North Somerset Council (NSC) live stream their meetings on their YouTube Channel, which are also accessible to the public after the meeting here. Records of NSC meeting agendas, reports and minutes are publicly available to view on their website here.

It is interesting to note how the different levels of government allow public access to meetings and associated information during COVID19 restrictions. For instance,

• Bleadon Parish Council (BPC) has so far declined access to their public Zoom audio and/or video recordings since they started in June last year. Conversely, Brent Knoll parish council publishes its physical village hall and virtual Zoom recordings on Youtube.

• In January 2021 BPC were enthusiastic about publishing their meetings, to be seen to be open and transparent, but by the next meeting BPC minuted, " To resolve that the Council will only record the virtual meetings as a draft to the minutes and once they are approved at the next meeting the recording will be destroyed." (Min 370.7.2).

• BPC currently doesn't generally publish its reports and appendices prior, during or after its meetings. Conversely Brent Knoll use the zoom document sharing facility during their meetings, so that residents can understand what is being publicly discussed.

• BPC has also stopped its public Finance, Planning and Open Spaces open sub-committees, preferring instead to create closed, undocumented working groups, Conversely, neighbouring Locking Parish Council continue to publicly hold and publish their sub-committee meetings,

• BPC created a closed undocumented Budget/Finance working group. Conversely, Locking PC have a Finance Committee that discussed a 'Five Year Financial Strategic Plan' and an 'Investment Strategy for Parish Council Reserves'.

Why the lack of openness and transparency in BPC discussions and decision making, especially with regards to financial matters? Why do residents have the least information about parish councillors government in our community?

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See also:

• Parliamentary broadcasts, and associated Hansard transcripts

• Related Blogs

The Overview (PDF), Executive Summary (PDF) and Strategy (PDF) and Questionnaire (PDF) can be found online. North Somerset Council states:

"The green infrastructure strategy will impact all aspects of life in North Somerset ... and will cover the period 2021-2031" ... so why wasn't this consultation on any Bleadon Parish Council agenda to publicly discuss how it will affect our rural community?

 

The strategy makes reference to agriculture, soil, crops, food production and food security.

Some Maps, 59 Projects and some GI Datasets from the proposed strategy.

"Green infrastructure is a technical term that [NSC] use as shorthand to describe how [NSC] look after ... parks, beaches, green spaces, wildlife, countryside, public rights of way and waterways .."

NSC "... want to understand whether the ambition of the strategy, its content, aims and objectives are right and, if not, what we might be missing," via its very short Questionnaire (PDF)

How does this strategy fit with NSC's unconfirmed ‘Rural Lanes Active Travel Enhancement Scheme', road closures and its Active Travel Strategy?

The strategy "... also draws support from the West of England Joint Green Infrastructure Strategy (JGIS) (2020-2030) [and Action Plan (2020-23)] and feeds into the North Somerset Local plan (2023-2038) (blog). 

 

Also, NSC state that, "The NPPF requires local authorities to set out a strategic approach to green infrastructure in their Local Plans."

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See also:

• Current Development Affecting Bleadon
•  
• Agenda 2021/30 & Great Reset

Development Applications

in and around Bleadon

Settlement Boundary	2018 SHLAA	Parish Boundary

 

The table below lists a few applications and developments currently influencing Bleadon Parish. There are also some policies and consultations influencing development in Bleadon.  . 

 

 

Inside Settlement Boundary (Map)
	Wallflower House	3 Dwellings WITHDRAWN (18MAR21)
	Rectory Garden	2 New Houses WITHDRAWN (02MAR21)
	Bleadon Quarry	42 Dwelling - 189 Occupancy  GRANTED (01MAR21)
Outside Settlement Boundary, Inside Parish (Map)
	Purn Holiday Park	10 Lodges
	Coronation Road	5 New Dwellings 2 New Dwellings (Previiously 3 dwellings)
	Wayacre Drove (off Accommodation Rd)	50 Caravan Pitches WITHDRAWN (01FEB21)
	Purn Way	14 Dwellings Appeal DISMISSED (14JAN21)
	Adjacent to Mendip Racing	4 Holiday Lodges GRANTED (10DEC20)
	Accommodation Road	Wake Park Offices, Cafe, Storage GRANTED (27NOV20)
Outside Parish Boundary (Map)
	Rural Lanes Active Travel Enhancement Scheme	NSC Rural Roads Closures Temporarily WITHDRAWN
	Devil's Bridge	60 Dwellings GRANTED (22JUL19)
	Bleadon Hill	36 Dwellings REFUSED (08JAN21)
Overhead and Underground
	Bristol Airport Expansion	Appeal Statement of Common Ground/Case Rule 6 awarded Compulsory Purchase
	Bleadon Fracking Licence	Roman Road SUSPENDED (02NOV19)

 

Government, Regional, District and Parish consultations and policies will directly influence residential and commercial development in Bleadon. You may want to respond to the consultations to ensure that your view is considered in the future of our communities.

Also see:

• BOB Current Developments page

• Bleadon Developments Mar 2021
• Bleadon Developments Feb 2021
• Bleadon Developments Jan 2021
• Bleadon Developments Dec 2020
• Bleadon Developments Nov 2020

Enlarged image

UPDATE 07APR21 - NSC withdraw TRO pending new drafting and consultation, stating, '... on this occasion, we’ve not provided the necessary information or context in advance of notices going up." (PDF)

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As the government starts to lift lockdown North Somerset Council starts to restrict freedom of movement, by turning public rural roads into restricted, access only areas.

North Somerset Council (NSC) proposes to ban motor vehicles (with exemptions) from the network of lanes between Clevedon, Yatton, Nailsea, Claverham and Backwell, including Backwell Common and Backwell Bow. Please see the list of affected roads here, along with a petition here, which already has over 3,500 signatures, and a facebook group - Save Our Access. (UPDATE 07APR21-PDF)

During the repeated lockdowns and tiered releases that have restricted everyones freedom of movement over the last year, it has become increasingly apparent how important it is to be free to choose where to visit, and how to do that, especially to support mental health and well-being. Not everyone is able to walk or cycle. Some, especially the elderly and less physically mobile, enjoy the freedom to take an accompanied calming drive through the countryside. These proposed rural shutdowns will prevent, or 'lockdown', that freedom.

What are the implications for Bleadon and the Levels as NSC rolls out its 'Rural Lanes Active Travel Enhancement Scheme'? Although mentioned in various press releases, details and future plans of this Rural scheme are not easily found? Will parts of rural areas effectively become enforced 'Park & Ride' for people wanting to experience the countryside by bike and foot? Will it potentially create 'no-go zones' (except for business & service industry access)? Will it encourage greater rural development in these 'people safe' areas? Are people given full information before giving their opinion on surveys that are used to implement policies?

NSC's Active Travel Strategy, following national policy, aims to increase the number of journeys undertaken by walking and cycling by at least 300% by 2030, by shutting down roads. They anticipate that restricting access to these rural roads will form the foundation of a wider ‘Rural Lanes Active Travel Enhancement Scheme’, encouraged by government funding via the DfT Active Travel Fund, NSC state,  "In some locations, the “access only” restriction could be supported by future measures, including ... physical measures to close roads to motor vehicles." (PDF)

Full details of NSC's proposal are contained in the notice of intent, draft order, a plan of the affected area, and a Statement of the Council’s Reasons for proposing to make the Order.

Comments can be made via email to Nicholas Brain, Assistant Director Governance & Monitoring Officer, at traffic.orders@n-somerset.gov.uk, quoting the reference ATF2/RL/310321 by 5pm on 30th April 2021. Alternatively, write to Town Hall, Weston-super-Mare BS23 1UJ, Tel No (01934) 888888.

NB: NSC proposes to make the order under sections 1(1), 2(1) to (3) and 4(1) of and Part IV of Schedule 9 to the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 as amended.

____________________________________

See also:

Press

• Weston Mercury Plan to cut traffic on rural roads (PDF)
• Highways News North Somerset to ban vehicles from some rural roads ... (PDF)
• Somerset Live Council plan to ban traffic from rural roads in North Somerset (PDF)

District

• NSC Noticed of intent Bundle (PDF)
• NSC Adopted Highways mapping
• NSC Public & Legal Notices 2021
• NSC Green Infrastructure Consultation

Regional

• WECA Active Travel

National, global

• Ireland (PDF)
• Scotland Review of Active Travel Policy Implementation 2016 Final Report (PDF)
• Agenda 2021/30 & Great Reset

Other Govt Info

• Govt Active travel: a briefing for local authorities  (PDF)
• Govt Active travel fund: local transport authority allocations (PDF) & Final Allocations (PDF)
• Govt Reallocating road space in response to COVID-19: statutory guidance for local authorities (PDF)
• Govt Public attitudes towards traffic and road use (PDF)
• DofT Public Opinion Survey on Traffic and Road Use (Overview & Research)

The Light (pg2) reports:

"First Mask Discrimination Case Settled For £7,000

 

A disabled woman assisted by Kester Disability Rights has been paid £7,000 in compensation by a service provider who refused her access to a service because she was unable to wear a face mask.

 

The pay-out was achieved through negotiation as there was no dispute that access had been denied, or that the Claimant had a disability exemption. The only thing to be agreed was the amount of compensation, not whether it was due or not.

 

Refusing access to people unable to wear face coverings due to disability is direct discrimination–no different to denying access to a black or gay person for example.

 

Disabled people are now routinely harassed in public for not wearing face coverings–frequently given the impression that confi dential medical information must be publicly disclosed to justify exemption. The fact that shops and hospitality businesses routinely display “no mask no entry” signs shows how deeply disablist attitudes are embedded in society. If premises displayed “no blacks” or “no gays” notices there would be outrage.

 

Several supermarkets began vigorously challenging those exempt from wearing a face mask last month as the Johnson regime ramped up its fearmongering through compliant and unquestioning channels such as the BBC and Sky News.

 

Emails received back from their head offices and shared widely on social media reminded staff that it was illegal to question why someone was exempt, and refusing entry or service could well result in a prosecution and hefty fines for which staff themselves were personally liable.

 

Fortunately the official government position does not endorse any of this as nobody exempt from wearing a mask is expected to go around justifying themselves. Saying “I’m exempt” is enough. If the response to that can be proved to be discriminatory then compensation is due. Any such interaction, altercation and blatant discrimination should be video recorded for evidence, as the Kester case proves there is remedy in law for those who are offended against." (Re: Lytham St Annes)

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See also:

• Kester  Disability Rights (PDF)

• Bleadon COVID19 Grant and Mask Litter(08MAR21)
• Why are People Wearing Face Masks (26FEB21)
• Face Coverings Update (24SEP20)

• BOB COVID1984
• Red Pill Blogs

North Somerset Council has stated that it is the final chance to comment on the Abbots Leigh, Ham Green, Pill and Easton-in-Gordano Neighbourhood Plan that ends at 5pm on Monday 15 March

"If you haven’t already done so then you can read the Neighbourhood Plan and accompanying documents and submit your comments online at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/pillplan

 

The comments received will be passed to the independent Examiner who will consider them during the Examination of the Neighbourhood Plan.

 

The Neighbourhood Plan has been prepared by the two Parish Councils of Abbots Leigh and Pill & Easton-in-Gordano with help from the local community. The Plan will help to shape development in the two parishes up to 2026 and help to make decisions on planning applications. (PDF of Plan)

 

Policies include

• the improvement of Pill Precinct,
• support for local job opportunities,
• protection of the local natural and historic environment,
• an affordable housing site and a care home at Ham Green.
• The Plan promotes low energy use, walking, cycling and public transport.
• Support for a conservation area at Abbots Leigh
• This is the final chance to comment on the Neighbourhood Plan.

 

Planning Policy Team"

--------

See also:

• Bleadon Neighbourhood Development Plan BOB page

For all of us who like to take a walk around Bleadon parish, it is increasingly noticeable that discarded masks are now being added to the plastic litter that is mounting up on the roads, rhynes and fields.

Can any of the Bleadon Parish Council £10K COVID19 Grant money be used to clear up the mask pollution and health hazard? What has it been used for to date?

In July 2019 Bleadon Parish Council (BPC) declared Bleadon 'plastic-free', stating in BVN113 that

BPC, "... agreed to be 'plastic free' and 'frack free' - clearly, just saying it doesn't make it happen and so we will be working closely with everyone to make changes over time"

 

What does that mean? What has been done since this bold declaration?

In July 2020 it appears that BPC received a COVID19 Grant for £10K:

• Who was the Grant from? What are the conditions?
• What has it been used for?
• It has been stated it could be used for ipads, extending the newsletter outside of the parish, and for BPC accreditation! (see links below)
• Can any of the COVID19 Grant money be used to clear up the mask pollution and health hazard?
• There is also reference to a Small Business Grant £9K and a Covid-19 Group £3K (Budget 2021-22). How much is actually allocated to COVID-19?

We encourage you to ask your councillors what is being done, and let BOB know if you receive a response.

As seen below, a recent short walk found 8 disguarded masks:

_____

See also:

• July 20 (Min 334.10.3) "NS Remittance Slip – Covid 19 Grant - £10,000" (Min 334.10.3)

• Oct 20 (Min 336.7c) ".... to resolve to use the recently received Covid Grant Monies to defray the cost of the IPads (£1931.00 - that do not Zoom?) and Additional Newsletter Print for Bleadon Hill (£175)"
• Oct 20 "...Once again I would wish to see the Parish Council aspire to being accredited by “The Local Council Award Scheme” ... Again I consider the expenditure a fair use of the Covid-19 Grant monies" (Clerk's Report Resolution 7)

• The A370 Path is Clear Again (MAR20) 
• Working Towards a Plastic-free Bleadon (JUL19) 

• Why are People Wearing Face Masks (26FEB21)
• Face Coverings Update (24SEP20)

• BOB Environment page 

• BOB COVID1984

Having reported 10+ blocked road drains, gullies, on Bleadon Hill, Roman Road and Celtic Way to North Somerset (NSC) in early February, BOB's happy to report they've now been cleared. Hopefully the cleared drains will stop the stream that is known to flow down Celtic Way, as seen in the video, and pictures below.

As you are aware both NSC and Bleadon Parish Council (BPC) collect taxes for various services, and associated work to be done, on our behalf. If you feel that 'jobs' are not being done appropriately and/or correctly, we encourage you to report the potential lapse in service provision to one of the various authorities responsible. If you get a response, like the drains, please let BOB know so that we can share it with all residents.

If people do not help the authorities manage the contracts that residents have paid for, by reporting potential lapses, then we may be expected to both pay the taxes and volunteer to do the work as well!

NB. By law, you can ask BPC to see all their contracts, grants, finances, etc. and have the opportunity to question the appointed auditor about the accounting records, as seen in BPC's annual public notice, usually published May-July,

"Any person interested has the right to inspect and make copies of the accounting records for the financial year to which the audit relates and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records must be made available for inspection by any person interested" (PDF)

However, it should be noted that for unstated reasons, BPC has refused this lawful access for the last two years. Let's see what happens in May-July this year!

Blocked
Cleared

______

See also:

• North Somerset Report or Request Services 

Development Applications

in and around Bleadon

Settlement Boundary	2018 SHLAA	Parish Boundary

 

The table below lists a few applications and developments currently influencing Bleadon Parish. There are also some policies and consultations influencing development in Bleadon.  . 

 

Inside Settlement Boundary (Map)
	Wallflower House	3 Dwellings
	Rectory Garden	2 New Houses
	Bleadon Quarry	42 Dwelling - 189 Occupancy  GRANTED (01MAR21)
Outside Settlement Boundary, Inside Parish (Map)
	Purn Holiday Park	10 Lodges
	Coronation Road/ Bridge Road/ Bleadon Road/ A370	5 New Dwellings 3 New Dwellings
	Wayacre Drove (off Accommodation Rd)	50 Caravan Pitches WITHDRAWN (01FEB21)
	Purn Way	14 Dwellings Appeal DISMISSED (14JAN21)
	Adjacent to Mendip Racing	4 Holiday Lodges GRANTED (10DEC20)
	Accommodation Road	Wake Park Offices, Cafe, Storage GRANTED (27NOV20)
Outside Parish Boundary (Map)
	Devil's Bridge	60 Dwellings GRANTED (22JUL19)
	Bleadon Hill	36 Dwellings REFUSED (08JAN21)
Overhead and Underground
	Bristol Airport Expansion	Appeal
	Bleadon Fracking Licence	Roman Road SUSPENDED (02NOV19)

 

Government, Regional, District and Parish consultations and policies will directly influence residential and commercial development in Bleadon. You may want to respond to the consultations to ensure that your view is considered in the future of our communities.

Also see:

• BOB Current Developments page

• Bleadon Developments Feb 2021
• Bleadon Developments Jan 2021
• Bleadon Developments Dec 2020
• Bleadon Developments Nov 2020

UPDATE 11FEB21:

• Graph of 'Over 90's COVID Deaths' and  'Deaths' England & Wales 1971-2020
• Place of Death and Excess Mortality due to lockdown and government vaccination programme
• Care Home Whistleblower interview.
• Link to commentary at UK Column.

UPDATE 06FEB21: "Inside the care home in Bristol where residents were vaccinated 'well before' Covid-19 outbreak (PDF)

• "Studies have shown it had lower efficacy for much older people, and indeed health authorities in Europe have discounted the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for the over 65s"

19JAN21: Moderna "UPDATE: California pauses giving out shots from one lot of coronavirus vaccine":

• "The CDC considers an allergic reaction to a Covid-19 vaccine to be severe if the person needs to be treated with epinephrine or must go to the hospital ...while less data exists for Moderna's vaccine, only approximately 1 in 100,000 people experience anaphylaxis with the similar Pfizer vaccine ... Moderna said 37 different states got shipments from the lot, which included more than 1.2 million doses, and said most had likely been used.(PDF)"

UPDATE: Doctors from around the world warn of great danger of teh COVID vaccine (16JAN21)

FROM Govt COVID19 Vaccination Leaflet as distributed from DEC20 onwards:

"We do not yet know whether it will stop you from catching and passing on the virus. So, it is important to follow the guidance in your local area to protect those around you. To protect yourself and your family, friends and colleagues you still need to: • practise social distancing • wear a face mask • wash your hands carefully and frequently • follow the current guidance www.gov.uk/coronavirus" (PDF)

______________

During the government's current rapid mass vaccine rollout, it seems prudent to ask your doctor questions that may concern you, before giving your consent to be vaccinated. Public Health England state that, "the need for ‘informed consent’ is a legal requirement", and that vaccinators must "give people as much information as they need and/or want to make an informed decision".

At the same time, there is a rising concern around the safety of the new COVID19 vaccines, and questions about, "Why is there a correlation between the vaccine rollout and increased COVID-19 mortality?"

So, before you get 'jabbed', you might want to think about the questions you may want answered, such as:

• What vaccine am I being given?
• Has it been fully tested, or is it still part of a staged trial? If it's still a trial, what stage is it at?
• What are the risks and side effects?
• Is it safe to take with my existing medication/health condition?
• Does it reduce my natural immunity in any way? Will I be more susceptible to viruses, colds, flu, etc.?
• Will the vaccine prevent me from catching COVID19? How long will it protect me?
• Is it safe if we're trying to have a baby/preganant/breast feeding? 
• How many people in the UK have died within 28 days of taking this vaccine? How many in the UK since the rollout started? (Collected information is not currently released by the UK government, but other countries do release data? E.g.438 European deaths reported)
• How can I report any concerns or side effects I may have? (image)

World vaccination statistics can be found here including graphs and maps. How are global priorities decided?

OTHER INFORMATION TO CONSIDER BEFORE BEING 'JABBED'

• The UK government states, "The current legal framework already recognises that if manufacturers or healthcare professionals are asked to supply an unlicensed medicine in response to a public health threat, it is unfair also to ask them to take responsibility for the consequences of the use of that medicine in the way that they normally would." See Civil Liability and Immunity (Section 2 PDF)
• 03DEC20 The UK Government added COVID-19 to their Vaccine Damage Payment scheme (06FEB21), See also previous blog.

• The UK government indicated that it is expecting a large number of side effects as indicated in their tender for a new COVID19 AI system (para II.1.4), "The MHRA urgently seeks an Artificial Intelligence (AI) software tool to process the expected high volume of Covid-19 vaccine Adverse Drug Reaction (ADRs) and ensure that no details from the ADRs’ reaction text are missed". On 19OCT20 MHRA paid Genpact UK Ltd £1.5million for the AI system (paras (paras V.2.3 & V.2.4).
• "The AI tool will be employed as part of the MHRA’s yellow card scheme (Image)" (FT 01NOV20 )

• Drugs go through a number of tests/phases, over many years, before being released on the public.
• The current UK vaccines seem to have been rushed through in a matter of months, and appear to be in Stage 2 and/or Stage 3 Trial phases, i.e. not fully tested?
• Do the majority UK residents know that they may already be in a mass vaccine testing programme, which has as yet unknown future health consequences? 
• "Many countries have given emergency authorization based on preliminary evidence that they are safe and effective. China, Russia and other countries have begun administering vaccines before detailed Phase 3 trial data has been made public. Experts have warned of serious risks from jumping ahead of these results"

• Read Public Health England's "COVID-19 Vaccination Programme - Core training slideset for healthcare practitioners 08 January 2021" (Presentation e.g. p54-64)
• Informed consent during all stages of the trials of COVID19 is essential.

___

See

• Face Coverings Update - John Penrose MP Letter (Aug 20)
• Coronavirus Vaccine Tracker
• Beinvolved blogs
• BOB COVID1984