THE WEEK IN · several holiday cottages at the estate in Avon Lane, although one retrospective application to change the use of land from agricultural to a holiday let (shepherd’s

The Week in • Wednesday 20th May 2020 1

Bristol’s reuse and recycling centres reopened to the publicon Monday and before 10am queues at least 200 cars longwere being reported at both.New measures are in place at both the site in Albert Road in StPhilips and the one at Avonmouth so everyone can follow guide-lines around social distancing.The council is also asking everyone planning a visit to only go if ab-solutely necessary and otherwise store items at home for now.To help people plan their visit and reduce waiting times, short-termmeasures include:• An odd and even number plate system, which means people canonly visit on certain days. It started on Monday with even numbersand will alternate daily for two weeks.• Only cars and small vans are allowed to use the site. No Transittype vans or vehicles with trailers will be allowed and everyonemust have proof that they are Bristol residents. Anyone withoutproof will be turned away.• People are able to check a live stream of queues before they leavehome on the Bristol Waste website – but both were experiencingvery high viewing levels on Monday so more servers were beingset up.Crews cannot help with unloading materials from a vehicle. Sites

may have to close again at short notice if too many people arriveat once, or if guidance on managing COVID-19 changes. Both the garden waste and bulky waste collections are operatingas usual across the city, as are regular black wheelie bin and recy-cling collections. Residents can make the most of the weekly recy-cling collections for items such as card, plastics, cans, glass andpaper, and not take them to the recycling centres. They can alsoplace items such as wearable textiles, old electrical and electronicitems, batteries, etc. at the kerbside in an untied bag.

Issue 628FREE

THE WEEK INEast Bristol & North East Somerset

Digital edition

Hundreds queue as Bristol’srecycling centres reopen

20th May 2020

We will better any like for like all inclusive quote07860 441776

Would like to thank all of our customers over the years for their continued support.In the interest of the health and wellbeing of our customers and the local community we have decided to close at this time.We will reopen as soon as the situation improves.

Keynsham recycling centre to reopen, page 7

2 The Week in • Wednesday 20th May 2020

Police outline the way forward aslockdown rules are easedAvon & Somerset Police chiefs say they are “crystal clear” thatfollowing the changes to the Government regulations there isnow less of role for policing in the public health crisis and anincreasing need for people to take a personal responsibility tostop the spread of this virus.In a statement, Avon & Somerset Police & Crime CommissionerSue Mountstevens and Chief Constable Andy Marsh add that theyare proud of their partnership with communities and feel the factthat only 325 Fixed Penalty Notices were issued, having receivedmore than 21,000 reports of suspected breaches, reflects the vol-ume of people ignoring regulations, and the support they have re-ceived.“Going forward, officers will continue with our approach of explain,engage and encourage, which has proved so successful. The bigdifference is that we will no longer be asking people why they areout, but rather who they are with.“The law is clear that one person from one household can meet an-other person from another household in an open space but shouldthree people from different households get together, then that is notpermitted; clearly if people are blatantly breaching the law by gath-ering en masse, then enforcement action may sometimes still benecessary.“One thing that we’ve been very clear on is that we won’t be policingsocial distancing or face masks as this is guidance and not part of

the Govern-ment’s regula-tions. It’simportant thepublic’s expecta-tions are man-aged when itcomes to whatwe will and won’tbe doing.”They say theyhave seen a dra-matic fall in manycrime types dur-ing lockdownwith many falling by around 30%. “This has enabled us to carry outmore proactive patrols and has seen the number of people wantedfor offences halved as they are proving much easier to find.”Now more people are out and about they fully expect to see crimereturn to the levels they typically expect for this time of year.They add: “With sickness rates below 3% and the backlog of manyofficers’ workloads cleared, we are more than ready to respond toincidents, bring criminals to justice and protect vulnerable victimsfrom harm.”

Andy Marsh


Plans to expand holidayletting businessPlans to turn a Grade II listed barn range at Sands Farm inDyrham into three self-contained holiday lets have been submit-ted to South Gloucestershire Council.Planning permission and listed building consent were granted in2016 to convert two nearby historic barns on the farm to createtwo holiday let units which have now been completed and are inuse.A report in support of the application says: “The conversion plansto create three additional holiday let units, expanding the existingbusiness, is believed to represent the optimal use of the buildingjustifying the investment needed to safeguard the building’s in-tegrity in the long term. “Sands Farm is not only well located to serve tourists visiting thecity of Bath and the surrounding countryside, and its related at-tractions, but is also located along the well-used Cotswold Wayfootpath.”

