The Bradley Stoke Journal

Bradley Stoke Councillor Robert Jones has attracted criticism from the blogosphere after he published an insensitive message about proposed Council cuts on the social media site Twitter.

The message, sent from the Councillor’s mobile phone as he was waiting for South Gloucestershire Council’s budget-setting meeting to begin on Wednesday evening, read:

“Just arrived at south glos council ahead of tonight’s budget. No sign of protest. Clearly we’re not cutting enough.”

The ‘tweet’ was perhaps referring to protests that had occurred at Bristol City Council’s budget meeting the previous day but the final “not cutting enough” part of the message has been seized upon by left wing bloggers, led by Bristol trade unionist yokelbear.

UNISON South West later tweeted about “a councillor who takes pride in cuts” and numerous other Twitter users have branded the message “disgraceful” and “offensive”.

Cllr Jones appears to have since deleted the message but it has been preserved for posterity on the photo blogging site Twitpic.

South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) has begun delivering new recycling containers and bags to households in preparation for its new food waste and plastic bottle collections.

Delivery of container packs began on Monday (25th October) and all households should have received them by the time the new collections begin in the week commencing Monday 22nd November.

The Council says that the collection changes will not initially affect people living in flats as each block of flats has different recycling and collection facilities.

Related links:

• Council distributes containers for new recycling services (SouthGlos Post)
• Rubbish, waster and recycling (SGC)

A District Councillor representing Bradley Stoke has told a Labour Councillor to “make up his mind” about transparency and the provision of care for the elderly.

Cllr Sarah Pomfret, who represents the Bradley Stoke Central & Stoke Lodge ward on South Gloucestershire Council (SGC), says Cllr Andy Perkins (Woodstock) needs to:

“make up his mind about transparency and how councils account for his Labour Government’s policy of forcing older residents to sell their homes to pay for care.”

Cllr Perkins and other Labour Councillors have called a special meeting of SGC’s Community Care and Housing Select Committee to discuss what he claims are plans to allow private companies to build and run care homes in the district.

Read more: Make your mind up (Evening Post)

South Gloucestershire Council has opened a public consultation on the statutory notice required to allow off-street parking at a new park and ride facility near Bristol Parkway station.

The car park will comprise 200 spaces and be available between 5:30am and midnight. The maximum stay duration will be 18.5 hours.

There will be a fixed fee for use of the car park of £5 per day, Monday to Friday (inclusive) – reduced to £3 per day on Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays.

The consultation runs until Thursday 11th November 2010.

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 Library has closed for a five week period to allow completion of an extension that was begun in March.

The nearest alternative libraries are at Filton and Yate (note that Winterbourne and Patchway libraries are also closed during some or all of this period).

South Gloucestershire Council says that Wi-Fi access normally provided by the library will continue to function within the adjoining Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre during the closure.

The enlarged Bradley Stoke Library is scheduled to re-open on Monday 12th July 2010.