LOCAL COUNCILLORS

AFTER years of delay, the Clean Air Zone has finally started. Overall, this is good for Bristol as polluted air is increasingly being linked to a whole range of health conditions, with children being particularly affected.

You can find out more about the scheme, check your vehicle and any exemptions by searching ‘Clean Air Bristol’. For example, people visiting any of the BRI hospitals should be able to claim an exemption and details will be on your hospital appointment letter.

It is important to pay if you enter the Zone as you will not be sent a bill but will be sent a fine if you don’t pay.

We support the CAZ in principle but think it could have been better implemented, and want to see more information about how it is working. This is because our ward is right on the edge and likely to be affected by the displacement of non-compliant vehicles, for example St John’s Lane is predicted to see more traffic, although St Luke’s Road should see slightly less overall. We are already getting reports of even more commuter parking in the area, adding to the existing problems.

We have been repeatedly pressing the Mayor to study the effects and invest some of the money raised to mitigate any effects on our local streets, but have been unable to get a straight answer.

Instead, we will be directly surveying people living between the Bath and Wells Roads. Watch this space! And do get in contact if your area could do with a survey.

Anyone living in Southville and its neighbouring wards cannot fail to be aware of the large level of development either already taking place, or proposed to take place, in the BS3 area.

‘Central Bedminster’, which roughly covers the area from the New Cut to Sheene Road and from the railway line to Dean Lane, has long been identified as a key development area while the western end of the BS3 area sees another group of development sites stretching from the New Cut down to Ashton Gate and into Ashton Vale.

All of these sites, either under construction, in the planning system, or identified in the local plan, plus other locations across Greater Bedminster and Windmill Hill, are likely to lead to a 44% increase in population - from nearly 40,000 residents today to over 55,000 in the near future. This will massively increase demand for public services, health provision, school places and potentially an increase in residents’ cars of almost 40% (some 6,000 additional cars) if car ownership levels remain the same as they are today.

This is why Action Greater Bedminster (AGB) are organising a series of workshops and debates across the three wards over the next six months. Called BS 2025, it will offer residents the opportunity to have their say on the future of the BS3 area and what we need as a community not just as a development opportunity - watch out for details of how to get involved on the AGB website and here in South Bristol Voice

GREAT to see some of the welldeserved praise and recognition for Mike Alden of The Park football club. What a staggering contrast to the Bristol mayor strangled and tied up by his own red tape and blocking community devised solutions.

Nearly three years ago, Bristol Parks Department admitted they had not got the money for repairs needed for Redcatch Park Pavillion and changing rooms. We immediately introduced Mike and his club to the wonderful community garden and they jointly put in an expression of interest in taking over, repairing and running the pavillion. (Pitch time at Daventry Road Park was being reduced because of sharing with the new school being built.)

Since that time, Bristol City

Council has, despite numerous reminders, completely failed to progress matters and the club are locked out so girls and disabled teams cannot play at Redcatch.

Yet again, Gary is asking public questions of the mayor on full council day and he was joined by reps from the Friends of the Park, the garden and Mike himself. Unbelievably, the mayor attempted to pat himself on the back for his failure and Gary urged him to get back to reality and agree to an urgent meeting of interested parties to at least sort out an interim solution. A large petition was also presented by Gary, demanding that the mayor honour the terms of the green spaces strategy and return the funds earmarked for local parks that he has seized.

AS usual, my inbox is busy with planning and traffic issues. Many of these relate to planning applications or where traffic access and parking pressures are impacting on the community.

With the financial pressures faced by the Council, some projects are either being rescheduled, cancelled, or reassessed. This will also apply to projects which are community priorities and being considered by Area Committees made up of Councillors from across adjoining wards.

Therefore, I am really pleased to have made progress with the long-awaited pedestrian crossing outside Luckwell Primary School. Informal consultation will start soon, hopefully leading to the necessary traffic orders and installation. This has been a community priority for some time and the school is very supportive as Luckwell/Duckmoor Roads are increasingly busy.

The Council Budget meeting in February will decide on the spending and revenue priorities for the Council, plus Council Tax levels. I have been part of the scrutiny work looking at the financial position and areas being considered for funding reductions. Uncertainty about government funding, as well as high inflation and the wider economic downturn are all impacting on council activities and spending. Meanwhile, care costs continue to rise and remain the biggest proportion of council spending.

I hope to have further discussions about several planning applications in Bedminster Ward and to make further progress in identifying a viable and available site for play in Ashton Vale, after so many potential sites have been rejected over the years due to unsuitability or community opposition.