Community radio GLOSSFM is back next month (June) for a special Diamond Jubilee broadcast.

Many of the station’s favourite presenters will be helping to mark 60 years of The Queen’s reign, with programmes starting on Saturday 2nd June and running for two weeks until 16th June.

Programme plans include a link-up with GLOSSFM presenter Nick Thornley, who will be in London for the celebrations. He and Daphne Ashton will also be presenting their popular show Down Your Way later in the week on Wednesday at midday.

And Steffi Barnett will be linking up with Aztec Starbucks on her Breakfast ‘n’ Brunch show on 4th & 5th June, and asking listeners to listen out for code words which will entitle them to a free ‘tall drink’.

To give the celebrations a local flavour, listeners are being invited to tell presenters about their jubilee celebrations – get in touch now at studio@glossfm.org.

“We came up with the concept of a ‘Diamond’ broadcast in order to reflect the celebration of The Queen’s jubilee across the towns and villages of South Gloucestershire, so we’d love to hear from everybody,” said director David Wrench.

GLOSSFM’s jubilee special will go out via the internet, but not on the FM airwaves. “Anyone can listen wherever they live, so it’s a great way for those who have moved away from South Gloucestershire to keep in touch with what’s going on,” said Mr Wrench.

You can listen via the ‘tunein app’ on smart phones, on Macs and PCs or by internet radio, in car through your phone via the USB connection, or in Minis and BMWs with ‘connect’. The station’s website is at www.glossfm.org.

GLOSSFM programme scheduler Chris Mountain said that many of the station’s favourite presenters would be back behind the microphone:

• Sacred and Secular with Mark Hoskins starts off Sunday morning at 8am
• Chris Connery from 10am – 12pm on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
• Chris Criddle on the afternoon Home Run
• John Harding with Saturday Breakfast
• Marlwood School has an hour at 11am on the first Saturday

“For music lovers we’ve got soul night on Sunday, fun and requests on Monday, rock, punk and reggae on Wednesday, acoustic music on Thursday, and programmes to get you in the mood for the weekend on Friday and Saturday.”

This will be GLOSSFM’s first broadcast of 2012. Usually the station puts out two month-long FM broadcasts each year, one in spring and one in winter. However, a tough economic climate meant cutting the spring broadcast this year.

Mr Wrench explained:

“Since 2005 the station has been supported through grants, donations and advertising from local businesses and traders. In common with a number of organisations, we have had to cut costs this year and therefore we are restricting our FM broadcast to a single four week period in the autumn.”

“We hope our Diamond webcast will encourage people to become involved and to tune into internet radio, helping us raise much-needed funds so that we are able to realise our goal Radio for the Whole Community!”

If you would like to advertise on GLOSSFM, which broadcasts on the internet all year round, get in touch with Steff at steffbarnett@gmail.com or Irene on 01454 417724.

South Gloucestershire councillors are set to approve a new constitution, introducing a committee system of governance, at the Council’s Annual General Meeting next Wednesday (23rd May).

The changes follow a majority vote at Council in March when members approved plans to move to the committee system from the current Leader and Cabinet governance model.

Once approved, the changes will mean that all 70 councillors will be involved in decision-making, as members of 10 committees.

As well as approving the new constitution at next week’s Council meeting, Councillors will also be asked to agree the new committee structure, and to confirm appointments to key roles.

Committee members, including chairs, will be allocated according to the political make-up of the council

Each committee will have three lead members, one from each party, of whom one will become committee chair.

The council will continue to have the ceremonial roles of chair and vice-chair, but the current Executive Leader role will be replaced by a Constitutional Leader, who will represent the council on the Local Enterprise Partnership and other national, sub-regional and local forums.

Full Council will remain the main forum for debating major policy issues including setting the annual budget and council tax and will make appointments to various bodies. It will also deal with items referred up to it from committees.

The majority of committees will meet on an eight-week cycle, with some sub-committees meeting between the main committee dates.

The Council AGM takes place at the Council Chamber, Civic Centre, High Street, Kingswood and begins at 7pm.

More info: Agenda for Council AGM on 23rd May 2012 (SGC)

The New Homes Bonus is a Government scheme that match-funds the additional council tax raised for new homes and empty properties brought back into use, with an additional amount for affordable homes, for the following six years.

At the recent council budget meeting, which followed an extensive consultation with around 3,000 local residents, it was agreed that the district’s New Homes Bonus allocation would be split 70:30.

70 per cent is being used to support existing planned infrastructure investment as well as protecting front line services, with the remaining 30 per cent – amounting to £640K in 2012/13 – being earmarked for specific investment in those communities experiencing new housing growth.

These parishes, which have seen significant recent growth and so benefit the most from the New Homes Bonus grant received for 2011/12 and 2012/13, include:

1. Stoke Gifford – £111,942
2. Patchway – £76,983
3. Yate – £71,606
4. Frampton Cotterell – £42,380
5. Filton – £36,326
6. Oldland – £32,009
7. Siston – £29,519
8. Almondsbury – £28,620
9. Winterbourne – £28,454
10. Bradley Stoke – £20,099

Only Conservative councillors gave their unanimous support for this local funding when it came to the main budget vote, with Labour and some LibDem councillors voting against.

Cllr James Hunt (Con, Emersons Green), Conservative Cabinet Member for Communities, said:

“The New Homes Bonus is an important part of our strategy to support existing planned investment infrastructure, protect front line services, and ensure that those communities who are experiencing new housing growth have the additional resources to spend on the initiatives and projects that they feel would make the biggest difference locally.”

“Six years worth of New Homes Bonus has the potential to make a hugely positive impact across our growing neighbourhoods by rewarding them for accommodating the homes we need for local people.”

A policy for the allocation, distribution and use of this 30 per cent local allocation is now being developed and will be approved by the council in the summer.

The Bristol & Bath Science Park at Emersons Green has been named the South West’s Best Commercial Workplace at the British Council for Offices (BCO) regional awards ceremony held last week (Thursday 10th May 2012).

The award was presented by Garry Richardson, sports anchor on Radio 4’s Today Programme, in front of 300 property professionals including the region’s architects, developers, agents and occupiers.

Judges were looking for buildings that were flexible, efficient, sustainable, and of high quality, as well as being effective as a workplace and contributing to the community.

Bonnie Dean, Chief Executive at the Bristol & Bath Science Park, said:

“Winning this prestigious award is a tribute to the team’s extensive work in the early planning stages to create the right type of environment for science and technology businesses. The BCO award reflects feedback from our tenants that the facilities and the networking opportunities at the Park are enhancing the development of their businesses.”

Bristol & Bath Science Park will now go on to compete for a national ‘Best of the Best’ award at the BCO National Awards Dinner on 2nd October 2012.

An African fire authority is £2,500 better off thanks to a charity dinner hosted by Cllr Mike Drew, Chairman of South Gloucestershire Council.

The event was held at Yate Fire Station last Friday (27th April) with around 60 specially invited guests enjoying a dinner before taking part in a raffle and an auction which raised more than £600 for the chairman’s chosen charity, the Gambia and Avon Fire Services in Partnership (GAFSIP). The total amount of money raised on the night was more than £2,500.

The charitable trust organises shipments to the Gambia of donated fire and ambulance vehicles and equipment together with educational materials and spare parts.

Cllr Mike Drew said:

“We had a very successful and enjoyable dinner which raised a lot of money for GAFSIP. I thank the firefighters of Yate Station for their support both for the event and their long term support for GAFSIP.”

David Hutchings, who set up GAFSIP, said:

“It was a great night and the money will be used to help pay for shipping. Later this year we will be sending three fire engines, two containers full of medical goods, educational materials and some old uniforms donated by fire fighters.”

Detectives investigating the murder of Barry Rubery are appealing to local communities for information two years on from his death.

Barry, who was a father and grandfather, was killed at Crossing Cottage on Latteridge Road in Iron Acton sometime overnight on 28th/29th April 2010. He had returned to the property at around 10:45pm after attending a Masons’ dinner at a lodge in the area.

After letting himself through the gate of his property he was attacked and as a result sustained significant injuries to his head.

Officers believe that those responsible may have been waiting for him as he never made it into his home.

Today, on the second anniversary of Barry’s death, the officer leading the investigation has released an image of a footprint that was left at the scene. The sole of the shoe is likely to be from a trainer, possibly of a Nike brand.

Detective Chief Inspector Mike Carter who is leading the investigation said:

“Barry needlessly lost his life two years ago and I am determined to find those responsible for this violent crime.

