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SEG Home > News List > 2019 News Archive
2019 News ArchiveThe latest stories are on our home page. As this is an archive some older links may no longer connect due to changes in web page URL addresses etc.
An early story in 2019 was about the threat to insects that are heading for extinction leading to a collapse of nature's ecosystems. Click on each story link or scroll down the page (most recent appears first):-December 2019Getting ready for Christmas the Fairtrade way with the Saltford Fairtrade Group Saltford's Railways: Past, Present and Future - Free talk! November 2019Bristol Airport Expansion: public meeting organised by action group, Keynsham, 4th Dec Saltford Wombles : Litter Pick Sunday 24th November SEG comments on planning application for 9 houses between Keynsham & Saltford Saltford Calendar 2020 - supporting SCA, SEG & Saltford Community PO/Library Parish Council responds to SEG discovery of Mead Lane stabilisation technical design info. Government ends support for fracking October 2019Mead Lane riverbank stabilisation scheme and boat moorings Bid for Local Nature Reserve at Mead Lane Fairtrade Christmas Extravaganza, Larkall, Bath (8th Nov) Big B&NES Community Clean-up & Saltford Wombles : Litter Pick Sunday 27 October Council sets path to re-opening Saltford Station New boilers at Saltford Hall reduce gas consumption and greenhouse gas emissions State of Nature 2019 - UK's loss continues unabated September 2019World Textile Day comes to Saltford Hall, 5th Oct This year's archaeological dig in Saltford Saltford Wombles : Litter Pick Sunday 29 September The value of ponds & why the Weeping Willows by the medieval ponds were removed West of England Joint Spatial Plan in limbo Saltford Heritage Centre open, Sunday 22nd Sept (2.30 - 4.30pm) August 2019Mactaggart and Mickel Homes Ltd withdraws its Appeal against planning refusal! Saltford Wombles next Litter Pick : Sunday 25 August B&NES Council & responding to the Climate Emergency Keynsham's Tesco store helping to recycle soft plastics SEG response to cancellation of the JSP SDL Hearings in autumn 2019 JSP Examination Hearing for North Keynsham Strategic Development Location cancelled! July 2019Application to build 200 houses between Keynsham and Saltford to be determined by an Inquiry The big butterfly count (19 July to 11 August) Giving hedgehogs a helping hand Family Treasure Hunt (for Saltford Festival) ANSWERS Saltford Wombles : Litter Pick Sunday 21 July How many bees can your lawn support? Saltford Parish Council agrees its statement on North Keynsham SDL June 2019Saltford Wombles : Litter Pick Sunday 30 June SEG at Saltford Festival "Old Village "Day" SEG submits statement on North Keynsham SDL to West of England JSP Public Examination Family Treasure Hunt (for Saltford Festival) is OPEN Re-Use idea : Prescription Glasses and Sunglasses May 2019Saltford Wombles: Litter Pick Sunday 2 June (Festival preparations) Report from the 2018 archaeological dig in Saltford published SEG calls for "Significant Ecological Gain" in the planning system after alarming UN report Election Results for Saltford (2nd May election): SEG's Saltford 20/20 team all elected SEG objects to housing development in the Green Belt at Avon Farm April 2019Why voting for the Green Belt on 2nd May is so important (Parish and B&NES Council Elections) Saltford Parish Council Election 2nd May: SEG's "Saltford 20/20" team B&NES Council Election 2nd May: Answers to Questions from SEG Saltford Wombles: Litter Pick Sunday 28 April SEG objects to Green Belt loss between Saltford and Keynsham 2019 Big Garden Birdwatch results: House Sparrow remains top Saltford Wombles founder gets deserved community award Upcycling Craft Group to help decorate High Street for Saltford Festival March 2019See the 11th C Viking Buckle at Saltford Heritage Centre, 30th March Water shortages in England within 25 years Annual Saltford Dawn Chorus Walk, 21st April B&NES Council declares a climate emergency Saltford Wombles: Litter Pick Sunday 24 March Government to mandate net gains for biodiversity on new developments Saltford Upcycling Craft Group 21st March Febuary 2019SPC's Key Actions & Achievements 2015 - 2019 Saltford Wombles: Litter Pick Sunday 24th February Insects heading for extinction leading to a collapse of nature's ecosystems SPC and SEG seek inclusion of Saltford Station in West of England Transport Plan Bronze Viking Buckle found in Saltford! Saltford Wombles: Change in Chief Womble and Dates for your Diary Behaviour on the railway path: Sustrans survey Saltford Parish Council responds to West of England Mayor re. Saltford Station Gender & Fairtrade - 'Stories of Women & Cocoa Farmers in Ghana', 8th March Saltford Upcycling Craft Group 21st February January 2019Council awards litter enforcement contract to 3GS Saltford Wombles: Litter Pick Sunday 27 January Government Minister: "Don't build over the Green Belt to hit housing targets" Big Garden Birdwatch 26 - 28 January News stories start here (most recent appears first):-December 2019Wombles 'End of Year Report'What a year! Thank you to everyone, monthly pickers, street pickers, bag maintainers etc. who has helped keep our beautiful village tidy and protect the river, seas, hedgerow and wildlife from our debris. We've had a record 11 monthly picks this year, with an increased number of volunteers to 16 per pick and many more families now involved, especially after such a successful Saltford Festival. We even have 2 regular dog litter pickers who are particularly good at finding tennis balls. We collected 142 bags of litter, which is still huge but less on average per pick than last year. Great that we have collected so much, a shame there is so much to collect. This is without including the great work of our street pickers. Most of the litter continues to be bottles, cans, nitrous oxide cannisters, takeaways, dog poo bags and wind blown items from unlidded recycling bins. Some of the more unusual items have included more clothes and car number plates: you'd really think you'd notice if you lost your shorts! Putting out and collecting litter bags at key hot spots around the village, e.g. the playing fields and woods, is also proving to be very popular. Thank you to our bag maintainers and to everyone for using them. There is clearly a desire to be tidy and not drop litter, this makes it easier. There is no formal litter pick in December. We resume from 2-4pm on Sunday 26 January 2020. In the meantime, please do keep Wombling, collecting litter on your travels wherever they may take you over these winter months. For more information about Saltford Wombles , please contact Barbara on saltfordwombles@gmail.com. Happy litter picking! December 2019 Getting ready for Christmas the Fairtrade way with the Saltford Fairtrade Group
We bet you wouldn't think that the kitchen gloves, bars of soap, kitchen towels and spices on the Saltford Fairtrade stall at the Saltford Christmas Fair this year (30th November) were all Fairtrade? Along with the array of lovely colourful Tradecraft goodies it made the perfect way get everyone's Christmas preparations started. Thank you everyone for buying Fairtrade, where you know that the producers always reap the benefits of their labour to better their lives and that of their families and cooperatives. Think Christmas, think Fairtrade. December 2019 Saltford's Railways: Past, Present and Future - Free talk!
To mark 50 years to the day of the closure of Saltford Station, Saltford Parish Council has organised a free illustrated talk by Cllrs Chris Warren and Duncan Hounsell. Attendees will be able to find out about the history of Saltford's railways, SPC's actions to achieve the re-opening of Saltford Station, and the latest updates about making this a reality for the future. All are welcome, there is no need to book. The talk starts at 2pm on Sunday 5th January 2020, in Saltford Hall. December 2019 UK in ecological overshootAn ecological deficit occurs when the Ecological Footprint of a population exceeds the biocapacity of the area available to that population. The UK could only support around 21M people from its own internal biomass, but the UK population is 65M. The difference is made up by taking resources from other parts of the planet at the expense of the ecosystems, wildlife and people there and yet the climate emergency will increasingly make it difficult for the UK to depend on other nations to feed and support us. In common with many other places on the planet, the UK is in massive ecological overshoot and needs to drastically reduce population and per-head consumption in order to be sustainable. The Global Footprint Network, that advances the science of sustainability website at data.footprintnetwork.org provides further information on this topic. December 2019 November 2019Bristol Airport Expansion: public meeting organised by action group, Keynsham, 4th DecThe proposed airport expansion is likely to have serious consequences for local residents. With the proposed doubling in size of the airport and increase of 23,000 extra flights a year, it will have a huge impact on the wider area. Impacts will include increased noise and air pollution, and a further increase in road traffic. The significant growth in air traffic and thus carbon emissions would add further to the global climate crisis! The Stop Bristol Airport Expansion alliance (www.stopbristolairportexpansion.org) is holding a public meeting in Keynsham on Weds 4th December 7.30-9.15pm at Keynsham Baptist Church, High Street. This may be of interest to many of our members. NOTE. The Stop Bristol Airport Expansion alliance has two aims: 1. to persuade North Somerset Council to reject the Bristol Airport planning application, and 2. to persuade the Ontario Teacher's Pension Plan, which owns the Airport, to abandon plans for short-term expansion and adopt a plan for sustainable growth. November 2019 Saltford Wombles : Litter Pick Sunday 24th NovemberOur next litter pick is on Sunday 24 November, 2.00-4.00pm, meeting outside The Little Coffee Shop on Manor Road. This will be our last group pick for this year, so please do come along to help us clean up the village ready for Christmas and the New Year. Our first litter pick of 2020 will be on the 26th January. If you have litter pickers, gloves and high viz vest please do bring them, but if not we can provide them. We have bags provided by B&NES Council. As with any Saltford Wombles litter pick, everyone takes part at their own risk and it is essential that children are supervised at all times by a parent/carer (young children will be allocated an age appropriate area of your choice to litter pick). If you would like to attend this litter pick, or find out more about the Saltford Wombles, please contact Barbara at the following email address: saltfordwombles@gmail.com. November 2019 SEG comments on planning application for 9 houses between Keynsham & SaltfordOn 6th November 2019 SEG submitted comments to B&NES Council concerning the planning application ref. 19/04542/FUL from the developer Churnmead Ltd submitted by their agent Pegasus Group for 9 dwellings at Parcel 8108, Bath Road, Keynsham. The land in question is part of the Strategic Site Allocation at Keynsham East for 250 houses and is located west of the new Crest Nicholson development "Hygge Park". SEG understands that the ownership of this parcel of land is (or was) separate from other land parcels in the B&NES 2014 Core Strategy's Strategic Site Allocation for 250 dwellings at Keynsham East hence it is being brought forward separately from Crest Nicholson's Hygge Park development. SEG's self-explanatory response was as follows:- Saltford Environment Group notes at paragraph 5.6 of the Planning Statement associated with this planning application the statement that the provision of affordable housing "should not be sought" for smaller developments. This strongly suggests that (a) this development of 9 dwellings is planned to be additional to the 250 houses allocated in the 2014 Core Strategy for the Strategic Site Allocation at this location, and (b) that a piecemeal approach to sub-developments like this is being used to reduce the affordable housing provision within the overall strategic site as intended by the policies within the Core Strategy (30%) and/or the forthcoming Local Plan. The local community is already concerned about the implications and prospect of 250 new houses at Keynsham East that would put undue pressure on transport infrastructure and public services which affects neighbouring communities including Saltford. Those services and infrastructure already struggle or increasingly fail to cope with the existing housing density in the local and wider area before the proposed Core Strategy developments have been completed and supporting infrastructure for those developments put in place. It is prudent therefore for B&NES Council to: (a) prevent smaller housing developments within this strategic site being used to exceed the overall plans set out in the Core Strategy (i.e. if this approach is permitted other developments at the same strategic site will need a corresponding reduction), and (b) prevent a piecemeal approach to sub-developments like this being used to reduce the affordable housing provision within the overall strategic site thereby missing both the NPPF (2018) objective of creating mixed and balanced communities and the affordable housing needs of the area. The close proximity of retained vegetation, as identified in the Core Strategy, to this proposed development is also a consideration. SEG reminds B&NES Council of the NPPF (2018) policy for new developments to achieve net environmental gains. Anyone wishing to comment on this planning application (deadline is Thursday 14th November 2019) can follow this link and key 19/04542/FUL into the search box: B&NES Development Control. If you encounter difficulties with the B&NES website you can email your comments to development_management@bathnes.gov.uk but make sure you include the reference number for this planning application (19/04542/FUL). The B&NES target decision date for this planning application is 19.12.2019. November 2019 Saltford Calendar 2020 - supporting SCA, SEG & Saltford Community PO/Library
The SCA/SEG Saltford Calandar for 2020 makes a great gift whilst enabling purchasers to support local community initiatives. November 2019 Parish Council responds to SEG discovery of Mead Lane stabilisation technical design info.
At its monthly meeting on the evening of 5th November, Saltford Parish Council discussed the new information dated 20.10.2019 from SEG concerning the extensive riverbank stabilisation work that was undertaken in Mead Lane in September 2005. SPC agreed the following response to be sent to B&NES Council:- Saltford Parish Council refers to the new information submitted by Saltford Environment Group to B&NES Council on 20.10.2019 concerning the 2005 bio-engineering work to stabilise the riverbank in Mead Lane to protect the highway from becoming dangerous. SPC urges B&NES Council to consider the implications of that information without delay now that the Mead Lane consultation has ended. Further to SPC's response to the Mead Lane consultation agreed on 1.10.2019, SPC asks B&NES Council with its responsibilities as Highway Authority and riparian owner to urgently (i) implement a mooring ban commencing with an immediate winter mooring ban, and (ii) implement effective physical measures to prevent vehicles parking on the riverbank accompanied by the renewal of white lines to prevent parked vehicles obstructing the lane. SPC asks B&NES Council to simultaneously pursue the creation of a Local Nature Reserve at Mead Lane to help secure the 2005 riverbank stabilisation scheme. SPC asks that SPC, SEG, Mead Lane residents and Wessex Water are consulted and kept informed of progress for implementing a mooring ban and a Local Nature Reserve. The consultation report to B&NES Council from Lemon Gazelle should help highlight a wide range of River Avon mooring issues that need to be addressed on social and environmental grounds. Those should be reviewed by B&NES Council with relevant agencies but separately from the unique situation in Mead Lane where there are serious implications for the highway, key infrastructure and the stability of the riverbank if mooring is allowed to continue. You can read more about the bio-engineering works at Mead Lane from our earlier news story Mead Lane riverbank stabilisation scheme and boat moorings published in October. UPDATE 21.11.2019
November 2019 Government ends support for frackingYou can have a healthy fossil-fuel balance sheet, or a relatively healthy planet... On 2nd November the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) published a report that concludes that it is not possible with current technology to accurately predict the probability of tremors associated with fracking and that separate proposals to change the planning process for fracking sites will no longer be taken forward at this time. In the light of that "new" scientific analysis the government announced that fracking will not be allowed to proceed in England. On the basis of the current scientific evidence, the government confirmed on 2nd November that it will take a presumption against issuing any further Hydraulic Fracturing Consents and that this position will be maintained unless compelling new evidence is provided. While future applications for Hydraulic Fracturing Consent will be considered on their own merits by the Secretary of State, in accordance with the law, the shale gas industry has been told it should take the government's position into account when considering new developments. The OGA has advised the government that until further studies can provide clarity, they will not be able to say with confidence that further hydraulic fracturing would meet the government's policy aims of ensuring it is safe, sustainable and of minimal disturbance to those living and working nearby. Commenting on this welcome news, the Countryside Charity CPRE said "Fracking was never a good idea. Its large-scale adoption could have industrialised our countryside, pushed communities out of decision-making, and worsened the climate crisis. And it carried the risk of causing earthquakes near where people live. The government must now focus on new policies to tackle the climate crisis, from investing in renewables and sustainable public transport, to improving the energy efficiency of our homes and restoring nature to remove carbon emissions from the air. This is a significant win for local democracy, our environment and our beautiful countryside that we all love so much." "Time will tell how this plays out and we will need to keep on our toes, but today we can celebrate seeing the back of the fracking industry in England." November 2019 October 2019Mead Lane riverbank stabilisation scheme and boat moorings(Last updated 25 October 2019)
SEG has discovered technical design information concerning the Mead Lane riverbank stabilisation work undertaken in September 2005. The bio-engineering solution implemented then was in order "to protect the highway from becoming dangerous". It was estimated at the time that if action had not been taken the erosion to the riverbank was likely "to lead to include loss of part of the road within the next 5-10 years". The Mead Lane riverbank was being "actively scoured at the toe, causing localised bank failures and threatening the stability of the carriageway" where "tension cracks could clearly be seen". Within 48 hours of seeing this information, on 20th October SEG urgently made this available to B&NES Council at Director and Cabinet Member level by email letter (a pdf copy is available lower down in this news article).
