Hello again from Serena and George, your Green Party councillors for Clifton Down. As Christmas approaches, we continue to support residents, and the area’s many wonderful independent businesses, on many local issues
Blocked drains
Recent heavy rains mean several drains are blocked in our area. But some blockages are ongoing issues, and we have been following these up with council officers to get them sorted.
Drains on the busier main roads are cleansed on an annual cyclical basis. The remaining drains, typically on quieter residential streets, are inspected and scheduled for cleaning when they are substantially full. The council also arranges for adhoc cleansing based on enquiries received from the public. But where the council is informed of flooding of the road or where adjacent property is affected, it arranges for an emergency cleanse.
Please report any blocked drains on FixMyStreet – the app or webpage FixMyStreet You can also report flooded roads to the council by phone. The council’s Flooding and storms webpage lists contact details, We will continue to keep a careful eye on blocked drains and liaise with council teams.
Ideas for improving our streets?
Do you have ideas for improving our streets or want to share concerns? Why not log your issues and ideas via the council’s online Improve My Street tool? This is an easy-to-use, map-based platform which this year is open until 14th December for your suggestions. The tool is used to record road safety concerns, and requests for street improvements such as pedestrian crossings, signs, parking restrictions or traffic calming. The council uses what you say to help decide where to make improvements to roads, help the local area committees to decide how to spend local funding, and to help people working on major development projects understand local issues.
You can access the tool and submit issues/improvements via the council’s webpage at www.bristol.gov.uk/residents/streets-travel/tell-us-about-a-road-safety-concern?
Planning matters
We closely monitor planning applications in our area.
6 Whiteladies Road
We were worried about plans to convert vacant offices at 6 Whiteladies Road into purpose-built student accommodation. The property had previously been put on the market as offices but, we’ve been told, had no takers. The property received permission earlier this year for conversion into general housing. The developer then put in a new application for the student accommodation. We raised concerns about these new plans, particularly the lack of communal space for future residents. Following this, we are pleased to see that the applicant has worked to improve the plans which now include communal space and shared kitchen. We are also pleased that this is not another HMO. Nonetheless, we have asked officers to work to ensure that impacts on neighbours are kept to a minimum, in particular noise.
Saving a pillar of the community
Several years ago, a large vehicle knocked over the rather intriguing historic stone pillar on the junction of Oakfield Grove and Oakfield Road and there’s been fencing up ever since. Understandably, local residents are worried about the safety of this structure which is on council land. We’ve been chasing council teams to get the repair work done for some time. So we are pleased to hear that a contractor has now been appointed and that works will begin in the New Year. These will include new bollards to protect the pillar from being hit again by turning vehicles.
Festivef un at Bristol’s Holiday Hub
Children and young people across Bristol can now search and book lots of wonderful winter activity sessions as part of Your Holiday Hub this December.
The programme has 25 providers this winter, all offering fully funded activities which will be available over the school holidays from 20 December to 2 January. With funding from the government’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, families of over 19,000 children and young people who receive benefits-related free school meals are being encouraged to sign up to fun activities in advance of the holidays.
For more on Your Holiday Hub or to book an activity session this winter, please visit www.yourholidayhubbristol.co.uk
Councillor surgeries
We will be taking a break over Christmas and New Year so please note there will be no surgery on 2nd January. The next surgery will be on 6th February from midday to 1:30 at Redland Library on Whiteladies Road.
You can get in touch with us by email at the addresses below.
A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.
Serena Ralston: cllr.serena.ralston@bristol.gov.uk
George Calascione:cllr.george.calascione@bristol.gov.uk