“Having come onto the inquiry only a few months ago and having met Barry’s family I can tell you that the grief they feel is as raw today as it was two years. They need to understand why their father and grandfather died at the hands of these people.”

“We have a team of more than 20 people still working on this investigation; meticulously sifting through the hundreds of statements that were taken at the time and speaking again with those people who provided information.”

“The investigation has highlighted that it was very rare that Barry’s property was empty when he returned that night. His neighbour who lived on the grounds was not home, his friend had moved out days earlier and his partner had stayed at her own home. I believe someone knew Barry would be alone and that they would not be disturbed.”

“This was a planned attack by a group of people and I would urge those people to think about their families and the life they lead. Your actions will catch up on you and your freedom could be taken away. If your allegiances have changed then you may be able to limit the impact on your life by coming forward and talking to us.”

DCI Carter added:

“We know that Barry had strong links with his local community and those involved in farming and agriculture and we believe someone within these communities may have that vital piece of information that could help solve this murder.”

“Barry was a very private man however we know he was troubled and we are keen to hear from anyone who may have spoken with him in the days before his death. No matter how small you feel any piece of information may be please let us decide if it is relevant. Did he mention any recent business deals, issues with tenants, or even something personal?”

Speaking two years on, his son and daughter Philip and Julie Rubery said:

“It does not feel like two years has passed since Dad was murdered it still feels like this happened just yesterday.

“We try to move on but it’s very hard not knowing why Dad was taken from us in such a violent and horrific way.

“We would ask anyone who may know something, anything that might help to come forward and speak with the police. Please help give us some closure.”

You can contact Avon and Somerset Police on 101. If you prefer, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. They never ask your name or trace your call.

Image: Footprint found at the scene of the Barry Rubery murder in Iron Acton.

Conservative councillors in South Gloucestershire say they are helping to make the district ‘greener’.

Five new solar electricity photovoltaic (PV) systems have now been installed on council buildings across the district, including Bradley Stoke, Longwell Green, Thornbury and Yate Leisure Centres, to take advantage of the Feed-in Tariff (FIT), which earns money from energy suppliers.

The schemes were funded after Conservative councillors doubled the council’s ‘Local Authority Carbon Management’ (LACM) scheme budget to £200k a year.

And this year, almost £3m of additional council funding has been agreed to improve the energy efficiency of local homes and schools – with £1.05m to complement the Government’s ‘Green Deal’ home energy-saving scheme and £1.86m to fund energy-saving improvements and renewable energy schemes in schools.

Other measures to reduce energy costs/carbon emissions and promote renewable energy include rationalising the council’s estate by selling empty and inefficient buildings and carrying out energy audits, installing Automatic Meter Reading and producing half hourly data to allow effective monitoring of energy usage.

Cllr John Goddard (Con, Hanham) Conservative Cabinet Member for Corporate Affairs:

“Last year, we doubled the budget available to make council buildings more cost effective for the council tax payer.”

“And this year we have set aside almost £2m to help green up our schools and over a £1m to help residents with their energy bills, which comes on top of the £93 that the average household has saved thanks to our two year council tax freeze.”

“This is just part of multi-pronged approach to save residents money and transform the district’s green credentials from the low base that had existed for too long following South Gloucestershire Council’s creation.”

Measures to conserve energy by switching off South Gloucestershire’s street lights between midnight and 5am are to be extended to the district’s ‘A’ roads from the start of May.

The ‘part-night lighting’ scheme has already been successfully introduced on the A4174 and many of the district’s minor roads and will now be extended to other ‘A’ roads including the A38, A432 and A420.

South Gloucestershire operates 29,500 street lights and lit signs, which cost £1.25 million to light and generate 8,000 tonnes of CO2 each year.

Approximately 60 per cent of these lights are to be switched to part-night operation, cutting total carbon emissions and energy costs by approximately 25 per cent.

Rigorous assessment criteria are used to assess whether a light can be safely switched to part-night operation, with many excluded from the scheme. These include lights at junctions and roundabouts, as well as lights in areas with above-average traffic accident or crime statistics.

South Gloucestershire Council executive councillor for communities James Hunt said:

“In line with the Carbon Management Plan which secured unanimous and cross-party support in February, the council is committed to reducing its carbon emissions and this scheme will make an important contribution to that aim, with a reduction of up to 2,000 tonnes per year.”

