The SouthGlos Post

Work has started on a £500K scheme to transform sports facilities at Marlwood School in Alveston, near Thornbury.

A ‘next generation’ all-weather pitch and a natural football pitch will be provided in an effort to encourage sport and healthier lifestyles.

The full-sized football pitches, which can also be used for other sports, will be used mainly by students at the secondary school, but will also be made available for community use outside school hours.

The aim is to complete the new all-weather pitch ready for full use by the school by the end of October.

Once landscaped, the natural pitch will need to be seeded ready for use next year.

The scheme is being funded out of the council’s own resources, following a decision by the Council’s ruling Conservative administration in 2008 to top-up the schools money it receives annually from the government.

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Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council

A major remodelling of Pucklechurch CE VC primary school has started in the last few weeks after a long-running campaign by local councillor, Sandra Grant.

The phased £1.72m remodelling and extension scheme will see permanent fit for purpose accommodation provided at the village school with construction work due to be completed in November of next year.

The complex scheme involves the erection of three single storey extensions to form additional kitchen, classroom and administration space, including a new library. The construction of 2 access ramps, proposed landscaping and new netball court also form part of the scheme.

Work has been programmed to ensure that disruption to pupils is kept to an absolute minimum.

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Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council

The architect of a youth bus pass scheme is encouraging local youngsters to take advantage of the scheme before the school holidays end.

Cllr Sheila Cook, Conservative Cabinet Member for Children and Young People on South Gloucestershire Council, is appealing to local youngsters to take advantage of cheaper bus fares that are available to them, thanks to the council.

The district’s youth concessionary travel scheme entitles 14-18-year-olds in full time education to half adult bus fares on evening, weekend and school holiday journeys.

The scheme was the brainchild of Cllr Cook who first proposed a council motion on the subject back in 2006. She said:

“One of the biggest issues young people raise locally is transport, particularly its cost and how that discourages greater use of public transport, and so we have been determined to do something about it.

We are proud to be one of the few councils in the country to have introduced this sort of travel concession for local youngsters and we very much want them to take it up.

With just one week left of the summer holidays, it’s an ideal time to get hold of a pass, which will help access the huge range of activities available across the local area.

We have a special website for South Gloucestershire youngsters called ‘Youth Unlimited’ and all the information they need is on there.”

Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council

Local residents living on a steep Kingswood road are being encouraged to have their say on a road safety scheme to tackle speeding motorists.

South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) has begun consulting on the provision of a new footway build out, new white lining and a new dropped kerb crossing point at the junction of Champion Road and Pound Road.

The proposed scheme attempts to address residents’ concerns about the speed of downhill traffic turning left into Champion Road from Pound Road.

The aims of the proposed highway improvement are:

• to reduce the speed of traffic turning into Champion Road from Pound Road,
• to improve road safety and improve accessibility for pedestrians who wish to cross Champion Road near the Pound Road junction,
• to encourage more sustainable means of travel, and
• to provide elderly and less mobile residents with an enhanced location to cross Champion Road.

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Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council

Residents are being encouraged to use Filton Community Centre now that it has had a major re-wiring, thanks to one of its local Conservative councillors.

There had been concerns about the electrics – which date back to the late 1960s – and how they would often get overloaded by more powerful modern equipment, including that used by DJs.

The major re-wiring cost £20,000 and was paid out of funds allocated by South Gloucestershire Council to individual ward councillors to improve their local area – and Conservative councillor for Filton, Brian Freeguard, chose to support the community centre.

As well as a complete re-wiring throughout, specific improvements have included energy-saving motion-activated lighting in the toilets, a new automatic-detection fire alarm system and automatic emergency lighting.

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Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council