Cllr David Martin has arranged for the reconstruction of the parapet wall above the railway line in Sydney Wharf.

The wall was in a poor state and leaning precariously. Local Liberal Democrat councillor Martin contacted Network Rail to arrange for the repair of the wall, which has now been completed.

Sydney Buildings residents are testing three new street lamp designs. Following the success of their community campaign to restore the oldest on the street, the other eleven are to be replaced with heritage style lanterns.

Three different designs are now being tested by the council, with the trial lanterns spread along the street. All of them use low energy LED bulbs, which give a whiter, brighter light. However, the exact effect varies between the designs.

The lanterns will be in place for at least another month to allow for comparison between the styles and lighting effects. Why not take a walk along Sydney Buildings, day or night, to have a look? If you have a favourite, you can write about it in the comments below.

Residents of Raby Place will shortly be given thick re-usable rubbish bags.

The bags are to be used as a temporary container for ordinary bin bags, which will be taken by collectors as normal. However, the tough outer bag will protect ordinary black bags from gulls, foxes and other pests.

As ever, the best way to keep animals out of your waste is to separate and recycle, ensuring that all food waste is secured in the black composting collection boxes.

The bag trial has been very successful in the city centre and is being spread into the Bathwick Estate area.

Bath and North East Somerset Councillors have put political divisions aside to oppose the threat of fracking in the local area.

At tonight’s full Council meeting, Councillors from Bath and North East Somerset and from all political parties supported a motion calling for the Council to take an in-depth look at the evidence and see what can be done.

Councillors expressed their concerns about the effect of so-called ‘unconventional gas exploration’ on the unique Bath hot springs, the environment generally and the hydrological environment across the area. The adopted motion also calls for concerns to be registered with the Government by the Council and via our local MPs.

Bathwick Councillor David Martin seconded the motion on behalf of the Liberal Democrat group. He commented:

“The Bath hot springs are a vital part of the city’s tourist economy generating almost £100M per year. We need to protect them for today and for the benefit of future generations. I am pleased that the whole Council has joined together against any threat to this vital part of our natural heritage.

“Deep well shale gas exploration does pose a potentially serious threat to the hot springs and water supplies throughout B&NES. There is significant public concern about this threat. The Council has recognised these concerns and the motion that was passed this evening shows the commitment we have to control and, if appropriate, prevent the use of unconventional gas exploration and extraction and geothermal exploitation with Bath and North East Somerset.

“Beyond the threat to the hot springs and local environment, unconventional gas is still a fossil fuel, use of which would generate greenhouse gases and delay our progress towards becoming a genuine low carbon economy. We need to continue to develop sustainable energy technologies in response to climate change.”

The developers of the MoD site on Warminster Road are to fell the group of Leyland Cypress trees.

The cluster of trees were originally planted to screen a building since removed. The developer now considers them a security hazard owing to their proximity to the boundary fence.

Few neighbours will be sad to see the hedge go, which has grown up to block the view over the valley from Minster Way. The Council arboricultural officer has been informed and does not think that the group are worthy of a tree preservation order.

Dozens of Sydney Buildings householders celebrated the refurbishment of their historic street lantern this weekend.

The Householders Association have recently repainted the lamp posts on their street, and have run a community campaign to install a historic lantern on top of the oldest post. The listed Stothert & Pitt column, at the canal bridge, had lost its original lantern to a modern sodium light.

The Sydney Buildings Householders Association found a C19th lantern and raised money for its purchase and installation. Liberal Democrat councillor Nicholas Coombes contributed to this campaign from his devolved fund. Installation works were undertaken by the BathNES Council Street Lighting team, who sourced a new type of LED white light for the lantern. Plans are currently underway to fit the new LED lights and heritage style lanterns to the other historic columns on the street.

“This project has been a brilliant collaboration between BathNES Council and the community;” said Cllr Coombes “I am pleased to have played a part in it. Thanks are due to the team of residents who led this effort and to Council staff who rose to the challenge. The completed lamp post is splendid and the community spirit has been wonderful too.”