Lib Dem Plans for Post Office

The Liberal Democrats have endorsed a 5 point plan to safeguard and enhance the Post Office. We would preserve the network in the following ways:

1. £2 billion investment in Post Office branches
2. New branches where there is a need
3. Retain Post Office Card Accounts for benefit payments
4. Free the Post Office from Royal Mail restrictions to let it develop new business
5. New requirement for the Government to maintain the local Post Office network

Labour is proposing not to use the Post Office Card Account to pay pensions and benefits from 2010, opening specialist passport offices and not confirming renewal of the Rural PO subsidy. Now we hear that the BBC will no longer allow the TV licences to be renewed at local Post Offices.

Cllr Roger Symonds said:
“Under the last Conservative Government, 3500 post offices closed, and under Labour another 4000 have closed, hitting communities, including Combe Down, across the country. 10000 more could close in the coming years, reducing the number to a mere 4000. Neither Labour nor the Tories have any plan to safeguard the future of our vital Post Office network.”

Letter from Cllr Roger Symonds to Post Office boss

21st April 2006



Dear Adam Crozier

At a meeting with MPs recently you are reported to have expressed the view that if the Government carry out their plans to continue to remove business from local Post Offices that the present 14000 branches could reduce to 4500.

The Post Office closure plan has recently seen the closure of the local Post Office in Combe Down village and much of the business has transferred to the nearest Post Office, which served a neighbouring community, Bradford Road Post Office, Combe Down.

This further threat to Post Offices has caused some disquiet in the area and fears that we may lose the Bradford Road branch by 2010. Therefore I am asking for your assurance that the Bradford Road branch will remain open to serve the Combe Down community.

I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely

Planning Applications

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/01238/VAR
Parish:
Registered: 30/03/2006 Expiry Date: 25/05/2006
Location: De Montalt Mill Summer Lane Combe Down Bath BA2 5JY
Grid Reference: 376224 162007
Proposal: Variation of No 27 condition of consent 04/02868/ful to omit passing bay and substitute
widening of track DWG2297-S-01C
Case Caroline Fulton
Applicant: Richard Hussey Agent Name: Ashley Design Associates
Applicant 66 Avonfield Avenue Agent The Old Ride
Agent Bath Road
Bradford On Avon Bradford On Avon
BA15 1JF BA15 2PB
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/01441/LBA
Parish:
Registered: 26/04/2006 Expiry Date: 21/06/2006
Location: 5 Byfield Place Combe Down Bath BA2 5JB
Grid Reference: 375797 162222
Proposal: Provision of 8no.replacement windows and front door
Case Jessica Hunnisett
Applicant: Ms S Johnson Agent Name: PDM Consultancy
Applicant 5 Byfield Place Agent 25 The Fort
Combe Down Agent Cawsand
Bath Torpoint
BA2 5JB Cornwall
PL10 1PL
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/01399/OUT
Parish:
Registered: 10/04/2006 Expiry Date: 05/06/2006
Location: Beechwoods 1 Beechwood Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5JS
Grid Reference: 376018 162116
Proposal: Outline application for residential redevelopment
Case Andrew Ross
Applicant: Mr. L.W. Norfolk Agent Name: Cluttons (Romsey)
Applicant Beechwoods Agent 1 Eastwood Court
1 Beechwood Road Agent Broadwater Road
Combe Down Romsey
Bath Hamps
BA2 5JS SO51 8JJ
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/01427/FUL
Parish:
Registered: 13/04/2006 Expiry Date: 08/06/2006
Location: 4 Combe Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5HX
Grid Reference: 375527 162188
Proposal: Replace existing conservatory with single storey garden room.
Case Hazel Short
Applicant: Mr. And Mrs. Glenday Agent Name: Mitchell Taylor Workshop
Applicant 4 Combe Road Agent 87 Walcot Street
Combe Down Agent Bath
Bath BA1 5BW
BA2 5HX
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/01320/VAR
Parish:
Registered: 03/04/2006 Expiry Date: 29/05/2006
Location: Combe Down Stone Mines Firs Field The Firs Combe Down Bath BA2 5ED
Grid Reference: 375929 162508
Proposal: Variation of condition 4 of planning permission ref: 03/00021/EREG03 to substitute the
specified plans/documents ref: Firs Field with plan no 04016/c002/REVD and report ref: 4104-
FFWS REV 1
Case Paul Thompson
Applicant: CDSM Project Team Agent Name:
Applicant 10 Palace Yard Agent
Mews Agent
Bath
BA1 2NH

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/01400/LBA
Parish:
Registered: 11/04/2006 Expiry Date: 06/06/2006
Location: The Old Vicarage 110 Church Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5JJ
Grid Reference: 376081 162275
Proposal: Refurbishment of The Old Vicarage including fitting central heating, replace basement
windows, re-instate fireplaces, revert to single occupancy, update/make good internal
decoration, kitchens and bathrooms.
Case Caroline Waldron
Applicant: Mr Edward Turner Agent Name: Mr C Rupert Baller
Applicant 25c Fitzroy Square Agent Whitehouse Renovation Limited
London Agent
W1T 6ER The Old Bakehouse
Goose Street
Beckington
Somerset
BA11 6SS

Coping Stones Saved

Part of the stone wall boundary of Firs Field on the North Road side has been removed to make an entrance for lorries bringing materials and equipment into the work site. A local resident wrote to Cllr Roger Symonds asking whether the Project Team would keep the stone and rebuild the wall with the same stone when the project is finished.

The council Project Team said that this was not a condition of the Planning Application, but they would keep the coping stones, but not the rest of the walling. So not entirely successful, but some of the stone will be salvaged.

Work site construction begins

Firs Field now looks like a large work site. Soon activities will be hidden behind a high fence, but the stabilisation programme is continuing at a good pace with the work site due to be operational in time for the main scheme to move into top gear in August 2006. The stabilisation scheme should end in 2009.

The Friends of Firs Field (FoFFs)will be asking local people whether they wish to see any changes to the field once the stabilisation scheme is completed. One idea from the Combe Down Heritage Group is to move the old stme mines crane from the Combe Grove Country Club to Firs Field. The cran could then be a lasting tribute to all the work which is now going on to make the Stone Mines safe.

Invitation to Mayor Making

The 779th Mayor of Bath, Cllr Carol Paradise will be installed on Saturday 13th May 2006. This year the 'Mayor Making' Ceremony will be different. In the past the ceremony has been in the Council Chamber in the Guildhall and was watched by less than 100 people.

This year the 'Mayor Making' ceremony will be in Bath Abbey, with a procession from the Guildhall to the Abbey for 11am on Saturday 13th May2006. Everyone is invited to the ceremony in the abbey.

This new format was suggested by Cllr Roger Symonds, 777th Mayor in 2004/05. It has taken two years for him to convince colleagues of the benefits of making this ceremony accessible to hundreds of members of the public.

Cllr Symonds said:
"In my year as Mayor I wanted to give the Mayoralty back to the people and one of the ways of doing this was to take the 'Mayor Making' out of the Guildhall to a venue where more people could watch. I have finally been successful. The Mayoralty is loved and respected by local people and the ceremony is a fine Bath tradition which should be shared with residents and visitors to our city. I hope that by having the ceremony, after a procession to another venue in the city, with the retiring Mayor leading from the Guildhall and the new Mayor leading the way back, the 'Mayor Making' will become a popular annual event".

WATCH THE PROCESSION FROM THE GUILDHALL TO THE ABBEY AT 10.40am AND JOIN COUNCILLORS IN THE ABBEY FOR THE CEREMONY TO INSTALL COUNCILLOR CAROL PARADISE, AS THE 779TH MAYOR OF BATH ON SATURDAY 13TH MAY 2006.