June/July Town Council Meeting Notes

Some main points raised at Town council June/July 2010

1) CORE STRATEGY:

Town Councillors recently submitted comments on the “Core Strategy” which sets out development plans to the year 2026

The Core Stategy document proposes a 1,700 dwelling housing development to the South West of the Filton runway. ie the area on the Patchway side of Cribbs Causeway Road from the ex Harry Ramsdons roundabout to Brentry Roundabout.

The Town Council expressed concern whether the proposals included sufficient new employment land.

Also, existing employment land between Asda and the Patchway is not fully safeguarded, and Housebuilders will certainly seek to place even more dwelling on this area

2) RODWAY ROAD COMMUNITY CENTRE - POSSIBLE REBUILD:

Patchway Community Centre Trustees excluded from consultation... are very unhappy.

Discussion over the possible rebuilding of Rodway road Community centre has been heated!

Two Independent Town Councillors told Community Centre Trustees, (management Committee), about an "off the record" meeting between (Town Councillors) and (South Glos Council). This meeting concerned the rebuilding of the Rodway Road Community Centre assisted by Bovis funding.

The Community Centre Trustees were astounded to find they had not been invited to attend or consulted in any way.

The affair soon became public as all Trustees and some members of the Patchway Community Association attended the July Town Council meeting with a solicitor drafted letter listing a a series of demands for information.

Another unpublicised meeting took place on 21st July between (four Town Councillors + the Town Clerk) and (South Glos Council); and here it was decided decided to delay any decision until July 2011.

Significantly, neither Trustees nor other of the thirteen Town councillors (who are joint landlords) were invited to attend this second meeting. This raises serious questions as to the correctness of the decision making process.

If the community Centre is rebuilt, then the replacement building must be better and must include a sprung dance floor of the same area as the original. Price estimates would likely be in the range between 4.5 – 9 million pounds

The Town Council could borrow half a million pounds only

... leaving the remaining 4 - 9 million to be picked up by Bovis and South Glos Council possibly using the Central Govt incentive, (announced on 10/8/10) to grant the equivalent of six years of Couucil Tax money for every new dwelling built.

ie South glos Council might expect to receive £8,000, 000 per thousand new homes built.