£1.5m Tory Bus Cuts - Rural Areas hit worst

Savage cuts by Somerset Tories will leave bus services in our area decimated. Some villages like Batcombe, Trudoxhill, Upton Noble, Wanstrow and Witham Friary could be left with no buses at all.

The Council has to ensure school and college transport by Law, but the reduction in buses in rural areas and the possible withdrawal/rise in cost of the County Ticket will affect many.

"Rural areas are hit hard by cuts in bus services, which are already few and far between. The cuts will make the most vulnerable - young people, the disabled and elderly - even more dependent on others to get around or access shops and services, " said Gloria Cawood. Here is what people say:

• Young people say lack of rural public transport is a ma jor problem. They are unable to access arts, sports and leisure activities or chill out with friends out-side school hours.
• Disabled people, already dependent on the Slinky bus are concerned it will be harder to book travel slots for services and to friends because of increased demand on the service.
• The elderly fear they will be even more isolated in villages with very few services and won't be able to get to doctor and hospital appointments.

"Parish Councils are being asked by County to cover the cost of bus services from their precept. While cutting their own budgets, the Tories seem to be encouraging Parish Councils to massively increase theirs. They just don't understand or care about rural areas, " said Gloria.

"Some Parish Councils are thinking about starting car sharing schemes or encouraging neighbours to offer help with shopping, which many people in villages do all ready," said Gloria, "But some people just don't like to ask and want to stay independent."

"For others the Slinky bus might be the answer. This is a door to door service for senior citizens, people with disabilites and those not living on a bus route. It runs between 9 a.m. and6.30pm Monday to Saturday."

Ring 01749-344141 for further details. You can use your bus pass or County Ticket and validated carers and under-5′s go free. For more details on the Hospital Car Transport ring 01749-300100

SAVE COLEFORD RECYCLING CENTRE CAMPAIGN

Photo with the permission of Somerset Standard/Guardian

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION

Coleford Recycling Centre is under threat after Somerset Tories cut the recycling budget. It was one of 4 named at County Council in November to be closed early next year.

A petition against the cuts now has over 2,000 signatures. The petition will be presented to Somerset County Council at its meeting on December 22nd at County Hall in Taunton.

"We want as many people as possible to sign up. Crewkerne already has 5,000, Dulverton 2,000 and more are being collected at Middlezoy. A lot of people across Somerset are angry these cuts and can't understand why the Tories should do this. It has been suggested that another 4 could close next year, which is intolerable," Gloria said.

Click here to sign the petition

MENDIP COUNCIL VOTES TO SUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN

Councillors Gloria Cawood and Philip Ham placed a motion asking Somerset County Council before Mendip District Council on Monday 13th. December. It was passed by a huge majority, with only one Independent Councillor voting against and the Tory County Councillors on Somerset County Council abstaining.

A statement was made by a member of Somerset Waste Board that, as a result of the campaign and some very sensible suggestions coming forward from camapigners, they were looking at other savings to prevent closure of the sites.

"We feel the tide is turning towards our cause," Gloria said, "but we are not complacent. We are expecting a good turn out by protestors at SCC's Extraordinary Council Meeting on December 22nd when the petitions will be presented by members of the public."

Lib Dem County Councillors Gloria Cawood and John Dyke want to put a motion to stop the threatened closures, but are being blocked by the ruling group. Gloria is adamant that she and John will have their say.

"It is important that local councillors stand up for their communities. While I can guarantee that this will happen in Lib Dem Divisions, I am less certain that some Tory Councillors are listening to their communities, particularly the one for Coleford itself," said Gloria.

No final decision by Somerset Waste Board will be made until early 2011 after investigations have been made into other ways of meeting the challenge of the cuts.

TORIES CUT COUNCILLORS' COMMUNITY GRANTS

I am still being asked about the availability of the Councillors' Grant, which has helped and encourages so many projects to happen in villages in our area. Unfortunately, one of the first acts by the Tories when they came in in 2009 was to cut the Councillors' Community Grant. And last February they took it away from Councillors altogether.

