Highlights from Westbury Forum
7th January 2025
7th January 2025
Those present – the meeting was attended by 25 residents, together with councillors Caroline Gooch and Stephen Williams. Nicolas Coombes was unable to attend due to a last minute committee meeting.
In the absence of any representatives of the Police, Malcolm then talked us through the crime statistics for Westbury on Trym up to the end of October 2024. The figures show no large changes, the biggest categories again being theft and shoplifting.
At the last Forum meeting it was reported that several shoplifters active in the area had been detained so hopefully the number of crimes in this category will decrease. He compared our figures with those of Henbury and Southmead where the totals are similar, with more violent crimes but a lot less shoplifting
Councillors’ Reports
In the absence of any representatives of the Police, Malcolm then talked us through the crime statistics for Westbury on Trym up to the end of October 2024. The figures show no large changes, the biggest categories again being theft and shoplifting.
At the last Forum meeting it was reported that several shoplifters active in the area had been detained so hopefully the number of crimes in this category will decrease. He compared our figures with those of Henbury and Southmead where the totals are similar, with more violent crimes but a lot less shoplifting
Councillors’ Reports
Caroline Gooch
Caroline has been very busy recently trying to sort out and improve the regularity of local waste bin collections. Very often waste is not being collected on the due day with the same roads being missed again and again. There would be a huge improvement if the company could get the collection routes sorted out so that all roads are covered.
Before Christmas she was contacted by someone who has an assisted collection which had not been done for 15 weeks. She was able to contact the company and get them to collect the waste. One of our attendees reported that she was having similar, if less extreme, problems with her assisted collection and was finding reporting missed collection days impossible as the online form is not useable.
The Bristol Waste contract is due for renewal this year. They are owned by the Council but operate independently and there are still quite a few issues to be addressed. They collect domestic waste while commercial contractors collect commercial waste. If the company were more efficient they could bid for that work and bring in extra revenue for the Council.
Their funding comes from the Council and not enough investment has gone into vehicles and buildings over recent years. The waste depot needs redesigning with better access, particularly as in a few years’ time Bristol Council will be obliged to recycle soft plastic in addition to present recycling. There are too few crews and not enough up to date vehicles.
The majority of the Council budget is spent on adult and child social care and on special needs provision, leaving insufficient funds for their other areas of responsibility.
She has also been approached by residents concerned about drivers speeding on various roads including Northover Road and Stoke Lane. A lot of traffic has been using Northover Road as a “rat run” since the road works on Passage Road and Falcondale began ; while a driver was seen driving dangerously, up and down Stoke Lane very fast. The other area of concern is parking in Westbury and how much worse the situation will become if the parking charges in Westbury Hill car park are implemented. Some roads in Westbury have requested Resident’s Parking Zones. The car park charges are unlikely to bring in as much revenue as hoped as drivers will be able to park for free at the roadside.
Stephen Williams
Area committees are being set up. Ours will comprise Westbury on Trym, Henleaze, Stoke Bishop, Bishopston and Ashley Down. 15% of CIL revenue will be devolved to them, together with money from the Clean Air Zone and these funds can be used for local projects – one such project was the traffic lights in Canford Lane, which is now complete.
Caroline has been very busy recently trying to sort out and improve the regularity of local waste bin collections. Very often waste is not being collected on the due day with the same roads being missed again and again. There would be a huge improvement if the company could get the collection routes sorted out so that all roads are covered.
Before Christmas she was contacted by someone who has an assisted collection which had not been done for 15 weeks. She was able to contact the company and get them to collect the waste. One of our attendees reported that she was having similar, if less extreme, problems with her assisted collection and was finding reporting missed collection days impossible as the online form is not useable.
The Bristol Waste contract is due for renewal this year. They are owned by the Council but operate independently and there are still quite a few issues to be addressed. They collect domestic waste while commercial contractors collect commercial waste. If the company were more efficient they could bid for that work and bring in extra revenue for the Council.
Their funding comes from the Council and not enough investment has gone into vehicles and buildings over recent years. The waste depot needs redesigning with better access, particularly as in a few years’ time Bristol Council will be obliged to recycle soft plastic in addition to present recycling. There are too few crews and not enough up to date vehicles.
The majority of the Council budget is spent on adult and child social care and on special needs provision, leaving insufficient funds for their other areas of responsibility.
She has also been approached by residents concerned about drivers speeding on various roads including Northover Road and Stoke Lane. A lot of traffic has been using Northover Road as a “rat run” since the road works on Passage Road and Falcondale began ; while a driver was seen driving dangerously, up and down Stoke Lane very fast. The other area of concern is parking in Westbury and how much worse the situation will become if the parking charges in Westbury Hill car park are implemented. Some roads in Westbury have requested Resident’s Parking Zones. The car park charges are unlikely to bring in as much revenue as hoped as drivers will be able to park for free at the roadside.
Stephen Williams
Area committees are being set up. Ours will comprise Westbury on Trym, Henleaze, Stoke Bishop, Bishopston and Ashley Down. 15% of CIL revenue will be devolved to them, together with money from the Clean Air Zone and these funds can be used for local projects – one such project was the traffic lights in Canford Lane, which is now complete.
