Olveston Parish Council

LATEST NEWS

Here is a selection of news, newsletters and websites which the Parish Council thinks may be of interest to parish residents:

The Olveston branch of Almondsbury Surgery will close on 1st April 2012. All services will be concentrated at Almondsbury.
Please remember to return your questionnaires about the proposed wind farm at Ingst by 8 February. Thank you.
From 1 January 2012, there are new arrangements for the local registration of births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships. To read about the arrangements and to find the opening times of your nearest register office, click here.
South Gloucestershire Council is currently working on plans to improve broadband access, with Government help. South Gloucestershire Council has produced a survey for local residents and businesses to complete. It is on the Council's website and can be accessed here. It is important that as many people as possible complete the survey, especially people in areas with very slow speeds. This will help inform the Council's plans.
The Council has been informed of some recent or upcoming changes to bus services. You can also check out a wide range of bus times on the South Gloucestershire Council website. If you are interested in the 622 route, times are available here.
Have you heard about Walking to Health? South Gloucestershire Council has a very varied programme of 'health walks' of ¾ mile to 4 miles. Each one is led by a volunteer leader. The walks are for South Glos residents of all ages and levels of fitness. They are carefully graded, so that you can choose the ones which are right for you to work your way back to better health - perhaps after an illness or an operation. Click here to see the Nov 2011 - Feb 2012 programme. You'll want to get your diary out and pencil a few in!
South Gloucestershire Council is currently seeking feedback on ways of improving the chances of older people and people with disabilities to live independently in their own homes. If this applies to you or to someone you know, click here for more information on how you can express your ideas. You may have all kinds of suggestions - perhaps shared transport or 'pooled' lifts?
Olveston Parish Council has received a letter dated 7 September 2011 giving an update on plans for future NHS services in Thornbury, including plans for the Thornbury Hospital site. Read the letter here.
If you wish to obtain a free bag for recycling your cardboard, you can find a list here of sites (including Thornbury Leisure Centre and Thornbury Library) where you can collect one.
The Parish Council has learned of a new website called Well Aware, which gives information about health, well-being and community services for everyone in South Gloucestershire, Bristol, and Bath & NE Somerset. The website, which is run by The Care Forum (a not-for-profit voluntary organisation and charity), gives information about 1000s of groups, organisations, activities and services. It has a user-friendly format which makes it easy to find support for a friend, family member - or for yourself.
The Parish Council has received news of an Emergency Carers Service, provided by South Gloucestershire Council, which it thinks local residents would be interested to know about. You can find out about the service here.

Councillors

Chair - June Lyons	632239
Vice Chair - Irene Reid	613461
Allen Cogram	614821
Tony Heming	416908
Val Hudspeth	614984
John Spratt	619962
Jane Webb	201640
John Hughes	613754


Clerk to the Council:
Richard Rogers, 8 Orchard Rise, Olveston BS35 4DY	07780 572594
email: olvestonpc@googlemail.com


Chairs of Committees:
Leisure and Recreation	John Hughes
Projects	Val Hudspeth
Planning	Irene Reid

Footpaths Warden:	Rod Williams 612850

Primary Contacts for various parish organisations & interest groups:
Sports & Social Club …	vacancy
Tennis Club …	Ms Hudspeth
Parish Hall Management Committee …	Ms Hudspeth
Pre-School …	Ms Hudspeth
Bowls Club …	Mr Hughes
Olveston CEVC …	Valerie Tutin (co-opted)
Religious Groups …	Mr Heming
Footpath Warden …	Rod Williams (co-opted)
Football Club …	vacancy
Meeting Point …	vacancy
Olveston Scouts/Guides/ Endeavour Explorers …	Mr Hughes
Woodhouse Park …	Mrs Webb
Allotments …	Mr Hughes
Health & Care …	Mrs Reid / Mrs Webb

Council Meetings

Parishioners are welcome to attend Parish Council meetings. These are generally held on the 4th Tuesday of each month (exceptions: October 2010 and December 2010 meetings). Check out the Events page on this website for dates and times of meetings. Please contact the Clerk if you plan to attend.

You can read the most recently approved minutes of Olveston Parish Council here and the most recently approved minutes of the Council's Recreation and Leisure Committee here (September 2011 and October 2011). (These minutes are put on the website once they have been approved and signed as an accurate record at the subsequent meeting of each committee.)

Our Parish Matters

Reports on parish matters are often included in Meeting Point, our local community magazine. Printed below is the most recent report:

Olveston Parish Council is anxious to register an opinion on the Ingst Wind Farm based on the views of all parishioners. Accordingly, questionnaires have been delivered to each parishioner on the electoral role (as of 15th October 2011). The questionnaires are anonymous, and whatever your opinion (or otherwise) you are strongly urged to complete it and return it by the 8th February. Various businesses throughout Olveston Parish have kindly offered to collect the questionnaires (please see the covering letter sent out with the questionnaire); alternatively they can be handed to Councillors or posted to the Parish Clerk. Please contact the Clerk urgently if you do not receive one.

South Gloucestershire Council is also interested in hearing your views as part of their 2012/13 budget consultations. Further information can be accessed by the www.southglos.gov.uk website, although please be warned that the closing date is 10th February 2012.

As previously reported, the Council is coordinating the development of a Parish Plan, and is currently making contact with a wide range of key people and groups within the community to share the concept, and to seek volunteers by late spring to form a Steering Group to take it forward. Themes for consideration include ‘Education facilities for youth and younger people’; ‘Environment, conservation and sustainability’; ‘Farming and Land use’; ‘Housing and development; Local Healthcare’; ‘Local shops, businesses and services’; ‘Policing and stronger safer communities’; ‘Adequacy and better communications’; ‘Sports and Leisure facilities; Transport and traffic’; ‘Provision of services for older people’; ‘Churches & Faith Groups’.

With thoughts of spring, the Parish has benefited from a number of individuals planting bulbs in communal areas for the enjoyment of all. Particular thanks to Mr Hughes who again arranged and planted a sack of daffodil bulbs. It may be possible to arrange for more bulbs to be planted for spring 2013, so please let the Council know suitable sites.

If you are interested in helping with the Parish Plan or have any comments on any of the above, the Council would welcome your written or emailed opinions.

Annual Parish Assembly

The minutes of the 2011 Annual Parish Assembly took place on 28th April 2011. You can read the unconfirmed minutes of that meeting here. The minutes will be confirmed at the 2012 Annual Assembly.

The Council's Vision Statement

Read the Council's Vision Statement here.

Council Policy on its Donations to Charities

You can read the Council's policy here. For details of any decisions about donations, you can check the minutes each month.