Plans for five Airbnb apartmentsare approvedAn application to convert two outbuildings at Parkhouse Farm inKeynsham into five Airbnb/holiday lets has been given the go-ahead by B&NES Council planners.The change of use of the buildings to one-bed apartments will re-sult in minimal external alterations.The application stressed that guests would be encouraged to usealternative transport during their visit, making use of the easy ac-cess to Keynsham and its amenities to support the local econ-omy.The site is close to but not in the Green Belt.

Latest Avon Farm developmentplans to be debated in publicIn light of concerns raised about the increasing number of de-velopments on a Saltford farm, the latest retrospective plans toturn an office into a house will be decided in public by B&NEScouncillors next month.Permission has already been granted, under delegated powers forseveral holiday cottages at the estate in Avon Lane, although oneretrospective application to change the use of land from agriculturalto a holiday let (shepherd’s hut) was refused last year.

The latest application for a “modest one-bedroom dwelling” providingaccommodation for the applicant’s son is being recommended forapproval by a council planning officer.

The highways and transport team though are recommending refusalbecause the site is in an “unsustainable location”. In a report, a sen-ior officer in the team says: “The proposed development is under-stood to bring the number of dwellings served by the private accessroad to seven. Private roads serving more than six dwellings shouldbe of an adoptable standard in order to provide adequate residentialamenity. There are no details submitted to show that the existing ac-cess has adequate pedestrian facilities, street lighting or be of a con-struction standard required for deliveries and servicing.”

Saltford Parish Council has objected, saying it doesn’t support de-velopment of this nature in the Green Belt outside of the housingboundary. It said that B&NES issued six Certificates of Lawfulnessfor an Existing Use for agricultural buildings to dwellings at AvonFarm in 2018 and 2019. “The Town and Country Planning (GeneralPermitted Development) (England) (Amendment) Order 2018 limitof five conversions has therefore already been exceeded.”

The parish council also said that Avon Farm is served by a narrow,single-track lane regularly used by cyclists entering and leaving theBristol & Bath Railway Path, and by walkers: “The cumulative effectof this and other recent developments at Avon Farm raises healthand safety concerns for walkers and cyclists from visitor traffic unfa-miliar with the area accessing the Avon Farm estate.”

Three other objectors raised concerns about the access being un-suitable, the impact on the Green Belt and that the maximum amountof buildings on the site have been converted.

The B&NES planning officer does not consider that the conversionwill have a greater impact than as its former use as an office andadds that rural buildings are frequently remote from services withoutpedestrian facilities such as street lighting or pavements.

Sally Davis, the vice chair of the planning committee, called for theapplication to be determined in public on the grounds that a numberof buildings on the site have been issued with certificates to becomedwellings, and because of the concerns raised by objectors.

The chair of the committee Cllr Matt McCabe last week agreed, say-ing “Given the level of activity on site I feel that the issues and con-cerns should be debated in the public arena.”

The application is due to be determined by the committee on 3rdJune.


Two dogs nearly died after eating mould-covered seeds whileon a walk between Saltford and Kelston.As their pets recover at home this week after an emergency dashto the vets, Justina Robbins and Vicky Berry, who are both fromSaltford, want to alert other local dog owners to what happened.

Justina and her cockapoo Lolli were out exercising, at a social dis-tance, with Vicky and her Bichon Frise Billy last Friday when theystopped for a break near Kelston Mill. They realised the dogs wereeating something and got them away before continuing with theirwalk.Justina said: “I want to tell everyone about how I nearly lost mybeautiful Lolli. Her good friend Billy was also unfortunately victim totoxic poisoning caused by eating mouldy seed. Within half an hourLolli began shaking and started to fit. This continued during ourquick walk home and we rushed them both to the vets as Billy hadalso started shaking. “Their stomachs were flushed out and they were described as beingin critical condition. Lolli was put under a general anaesthetic dueto her seizures. We were told they were too unstable to be safelytransported to hospital and there were no pet ambulances. Theyhad to be driven to hospital in a staff member’s car in order toreceive the urgent care they needed. “We were told they could die on the way. Billy and Lolli both made

it there under sedation. Billy was monitored through the night dueto tremors and Lolli had to remain sedated. I received a phone callat 11.30pm giving me the choice of having Lolli put to sleep or tosee how it goes as she had taken a turn for the worse. “At that point we thought we would never see her again and weretotally devastated. It was touch and go all night and she was unsta-ble through the day. They both very slowly improved, and Lolli hashad no more seizures. They are now being looked after at home,although there are still concerns and need to be closely monitored.”She added: “I cannot thank Fernlea Hanham vets and Vets NowEmergency Vet at Zetland Road in Redland enough for their fan-tastic dedication to our lovely pets. They certainly saved both theirlives. “I suppose the moral of this story is not to allow your dog, if you can,eat anything when out on a walk.“This happened as you go to Kelston Mill then through the field withthe donkeys. The other side of this field is a bridge and a footpath.On both sides of the path are inadequate fences to keep animalswandering onto private land. It was on the border of the path thatthey found the seed which was toxic and nearly killed them both.”The dogs are on medication, including charcoal to neutralise thetoxins.Justina has returned to the site and photographed what the dogswere eating. She has reported it to B&NES Council and urges otherdog walkers going through there to beware.

