Introduction
There’s no escaping the fact that we are sailing in uncharted financial and economic waters. No one is unaffected and no one can tell us when things will get better. But there are a lot of good things happening in Freshford and a lot to look forward to, as many of the articles in this edition of the Bulletin illustrate.
Despite the snow and the rotten winter the new Galleries community shop has begun to rise out of the ground. The building work has been impressive and an opening for business in the summer now looks a certainty.
The preschool opening in September is a dead certainty. It has been announced this week that the committee’s application for over £3,600 from the Awards for All Lottery Fund has been successful.
New play equipment for the 8- to 13-year old age group is being erected behind the Memorial Hall. This is being funded by B&NES’s Play Pathfinder Initiative.
Three new notice boards will shortly go up thanks to a grant =from the Quartet Community Foundation.
And the restoration and repair of the wrought iron railings by The Inn has been possible because of the money raised by Bridget Baker and a grant from the Friends of Freshford.
This has all happened because of money that has been raised or found without calling on the council tax. It is money that has been raised from individuals or by identifying, even in these straitened times, funders or funding agencies who can be persuaded that our causes are worth supporting. This invariably means the filling of lengthy forms and the making of irresistible cases. The unsung heroes and heroines who have done this deserve many thanks.
Sadly for the rest of us Ray Benfield will be leaving the Council next month. He has been a councillor for a long time and understandably wants more time to do other things. Ray has been one of the quiet doers who will be missed more when he has gone than we realise. He is the one who has got things done – sometimes metaphorically, more often actually: he has listened to the arguments as to why something can’t be done or is too expensive and just gone out and done it himself. He has been an invaluable member of the planning committee and has been our link with the police and, more recently, B&NES’s highways officers. He will be very hard to replace.
Ray has been leading the group of volunteers that has been pressing ahead with implementation of the recommendations of the shared space initiative as expressed in the Parish Plan. As we’ve tried to explain, realising the Parish Plan’s recommendations has to involve people from outside the Parish Council - preparation of the Plan involved almost ten per cent of the population of the parish. We are very pleased that Ray has agreed to remain with the shared space group after he has left the council.
Which leads me to say to anyone who has ever thought of being a councillor that now is your opportunity. The formal notice of a vacancy on Freshford Parish Council and the procedure to follow will be posted on the notice boards within the next couple of weeks. If there is more than one applicant there will be a by-election. Or if you’d just like to be involved in a Parish Plan implementation group, please let us know.
We look forward to seeing you all at the Annual Parish Meeting on 28th April.
Hugh Delap
The Galleries Shop
Progress with the building of our Community Shop continues apace with the main structure in place, and the site taking on its final shape. Getting the old stone wall repaired has been one of the bonuses.
The Freshford and Limpley Stoke Community Association (FLiSCA for short) was set up to serve as an umbrella organisation for the shop - and hopefully for many other joint initiatives serving both villages. All residents are automatically members. We hope to have a positive decision on our charity application shortly.
A Shop Management Committee has been formed (from amongst those offering their services on our commitment forms) and is getting to grips with the many issues which need to be addressed before your village shop can open its doors for business. The promised survey of shopping requests will soon get underway.
Another key action for the committee is the appointment of the shop manager. This position will also be advertised in local papers, newsletters and parish magazines as well as on local noticeboards. The manager should be in post by the end of May at the latest, to play a key role in the start-up process. Anyone wishing to apply should contact Peter King at Rowan House, High Street, Tel 723 765.
We will publish periodic updates in the Parish Magazine and on the village website.
We also sometimes circulate updates via email - as it's so easy. If you have email but do not receive such updates, please email us on flisca0 *at* gmail.com and we will be happy to add you to our list. If you do not have email, please note that spare paper copies are always available from the temporary PO.
We will be seeking volunteers to help with fitting out the shop once building work has been completed. The Committee would also welcome further volunteers to work in the shop.
Gitte Dawson
Chair, FLiSCA – Tel 722511
Shared Space - Priority for People
The Highways Group, brought together to implement recommendations of the Parish Plan, continues to examine the whole network of roads in the village so as to establish how the movement of people and vehicles can be rebalanced in favour of people. We are keen to protect the environment in Freshford, and the possibilities of sharing space are restricted. However, it is evident that better integration of people and vehicles could be achieved. Separately, Freshford School has produced its School Travel Plan, and we are working jointly with the school as our aims are similar. For the moment, our main focus is at the centre of the village, at the School junction and up to the Memorial Hall and we are talking to B&NES about possibilities. Although funding is tight and Freshford is not considered a priority area for improvements, B&NES does have a policy of “safe walking to school”, which comes with modest funding. This has the potential to support many of our aims. As things become clearer we will be keeping the parish informed.
Ray Benfield
The end of another era
After 34 years of cutting the grass on the Tyning and in the Cemetery, retirement finally beckoned for Mr Dewings. He will be hard to replace and we will miss his cheerful presence striding up and down the Tyning with his mower. The service he gave was dedicated and thoughtful, always making sure the grass was looking at its best for Bank Holiday weekends and carefully strimming round each grave in the cemetery.
At the December meeting of the Parish Council, the Chairman presented Mr Dewings, pictured here with Mrs Dewings, with a framed photograph (one of Bridget Baker’s masterpieces) taken looking along the length of the Tyning in early summer; a visual memory of all those years!
Steph Jenkins
Thinking of removing - or even reshaping - a tree in the Conservation Area?
You may be are aware that, following an appraisal of the character of the Freshford and Sharpstone Conservation Areas, B&NES decided in March 2007 to alter the boundaries that had been designated over thirty years earlier. The Tyning is now included: this is seen as village green and links the two existing conservation areas so as to make one. The new boundary was also extended to include some extra houses, such as the Old Rectory, land and the two mills. We were not able on this occasion to persuade B&NES to include Park Corner or Pipehouse lane.
Within conservation areas, in order to protect and enhance the area for future generations planning rules and regulations are very specific as to what will be allowed and what will not be allowed. Trees make a significant contribution to the special character of these areas and there are special provisions for their protection under the Town and Country Planning Act,1990; and where appropriate B&NES Council will use its powers to make Tree Preservation Orders to protect trees that are under threat. When a householder living within a conservation area wishes to remove or reduce the size of a tree they must apply to B&NES planning services for the necessary forms where they can also get advice. You can ring the Trees and Woodlands Team on Bath 477520 or email them at treesandwoodlands@bathnes.gov.uk. They are most helpful and can also supply a list of local tree work contractors.
The guidelines laid down are that, subject to some exemptions, all trees with a trunk diameter of 75mm or more (measured at 1.5m above natural ground level) are protected. It is an offence to prune, fell or otherwise damage a tree without giving notice to the council.
As the Parish Councillor dealing with these matters I know that most of you are aware of these regulations and apply to B&NES for the necessary forms and advice. The Parish Council are also consulted and asked for their comments. I try to view all the proposed works and then report back to BANES and the Parish Council. A record is kept of every application and decision made by BANES. If the works are not carried out within two years of the application being approved then a new application must be submitted. I hope this may make things clear for anybody who was unsure of the procedures and I wish you all happy gardening this Spring.
Mary Stanhope
Six months of construction works at the Sewage Treatment Plant on the other side of the railway line.
Wessex Water have informed the Parish Council that they will be starting work this month, March, on improvement works at their Sewage Treatment Station. Their only access is along Station Road and across the tracks by the station
The anticipated completion date is early September 2009. During the time of the works, part of the Station Car Park will have to be fenced off for use by Wessex Water. On days when deliveries of materials of concrete are expected, parking will also be restricted along hedgerow side of the lane and car park leading down to the crossing area.
From a traffic perspective, Wessex Water envisage that on normal working days, when no deliveries are expected, there will be two cars coming along Station Road in the morning around 7:30am and two cars in the evening at 5:30pm. On a day when deliveries are expected there may be up to eight lorries a day, although it’s not expected that these situations would last more than two or three days at most. These deliveries will be restricted between 8:00 and 9:30 and 2:30 and 3:30 to reduce a potential clash with the school run.
Wessex Water are installing a new 6mm inlet screen to remove the majority of solids from the incoming sewage flows, in combination with the construction of a large under ground storm tank to store storm water for future treatment rather than spilling direct to the river. All the works taking place will much improve the performance of the sewage works and improve the quality of the river.