The bio-engineering solution used was rock armour with vegetation to secure granular and other material on the riverbank immediately behind the rock on the riverbank (see photograph from the 2005 construction above). This had a 40-50 year lifespan but there was no mention of any provision for moorings in Mead Lane in the design report and construction plan before or after the works to rebuild and stabilise the riverbank. This expensive but very necessary infrastructure protection work was to protect and maintain road access to residential properties and local businesses in the lane as well as Wessex Water's sewage treatment works at Saltford; a vital infrastructure site with 24/7 operation that processes all of Bath's sewage (population c.89,000 + c.300,000 visitors p.a.) and where road access is therefore required at all times. This highlights problems caused by the mooring of large boats themselves that are unrelated to other issues that have raised concerns about mooring in Mead Lane. Moorings only started to become more frequent from 2014; before 2005 the uneven nature of the riverbank due to erosion made moorings only an occasional occurrence at this location. That is likely to explain why the arrival of moored boats, an unforeseen consequence of the stabilisation work, was not taken into account for the design of the protection scheme. SEG does not know the extent of damage already done to the Mead Lane riverbank stabilisation scheme below the water's surface, or by how much the scheme's lifespan has been reduced, but we are well aware that damage to vegetation has been continuous in recent years. This will have financial implications for the public purse but the timescale is unknown; autumn and winter flood events are becoming increasingly common and more severe due to climate change. It is incumbent on B&NES Council therefore to implement a mooring ban as soon as possible to mitigate safety risks and to avoid the extreme inconvenience that would follow from the future partial loss of the highway due to erosion from sudden riverbank failure. SEG's letter to B&NES Council can be downloaded here: Mead Lane riverbank stabilisation letter (pdf opens in new window).
UPDATE 25th OCTOBER:-
On 24th October Wessex Water informed B&NES Council that it was aware of and shared SEG's concerns re. the 2005 stabilisation works to the riverbank along Mead Lane consisting of bio-engineering defences that were not designed for moorings. Mead Lane accommodates a large strategic pumped sewer and is currently their principle access to the sewage treatment works serving Bath and Saltford; Wessex Water has therefore urged B&NES to carefully review the bank stabilisation works undertaken in 2005. Wessex Water is favourably disposed towards SEG's suggestion of establishing a Local Nature Reserve at Mead Lane. MEAD LANE CONSULATION 1-31 OCTOBER Following on from the 2017 and 2018 mooring trial B&NES Council is consulting on the future of Mead Lane until 31st October. See our earlier news story Bid for Local Nature Reserve at Mead Lane about the consultation and SEG's case for a Local Nature Reserve which, we now know, would help secure the riverbank stabilisation scheme. The consultation report to B&NES Council from their consultants Lemon Gazelle should help illuminate a wide range of River Avon mooring issues that need addressing on social and environmental grounds over and above the unique situation in Mead Lane where there are serious implications if mooring is allowed to continue. Credits: SEG is grateful to the Bath resident who has made photographs he took in 2005 of the stabilisation works available for use by SEG. October 2019 Bid for Local Nature Reserve at Mead Lane
B&NES Council held a mooring trial in Mead Lane in 2017 and 2018 which led to increasing levels of mooring infringements, anti-social behaviour and damage to the riverbank and in particular the flora and fauna it supports. The issues there have continued unabated since the trial ended in 2018. SEG and Saltford Parish Council, supported by Mead Lane residents, are now asking B&NES Council to create a Local Nature Reserve there in response to B&NES Council's online consultation on the future of Mead Lane being held during October. At its meeting on 1st October Saltford Parish Council agreed its consultation response. This was that the trial mooring had clearly demonstrated that Mead Lane as a hitherto unspoilt beauty spot in the Green Belt and in close proximity to residential housing is unsuitable and impracticable for moorings which are having a detrimental effect on the natural environment for one of Saltford's most important amenity locations for viewing and appreciating the local landscape, the Cotswold AONB. SPC concluded that in order to protect the riverbank for the majority of visitors and residents who value this important and iconic location, a mooring ban should be implemented without delay commencing with, on health and safety grounds, an immediate winter mooring ban. As a positive outcome from the trial, SPC supported the case that has been made by Saltford Environment Group for the creation of a Local Nature Reserve at Mead Lane. You can download the paper "Case for Local Nature Reserve at Mead Lane" at the end of this news item. Make your views known SEG members and other Saltford residents now have an opportunity to help protect the riverbank and wildlife at Mead Lane, an important part of Saltford's Green Belt, for the overwhelming majority of visitors and river users by responding to the consultation by no later than 31st October and asking B&NES Council to create a Local Nature Reserve accompanied by a mooring ban, i.e. closure of the riverbank in Mead Lane to all moorings to enable the Local Nature Reserve to function. B&NES has stated that key to the success of this consultation will be the extent of public participation. The consultation can be found from this link: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/MeadLane. The related B&NES web page about this topic can be found from this link: Mead Lane (external site). See the end of this article to download SEG's paper "Case for Local Nature Reserve at Mead Lane". Background information Before the riverbank vegetation was cleared during improvements to the lane and the riverbank was stabilised in autumn 2005, boats only occasionally moored in Mead Lane. It is apparent that free uncontrolled moorings at Mead Lane attracts an influx of boats that would otherwise moor elsewhere and hence the problems encountered specifically at Mead Lane made worse by the mooring trial. There are 6 marinas on the B&NES stretch of the River Avon and over 3,300 metres of private moorings. In addition to that there is a large provision of moorings at Bristol Docks and on the Kennet and Avon Canal. As was made clear by Saltford Parish Council at its June 2019 meeting, Mead Lane does not have the amenities or facilities normally associated with a marina that would typically be remote from residential properties. The problems may have been caused by a minority of boaters but their effect has been considerable. Information from Mead Lane Neighbourhood Watch on the issues that arose and that has been reported to B&NES Council on a regular basis can be summarised as follows:- For the 2-year mooring trial, Mead Lane NHW recorded in 2017 331 boats mooring in Mead Lane of which 22% overstayed in the 14 day area and 12% overstayed in the 48 hour area. In 2018 the NHW figures showed a sharp increase with 342 boats mooring of which 36% overstayed in the 14 day area and 34% in the 48 hour area - that is in excess of a third of all moored boats overstaying in Mead Lane. Following the end of the trial during 2019 (up to 23 September only) the percentage of boats overstaying was higher again with 46% of those moored for more than 48 hours overstaying in the 14 day area and 44% in the 48 hour area. Some boats have stayed for weeks and months on end - often left unattended for most of the time as a free mooring thus excluding others from use of the riverbank. Apart from damage to trees and parking bollards arising from incorrect mooring practices, there have been many problems of anti-social and other unsuitable behaviour in Mead Lane caused by a minority of boaters during and since the mooring trial. These are too numerous to list and many have necessitated police involvement. These include drug use, use of the riverbank as a general waste dump and toilet, threatening behaviour, and dog fouling to excessive noise and fumes from generators, river pollution, and use of the lane and riverbank for major boat and vehicle repairs (including welding). No residential lane or street should be expected to tolerate such an ongoing stressful situation. SEG wishes to stress that this is not about stigmatising boaters, the majority do of course operate and moor their boats within the law, but rescuing Saltford's riverbank at Mead Lane from abuse by a minority and protecting the wildlife and this iconic location for the benefit of the majority. The Case for a Local Nature Reserve at Mead Lane You can download SEG's paper here: Case for Local Nature Reserve at Mead Lane (pdf opens in new window). Don't forget to respond to the B&NES consultation by 31st October and ask for a Local Nature Reserve at Mead Lane supported by a mooring ban! As a reminder of the importance of protecting nature, see our news story State of Nature 2019. October 2019 Fairtrade Christmas Extravaganza, Larkall, Bath (8th Nov)
St Saviour's website is at https://stsaviours.org.uk where directions can be found (at the bottom of the home page). October 2019 Big B&NES Community Clean-up & Saltford Wombles : Litter Pick Sunday 27 OctoberOur next litter pick is on Sunday 27 October, 2.00-4.00pm, meeting outside The Little Coffee Shop on Manor Road. It is part of the Big B&NES Community Clean-up week so please do come along to support this great initiative. If you have litter pickers, gloves and high viz vest please do bring them, but if not we can provide them. We have bags provided by B&NES Council. As with any Saltford Wombles litter pick, everyone takes part at their own risk and it is essential that children are supervised at all times by a parent/carer. If you would like to attend this litter pick, or find out more about the Saltford Wombles, please contact Barbara at the following email address: saltfordwombles@gmail.com. October 2019 Saltford Weather Station
SEG has moved its online Saltford Weather Station from the climate change page to the home page of our website (top RH side). We hope this will make it more readily available for visitors to our website. This allows members, residents, local businesses and visitors to easily find in one place the weather forecasts, flood warnings and the river level for Saltford - the latter is particularly useful for observing when the river may be moving towards or away from breaking its banks here. All river side residents in Saltford are advised to sign up to the Environment Agency's Floodline 24-hour Service (0345 988 1188). October 2019 Council sets path to re-opening Saltford StationBath and North East Somerset Council has given overwhelming backing to a re-built Saltford Station and has set out a path to achieve it. The Liberal Democrats tabled amendments to a Conservative motion which were accepted and voted through at the meeting of the Council at the Guildhall on 10th October. If the Greater Bristol Rail Feasibility study due this year confirms that Saltford Station is a potentially viable project, the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) will be asked by B&NES Council to take the project forward and consider how it might be funded. Saltford Parish Council will be kept fully informed of developments. A Higher Level Output Assessment on Saltford Station received by the previous Lib Dem run Council in 2014 concluded that there we would be at least £770,000 annual revenue from a Saltford Station on the current site and room for 144 car parking spaces. Cllr Neil Butters, Lib Dem joint cabinet member for transport services, said "You can be sure we will be pursuing this project at the West of England Transport Board with full vigour." Cllr Duncan Hounsell (Lib Dem, Saltford) said "A re-opened station is not just about providing Saltford's commuters a gateway to the awaited half-hourly Metro West services but also playing a part in reducing road traffic and pollution in Bath, and helping to address the climate emergency by reducing car use. There is a strong case for a Saltford Station to be championed by WECA." October 2019 New boilers at Saltford Hall reduce gas consumption and greenhouse gas emissions
Saltford Community Association has thanked SEG for our letter of support for SCA's successful application for grants from the EU Rural Development Programme and from the Enovert Trust towards the cost of modernising the heating system at Saltford Hall. Two new replacement boilers were installed during September. These more efficient boilers can be controlled remotely by smartphone to enable greater flexibility and control so that the use of the heating system more closely matches the requirements of hall users. SCA anticipate gas and greenhouse gas (CO2) emission savings of up to a third compared to the old system. SEG applauds SCA's continued commitment to reducing the environmental impact of Saltford's community hall. Members will recall the installation of a 30kWp solar PV system on the hall roof in March 2018 (see photo). October 2019 State of Nature 2019 - UK's loss continues unabatedThe State of Nature 2019 report published on 3 October has been produced by a partnership of over 70 partners drawn from conservation NGOs, research institutes, and the UK and national governments. It shows that in recent decades there has been no let-up in the net loss of nature in the UK. Our biodiversity, the variety of plant and animal life, is reducing and the rate of change has accelerated in the past 10 years. An alarming 15% of species are threatened with extinction from Britain. Since 1970 41% of species have decreased and 26% have increased in abundance, with the remaining 33% showing little change. We have seen big changes in where the UK's wildlife is found with, since 1970, over a quarter (27%) of UK species found in fewer places. Long-term decreases in average abundance in butterflies since 1976 (16%) and moths since 1970 (25%) have not slowed. The mammal indicator shows little change since 1994; while an increase of 43% in the bird indicator has been driven by recovery of some species from very low numbers, conservation successes and colonising species, as well as increasing numbers of wintering water birds. These increases mask abundance declines in common and widespread breeding species; the total number of breeding birds in the UK fell by 44 million between 1967 and 2009. The report (with a lot more statistics!) can be found on the National Biodiversity Network (NBN) website nbn.org.uk. October 2019 September 2019World Textile Day comes to Saltford Hall, 5th OctInspired to Create - with special guest artist Isabella Whitworth On 5th October, 10 am - 4.30 pm, there will be FREE admission at Saltford Hall in Wedmore Road to an exhibition of woven, printed and embroidered textiles from makers, workshops and villages around the world. More information can be found from this link worldtextileday.co.uk/venues/west-of-england. This year, the highlight of the day will be an exhibition and presentation by natural dyeing expert and artist Isabella Whitworth. Thirty years ago, exploring Indonesia and India, her hand went into the dye pot - where it has stayed ever since! Refreshments will be available throughout the day, courtesy of the hosts Saltford Community Association - including (apparently) "the best bacon butties in the world", plus glorious cakes galore. September 2019 This year's archaeological dig in Saltford