Dogs nearly die after eating mouldy seeds

Appeal after indecent exposure incident Police are appealing for witnesses and information after a manindecently exposed himself to a woman as she walked throughNetham Park last Thursday (14th May).

It happened at about 8.30pm. The 27-year-old woman describedthe man as white, of heavy build and balding. He was wearing awhite T-shirt with blue stripes and a dark-coloured jacket and washolding a can of alcoholic drink.

The neighbourhood team have been targeting patrols in the areafollowing this incident.

If you have any information which could help police to identify thisman, get in touch through www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/con-tact or call 101, quoting reference 5220105252. Alternatively ringthe independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Theynever ask your name or trace your call.

Police advise that if you are alarmed or distressed by suspiciousbehaviour while walking alone, get to a busy area and report theincident straight away. You can find personal safety advice on theAvon & Somerset Police website.

Billy, left, & Lolli


Bath & North East Somerset Council has objected to anapplication by Bristol Airport to increase the number of nightflights that take off and land year-round.The airport is currently allowed 3,000 night flights in summer and1,000 in winter and has applied to increase this to 4,000 throughoutthe year from summer 2021, but the council says the disadvantagesoutweigh the benefits.

In a response to a Department for Transport consultation on theapplication Cllr Sarah Warren, Cabinet member for Climate Emer-gency, expresses concerns over increased traffic in surrounding vil-lages and points to an increase in carbon emissions that would befelt locally as well as worldwide.

In March 2019 the council opposed the expansion of Bristol Airport,which is in North Somerset, on the grounds that it was incompatiblewith its climate emergency declaration to make Bath and North EastSomerset carbon-neutral by 2030. Earlier this year North SomersetCouncil refused the planning application.

Cllr Warren said: “Even before coronavirus, increased awarenessof the climate emergency looked set to influence travel behaviourand now the pandemic’s impact has made the future of the airlineindustry uncertain. Therefore it seems highly unlikely that passengerincreases projected by Bristol Airport to reach 12 million passengersper year will be met in 2020 or in the future. We do not believe thatBristol Airport should be permitted to increase its slot allocation ona year-round basis but should remain with its current summer andwinter scheduling.

“The disadvantages of more night flights would primarily be borne

by Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset residentsliving in villages and towns close to the airport who would experi-ence more airport traffic. The other major issue is the increase inpollution and carbon emissions. Approval of this application wouldlead to the airport having a wider impact on our environment thatoutweighs any economic benefits.”

Cllr Warren also pointed to the likely worsening of existing parkingproblems in towns and villages on the airport bus route includingNewbridge, Bath, Corston and Keynsham.

The Department for Transport’s consultation can be viewed athttps://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/bristol-airport-desig-nation-as-a-coordinated-airport/bristol-airports-application-for-year-round-slot-coordination. Replies must be submitted by 26th June.

B&NES Council opposes airport’s night flight changes

The difficult task of choosing where new housing will be builtacross the West of England is under way again.After independent planning inspectors rejected the process usedfor the West of England Joint Spatial Plan (JSP), which had setout proposals for future development to meet the region’s housing,employment and transport needs up to 2036, it was formally with-drawn last month.

The inspectors’ most serious concern was that the selectionprocess for the 12 strategic development locations (SDLs) acrossB&NES, South Gloucestershire, Bristol and North Somerset hadnot been sufficiently robust.

The split of at least 105,400 new homes by 2036 had been: 14,500in B&NES: 32,500 in South Gloucestershire: 33,500 in Bristol and25,000 in North Somerset.

Now local councils have to update their existing Local Plans andstart the strategic process afresh, this time working via the Westof England Combined Authority.

Speaking at South Gloucestershire Council’s Cabinet meeting,leader Toby Savage said: “We are having to start with differentnumbers because the way of calculating those numbers haschanged.

“So we now have a national standard methodology which meansthat we don’t have to each go off and produce our own strategichousing market assessment of what those figures should be. Soit has become simpler, as I understand it in terms of working outeach need.

“The question is then, can every authority meet its need within itsown boundaries, and obviously that is the unanswered questionas we move forward through this Spatial Development Strategyprocess.

