Local News
31 October 2024 / 7 November 2024 by dominictristram
Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) Greens are calling out Labour’s decision to hand over £1.3 billion worth of community health services in B&NES, Swindon, and Wiltshire to a private company driven by profit. This move shifts public funds—intended for patient care—into the hands of shareholders, undermining the NHS’s core purpose: to provide quality healthcare […]
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17 October 2024 / 21 October 2024 by dominictristram
The Green Group at Bath and North East Somerset Council is driving forward critical measures to safeguard the welfare of children and young people in the region. At the recent Children, Adults, Health and Wellbeing Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel the Green Group highlighted key concerns, including: Cllr Joanna Wright added:“As councillors, we must take […]
17 October 2024 / 25 October 2024 by dominictristram
Green Party councillors in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) are urgently calling for action on severe delays in processing Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs), which are harming local children and families. The leader of the Green group of Councillors, Joanna Wright, highlighted these failures at a recent scrutiny panel, pointing out that the […]
10 October 2024 / 10 October 2024 by dominictristram
Following ongoing concerns about the effectiveness of the WESTlink bus scheme, Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) Greens are calling for a comprehensive review and restructuring of rural bus services to ensure better connectivity for residents. WESTlink was introduced to bridge the gap where bus services have been lost, connecting rural residents with areas where […]
10 October 2024 / 14 October 2024 by dominictristram
The Green Group in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) Council has raised concerns about the new electronic voting system introduced at the Guildhall in July. The switch from the traditional raised-hand voting procedure to large TV screens was intended to modernise and streamline council proceedings. However, the new system has led to confusion, accessibility […]
Come along and see how modern, period and listed buildings can all benefit from energy efficient enhancements. You can explore 15 properties of all ages, types and sizes and hear directly from homeowners about how to install solar panels, batteries, insulation, efficient glazing, or new heating options – without talking to a salesperson or spending […]
Work has commenced this week to address persistent flooding issues in the Devonshire Tunnel, part of Bath’s popular Two Tunnels cycle route. Bath & North East Somerset Council, on behalf of Sustrans, the organisation that owns and manages the route, is installing a new pump system at the tunnel’s entrance. This pump will divert floodwater […]
Housing Local News
3 October 2024 / 4 October 2024 by dominictristram
Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) Green Party are calling for bold, sustainable housing solutions that address the growing affordability crisis in response to the Government’s consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). This framework sets vital guidelines for local development plans and planning decisions impacting housing, infrastructure, and environmental protection. Changes to the […]
20 September 2024 / 26 September 2024 by dominictristram
Today, at the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) committee meeting, Unitary Authorities (UAs), including Bristol City Council, Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) and South Gloucestershire agreed to fund the Metro Mayor’s ‘Bus Improvement Options’ report, which will review the applicability of different mechanisms to reform the West’s failing public transport system. Reclaim Our […]
19 September 2024 / 20 September 2024 by dominictristram
Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) Council has rejected the Rights of Nature motion, a transformative proposal by the B&NES Greens in collaboration with Paul Powlesland, barrister and founder of Lawyers for Nature. The motion could have significantly reshaped how the Council approaches its responsibility towards the natural world. This bold initiative aimed to enshrine […]
At Thursday’s full Council, Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) Greens, in collaboration with Paul Powlesland from Lawyers for Nature, introduced the revolutionary Rights of Nature motion that could transform how the Council protects its environment. This bold initiative challenges conventional approaches by recognising nature’s legal rights and could establish B&NES as a leading force in environmental protection […]
16 August 2024 / 21 August 2024 by dominictristram
Bath & North East Somerset Council has officially designated the Combe Down allotments site in Bath as an Asset of Community Value, following a successful nomination by a group of local residents. The application, submitted by the Unincorporated Friends of Combe Down Allotments, was thoroughly reviewed by the council and met all the necessary criteria […]
15 August 2024 / 21 August 2024 by dominictristram
The Green Party members of B&NES Council are calling for action to address significant flaws in the recently released Active Travel Masterplan (ATM) for Bath and North East Somerset. Despite a substantial investment of £28,468.70 on peer reviews, graphics, mapping, and design by Aecom, the plan fails to offer a coherent strategy to implement an […]
Green Party councillors in B&NES have expressed concern over recent developments regarding the Liveable Neighbourhoods policy. In 2020, as Joint Cabinet Member for Transport, Cllr Joanna Wright spearheaded the Council’s flagship “Liveable Neighbourhoods” initiative. This policy aims to redesign residential areas burdened by through-traffic to reduce noise, pollution, and traffic hazards, enhancing local environments (view […]
14 August 2024 / 21 August 2024 by dominictristram
Reclaim Our Buses, a campaign group dedicated to improving bus services across the West of England, has received a response from Metro Mayor Dan Norris following the open letter sent in May 2024. This letter, submitted in the lead-up to the general election, called for a formal investigation into bus franchising as a means to […]
17 July 2024 / 17 July 2024 by dominictristram
A café, a new home for the community library, and a space for community and cultural events are coming to Radstock town centre, thanks to Radstock Town Council’s purchase of the Trinity building. This new community hub is part of a larger plan to revitalise the town centre, offering an accessible space where locals can […]
11 July 2024 / 21 August 2024 by dominictristram
Bath & North East Somerset Council has opened consultations on two major transport strategies designed to give local communities a strong voice in shaping travel over the next 20 years: “Creating Sustainable Communities in North East Somerset: The Journey to Net Zero” and the “Active Travel Masterplan”. The Creating Sustainable Communities strategy focuses on four […]
12 June 2024 / 16 July 2024 by dominictristram
Millions of people in our country are feeling insecure and deeply worried about the future. We live in one of the richest countries on the planet, yet nurses are using food banks, our children’s schools are crumbling, a roof over our heads is all too often unaffordable, and hospital and dentist appointments are like gold […]
6 June 2024 / 16 July 2024 by dominictristram
The General Election has been called! In just a few weeks, voters will make their voices heard at the ballot box. We have Green candidates selected to appear on the ballot across Bath and North East Somerset, but we need financial support to cover our costs. Your donation will help us get there. Bath and […]
30 May 2024 / 16 July 2024 by dominictristram
The Green Party General Election candidates covering the BaNES area, Dom Tristram (Bath), Edmund Cannon (NE Somerset and Hanham) and Martin Dimery (Frome and East Somerset) were all present for the launch of the national Green Party campaign. The launch took place in Bristol, where the party now leads the Council after winning every seat […]
9 May 2024 / 16 July 2024 by dominictristram
Thanks to a petition spearheaded by a diverse coalition of local residents, itinerant boaters, long-term mooring holders and supported by the B&NES Greens, Kennet & Avon canal’s bin stores have been safeguarded from closure. The breakthrough comes after a concerning announcement from the Canal and River Trust (CRT) in early March, attributing government budget cuts […]
18 April 2024 / 7 October 2024 by dominictristram
Campaigners will gather this April 20th at Orange Grove at 11am to demand safer streets for Bath’s residents. Organiser Cllr Saskia Heijltjes said “Bath is a great town for cycling because of its size and the valley floor in the centre of town. Many people want to cycle, including parents with their children, but they need […]
13 April 2024 / 16 July 2024 by dominictristram
The next election in BaNES is on the 2nd of May for the Police and Crime Commissioner. The Green Party candidate is Katy Grant. Please make sure you vote! The Greens have a distinctive message on policing and support using evidence of what works to reduce crime rather than more populist policies. The deadline to […]
11 April 2024 / 16 July 2024 by dominictristram
Bath and NE Somerset Council leaders have again failed to win a single penny in government funding despite their rhetoric on the transport, nature, and climate emergencies, and their costly consultations and stunts like their £30,000 ‘Citizens Panel’. At a time when the Department for Transport and the medical profession are calling for urgent action […]
