Epilogue

When I stood down from BathNES Council, I stopped updating this website. However, after four years, I feel it deserves a proper ending.

Sadly David Martin and Claire Jackson were not elected in 2015; Bath voted for a Conservative MP and councillors. On a bad night for the Liberal Democrats across the country, I was especially saddened to see Bathwick lose David. My friend and colleague was easily the most capable and active councillor for Bathwick in recent years.

In 2017 Bath overwhelmingly returned a Liberal Democrat MP, as the Conservative government started to pursue an increasingly extreme Brexit policy.

For the council elections in 2019, I was happy to return to Bath to support my old colleagues, and to canvass for Manda Rigby and Dr Kumar in Bathwick. I am delighted that both were elected, as the Liberal Democrats took majority control of BathNES Council for the first time.

Congratulations Cllrs Rigby and Kumar, and best wishes to you and to Bathwick.

I have since moved to Bristol, and become a chartered town planner, specialising in nationally significant infrastructure. I am still politically active, and intend to stand again for council and for parliament in the coming years.

~Nicholas

David Martin and Claire Jackson stand for Council

David Martin Claire Jackson Nicholas Coombes

David Martin and Claire Jackson have been nominated to stand as Liberal Democrats for Bathwick ward to BathNES Council.

Papers published today show that David and Claire are the ONLY local candidates in Bathwick. David already has a proud record of action as our local councillor. Claire is known locally as the secretary of the Bathwick Hill Residents’ Association.

Nicholas Coombes, who is retiring this year, endorses them both:

“It has been a real pleasure to work with David Martin over the past four years; he is thoughtful, diligent and principled. People across Bathwick have benefited from his campaigns and assistance, and on the wider stage he has led BathNES Council to win awards for pioneering sustainable energy projects.

“I am delighted that Claire Jackson is standing in my place, we have worked together on local issues for almost a decade. Not only is she well known locally, but she has previously served as a councillor in London and had a national role in the Liberal Democrats. She will be a terrific addition to our team for Bathwick.”

Sydney Garden plans on display

Claire Jackson David Martin

Plans to improve Sydney Gardens have been published. This is the first stage of the restoration works for the park, funded by the Liberal Democrats on BathNES Council.

Local residents, park users and your local Liberal Democrat councillors have been involved in drawing up the plans. The first stage of the project includes:

  • Making entrances and paths more welcoming and accessible with improved information and interpretation.
  • Carefully conserving the park’s special landscape character of “rooms”, but removing overly secluded areas and revealing selected views within the gardens and towards the city.
  • Replacing worn out benches and litter-bins, placing them in better locations.

You can see all of the plans online or visit Sydney Gardens before 20th April to read about the works,

National Trust family discovery trail

Claire Jackson and David Martin on Claverton Down

The National Trust have created a family discovery trail along two miles of the Skyline walk.

The trail links the recently built woodland play area and a new ‘elf and fairy foray’ in Long Wood. Children are also invited to measure the ant hills, forage for bugs and geo-cache (possibly with parents).

The Mayor of Bath, Cllr Cherry Beath, officially opens the trail on Wednesday 8th April at 10:30 in the woodland play area.

20mph limits for residential areas approved

20mph Sydney Buildings

The Liberal Democrats running BathNES Council have approved a plan to cut speed limits in residential areas. The policy was officially signed by leading councillors today.

Twenty mph limits will be designated on all residential roads in Bathwick; this does not include any part of Bathwick Hill or Warminster Road. Local residents and your Bathwick councillors have campaigned for reduced road speeds for many years, which make our residential roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists, including children and the elderly.

Warminster Road MoD site housing gets planning permission

MoD site entrance

The Council’s Development Control Committee has approved the planning application for 204 houses on the former MoD site at Warminster Road. The project will include two access points from Warminster Road, open spaces and landscaping, a pumping station and associated engineering works. There is also a provision of land for expansion of Bathwick St Mary Primary School, which is immediately adajcent to the site.

Commenting, Cllr David Martin said “there were a number of detailed objections to the scheme from local residents and from other consultees, regarding issues such as overlooking nearby properties and the layout and design features. At the Committee meeting I expressed concerns about these issues. However, the Committee accepted the planning officer’s recommendation to permit the development, which is likely to proceed fairly swiftly”.

Smallcombe Cemetery restoration wins lottery grant

Smallcombe cemetery

Volunteers seeking to restore Smallcombe Cemetery have been granted nearly £50,000 by the Heritage Lottery Fund for their work.

The £48,600 was awarded to the Friends of St Mary’s Churchyard for a restoration project involving repair to the walls, vegetation management and promoting the heritage of the cemetery. The Friends are working with BathNES Council, Bath Spa University and National Trust to realise this project.

Dozens of local people are signed up as friends of the project and have volunteered on action days already. If you would like to join in, get in touch with the them.