“At the same time, the scheme will also reduce our lighting-related energy costs. Street lights account for around 15-20 per cent of the council’s energy costs and by moving to part-night operation, we will be saving taxpayers up to £250,000 each year.”

He added:

“Not all lights will be part-nighted however. The safety of our residents and road users is paramount and we have worked closely with the emergency services, parish and town councils to identify lights which should remain lit throughout the night for safety reasons.”

“As a result, about 40 per cent of lights will be unaffected by the scheme and we will continue to work with our partners to monitor for negative effects and make any necessary adjustments.”

Part-night lighting is also acknowledged to be effective in reducing light pollution.

Further information on the scheme is available from the council website at www.southglos.gov.uk/partnightFAQs

For information on the implementation of part-night lighting on minor roads, residents should contact their Parish or Town Council directly.

Council leaders have welcomed new figures demonstrating high demand for superfast broadband in South Gloucestershire.

The survey of local residents and businesses, published today, shows that more than a third of residents would like broadband access at speeds of more than 20 megabits per second, with over a quarter willing to pay extra for the service.

Almost half of businesses would also like superfast access, with one in five prepared to pay more for an improved connection.

The figures will provide further encouragement to commercial operators considering investing in South Gloucestershire’s broadband infrastructure, as part of plans being prepared by the council.

Under the Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) scheme, central government and council funding will be awarded to a contractor to install high-speed broadband in areas that would not normally be attractive to commercial suppliers.

South Gloucestershire Council Executive Member for Corporate Affairs John Goddard said: ”Ensuring that all of our residents and businesses have access to fast, reliable and affordable broadband is a priority for the council.

“Broadband helps improve residents’ quality of life and can be a vital economic lifeline for our local businesses and it should be available to everyone regardless of where they live or work.”

“We have made great strides towards enhancing access to superfast broadband in South Gloucestershire under the government’s BDUK scheme and this research is the latest step towards realising our aims.”

“The figures demonstrate that there is a solid business case for investing in areas not usually considered attractive to commercial providers and they should be of considerable interest to commercial providers as we begin the procurement process.”

The BDUK scheme will see the council invest £2.2m, together with £710,000 of government grant, to provide broadband infrastructure to areas of South Gloucestershire that would not normally be considered by commercial providers, such as rural areas.

The process of appointing a commercial broadband infrastructure provider is being carried out in partnership with Wiltshire and Swindon councils and it is expected that the larger scale of the joint project will result in a more commercially attractive area for potential bidders, encouraging greater competition and enhancing the scheme’s value for money.

The tie-up with Wiltshire and Swindon’s project – one of the most advanced in the country – also means that South Gloucestershire will be among the first councils to begin the process of signing up a commercial provider later this year.

The research report can be accessed from the council’s website at www.southglos.gov.uk/broadband

Food waste collected in South Gloucestershire is set to be converted into valuable renewable energy and organic fertiliser at a single location, thanks to new recycling arrangements introduced this month.

All food waste collected from local residents is now being sent to a specialist anaerobic digestion plant in Oxfordshire where it will be broken down by bacteria into useful gases and organic materials.

The long-term arrangement with operator Agrivert, brokered by the council’s recycling partner SITA UK, will see approximately 6,000 tonnes of South Gloucestershire’s food waste processed each year – equivalent to the weight of rubbish carried in 600 full refuse lorries.

South Glos Councillor James Hunt, said:

“The residential food waste scheme is a key part of the council’s waste management policy, helping us to reduce landfill and recycle as much organic material as possible.”

“I’m delighted that so many residents have embraced the food waste arrangements and it’s good to know that the waste itself is also being converted into useful energy and organic fertilisers to be used by farmers.”

SITA UK manager Vicki May said:

“We have been impressed by the operation that Agrivert is running in Oxfordshire and feel that they are best placed to offer South Gloucestershire a reliable, cost effective and environmentally friendly solution to recycling food waste.”

Agrivert manager Harry Waters said:

“With 6,000 tonnes of food waste per annum we would expect to be able to capture 2,000,000 kWh of renewable energy enough to power over 400 family homes and produce organic fertiliser which will be used by farmers to grow food on over 700 acres of land.”

“Moreover, we capture over nearly a million cubic metres of methane that would have otherwise been released to the atmosphere. Methane is 23 times as potent a green house gas as carbon dioxide so the environmental benefit cannot be understated”