“When we took our decision to withdraw from the JSP that broughtthat to an end, so we are starting again. I don’t think the conver-sations will be any easier this time round than last time round.”

Under the JSP, the new locations earmarked as SDLs in SouthGloucestershire were land at Buckover (3,000 homes), Charfield(1,200), Coalpit Heath (1,800), Thornbury (500) and Yate (a min-imum of 2,000).

The locations in B&NES were North Keynsham (1,500) andWhitchurch Village (2,500) while in Bristol land off Bath Road inBrislington (at least 750) was selected. North Somerset’s SDLswere Backwell (700), Banwell (1,900), Churchill (2,600+) andNailsea (2,500+).

Where will new regional housing go?


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A class at Redfield Edge Primary School in Oldland Commonhave raised more than £1,500 for the NHS by running, jogging,dancing, skating, walking, hopping and skipping the distanceof a marathon – 26.2 miles - between them.The idea came from Year 3 pupil Harvey Thomas and his family,and has been enthusiastically taken up by his classmates. Willow Class set a modest target of raising £100 for Above & Be-yond, which is the Bristol City Centre Hospitals Appeal, but to datemore than 120 people have donated over £1,500.The money will help University Hospitals Bristol NHS FoundationTrust deal with the outbreak of COVID-19. Donations will be usedby the hospitals where the need is greatest during this critical time.The immediate focus of the appeal is on supporting the physicaland emotional wellbeing of frontline staff, including toiletries, drinksand snacks, and store cards to allow staff to make urgent pur-chases. This week Redfield Edge headteacher Lisa Robinson said: “Thechildren of Willow Class were challenged through our online class-room to think of a way of supporting the NHS. They have alreadyinvestigated about how the NHS was established and informationaround coronavirus. “One of the pupils and his parents came up with the idea of eachclassmate running, skating, hopping, etc. one mile each, to achievea collective marathon. They chose to raise money for Bristol NHSHospitals’ COVID-19 Appeal.“The community spirit at Redfield is impressive, with lots of projects,and this one stands out for the amazing amount the children haveraised. I am incredibly proud of all the children in Willow Class andwish to thank the parents for their support in this endeavour.”To donate visit their page on the JustGiving website athttps://tinyurl.com/y7r8w73c

Marathon effort for theNHS by primary pupils

Harvey

Former headteacher JohnNarey diesFormer Wellsway School headteacher John Narey has died.Mr Narey was appointed as head in 1974 and held the post untilhis retirement in 1989. John Smith, who served alongside Mr Narey as deputy head-teacher, said: “A man of considerable intellect and great energywho was passionate about education, he worked tirelessly tomake Wellsway one of the most successful schools in thecounty.”Mr Narey helped build up a very successful PTA, which throughregular dances, craft fairs, entertainment evenings and auctionsraised thousands of pounds for the school. He was also a key figure in the establishment and promotion ofthe Keynsham-Libourne link. Mr Smith said Mr Narey was a keen sportsman who played soc-cer and cricket in his younger days. He took up golf when hemoved to Keynsham and, as an active member of the course atSaltford, he wrote a history of the club. He worshipped at St Dunstan’s Church in Keynsham.Mr Narey, who died last month, is survived by his wife Val, sonDominic, and daughter Catherine. His son Damian pre-de-ceased him.

Keynsham recycling centre to reopen on 27th MayB&NES Council is reopening its recycling centre in Pixash Lanein Keynsham on Wednesday 27th May - strictly for essential use.Journeys must only be taken if people are unable to keep theirwaste and recycling at home without causing a risk to their health. Otherwise they must continue temporarily storing their waste andare encouraged to make full use of kerbside services. The Keynsham centre will close temporarily if queues becomeunmanageable. Only four cars at a time will be allowed onto thesite. Residents will be permitted to visit the Keynsham site for es-sential visits on a day allocated to them based on their vehicle’snumber plate as queues are expected to be significant. Full in-formation can be found at https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/keynsham-recycling-centre Signs will be put up at the site to inform people how long theirwaiting time will be depending on their position in the queue.The council has followed Government guidance to reopen theKeynsham site. It is the only one in the district that can safely op-erate within social distancing guidelines.

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Crews from Hicks Gate fire station were called out to reports of a carablaze in Queens Road in Keynsham in the early hours of lastWednesday.Crews used one breathing apparatus for safety, and one high pres-sure hose reel to extinguish the fire. Police and ambulance were alsoin attendance.The cause is thought to be deliberate.


