Summer in the City
by
Barbara Janke, Council Leader
Chesterfield Hospital planning application - 10/04593/F and 10/04594/LA
The application for the expansion of the Chesterfield Hospital was considered by the Council’s Central Area Development Control Committee on 20 April and the Committee unanimously agreed to defer the decision in order that much more information be provided.
The application has since been amended, however they have failed to address many of the concerns raised and the proposal remains an overdevelopment. I have submitted an objection.
The case is due to go before the Development Control Central Committee on Wednesday 27 July 2011 at 6pm for determination.
If anyone would like to submit a statement to the committee please send it to democratic.services@bristol.gov.uk by noon of Tuesday 26 July. Submitting a statement also means you have the right to speak at the meeting should you wish.
Bridge Valley Road
I visited Bridge Valley Road on Tuesday 28th June, along with Executive Member for Transport Tim Kent, to view the work to make the gorge safe. The work is now well underway, and this last week the filling of the collapsing part of the disused railway tunnel has been completed.
You may have noticed the increased level of activity visible on site, as it is now possible to proceed with the installation of nails over all the affected area. Reinforcement and re-pointing of the wall is also continuing. The work includes repairing the large cracks, which opened up when the hillside started to push the wall over.
Local Food Growing
The City Council has been promoting ways of people growing their own food through different means, such as allotments, but also in parks and on unused pieces of land. For example, employees of Arup engineering consultancy firm in St Mary Redcliffe contacted us with a view to taking over a small plot of land in front of Thomas Chatterton’s House.
They have been giving up their lunch hours, and evenings to grow vegetables on the council owned land outside their office. If you have any suggestions as to where they would like to see food growing, please contact the Allotments Manager Steve Clampin steve.clampin@bristol.gov.uk
Green Volunteering Scheme
A Green Volunteering Scheme has been launched. The plan is to enlist 1,000 green volunteers to help people understand some of the things they can do to decrease carbon emissions, insulate homes, and generate energy. The website allows individuals to search for opportunities, and organisations to register their interest.
Budget
At Cabinet on Thursday 23rd June we signed off on a number of financial reports for the 2010/11 - the Finance and Performance Outturn Report, the Capital Outturn Report, and the Treasury Management Report.
The tight grip on vacancies, and discretionary spending over the last year has resulted in a £1.7m underspend by directorates for 2010/11. It would have been £2m, but the Liberal Democrat administration re-invested £300,000 - £50,000 in the aids and adaptations service to support elderly and disabled people maintain their independence at home, £50,000 to double the number of young carers who look after parents or siblings, and £200,000 on home insulation for older people, match-funded by utilities companies.
Enterprise Zone Announcement
The new Enterprise Zone for the region is to be at Temple Quarter. This is excellent news for Bristol. Although other areas were proposed, Temple Quarter was selected because it will generate the most income, it will be delivered in the shortest time and have the most economic impact. It will also be close to major transport links in terms of the rapid transit, buses, and the Great Western Line due to be electrified by 2016.
The focus is going to be on creative industries and technology firms, opening up the opportunity of creating a media hub in the city - building on our already strong reputation in this field.
In five years alone almost 4,000 jobs are set to be created in around 40 businesses - with the projection that over a 25 year period 17,000 new jobs could be created in well over 250 businesses.
M Shed
M Shed was officially opened on Friday 18 June. Cirque Bijou put on a performance, using the museum’s own trains, boats and cranes. The museum was then opened and 150 school children singing the newly commisssioned Bristol Song, were first through the doors.
The new galleries are very impressive and tell many fascinating stories about Bristol and Bristol people. It welcomed over 18,000 within the first week of opening. It is predicted visitor numbers will remain strong over the summer holidays as it becomes one of Bristol’s leading attractions.
Wow Gorillas
As part of Bristol Zoo Gardens’ 175th anniversary, and to raise money for World Gorilla Conservation Projects and the Wallace and Gromit Appeal, models of gorillas have appeared around the City. A map of where these are located in Clifton and throughout the city can be found on the website.