The South Glos Post

Another driver has been prosecuted for driving a 44 tonne articulated heavy commercial vehicle through the 7.5 tonne environmental weight restriction through Easter Compton and Pilning in South Gloucestershire.

The driver, James Smith of Tipton, West Midlands failed to enter a plea to North Avon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 21st September 2010 and was found guilty in his absence and fined £435 and ordered to pay costs of £537.96 plus a £15 victim surcharge.

Smith was seen driving his vehicle through the weight restriction at Pilning on Friday 9th April 2010 during a weight restriction enforcement check by South Gloucestershire Council Trading Standards Service. He is believed to have been relying on his sat nav to get him to his destination towards Avonmouth.

The news comes just a week after another driver was prosecuted for driving an 18  tonne vehicle through the same restricted area in Easter Compton.

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Source: South Gloucestershire Council

South Gloucestershire Council has picked up an accolade at a national awards ceremony, after being in the running for six in total, including council of the year.

The council’s street care team recently won the ‘best environmental initiative’ category at the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) awards, hosted in Derry.

APSE is a local government body which works with over 300 councils throughout the country, promoting excellence in public services.

Councillor Heather Goddard, executive member for community services, said: “This award reflects the council’s commitment to providing excellent frontline services and continued work in reducing its carbon footprint. I’d like to congratulate the street care team on their win. Being nominated in four different categories is a sign of their dedication. But we know we can improve further, and will be working hard to do so.”

The award win recognised the council’s ongoing efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and contribute to a greener environment.

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Source: South Gloucestershire Council

Nearly three quarters of voters say they are not comfortable with a politician overseeing policing, according to the Avon and Somerset Police Authority’s (ASPA) poll on Police and Crime Commissioners.

The Police Authority asked a series of questions on its website to gauge public opinion for some of the radical proposals outlined in the Government’s ‘Policing in the 21st Century’ consultation paper.

One of the fears is that a Police and Crime Commissioner would politicise policing and that was echoed by the majority of voters, with 72% saying they were more comfortable with an independent person rather than a politician overseeing policing.

Chair of Avon and Somerset Police Authority Dr Heffer said: “I would be amazed if the police commissioner was not a political person due to the cost and time needed to wage an election campaign. In the proposed changes the day-to-day influence of 17 people including councillors and members of the community would be lost and replaced by the single interests and priorities of one elected person.”

Nearly 70% of voters believed introducing an election did not represent value for money and Dr Peter Heffer said the costs implications were madness given the pressures on budgets.

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Source: Avon and Somerset Police Authority

Following reports from concerned residents, trading standards officers at South Gloucestershire Council are working with children’s charity Barnardo’s to stamp out bogus doorstep charity collections.

A business, using the name Bernhardos, which is thought to be passing itself off as the children’s charity Barnardo’s, has been posting white plastic collection bags through doors in South Gloucestershire urging residents to donate second hand clothing, shoes, jewellery and toys. Anything donated is then collected several days later in the same manner as some other well known charities operate.

The wording on the packaging does not specifically state that Bernhardos is a charity, but is clearly designed to give householders the impression that their donation is for projects which support children.

South Gloucestershire Trading Standards has received a number of complaints from local residents who believe that the name being used is misleading, as well as the information that is given with the plastic bags when delivered. Consequently they are keen to hear from any residents who can pinpoint when and where the bags are being delivered.

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Source: South Gloucestershire Council