Suspicious car fire in Keynsham

Lockdown has not prevented one Warmley-based orchestrafrom rehearsing each week. Like many of us who have adaptedto new technology during the crisis, Fingers & Frets now meetup using Skype.Fingers and Frets is a banjo, mandolin and guitar orchestrawhich has been running since 1974 and have performed at anumber of festivals in this country and abroad during that time.The usual Monday evening rehearsals at St Barnabas ChurchHall had to be suspended in mid-March but rather than abandonthem altogether, they decided to go virtual.“The thought of not playing music with others was rather de-pressing”, said treasurer June Smith. “The challenge was howto continue playing music as an orchestra through this difficultperiod so a few of us tested a group Skype, which seemed towork reasonably well.”The first virtual rehearsal took place on Skype in early April and,after some minor technology glitches, the orchestra regularlygets together each Monday with at least 13 of the current mem-bers.If you want to find out more about Fingers and Frets visit :https://fingersandfrets.wordpress.com

Orchestra uses technology tocontinue during lockdown

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St Anne’s Church in Oldland Common is trying to contact peo-ple who may have relatives buried in the south churchyard assome of the graves need to be exhumed.During Storm Brendan in January, one of the ancient yew trees wasblown over, as we reported in Issue 611.The wall was severely dam-aged and some graves are now perilously close to the edge of thecollapse.

To allow for the safe rebuilding of the retaining wall, the parochialchurch council (PCC) says that an as yet unknown number ofgraves will need to be temporarily exhumed and memorial stonestemporarily removed. All remains and memorials will be returned totheir current position once the rebuild is complete.

The timing of the work has yet to be determined, largely to the lock-down and uncertainty on availability of contractors and materials.

In line with Church of England process, the PCC is required to tryto contact any relatives of the dozens of people buried in the southchurchyard to allow consultation. The graves date from as far backas 1724. The most recent one is dated 1972.

Details are available on the church website - www.stanneschur-choldland.org - and on the church noticeboard, or call 07720772190.

Graves will need to be exhumed for wall repairs

Ofsted has published its findings following a reinspection ofservices in South Gloucestershire for children and youngpeople with special educational needs and disabilities(SEND), run by the council and Bristol, North Somerset &South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group. Inspectors found that improved leadership, training and collabo-ration, as well as better links with service providers and the par-ents and carers of young people, means sufficient progress hasbeen made to address issues in six of the areas identified as being“significant weaknesses” at the last inspection. Ofsted says more work is required to meet the standards requiredto support young people and their families in two areas.In their letter they say: “Parental satisfaction continues to be low.A significant number of parents and carers gave their viewsthrough the online survey, the open meeting and email correspon-dence. The majority do not believe that services have improvedsince the initial inspection. Many cited concerns about the lack ofcommunication, such as ‘an absolute nightmare to communicatewith’ and ‘trying to get hold of anyone for help is near to impossi-ble’.”Parents acknowledge that assessments are undertaken and Ed-ucation Health and Care Plans are issued within statutorytimescales. “However, many parents and carers are frustrated withthe quality of plans. They do not feel that plans are meeting theirchildren’s needs. Inspectors agree with parents and carers. Whenscrutinising EHC plans, inspectors found the overall quality to be

poor. There are gaps in plans. Health services are submittinggood-quality advice in a timely way but this is not included in finalEHC plans. Furthermore, plans are not shared with all involvedprofessionals routinely.”The other area where insufficient progress has been made is intackling the low and declining standards reached, and theprogress made, at the end of Key Stage 4 for SEND pupils in localschools.The council, which agrees the report is a fair reflection of the cur-rent position, says it is now securing improvements and the paceof change is increasing. For example, it is working collaborativelywith the Parent and Carer Forum for South Glos, which is improv-ing and strengthening the SEND local offer. Access to specialist services, such as speech and language ther-apy, physiotherapy and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Serv-ices (CAMHS) has improved significantly. The council and schoolleaders have taken action to reduce the high level of exclusions,especially from mainstream secondary schools. The experienceof children and young people with SEND who access education,health and social services has improved. And health professionalsare now receiving more training in relation to the needs of childrenwith SEND.South Gloucestershire Council and the Clinical CommissioningGroup say they are working to update their action plan that willset out how they will bring the two remaining priority areas for im-provement up to the standard required.

SEND services improving but some weaknesses remain


LETTERSShared path desperatelyneeds improvementsDear BeckyI read with interest West of England MayorTim Bowles’ statement welcoming invest-ment in cycling and walking. He said: “Thisnew funding will accelerate my existingplans to make cycling and walking easier forpeople in the region, but I want us to go fur-ther and faster. So I’m working with ourcouncils, who are responsible for the high-ways, to see what new schemes we can de-velop quickly and put in place for whenrestrictions are lifted further.”

