The Canal and Rivers Trust have been working to drain the muddy section of the canal towpath near Sydney Road. This stretch of path is popular with parents taking children to Bathwick St Mary’s Primary, but in recent years it has often been muddy and difficult to pass.
New channels are being installed to stop water from the hillside pooling on the path. Work is being undertaken by volunteers, using materials paid for by Cllr David Martin’s devolved funding.
Bathwick councillor David Martin has arranged for benches in Sydney Gardens to be refurbished. He has used his devolved funding to pay for the work.
While waiting for the results of the Sydney Gardens restoration project lottery bid, work still needs to be done to maintain the park. Many benches have broken in recent years and have not been replaced. BathNES parks staff have fitted new seats to existing benches to improve them cheaply and effectively. Two have already been salvaged in this way, and a third is planned.
A recycling bin has been installed at the top of Madeira Walk on Bathwick Hill, and a new larger bin installed opposite Cleveland Walk.
The small bin opposite Cleveland Walk was funded by Cllr Armand Edwards, when he arranged for three bins to be installed on Bathwick Hill. However, with the level of usage in the summer from Bathwick meadows, the provision was insufficient. Cllr Nicholas Coombes used his devolved funding to buy a larger bin for the Cleveland Walk junction, so that the smaller bin could be used at the top of the field. The Bathwick Hill Residents Association had requested a bin here to help deal with litter and dog fouling on the fields. The installation of the bin was delayed to align with works to the bus stop, to reduce costs to the public.
The National Trust are leading a team of volunteers to clear the scrub which has re-grown in front of the Sham Castle. The first such volunteer effort in recent years was led by Bathwick’s Lib Dem councillors in 2008.
Trust rangers and golf course estates staff will lead the activity between 11am and 3:30pm on Tuesday 4th March. Buddleia, Ash saplings and brambles will be cut back and burnt to restore the views across the city from the Sham Castle.
Local residents are welcome to pop by to say hello and to get involved.
Cllr David Martin joined dozens of local residents for a tour of Smallcombe Cemetery to explore restoration ideas. He is liaising with BathNES Council with a number of issues.
A new group, Friends of St Mary’s Churchyards, is being formed to lead the project. They are interested in repairing walls and memorials, managing and encouraging wildlife and improving access.
If you want to join the Friends, or help with horticultural tasks, please email alastaircowan@uwclub.net for details.
A new exhibition of the work of Joseph Wright from his time in Bath in 1775-77 has opened at the Holburne Museum. The portrait painter had a brief but formative period in Bath attempting to serve the fashionable Georgian spa patrons.
The exhibition is open until May, described by The Telegraph as “first class”. Until 9 February it is accompanied by a wood engraving display, and from 15 February a playful display is installed on the Ballroom table.
Cllr Nicholas Coombes is a trustee of the Holburne and worked to support the recent extension through the planning process.
Energy@Home is the Council’s new project to provide grants for energy saving improvements. The aim is to support homeowners and privately renting tenants to make their homes warmer and keep their fuel bills as low as possible.
Grant offers, which apply across the whole of B&NES, are subject to available funding, eligibility and a home energy assessment. To qualify, people must be in receipt of certain benefits. The grants, which may be fully funded, can cover loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and boiler upgrades.
The project is funded by B&NES Council and Scottish and Southern Energy. To find out more, contact the Home Energy Team on 0800 082 2234, email home.energy@cse.org.uk or visit http://www.cse.org.uk/energy-at-home.
Cllr David Martin, who is the Council’s Energy Champion, said “With energy bills an increasing concern for residents, this initiative is a welcome means of helping people to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.”
The Friends of St Mary’s Cemeteries, together with the National Trust, are applying to the Heritage Lottery Fund for a grant to restore Smallcombe Cemetery and create a link pathway through the cemetery from the Bath Skyline Walk leading onwards to the City.
Members of local Residents’ Associations are invited to join a tour of the cemetery and discover what is being planned and learn about opportunities for their active involvement in this project. The tour of “Bath’s secret cemetery” is on Saturday 11th January from 11am.
The cemetery is accessed via the private road at the bend where Sydney Buildings joins Horseshoe Walk. The tour will start at the cemetery gate and will last around one and half hours.
Bath & North East Somerset Council have been named the region’s Most Proactive Public Sector Body in the South West Green Energy Awards 2013. The Liberal Democrat led Council competed against other public sector bodies from across the south west such as colleges, local authorities, health bodies, fire services and the police.
Hosted by renewable energy champions Regen SW, the winners were announced at a ceremony at the Assembly Rooms. When presenting the award the lead judge said “ Bath & North East Somerset Council provided compelling evidence of a long, impressive and diverse list of achievements across electricity, heat and transport plus other low-carbon/sustainability agendas. The judges were particularly impressed by the way they developed a replicable and strong partnership with a local community group – a partnership that has proved highly effective for delivery of projects on the ground.”
The judges were impressed with the wide range of actions that the Lib Dem Council has developed to facilitate a 45% cut in CO2 by 2026, including: a very low energy new build office in Keynsham; becoming the first local authority to begin a major programme to convert street lights to LED; driving forward a cooperation agreement to enable the development of Bath & West Community Energy; launching the Bath Green Homes joint project with Transition Bath and Bath Preservation Trust; creating the Energy@Home partnership to support residents to save energy at home; providing community group training under the Local Energy Champions scheme; making a political commitment to making the Bath Enterprise area a zero carbon regeneration scheme; cutting 80% of city centre deliveries to businesses subscribed to the Freight Consolation scheme and; achieving 52%+ of residential waste being recycled with the aim to recover value from 80%+ of our waste in 2013/14 through mechanical biological treatment (MBT).
Bathwick councillor David Martin is the council’s Energy Champion, responsible for promoting many of the schemes praised. He said: “We have robust policies in both renewable energy and energy efficiency and a strong team of officers in many departments that have contributed towards this success. It really has been a team effort.”
Local councillor David Martin has arranged for provision of a new grit bin on Minster Way. The new bin at the top end of the loop is fully stocked for winter.
Two local residents who volunteered to spread grit in poor weather have been issued shovels. This follows from the successful pilot of the snow warden trial by the Liberal Democrat council elsewhere in the city.
Cllr Martin funded the bin, grit and shovels from his local initiative allowance which has already funded a dozen small projects across Bathwick. Residents with ideas for small interventions are invited to contact their Liberal Democrat councillors Nicholas Coombes and David Martin with suggestions.