B&NES Council is looking for people to provide supported lodgings for 16-21 year olds who are homeless or leaving care.

In return for providing accommodation and support to a young person, Bath & North East Somerset Council pays weekly rent and support costs starting at £160 per week. Additionally the council gives a council tax discount for B&NES residents.

Supported Lodgings Providers are fully assessed and are required to provide references and undergo health and criminal background checks. Homes are also inspected to ensure they are safe and secure.

Regular training, support and supervision is provided by an allocated Social Worker to help deal with some of the issues facing young people.

Since its launch 18 years ago, more than 300 young people have been provided with a home through the Supported Lodgings scheme in Bath and North East Somerset. Through the scheme young people rent a room in a stable family home for up to three years.

The Supported Lodging Provider helps them to learn the skills they need to live independently, from cooking and washing to managing money.

To be eligible for supported lodgings the young person will normally be in education, employment or training.

Anyone interested in becoming a Supported Lodgings Provider can obtain further information on 01225 395023 or by emailing mailto:supported_lodgings@bathnes.gov.uk

More details here.

The A37 through the village of Pensford will be closed between the junctions with High Street and Church Street from Monday, February 18th to Sunday, February 24^th.  For the weeks beginning Monday, February 11^th and Monday February 25^th the road will have temporary traffic lights between 9.30am and 3.30pm.

The work will make a series of improvements through the village aimed at slowing traffic and enhancing facilities for pedestrians. This will include widening the two existing pedestrian refuge islands near the junction with Station Approach and narrowing two sections of the wider parts of the A37 to create ‘gateway’ points into the village.

There will be measures to deter vehicles from mounting pavements, to create more pavement space outside the school entrance and a new pedestrian refuge island to serve the bus stops near the junction with Short Lane.

A signed diversion route will be in place during the closure, as shown below and access will be maintained for emergency vehicles.

Businesses and facilities on Church Street will be accessible from the south end of the closure only. There will be no through access for residents through the working area when the road is fully closed. Bus services will be temporarily re-routed between February 18^th and 24^th  with a shuttle bus service operating between key stops. More information regarding the bus services can be found on the travelwest web site.

At its meeting on February 4^th Timsbury Parish Council agreed its precept for 2019/20 at £56,000. This compares with £51,000 in 2018/19.

The Precept charge is divided between all the village households and is added to B&NES Council Tax bills. The increase in the annual charge for a house in Band D will be just under £5.

The increase largely reflects the loss of funding previously provided from elsewhere. The Parish Grant, provided by the Government via B&NES Council, has been stopped. In addition B&NES Council is reducing its contribution to the cost of the village sweeper, has stopped the mobile library service and closed much of its Youth Service.

The original budget for the Parish Council in the year ending April 2019 was £81,000 but the total spend for the year will amount to just over £100,000. The additional money came from reserves.

It was spent on widening the pavement along North Road (£8,000); resurfacing the Ha Ha (£3,000 with an additional £5,000 from B&NES Council); refurbishing the War Memorial (£7,500) and establishing the Hub Library (£5,600 with an additional £5,000 from B&NES Council). This additional spending will reduce the Council’s reserves to around £40,000 by April 2019.

In the coming financial year the Parish Council expects to spend £78,000 of which:

£25,000 on administration – staff, office expenses, insurance and activities.

£17,500 on amenities – Recreation Field and Play Area, support for local groups and clubs, litter picking, the cemetery, footpaths and plantings.

£7,700 on youth services.

£5,400 on the Hub Library.

£1,300 on electricity for 15 of the village street lights.

More details of the precept budget can be found on the website www.timsbury.org.uk/parishcouncil/finances

From March 1st 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.

Last July the Council adopted the maximum £150 Fixed Penalty Notice FPN for dropping litter, including cigarette ends and people, caught on camera, throwing litter from vehicles. Anyone caught fly-tipping in the area can be issued with a FPN up to £400.

Under a 12-month agreement, which is at zero cost to the council, 3GS enforcement officers will work from 7.00am to 7.00pm seven days a week. Any funds received above cost will be passed on to the council or used by 3GS for promotional campaigns such as billboard advertising to promote good conduct and warn of the implications of littering.

Councillor Bob Goodman said: “We want to be firm but fair and we have been assured by 3GS that the enforcement officers will be proportionate in the way they go about this task. However, the message is clear, please don’t drop litter and dump waste otherwise you risk a hefty Fixed Penalty Fine.

 “This pilot scheme with enforcement officers will be monitored carefully, and we will listen to local views and do what’s best to keep our area clean and tidy at no extra cost to the council,” he said.

B&NES Council is offering a new online programme to help people become more active and improve their health and wellbeing. The programme is being offered free to seventy five people who live in the area who would like to move more, but feel they may not have the funds, time or confidence to access more traditional exercise courses, or who may not have services or leisure facilities on their doorstep.

The online programme has been designed by KiActiv® and is being delivered by the Council’s partners Better Leisure.

Users are provided with a personal online account to view their daily activity data which is collected by an activity monitor. Regular support is also provided by a trained mentor throughout the 12-week programme.

Participants will need access to a smartphone and a computer/tablet with internet access. They also need to be well enough to move more daily and be resident in Bath and North East Somerset or registered with a B&NES GP.

If you are interested in enrolling or would like to find out more, visit http://www.movemore.kiactiv.com or call 01225 486918 and leave a message.

Alternatively, members of the team will be at Timsbury YMCA in North Road Timsbury on Monday 18th February between 10.30am and 11.30am. The Community Library will also be in session, alongside curling and Boccia.