Being a user of the Bristol & Bath RailwayPath (B2B) since the late 1980s I have wit-nessed a number of enhancements. Fromasphalt to Tarmac and from dark to light. Ihave also seen the popularity grow year onyear. B2B is a fantastic asset but its popu-larity has got to saturation point and conflictbetween users is becoming more and moreregular. Coupled with COVID-19 social dis-tancing rules means users can no longermaintain safe distances.

The B2B was originally twin track, so thereis oodles of space to widen the path, whichwill help ease conflict between users andadhere to social distancing rules. I realisethere are a few pinch points where It will bedifficult to widen. However, this shouldn’tprevent what this fantastic asset is scream-ing out for.

I’ve ridden in mainland Spain and also Ma-jorca. The approach to walkers and cyclistscreates an environment that is both enjoy-able and encourages usage. If we’re goingto try and get people to either walk, run orride into work, it has to be safe. I sincerelyhope the injection of funds through centralGovernment is used to enhance existing in-frastructure and the Bristol to Bath pathway.

Ian Adams

Lobbying pays offDear EditorThe photo shows the current re-surfacing ofBalmoral Court, which is the cul-de-sacclose to the Lamb pub in Mangotsfield.

This is a result of much lobbying by myselfand fellow councillors Ian Boulton and KatieCooper, as well as the MangotsfieldResidents’ Chair Clive Heath, to improve theroads in our area.

In recent times Cossham Street, RichmondRoad, stretches of Long Road and St JamesStreet have all been improved, and ElmleighRoad is waiting for work on undergroundgas mains, etc. to be completed before workcan take place.

We must also give our thanks to South GlosCouncil in carrying out the work. If anyonehas any questions on this or any other issuein our ward area, please contact us. We arehere to help you all.

Cllr Michael BellMobile: 0787 5631817Email: [email protected]

Illegal hare huntingDear EditorI am appalled to hear screeching carsspeeding about in the early hours as theychase down hares in the surrounding fieldsof Corston. These poor, beautiful animalsare chased until they tire and then run overin tortuous ways.

We see the remains of these hares aroundthe lanes, along with cans of lager.

What deplorable sociopathic people are tak-ing pleasure in this?

A concerned local resident

Studying the long-term ef-fects of COVID-19Dear EditorAs the nation gets to grips with containingthe coronavirus pandemic, attention mustbe given to the possible impact on long-termhealth.

Some of your readers will have personal ex-

perience – or know someone who has – ofthe serious neurological condition, MyalgicEncephalomyelitis (M.E.) or seen storiesbeing shared to mark May’s M.E. Aware-ness Month.

We know that many of 250,000 men,women and children in the UK with M.E. be-came ill following an infection or virus. Thismeans we face the possibility, being raisedby our medical advisers, researchers wework with and international experts, of aspike in post-COVID illnesses – includingM.E.

Already some people who have contractedCOVID-19 are reporting lingering dizziness,nausea and crippling fatigue – all commonsymptoms of M.E.

We know that it is sensible for anyone witha virus to take proper time to recover. Theyshould not push themselves, but instead lis-ten to their body and rest as much asneeded, to give themselves the best chanceof making a full recovery.

Action must now be taken to investigate thelong-term post-viral effects of COVID-19and put appropriate support in place forthose whose health is affected beyond initialviral infection.

To those reading this who already live withM.E., we know that living under ‘lockdown’thanks to chronic and often disabling symp-toms is nothing new. Action for M.E.’s Crisis,Advocacy & Support Service can helpsource practical local assistance, and advo-cate for health and social care needs, aswell as offering comprehensive informationand support to manage M.E.

Please call on 0117 927 9551 or email [email protected] and we will dowhat we can.Sonya ChowdhuryChief ExecutiveAction for M.E.

Copy can be sent by post or, preferably, e-mail and should arrive at our offices nolater than 9.00am on the Monday of eachweek. E-mail to: [email protected]

Write to us


Social distancing measures on First’s fleet

Following on from the Government’s publication of its ‘safer trans-port’ guidance for operators, bus company First is introducing safecapacities across its fleet this week to ensure the safety of driversand customers during COVID-19. First piloted new measures, including signs to advise passengerswhere to sit and taping off some areas, earlier this month on itsroute 24 as part of its plans to be well prepared for workers returningto work.First says it is regularly cleaning all touch points on buses anddrivers are supplied with protective equipment such as disposable

gloves. NHS advice is also displayed on buses, reinforcing the needfor passengers to follow Government guidance.All information about service levels and timetables during the coro-navirus outbreak is available at www.firstgroup.com/coronavirus-woe

Hospital operations stillpostponedAlong with other independent sector healthcare providers, Emer-sons Green NHS Treatment Centre is providing essential supportto NHS hospitals during the COVID-19 crisis. NHS England is using the centre at The Brooms for extra capac-ity to help ease the pressures so any patients who were sched-uled to have treatment have had it postponed. The centre, which covers a wide range of treatment, says it isdoing its utmost to get through the impact of the pandemic andto reopen at the earliest opportunity.

