If you have a few minutes…

A few things have crossed our desks this week.

This Sunday’s litter and weed clear up session is postponed

We have reluctantly decided to postpone our cleanup on Sunday (17th) due to the current Covid lockdown.  We will reschedule as soon as restrictions ease. In the mean time, council bags are still available from me for anyone who feels like embarking on a little private enterprise around their own homes – many thanks to everyone who has already asked me for a few. They can be filled with litter, weeds and rotting leaves without sorting, and left beside any of the black litter bins. The council refuse collectors will pick up the bags when the bins are emptied.
Julie Platt 07950 462285; [email protected]

City centre anti-terrorist security and the public realm consultation

Improving security but not cutting off city centre. That’s the aim of proposals to strengthen and improve on-street safety within Bath’s busiest streets.

The council has been working closely with the police on plans to further strengthen city centre access restrictions and install new purpose-designed street furniture which will provide permanent enhanced safety for people in areas of high footfall. 

The proposed scheme combines;

• Further vehicle access restrictions, 24 x 7, for the city centre’s most crowded streets
• Strengthened secure vehicle access points controlled by the Council’s CCTV control room
• New purpose-designed reinforced static and sliding protective bollards and furniture.

You can view the details of the proposed city centre security improvements and provide feedback online at www.bathnes.gov.uk/citycentresecurityconsultation. You’ll need a good twenty minutes to read the 16 page proposal and complete the eight questions.

I’ve done it for myself and came away thinking “what’s the point? Trying to weigh up:

• an unquantifiable risk of a vehicle-based act of terrorism, on the one hand,

and on the other, both:

• no inconvenience to me, as an able walker through the city
• but a consequently higher risk of a knife attack, or rucksack bomb by a lone terrorist
• and the sight of more mixed up street furniture and paraphernalia.”

Very keen to hear of others’ thoughts, especially if it makes me less sceptical! Happy then to pass on any consensus to the council.

First CRA Committee Meeting of the new year

In the light of Covid, the main projects will be reviewed on 28th January. These are:

1. Liveable Neighbourhoods, for which quite a lot of outreach into neighbouring communities has been happening and the immediate next steps
2. The future of ‘Camden Lawn’ – the area in front of Camden Crescent
3. Making Camden more presentable to those who live and travel along it, including keeping a look out for snow at the moment
4. Looking after each other in these isolating times.

Do please feel free to feedback to the Committee on these priorities, as a comment to this blogpost.