Motorists in the Stokes are being warned to expect delays at a major roundabout on the local road network in the new year.

Improvement works at Great Stoke Roundabout (a.k.a. Rabbit Roundabout), on the border between Bradley Stoke and Stoke Gifford, are due to start on Thursday 2nd January and are expected to take 12 months to complete.

The £2.9 million scheme, funded by the West of England Combined Authority (Weca), includes:

• Increasing all approaches to the roundabout from two lanes to three
• Widening and modifications to road markings on the roundabout
• The installation of Toucan crossings on each of the four arms of the roundabout, prioritised for pedestrians and cyclists

The work will necessitate the temporary closure of footways/cycleways in the vicinity of the roundabout. Diversions will be in place for pedestrians and cyclists, including the use of temporary light controlled crossings on the Winterbourne Road, to the west of the roundabout, and on Great Stoke Way to the south.

Preparatory work that took place before Christmas has seen the construction of a temporary ramp to divert the footway on the west side of Bradley Stoke Way along the top of the embankment. The scrub clearance which took place prior to the installation of the ramp was necessary to “open up the area” to avoid creating a “significant personal safety risk” for members of the public, according to a council source.

Further details about the roundabout improvement scheme are available on the SGC website at www.southglos.gov.uk/majorroadworks

More: Project timetable; Frequently asked questions »

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South Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC’s) proposed new Resource and Waste Strategy, covering the period 2020 to 2030, incorporates aims to further improve recycling rates in the district, but also includes measures to reduce our consumption of raw materials, especially single-use plastics.

A 14-week public consultation on the draft strategy document was approved at a Cabinet meeting on Monday 17th June.
Ambitious, legally binding targets outlined in the document include recycling 65 percent of waste by 2035 and 70 percent of packaging by 2030.

Current recycling rates are just under 60 percent, with the projected recycling rate for 2018-2019 being 58.3 percent. However, the council admits that the results of its annual waste analysis in 2018 show that it “has more to do” in order to divert waste from the black bin into recycling. It is estimated there are (annually) 10,268 tonnes of food waste disposed of in the black bin that could be recycled. In an effort to reduce this, the council says it will continue to promote its weekly food waste collections and encourage residents to reduce avoidable food waste in line with national campaigns such as ‘Love Food Hate Waste’.

The new strategy does not include any changes to kerbside collections, although from April next year bulky household items (such as sofas and mattresses) will be taken to a new facility to be shredded, removing metals, wood and rigid plastics for recycling. The remaining material will be sent for energy recovery, with the aim of zero going to landfill.

Proposed measures to promote sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic items include sharing knowledge with businesses and communities and promoting the ‘Refill’ campaign locally.

More: How to respond to the consultation »

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South Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC’s) element of the council tax levied on local households is to increase by 2.99 percent from April.

The latest rise follows inflation-busting uplifts of 5.99 percent in 2018/19 and 4.99 percent in 2017/18, both of which included a ring-fenced levy of 3 percent to support adult social care.

The social care levy could not be increased further for 2018/19 as the council has already reached the government-imposed cap of a 6 percent cumulative rise over three years.

The increase means that the South Gloucestershire Council element of council tax for a Band D property for 2019/20 will rise to £1,484.

Meeting on 13th February, councillors agreed to set a revenue budget of almost £221 million. The spending plans also include a further £208 million that will be distributed to schools.

The Budget papers show that while the council’s finances are projected to remain in balance for the coming two years, this is only by using reserves set aside for this purpose, delivering additional savings and generating extra income. The council concedes that challenges remain in the medium term, caused by falling government grants and increased costs and demand for services.

Public consultation carried out by the council prior to the budget-setting process showed that 37 percent of respondents expressed a preference for a lower council tax rise for 2019/20 of 1.99 percent, while 36 percent opted for the finally chosen value of 2.99 percent.

The council’s Conservative administration says its budget includes £78 million of investment in local schools and £35m for road and highways (both over four years).

There will also be £3.2m of additional funding for social care, with further increases set aside for extra support to deal with the spike in demand for adult social care seen over the winter months.

More: Police precept increased by a massive 12.38 percent »

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South Gloucestershire Council is once again calling on volunteers to help clean up their neighbourhoods by joining its annual Spring Clean initiative.

This year’s campaign will run from Monday 11th February to Friday 10th May, when local groups, individuals, schools or town councils are invited to hold a litter pick of a targeted area in their community.

A litter pick does not have to be a big organised event – you and your friends, neighbours or family may just decide to have a clean up of your local park, street or pathway. However big or small, the council can lend out equipment to help you run your litter pick successfully.

The South Gloucestershire Spring Clean is the perfect opportunity for everyone to help keep their town, village, high street, woodland or park free from litter and clean for all to enjoy. Friends, families, neighbours, parish and town councils, community and voluntary groups, church groups, schools, students, youth clubs, scouts, cadets, brownies, guides, and businesses are all invited to take action against litter.

Volunteers can request free bin bags and gloves and can also borrow litter pickers and hoops.

Groups are asked to book any equipment required as far in advance as possible as there are limited numbers available and high demand during peak weekends throughout the Spring Clean campaign.

All items must be returned to the council after your event.

More: How to request your litter-picking equipment »

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