Following last year's trial excavation in the Roman coffin field on the south side of Saltford, SEG once again joined forces with BACAS (Bath and Counties Archaeological Society) in September to investigate whether there were any buildings. A geophysical survey carried out in 2015 and 2016 had indicated that there was a possibility of buildings in a field where a Roman stone coffin complete with skeleton had been discovered by a farm worker in 1948. About 25 people worked on the site over the week in generally fine weather. We had the huge benefit of an excavator kindly loaned for the week by villager Clive Shipley, who gave generously of his time and that of a colleague. This enabled us to scrape off the top soil in layers, without potentially damaging anything underneath. Three main trenches of varying sizes were opened up as well as several smaller trenches around the site. In the first trench a large 'pavement' of the local lias stone natural bedrock was found. In the cracks we found many pottery sherds and some hobnails, suggesting that it had been exposed in Roman times. The other two trenches cut across a very large and deep ditch that had been identified by the geophysical survey. This contained large quantities of pottery sherds (of many different types) and sawn animal bones, indicating that they had been butchered. Some half-a-dozen Roman coins were found during the course of the dig, but no buildings. All of the trenches hit shallow bedrock without finding any evidence of stone structures. It will take some time for the findings from the trenches to be interpreted by the archaeological experts at BACAS and for the artefacts found to be identified and dated. We will announce and publish a copy of the BACAS report on our Online Museum when it is available. Whilst the overall outcome of the dig was disappointing (no floors or stone wall foundations were discovered), all those involved enjoyed the week's work, and there were at least many 'finds' - many thought to be of Roman origin as have been found at this location previously. The search for buildings in the general area is likely to continue in future years; it is indicative from the large (and long) ditches and from the large quantity of pottery sherds and bones, not to mention the coffin, that people were in residence in Roman times nearby. The many Roman finds in Saltford on both sides of the A4 Bath Road is clear evidence of Roman habitation in this general area. In view of the large number of Roman finds at this location it is of course possible that wooden agricultural buildings of Roman origin, e.g. for keeping livestock and related light industrial purposes, were in place in this particular field for which archaeological evidence has long disappeared. Our thanks go to the experts from BACAS, to Clive Shipley and his assistant Phil, and to all those who took part in the 2019 excavation. September 2019 Saltford Wombles : Litter Pick Sunday 29 SeptemberBeauty dies where litter lies Our next monthly litter pick will be on Sunday 29 September from 2-4pm, meeting at the Shallows car park. Our focus will be The Shallows, river and Railway path, as a post-summer clean up, ready for the autumn/winter months. If you have litter pickers, gloves and high viz vest please do bring them, but if not we can provide them. We have bags provided by B&NES Council. As with any Saltford Wombles litter pick, everyone takes part at their own risk and it is essential that children are supervised at all times by a parent/carer. If you would like to attend this litter pick, or find out more about the Saltford Wombles, please contact Barbara at the following email address: saltfordwombles@gmail.com. September 2019 The value of ponds & why the Weeping Willows by the medieval ponds were removed
The conservation of ponds faces significant challenges but also offers many opportunities which can be used to sustainably address some of the most important issues of our time, including habitat degradation, species extinctions, water resource management and climate change. Ponds are vital for many rare and endangered species, both at national and European levels, supporting populations of many aquatic species including amphibians, invertebrates and wetland plants. Ponds are particularly important at the landscape scale: they have been shown to contribute as much to regional biodiversity as rivers or lakes, and they provide stepping-stones and increased connectivity between other freshwater habitats. Ponds face many threats from human activities but receive little protection under European and national legislation. In addition, there are significant gaps in our knowledge of pond ecosystems, especially compared to rivers and lakes, which have been intensively studied for many years. Some residents may have noticed the removal of Weeping Willow trees by the medieval ponds at the side of a field behind St Mary's church. This is part of an ecological restoration project to support local wildlife by the landowner with advice from SEG's Wildlife Adviser. Whilst we all regret the loss of trees, it is necessary to look at the bigger ecological picture when determining what trees are appropriate and where they should be located. Here is the ecological explanation for the removal of the Weeping Willows from our adviser Will Duckworth for the two major problems caused by the trees:- 1. Between them they had developed such a large canopy they prevented sunlight getting to most of the pond most of the day (some of the pond all of the day). This has reduced the suitability for many species of typical pond wildlife, particularly many pond-associated insects that use only sunlit areas. 2. The enormous leaf fall each autumn going into the pond consumes so much oxygen in rotting that little wildlife can tolerate the low-oxygen conditions. This would be less problematic in a fast-flowing situation where incoming water replenishes the oxygen levels and sweeps away the leaves, but this does not happen here. Oxygen loss is exacerbated by the stone barrier (which keeps the water level high) preventing the water sweeping out the rotting leaves (which happens in a normal forest stream). Ponds outside gardens are in very short supply in Saltford - each one that is in good condition makes a genuine, material contribution to local wildlife values. Most of this pond's potential value has been forfeited in recent years. So that was the problem: what are the downsides of removing the trees? Basically, none. Weeping Willow is not native so is of no intrinsic value as a species. Indeed, it is not a true species but is a garden hybrid between White Willow Salix alba and the Asian S. babylonica (probably native to China rather than Babylon). Non-native trees can, however, contribute substantial wildlife values through structural features. But these two Weeping Willows are so young (they were planted in the mid or late 1980s) that they contained no cavities, no extensive rot, and no other special microhabitat. As a member of the willow genus Salix, which contains many species long established in Britain, Weeping Willow probably supports a fairly rich invertebrate community. This is because it is presumably chemically very similar to the ordinary willows along the river, so the many species of leaf-eating invertebrates using these willows are probably mostly just as happy to use Weeping Willow. But because the willows of other species remain abundant in Saltford there is no need for individual willows in otherwise problematic situations to be retained. While large-canopied water-shading trees are severely problematic for small ponds like this pond, one or two appropriately positioned nearby small trees or bushes are apt, for a dozen or more microhabitat functions, e.g. perching places for newly emerged insects with aquatic larvae. We have specifically left a couple of such trees, the taller one (a Field Maple) being positioned to the north of the pond so is not problematic in shading terms. Released from the dense shading of the willows, it may expand its canopy in future years and need reduction. If you want to read more about the importance of ponds visit the Freshwater Habitats Trust website at freshwaterhabitats.org.uk. September 2019 West of England Joint Spatial Plan in limboWe reported in August the cancellation by Government Inspectors of the examination hearings for the Strategic Development Locations (SDLs) including the North Keynsham SDL that had been scheduled for September 2019 due to their significant concerns about the selection of SDLs for the Joint Spatial Plan (JSP). The inspectors issued a letter to the councils drawing up the West of England JSP on 11 September setting out in detail their concerns. The inspectors felt that the SDLs had been selected on the basic presumption that any candidate SDL anywhere within the plan area could meet the plan area's housing needs just as well as any other candidate, an approach the inspectors could not agree with as the JSP was intended to meet the needs of two housing market areas, wider Bristol and Bath. One particular comment concerning the Green Belt from the inspectors was that although the JSP contended that exceptional circumstances existed to remove land from the Green Belt for five of the proposed SDLs, on the stated basis that any candidate SDL could meet the plan area's housing needs just as well as any other, there would, on the face of it according to the inspectors, "be little justification to select SDLs in land currently designated as Green Belt when there are reasonable alternatives outside the Green Belt". However, the inspectors recognised "that early Sustainability Appraisal work identified that a strategy of entirely avoiding the Green Belt would be likely to result in unsustainable patterns of development". The inspectors said they had not definitively reached the view that any of the individual SDLs proposed in the JSP could not, in principle, form a sound part of a plan for the West of England or for any of the individual local authority areas. However, they concluded that robust evidence had not been provided to demonstrate that the 12 SDLs proposed in the plan had been selected against reasonable alternatives on a robust, consistent and objective basis. Consequently, given that the SDLs are an integral part of the plan's spatial strategy, they could not conclude that the spatial strategy was itself sound. The inspectors also made the point that the absence of a robust SDL selection process or a strategy which is not based on specific SDLs means that there is not a clear basis on which to select alternative/additional SDLs should that become due to deliverability problems or if development needs were to change over time. The process of preparing and examining the suite of plans and strategies could be very complex, potentially confusing to the public and unwieldy and would be likely to delay, rather than accelerate, the planning and delivery of new development across the Combined Authority area and North Somerset. With that in mind, the inspectors thought it might be an appropriate time for the councils and Combined Authority to consider whether the currently envisaged approach in respect of the Spatial Development Strategy, JSP and local plans continues to be the most appropriate. What next? The inspectors recognised that the councils/Combined Authority may need some time to consider their response and therefore they set no deadline for a response. The councils are now reviewing the many points made by the inspectors. No timetable has been given by the inspectors or the councils for what happens next. The reminder from the inspectors that any loss of Green Belt can only be in exceptional circumstances and that the protection of the Green Belt "is a strong element of national policy" is welcomed by SEG. We cannot predict how B&NES will respond and how the different Local Plans including the B&NES Local Plan will be amended, re-focused or simply continue to proceed towards finalisation regardless of the JSP process. SEG will continue to monitor developments closely and alert members to any attempt to change plans to develop Saltford's Green Belt and disadvantage the local and wider community. The Joint Inspectors' post-hearing letter of 11.9.2019 and other JSP Examination News can be found on this web page: www.hwa.uk.com/projects/west-of-england-joint-spatial-plan/ (select the "Examination News" link). September 2019 Saltford Heritage Centre open, Sunday 22nd Sept (2.30 - 4.30pm)
Saltford Heritage Centre will next be open to the public from 2.30pm to 4.30pm on the afternoon of Sunday 22nd September as part of the B&NES Heritage Days initiative (13-22 Sept). Saltford Brassmill will also be open that day (10am - 4pm) so why not make it your local heritage day and visit both venues?
In addition to our displays describing Saltford's fascinating past and examples of local artefacts on show including the fascinating 11th Century bronze Saltford Viking Buckle we will display Historic Maps of Saltford from 1742. These include the first OS map showing Saltford (1817) and the 1837 Tithe Map showing the original field names. We shall also have an internet linked display screen so that we can show visitors how to access our comprehensive online material. Admission free. You can find out more about the Heritage Centre here: Saltford Heritage Centre. September 2019 August 2019Mactaggart and Mickel Homes Ltd withdraws its Appeal against planning refusal!
The 330 residents and organisations that had submitted an objection to B&NES Council against the Mactaggart and Mickel Homes Ltd planning application to build 200 homes on safeguarded Green Belt land between Saltford and Keynsham (outline planning application 18/01509/OUT) will be delighted, for now, to know that the appellant's agent has withdrawn the appeal (appeal reference APP/F0114/W/19/3230009). The withdrawal was announced on 16th August. Our members will be aware that SEG and Saltford Parish Council submitted robust statements to the Appeal Inquiry earlier this month (reported here on our website). No explanation has been given for the withdrawal after wasting everyone's time, effort and expense on such an unwelcome planning application and appeal. It is likely that the appellant is now waiting to see what happens next to the West of England Joint Spatial Plan after the Government's Inspectors cancelled continuation of the examination hearings on 1st August. The local community understands better than anyone what the consequences are of poorly conceived and wrongly located new housing developments. What a welcome change it would make if developers sought to work with the local planning authority rather than against, the effect of which is to disrupt local plans. This latest appeal against a planning application refusal, a refusal that had been strongly supported by the local community, highlights the flaws in our planning system. For developers to try at will to influence where and when new housing developments are built regardless of sustainable development principles and the wishes of the local community and their local planning authority does not contribute to good planning and ignores the Government's declared policy that new developments should be genuinely plan-led, i.e. not developer-led. August 2019 Saltford Wombles next Litter Pick : Sunday 25 AugustOur next monthly litter pick will be on Sunday 25 August from 2-4pm, meeting outside The Little Coffee Shop on Manor Road. The focus will be the A4 and other litter hotspots in the village, for a good tidy up before all the schools go back. If you have litter pickers, gloves and high viz vest please do bring them, but if not we can provide them. We have bags provided by B&NES Council. As with any Saltford Wombles litter pick, everyone takes part at their own risk and it is essential that children are supervised at all times by a parent/carer. If you would like to attend this litter pick, or find out more about the Saltford Wombles, please contact Barbara at the following email address: saltfordwombles@gmail.com. August 2019 SEG submits statement to the Appeal Inquiry for 200 homes on safeguarded Green Belt between Keynsham & Saltford
On Friday 9th August SEG submitted its statement to the Appeal Inquiry to be held from 22 October over the Mactaggart And Mickel Homes application to build 200 houses on safeguarded land between Keynsham and Saltford. The key points making the case against allowing the appeal contained in that statement were:-
SEG also described the negative consequences of the existing over-development of Keynsham, and pointed out that the developer had made no real attempt to justify the development as genuine sustainable development, i.e. on environmental, economic, and social grounds and make provision of a net environmental gain whilst describing why this was particularly important to the B&NES area. SEG agreed with the statement submitted to the Inquiry by Saltford Parish Council (SPC) on 6th August. In conclusion, on behalf of our 550 members, we therefore asked the Appeal Inspector to show that a plan-led approach to planning where local views shape the development of local communities will not be over-turned by a developer seeking to benefit from higher property prices achievable by disregarding sustainable development principles. Those principles are to build affordable housing where it is actually needed, i.e. close to the main centres of employment, and without loss of valuable Green Belt or other green field land that does or can provide eco-system support for farmland whilst providing the health and quality of life benefits from access to open countryside for local residents and city dwellers alike. You can download SEG's full 2-page statement to the Appeal Inquiry here: SEG statement (pdf opens in new window) Our Chairman Phil Harding met with our MP Jacob Rees-Mogg on 9th August and presented him with, and discussed, the SPC and SEG submissions. NOTE: You can see below our report of the SPC statement to the Inquiry. August 2019 B&NES Council & responding to the Climate Emergency
A timetable and information about Bath and North East Somerset Council's immediate plans to address the climate emergency have been set out as part of the council's response to a 2030 carbon neutral goal. The council declared a climate emergency in March this year and added the new 'Responding to the Climate Emergency' button on the site's home page to set out its approach for the coming months. The button at www.bathnes.gov.uk takes website visitors to a timeline of the council's actions up until now and for the coming months. Since March development of the first Climate Emergency report on action planning has begun and will be presented to full the Council in October. In July, the Leader of B&NES Council, Dine Romero, led the initiative that resulted in the West of England Combined Authority declaring a climate emergency and carbon neutrality by 2030. Dine Romero said: "Bath and North East Somerset Council is making good progress on the development of the first Climate Emergency report. We will soon have more detail on the area's carbon footprint and options on how to reach our 2030 carbon neutral goal." "This report will include the proposals for a Climate Emergency, Environment and Place Partnership to provide the leadership and drive to make things happen quickly. It will also include proposals for engagement across the community - including citizens' assemblies. This is when we will need people's support and participation." "Responding to the Climate Emergency requires action from national government, local government and all aspects of society in order to achieve the big energy and transport system changes needed. Many residents and local businesses ask us what they can do, which is why we are also providing a list of relatively simple actions that can be taken. Whilst we should all do what we can, these individual actions on their own are not enough and we will be seeking support from the community for the larger system changes that are needed." Suggested actions:
Suggested actions for businesses or organisations:
More information can be found from this link to the B&NES website. August 2019 Appeal Inquiry for 200 homes on safeguarded Green Belt between Keynsham & Saltford: SPC agrees submission statementAt the meeting of its Planning Committee on the evening of 6th August, Saltford Parish Council agreed its formal submission statement to the Appeal Inquiry to be held from 22 October over the Mactaggart And Mickel Homes application to build 200 houses on safeguarded land between Keynsham and Saltford. The key points contained in that statement in summary were:-
SPC also said in its statement that it agreed with the Senior Highways Development Control Engineer at B&NES Council who has made it clear that the existing road network in the vicinity of the site has insufficient capacity to accommodate the increase in traffic likely to be generated by the proposed development. In conclusion, SPC asked the Inspector to support a plan-led approach to planning where local views shape the development of local communities by rejecting the appeal and refusing to grant planning permission. SEG will be submitting its statement before the 20th August deadline. August 2019 Keynsham's Tesco store helping to recycle soft plasticsThe trial underway at the Tesco store in Keynsham for the recycling of food packaging was recently reported in Keynsham Voice (August edition). The town's store is one of ten in the Bristol and Swindon area trying out the new system. Customers can return everything from pet food pouches and crisp packets to cling film and shopping bags. The Swindon based company Recycling Technologies is working with Tesco by using its specialist 'feedstock' recycling process to help keep plastic waste in the economy and out of landfill and the environment including oceans. The company's process chemically converts plastic waste, which currently cannot be recycled, into a hydrocarbon product. Whilst the key objective must be for society to move away from using plastics wherever possible, this trial can help divert plastics away from landfill, as well as from our countryside, rivers and oceans. As reported in Keynsham Voice, you can return to Tesco in Keynsham:-
August 2019 SEG response to cancellation of the JSP SDL Hearings in autumn 2019[See previous news story "JSP Examination Hearing for North Keynsham Strategic Development Location cancelled!"] The cancellation of the Strategic Development Location (SDL) hearings due to concerns raised by Inspectors that they were not persuaded that there is evidence to demonstrate that the SDLs had been selected for inclusion in the plan, against reasonable alternatives, on a robust, consistent and objective basis will doubtless cause some delay on finalising the West of England Joint Spatial Plan. Additional consultations etc. seem likely before progress can be made on identifying or discounting alternative locations for new SDLs. It is noted that the Inspectors did not take the view that any of the individual SDLs proposed in the JSP could not form part of the West of England JSP or as allocated developments in, for example, the B&NES Local Plan. We await further information from the Examination Inspectors on what they will be seeking from local planning authorities within the West of England area and also information from B&NES Planners. As the transport corridor between Bristol and Bath through Saltford is already at over-capacity and with increasing frequency unable to handle peak travel periods without serious levels of congestion and resultant air pollution, it would be impracticable to create new SDLs along or near this corridor. Such development would also be contrary to local and national planning policies. For example, the landscape setting that gives Bath its UNESCO World Heritage status due to Bath's "grandiose Neo-classical Palladian crescents, terraces and squares spread out over the surrounding hills and set in its green valley" that are a "demonstration par excellence of the integration of architecture, urban design and landscape setting" and allowed for "the deliberate creation of a beautiful city*" would be put at risk. Creating a mass conurbation by merging Bristol with Bath through incremental development and new SDLs between these two cities would undermine Bath's World Heritage status. Furthermore, national planning policy as set out in in NPPF (2018) explicitly places specific purposes on the Green Belt in Chapter 13 to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas; prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another; to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment; and, especially important for Bath, to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns. NPPF (2018) also gives protection to the local landscape and its intrinsic character in Chapter 15 "Conserving and enhancing the natural environment". The policy clearly states that planning policies and decisions should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment by: protecting and enhancing valued landscapes; recognising the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside; and preventing new and existing development from contributing to, being put at unacceptable risk from, or being adversely affected by, unacceptable levels of soil, air, water or noise pollution or land instability. SEG will continue to watch this issue closely and maintain close links with Saltford Parish Council and B&NES Council's strategic planners. August 2019 JSP Examination Hearing for North Keynsham Strategic Development Location cancelled!On 1st August the Government Inspectors for the West of England Joint Spatial Plan (JSP), Malcolm Rivett and Steven Lee, issued a letter to the West of England Partnership announcing that they had significant concerns over the JSP. They cancelled the hearings for discussing the Strategic Development Locations (SDLs) including the North Keynsham SDL (described as matter 7.1) that had been scheduled for September 2019. In their letter they said: "In particular, we are not persuaded that there is evidence to demonstrate that the Strategic Development Locations, and thus the overall spatial strategy, have been selected for inclusion in the plan, against reasonable alternatives, on a robust, consistent and objective basis. We therefore cannot conclude that these fundamental aspects of the plan are sound. Although there are a number of outstanding detailed points which arose during the hearings on which the Councils were intending to submit notes, these would not affect our conclusions on the selection of SDLs and overall spatial strategy." "In view of this it would be clearly inappropriate to hold the proposed Matters 7.1 - 7.12 hearings, provisionally arranged for September/October, to discuss the SDLs in more detail. Consequently, we have asked Helen [Helen Wilson, the Programme Officer] to cancel these hearings." They plan to issue a further letter in mid-August setting out their concerns in more detail. Members will recall that SEG submitted its formal statement on the proposed North Keynsham Strategic Development Location (SDL) to the West of England Joint Spatial Plan Public Examination (Matter 7.1) in June 2019. Proposals for the SDL include 1,500 new houses in a mixed-development near Pixash Lane and SEG was intending to attend and present to the Examination Hearing for this SDL. We published a summary of our evidence in June 2019 on our website. As a result of this news SEG is concerned that further pressure will be applied to B&NES Council from landowners and developers for (unsustainable) development on parcels of Green Belt hitherto kept out of the B&NES Local Plan that is being consulted upon alongside the JSP Examination process. We will continue to watch this issue closely and maintain close links with Saltford Parish Council and B&NES Council's strategic planners. The Joint Inspectors' letter of 1.8.2019 and other JSP Examination News can be found on this web page: www.hwa.uk.com/projects/west-of-england-joint-spatial-plan/. August 2019 July 2019Application to build 200 houses between Keynsham and Saltford to be determined by an InquiryMembers will be disappointed to learn that an appeal has been made by Mactaggart and Mickel Homes Ltd to the Planning Inspectorate against the decision to refuse planning permission for the development of 200 houses between Keynsham, and Saltford and that the appeal was not dismissed but will be determined by an inquiry. The inquiry will open at 10:00am on 22nd October 2019 at the Brunswick Room in the Guildhall, Bath. The inquiry is scheduled to sit for 4 days. Members may recall that over 330 objections were submitted to B&NES Council for the proposed 200 houses on safeguarded Green Belt land in Keynsham (outline planning application 18/01509/OUT). This included an objection from the Senior Highways Development Control Engineer at B&NES Council due to the lack of capacity on the existing road network, a point made by many of the 330+ objections including the objection from Saltford Environment Group - see our April 2018 news item "SEG objects to premature planning application for another 200 houses between Keynsham and Saltford" in our 2018 News Archive. The reasons for the refusal given on 28th December 2018 by B&NES Council were:- 1 The application site is safeguarded land and is not allocated for development at the current time. The development of the site has not been proposed for development following a review of the Local Plan. There are no material considerations that would indicate that permission should be granted at this time. The proposed development is therefore contrary to Development Plan polices, including Core Strategy Policies DW1, KE1 and KE3b. The development is also contrary to paragraph 139 of the National Planning Policy Framework which confirms that planning permission for permanent development of safeguarded land should only be granted following a Local Plan Review. 2 The existing road network in the vicinity of the site has insufficient capacity to accommodate the increase in traffic likely to be generated by the proposed development. In future scenarios, there would be significant delays at several locations, and it is likely that queues would block back across adjacent junctions. The proposed development would contribute towards these problems, and no mitigation measures are proposed to help alleviate the predicted delays on the network. The proposed development would result in a severe residual cumulative impact on the road network. The development is therefore considered to be contrary to policy ST7 of the Bath and North East Somerset Placemaking Plan, and contrary to paragraph 109 of the National Planning Policy Framework. 3 The planning application has failed to demonstrate that the required education infrastructure can be delivered in a timely fashion in order to accommodate the children of primary school age generated by the proposed development. There is no school in reasonable distance that has sufficient spare capacity or is able to be expanded in a timely manner to create additional capacity to accommodate the pupil needs arising from the development. The development is therefore contrary to Placemaking Plan policy LCR3A. SEG and its Green Belt Campaign is now considering the most effective way SEG can respond to this unwelcome threat to the well-being of our local community. SEG is also in close contact with Saltford Parish Council (SPC) and will be making contact with other local interested parties on this matter. SPC will be discussing its proposed response and submission to the Appeal Inquiry when its Planning Committee meets in public in Saltford Hall on Tuesday 6th August (7.15pm). NOTE: The original planning application can be found if you follow this link and key 18/01509/OUT into the search box: B&NES Development Control. July 2019 The big butterfly count (19 July to 11 August)
The big butterfly count is a nationwide survey aimed at helping us assess the health of our environment. It was launched in 2010 and has rapidly become the world's biggest survey of butterflies. Over 100,000 people took part in 2018, submitting 97,133 counts of butterflies and day-flying moths from across the UK. This year's big butterfly count is from 19 July to 11 August and could be something to also get younger members of the family engaged in over the summer holidays. There's even a free smartphone app for the big butterfly count so that you can carry out and submit your count all in one go while out and about watching butterflies. Details at www.bigbutterflycount.org. July 2019 Giving hedgehogs a helping hand
Hedgehogs are now rarely observed in Saltford's gardens. According to Hedgehog Street here in Britain we appear to have lost over half our hedgehogs from our countryside since the millennium alone, and have lost a third from our towns and cities, although this decline in urban areas does appear to be slowing. Badgers are hedgehogs' main predators whereas foxes and hedgehogs often live happily together in our cities. Badgers are the only animals strong enough to tackle a hedgehog's spines. Hedgehogs actively avoid areas where badgers live. Where there are many badgers, hedgehogs are likely to be less common. However according to Hedgehog Street while badger numbers have boomed, there is little evidence that suggests they are the main reason why hedgehogs are in trouble. Fences, walls, new developments and roads are all breaking up green spaces that hedgehogs depend upon. These barriers are making it harder for hedgehogs to get from one green space to another as no single garden is enough. Hedgehogs need neighbourhoods of linked-up gardens to survive. It is known that hedgehogs love gardens and what they need to survive and thrive in suburbia. This is why Hedgehog Street was created. Hedgehog Street is part of a wider campaign to help hedgehogs, run by two UK-based charities, People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES - https://ptes.org) and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS - www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk). If you want to help hedgehogs in your neighbourhood you might like to pay www.hedgehogstreet.org/help-hedgehogs a visit for tips and advice on how to make your garden more hedgehog-friendly - from providing more than one access and exit gap in your garden boundary fences and making your pond safe with a ramp, to creating a wild corner, dealing with litter, and being careful with strimming. July 2019 Family Treasure Hunt (for Saltford Festival) ANSWERS
We can now publish the answers to the Family Treasure Hunt organised by SEG for the Saltford Festival. Many thanks to everyone who took part, we hope you enjoyed the hunt and learned a few new things about our remarkable village. Click here to see the Treasure Hunt 2019 answers (pdf, opens in new window). SCA will be publishing in SCAN the names of the two winners. July 2019 Saltford Wombles : Litter Pick Sunday 21 July
Our next monthly litter pick will be on Sunday 21 July from 2-4pm, meeting place, Bird in Hand pub car park. The focus of the pick will be The Shallows and the Railway path as they are both always very popular areas over the summer months. If you have litter pickers, gloves and high viz vest please do bring them, but if not we can provide them. We have bags provided by B&NES Council. As with any Saltford Wombles litter pick, everyone takes part at their own risk and it is essential that children are supervised at all times by a parent/carer. If you would like to attend this litter pick, or find out more about the Saltford Wombles, please contact Barbara at the following email address: saltfordwombles@gmail.com. July 2019 How many bees can your lawn support?
Following an enthusiastic response to Plantlife's first ever "Every Flower Counts" over the May Bank Holiday weekend, they are teaming up with BBC Gardeners' World for a special repeat of the survey over the weekend of Friday 12 July to Sunday 14 July. If you'd like to either repeat the survey (if you took part last time) and find out how your Personal Nectar Score compares to spring or take part for the first time, the Every Flower Counts website will be open from Monday 8 July. The survey is simple. During the weekend of 12 to 14 July, simply throw a ball onto your lawn to find a random spot, mark out a 1-metre square quadrat (Plantlife will explain how), and then count the number of open flowers you find. If you have a large lawn, you can count several metre-square quadrats. Then enter your results on our website and they will give you your Personal Nectar Score showing you how much nectar your lawn is producing and how many bees it is supporting. You can do the survey on your mown lawn, or on areas of lawn you might have left unmown to grow as a mini-meadow. The results will be combined to produce a National Nectar Score. Here's the link: www.plantlife.org.uk/everyflowercounts/. July 2019 Saltford Parish Council agrees its statement on North Keynsham SDL
At its monthly meeting on the evening of 2nd July Saltford Parish Council (SPC) unanimously agreed its statement on the proposed North Keynsham Strategic Development Location (SDL) to the West of England Joint Spatial Plan Public Examination (Matter 7.1) - proposals for the SDL include 1,500 new houses in a mixed-development near Pixash Lane! This was submitted to the JSP Programme Officer today (3rd July). In its statement SPC said:- "Saltford Parish Council (SPC) is concerned that Keynsham's infrastructure including services lack the capacity to accept additional housing development of the proposed scale on the east and north side of the town and any development in this area would contribute to over-development of the town with a negative knock-on effect on Saltford. SPC considers the proposed North Keynsham SDL to not be sustainable development." SPC said it agreed with the statement submitted by SEG submitted on 14th June - we reported on this in June - and attached that statement as an annex to its submission. SPC also said:- "SPC therefore also agrees with SEG that if this SDL is to be taken forward despite reservations that it is not sustainable development a number of key mitigating factors need to be taken as listed in SEG's response and these are, in summary, for there to be an incremental approach to ensure that (i) transport and other infrastructure is coping satisfactorily with new developments added in increments before additional and relatively significant volumes of new houses are built (i.e. an "infrastructure first" approach allied to intermediate tests to ensure unintended negative consequences have not arisen and that any problems are resolved before making matters worse), and (ii) the genuine need for continued new developments is tested and proven during the plan period." "SPC agrees that the relocated Avon Valley Wildlife and Adventure Park should retain its Green Belt status to protect against future inappropriate development and to help maintain Keynsham's Green Belt buffer. New housing developments within the SDL and the relocated Avon Valley Wildlife and Adventure Park should be designed so as to contribute to a "significant environmental gain" (rather than a net environmental gain) and that this approach provides an opportunity to be an example of excellence in providing high environmental standards. All development associated with this proposed SDL should therefore meet the B&NES Council March 2019 cross-party decision to declare a climate emergency and that "B&NES is well-placed to champion both rural and urban decarbonisation through renewable energy, energy efficiency, smart energy development, zero carbon homes, local & sustainable food, sustainable travel, carbon sequestration"." "Finally, SPC also considers it vitally important that the SDL should be Local Plan led by the planning authority to protect local democracy and local accountability for planning policy and not developer led." July 2019 June 2019Saltford Wombles : Litter Pick Sunday 30 JuneThere will be a litter pick on Sunday 30 June, 2.00-4.00pm, meeting outside The Little Coffee Shop on Manor Road. This will be in readiness for summer and the better weather. If you have litter pickers, gloves and high viz vest please do bring them, but if not we can provide them. We have bags provided by B&NES Council. As with any Saltford Wombles litter pick, everyone takes part at their own risk and it is essential that children are supervised at all times by a parent/carer. If you would like to attend this litter pick, or would just like to find out more about the Saltford Wombles, please contact Barbara at the following email address: saltfordwombles@gmail.com June 2019 SEG at Saltford Festival "Old Village "Day"
Thank you everyone who visited our stall in the High Street and the Heritage Centre in Queen Square for Saltford Festival's Old Village Day (Sunday 16th June 2019). The Heritage Centre will next be open to the public on the afternoon of Sunday 22nd September (2.30-4.30) but private openings can also be arranged for groups (see our website for details). Congratulations to Saltford Community Association for putting on yet another brilliant Saltford Festival. There is still time to enter SEG's Treasure Hunt (entries due in by 28th June) - see news story below for details. June 2019 SEG submits statement on North Keynsham SDL to West of England JSP Public Examination
On 14th June 2019 SEG submitted its formal statement on the proposed North Keynsham Strategic Development Location (SDL) to the West of England Joint Spatial Plan Public Examination (Matter 7.1). Proposals for the SDL include 1,500 new houses in a mixed-development near Pixash Lane! SEG expects to attend the hearing in September to make and support its case for protecting the Green Belt between Keynsham and Saltford in the context of the proposed North Keynsham SDL. The key summary points of SEG's statement are as follows:- The proposed North Keynsham SDL does not represent sustainable development. If however this SDL is to proceed the following mitigating factors are recommended:-
You can download a copy of SEG's 3-page submission statement, that sets out our case behind the key points listed above, from our website here:-
Any enquiries concerning this JSP submission should be addressed to SEG's Chairman, Phil Harding (see submission paper for contact details). UPDATE JULY 2019 - On 2nd July Saltford Parish Council (SPC) unanimously agreed its statement on the proposed North Keynsham Strategic Development Location (SDL) and submitted it to the JSP Programme Officer the following day. SPC said it agreed with the statement submitted by SEG submitted on 14th June and attached that as an annex to its statement. June 2019 - updated July 2019 Family Treasure Hunt (for Saltford Festival) is OPEN
SEG has organised with SCA support a Family Treasure Hunt for the Saltford Festival.
The Entry Form can be downloaded here:- Family Treasure Hunt Entry Form (pdf opens in new window) or is available at:
Have fun and good luck! The amazing team at SCA have organised 80+ events for you and your family during the Saltford Festival (8-16 June) - full details at www.saltfordfestival.org.uk. June 2019 Re-Use idea : Prescription Glasses and SunglassesOld glasses and sunglasses : SEG member Sue Hewitt has provided the following information:- If you've been having a Spring Clean and like me found many old pairs of glasses in a drawer and wondered what to do with them; local opticians collect them for Lions International. Lions International then sort them and send them overseas to be used as glasses once again and give improved vision to those who would not otherwise have access to optical correction. It is a national scheme and most opticians of all sizes have collection bins; certainly in Keynsham, Norville Opticians, Specsavers and Boots Opticians all have them. Saves them from landfill and gives someone else the benefit of better sight. Good news all round. Editor's comment: Thanks Sue, we welcome ideas/news like this to share with members. June 2019 Getting our area buzzing
Signs are being put up at 30 different locations across Bath advising residents that verges in the area will be cut less often as part of B&NES Council's effort to halt the decline in insect pollinators. From Twerton to Widcombe verges will be cut less frequently, between one and three times a year, in order to allow wild flowers to grow to provide nectar and pollen for insects. Councillor Paul Crossley, Cabinet Member for Community Services, said "The number of bees and other pollinators has declined significantly in recent years through loss of habitat, the use of pesticides and new diseases. These creatures are critical as they pollinate trees, whose oxygen we breathe and which help mitigate the climate crisis. They also pollinate the plants that feed other animals and play a vital role in the pollination of agricultural crops that provide our food." "We need to give these insects space to thrive and have based our decision on research from the Urban Pollinators project. Their evidence shows pollinators have suffered particularly badly in the countryside and that urban areas represent an important refuge for them. By allowing wildflowers to grow in verges we can ensure these insects have access to the food sources they need through the summer." The decision to cut verges less often forms part of the council's Get Bath Buzzing Pollinator Action Plan launched at the Bath Festival of Nature at Green Park Station on Saturday 1 June. The plan spans five years and will see the council working with a variety of partners to support healthy and diverse populations of pollinators to benefit local residents, the economy and the environment by:
The council is already working to preserve and create habitats in which pollinators can thrive for example its parks department incorporates nectar-rich plants into formal planting schemes and provides allotment holders and community groups with information on how to create similar habitats. Residents are also being encouraged to help by planting nectar and pollen rich plants and leaving long grass and overgrown areas to provide nesting sites for insects. Members may have noticed grass verges have not been cut recently in Saltford. Ward Councillor Duncan Hounsell reported on the B&NES Council policy of creating and enhancing wildlife corridors to assist pollinating insects to thrive and nature in urban areas to recover to the Saltford Parish Council meeting on 4th June. He informed the meeting that grass verges, green corridors and green roundabout islands are being cut less frequently than in the past. The green corridor between Morgan Close and the school playing field has three cuts a year and borders strimmed every 4-6 weeks. June 2019 May 2019Saltford Wombles: Litter Pick Sunday 2 June (Festival preparations)
Our next monthly litter pick is on Sunday 2 June, 2.00-4.00pm, meeting outside The Little Coffee Shop on Manor Road. This will be our big clean up before the Festival so that the village is looking its absolute best for villagers and visitors alike. The pick focus will be on areas in the village hosting Festival events. Please do come along. If you have litter pickers, gloves and high viz vest please do bring them, but if not we can provide them. We have bags provided by B&NES Council. As with any Saltford Wombles litter pick, everyone takes part at their own risk and it is essential that children are supervised at all times by a parent/carer. If you would like to attend this litter pick, or would just like to find out more about the Saltford Wombles, please contact Barbara at the following email address: saltfordwombles@gmail.com May 2019 Report from the 2018 archaeological dig in Saltford published
The "Archaeological Field Evaluation and Post-Excavation Assessment" report from the August 2018 dig by volunteers from the Bath and Counties Archaeological Society (BACAS) and SEG has been published this month. As the report states, finds range in date from the Bronze Age to modern times. The finds comprised: bones (some butchered), ceramic building material, charcoal and coal fragments, daub or burnt clay, flint, Roman coins, pieces of glass, iron and lead, sherds of pottery, stone objects, and slag or clinker. A specific area of the field was targeted for the excavation as the geophysical survey suggested that there might be Romano-British structures in that location. Numerous artefacts of varying types mostly from the Romano-British period were recovered. Also ceramic building material and Pennant sandstone tiles were found, but no evidence of a building was seen. However, the recovered finds do suggest there is a structure, probably a working farm with workshops, yards etc. in the very near vicinity to the position of the 2018 excavated trench. The full report can be downloaded from our Online Museum Roman Saltford Section (buildings). SEG is very grateful to the landowner, Adam Stratton, for allowing access to the field, to BACAS for supervising and carrying out the dig and also writing up the report after analysing the finds, and of course to all the volunteers that took part in the dig. We are currently considering the next steps in this fascinating project. May 2019 SEG calls for "Significant Ecological Gain" in the planning system after alarming UN report
The devastating impact of humans on the natural world that sustains us is made strikingly clear in a compelling UN report released on 6th May 2019. The global assessment of nature took 3 years to make and draws on 15,000 reference materials, and has been compiled by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). The rate of species extinctions is accelerating, with grave impacts on people around the world now likely. The Report finds that around 1 million animal and plant species are now threatened with extinction, many within decades. Nature is declining globally at rates never seen before in human history. Here are just some of the headline findings from the assessment:-
"The overwhelming evidence of the IPBES Global Assessment, from a wide range of different fields of knowledge, presents an ominous picture," said IPBES Chair, Sir Robert Watson. "The health of ecosystems on which we and all other species depend is deteriorating more rapidly than ever. We are eroding the very foundations of our economies, livelihoods, food security, health and quality of life worldwide." "The Report also tells us that it is not too late to make a difference, but only if we start now at every level from local to global," he said. "Through 'transformative change', nature can still be conserved, restored and used sustainably - this is also key to meeting most other global goals. By transformative change, we mean a fundamental, system-wide reorganisation across technological, economic and social factors, including paradigms, goals and values." Never has it been more important to protect the Green Belt Looking at how we can respond at the local level to this alarming report and with particular reference to land-use planning, the report illustrates how the modest objective of "Net Environmental Gain" in the planning system is nowhere near good enough when new housing developments are planned for the West of England and for Bath & North East Somerset. What we need is "Significant Ecological Gain". Not only should the Green Belt surrounding villages and towns like Saltford and Keynsham, be fully protected from development but new developments should be planned in a way that enables a significant increase in the local ecological habitat to start to redress the ecological infrastructure losses incurred from the housing and other developments of recent decades. We need to design nature back into our local area as we "think global, act local". Link: The UN's IPBES website can be found here: www.ipbes.net. May 2019 Election Results for Saltford (2nd May election):SEG's Saltford 20/20 team all elected
The 2nd May Saltford Parish Council election results were counted today (3rd May). All ten candidates fielded by SEG for the "Saltford 20/20" team were elected together with Duncan Hounsell (standing as an Independent for the SPC election). A huge THANK YOU! to everyone who voted for our candidates. The results were (votes cast): SALTFORD 20/20 team (all elected) - Adrian Betts 710
OTHER CANDIDATES - Duncan 1074 (elected)
There were 29 spoilt ballot papers. SEG would like to thank the outgoing SPC Councillors who stood down at the election, Ben Eve, Kyle Rice, James Macnaughton, Liz Macnaughton and Farida Wilson for their support and service to the community during their term of office. B&NES Council Results In the B&NES Council local election also on 2nd May there was a 42.7% voter turnout for the newly expanded Saltford ward. The Lib Dems took control from the Conservatives of B&NES Council and they also took the two Saltford Ward seats. The Saltford ward results were as follows:- - Duncan Stuart Hounsell (Liberal Dems) 1124 Elected
Congratulations from SEG to Duncan Hounsell and Alastair Singleton and thank you to the two outgoing Ward Councillors Francine Haeberling and Emma Dixon for their public service for Saltford on B&NES Council. SEG looks forward to working closely with the newly elected B&NES Council so that the issues that really matter to Saltford and its local environment can be best served in a spirit of co-operation, partnership and trust. May 2019 SEG objects to housing development in the Green Belt at Avon Farm
On 1st May SEG submitted to the B&NES Council's Senior Planning & Enforcement Officer a planning objection for each of the two planning applications for a Certificate of Lawfulness of Existing Use at Avon Farm:- 19/01731/CLEU Avon Farm Avon Lane BS31 3ET - Use of "The Dove Cote" as a separate dwelling (Use class C3) (Certificate of Lawfulness of Existing Use). Mr Clive Franklin. and 19/01732/CLEU Unregistered Dwelling 1 Avon Farm Avon Lane Saltford - Use of "The Garden Room" as a separate dwelling (Use class C3) (Certificate of Lawfulness of Existing Use). Mr Clive Franklin. SEG's planning objections were as follows:- 19/01731/CLEU (The Dove Cote) - OBJECTION SEG is concerned that the applicant is creating the equivalent of an AirBnB holiday park business at Avon Farm. This is a highly inappropriate development in the Green Belt outside Saltford's housing boundary. Such a development in a sensitive and hitherto quiet area of Saltford's Green Belt that is served by a narrow single track country lane used by cyclists entering and leaving the popular Bristol-Bath SUSTRANS cycle path and walkers including young families sets an unwelcome precedent that is contrary to the provisions for protecting the Green Belt in Chapter 13 of NPPF (2018). The application claims that the Dove Cote has been in continuous occupation as a self-contained dwelling for four or more years, however SEG is aware that following the submission of alleged planning contravention evidence by Saltford residents and your own investigations, this is not the case. You are aware from your own investigations that this building was in use until at least May 2016 as an office in association with Cash4Cars; there was no planning permission granted for that use. At Annex A to this objection letter can be found photographs of the first 3 pages from the rightmove.com website of the advertisement of the Dove Cote for use as commercial offices including internal photographs of the office layout dated September 2016. This and the other outstanding alleged planning contraventions at Avon Farm where several dwellings have been created in an apparent concealed manner are a matter for concern and show a disregard for planning law as it affects Saltford's Green Belt and is therefore of grave concern to SEG whose membership of 530+ places protection of the Green Belt from inappropriate development as a high priority for Saltford. Before granting a Certificate of Lawfulness of Existing Use B&NES Council should first satisfy itself that this property has been inhabited continuously as a domestic dwelling (e.g. Council Tax/Electoral Roll records and evidence to the contrary as supplied by residents and also SEG in this response) and without concealment of such use. SEG's comments on the planning application 19/01732/CLEU (below) are pertinent to that issue of concealment and are a matter of concern to SEG. 19/01732/CLEU (Garden View) - OBJECTION Similar comments as for 19/01731/CLEU (above) were made and also the following:- The application supporting document claims that Garden View has been in continuous occupation as a self-contained dwelling since 2013. Whilst it is difficult to prove the validity or otherwise of the claim of continual domestic use, what is of relevance is whether there has been a deliberate concealment of this change of use since 2013. When B&NES Council visited this site in 2016 to investigate the change of use to offices of the Dove Cote it is pertinent to question whether the use as a domestic dwelling of the Garden View was concealed from the officer during that site visit. The use as a dwelling of Garden View and other outstanding alleged planning contraventions at Avon Farm where several dwellings have been created in an apparent concealed manner are a matter of grave concern to SEG whose membership of 530+ places protection of the Green Belt from inappropriate development as a high priority for Saltford. SEG members and others wishing to comment on this planning application (deadline is Wednesday 15th May 2019), especially those with evidence that these properties have not been in continual use since 2013 as domestic dwellings, can follow this link and key 19/01731/CLEU or 19/01732/CLEU into the search box: B&NES Development Control. If you encounter difficulties with the B&NES website you can email your objection/comments to development_management@bathnes.gov.uk but make sure you include the reference number for these CLEU applications (i.e. 19/01731/CLEU or 19/01732/CLEU). The target decision date for both these CLEU applications is 12th June 2019. Saltford Parish Council will be considering its response this planning application at its next public meeting on 17th May. NOTE: B&NES Council cannot accept anonymous comments for any application; if residents wish to provide representations/evidence but do not want to do it on a personal level B&NES advise that they can do this through the Parish Council who could collate all the evidence/responses. May 2019 April 2019Why voting for the Green Belt on 2nd May is so important (Parish and B&NES Council Elections)
We have published on our website information about SEG's "Saltford 20/20" team and what it stands for in the 2nd May local elections and also answers to questions we have put to the main party candidates standing for B&NES Council election (also on 2nd May). The following stark statistics remind us why we need a Parish Council and B&NES Council that values the Green Belt and that will protect it from development which should be restricted to brownfield city sites:- 81% of B&NES is farmland compared to the national average of 57% yet only 5% of B&NES is natural or semi-natural land (heathland, natural grassland etc.) compared to a national average of 35%*.
