A new way of making decisions is about to start in south Bath. 

Bath & North East Somerset Council’s first ever Area Committee will hold its inaugural meeting next week. 

Known as the Bath South Local Committee, the Committee of local councillors will have a wide role.  One of its first tasks will be to agree how it will spend the £50,000 highways budget previously allocated for the local area, on projects such as pedestrian crossings, street lighting and footway improvements.

One option open to the Committee will be to invite ideas from local people.

The Committee will also make decisions on local planning applications, within the context of local policies.

An important part of its work will be to engage with local people about the needs of the local area.  This will include receiving presentations from local groups about their work.

The Committee will cover the wards of Combe Down, Lyncombe; Odd Down, Oldfield,  Southdown, Twerton and Westmoreland. Only local councillors for those wards will serve on the Committee.

Cllr Shaun McGall, Oldfield Ward Councillor and one of the local members serving on the new body said  “This is an exciting innovation for the Council. For the first time, local councillors will have the power to make decisions that directly affect their own constituents”

He added “We wish to develop an open style of meeting where local people and local groups have plenty of opportunity to contribute and share their views.  One of our main aims is to work with local people to get the best possible deal for the Bath South area both in terms of Council services and support from other providers.”

The first meeting will be held on Tuesday June 15 at 6:30 pm in Moorlands Junior School, Chantry Mead Road, Oldfield Park when a chair of the Area Committee will be selected.

Note for Editors:

The members of the Bath South Local Committee are: Sharon Ball, Tim Ball; David Bellotti; Paul Crossley, Gerry Curran, Ruth Griffiths; Lynda Hedges, Steve Hedges; Shaun McGall, Marian McNeir; Nigel Roberts; Dine Romero; Roger Symonds and Leila Wishart.

Meetings will be held monthly in venues around the Bath South area.

For comment please contact:

Councillor Paul Crossley, Leader of the Council. Tel: (01225) 477496 Mob: 07980 998802

For more information contact: Graham Russell, Democratic Services manager. Tel; (01225) 394456.

 

issued by

Julia Dean

Communications & Marketing

Bath & North East Somerset

Guildhall

Bath BA1 5AW

 

Tel: 01225 477827

Fax: 01225 477499

email: julia_dean@bathnes.gov.uk