Success for Sham Castle Volunteers

Thank you to the volunteers who helped clear the scrub in front of Sham Castle. With local councillors Nicholas and Armand, they did an excellent
job cutting back the brambles and creating new wildlife habitats.

Young trees and scrub have grown up over the last few years blocking the view of the city from the folly. The Bathwick Lib Dems found funding for professional tree clearance and organised a community action day
to clear up the site.

The grant was from the Cotswold Conservation Board Sustainable Development Fund, the action day was managed by BTCV and the project was facilitated by the One World Society of Bath University Students’ Union. Thanks also to generous lunch donor and the BathNES Council Community Landscapes Officer who has been hugely helpful throughout.

“This was a brilliant day,” said Cllr Nicholas Coombes, “as a community we were able to do this for ourselves without simply relying on the council to fix it. The Liberal Democrats believe in empowering people to help themselves; our action day was a good example of this.”

The entire site was cleared of scrub, opening up the intended views to and from the city. A dead hedge was also laid as a habitat and wildlife corridor safe from the local buzzards.

Liberal Democrat Conference

I am recenly back from a weekend at Liberal Democrat Federal conference in Liverpool.

The Lib Dems are unique among the major parties to decide policy democratically at conference twice a year. This Spring revised Health and Education policies were passed. Outside of the conference hall the exhibition and fringe meetings with training sessions are available to all party members.

I travelled up by train with three other party members from the University Liberal Democrat Society for my first visit to Liverpool. I am very impressed with the obvious regeneration work which the Lib Dem council have been able to achieve since winning power ten years ago. The city is alive with confidence, cranes and a brand new conference centre. It well deserves it title as European Capital of Culture 2008.

In the fringe sessions I learnt a little about the new government acronyms, LAAs and MAAs, set to transform partnership working in local government, whether the partners want to or not. The Liberal Democrat view is that these unelected boards control vast amounts of power and money, so regardless of their acountability issues we should work with and exploit these bodies as best we are able to get the right outcome for the communities we represent as councillors. I also attended a session on the leadership which Liberal Democrat councils are taking on reducing climate change in local government. It is vital that every level of governance, including the EU, take this issue seriously and all have a responsibility to act within their sphere. A session hosted by the LD peers on the House of Lords was a little lighter but just as worthwhile. Although our upper chamber is a half reformed anachronism, our peers do a very good job at holding the government to account, especially in defence of civil liberties.

Finally, the speeches; Dr Vince Cable, now back to Treasury spokesman from his successful stint as acting leader, drew a large crowd for his half hour on economic policy. It is truly shameful that the richest in British society pay proportionally far less tax than the poorest, a division which has got wider under Labour. Gordon Brown’s most unforgivable decision was to raise taxes at the lower end of the scale in order to reduce inheritance tax, which only affects the 6% richest in the country. It is shocking the lengths which Labour and the Conservatives are prepared to go to to relieve the tax burden of dead millionaires at the expense of the most deprived.

Nicvk Clegg, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, has confirmed all of the reasons why I voted for him as Leader. His is articulate, intellectual, radical and Liberal. He spoke for almost an hour without a lecturn about social mobility, equality if opportunity and reform to our democratic system. I have full confidence in his abilities as an inspirational leader to draw new people into politics.

Planners resist Tesco

BathNES council planning department have rejected Tesco’s application to open their shop before the surrounding roads are made safe.

They had applied in January to have the planning conditions lifted to open earlier – see http://nicholascoombes.mycouncillor.org.uk/2008/01/21/tesco-try-to-lift-planning-restrictions/. When Tesco won their planning appeal one of the inspectors conditions was that Tesco would need to fund improvements to the pedestrian crossing and create a loading bay for their deliveries. Despite allowing the shop to open, the planning inspector did recognise that it would have an adverse impact on road safety and that these improvement works would be necessary.

The council have been paid by Tesco to do the works, but the sum does not cover the zebra crossing requested by locals and Bathwick councillors Nicholas Coombes and Armand Edwards. BathNES have now published plans to mark out a loading bay and the first phase of the zebra crossing has also been drawn up although the site is very complicated.

Nicholas Coombes welcomed the news from the planning department: “I am glad that our council has been able to resist Tesco, despite their thinly veiled legal threats. The highways department is working on plans for a zebra crossing on Bathwick Hill which will make this crossing safer for everyone. Tesco should not be allowed to open before this is ready as it would residents at unnecessary risk.”

Sham Castle scrub clearance – 13th March

A community project to clear the view at the Sham Castle has been finalised for Thursday 13th March. Cllrs Nicholas Coombes and Armand Edwards have received great support since announcing the project last month.

Sham Castle is a folly built in 1762 by Ralph Allen, Bath stone magnate, to improve the view of the hill. Over the last years however, scrub and young trees have grown up between the castle and city. This spoils the view out from the National Trust skyline walk by the castle and also obscures the floodlit folly from the city.

As no council funding was available, Nicholas Coombes has negotiated a community project grant funded by the Cotswolds Conservation Board Sustainable Development Fund. Professionals will use their machinery to cut and clear the larger trees and vegetation, preparing the site for the volunteers. Bath University students and members of the local community are invited to help tidy the site and create new wildlife habitats in the clearing with the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers. The National Trust will also be supervising the works.

Already many Bathwick locals have volunteered their time but everyone is welcome. The day will run from 10am until 4pm with volunteers invited to stay for the whole day, but able to drop in and leave when they chose. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided with a sandwich lunch paid for by a generous member of the public. All equipment will also be provided by BTCV. The castle is on the skyline walk and best accessible by foot; it is near the Bath Golf Course club house on Golf Course Road up North Road but please do not bring a car.

Armand and Nicholas look forward to seeing as many people as possible on the day. Please visit for as long as you can, whether the whole day or just an hour. If you don’t feel up to heavy work we’ll be pleased to see you regardless.

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Although Cllr Coombes has organised this project, many thanks are due to BathNES landscapes department, the Cotswold Conservation Board SDF, BTC, the National Trust, the One World Society and the University of Bath Students’ Union.

Islamic awareness days

I joined the Bath University Islamic Society with the Mayor of Bath to launch the 2008 Islamic awareness days this morning on the University campus.

The theme is “to know each other”, taken from a verse in the Quran. In that verse, God/Allah recounts that he created different tribes and races so that they could learn from and get to know each other. Regardless of ones deity of choice this is surely a laudible aim and I congratulate the Islamic Society for their series of events here: http://people.bath.ac.uk/su5is/index_files/iad.htm

Unfortunately after the speeches I had to leave without taking my full compliment of sweets and delicacies. It was for a good cause however as I gave blood at the UoB sports training village. I have been giving blood since sixth form; it is a vital resource which few people provide despite most of the adult population being able to. Have a look at www.blood.co.uk for more information and to book a session. They are normally at the Cricket ground but visit the university a few times per year. Unfortunately the bood service refuse to take donations from sexually active gay men which I disagree with; nonetheless, any boycott would only disadvantage recipients so I keep on going.

Save Bath’s Post Offices

Leaked reports of the government’s Post Office closure plan reveal closures planned for Bathford, Lower Weston, Bear Flat and Claremont (Walcot). These closures add to the thousands which have been closed nationwide already and thousands planned in this round.

Bath MP Don Foster says, “The Government has withdrawn services from the Post Office left, right and centre over the years, and before them the Conservatives closed 3,000. The two major parties look at the Post Office on purely economic grounds, and not as the vital service it provides to the community.

“Once again, it is the elderly and vulnerable that are the worst hit by these closures. The knock-on effect on other local shops can be catastrophic. In Mount Rd, where they lost their Post Office in the last round of cuts, one local trader told me his takings had dropped by 15%.

“I will be working hard and campaigning against these closures across Bath where local communities will be losing an important asset. It is time that Labour and the Conservatives stood up and realised that the Post Office is of huge social benefit, and is not just a business.”

