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.

Pre inspection consultation on Royal United Hospital

The Care Quality commision have an open invitation to meet their CQC inspectors and share your experience of the services and care provided by the Royal United Hospital Trust in the last 12 months:

These are at

11am – 1pm, Tuesday 1 March 2016 at Trowbridge Library

11am – 1pm, Wednesday 2nd March 2016 at Bath Central Library and

11am -1pm, Waitrose, near the café area, 19 The Podium, Bath

I am sure that they would look forward to seeing many local residents with good or bad experiences at one of these events. 

The Care Quality Commision are soon to carry out an inspection of the RUH and the information that you give would be useful in their assessment of how the trust is performing.

Bath Magistrates Court to be retained as a result of Public Response

It is good news that Bath Magistrates court is to remain open and that the government has agreed that the public are right n the massive response that they gave to the public consultation.

The Lord Chancellor has agreed to retain the Courts after weighing up evidence received during a public consultation.

Evidence was submitted to the Ministry of Justice by Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Community Transport and Environmental Panel, following a Scrutiny Inquiry last September. 

The Inquiry heard evidence from members of the community and many professionals on the key issues and concerns raised by the proposal 

to close Bath Magistrates, County Court and Family Court or North Avon (Yate) Magistrates Court, with the transfer of the workload to Bristol Magistrates Court.  Both the positive and negative impacts were then reported back to the Lord Chancellor’s Office.

Having reviewed all the responses received during the consultation process,

the Lord Chancellor has recently agreed to close 10 courts and tribunals in the South West region, with Bath being the only site to be retained.

Though there was an acceptance that alternative provision might be possible, the responses confirmed the facilities currently available in Bath are of an excellent standard and could in fact be used to better effect by taking work from other courts that may close following this consultation.

Budget vote will mean residents pay more and get less

B&NES Councillors met this evening to discuss the Council budget for the 2016-17 financial year. The budget includes £12M of spending reductions as well as a 3.25% hike in the level of Council Tax residents will be expected to pay. This comes on top of already announced hikes in the precepts charged by the Fire Service, the Police and Crime Commissioner and Parish Councils.

Finance spokesperson for the Lib Dems, Councillor Andy Furse (Kingsmead) commented:

“We are unable to support this budget, which asks residents to pay more and get less. After a five year freeze, residents are being asked to pay 3.25% more Council Tax as well as increases to other precepts. In return, they can expect to see services cut in many departments, with more and more cuts to come.”

“The Conservatives have said they will deliver a balanced budget, but they cannot yet tell us exactly how this will be accomplished. Very little detail has been provided about some of the biggest savings the Conservatives are hoping to achieve. A large proportion of these rely on departmental reviews, which have not yet taken place, and business plans to boost income, which have not yet been developed. Others rely on accounting manipulations.”

“Without these details, Councillors have little chance to assess whether the targets are realistic or whether they will result in further, unacceptable cuts to public services. Some cuts which have already been announced do give cause for concern.” 

“Large sums are being taken out of health budgets for example. These seem to be mainly in preventative services, such as helping smokers quit, and programmes such as support for sexual health and substance misusers. Sirona and Curo are expected to deliver yet more savings.”

“In 2015, the Lib Dems allocated an extra £2.2M for highways maintenance, over and above the government grant, to help address the backlog in repairs. The Conservatives have reduced this pothole fund by £1.7M and have not revealed how the £500,000 which remains will be allocated. Inevitably, fewer potholes will be filled, fewer footpaths resurfaced and fewer roads rebuilt.”

“This is also a disappointing budget for the arts and heritage, with cuts lined up for Arts Development and Events grants, the music service, and destination management. These will come on top of planned, significant increases to entry fees for Council-run museums such as the Roman Baths, leading to the inevitable question – are we at risk of over exploitation of the visitor economy?”

Join the drive and register to vote today

Bath & North East Somerset Council wants to encourage anyone not yet registered to vote, to take advantage of National Voter Registration Drive next week (1 to 7 February 2016) and go online now to register. The good news is that it only takes a few minutes to register online atwww.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

On Thursday 10 March 2016 voters in Bath and North East Somerset will go to the polls to vote on a referendum to decide whether Bath & North East Somerset Council should have a directly elected Mayor and Cabinet or whether it should keep the current system of Leader and Cabinet.

Later in the year, on Thursday 5 May 2016, voters will go to the polls to elect a Police and Crime Commissioner for the Avon and Somerset Police Area. 

Anyone who isn’t registered to vote won’t be able to take part and have their say. National Voter Registration Drive exists because it’s important that anyone who’s eligible, but has not yet registered to vote, does so. It’s a chance to join the thousands of people across the UK being encouraged to register next week.

Dr Jo Farrar, Chief Executive and Electoral Registration Officer, for Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “Anyone not yet registered to vote should do so as soon as possible so they can have their say on issues that affect their day-to-day lives. I’d urge people living in Bath and North East Somerset to use National Voter Registration Drive to spread the message amongst family and friends that it only takes a few minutes to register online.”

Going online is the quickest and easiest way to ensure that you’re registered to vote, but you can also request a form  to be posted to you by calling 01225 477333.