I reported this knocked over street light last week and I’m pleased that the council attended the same day to remove it.
Hopefully it will be back in place soon once it’s been repaired.
If you notice any street signs or lights that are damaged please let me know.
There are a good number of trees in Podsmead especially at Tuffley Park and Tuffley Avenue, as well of course as at Oakland’s Park and other areas.
Working with The Club at Tuffley Park I have called for the council to sweep up and remove the leaves from outside the entrance to The Club.
I have written to Highways calling for action on the issues in Newark Road, Podsmead.
There is a loose kerb-stone, a pothole in the pavement and many large cracks in the road surface.
I would like to know when the cracks and pits in the road reach the threshold for action. Certainly the road does not appear to be on the schedule for resurfacing.
The Tories like to remind us of the sums they are investing in our roads. Sadly not much is finding its way to Gloucester.
Gloucester City Council will appoint Gloucestershire company Ubico to collect residents’ waste from April next year.
Ubico is co-owned by the other local Councils in Gloucestershire (plus West Oxfordshire) and will provide Gloucester with waste and recycling services, street and toilet cleaning, grounds and tree maintenance.
The contract will see Gloucester City Council also become a shareholder in the waste and recycling company which will allow it a greater say on service changes and improvements.
Cabinet members took the decision at this week’s cabinet meeting not to extend the contract with its current provider Urbaser who recently took over the contract from Amey.
It followed a report by independent auditors KPMG who looked at the proposals put forward by both Ubico and Urbaser and made recommendations about which services would provide best value for taxpayers money and a quality service.
The proposals include an offer by Ubico to improve response times to deal with waste issues, an emergency out of hours service and enhanced requirements for the cleaning of public highways.
The publicly owned company also pledges to work with the local community and help address antisocial behaviour through using targeted groundworks and street furniture which can reduce fly tipping and vandalism.
Other benefits of working with Ubico include its Ubico Academy initiative and approach to training and development by encouraging local employment and apprenticeships.
In addition, Ubico’s alternative fuel trials and desire to move towards greener technology is in line with Gloucester’s environmental policies.
The deal sees a £5 million investment for the purchase of new vehicles which would also benefit from advances in technology helping the city to reduce its carbon footprint.
At the end of January I reported the fly-tipping by the brook at Milton Avenue and in the hedge before the alleyway leading to Betjeman Close.
We have had a success in that the fly-tipping by the brook has been cleared, but as of this morning the rubbish is still there in the hedge.
I have chased up the council on this as we need to get this sorted now.
Litter and fly-tipping are a blight on our communities and Gloucester Liberal Democrats are campaigning on this issue.
Councillor Hodgkinson calls for a root and branch review into why Gloucestershire’s roads have lost their civic pride.
At next week’s Full County Council meeting, Councillor Paul Hodgkinson (Bourton and Northleach) will call for a review on why the County Council’s highways inspection team has lost their sense of civic pride, and why signs are left broken, illegible and worn out for years at a time.
Highways inspections are meant to take place monthly on A roads, and at regular intervals on other classes of roads. These inspections are meant to pick up potholes and other infrastructure issues, yet signs remain broken and road markings worn out for many months, even years before they are fixed – if ever.
The motion highlights the fact that councillors and residents often need to chase repeatedly for these repairs to be made.
Commenting on the motion, Cllr Hodgkinson, leader of Gloucestershire Liberal Democrats, said:
“Time and time again, residents call me to bemoan the appalling state of our county’s highways. Yet, it’s not just potholes that frustrate the public, but broken or obscured signage and worn away road markings.
“Highway inspections are supposed to identify and repair these issues, yet all too often they go unrepaired for many months, if not years, needing frequent chases from councillors.
“This is not only an issue for road safety, but drags down the area’s civic pride. This is why I’m calling for a root and branch review into why the Council’s highways inspectionteam is failing our residents.”
I called for the discarded barrier left on the roadside verge at Podsmead Place to be removed by the council.
I am pleased to report that this has now been done.
The resident who contacted me is delighted.
I am working hard for Podsmead reporting the issues that crop up, big or small. Please contact me if I can help with anything.
I have been in touch again with the council over the broken street signs at Empire Way. I reported these in the middle of last year but there have been delays due to Covid.
I have been told that the new street sign to replace the one pictured is in stock, but the team are awaiting an order of channel brackets.
When these are delivered, the street sign can be erected on location. I look forward to seeing it replaced, and have also asked about the others nearby.
If you know of any missing or damaged street signs in our area please let me know.
The Blackbridge sports hub project is progressing well now, and all final technical consultants have been engaged.
The planning consultants and those working f on the project are targeting April 2021 for submission of a planning application.
I have worked proactively with the planning consultants in my time as city councillor for Podsmead, and have asked questions about the project at both city and county council level.
I am very much looking forward to seeing the plans and being able to have an input on them.
This will be an important enhancement to the Podsmead community and bring health and environmental benefits for users and local residents.
Last year I reported to the council some broken street signs in the Centurion Industrial Estate in Podsmead.
Orders were placed for replacement signs in December, but as yet the new signs have not been installed.
I have chased all these signs up with the council after I was in the area dealing with a casework issue.
I also reported earlier this month the damaged sign outside Keyway, which looks like it’s been hit by a vehicle.
This has been added to my list for chasing up. The sign team have been especially busy recently, but they are onto it.
If you see a street sign that needs replacing or cleaning, please let me know.