Rowena Wood
Affordable Housing Update
I am pleased to say that at their meeting in February, Limpley Stoke Parish Council agreed to examine the feasibility of linking with Freshford in a joint scheme for affordable housing. This followed on from their successful meeting with Louise Davidson of English Rural Housing Association. Councillor Margaret Field is to lead on behalf of Limpley Stoke P.C.
A meeting of all interested parties is to be held on the 18th March and local authority officers from BANES and Wiltshire will also be in attendance. We will let you know the outcome of that meeting. In the meantime may I remind you that the Freshford website has a page on affordable housing and you can read there of what has been done so far to progress this scheme. It can be found at www.freshfordvillage.com/pages/affordable_housing.php
Nick Stevens
Neighbourhood Watch and Policing.
In the last Bulletin we updated you on the status of the Neighbourhood Watch scheme as co-ordinated by the Police. Although thankfully, Freshford has a low level of crime there is a need to ensure that we can cope with any concerns, and that we all can feel safe. This is where the Neighbourhood Watch scheme comes in and where we can all play our part. To assist in identifying its relevance to Freshford, the Police Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator will be giving a short talk at the start of the Parish Council’s Annual Meeting with residents on the 28th April.
Separately, Avon & Somerset Police continue to pursue Neighbourhood and Community Policing. Their aim is to actively engage with the community; this enhances their knowledge of issues being faced by residents and often enables them to take action before matters get out of hand. There are two main approaches
- By the use of PCSOs - Police Community Support Officers
- Active involvement with the PACT meetings - Partners and Communities Together.
PCSOs. Their role is to provide visible presence and become involved with social groups, hence
- Be a reassurance to the public
- Deal with low level crime disorder
- Build and maintain links with the community
Freshford is in the Radstock Police area in the subdivided area of Bathavon South which includes Peasedown St John. There are two PCSOs allocated to this area: Rob Poile and Louise Jones albeit much of their time is in Peasedown area. They work closely with our police beat officer PC Matt Bendall, who can be contacted at matt.bendall@avonandsomerset.police.uk.
Also a Police Community Contact Vehicle visits Freshford once a month on a Friday (see our notice boards for details – the next occasion will be on Friday 13th March, between 11 and 12 at Freshford Memorial Hall). This is manned by PCSOs (very often Dave White) and they welcome a chat on any issues.
PCSO support is the responsibility of Sgt Pat Moore in Radstock with his admin manager Roxanne Munn, also in Radstock
Contact details for non emergency calls is 0845 456 7000.
PACT meetings occur once every three months and involve a panel which includes the Police, B&NES, Somer housing, Ward Councillors (Neil Butters for Bathavon south), and Parish Councillors and Clerks. It visits Parishes to hear issues being faced by residents and the top three priority issues are then be actioned. All residents from all Bathavon South Parishes are invited (see our notice boards). The most recent meeting was at Hinton Charterhouse, and the next is at Dunkerton on Monday evening 16th March ‘09
Please don’t hesitate to be involved with any of the above if you have concerns.
Ray Benfield
Repaired and Restored Railings by the Bridge
Thanks to Bridget Baker’s magnificent fund-raising efforts and a generous grant from the Friends of Freshford, the work of repair and restoration of the Edwardian wrought iron railings on either side of the bridge over the River Frome by The Inn is almost complete. This picture was taken just before the work began.
The job would be rounded off perfectly, and symmetrically, if the barbed wire fence to the left of the tree opposite the pub was replaced by railings of this kind – but at the moment the funds don’t run quite that far. The ownership of the railings has been transferred, at no cost, to the Parish Council and any contributions to enable this final touch will be very gratefully received. No public money has been spent on this venture.
Hugh Delap
Village Calendar of Events
It is good to see that local events are beginning to be placed on the village web site by their organisers. This is a very easy to use service and is becoming the best way to ensure that fixtures do not clash. When planning an event, first visit the web site to check that the date is free and then post the details using the simple to follow instructions at www.freshfordvillage.co.uk/calendar.
Guy Ritchie
Dog fouling within the village – what a mess!