New toy libraryKeynsham & District Mencap, who support people with learning dis-abilities and special needs, have set up a toy library so families canborrow items. They are offering a free and contactless delivery to give childrensome variety.They welcome donations of any toys and games that people wish todonate.To find out more contact Laura Jefferies via the Keynsham MencapFacebook page or email [email protected]


Faith leaders were last week invited to blessing and committal cer-emonies at the temporary resting place and the Westerleigh sitethat have been prepared should South Gloucestershire Councilneed extra capacity for burials during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The council says it wants to be able to reassure all residents, of allfaiths and none, that its focus in supporting families and local fu-neral directors is on treating people with the utmost respect anddignity: “By inviting faith leaders to bless and commit these placesaccording to their beliefs, we hope that we can provide additionalcomfort to those who suffer loss during this time.”

Resting and burial sitesare blessed

Bishop of Bristol Viv Faull, chair of Bristol Humanists ChrissieHackett & council leader Toby Savage

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1. Noblewoman (8)8. Scoop-shaped tool (6)9. Fencing sword (4)10. Pasture (3)11. Truth (6)12. Herbaceous plant (8)15. Public speaker (6)16. Filament (6)20. Move unsteadily (6)24. Edible grain (6)27. Suspension (8)28. Noted (6)29. Possesses (3)30. Long journey (4)31. Contradict (6)32. Blushed (8)

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2. Seem (6)3. Wild cat (6)4. Cream cake (6)5. Musical lines (6)6. Revulsion (6)7. Church officer (6)12. Waterfowl (4)13. Masculine (4)14. Speck (4)17. People in general (4)18. Yemeni port (4)19. Valley (4)21. Glossy coating (6)22. In both directions (3-3)23. Bacon slice (6)24. Stopped (6)25. Child's toy (6)26. Assent (6)

Crossword

Plans for 8 storage unitsare approvedPlans to build eight storage units at the rear of Chandag Roadin Keynsham have been approved by Bath & North East Som-erset Council.

The application was originally for seven garages and one stor-age unit but it was amended by applicant Dudrich (Holdings) Ltd.

It affects two vacant and fenced overgrown areas of land nextto an existing row of garages to the rear/side of 63-69 ChandagRoad and accessed from Lambourn Road.

Keynsham Town Council voiced concern that disruption wouldlead to existing garage owners parking their cars on surroundingroads and was also worried about safety implications.

However, the council’s planning officer said that the units werea modest size and although there may be an increase in thecomings and goings along the private road, it wouldn’t be signif-icant enough to justify a refusal; with 18 existing garages on theroad, pedestrians who use it as a short cut will be well aware ofthe potential of vehicles entering and exiting

Print editions of The Week InThe Week In is once more available in print.To find your nearest distribution point, see page 15


Major refurbishment of GlenavonFarm will create 40 jobs

A major refurbishment project is underway at Glenavon Farm in Saltford to con-vert a group of dilapidated farm build-ings and cow sheds into a new food halland kitchen, creating around 40 jobs.Work began this week on the new facilitiesand for farmer Adam Stratton it is a dreamthat has been in the making for years.

He said: “With the support of Bath DistrictFarmers, I have been planning this for sometime. The old dairy buildings became redun-dant in 2002, after we decided to moveaway from dairy farming following a hugedecline in milk prices. Over the years theyhave deteriorated and begun to become abit of an eyesore.

“It has taken some time to find the right part-ners to take the project further and so we

are delighted that Paul Hargreaves andPaul Castle are going to work with us tomake our vision a reality.”

The new food hall and kitchen will be run byindependent fine food distributor CotswoldFayre. As a B Corp, a certification thatrecognises companies that are using thepower of business to solve social and envi-ronmental problems, it has exciting plans forthe new venture.

Paul Hargreaves, chief executive atCotswold Fayre, said: “We are thrilled to seework start on what we hope will be a fantas-tic addition to the local community. We planto stock plenty of products supplied by localfarmers and producers, be completely plas-tic-free and create around 40 local jobs.”

The managing director for the food hall and

kitchen will be business partner Paul Castle,a highly experienced food retail and foodservice director.

It is anticipated that the new food hall andkitchen will open its doors in spring 2021.Cotswold Fayre will be creating a websiteand Facebook page in the coming monthsto keep everyone informed.

