by BTC | Nov 21, 2019 |
Following positive feedback on our first more welcoming and inclusive “Town Matters” meeting in September, we are delighted to announce our second in this style at 7:30 pm Tuesday 26 November.
There will be three main Town Matters on the Agenda:
- Bruton’s Budget 2020/21. The Chair of the Finance & General Purposes Committee, Justin Robinson, will outline how the Town Council spends public money, our budget-setting process for the financial year beginning 1 April 2020, and the Community Grant applications which have been received.
- Bruton Parking Pressures. The Chair of Transport Committee, James Hood, will provide an overview of Bruton’s car parking situation, and outline specific proposals for Station Road Car Park. Followed by a discussion to guide Town Council decisions.
- Project Prioritisation 2020/21. Facilitated discussion of proposed Bruton Town Council projects for the financial year beginning 1 April 2020, including guidance on prioritisation by members of the Bruton Community.
Councillors will sit together with fellow Brutonions on café-style’ tables, to hear your views. Fitting this format, tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided.
Ewan Jones, Chair of Bruton Town Council said: “Please join us from in the Community Hall, from 7 pm for 7:30 pm, on Tuesday, 24 September, for another inspiring evening. Greater demands are being placed on Towns and Parishes to solve our own challenges. As Bruton’s 2017 Town Plan says, ‘We hope you agree that Bruton deserves a bright future, and we urge you to get
involved’.”
by BTC | Oct 18, 2019 |
Following the Extraordinary Meeting of the Council on Wednesday, the following letter has been sent to the Regional Schools Commissioner for the South West, Hannah Woodhouse…
We also forwarded a copy of this letter to Somerton & Frome MP, David Warburton, ahead of his meeting on Thursday afternoon with the Regional Schools Commissioner, and the Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson.
David acknowledged receipt with thanks on Thursday, and then tweeted on Friday morning post this meeting…
We very much hope that the Regional Schools Commissioner will confirm this pause “for reflection & engagement with local community“ following her meeting with the SW Headteacher Board next Monday, 21 October.
by BTC | Oct 13, 2019 |
An extraordinary meeting of the Town Council will be held in the Community Hall at 8pm on Wednesday.
The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the likely impact of a proposal by the Regional Schools Commissioner for the South West that Sexey’s School Academy be transferred to Sherborne Area Schools’ Trust, and to decide what role Bruton Town Council should play in safeguarding the interests of current and future Bruton residents, including parents.
Although this is a Council meeting, at the outset there will be an opportunity for interested members of the public to ask questions or express their points of view, at the discretion of the Chair.
by BTC | Oct 4, 2019 |
On Wednesday afternoon Mark George, owner of the Brewham Road Renault truck service station, helped the Town Council to conduct a real world test of the pedestrian proposals that Somerset County Council Highways have deemed safe by computer simulations.
Mark drives Brewham Road every day, so is no stranger to the downhill right-angled turning from the Frome direction. Driving one of his business’ articulated trucks very slowly, he proved that the Acorn Property Group proposals for a 1.2 metre wide pavement could be deadly to pedestrians.
Fin McNab and Richard Latchman of transport design experts Streets Reimagined marked out the proposed pavement that would be built under Acorn’s plans. Bruton Town Council borrowed an ‘Angel of the Road’ from Bruton Area Street Improvement Initiative (BASII) to ‘stand in’ for a real pedestrian, so that no real pedestrians could be injured during the trial.
The video footage below shows that expert driver Mark George, driving very slowly, cannot avoid driving onto the proposed pavement, thus knocking over the Angel of the Road. The photograph from along Brewham Road in front of the truck shows that Mark cannot avoid having the rear wheels of his trailer on the inside pavement of the corner, at the same time that his front wheels are on the proposed southside pavement.
The Outline Planning Appliction 19/00655/OUT – Land OS 9609 Brewham Road, Bruton for “the development of up to 60 residential dwellings (Use Class C3), together with associated highways and drainage infrastructure, public open space and landscaping.” will be heard at South Somerset District Council (SSDC)’s Area East Committee, next Wednesday morning, 9 October, from 9 am at Churchfield, Wincanton. These highways and pedestrian access are submitted for approval with all other matters (Layout, Scale, Appearance and Landscaping) reserved for later approval.
Bruton Town Council respectfully disagrees with Somerset County Council Highways opinion that “the vehicle swept paths are achievable without impacting the new footway.”
We trust that our Area East District Councillors will reject these potentially deadly proposals on the Planning grounds that they do not comply with National Planning Policy Framework paragraphs 109 (“unacceptable impact on highway safety”) and 110 a)-c).
The Angel of the Road was returned unharmed to BASII, after its terrifying brush with a large truck, while thinking it was safe on a pavement.