As you will all hopefully know by now, in response to your requests during 2008 we set out to see how dog fouling could be reduced, and this work continues. To date, we have been working closely with the B&NES Dog Warden team, acting with their support and guidance, and since the beginning of the year (when weather conditions have permitted) we have used non-permanent white marker paint to highlight the presence of fouling to unsuspecting pedestrians, and to encourage the conscientious behaviour of dog walkers. At the same time, the Dog Warden has arranged for new signs to be erected, to inform any un-knowing dog walkers of their responsibilities.
The white marker paint has been used around the village in general locations, but particularly along the top stretch of the Stanley Hill footpath where the nuisance has been at its worst. Although initial results at this key location were encouraging, the situation in recent weeks has clearly deteriorated. We have discussed the situation with the Dog Warden, and as a result intend to adopt a different approach here.
We know that this is a very popular footpath, and there isn’t a bin nearby where conscientious walkers can safely dispose of bagged dog waste. So, with this in mind, we are arranging with BANES to install and make regular collections from a suitable waste bin. Additionally, in the near future we plan to arrange for the Police Community Support Officers (who work closely with the B&NES Dog Warden team) to visit this location at busy times during the day, to observe, advise, and deal with dog fouling incidents.
We will provide a further update in our next Bulletin, as work progresses.
Mandy Knowles
Freshford Preschool – a leader appointed and Lottery funding awarded
Freshford Preschool Committee are delighted to have appointed Georgina Muxworthy as the Leader for the new Preschool. Georgina has been a primary school teacher and Deputy Head of a Special School in Bristol. More recently she has run Great Pretenders - a drama group for toddlers and preschool children in Bath, Bradford on Avon and Frome, whilst bringing up her own young children.
The Preschool have also recently been awarded £3,653 from the Awards for All Lottery fund to cover the costs of staff training, portable furniture, IT and admin set-up and educational resources and toys. Together with funds already raised, this means the Committee and new Leader will be able to create an attractive and stimulating setting for the children of Freshford and the surrounding area.
Following a survey of interested parents, it is now planned that from September 2009 the Preschool will operate on Mondays to Thursdays in term time. The morning Pre-school session will run from 9.00am to 11.30am, and will be free of charge for children eligible to receive the Nursery Education Grants. An optional lunch session will run from 11.30am to 12.30pm, for which parents will be asked to provide a packed lunch. There will be a charge of £3.50 for the lunch session. Opening hours may change in subsequent years depending on demand.
Claudia Towner
Freshford Mill - the building work picks up pace
Work at the Freshford Mill site continues apace. Because of this you may have noticed that the amount of construction traffic has increased and recently there have been instances of lorries taking wrong turns - notably one attempting to bring concrete beams down Rosemary Lane. In response to the PC’s request Ypres Rose have arranged to erect signs at all entrances to Freshford from the A36 making it quite clear that there is no access to the site through the village.
Anyone accustomed to using the lane outside the Mill should note that by arrangement with B&NES it will be closed to traffic from 20th April to 19th June for the connection of a new water main to the development.
The site manager for Ypres Rose is Ken Moore and the site office phone number is 01225 722501.
Rowena Wood
Improvements to Freshford Playground
The exciting improvements to Freshford playground are nearing completion. All the new equipment has been funded by the B&NES Play Pathfinder Initiative. Although budget constraints meant not all the equipment designed and detailed in the November 2008 Bulletin has been installed, we hope the older children will enjoy the challenge of climbing up the new timber house, and all ages will have fun on the new nest swing. There will also be a goal post, and new benches on the playing field and cycle stands next to the Hall. 
Whilst they are on the site, the contractors are also repairing the existing timber playhouse and swings with additional funding from the Memorial Hall.
Claudia Towner
Three New Notice Boards
Regardless of the fact that we are in the age of digital notice boards we are very grateful to the Quartet Community Foundation for a grant, and to the Friends of Freshford for making the successful application, for three new notice boards. We need to be able to communicate by all means, old and new.
These will replace the notice board on the corner by the Freshford Surgery, the small one by the post box in Sharpstone and the third will be on a new site opposite the entrance to Stoke Hill Mine on Midford Lane. Both parishes are represented on this stretch of Midford Lane, and the notice board will complement Limpley Stoke PC’s board at the other end.
Nick Stevens
Waste Collection Day Change - Monday, 8th June 2009
B&NES is changing waste collection day. From Monday 8th June B&NES will be changing the rubbish, recycling, cardboard and garden waste collections so that they will all be collected on the same day. The fortnightly cardboard and garden waste collections will continue to run on alternate weeks. In parts of Freshford where all waste is currently collected on Tuesdays you may not notice any difference. However, the day may change and, as mentioned below, everyone will be informed of the details by B&NES in mid-May.
The change is in response to requests to help make the services easier to use. At present there are people across B&NES who have their waste collected on up to three different days so this new arrangement should make things much simpler and easier for everyone and help to increase local recycling rates.
B&NES will be publicising the changes through Council News, our website and press releases, leaflets, posters, adverts and roadshows.
From May you will be able to find out your collection day by visiting the B&NES website and two weeks before the changes they will post a letter to every resident with details of your new collection day.
If you want to find out more about the changes you can do so by visiting the Council’s website at www.bathnes.gov.uk/wastedaychange or by contacting Council Connect (at councilconnect@bathnes.gov.uk or 01225 39 40 41).
Easter Reminder
Also note that rubbish, recycling, cardboard and garden waste services are all now collected as normal over the Easter Bank Holiday period so if you have a collection on Good Friday or Easter Monday please put your waste out as usual.
The Future being Planned for Freshford.
B&NES is busy preparing their view, to be expressed as a part of their new Core Strategy, of what is required in planning terms for the rural areas up to 2026. What they decide will have an effect on us all and the Parish Council are very keen to get our community views, substantially expressed in the Parish Plan, accepted and incorporated into their strategic thinking. This is the next stage in bringing the Regional Spatial Strategy down to local level.
A meeting was held on the 22nd January between representatives of Freshford P.C. with the Local Authority Planning Policy officers responsible for the strategies affecting rural areas. This was to answer questions about our vision for the future as expressed in the Parish Plan, which they had studied, and to start a process of consultation with us as the Core Strategy develops.
Our questions were answered with as much clarity as possible at this early stage, and whilst there is most likely to continue to be a general presumption against any significant new housing or other build developments in Freshford Parish, and the broad protections it has received under the present planning regime are intended to be preserved in another form in the new strategy, there will be positive support for affordable homes. The possibility of a small group of houses specifically designed for the elderly was mooted and it was understood that this was more likely to be accommodated under the new strategy, possibly by marginal extension of the housing development boundary, than it is at present.
It was pointed out to the officers, with a site visit, that there are major and, without major cost and disruption factors, insuperable problems of access to the railway station – a point which interested them, as they are looking for accumulations of services to be designated as service centres for groups of rural settlements. Ours already exists of course with the school, surgery, new shop, Memorial Hall and social factors based on Freshford, and which include some substantial outreaches to neighbouring parishes.
As the process moves towards firming up on the intent and the wording of the Core Strategy we will advise residents through the Bulletin where elements relate to our parish.
Stuart Campbell
Road signs to help the tourist
Here in the first of a series of articles on road and advertising signs to be featured in the Bulletin we explore the law and policy on Tourist signs – commonly referred to as ‘brown’ signs, which can be seen on many trunk roads and local roads throughout the immediate local authority areas of B&NES and Wiltshire.
Brown signs are provided mainly to direct visitors to their intended tourist destination towards the end of their journey. There is a national system in place operated by the Highways Agency which determines whether a tourist business is eligible for brown signs on the national trunk road network. This includes the A36. Signs on local roads are dealt with by the relevant Highways Department of the local authority and they have in place their own policies for deciding these applications. The rationale for this seems clear – local authorities are best placed to decide what is best for the local roads in their area.
For a business to qualify as a tourist attraction it must be a permanently established attraction or facility which attracts or is used by visitors to an area and which is open to the public without prior booking during its normal opening hours. Attractions could include Historic Buildings, an area of special interest, a concert venue, while a facility might be a hotel, restaurant, pub or guest house.
The Department of Transport offers guidance for tourist businesses in a publication called “We’re just off the main road.” and offers general advice about making an application.
If the brown sign is to be sited on a local road then guidance can be obtained from B&NES. They are currently developing a joint Tourist Signing Policy with the local authorities that make up the West of England Partnership (B&NES, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and Bristol.) Until the policy is agreed the current policy settled in 1999 remains in place.
All tourist signs have to conform to the Traffic Sign Regulations and in addition careful consideration is given to road safety, local amenity - especially in environmentally sensitive areas including conservation areas - the avoidance of clutter, the need to minimise congestion and to direct traffic onto suitable roads.
If the sign is approved the applicant is responsible for the cost of design, manufacture and installation and for its future maintenance.
In Wiltshire, the Policy for providing signs for tourist establishments has been suspended pending a review by the Visit Wiltshire Tourism Partnership. No new applications are being considered at this time.
While there appears to be no formal recognition of the requirement by either the Highways Agency or the local Transport Authority to consult with the Parish Council in practice the PC has been notified of signs which are likely to have a direct impact on increasing traffic through the village. This is a welcome initiative and gives us the opportunity to voice any particular concerns expressed by councillors or by parishioners.
Nick Stevens
Caring for the bats at Freshford Mill
Residents who are interested in the ecology of the Mill site have queried the situation regarding the continuing seasonal presence of bats. Following enquiries by this Council we have received the following information and publish it for general interest. We hope to bring an update in the next Bulletin in the summer. Any queries arising from this article should be addressed to the authors.
The Freshford Mill site is situated in an ecologically sensitive landscape being within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and adjacent to the River Frome Site of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI). Amongst other notable and protected species recorded in and around the site, greater and lesser horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum and R. hipposideros respectively) have been confirmed as roosting on site with an established lesser horseshoe breeding roost.
Bat populations have suffered significant declines in recent times and as such they have a high level of protection in the UK. It is illegal to harm or disturb bats, or deliberately alter their roost sites without first seeking advice. Horseshoe bats are particularly vulnerable species and have additional protection measures in place under European Law.
Parsons Brinckerhoff’s Ecology Team, headed up by Kate Fisher, was brought on board by developer Ypres Rose Developments Ltd in January 2007 to ultimately allow the development of this site to progress whilst protecting the long-term potential for bats at the site. This has been achieved through summer bat surveys in 2007, implementing bat mitigation measures and working closely with Natural England at all stages (Statutory Nature Conservation Body). Measures have included the protection of the existing breeding bat roost of lesser horseshoes until suitable alternative, replacement roosting opportunities are secured. Site-wide, sensitive landscaping and lighting schemes will be implemented to ensure the protection and enhancement of bat feeding and commuting corridors, which will ensure that the site retains its overall functionality for bats despite the addition of disturbance associated with occupied housing. A number of other bat species were recorded foraging in the wider area during the 2007 survey, including, noctule (Nyctalus noctula) and brown long eared (Plecotus auritus) bats which should also benefit from the measures employed.
The shell of an existing derelict building on the mill site, situated in an ideal location over a river with access to prime foraging habitat, has been converted into a heated bat building for the two species of horseshoe bats. The internal features were designed and implemented by international horseshoe expert Dr. Roger Ransome, with Parsons Brinckerhoff Ecology Team, and approved by Natural England. Whilst the design intends to specifically cater for the needs of the horseshoe bats, it also contains features suitable to attract a variety of other bat species, for example crevice dwelling common and soprano pipistrelles (Pipistrellus pipistrellus and P. pygmaeus respectively). The construction of this building was completed in September 2008 and the first monitoring survey was carried out in November 2008 with a second in January 2009. Although horseshoe bats were not recorded during these visits, further surveys will be conducted in 2009 and the bat building will be modified until bats take up residency.
Ursula Digby & Kate Fisher
Parsons Brinckerhoff Ecology Team
(FisherK *at* pbworld.com )
A Village Ramble
The Natural Environment report and recommendations within the Parish Plan contain a range of ideas put forward by parishioners. To share these ideas in more detail, the Natural Environment group is proposing to organise a Village Ramble, suitable for all ages that would take in areas of interest and specifically sites and initiatives that would benefit from community support. Ramblers will be able find out a little more about their local natural environment and ways in which they can get more involved.
The date will be announced shortly, along with a route map. If any villagers have sites or initiatives they would like included within the ramble, please let us know. One of the easiest ways to contact us is via the web site at www.freshfordvillage.co.uk/contact.php.
Guy Ritchie