"Natural" or "semi-natural" land in the Green Belt provides valuable ecosystem support (e.g. habitat for pollinating insects) for neighbouring farmland that lacks the ecology to support itself for the successful long term sustainable growing of food crops and supporting wildlife more generally. Green Belt land thus has an often unrecognised yet very valuable purpose of contributing to the nation's food security against a background of climate change, the continuance of unmanaged and unsustainable population growth and growth in resource consumption. Those factors collectively reduce the UK's carrying capacity, primarily by reducing food security. The populations of the UK's most endangered creatures have fallen by two-thirds since 1970 and one in 10 wildlife species face extinction. Agriculture, climate change and urbanisation have all been named as reasons for the decline. That is according to the State of Nature Report 2016, a yearly scientific report compiled by more than 50 conservation organisations, analyses how wildlife is faring in the UK. The abundance of wildlife has fallen so far that the loss of biodiversity means the UK is one of the most depleted countries in the world, according to the Biodiversity Intactness Index that is based on a global database of local biodiversity surveys combined with high resolution global land-use data. Our nation's food security relies on a healthy natural environment, both at home and abroad - we import around 40% of the food we consume (Defra) yet we cannot continue indefinitely to rely on such a high level of imports against a background of climate change and a growing world population. If our agricultural land is to be able to function for growing food it needs the ecosystem support of surrounding natural or semi-natural land to provide, for example, habitat for pollinating insects. When planning for all our futures, it makes no sense for B&NES to lose anymore of its precious Green Belt to development. On Thursday 2nd May the residents of Saltford have an opportunity to elect Councillors to the Parish Council and B&NES Council who will stand up for the Green Belt and work tirelessly to protect it. Make your votes count! April 2019 Saltford Parish Council Election 2nd May: SEG's "Saltford 20/20" team
The Local Election for Saltford Parish Council (SPC) will take place alongside the B&NES Council elections on Thursday 2nd May. There are 12 candidates standing for the 11 Councillor posts on SPC and SEG has put together a team of 10 candidates seeking 10 your 11 votes.
Pictured above is the new Saltford 20/20 team, all SEG members and living in Saltford, who have put themselves forward to serve Saltford from 2nd May on Saltford Parish Council as independent cadidates. These include existing Parish Councillors Adrian Betts, Jon Godfrey, Phil Harding, Rob Taylor & Chris Warren. The Saltford 20/20 team is in favour of protecting the Green Belt around the village from development including from fracking and a road bypass (that would be infilled with housing); reopening the railway station on the existing site; and that Saltford should continue to be a caring community that encourages Fairtrade and looks after the environment whilst aiming for a lighter ecological footprint that is more climate friendly for the benefit of future generations. The Saltford 20/20 team are as follows:- Adrian Betts is passionate about Saltford and its precious Green Belt land. He is on Saltford Environment Group's Executive Group and has also served on Saltford Parish Council for more than five years. He has been a member of the Governing body of Saltford School. Marie Carder has lived in Saltford all her life and spent the last eleven years of her working life working for local companies. She is a strong supporter of the Library/Post Office and the Saltford Community Association and has volunteered on Saturdays for the past three years at the Library. Will Feay and his family have lived in Saltford for many generations. With such strong ties to the village he is passionate about the local community. Whilst he supports change, he is keen to ensure Saltford's unique charm is protected for future generations. Jon Godfrey has founded three technology recycling businesses and has lived and worked in Saltford for over 12 years. Jon holds pragmatic views on sustainable energy and has supported the Saltford Library & Post Office and helped introduce new technology to both the Parish Council and the Saltford Community Association. Gary Graveling has settled in Saltford with his young family and is concerned about the erosion of the invaluable green spaces and environmental corridors that surround Saltford. As an Environmental Consultant working with the construction industry, he understands the need to regenerate redundant brownfield sites ahead of the short-term opportunistic development of our irreplaceable Green Belt. Phil Harding helped set up Saltford Environment Group in 2011 & has chaired SEG since 2013 (including during the Saltford Green Belt Inquiry). SPC Vice Chair since May 2015 & Chair of Planning since May 2018. A former Senior Policy Adviser on sustainable development & climate change for Defra's South West regional office, Phil strongly advocates Green Belt protection. Adam Rees-Leonard has been living in Saltford for 6 years and has a young family. He is committed to promoting opportunities for young people, protecting Saltford's Green Belt and has an interest in old houses. Adam has held a number of committee positions, including current chair of the prestigious UKNEST Science & Technology government and industry work stream. Rob Taylor is a lifelong resident from a long standing Saltford family and has been elected as councillor onto the previous two Saltford Parish Councils. He is a member of the Saltford Station Campaign, a keen campaigner for the preservation of Saltford's character, and firmly against inappropriate development in the village and surrounding Green Belt. Sally Turner has lived in Saltford for 17 years with her three daughters who attended local schools. She owns Tiddlers nursery/chuckles and The Little Coffee Shop in Saltford. Sally values the location, beauty and community feel of the village. She wants this to continue with more opportunities for residents and a safe environment for young people. Chris Warren has lived in Saltford for over 20 years and appreciates what a beautiful place it is. He wants to retain the character of the village whilst ensuring any developments enhance and are sensitive to Saltford. As Chairman of SPC he and his fellow councillors have made SPC far more open and approachable. Getting our station back remains his high priority. Remember, you have 11 votes - have your say and make your votes count on 2nd May! Saltford 20/20 enquiries to SEG's Chairman Phil Harding. April 2019 B&NES Council Election 2nd May: Answers to Questions from SEG
SEG has asked the candidates representing the main political parties competing for Saltford votes in the 2nd May B&NES Council local election six questions preceded by a short introductory statement as set out below. These were addressed to the candidates asking for their view and that of the party they represent should it control B&NES Council after the election. INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT Traffic congestion and resulting air pollution on the Bath Road (A4), likely to get worse with new housing being built in Keynsham East and North, is a growing concern for Saltford residents. It is widely acknowledged that a Saltford bypass would lead to significant infilling with new housing on the Green Belt and create even more car journeys when non-car solutions are required for commuting to reduce congestion at peak periods. Likewise the delay in making progress towards re-opening Saltford Station as part of Metro West despite a very favourable business case is regrettable. The growing pressures on the natural environment and the land that sustains life from the interlinked problems associated with manmade climate change, plastics, poor waste management, consumerism, and unhindered population growth leading to habitat and wildlife species loss highlights the importance and benefits that we receive from the local green open spaces surrounding the area where we live including the Green Belt for rest, recreation and the ecological support such land can provide to farmland and thus towards our future food security. Responses have been received from the candidates for Saltford from the Lib Dems (Duncan Hounsell & Alastair Singleton) and the Conservatives (Emma Dixon & Elizabeth Carter) and these are given below. We also approached the Labour Party and await news if it will be fielding a candidate for our ward. OUR SIX QUESTIONS 1. Do you and your party wish to see Saltford's Green Belt protected from future housing development and will you keep Saltford's Green Belt out of the forthcoming B&NES Local Plan 2016-2036? LIBERAL DEMOCRATS PARTY RESPONSE:- Maintaining protective green belt around Saltford and the other villages in this ward is a top priority for us. The National Policy Planning Framework (NPPF) states that development in green belt should only happen if exceptional circumstances outweigh the harm to green belt. The word "exceptional" must never be replaced by "convenient". The local plan will eventually be considered by the whole B&NES Council and then by an independent planning inspector who will determine if the plan is "sound". The Liberal Democrats will endeavour to keep Saltford's Green Belt out of the forthcoming Local Plan. The Liberal Democrats will aim to protect the distinctive character of our villages. CONSERVATIVE PARTY RESPONSE:- As residents of Saltford, we appreciate the importance of protecting the Green Belt that surrounds us. At a public meeting of Saltford Residents in 2016, Conservative leader Tim Warren said clearly 'that the current B&NES administration had no intention to allow housing development on Saltford's Green Belt'. We fully intend to continue to keep Saltford's Green Belt protected from future housing development. 2. Do you and your party agree that the overwhelming majority of new homes in B&NES and the West of England should be built within our towns and cities and not on the Green Belt? LIBERAL DEMOCRATS PARTY RESPONSE:- Development should be planned and minimise the need for commuting. Housing development should take place within existing housing development boundaries as far as possible. If a village, like Corston, wanted small-scale housing development on its boundary for its own village needs, we will support that. If large-scale new housing has to be found in green belt because of exceptional circumstances we would prefer to create a completely new green village and not destroy the character of existing villages with inappropriate development. CONSERVATIVE PARTY RESPONSE:- Whilst we recognise the need for more housing within B&NES, and the West of England generally, we agree with Communities Secretary the Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP that we should not be "building all over our Green Belt in order to hit those housing targets", rather we should be looking creatively at "how we use the existing built environment and indeed brown field sites that are there". 3. Do you and your party support drilling or fracking for onshore gas in NE Somerset or should more effort be placed on cleaner, renewable energy sources? LIBERAL DEMOCRATS PARTY RESPONSE:- There is a cross-party consensus to oppose fracking in this area. Liberal Democrats support all forms of renewable energy such as the solar array at Saltford Hall. When elected, we will implement a clear carbon reduction plan for Bath and North East Somerset Council's own activity. We will use and adapt our planning policies to push low carbon developments throughout the district. We will strengthen carbon reduction policies in the Local Plan so that all new developments achieve zero carbon. We will also tackle the need for more energy efficient retrofitting. Liberal Democrats will enable residents and businesses to achieve low carbon in their own activities through education and information and will lead a shift in the way the community in B&NES thinks about climate change. We will work with partners in the business community to address urgent needs such as the elimination of single-use plastic. We will also work with schools and community groups to proactively promote carbon reduction. Our aim is that this area becomes one of the greenest areas in the country - carbon neutral by 2030. CONSERVATIVE PARTY RESPONSE:- We are fully supportive of the decision taken in the B&NES Conservative Council Group Motion passed in April 2013 which raised concerns relating to and opposed the use of unconventional gas extraction and geothermal exploitation within Bath and North East Somerset and neighbouring areas. This was later reaffirmed by the motion approved in September 2018 where Council Leader, Tim Warren wrote to Greg Clark, the Secretary of State suggesting that if permitted development rights were approved in B&NES, the Council would apply for them to be removed. 4. The River Avon through Saltford is a Site of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI) yet there has been little or no effective enforcement in recent years to protect the riverbanks and the river's ecology from damage or over-stay moorings by a minority of boaters and members of the general public. How will you and your party protect the river and its ecology from over-stay moorings, irresponsible mooring practices including waste disposal and other inappropriate behaviour on Saltford's riverbanks? LIBERAL DEMOCRATS PARTY RESPONSE:- The river-bank and river is for all to enjoy and should not be dominated by the interests of one group. For years Mead Lane was not an official designated mooring point with facilities yet suffered from inconsiderate boat mooring nevertheless. A trial of a combination of 48 hour and the default maximum 14 day moorings has not worked well. Some boaters have stayed well beyond 14 days and there have been other issues. A key step is to ensure that the review of moorings along the river by the Canals and River Trust is completed as soon as possible. We will maintain a dialogue between Bath and North East Somerset Council, local residents in Saltford who live by the river, the Parish Council, and other stake-holders. Alastair Singleton and Duncan Hounsell believe there should be a 48 hour limit in Mead Lane, adequately monitored, or, failing that, no moorings allowed at all. CONSERVATIVE PARTY RESPONSE:- We will continue to build on the working relationships we have established, through meetings and engagement with local residents and other agencies, such as the Canal and River Trust, to find deliverable solutions to the multiple challenges presented by this, rightly popular, feature of Saltford. 5. Do you and your party agree with and support Saltford Station being rebuilt on its original site and if so what will you and your party do to help bring forward the re-opening of our station without further delay? LIBERAL DEMOCRATS PARTY RESPONSE:- Liberal Democrats will continue to work towards a better public transport system, including a station at Saltford. The footprint of the original Saltford railway station is intact and is larger than at Keynsham station. It is in a good location to act as a transport hub with its connections to other forms of transport. Liberal Democrats, when last in power 2011-15, put Saltford station on the MetroWest rail project map, commissioned two reports from consultants, and conducted a public consultation in Saltford on the proposed station. We earmarked £250K in the 2015 budget to take the Saltford station project to the next stages of project development. That money was never spent by the Conservative administration at B&NES. Our first priority is to identify why there has been no apparent progress in the last four years. We will work with Network Rail and the train operating companies to make a station at Saltford a reality and not just an aspiration. A key step is to ensure that the new West of England Combined Authority (WECA) recognises Saltford station as affordable, achievable, and in line with its aims. CONSERVATIVE PARTY RESPONSE:- The Conservative administration of Bath & North East Somerset Council is working with the West of England Combined Authority and Network Rail on bringing back a train station to Saltford. We have asked Network Rail to look again at Saltford and anticipate they will report back to us in the coming months. 6. Do you and your party agree that a possible bypass on or adjacent to Saltford's Green Belt is inappropriate and that proposals for a bypass within or around the parish of Saltford however vague should be kept out of the West of England Joint Spatial Plan to avoid a blight on the local housing market? LIBERAL DEMOCRATS PARTY RESPONSE:- Residents in Copse Road, Grange Road, Montague Road, Manor Road, Uplands Road and closes off were disturbed to see a diagram in the first draft of the West of England Joint Local Transport Plan (JLTP4) showing an indicative arc for an orbital road skirting Saltford to the south leaving the A4 near Copse Road and returning to the A4 between Saltford and Corston. This diagram has since been withdrawn but the text still refers to future consideration options for a by-pass. Recent studies by consultants Atkins contracted by the West of England Partnership concluded that "the (south Saltford) bypass would cross difficult terrain, with steep slopes south east of the village... These issues would collectively result in landscape impacts, major earthworks and relatively high scheme costs." This is not surprising as the same consultants came to the conclusion in the 2006 Greater Bristol Transport Study that this road would have no strategic benefit and be very costly. In the past 50 years, no feasible route for a by-pass has ever been identified. The first officially adopted route identified by the Department of Transport in the 1970s went past Saltford's conservation area. This plan was dropped a few years later. Some houses were affected by "housing blight" in that period. A LOCAL by-pass at Saltford would lead to the loss of green belt and agricultural land, have a negative environmental effect on the countryside, lead to housing in-fill, affect the viability of Saltford shops and businesses, raise noise and overall pollution levels, risk the community forest, increase overall traffic volumes, provide no strategic benefits, and give poor value for money. Congestion on the A4 at peak times can be tackled in other ways - improved public transport, altering signage in the wider sub-region, tackling the school-run, reviewing the operation of the two sets of traffic lights in the centre of the village, ensuring lorries out of Southampton docks heading west take strategic routes away from Saltford. Liberal Democrats want traffic taken away from the A4 but that needs to be tackled at a regional level, not at a parochial level. CONSERVATIVE PARTY RESPONSE:- In 2016, in a survey carried out by us, a majority of respondents said they were unhappy at the suggestion of a possible by-pass on or adjacent to our Green Belt and were assured by Council Leader, Tim Warren, that if Saltford residents did not want a by-pass, then one would not be built. We will endeavour to ensure that the voices of local people continue to be heard and taken notice of in this way. [END of Q & A] We shall update this news item as appropriate. April 2019 Saltford Wombles: Litter Pick Sunday 28 April