Van Dwellers – the Council wants to do something about this problem as much for the van-dwellers as for the residents and round-table discussions are taking place between council officers and residents. Is it a “homelessness” or a “housing choice” situation? The answer is probably a mixture of both. There is a problem of illegal ownership of vehicles and exploitation of the van dwellers, as well as public health problems. There are between 600 and 800 “vans” in the city with about 1100 people living in them. Councillors are looking at all the council-owned empty sites with the intention of using them for temporary housing. No decisions or action have yet been taken with regard to the redevelopment of the St Ursula’s site. Goram Developers want to build high-end properties on it and use dome of the money to provide social housing elsewhere in the city. At present St Ursulas is used for temporary housing. It is hoped that a decision can be made in the coming year.
Other concerns:
• Highway maintenance – there is a pothole outside no.14 Stoke Lane which has needed filling-in for the last 18 months.
• Andy Renshaw asked about the planned road works in the centre of Westbury on Trym. We have been notified that they will take 4 to 8 weeks but he couldn’t see what will take all that time.
• There is a problem of blocked drains and leaves on pavements in Southfield Rd and elsewhere.
• The street-lighting is not adequate. New LED lights are not as strong as the old traditional lights. Extra street-lights were really needed when they were swapped.
• Outstanding Debt – What progress has been made? The Budget situation is a little better than in October. However the Government has frozen council tax at 3% with a 2% precept. The Council is planning to buy houses for the homeless instead of utilising hotels which will save some money.
Andy Renshaw – Planning Update
• Nat West – flats and frontage changes. They have applied for a 5 room extension.
• Barclays – application for residential accommodation.
• Westfield Road – builders have cut through 50% of the roots of a mature tree on site. Trees have been removed with clear breaches of their planning permission.
• David Lloyd Centre have applied to build a Spa Building which will cause noise and damage mature trees. The staff car-park will be removed.
• 334 Canford Lane, a stroke rehab centre in a single house – the plan was to divide it into 2 five-bedroom houses with swimming pools. Refused
• 10 Rylestone Grove, an Arts and Craft 1930s house – a number of applications have so far been refused. Now another demolition application has been made. Someone has contacted Historic England asking for listed status. Watch this space!
• Houses to rear of 41-45 High St, Westbury on Trym – application to build. Nothing has happened for at least a year.
More information on planning proposals and responses is available on the Westbury on Trym website www.westburyontrymsociety.org.uk
Other Updates
Stoke Lodge – now 4 public rights of way have been agreed across the Village Green, which may affect the outcome of the court case. However, Cotham School is still continuing its legal challenge over the designation of Stoke Lodge as a Village Green.
Open Forum
It was mentioned that a White Paper on English devolution has been published, promoting a move towards more unitary councils.
The question was raised as to why the decision made to build the bus-lane between Crow Lane and Falcondale Road? Nicholas Coombes, who is chair of the Transport Committee, has since provided the following response:
“The Passage Road bus lane and associated works were approved at various stages by BCC and the regional transport authority (WECA) over several years. It has been raised once at the Transport Committee in this term (since May 2024), and then only to confirm that the decision could not be reversed. The works are stated to improve bus and cycle capacity north of Bristol. They were promoted by WECA to support new housing development around Cribbs Causeway. They are part funded by the developers of the new estate between Henbury and Cribbs.”
A working party from the Westbury on Trym Society will be carrying out regular maintenance in the Rose Garden at Canford Park. This will take place on the last Friday morning of each month from 10am, starting in January. All are welcome to join them.
The next Community Forum meeting will take place on April 29th.
Crime Figures for the last 6 months:
• Barclays – application for residential accommodation.
• Westfield Road – builders have cut through 50% of the roots of a mature tree on site. Trees have been removed with clear breaches of their planning permission.
• David Lloyd Centre have applied to build a Spa Building which will cause noise and damage mature trees. The staff car-park will be removed.
• 334 Canford Lane, a stroke rehab centre in a single house – the plan was to divide it into 2 five-bedroom houses with swimming pools. Refused
• 10 Rylestone Grove, an Arts and Craft 1930s house – a number of applications have so far been refused. Now another demolition application has been made. Someone has contacted Historic England asking for listed status. Watch this space!
• Houses to rear of 41-45 High St, Westbury on Trym – application to build. Nothing has happened for at least a year.
More information on planning proposals and responses is available on the Westbury on Trym website www.westburyontrymsociety.org.uk
Other Updates
Stoke Lodge – now 4 public rights of way have been agreed across the Village Green, which may affect the outcome of the court case. However, Cotham School is still continuing its legal challenge over the designation of Stoke Lodge as a Village Green.
Open Forum
It was mentioned that a White Paper on English devolution has been published, promoting a move towards more unitary councils.
The question was raised as to why the decision made to build the bus-lane between Crow Lane and Falcondale Road? Nicholas Coombes, who is chair of the Transport Committee, has since provided the following response:
“The Passage Road bus lane and associated works were approved at various stages by BCC and the regional transport authority (WECA) over several years. It has been raised once at the Transport Committee in this term (since May 2024), and then only to confirm that the decision could not be reversed. The works are stated to improve bus and cycle capacity north of Bristol. They were promoted by WECA to support new housing development around Cribbs Causeway. They are part funded by the developers of the new estate between Henbury and Cribbs.”
A working party from the Westbury on Trym Society will be carrying out regular maintenance in the Rose Garden at Canford Park. This will take place on the last Friday morning of each month from 10am, starting in January. All are welcome to join them.
The next Community Forum meeting will take place on April 29th.
Crime Figures for the last 6 months:
