After it was damaged last year, I met with a council officer to look at ways to restore the grass at Scott Avenue, and to preserve it in future.
We discussed options including railings and rocks. It looks like it will be too expensive for a cash-strapped council to implement any of these measures.
In the meantime, though, I am pleased to confirm that this grass will be re-seeded.
I went to check on a highways issue I had reported at Barron Way, off Bristol Road.
This is part of the Earls Park development.
The broken kerb stone above has now been fixed.
The new roads on the estate will be topped off once the development is complete. The developers tell me this will be in 9-12 months.
In times of heavy rain fall, blocked drains and gullies can cause additional flood risks, as any blockages place extra strain on the network.
In recent months I have reported many blocked drains as I see them, and several get reported to me.
This one in Newark Road has now been cleared. I work with the city and county council and local developers on flood issues in the ward. If you have spotted any blockages to drains, streams or rivers, please let me know.
Seymour Road is currently closed for works to install Cityfibre broadband, and will be again in February and March for resurfacing.
Please see below a message from Stagecoach about the bus diversions during this time.
Closure of Seymour Road
Diversion of Service 10
We’ve been advised that Seymour Road will be closed for two separate projects as follows:
18th January to 13th February 2021 (24/7) For fibre installations by City Fibre and
16th February 2021 to 1st March 2021 (not including weekends – 09:30 to 15:30) For resurfacing by Gloucestershire Highways.
During these closures, Service 10 will be diverting as follows:
The service towards Lower Tuffley will continue along Bristol Road instead of turning left at Kwik-Fit into Stroud Road. When it reaches the traffic lights at Lidl it will turn left into Tuffley Avenue. It will then rejoin the normal route by continuing along Tuffley Avenue and turning right into Podsmead Road.
The service towards Gloucester City Centre, Brockworth and Cheltenhamwill use the same diversion route in the opposite direction.
Service 10 will serve all of the bus stops on the diversion route.
We thank you for your understanding.
Having promised, in October 2020, to plant 35 million trees by 2030, Gloucestershire County Council today reached the unenviable milestone of falling one million trees behind its necessary schedule.
Having declared a Climate Emergency in 2019, the County Council finally acknowledged the critical importance of acting fast to dramatically reduce our county’s carbon footprint. Planting new trees across our county is one incredibly important measure which can slow climate change by sucking carbon dioxide from the air as they grow.
Last year, on 14 October, the Conservative Cabinet committed to planting 35 million trees by 2030. Gloucestershire Liberal Democrats wholeheartedly supported this challenging ambition, which would require 10,000 trees to be planted every day for ten years.
Since that commitment, however, the County Council has yet to oversee a single tree being planted in Gloucestershire, while also presiding over the chopping down of nearly 3,000 trees, with no replacements. On that basis, Gloucestershire County Council is now already one million trees behind target.
Commenting on the milestone, Cllr Paul Hodgkinson, leader of Gloucestershire Liberal Democrats said:
“This Conservative Council loves to write press releases about its green credentials, but when it comes to fulfilling their promises they consistently fall short.
“Tree planting in Gloucestershire is going to be critical if we are to meet our climate commitments. This is why I have consistently sought reassurances that we are on target since the promise was made last October. Unfortunately, they have let us all down once again, and now an incredibly challenging target has become even more difficult to hit.
“Gloucestershire deserves better than warm words and unfulfilled promises. Gloucestershire residents deserve an administration that would make the tree planting pledge a reality.”
During lockdown, people are rightly trying to get their daily exercise and this includes dog walking.
As the days are dark early, it is sometimes hard to see the mess that pets leave when out on their walks.
My Lib Dem colleague Cllr David Brown has asked the following written question on this issue.
I have also raised this matter with council officers. The council has a part to play and so do dog walkers. We all need to be able to use our parks and open spaces safely.
First published on Facebook
A resident contacted me concerned about the lack of working streetlights in the Bristol Road area of the Earls Park development.
They also asked about the poor road surface and whether it could be improved.
Even though the development is not yet complete, all occupied houses should have working streetlights.
The developer have told me that the road surface will be topped off when the development is completed, in approximately 9-12 months.