"I feel this was a very retrograde step," said Gloria. "So many community projects in our area have been helped by this funding - and quite small amounts from my personal budget have been used to draw in substantial funding from elsewhere.

The number of projects helped is enormous, so all can't be mentioned. I was particularly pleased to be able to give £2,600 each to the allotment projects in Batcombe and Stoke St Michael, both of which are now very successful and hopefully will survive for a long time to come.

The Comunity Garden at Stratton-on-the Fosse has only just had its Play Lottery Grant agreed - another £17,500 on top of lots of other successful bids (large and small) including 1p less than £2,000 from this source.

"The returns on such pump-priming grants are fantastic and bring volunteers together to help their local community. I can only praise the enormous time and effort so many in our local area have put into improving their villages," said Gloria.

Tories Threaten to Cut PCSO Service in Somerset

When challenged by Somerset Lib Dems, Conservatives would not deny that they intend to make £129,000 cut the funding of Police Community Support Officers in Somerset next year.

"People in this area appreciate the work done by PCSOs in our communities, especially that done with young people and the elderly. People are worried that with the recession there will be more crime and anti-social behaviour. We all know that it is rural areas like mine where such cuts bite first," said Councillor Gloria Cawood

"If Somerset Tories are so strapped for cash, why are they proposing to spend a projected £300,000 just to support their new Tory Cabinet at County Hall. They are obviously intent on cutting vitally important front-line local services, such as PCSOs, just to make themselves feel more grand," said Gloria Cawood.

The new posts to be created by the Tories at Taunton include a Head of Cabinet office paid up to £60,000 as well as three Cabinet Advisors, a Cabinet Business Manager and an administrative assistant.

"Under Lib Dem control, Somerset was one of the most efficient Counties in the country without all this extra bureaucracy, but now the Tories want to cut local services to support their own Cabinet in Taunton," said Gloria.

"They are completely out of touch with reality," she added.

Skills Somerset

I helped launch the Skills Somerset exhibition at the Bath and West Showground. This is a careers show for young people considering what kind of work they might like to do once they leave school. The event was well supported by Somerset Secondary Schools.

There was a lot of choice - from a man who made his money from cake decorations, to jobs in racing, for scientists and builders to work with animals.

I was especially attracted to the latter, with my husband, Chris being a Vet. I was thrilled to hold a corn snake, called Billie Joe (aged 4 years old) and a wonderful hairy tarantula called Rosie (aged 23 years.) She was lovely to stroke! See the pictures below and see if you like them too!

Update on Land Bank Scheme at Dean

Concern about excavations - September

It has been established that five of the 209 plots for housing east of Dean, in Cranmore Parish, have been sold by a company based abroad. As a result of Councillor Gloria Cawood contacting Mendip District Council works on the site were stopped in August and the land ownership and use investigated.

"It appears that the works on the track are unrelated to the proposed housing development called Whiley Green," said Councillor Cawood. "The owner of this land has put in a planning permission to build the tracks, which will be greened over, to allow access to another paddock."I have now had more complaints that work has re-started this week." (September 18th.)

Mendip DC served a 21 day Stop Notice on the works on August 2nd., but the time is up and Mendip say that they are unable to serve a second notice."

"It is known that some unscrupulous companies, usually based outside the UK, are buying agricultural land and selling it as potential building plots. They admit that the land does not have planning permission, but point to the new Local Development Framework and Government policy, both encouraging the mass building of new houses on Greenfield sites in the future."

"They sell the plots at many times the price they paid for the land. District Council planners have said that there is no prospect of planning permission being granted on this site at Dean."

The prospectus gives details of 209 designated plots of land at Dean selling at between £10K and £18K each, depending on the size of house.

"Unfortunately, someone has already bought five of these plots and it seems that he is unlikely to get his money back. That means at least £50,000 down the drain. He is alerting others to the danger that they might lose money too."

"Hopefully, other investors will be put off now, said Gloria. "Evidence shows that this is can be a bad investment."

"Anyone considering investing in such a project should be very wary indeed. I would advise everyone to stay away from it as planning permission is very unlikely to be given."

END

NOTES:

1. Dean has approximately 30 houses currently, while the main village of Cranmore has around 100 houses.

2. The ploy is to persuade people that demand for housing is so high in the UK that it will be necessary to go into the Green Belt in the near future. This is not true - the main demand in the UK is for affordable housing, mainly close to urban centres.

3. The information provided by the company is flawed, e.g. the information talks of the land at Dean being close to the motorway known as the A37.

4. This land was originally advertised for sale for pony paddocks.

GLORIA CALLS FOR ACTION ON SPEEDING TRAFFIC

£46,000 has been set aside by Somerset County Council to be used across Mendip to cut speeding traffic.

"Speeding traffic in our villages accounts for a large number of the complaints I receive locally, said Gloria Cawood. "I was delighted that Somerset's Mendip Area Panel supported the bid. I will be working with my parishes to get more improvements for our area."

Gloria met Bev Norman of Somerset Highways to discuss problem areas, including the A361, which despite a number of safety improvements, still has a high rate of accidents, some of which have been fatal.

"Bev assured me that the A361 was a priority for Somerset and that plans for speed controls here were already under consideration. These are to be funded centrally, leaving the £46,000 for more local schemes in Mendip villages."

"Projects for our villages are now being looked at, said Gloria,"with the expectation that a speed visor for Mendip Road, Stoke St. Michael will be in place by October."

"I am pressing the County Council to complete more schemes in my Division. Many people are concerned about speeding traffic in our villages and I have particularly asked for some action for Kilmersdon and Wanstrow Parishes in this round."

GLORIA WELCOMES EARLY YEARS CENTRE FOR UPTON NOBLE

Official Opening of Upton Noble School

Upton Noble Early Years Centre was officially opened by Bishop Peter Morris on September 22nd. It will be know as The Tree House. Somerset County Council has invested £110,000 in the new centre, which has been open for business since June. The Centre is open 50 weeks a year from 8am to 6pm and includes facilities for breakfast, after-school and holiday child care. Gloria Cawood said, "I am thrilled that Upton Noble has been chosen as the site for one of the four new nurseries to be built in Somerset, as part of a £475,000 project funded by Somerset County Council." "Many people in my very rural division have told me how difficult it is to find high quality child care. This project ensures there are more much needed facilities for excellent child care and learning in our area."

TREE PLANTING CELEBRATION AT LEIGH-ON-MENDIP

Gloria Cawood presented a cheque of £1,000 from her Councillor's Community Budget towards Leigh's Recreation Field Activity Project. The occasion was a tree planting ceremony to celebrate Leigh-on-Mendip becoming Somerset's Village of the Year in the Calor competition.

Commenting on the award, Gloria Cawood said, "This was well-deserved, and wouldn't have been achieved without the hard work and enthusiasm of villagers. The project came out of real consultation and village involvement in the Parish Plan. it is the sort of thing that really makes a difference to village and community life."

The Community Activity Project has four aims :

- Develop a recyclying facility

- improve the children's play area

- refurbish the rec. building for increased community use

- increase youth facilities, including a youth shelter.

"I was especially thrilled to learn that the project had been working with Age Concern to open an Active Living Centre in Leigh-on-Mendip. This is one of only two such rural centres in the whole of Somerset and is a facility for older people for Leigh and the surrounding area."

Gloria Cawood said, " This was a well-deserved award and all involved are to be congratulated for their hard work in taking forward their Community Activity Project, with special thanks going to Graham and Caroline Harris,who have led this project so well."

Parish Lengthsman Chris starts work on September 1st

Four Parishes - Stratton-on-the Fosse, Kilmersdon, Stoke St Michael and Coleford have appointed their first Parish Lengthsman. They have had grants from Lib Dem run Somerset County Council amounting to £20,000 over the two year pilot scheme - £10,000 from Somerset Highways and £10,000 from Somerset's Area Panel for Mendip. Gloria Cawood has matched funding from the Parishes in her Division from her Somerset County Councillor's budget. The last Tory Somerset County Councillor for Coleford refused to give a penny. Tory run Mendip District Council did the same, even though some of the services the Parishes want to enhance are their responsibility.

