These notes, prepared by Thornbury Town Council, are intended to provide a more detailed insight into the work the council does for the town. With co-operation from the Gazette, councillors are submitting the column on a regular basis after each cycle of meetings, to help keep residents abreast of council business and topics coming up in the near future. They would also be delighted to welcome residents in person at any of their full council and committee meetings, should anyone wish to raise an issue or simply to listen.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Environment (chairman, Peter Morris)

The committee was pleased to hear that SITA had started work on the Civic Amenity Site on the Thornbury Industrial Estate. Four tree wardens have been appointed, have met as a team and are looking to organise ways to cover their remit. A team member has been invited to sit on the committee as an added member. The committee is keen to encourage schools to draw up travel plans for their particular school under the School Travel Plan Scheme.

Playing Fields and Cemetery (chairman, Clive Parkinson)

The purchase of land at Poulterbrook has now been completed and estimates are being sought for clearance, levelling and reseeding. A working group has been set up to investigate the site's final layout.

Finance and Policy (chairman, Shirley Holloway)

The Committee welcomed an encouraging police report from Sgt Simon Ellis in which he noted that crime levels in Thornbury were down by 26 percent in the period April-December 2004 compared with the same period in 2003. One significant feature is that CCTV cameras linked with a mobile camera have helped to reduce alcohol-related crimes at weekends. Confirmation of the committee's suspicions that the mothballing of beds in Henderson Ward of Thornbury Hospital had resulted in patients being turned away was received with anger. The clerk was requested to write to the South Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust, North Bristol Health Trust and to Steve Webb MP in the strongest terms. Grants were agreed for Thornbury Arts Festival, Thornbury Musical Theatre Group, Northavon Youth Theatre Company and Thornbury Twinning Association.

Town Development (chairman, Terry Ray)

The committee was pleased to hear that First Bus had reimbursed a taxi fare following the non-arrival of the last bus through insufficient driver cover. The company had also incurred a financial penalty from South Gloucestershire Council. The proposed re-routing and changes to the local 615 bus services was a concern as people could be confused by a different service running the Dean Avenue route. The matter will be investigated and taken up with South Gloucestershire Council. Now that the Saturday market is continuing on St Mary Street car park, the committee has asked the council to make arrangements with the independent traders to make the overflow car park available. The committee have reassured Thornbury and District Heritage Trust that should plans to redevelop 4 Chapel Street become a possibility then, as tenants, they will be fully consulted; it was stressed that there are no proposals to relocate the Armstrong Hall complex. The opportunity to develop a central community site in Thornbury will not occur again so, to leave all possible options open, the committee has requested that South Gloucestershire Council allocate some space on the old cattle market site specifically for community use.

More details of committee and council minutes are now available on the Town Councils' website (www.thornburytowncouncil.gov.uk) or from the Town Hall on 01454 412103.

Mayor's Diary

Since the last council meeting, the Mayor has attended the following events:

January 18: Met with cadets of the St John Ambulance Brigade during their weekly meeting in the Chantry. January 22: Attended a Burn's Night celebration in the Armstrong Hall, organised by the Thornbury branch of Round Table. January 26: The Deputy Mayor presented certificates to participants of the Town's Accent Scheme.

Future Diary Dates (all meetings at Town Hall, 7.30pm)

March 29 - Town Council April 5 - Environment April 7 - Playing Fields and Cemetery April 14 - Annual Town Meeting April 19 - Town Development