Two prominent Bathwick figures have been recognised in the Queen’s new year’s honours list.
Professor Glynis Breakwell, the Vice Chancellor of Bath University, has been made a Dame for services to higher education.
David Posnett, Chair of the Holburne Trustees, has been awarded an OBE.
A full report of Bath-based recipients is in the Chronicle for services to museums.
This week the Holburne Museum has welcomed its 100,000th visitor since re-opening in May.
The museum closed for two years for the rennovation of the Grade I listed building and the construction of a bold modern extension. They had expected 90,000 visitors in their first year of re-opening.
The American Museum on Claverton Down is now closed for the winter, but celebrated its 50th anniversary this year.
New for the Christmas period at the Holburne is the Field of Light exhibition, for which thousands of glowing bulbs have sprung up in the gardens surrounding the cafe – well worth a visit after dark.
Your local councillors are calling for the return of bus services over Pulteney Bridge.
The threat of closure raised by the Conservatives has been formally dropped by the new Lib Dem council, but bus companies are continuing to use North Parade. This route is longer and less convenient as it does not serve Great Pulteney Street of the city centre.
The petition reads:
We call upon First Bus and Wessex Connect to restore the university bus service to its previous route across Pulteney Bridge.
The current diversion via North Parade and Pulteney Road causes considerable inconvenience for local bus users in Bathwick, adds to traffic congestion and imposes delays on the service. By restoring the route, users will be able to access more easily the High Street, Post Office, Great Pulteney Street surgery, local banks and other shops and businesses in the Milsom Street area.
To add your name please email bathwick_libdems@yahoo.com with your name and address.
Bathwick residents met with representatives of the police, BathNES Council and their local councillors to discuss local issues.
The Police and Communities Together (PaCT) met on 6th December at St Mary’s Primary School. After a discussion of previous priorities, the meeting agreed that work should be targetted at:
At the meeting police also reported a rise in lead thefts in the area and warned residents to be vigilant. While extra checks had been implemented at scrap metal merchants, the wholesale value of lead has made this a profitable trade.
BathNES Council’s representative reported that in the previous six months 248 parking inspections had been made on Bathwick Hill, resulting in the issue of 63 tickets. This averages as one every three days.
Cllr David Martin is among the volunteer snow wardens appointed in our area.
The Liberal Democrats have introduced the pilot scheme to support communities through icy weather. Wardens will be provided with salt and spreaders to treat important routes and pavements in their area.
One of the trial areas will cover the Claverton Down area in Bathwick ward. Another is between the Bathwick Estate and Sydney Buildings.
“People have cleared the snow from outside their homes for decades,” says David Martin, “now the Lib Dems are giving communities some extra support.”
A consultation has been launched about the upgrade of the Claverton Down to Combe Down footpath to a bridleway.
In recent years your local Lib Dems have worked hard to have the path legally recognised and widened. The Liberal Democrats now running the council have set aside money to upgrade the path further if the bridleway is approved.
The path, formerly an access road for the quarries, is already wide and flat. However, it does need surface improvements and safety works at either end if it is to be shared between walkers and cyclists. Some cyclists use the path already because of its convenient route; regulating and improving the path as a bridleway will make this situation safer for all.
As well as linking to the existing public path network, the route could be used by pupils cycling to Ralph Allen and students heading to the University. This will be safer and quicker than the long route on Claverton Down Road, which has experienced cycle accidents and near misses in recent years.
To take part in the consultation write to Public Rights of Way, Floor 2 Riverside, Temple Street, Keynsham BS31 1LA or email prow@bathnes.gov.uk before 6th January.
Bath Homes fit for the future aims to showcase examples of energy saving homes. The aim is inform people about how to make their homes warmer and cheaper to heat.
Cllr David Martin helped launch the project recently in his role as Member Champion for Energy and Climate Change. Details are at www.bathhomesfitfortheuture.co.uk
While walking up to Sham Castle earlier I passed some cattle on the footpath.
I’ve added this to my occassional collection of attractive photographs of Bathwick. There’s a slight Gainsborough reference to the composition also – if you haven’t yet been to the exhibition at the Holburne it’s well worth a visit – http://holburne.org/gainsborough-s-landscapes/.
The Liberal Democrats running BathNES Council have decided to apply to the Heritage Lottery Fund to restore Sydney Gardens.
There have been plans to restore the park for almost twenty years which have never been implemented. In 1993 an ambitious plan was drawn up which involved building a new bridge over the railway, a folly castle and planting a maze to the original design. The restoration project was last revived in 2007, but got nowhere under the then Conservative administration.
The Council cabinet has now approved a plan to draw up a bid, which could lead to significant funding. The Parks for People programme may fund 90% of the cost of restoring the gardens, making this project affordable even during a time of austerity for the council.
There will now be extensive consultation with residents and park users to find out their aspirations for the gardens. This work will inform the bid to the lottery and should make the restored Sydney Gardens popular and successful.
Your local Liberal Democrat councillors are very pleased with this progress and will make sure that local people are meaningfully involved in the project.
This month a new set of street lights are being installed on Oakley Bathwick Hill.
The old columns are corroding and their yellow tinged light is no longer reaches modern standards. BathNES Council are replacing all of the columns with clearer white lights, which have been designed focus light on the surface and reduce light pollution.
The design is also different, with shorter brackets carrying the lanterns at the top of the column. This type was installed on Widcombe Hill last year.
It is expected that the lights will be ready for use by December – arguably more festive timing than the Bath Christmas light switch on by John Cleese next week.