A Liberal Democrat motion at the Full Council meeting last week was approved opposing the closure programme in BathNES. An Overview and Scrutiny Panel will dicuss the closures on 18th March, please phone 01225 394458 if you wish to contribute to this discussion. An on-line petition is available at www.ourcampaign.org.uk/savebathspostoffices.

Tory budget cuts and charge increases

Full Council passed the first Conservative budget of service cuts and price increases with a narrow majority. The minority administration, supported by the Independants, rejected the Liberal Democrat ammendment and forced through the Conservatve Cabinet’s proposals.

The headline Council tax rise of 3.95% disguises the above inflation charge increases which make the real increase above 7.5%. The service cuts and price rises are most damaging to the elderly and vulnerable, including cuts to the Youth Service budget and a 70% increase in home care charges. The elderly are also hit by a £1.20 rise to the cost of every Meal of Wheels, while the state pension only rises by £1 per week. A number of community groups, including the Bathwick History Society have their funding cut, while council projects, including the Lib Dem planned kitchen waste collections are delayed.

Later in the evening other Liberal Democrat proposals were successful. The council should not only use tap water rather than bottled water for refreshments, saving the environmental costs of transporting water and the energy costs of the plastic bottles. Tap water is also 500 times cheaper than bottled water. The Conservatives voted against this motion, but for the first time Labour and the Independants supported Lib Dem proposals to defeat the administration.

Our motion on Post Office Closures was also successful, opposing the closure of any more post offices in BathNES. The Post Office on Bathwick Hill closed several years ago, but the latest round proposes to close four more in Bath. Nationally the Lib Dems have been fighting post office closures as the offer a community resource which often exceeds the commercial return. Please sign the petition at www.ourcampaign.org.uk/savebathspostoffices

Our Big Energy Challenge

Our Big Energy Challenge was launched in 2006 under Lib Dem leadership to reduce the carbon footprint of BathNES. The council and their partner groups, including the hospital and universities will also save public money by cutting energy use.

Already big savings have been made, with current plans due to cut energy usage by 7.5% through relatively simple steps. Everyone can do their bit at home or at work by switching off unnecessary appliances and only using the energy they need. Already the larger institutions have saved thousands of pounds and individuals can save too.

Already Nicholas uses energy efficient light bulbs and turns off unused electrical applicances, but the progress report gave some very useful hints at persuading other people and organisations to follow suit. Please visit www.ourenergychallenge.org for practical advice on saving energy, saving money, reducing pollution and reducing global warming.

Campus surgery with Don

Today I was joined by Don Foster MP for a surgery on the university campus. Don holds a special student surgery every year to which, like all other Lib Dem public surgeries, people and visit without an appointment to discuss an issue with their elected representatives.

There is already a lot of support for students at Bath university from the Students’ Union for personal issues, so we tend to run the student surgeries slightly differently. This time several students, plus the comment editor of the student newspaper, arrived at the beginning of the surgery for a conversation about the work of an MP and some topical political questions. Those with personal questions were of course seen privately later.

Don gave a surgery with Armand and I in Bathwick about a year ago and we are arranging for another shortly. Full details will be in the next Focus of course!

University Diversity month launch

Bath University launched its Diversity & Equality month yesterday with guest speakers and I on a panel debate.

Following a presentation by Tim Lezzard of the National Union of Journalists on free speech, groups discussed the rights and responsibilities that it confers. Their findings were presented to a panel of lecturers, a Student Union rep and a politician – me. Fortunately we were all fairly liberal in our approach to human rights and individual freedoms, so there were no major arguements.

Diversity & Equality Month (www.bath.ac.uk/diversitymonth) celebrates the wide variety of communities who study and work at Bath university. A number of events have been organised including lectures, comedy, films and music challenging attitudes to disability, sexuality, race, religion and more.

In some part, the series was organised as a reaction to the threat of the BNP, who attempted to give a speech on campus last academic year. The protests against brought many people together, who have worked to promote that which extremists decry. The Student’s Union is due to hold a referendum on implementing a ‘No Platform’ policy to prevent extremisit groups from using Union resources.

Bathwick Liberal Democrats

Cllr David Martin, Claire Jackson & Cllr Nicholas Coombes