Residents of Manu Marble Way contacted me after an unofficial cut-through appeared next to their houses. People were using it as a short cut through the Earls Park estate.
This obviously raised questions about security and worried the residents. I have been in touch with the MD of Matthew Homes. He agreed with me that this cut-through should not be there, and I am pleased to report that it is due to be sorted this week by gating off the pathway.
There is a scam going around at the moment which sends a text message like the above, claiming to give a link to apply for an energy discount.
This is clearly a scam as the £400 discount will be applied automatically – there is no need to apply for it. The texts, one of which I received, come from an unfamiliar number, whereas official NHS or government texts usually say so on the contact details.
My advice is to delete this text and never click on any unfamiliar links. The best source of trustworthy information is the government website.
If you think you’ve been the victim of a scam you can find information about what to do here.
A few weeks back one of the gates at the entrance to Tuffley Park was damaged and knocked off.
I was in touch with Asset Management at the council who confirmed they are dealing with the problem. I have urged them to repair and replace the gate.
Following the previous update, National Grid and its main contractor VHE are progressing well with work onsite on Bristol Road to remove materials associated with its former use as a gasworks.
As a reminder, in May/June 2021, National Grid undertook some initial routine site investigation works to assess the ground conditions. The findings from these works informed the planning application which Gloucester City Council approved earlier this year. This means that the unused land can be brought back into beneficial use.
At this stage in the remediation work, most of the materials associated with the site’s former use as a gasworks have been removed. This stage is expected to be completed over the next couple of weeks. The team will then reinstate the site to the original ground level. This is done by breaking up the hard materials onsite already to form compacted stone at an even level across the site. The photograph shows the concrete crusher onsite as this work starts.
The works started at the end of June and are now due for completion in October/November 2022.
The friends of Tuffley Park group on Facebook has been revived and some local projects are being planned.
This is what local resident Sarah put on the page:
Hi folks, I’m looking to kick start this group again! ? I’m a local resident and keen supporter of Tuffley Park looking to inject some community spirit, funding and events into the area. I’ll be working with our local councillors and businesses on improvement ideas such as:
?bench installations,
?flower beds / trees / insect hotels,
?accessible features,
?♀️gym equipment,
????community litter pick days,
?summer/autumn community fates,
?♂️park improvements,
?general welfare and improvement of our facilities using government funding.
?…and importantly… push forward local suggestions!! (Please post and suggest!!)
Please keep an eye out for updates and share with locals in the area ? Feel free to share local notices and events.
I want this page to be a place of positivity and community spirit, preserving and improving our local green space which is loved by many?
Have a lovely day!
Sarah
I am all for this and will be supporting the group as much as possible. We have already been speaking to other community partners about how we can work together.
If you would like to join the group on Facebook just search ‘Friends of Tuffley Park’.
After contact from a resident a few weeks ago I reported the overhanging tree at the Byron Avenue end of Scott Avenue to the council. A branch was overhanging the pavement and some other boughs looked loose.
Since then some of the material has come down and been cleared away but I have asked for the tree to be inspected to ensure it is safe. I understand that the council have appointed or are about to appoint a new tree officer. There are lots of tree maintenance and planting issues in Podsmead that I would like them to take a look at.
If you know of any tree issues in our area please let me know.
“On behalf of all councillors and staff of Gloucester City Council, and all the residents of the City of Gloucester, we would like to express how very sad we all are at the news of Her Majesty The Queen’s death. We send our sincere condolences to the Royal Family.
“Gloucester’s connection to the Royal Family is very special and historic, and Her Majesty visited the city a number of times during her reign. On each occasion her warmth toward the people of Gloucester, and vice versa, was clear and wholly felt.
“Her Majesty’s commitment to her role and to the people of the Commonwealth will be unrivalled in our lifetime. She was a tremendous ambassador for Britain and an example to everyone.
“We know people in Gloucester will want to pay their respects to a sovereign who has left an indelible mark on the fabric of our country. A book of condolence will be opened at the Museum of Gloucester, Brunswick Road and will be available through our website. For those unable to attend the Museum, a link to an e-book of condolence will be available on our website.
“As a mark of respect for Her Majesty the Queen, flags on all city council buildings are being flown at half mast.”
Details of the books of condolence and location for floral tributes can be found on the city council’s website www.gloucester.gov.uk.
We are currently reviewing planned formal council meetings and other corporate events scheduled during the official period of mourning.
Due to road closures bin collections on Friday will start at 5am. Please put out bins due to be collected, on Thursday evening to avoid missed collections.
The closures are to allow the Tour of Britain cycle race to take place. More information about the event and road closures are available here.
A couple of years ago the phone box on Podsmead Road was earmarked for removal. There were no objections that I was aware of and the police were quite keen for it be taken away, because it was often used for nuisance 999 calls, which by law they have to waste time and resources attending.
I wrote to BT and they told me that the box would be removed. Clearly, it is still there, although recently it was smashed up and the glass has still not been replaced.
Generally, in an emergency people have either got a mobile phone or could get to a nearby house with a phone. The usage figures on this, and to be honest most, call boxes were very low.
I will be contacting BT again and asking what the latest is. Either it needs to be removed, to prevent any more vandalism, or we keep it for its current purpose. Or we could turn it into something like a community library. Do let me know your views!
I was pleased to see the broken fence rail on Byron Avenue, which I had reported to Gloucester City Homes, has been fixed. My thanks to GCH for getting this work done.