I have raised the lack of operational streetlights with the developer, and asked that the lampposts which are already installed are made to work.
Streetlights and good road surfaces are integral parts of a safe neighbourhood, and I will continue to press for these on behalf of Podsmead residents.
Update for 16.1.21
I am pleased to report that the developer have agreed to check the streetlights on 18.1.21, with a view to activating any that are not working. They will also see what can be done about the worst potholes and defects as an interim measure before resurfacing can take place at the end of the development.
A message from Teresa Dellbridge
We’re all going through difficult times. For each of us this situation is personal, and the parts of our lives that are already challenging may become harder. If you’re already anxious, depressed, stressed or panicky, these feelings can be made much worse.
At the same time you may feel that it’s more difficult to get help, with clinics and therapy centres closed. However, help is, in fact, easy to find and can be reached from your home at a time that works for you, whatever your schedule.
I’m offering counselling and hypnotherapy by FaceTime or Zoom, at times that can fit in with you.
Hypnotherapy can work very well, as long as you have a quiet, comfortable space. You will receive your own, personal hypnotherapy/guided meditation recording, emailed to you after the session, for you to play whenever you wish. This is extremely beneficial for relaxation and optimism.
Whatever you’re going through, however hard the issues seem, talking helps. Please call me initially, or text on 07833752173. Also email teresadellbridge@gmail.com You can check out my websiteteresadellbridgewellbeing.co.uk. We can talk about how you’re feeling and find a positive way forward.
Officers responded after reports drugs were being sold to children
Police have seized several bags of cannabis and other drug-related paraphernalia after discovering a grow at a premises in Stratford Close, Gloucester, on Wednesday (13 January).
Officers had received a report that same day that a tenant had been selling the drugs to children in the local community.
The Local Policing team obtained an out of hours drugs warrant and attended and discovered several bags of cannabis along with growing equipment and scales.
No-one was there when police arrived but the suspect has been identified and the investigation is ongoing.
The find was dismantled after it was made safe by electricians.
Local Policing Inspector Si Motala said: “This clearly demonstrates that we take community concerns very seriously, particularly here where the drug dealing has been aimed at vulnerable and young people.”
Anyone with information about this is asked to contact police using our website, quoting incident 240 of 13 January: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/contact/af/contact-us/us/a-crime-that-has-already-been-reported/. You can also call police on 101.
If you believe drug activity is taking place you can report this to police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111.
I am adamant that we need to remove this problem from our communities, and I will work with the police to help them do this in Podsmead.
Thieves suspected of targeting bicycles
Police in Gloucester are warning residents to be vigilant after reports that thieves are breaking into sheds and garages to steal bicycles.
Officers believe that communal bike sheds and the lobbies of flats are also being targeted.
There have been a number of reports of burglaries and attempted burglaries in the city since the start of the year. Officers believe that the thieves are specifically looking for pedal bikes.
Two adult bicycles were reported stolen from a shed at a property in Riversley Road on Friday 8 January.
A bike was also reported taken from a shed at a property in Rosebery Avenue on Saturday 9January.
There have also been reports of locks being broken and sheds searched in Elmbridge Road and Linden Road, although nothing was believed to have been taken.
Inspector Emma MacDonald said: “We have seen a growing number of incidents of sheds and garages being broken into and bikes being stolen. Given that other items are being left, it is clear that bicycles are being targeted.
“Criminals are often opportunistic and will target locations where they can offend whilst going unnoticed. We want to remind people to ensure that their homes and sheds/garages are locked when unattended and to remove any valuable items.”
Homeowners are advised to install a ‘WIDE’ combination of security devices as well ensuring that back gates are secure. Advice on how to protect your shed, garage and outhouse can be found here: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/non-residential-burglary/secure-shed-garage/
Anyone who believes they have been the victim of a shed/garage break in that hasn’t already reported this can do so by calling 101 or using our online submission form: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/
Did you know you can report information anonymously through the independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers? Reporting is completely anonymous and you may be eligible for a reward of up to £1000.
You can call 0800 555 111 or report information online. More information can be found here: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously