley Stoke Journal

Bristol City Council’s move to stage a free fireworks display on the Downs next year could result in a smaller attendance at Bradley Stoke Town Council’s corresponding event at the Jubilee Centre.

Crowds at the local display have been boosted in the past two years, following cancellation of the Bristol event previously organised by Bristol Round Table and Clifton Rotary Club.

The move could hit the amount raised for the Mayor’s charity but might also ease concerns over crowd safety that were raised after this year’s event.

Bradley Stoke resident John Miller asks why the Town Council’s currently-running public consultation on the future location of the Council’s office lacks an option for a relocation of the office to the Willow Brook Centre.

For years the expectation has been that when the District Centre was completed, the BSTC administration Office would move down into it. Being more central and available than the Woodlands site.

Yet in offering consultation, this piece of history is apparently not worthy of consideration.WHY?

This Council does not seem to appreciate the past or present problems that the residents in the Jubilee Centre area have to endure. I refer to anti social behaviour and car parking. The current car parking provision at the Jubilee Centre is inadequate. Which leads to overspill and resulting congestion in the street(s).

Bringing the administration offices here, would exacerbate the problem. As no provision is made for additional parking space in any of the options.

With 1a. being quite ridiculous. Would drivers wend their way through the main part and down to the extension, knowing that they have to walk back to the pedestrian entrance? no, parking in the road would be the easier option.

With 1., the football pitch cannot be moved in a South or Westerly direction, as, with the present location players have to run up a gradient to take corner kicks or throw-ins.

With 2. This would establish a alleyway between the new block and the changing rooms. Ideal for ‘activities’ out of the public gaze. No thank you!

As I understand it, Willow Brook can provide accommodation at a lower cost than the present. It is central, convenient for residents, able to combine with a shopping visit, easy parking, and a non-disruptive move. And there would be no unknown financial liability imposed on future Councils.

As things stand, I and probably most other local residents would have no alternative but to vote for option 3.

So please rethink (no it’s not too late for common sense to prevail), modify the consultation document to include the Willow Brook option, and give the public real options.

Yours sincerely,

John Miller

Bradley Stoke Town Council’s Planning Committee has objected to a planning application to extend a house in Ormonds Close.

This application relates to the erection of a two storey side and rear extension and single storey side extension at 55 Ormonds Close.

Committee members voted unanimously to object to the proposal on the following grounds:

• “over-development of the site”
• “not in-keeping with street-scene and surrounding area”

Officials at South Gloucestershire Council have since reviewed the application and recommend that it be approved, saying:

• “not considered to represent an over-development of the site, especially having regard to the characteristics of surrounding development”
• “the development is wholly in keeping with the locality”

The District Council has set a target date of 23rd September for making a decision.

Bradley Stoke Town Councillors visited Westminster on Wednesday to step up the campaign for faster broadband connections in the Town. Town Mayor Cllr Ben Walker and Councillors John Ashe, Brian Hopkinson, Robert Jones and Sarah Pomfret attended a meeting at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport with Communications Minister Ed Vaizey MP.

The meeting, which was organised by newly elected Filton and Bradley Stoke MP Jack Lopresti, was described by councillors as a success and the Minister has agreed to write to both BT and Virgin Media about the issue.

Town Mayor Cllr Ben Walker said:

“The meeting was very positive, the minister explained what the coalition government were doing about broadband nationwide and agreed to highlight the problems in Bradley Stoke in letters to both BT and Virgin.”

Cllr Robert Jones added:

“This is a huge boost for our Broadband Campaign in Bradley Stoke, and we are extremely grateful to Jack (Lopresti MP) for arranging the meeting. We won’t be giving up, we will keep campaigning till every house has access to a high speed connection.”

Related story: MP joins the fight for faster broadband in Bradley Stoke

Interesting article (Toasting the new politics) from Paul Barltrop, BBC Political Editor for the West of England, who managed to get Conservative and Lib Dem activists from Bristol North west together to chat on television about their parties’ parliamentary marriage.

Could we see a similar love-in on Bradley Stoke Town Council (BSTC), where the Tories out number the Lib Dems by 12 to 2? Could save a few bob on by-elections (£5k a throw, according to a recent report).

Might seem unlikely as Lib Dem stalwart Cllr Jon Williams was recently sanctioned for describing his (predominantly) Conservative colleagues as “a bunch of w****ers” at a BSTC Council meeting in December 2008.

Then again, David Cameron is apparently on record as saying his favourite joke is (was?) Nick Clegg.

Bradley Stoke Town Council has awarded grants totaling nearly £2,000 to four local organisations.

Sole Sisters (North Bristol) Running Club has once again been awarded £500 towards the cost of staging the Bradley Stoke 10k Run as part of the Community Festival weekend in June.

The new Bradley Stoke Bowls Club has been awarded £500 towards the cost of new bowls equipment to be used at the Baileys Court green.

Also attracting a grant for an event at the Community Festival is Bradley Stoke Youth FC, for the organisation of a football tournament.

Finally, £493 has been awarded to Southern Brooks Community Partnership to fund trips associated with the Bradley Stoke Dreamscheme project.