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Shortwood Hill to close for resurfacingMajor resurfacing works will see Shortwood Hill closed overnight from5th to 10th June.The work will start at 8pm and remain in place until approximately 6am. The works will involve planing off the existing surface and laying a newone and will create a significant amount of noise. The road will be closedand all traffic diverted, although South Gloucestershire Council saysevery effort will be made to ensure that access to properties is kept avail-able and disruption is kept to a minimum for residents. Although alternative routes will be signposted, motorists are beingwarned there may be delays on the surrounding road network and theyshould avoid the area if possible.


Installation of VE Dayanniversary bench delayed

Health and care leaders in Bristol, South Gloucestershireand North Somerset have issued an open letter to every-one across the area. Signed by the NHS, council and community organisations itthanks local people for observing the coronavirus advice sofar - and urges everyone to continue to follow Governmentguidelines to protect themselves and health and care staff.

Since the pandemic began, local NHS and care serviceshave had to radically change the way they operate in orderto provide care for people in new ways.

Local people have adapted to the new ways of working, withthousands taking up virtual medical appointments that wouldnormally have taken place in person. There have been fewerattendances to emergency departments for minor conditionsas more people use the Minor Injury Units and Urgent Treat-ment centres in Yate, Bristol and Clevedon.

Julia Ross, Joint Healthier Together Lead Executive andChief Executive of the Bristol, North Somerset and SouthGloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “Wewant to thank everyone across our area for following theguidance and using local services responsibly.

“It’s clear that coronavirus will be with us for some time yet,and we must keep going – by observing social distancingmeasures, self-isolating while experiencing symptoms of thevirus and practising good hand hygiene. These continue tobe the best ways to reduce the spread of the virus, which iscritical for population health, as well as ensuring that localservices can cope.

“In the coming weeks we will be restarting routine servicesin a way which is safe for patients and staff. The more wecontrol the spread of the virus in the population, the betterable we will be to get normal services up and running again.”

The letter sets out a range of support available locally, includ-ing community mutual aid for vulnerable groups and whereto seek support for mental health concerns. You can read itin full at:

w w w . b n s s g h e a l t h i e r t o g e t h e r . o r g . u k / w p -content/uploads/2020/05/BNSSG-HT-Open-Letter-to-Residents-003.pdf

Health and care leadersissue open letter of thanks

Bitton parish councillors had planned to mark the 75thanniversary of VE Day by installing a commemorative bench,pictured, on the green at the bottom of Cherry Garden Road.

Due to the coronavirus restrictions in place they were unable todo so but they say it will be installed when it is safe to do so.

Police make drug bust Police seized suspected cocaine, cannabis and spice in a day ofaction to disrupt drug crime in Bristol.

They searched addresses in St George, Easton and LawrenceHill under the Misuse of Drugs Act on Friday 15th May and carriedout targeted patrols to disrupt on-street drug dealing and engagewith local residents.

Four people were arrested and released under investigation anda man was voluntarily interviewed.

Neighbourhood Sergeant Chris Green said: “Despite the currenthealth crisis we’re carrying on with our work to reduce the impacton our communities of drug dealing and the crime and anti-socialbehaviour that goes with it.

“By seizing suspected cocaine and other drugs as well as a largeamount of cash, we’ve disrupted drug supply in the city, even ifwe’re not yet ready to charge suspects. We’re now carrying outforensic examinations and making other inquiries to build strongcases to put before the courts.”

Plans to build a temporary primary school on the Wellsway Schoolcampus in Keynsham have been approved by B&NES Council.

The single-storey building, which will be constructed off site, will pro-vide two classrooms, toilets and storage for a period of two years foruse by the new Two Rivers CofE Primary School whilst its permanenthome is built as part of Crest Nicholson’s new Hygge Park develop-ment nearby.

The new school will admit its first reception class pupils in September.It will be on the southern edge of the campus in a fenced area withdirect access from the service road off Chandag Road

The temporary school will share a play area on the Wellsway cam-pus.

Four of the 13 schools already run by Wellsway Multi Academy Trust- Wellsway School, IKB Academy, Chandag Infant and Chandag Jun-ior - are already on the site.

Plans for temporary primaryschool are approved

Stable conversion appeal dismissedPlans to convert a stable off Court Farm Road in Longwell Greeninto a house have been dismissed on appeal.The applicant appealed to the Secretary of State after SouthGloucestershire Council refused planning permission for the con-version of the building at 1 Cleeves Court, which is accessed fromCourt Farm Road.The council said that the proposed conversion does not fall withinthe limited categories of development normally considered ap-propriate within the Green Belt and would harm the countryside. The inspector agreed that the proposal would be inappropriatedevelopment.


Documents

THE WEEK IN · several holiday cottages at the estate in Avon Lane, although one retrospective application to change the use of land from agricultural to a holiday let (shepherd’s