Gloria Cawood said," The Lengthsman is a sort of odd job man for the parishes buying into the scheme. Liberal Democrats are keen to work with Parishes, who know best what extra needs doing in their area. We trust them to manage the funding for this pilot wisely for the benefit of the local people they represent. We've heard alot of talk from Tory District Councillors representing this area about how they support the scheme - but when it comes to coughing up the cash, they just don't want to know."

Lib Dem District Councillor for Coleford, Claire Fleming, is putting pressure on the new Tory County Councillor for Coleford to support the scheme through his County Councillor's Community Grant.

"During the May by-election he promised the Tory District Councillor for Coleford he would give £2,000 over two years towards the pilot scheme if elected. He's only just been elected - and he's already threatening to break that promise," Claire said.

"Gloria Cawood has worked hard on the pilot scheme and committed £2,600 over two years to help Stratton, Kilmersdon and Stoke St. Michael. It's bad news for Coleford if the new Tory County Councillor can't do the same as Gloria to help the people he represents."

Claire has pledged to fight for more funding for the scheme and has asked for a meeting with the new Tory Councillor to demand he keeps his promise to his supporters in Coleford to back the Parish Lengthsman pilot.

Disgust as Tory Mendip says 'NO' to Youth Moped Scheme.

The Moped scheme helps young people in rural area aged over 16 years old to access employment, training and education. Training to ride the moped is given and the bikes are loaned for up to 6 months.

Despite support from the Neighbourhood Forum, Mendip District Council has refused to consider funding for the Somerset Rural Youth Project Moped Loan Scheme. As one Parish Councillor said, "It is ridiculous and scandalous that Tory-run Mendip is the only District Council in Somerset not to contribution towards this excellent scheme." Luckily for the youth of Mendip, Somerset County Council does!

"This scheme has helped many young people in more rural parts of our area. It is hard to believe that Mendip can't support it when every other District in Somerset does," said Gloria Cawood.

Gloria Cawood - Working for Young People

Gloria Cawood has worked hard hard to support local youth in her area.

"There is now an active committee - and three years on, the youth club continues to thrive. This is a really good example of how young people can influence services in their own local communities."

Over the past three years Gloria Cawood has helped Stoke St. Michael, Nunney and Holcombe Youth Clubs with her County Councillor's Community Grant. This has helped fund equipment, a hip-hop dance\music and gig day and training for voluntary youth workers. Gloria stepped in again when funding to Mendip Community Transport used to take young people from surrounding villages to Holcombe Youth Club dried up.

"The young people of Stoke St. Michael approached me for help in re-opening their youth club. They gave out leaflets on the school bus and managed to get over thirty young people - and some adult helpers - to a meeting with the Somerset County Youth Service, held in the village hall."

"Lack of public transport is a big issue for young people in rural areas," Gloria said."Holcombe is one of the best voluntary Youth Clubs in the County. I am always delighted to do what I can to help."

Doulting School Winners at Somerset's Children's Parliament

Gloria attended the Children's Parliament, which is held every year in Shire Hall, the home of the county's law courts. Children from primary schools right across the county, put together a presentation on something that is important to them. When they finish, they have to answer 'on the spot' questions from the waiting children in the audience and also from a panel of judges.

Gloria later wrote to the school's headteacher to say how proud she was of the team from St. Aldhelm's who won the trophy for their excellent presentation on Global Warming. They were so good, but she was afraid that the judges might have forgotten just how good by the time they had heard all the other presentations, since they had to go first! The standard was very high indeed, so those involved; Alice, Rebecca, Chloe and Hayley, deserved the greatest praise.

Afterwards, Gloria spoke to David Heath MP to ask if he would entertain the winners to tea at the House of Commons. David answered that he would be delighted to do so. The school accepted the invitation to tea on the terrace with David.

It was a lovely day - and Gloria (who has the portfolio for education) could only repeat how proud she was of this school in her division.