Bath landlord fined £1,000 for failing to licence a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO)

A Bath landlord has been ordered to pay a total of £2,600 for illegally operating a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) following a successful prosecution by Bath & North East Somerset Council.

The landlord pleaded guilty to failing to licence a licensable HMO under the Council’s Additional Licensing scheme, which is enforced by the Housing Act 2004, and was ordered to pay a £1,000 fine, £1,500 costs and a £100 victim surcharge by Bath Magistrates Court on Monday, April 26.

The Council brought forward the prosecution after inspectors discovered that the HMO property was operating without a licence and had fire safety issues, including a defective fire alarm system and a dangerous layout with key locks on bedroom doors which could prevent a quick escape during a fire. The property is now licenced and remedial works have been carried out to bring the property up to current safety standards.

The Additional Licensing Scheme was brought in to improve the condition and management of HMOs and protect tenants by making homes safe and healthy places to live and we will not take any non-compliance lightly. The Council will always try to work in partnership with landlords and agents to improve housing standards and in the majority of cases landlords work hard to comply, but where there are clear breaches of legislation the Council will take strong enforcement action in order to safeguard tenants. We want to ensure that those living in HMOs, as well as those living in the local neighbourhood, can enjoy a good quality of life.”

Since the Council introduced the Additional Licensing scheme in Bath and North East Somerset in January 2014, 15 cautions have also been issued to landlords for failing to licence properties, including five since January 2016. 

The Council’s Additional Licensing Scheme under the Housing Act 2004 specifies that landlords within the designated HMO area must apply for a licence if they want to operate an HMO, which helps to ensure that occupants are living in safe and well managed properties. The designated area covers the Council’s electoral Wards of Oldfield and Westmoreland, a large part of Widcombe and small sections of the adjoining Wards of Bathwick, Lyncombe, Southdown and Twerton. 

A review is to be undertaken this year by the Council to look at the standard and condition of HMOs in the area and how the Council can better manage the growth of HMOs. As part of the review, the Council will be encouraging people to have their say and come forward with their views. Further details of how you can get involved will be announced in due course.

For more information on HMOs in the area, visit: www.bathnes.gov.uk/hmos.

Placemaking plan and metro Mayor

Bath & North East Somerset Council has submitted its placemaking plan for examination by a government inspector.

The placemaking plan is the addition to the councils core strategy and when adopted finalises it into a full local plan that gives clear guidance to developers and housing numbers that the council agrees are needed for the next 15 years.

The link to the plan can be found here http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/placemakingplan

The plan should be robust and be of comfort to many local residents, however the council has a duty to co-operate  with other local councils and this means the development of a spacial strategy with the other four former councils that used to be Avon means additional housing may be needed to meet Bristol's failure to deliver.

The above is another reason that we do not need a Metro Mayor imposed on our area that could dictate where housing that this area does not need would be built just to meet Bristol'sneeds.

The creation of dormitory towns is not an acceptable solution to meet Bristol's failures. Four years of an elected Mayor in Bristol have seen woeful delivery of affordable housing in that area, whereas Bath & North East Somerset under the Liberal Democrats until 2015 saw 4 years of record breaking delivery.

Police Commisioner elections

Information has been released today to help voters to choose a Police and Crime Commissioner for the Avon and Somerset Police Area.

On Thursday 5 May 2016, voters across the Avon and Somerset Police area will go to the polls to elect a Police and Crime Commissioner.

Details about the following candidates have been published today athttps://www.choosemypcc.org.uk/area/avon-somerset:

Kerry Barker, Labour Party

Chris Briton, Green Party

Paul Crossley, Liberal Democrats

Aaron Warren Foot, UK Independence Party (UKIP)

Sue Mountstevens, Independent

Kevin Stewart Phillips, Independent

Mark Weston, The Conservative Party Candidate

More information on the election is available on the Avon and Somerset PCC Election 2016 website www.avonpccelection2016.org.uk.

You can vote at the election if you are registered to vote, are 18 or over on 5 May 2016 and are a British citizen, a European Union citizen or a qualifying Commonwealth citizen.

Poll cards with details of the PCC election and the location of polling stations will be posted to all registered electors during April.

If you are not yet registered at your current address, you can do it online atwww.avonpccelection2016.org.uk/register-to-vote. Those who would prefer to register using a paper form, can request one by calling the Electoral Services Helpline on 01225 477333.

The deadline to register to vote in time for the PCC election is midnight on Monday 18 April 2016.

If you can’t go to the polling station on Thursday 5 May, then if you have registered by 18 April you can apply to vote by post or you can appoint a proxy to vote on your behalf. The deadline for postal vote applications is on 5pm on Tuesday 19 April 2016, while the deadline for proxy vote applications is 5pm on Tuesday 26 April 2016.

Dr Jo Farrar, the Avon and Somerset Police Area Returning Officer, said: “Time is running out to make sure you can take part in these elections, so I’d encourage everyone across the Avon and Somerset Police Area to register now if you have not done so already. Our message is simple: you can’t vote, if you are not registered by the 18^th April deadline.  It’s easy and only takes a few minutes online – just head towww.avonpccelection2016.org.uk/register-to-vote.”

Registering now for the elections in May will also mean voters are registered in good time before the referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union on Thursday 23 June 2016.

Metro Mayor for Bathnes and former Avon area

Only weeks after residents have rejected a Mayor for Bath & North East Somerset Council we find that the Conservative leader of Bath and North East Somerset council has signed a draft agreement with the other 3 leaders of the Former Avon area for a Metro Mayor.

In an agreement with the Conservative government it seems that the creation of Avon but this time with only one person in charge is being set up with little input from local councils that can be overullued.

