The South Glos Post

Every home and business in South Gloucestershire will potentially be able to access broadband by 2015 with nine out of ten enjoying superfast speeds of up to 24 Mbps, thanks to nearly £3m of public investment.

South Gloucestershire Council has drawn up plans to invest £2.2m of its own money in providing broadband infrastructure capable of delivering much faster speeds, which will be added to a £710k grant from the government body Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK).

In line with the ambition in South Gloucestershire’s recently refreshed Sustainable Community Strategy to improve access to broadband for all, this project’s aim is to achieve access to a minimum of 2 Mbps broadband speeds for all premises in South Gloucestershire by 2015 and superfast broadband to be available to a target of 90 per cent of premises – also by 2015.

Work to install the superfast broadband infrastructure could start as early as this December because the new tie-up with Wiltshire Council – confirmed earlier this month by South Gloucestershire’s Conservative Cabinet – ensures that the district’s broadband project is one of the most advanced in the country.

It’s estimated that around 82 per cent of premises in South Gloucestershire will be able to benefit from improved broadband infrastructure funded by broadband suppliers themselves, resulting in the availability of a faster and more reliable service by 2014.

The remaining 18 per cent (approx 21,000) of premises – where there are currently no plans by broadband suppliers to invest – will benefit from this public investment in order to make the provision of faster broadband commercially viable.

More: Plan must be ratified by Full Council on 22nd February »

Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council

Discussion is open - 1 comment (view) - click here to respond.

Local campaigners have expressed their delight after a planning inspector backed a council refusal to build a wind farm near Oldbury-on-Severn, South Gloucestershire.

Widely known as the ‘Stoneyard Lane Wind Farm‘ because of a public right of way accessing the site, the proposed development involved the construction of four 127m (to blade tip) wind turbines, one 80m ‘anemometry mast’ and other associated infrastructure.

Last year South Gloucestershire Council refused permission for the scheme, but the developer – Wind Prospect Developments Limited – then appealed to the independent Planning Inspectorate.

But in his concluding remarks, the inspector backed the council’s refusal, saying:

“the proposed development would have serious implications for the character and appearance of the rural surroundings in terms of landscape, the historic environment and the amenity of public rights of way, so serious in my opinion that they outweigh the benefits of renewable energy production.”

Local campaigners believe this ruling has significant implications for another proposed wind farm development at the nearby village of Ingst, which is in the Green Belt.

More: Decision is a victory for people power says councillor »

Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council

Discussion is open - 1 comment (view) - click here to respond.

South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) and the Highways Authority will discuss the future use of the Tormarton rest area on the A46 this Wednesday (18th January).

The rest area is an important facility for both drivers on the A46, and long-distance hikers on the Cotswold Way.

The Highways Agency has proposed to remove the toilet facilities, and to leave the limited ‘park & share’ site as it is, rather than expand.

Cllr Sue Hope (Liberal Democrat, Cotswold Edge) said:

“We’ve were promised an expansion of the land available for Park and Share many years ago and nothing’s ever been done – it would reduce congestion, reduce pollution, remove parking from the surrounding verges; if we can bite the bullet now, and spend a small amount of money, it would be a win for everybody involved.”

“It’s a popular, well-used site, and we have the ability to expand to meet demand. Together with Tormarton Parish Council, we are going to push hard to have this done.”

“The toilet facilities in the same area are crucial to comfort and convenience – this isn’t just a car park, it’s a stop on the beautiful Cotswold Way, where hikers can refresh themselves.”

The toilet facilities have been closed for some time, and we are looking at rebuilding a proper facility in the most cost-effective way. It’s ludicrously unrealistic to tell hikers they can go to Bath to use a toilet. Anything other than a proper block will be unsanitary and unpleasant.”

Related link: Agenda for the meeting of SGC’s Planning, Transport and Strategic Environment Select Committee on Wednesday

Source: Liberal Democrat Group on South Gloucestershire Council

Discussion is open - be the first to comment - click here to respond.

A local government spending watchdog has warned South Gloucestershire Council that failures in the way it managed grant applications from disabled people could mean central government will cut its funding.

The Audit Commission has published a critical account of the way in which Conservative-run South Gloucestershire Council managed its process for awarding Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs). Councils are obliged by law to fund DFGs and they are awarded to residents on low incomes to help with the installation of aids such as walk-in-showers, stair-lifts and widening of doorways.

In its report, the Commission criticises the Council’s Community Care & Housing department for failing to ensure enough estimates of the cost of works were obtained prior to awarding grants. The Council is required by central government to see at least two estimates before a grant can be awarded. However, according to managers, it “became the norm” for only one estimate to be sought from applicants. The Council’s total spend on DFGs for 2010/11 was £2million of which £600,000 was paid to one company alone.

Cllr Pat Apps (Labour, Kings Chase) who chairs the Council committee which scrutinises the Community Care & Housing Department said she was shocked to hear about the Audit Commission’s findings. She said:

“At a time when council finances are being stretched due to government cuts, and we are being told that every penny has to count, I am shocked to hear that the Conservative administration has been awarding grants based on just one estimate.”

More: Government may refuse to pay full amount to Council »

Source: Labour Councillors on South Gloucestershire Council

Discussion is open - be the first to comment - click here to respond.