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Annual Meeting 8 June 2013

A reminder that the annual NPN meeting is on
Saturday morning from
10 – 12
at the
Unitarian Chapel
Brunswick Square

see map

Last year, those attending particularly enjoyed hearing from other groups so this year we are inviting groups to bring us up to date with what they are doing.
The following projects will be on the agenda: any others are welcome

  • Westbury on Trym Society work to redefine their conservation area boundaries and character appraisal.
  • Westbury Park Community Association community plan.
  • The Trenchard Street project to improve the public realm.
  • BPAC Bristol Physical Action Chain, who want to help shape planning decisions.
  • Bedminster Town Team – a Portas pilot town and Business Improvement District
  • Healthy City Walkabouts – find out more
  • Old Market Quarter Neighbourhood Plan
  • Land Use Planning Toolkit

Please can you let me know if you are intending to come to this meeting so that we can ensure that the number of handouts / refreshments is sufficient.

Residents Parking Scheme response

I have been asked to circulate this to NPN groups by the Westbury Park CA.

Dear Neighbourhood Planning Group,
The Westbury Park Community Association recently submitted a formal complaint to Bristol City Council about the consultation on the proposed Residents’ Parking Scheme. We’d like you help to get the maximum benefit from this.

We need to make clear that we are not against some of the aims behind the scheme or the idea in principle. Our concern is the hopelessly inadequate consultation that is leading to a blanket, ‘one size fits all’ approach that may(?) help to make a more sustainable city centre but currently looks like doing so at the expense of sustainable neighbourhoods such as ours (we already have shops moving out) and maybe yours.

The complaint is here WCPA complaint.

If it is not dealt with successfully it then goes to the Local Government Ombudsman and perhaps then to Judicial Review. That could be extremely damaging for Bristol City Council not least because, as you will see, the consultation fails against every single national and local standard, so the outcome is a foregone conclusion. Most importantly, the Mayor can go on and on ignoring letters and petitions but formal complaints are an unavoidable legal process.

So, if you support what we are saying in the complaint, please let George Ferguson know(mayor@bristol.gov.uk) and tell your local councillor (they have all seen it). (And let us know too please. westburyparkca@gmail.com)

Also. please be aware that we will almost certainly be doing a major Press Release about it soon so wider support from you and others could help to put on further pressure for a proper process and, we hope, a more locally sensitive and appropriate set of proposals.

Thanks very much.

Jeff Bishop For the Westbury Park Community Association