Residents will be horrified to find the vast powers that are Being handed to a Metro Mayor that undermine the fabric of local decision making particularly in the areas of planning transport and economic growth.

This so called devolution will have serious implications on house building and where houses can be built in our area, we could find ourselves on the wrong end of having to be a dormitory area for Bristol and having many thousands of houses having to be built in vulnerable areas just to meet Bristols needs on top of our own.

The document is below if like me you have concerns then write to you local Councillor and MP letting them know what you think. A link to councillors contact details is also below.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/508112/160315_West_of_England_Devolution_Agreement_Draft_-_FINAL.pdf

https://democracy.bathnes.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?bcr=1

http://www.jacobreesmogg.com/

http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/ben-howlett/4445

Get ready for the PCC election – make sure you’re registered to vote

Today (Wednesday 30 March) Dr Jo Farrar, the Avon and Somerset Police Area Returning Officer, has published the Notice of Election to inform residents that on Thursday 5 May 2016, voters across the Avon and Somerset Police area will go to the polls to elect a Police and Crime Commissioner.

You can vote at the election if you are registered to vote, are 18 or over on 5 May 2016 and are a British citizen, a European Union citizen or a qualifying Commonwealth citizen.

Poll cards with details of the PCC election and the location of polling stations will be posted to all registered electors during April.

If you are not yet registered at your current address, you can do it online atwww.avonpccelection2016.org.uk/register-to-vote. Those who would prefer to register using a paper form, can download a registration form from the online registration site or alternatively can request one by calling the Electoral Services Helpline on 01225 477333. 

The deadline to register to vote in time for the PCC election is midnight on Monday 18 April 2016.

If you can’t go to the polling station on Thursday 5 May, then if you have registered by 18 April you can apply to vote by post or you can appoint a proxy to vote on your behalf. The deadline for postal vote applications is on 5pm on Tuesday 19 April 2016, while the deadline for proxy vote applications is 5pm on Tuesday 26 April 2016.

Dr Jo Farrar, Electoral Registration Officer for Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “Time is running out to make sure you can take part in these elections, so I’d encourage everyone in Bath and North East Somerset to register now if you have not done so already. Our message is simple: you can’t vote, if you are not registered by the 18^th April deadline.  It’s easy and only takes a few minutes online – just head towww.avonpccelection2016.org.uk/register-to-vote.”

Registering now for the elections in May will also mean voters are registered in good time before the referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union on Thursday 23 June2016.

Could you be a Police and Crime Commissioner?

Are you interested in standing as a PCC candidate? Information and advice, including the forms you need to complete and a timetable of events, can be found on the PCC 2016 election website www.avonpccelection2016.org.uk/standing-as-a-candidate. 

Nomination papers must be delivered to the office of the Police Area Returning Officer at the Guildhall, High Street, Bath, BA1 5AW, between 10am and 4pm on any working day from Thursday 31 March and no later than 4pm on Thursday 7 April 2016.

Bath museums to host science and Easter events

A variety of family fun activities are taking place at the Roman Baths, Fashion Museum and Victoria Art Gallery in Bath this month and during Easter.

The attractions are hosting Easter themed activities in the first week of April, and the Roman Baths is also celebrating British Science Week with special events in March.

All activities are included in the admission price, which is free for residents in Bath and North East Somerset with a Discovery Card.

Children must be accompanied by an adult for all events.

British Science Week events at the Roman Baths:

Science Busking at the Roman Baths

Find out more about the science behind the Roman Baths, including how the water is heated, aqueducts, hypocaust heating systems, bones, coins and ancient perceptions of the benefits of water.

Saturday 12 March 2016

2pm - 5pm

Hands on Science

There will be handling tables by the Roman Baths with a different topic each day:

Monday, 14 March – human bones found

Tuesday, 15 March – coins found

Wednesday, 16 March – aqueducts

Thursday, 17 March – hypocaust heating systems

Friday, 18 March – glass

10am - 1pm & 2pm - 4pm each day

Easter events:

Romans – Healthy and Happy?

Find out what the Romans did to keep well.

Roman Baths
Monday, 4 April

10am-1pm and 2pm-4pm

Fruity Fun

Invent an enlarged fruit design, for example for a hat, dress, jacket or shirt.

Fashion Museum
Tuesday, 5 April

10.30am – 12.30pm & 1.30pm - 3.30pm

Spring Sunshine

Create some spring flowers and make a spring flower collage. Suitable for 3 - 6 year olds.

Victoria Art Gallery
Wednesday, 6 April

10am - 11am & 11.30am - 12.30pm

Poster Points

Create artistic posters using images and words. Suitable for 5 - 11 year olds.

Victoria Art Gallery
Friday, 8 April 10am - 11am & 11.30am - 12.30pm

For more information visit the attractions’ websites:

www.romanbaths.co.uk

www.fashionmuseum.co.uk

www.victoriagal.org.uk

It's nearly time to say NO to a MAYOR for BANES

It is nearly decision time about how we want BathNES Council to be run. The Mayoral Referendum will be held on the 10^th March. If you are a postal voter you will have already received your ballot papers.

Lib Dems, Labour, Tories and Greens have all campaigned against having an elected Mayor. First and foremost we think it concentrates too much power in the hands of one person. Elected ward councillors will have very little say, pet projects of the mayor will get priority, vulnerable groups will be neglected and important local issues might be ignored. It also costs a lot more money.

However the outcome of the referendum is not a foregone conclusion. So please make sure you use your vote in the referendum on 10^th March to throw out this pointless and costly proposal to change our current system.