Our next monthly litter pick is on Sunday 28 April, 2.00-4.00pm, meeting outside The Little Coffee Shop on Manor Road, for a post-Easter holiday tidy up. If you have litter pickers, gloves and high viz vest please do bring them, but if not we can provide them. We have bags provided by B&NES Council. Please do let us know (see last paragraph) if you would like to come along, as we will need to ensure we bring enough equipment with us. There will not be a litter pick in May, but we will have 2 in June before and after the Village Festival, so that the village is looking its absolute best : dates are Sunday 2nd June and Sunday 30th June. Details of time and meeting place will be emailed to all those registered with Saltford Wombles nearer the time. As with any Saltford Wombles litter pick, everyone takes part at their own risk and it is essential that children are supervised at all times by a parent/carer. If you would like to attend the April litter pick, or would just like to find out more about the Saltford Wombles, please contact Barbara at the following email address: saltfordwombles@gmail.com. April 2019 SEG objects to Green Belt loss between Saltford and Keynsham
On 16th April SEG submitted an online planning objection to the planning application 19/01437/VAR Glenavon Farm, 331 Bath Road, Saltford BS31 3TJ - Variation of condition 18 for application 12/05167/FUL (Renovation, extension and conversion of existing farm buildings to a farm shop and cafe/restaurant with car parking and associated access arrangements). SEG's planning objection was as follows:- Saltford Environment Group objects to the expansion of the site's (large) car park into the Green Belt. The incremental development of this site since the original planning permission in 2012 does not justify removal of a small piece of Green Belt land at the south eastern edge of the car park as shown in the application plans (red line boundary). The red line boundary has moved south east wards from the 2012 planning application's red line in this application (variation) and this represents a small developmental addition in a very sensitive area of Saltford's Green Belt between Saltford and Keynsham. SEG considers the planning application (variation) to be contrary to the protection afforded to the Green Belt under NPPF (2018) paragraphs 134 (a) to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas; (b) to prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another; (c) to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment; and (d) to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns. There are no special circumstances to justify loss or development of Green Belt land here where the openness of the Green Belt at this location provides the setting for Saltford as a rural historic village. The development of a parcel of the Green Belt for use as a car park at this location would therefore be contrary to the 2017 B&NES Placemaking Plan policy GB1: Visual Amenity of the Green Belt and policy GB2: Development in Green Belt Villages. Whilst it is not for the planning system to determine this, tree, hedging or wildflower planting of native species appropriate to NE Somerset would be an ecologically sensible use of this small piece of land. SEG members and others wishing to comment on this planning application (deadline is Wednesday 1st May 2019) can follow this link and key 19/01437/VAR into the search box: B&NES Development Control. If you encounter difficulties with the B&NES website you can email your objection/comments to development_management@bathnes.gov.uk but make sure you include the reference number for this planning application (19/01437/VAR). The target decision date for this application is 3rd June 2019. Saltford Parish Council will be considering its response this planning application at its next public meeting on 17th May. April 2019 2019 Big Garden Birdwatch results: House Sparrow remains topOver 7.67 million birds were counted in the 2019 Big Garden Birdwatch held on the weekend of 26/28 January. The top ten most commonly observed birds across the UK were (change on 2018 position in brackets):- 1. House Sparrow (=)
Although the top of the list stayed stable, there were more shifts lower down. Bullfinches have climbed the rankings since the early 2000s, regularly reaching the top 25. Another Finch species, the Brambling, moved from number 50 in 2018 to number 43. They are winter visitors and migrate here in large numbers if conditions here are more favourable than on the Continent or, when their favourite food - seeds of Beech trees - are in plentiful supply. Sadly, it's bad news for Song Thrushes and Starlings. According to the RSPB both have declined by around 77% since the Big Garden Birdwatch began in 1979. The RSPB think the decline of Song Thrushes is down to loss of places where they prefer to live and breed. But there is also good news: Coal Tits are up by nearly 245% since 1979, and Goldfinches, not even included in the first Birdwatch, have increased by around 70% since the early 2000s! More information can be found on the RSPB website. You can also find more information on social media using the hashtag #BigGardenBirdWatch. April 2019 Saltford Wombles founder gets deserved community award
The Saltford Parish Council Community Awards took place as part of the Annual SPC meeting on 2nd April, and the Parish Council gave awards to seven individuals or groups. Winners were given a certificate and £70 to donate to a local charity or organisation of their choice. Of particular interest to SEG this year was the award for our member Julie Sampson (seen pictured above) who founded Saltford Wombles. Julie through a mix of her own personal enthusiasm and determination set up SEG's Saltford Wombles at the end of 2014 to tackle litter in Saltford. She obtained all the necessary equipment (litter picks, protective gloves, fluorescent tabards etc.) and organised very effective monthly litter picks. Julie stepped down from organising Saltford Wombles in 2018 and handed over the group to a new organiser in fine form and it continues to prove very popular and effective in the village (Saltford Wombles is now organised by Barbara Turner). Saltford Wombles engages effectively with many members of the community and has included litter picks with Saltford School. Julie has chosen to donate her £70 donation to the 'Green Team' at Saltford School, so that they can purchase their own litter pickers and hi-vis jackets for the children.
SEG is naturally delighted that the work by Julie in getting Saltford Wombles up and running so effectively has been recognised by the community through this award. The seven award winners were:-
SEG congratulates them all and thanks them for the work they do or have done for our community. More information about these awards can be found on the SPC website www.saltfordparishcouncil.gov.uk. We publish details of our monthly litter picks on this website. Further information about Saltford Wombles can be found on our website on our Less Waste page >> April 2019 Upcycling Craft Group to help decorate High Street for Saltford FestivalAt this month's meeting on Thursday 11th April we are going to help this year's Saltford Festival (June 8th - 16th) with bunting. The High Street can be a wonderful showcase of our village for visitors and we have a lovely spot to show off our upcycling skills by decorating one of our group member's garden wall on the High Street. We have a substantial length of cotton type ribbon to use as a starter but other ideas are always welcome. Bring along pinking scissors, odds and end of material etc. (old curtains, bedlinen, garden twine... you get the idea) or anything you think is suitable. Weather-proof material will be necessary just in case. Recycling pre-loved things for the festival will be a great example of our upcycling activities. We look forward to seeing you on 11th April at Signs of Saltford (work entrance), 7-9pm, 559 Bath Road, Saltford) - Note: this is a change of date from previous plans for our April meeting. If you would like join us or find out more about our group please text Frances Eggbeer on 07789---528834. NOTE: April 2019 March 2019See the 11th C Viking Buckle at Saltford Heritage Centre, 30th March
Saltford's very rare bronze Viking Buckle will be displayed by SEG to the public for the first time at the Saltford Heritage Centre (1st floor, St Mary's Church Hall, Queen Sq, High St. Saltford) on Saturday 30th March from 9.30am to 12 noon - admission is free. Found in 2018, it has been described by the British Museum's finds officer for this area as being of "regional importance". It gives our first local evidence of the Viking's presence in this area. Why not come and see this fascinating 11th Century artefact and information displays about its design and origins? Other important Saltford artefacts including the Saltford Carthaginian Coin (300-264 BC) will also be available to see. Refreshments including hot cross buns will be available on the ground floor at the church hall from St Mary's Easter Market. More information about this remarkable artfect can be found on SEG's Online Museum and our 'History of Saltford Project' special feature page. March 2019 Water shortages in England within 25 yearsNo water, no life. Sir James Bevan, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, spoke to the Waterwise Conference on 19 March 2019. The following are extracts from his speech where he warned that England will not have enough water to meet demand within 25 years. "The population of the UK is expected to rise from 67 million now to 75 million in 2050. All those extra people need houses and roads and energy and food and places to work, all of which will require more water. "So: climate change plus growth = an existential threat. To our economy, environment, security, happiness, way of life. In the face of water scarcity, we must tackle both sides of the equation: reduce demand and increase supply." "We can reduce demand by reducing leakage, by more water metering, sustainable drainage systems, insisting on new building regulations to drive greater water efficiency, and finding ways to cut down the amount of water we each use as individuals." "And we can increase supply by a mix of methods, all of which we'll need to pursue. We will need to see more water transfers between regions from areas of water surplus to areas of deficit. There's scope to do much more here: currently only 4% of water supplies are transferred between individual water companies." "We will need to build more desalination plants. Thames Water have an impressive one in Beckton, the first of its kind in the UK, which can provide up to 150 million litres of drinking water each day - enough for nearly one million people." "And most controversially of all, we will need to build new reservoirs. Creating some of that new infrastructure will be challenging: we have not built a new reservoir in the UK for decades, largely because clearing all the planning and legal hurdles necessary is so difficult and local opposition so fierce." He said the Environment Agency was "working with the government to set the right level of ambition for water efficiency. We are particularly interested in specific ideas on how we could get this country to Waterwise's ambitious target of 100 litres per person per day." Sir James Bevan ended his speech by quoting from Sylvia Earle, the distinguished marine biologist, to sum up everything that's at stake here: "No water, no life. No blue, no green. No ocean, no us." March 2019 Annual Saltford Dawn Chorus Walk, 21st April
If you are able to get yourself up early, why not join our friends at the Keynsham and Saltford Branch of the Avon Wildlife Trust for a few hours listening to, and watching the birds get up after a night's roosting? This year's Dawn Chorus will be held on (Easter) Sunday 21st April 4.30am - 8.00am, starting at Saltford Shallows car park. This really is a great way to learn how to identify from their songs the many birds that are found in Saltford. Songs of all common species will be pointed out and their identification features clarified. The walk will follow the railway path cycle track towards Bath, and back again. Wrap up warm as it can be very cold that early. Binoculars and a bird identification guide will be helpful for once it gets light. Above all you need good ears to be able to pick out the 30+ different species the annual walk normally finds! A hot flask of your favourite beverage is recommended. This event is free but an optional donation of £1 to support Avon Wildlife Trust funds is suggested. For further information and to confirm your attendance, contact Dave Sage on mobile 07899--716068 the week before the event. March 2019 B&NES Council declares a climate emergency
On 14th March Bath & North East Somerset Council made a cross-party major decision to become the latest council to declare a climate emergency. As part of this they resolved to: "Sign up to the UK100 Pledge to provide the strategic community leadership needed to enable our communities to achieve 100% clean energy across all sectors in Bath & North East Somerset by 2030, as a logical step from the B&NES Environmental Sustainability Vision Motion passed unanimously by Council in July 2018, and as a way to enable carbon neutrality by 2030." The motion also stated that:- "B&NES is well-placed to champion both rural and urban decarbonisation through renewable energy, energy efficiency, smart energy development, zero carbon homes, local & sustainable food, sustainable travel, carbon sequestration." The original motion that was proposed can be found from this external link (pdf opens in new window). The final motion that was passed also included more emphasis on transport and an amendment proposed by the Labour Group to oppose the expansion of Bristol Airport. The Lib Dem councillor Rob Appleyard, who had brought the motion jointly with Conservative councillor Mark Shelford, said: "This is an ambitious motion as it asks this council to change many ways of thinking, changing priorities. Climate consideration should be an accepted part of any conversation and behaviour, of any policy or decision. Climate change has the added challenge that we know we have to start achieving these changes from day one and working with partners and the greater community to achieve change." Cllr Shelford said: "This subject is bigger than party politics. It's about the future of our children and grandchildren. The council will provide leadership so action is taken across the community to cut carbon emissions." SEG naturally welcomes the commitment for 100% clean energy across all sectors by 2030 and will be watching with interest to see progress towards reaching the target. March 2019 Saltford Wombles: Litter Pick Sunday 24 March
Our next monthly litter pick is on Sunday 24 March, 2.00-4.00pm. If you are coming, please email Barbara on the same email address as before, saltfordwombles@gmail.com for the meeting points as the focus for our litter picks will vary depending on our numbers. Thank you. If you have litter pickers, gloves and high viz vest, please do bring them, but if not we can provide them. We have bags provided by B&NES Council. Also, please let us know whether you have a car you would be happy to use to ferry a group to a start point. As with any Saltford Wombles litter pick, everyone takes part at their own risk and it is essential that children are supervised at all times by a parent/carer. March 2019 Gender and Fairtrade
'She deserves a living income', the theme of this year's Fairtrade Fortnight fitted in well when on International Women's Day our guest speaker Dr Roy Maconachie showed 40 of us his film entitled "Gender and Fairtrade - the stories of women cocoa farmers in Ghana". What happens before the bar of chocolate you buy gets neatly wrapped? Are we paying a fair price for it? Does choosing Fairtrade Chocolate really made a difference to anyone? Roy's film, talk and question & answer session certainly gave us a great deal to think about. His research had to work around the sensitivities and culture barriers of the women he wanted to film, something that had not been recognised in the past but is now standard practice. The women had been given video cameras to capture their daily lives giving them free reign to tell their stories, no questions, just realities. The women spoke their minds and showed the struggle of helping their husbands and attending to all the family needs before working their own cocoa trees. One of Roy's aims was to generate wider lessons for Fairtrade policy and practice, particularly in relation to how cooperatives can do more to empower women and enable them to access greater benefits from Fairtrade. One of Roy's conclusions through his research was that although Fairtrade certification initiatives not initially designed to address gender inequality, or the specific concerns that women face in cocoa production, gender equity has now become one of the key principles of Fairtrade. This has been borne out in the 2019 Fairtrade Fortnight theme 'She deserves a better wage'. Following a thoughtful, lively question and answer session we were left with fresh thoughts and ideas of the importance of sharing the Fairtrade ethos. Credits: FILM: -'Gender and Fairtrade: The stories of women cocoa farmers in Ghana'. A film by Dr Roy Maconachie, Centre for Development Studies, University of Bath. PRESENTATION: 'How 'fair' is Fairtrade? Ethical cocoa production and gender in Ghana'. Public lecture and discussion by Dr Roy Maconachie, Centre for Development Studies, University of Bath, March 8th 2019, Saltford Hall, Saltford. Click on the link to watch his fascinating film "Gender and Fairtrade - The stories of women cocoa farmers in Ghana": https://vimeo.com/154721350 March 2019 Government to mandate net gains for biodiversity on new developmentsIn the Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond's Spring Statement to Parliament on 13 March 2019 the following statement was included:- "The Budget 2018 set out how the government is accelerating the shift to a clean economy, building on the Industrial Strategy, Clean Growth Strategy, and 25 Year Environment Plan. The Spring Statement builds on this commitment: - to ensure that wildlife isn't compromised in delivering necessary infrastructure and housing, the government will Mandate net gains for biodiversity on new developments in England to deliver an overall increase in biodiversity." SEG will keep this in mind during discussions with B&NES Council over the B&NES Local Plan 2016-20136. March 2019 Saltford Upcycling Craft Group 21st March
Who wouldn't want flowers all year round that don't cost the earth? Our next Upcycling Craft Group meeting will be making unique paper flowers. Old maps, book pages, used wrapping paper, brown wrapping paper and even toilet roll centres can be used. Join us on March 21st at our free, friendly monthly meeting of the Saltford Upcycling Craft Group and create your very own flowers. No experience needed, we all learn together. We have all the things needed to make the flowers but share any things that are brought along. Please give us a call (to Frances on 07789--528834) if you would like to know more, or come along from 7-9 pm, everyone is welcome. We meet at: Signs of Saltford (works entrance), 559 Bath Road, Saltford. Tina and Frances look forward to seeing you all on 21st March. March 2019 Febuary 2019SPC's Key Actions & Achievements 2015 - 2019
At the February 2019 meeting of Saltford Parish Council (SPC) the SPC Chair Cllr Chris Warren provided a summary of the Parish Council's key actions and achievements since it was elected in May 2015. He reminded the meeting that SPC had adopted the Saltford 20/20 5-point vision and policy for Saltford for how it would conduct its business until the next elections that are due this year on 2nd May. That 5-point vision for Saltford was: 1. Green Belt land surrounding the village protected from development, including fracking and a road bypass. 2. Its own re-opened railway station on the existing site in place or already underway. 3. A decreasing carbon footprint. 4. A positive, healthy and caring community that encourages Fairtrade, and values and protects the local environment including its heritage. 5. Is a good neighbour to surrounding villages, towns and cities. That vision was produced in collaboration with Saltford Environment Group and a new Saltford 20/20 team will be putting themselves forward for the 2nd May local elections to SPC so watch this space for further information in due course. Here are some examples of the achievements listed in the report (you can download the full report at the end of this news item):-
You can download the web version of the full report here:- SPC 2015-2019 report (pdf opens in new window). February 2019 Saltford Wombles: Litter Pick Sunday 24th February
Our next monthly litter pick is on Sunday 24th February, 2.00-4.00pm. If you are coming, please email Barbara on the same email address as before, saltfordwombles@gmail.com, for the meeting points as the focus for our litter picks will vary depending on our numbers. Thank you. If you have litter pickers, gloves and high viz vest, please do bring them, but if not we can provide them. We have bags provided by B&NES Council. Also, please let us know whether you have a car you would be happy to use to ferry a group to a start point. As with any Saltford Wombles litter pick, everyone takes part at their own risk and it is essential that children are supervised at all times by a parent/carer. February 2019 Insects heading for extinction leading to a collapse of nature's ecosystems
The world's insects are heading towards extinction at an alarming rate and this will lead to a "catastrophic collapse of nature's ecosystems" - according to the first global scientific review. Over 40% of insect species are declining and a third are endangered, the analysis found. The rate of extinction is eight times faster than that of mammals, birds and reptiles. The total mass of insects is falling by a precipitous 2.5% a year, according to the best data available, suggesting they could vanish within a century. Insect population collapses have recently been reported in Germany and Puerto Rico, but the review strongly indicates that the crisis is global. The researchers conclude in their peer-reviewed scientific paper that the insect trends confirm that the sixth major extinction event is profoundly impacting on life forms on our planet. Unless we change our ways of producing food "insects as a whole will go down the path of extinction in a few decades, the repercussions this will have for the planet's ecosystems are catastrophic to say the least." The analysis "Worldwide decline of the entomofauna: A review of its drivers" by Francisco Sánchez-Bayo and Kris A.G. Wyckhuys is published in the journal Biological Conservation. Habitat loss by conversion to intensive agriculture is the main driver of the declines whilst agro-chemical pollutants, invasive species and climate change are additional causes. The planet is at the start of a sixth mass extinction in its history, a 'biological annihilation' with huge losses already reported in larger animals that are much easier to study. But insects are the most varied and abundant animals outweighing humanity by a factor of x17. Insects are essential for the proper functioning of all ecosystems, the researchers say, as food for other creatures, pollinators and recyclers of nutrients. This alarming analysis of the health of insects underlines why we at the local level need to protect or local Green Belt that helps provide essential insect habitat. If you live in or near Saltford or visit Saltford regularly and have not yet joined SEG to show your support for our Green Belt Campaign now is the time to do so. February 2019 SPC and SEG seek inclusion of Saltford Station in West of England Transport Plan
Pictured here are Saltford Parish Councillors Cllr Duncan Hounsell, Cllr Adrian Betts, Cllr Phil Harding (also Chair of SEG), and Cllr Chris Warren (also Leader of SEG's Station Campaign) at the launch of the West of England's Joint Local Transport Plan (JTLP) 4th consultation at Somerdale Pavilion on Monday 11th February. During the morning's consultation event they pushed the case for re-opening Saltford Station on the existing site as part of the JLTP. The draft plan and consultation questionnaire can be found at www.travelwest.info/JLTP. The consultation closes on 20th March. February 2019 Bronze Viking Buckle found in Saltford!
In the later part of 2018 a rare bronze Viking Buckle in the ringerike style, a Scandinavian animal style from the late 10th Century & 11th Century, was discovered here in Saltford. This has been authenticated and described by the British Museum as "a find of note", very rare for this area, and designated as a find of "regional importance". The Saltford Viking Buckle is described in detail on our Online Museum and also on a special feature page. SEG plans to display this remarkable find at the Saltford Heritage Centre in the future. February 2019 Saltford Wombles: Change in Chief Womble and Dates for your Diary
Firstly, we would like to say 'Thank you very much' to Jo for leading our Wombles group for the last year and organising us all so well. January saw our first pick of 2019, where we had a very good clean up of the roads in to and around the village. Jo, yet again, did a sterling job of organising this and we had a very good haul of 15 bags of litter to show for our efforts, and a full, unopened, tube of Colgate toothpaste! After having got 2019 off to a very successful start, Jo has decided to give somebody else the chance to be 'Chief Womble' (co-ordinator) and so, is passing the title on to Barbara, who has very kindly volunteered to take up the reins and look after us. We wish Jo and Barbara every success in the year ahead. Following on from a very successful start to the year, our next litter pick is on Sunday 24 February, 2-4pm. Thereafter, we propose to continue monthly litter picks on Sunday afternoons on the following dates:
As before, if you are coming, please email Barbara on the same email address, saltfordwombles@gmail.com, for the meeting points, as the focus for our litter picks will vary depending on our numbers. More details will be posted before each meet. If you are new to the village and would like to meet a lovely bunch of local, like minded people, please also get in touch. Thank you and happy wombling! February 2019 SEG pleased that 'time-wasting' planning application for 200 homes between Keynsham & Saltford is turned down by B&NES CouncilThe article below is from the February 2019 edition of Keynsham Voice.
February 2019 Behaviour on the railway path: Sustrans survey
Sustrans is working with local Communities and the Councils of Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Bristol City Council to explore ways in which behaviour on the Bristol and Bath Railway Path (BBRP), that is routed through Saltford, could be improved. To this end they are carrying out an online survey which should take less than 5 minutes to complete. If you would like to complete the survey you can do so from this link (external site). February 2019 Saltford Parish Council responds to West of England Mayor re. Saltford Station
We reported in November (2018) that Saltford Parish Council had sent a public letter (that can be downloaded here as a pdf) to a wide range of recipients including B&NES Council Leaders, our MP, First Great Western, Network Rail, West of England Combined Authority (WECA), and the local media expressing its frustration at the lack of information and misinformation from B&NES Council and WECA concerning the future re-opening of Saltford Station. A response to SPC's letter was received from Cllr Tim Bowles, West of England Mayor, in January 2019. Cllr Bowles stated that following his and Cllr Tim Warren's (Leader of B&NES Council) discussions, their intervention had ensured that a new railway station at Saltford will feature in a map of transport improvements in the Joint Local Transport Plan. The Joint Local Transport Plan will be open for public consultation in January 2019. To read Saltford Parish Council's comprehensive response of 29.1.2019 to Cllr Tim Bowles's letter, which has been copied to over 20 relevant people and organisations, download it here (pdf). The reply includes how SPC will respond to the Joint Local Transport Plan (referred to as JLTP4 in the letter) as well as the actions and information requested by SPC following the close of the consultation. Parish Councillors will discuss further actions to achieve the re-opening of Saltford Railway Station at the next SPC meeting on 5th February. February 2019 Gender & Fairtrade - 'Stories of Women & Cocoa Farmers in Ghana', 8th March
There will be a talk and short film at Saltford Hall on Friday 8th March 2019 @ 7.30 pm. This will be given by Dr Roy Maconachie, Reader in International Development, at the University of Bath. This is a free event hosted by Saltford Fairtrade Group as part of Fairtrade Fortnight. Hear how buying Fairtrade products can improve the lives of cocoa farming communities. Refreshments available. Email for further information: saltfordfairtrade@hotmail.co.uk February 2019 Saltford Upcycling Craft Group 21st February
Hi happy crafters, we hope you all like eggs! Caroline has chosen this month's craft evening theme, eggshell mosaics. Do start collecting eggshells, making sure that they are clean and dry. The egg shells can be coloured with acrylic paint once they have been separated from the membrane. Leave the pieces quite big as they can be gently crushed when they are stuck down or broken down according to the space and your design. We will have a supply of eggshells and the glue but do bring along any eggshells you have saved. A frame may be a bit ambitious but a card design may be more achievable in an evening and will give us a flavour of the possibilities on how to use this craft skill. Tina and Frances look forward to seeing you all on 21st February, 7-9pm. We meet at Signs of Saltford (workshop entrance), 559 Bath Road, Saltford. Please contact Frances Eggbeer if you would like to come along to our free, friendly evening or know more about our craft group (07789--528834). February 2019 January 2019Council awards litter enforcement contract to 3GSNews from B&NES Council on tackling litter:- Specialist officers are set to help tackle litter on the streets of Bath and North East Somerset following the award of a new Environmental Crime and Enforcement contract to company 3GS. From March 1st (2019) litter and dog fouling enforcement officers will work across Bath and North East Somerset and will issue Fixed Penalty Notices to people who deliberately litter streets, parks and public places. The uniformed officers will also prioritise education and prevention to help people understand that littering is a criminal offence and will not be accepted in Bath and North East Somerset. Under the 12-month agreement, which is at zero cost to the council, 3GS enforcement officers will work from 7am to 7pm seven days a week. It is operating a fixed fee model, which limits what 3GS can earn from the enforcement contract. Any funds received above cost will be passed on to the council or used by 3GS for education and promotional purposes. January 2019 Saltford Wombles: Litter Pick Sunday 27 JanuaryOur first monthly litter pick for this year is on Sunday 27th, 2 - 4 pm.If you are coming, please email Jo on saltfordwombles@gmail.com for the meeting points as the focus for our litter picks will vary depending on our numbers. Thank you. If you have litter pickers and gloves please do bring them, but if not we can provide them. We have bags provided by B&NES Council. Also, please let us know whether you have a car you would be happy to use to ferry a group to a start point. As with any Saltford Wombles litter pick, everyone takes part at their own risk and it is essential that children are supervised at all times by a parent/carer. January 2019 Government Minister: "Don't build over the Green Belt to hit housing targets"On 12th January 2019 during the BBC Radio 4 programme "Any Questions", the Communities Secretary the Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP said the following:- "We want to see up to 300,000 homes built a year by the mid-2020s... I think that we can actually maximise the space, for example in places like our High Streets, actually ensuring that we're getting building over our shops where that's possible, seeing that we use some of the vacant spaces..." In response to the question from Jonathan Dimbleby, the programme's Chairman, "Have you not in fact made it easier for developers to build on green field sites because of the alleged shortage that they claim there is, the planning laws have been eased have they not?" he replied, after making the point that the Government had created a plan led system where councils are able to set their local plans working with local communities:- "On the Green Belt, absolutely that needs to be protected, that needs to be safeguarded. I am not one who is advocating that we should be, effectively, building all over our Green Belt in order to hit those housing targets. I think we can do this creatively, how we use the existing built environment and indeed brown field sites that are there, and actually the protections that are around Green Belt have been upheld and strengthened through our planning guidance to ensure that is the focus." January 2019 Big Garden Birdwatch 26 - 28 January
The RSPB's annual Big Garden Birdwatch will be from 26 to 28 January 2019. It's a great chance to sit back, relax and watch birds and other wildlife for an hour - and to encourage younger members of your family to develop an interest in the local wildlife. By taking part, you'll find out all about the fascinating wildlife that flutters, crawls and hops in your garden or local area. And with a simple hour of mindful watching, you could have an hour to yourself, too. Details including a free pack can be found on the RSPB website from this link:- RSPB Birdwatch. You can also find more information on social media using the hashtag #BigGardenBirdWatch. January 2019
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