Preservation Society – Full Year Report

In my half-year report back in June, I mentioned that there were three topics on the radar which are of great interest to local residents. The current update is as follows:

• Hand-over of the Village Green areas - to be known as ‘Frenchay Parklands’; now agreed in principle between North Bristol Trust and Winterbourne Parish Council. A final date - and accompanying celebrations - will depend on the lawyers!
• Opening of the new Primary School - this has now been achieved and last month’s FCN contained details of a chance to look round the buildings from 3.45 on 9th November. It is obviously very frustrating that the new walking route to school via the ‘hole in the wall’ by Cedar Hall is still to be finished under a separate contract. (Questions have been asked…!)
• Further health provision in Frenchay - no actual news, yet, but we have been told by sources at South Glos… to ‘watch this space’…

So, two out of three isn’t such a bad result and there is more information, as ever, in this month’s report by Adrian Collins on behalf of Frenchay Residents Association (FRA). Adrian and I are very conscious of the statistics which indicate that ‘Covid’ and the pandemic are still very much around, leading to thoughts about alternative ways of arranging meetings during the winter season.

Meanwhile, the four ‘Frenchay Members’ on Winterbourne Parish Council, namely Paul Kembery, Charlie Watkins, Adrian Collins and myself have been as busy as ever dealing with various Planning Applications and the detailed work of Finance & General Purposes committee. Two national issues are also on our local radar. The ‘declared’ climate emergency has led to the Parish Council pressing South Glos (as the planning authority) to encourage the highest possible take-up of environmental measures on new housing schemes and major conversions. The cost of living crisis has prompted F&GP to identify more opportunities for various grants & other financial incentives when setting budgets for annual costs associated with maintaining & improving our parish assets.

By the time this piece appears in print, we will be into the last 6 months of our current four-year term (how time flies since May 2019) and feel that some form of ‘get-together’ in Frenchay could be more effective in promoting what we have been doing on your behalf.

Further information will be made available via the FRA data-base in due course.

Hugh Whatley (Chair - FPS).