News

Neighbourhood alert from Gloucestershire Police:

Dear Residents,

There have been several burglaries and Shed Breaks reported within the past few days for both residential and commercial properties. In particular within the Longlevens, Hucclecote and the Coney Hill area.

You are kindly reminded to please consider the wide approach to your property.

The W.I.D.E. campaign, may have offer some ideas you have not thought of before. Equally If you would require a home security survey we would be more than happy to come and offer any advice on how to improve the security of your property.

WIDE

Get 49 times more protection against burglary by installing a ‘WIDE’ combination of security devices*

A ‘WIDE’ combination includes:

Window locks
Indoor lights on timer switches
Double door locks or deadbolts
External lights on a sensor

Burglars look for opportunities:

They want to find empty-looking homes, where they can’t be seen by neighbours and where they can get in and out quickly. Take away their opportunities by installing the ‘WIDE’ combination of security devices and by carrying out the following actions:

Is your back gate your weak spot?
Stop access to your back garden. It is really important. Install strong fences and gates and make sure they are kept locked. Make it difficult for burglars to climb over them by adding trellis and spiky plants. Burglars enjoy the privacy of a back garden as it allows them to spend the time they need to get into your home often by smashing patio doors.

Install CCTV or digital doorbells
Install external CCTV or digital doorbells. Burglars don’t want to be seen and these devices can capture evidence we can circulate amongst our officers and the public.

Can your neighbours see your entrances and exits?
Increase the visibility of the entrances and exits of your home. Cut back and remove any plants, bushes and high fencing that block your neighbour’s view of your home. Burglars do not want to be seen as they may get caught.

Mark your property with forensic marking liquids
Use forensic marking liquids to increase the likelihood of getting your belongings back. These liquids act like DNA evidence and can be used to link recovered property back to you. Popular brands include SmartWater, SelectaDNA and ImmobiDot. You may be able to purchase these kits at a discounted price from us at our events as well as through your local Neighbourhood Watch Scheme.

DNA marking Kits can be purchased from the Constabulary for £12.50

Check if valuables are on show
Check what valuables can be seen from the outside of your home. If there are items that may look tempting to a burglar remove them from view and make sure they are marked with a registered forensic marking liquid.

Wheelie bins, tools and heavy garden objects
Wheelie bins left out the front offer burglars help to get over your fences. Tools and heavy objects left out help them smash or force their way in. Put them away.
LOCAL POLICE CRIME SHOP
The local poling teams also offer items for sale via the crime prevention shop. This shop offers window and shed alarms amongst other crime prevention tools within the crime shop. We do have a list of items that are sold that can be e-mailed out to those that request it.

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT IF YOU ARE A VICTIM OF A CRIME IN PROGRESS TO CONTACT 999.
FOR ALL OTHER NON EMERGENCIES PLEASE CONTACT 101.
Benjamin Rollins. PCSO 9105

Please be advised of the following temporary road closure:

Sussex Gardens, Hucclecote

This road will be closed (as per this plan – Sussex Gardens plan) from 08.00am on 04/03/2020 to 18.00pm on 06/03/2020.

This is to allow for a new water connection by Severn Trent Water.

If you require any further information regarding this closure please contact Gloucestershire Highways on 08000 514514.

Tewkesbury BC supports a County wide scheme to provide free energy advice to help people to stay warm and well in their homes. This ranges from simple changes you can make, to helping you access grants for insulation or providing information about renewable technologies. They can help you reduce your energy bills, switch your energy tariff or supplier, and help you find local installers and tradespeople. They can offer a free home energy visit and assist in accessing grants and funding.

This may be useful for you, particularly those who may be on a limited budget or vulnerable.

You can find further information by following this link, click here, or by calling one of the Warm and Well Advisors free on 0800 500 3076.

Severn Trent are doing some vital improvement work on Hucclecote Road, investigation work is planned from 14th December 2019 for approximately nine days.

Important things to know:
Phase 1 (14/12/19 – 22/12/19) – Initially they plan to carry out investigation work at the junction of Hucclecote Road and Churchdown Lane. Four way traffic lights will be in place at the junction and they will be manually controlled between 0700hrs – 1900hrs.

Phase 2 (06/01/20 – 07/02/20)- In January they will return to install a new water main and valves, this will take place in the grass verge opposite the Church using signs and barriers.

Phase 3 (10/02/20 – 14/02/20) – Final connections onto the existing water main will involve four way lights in place again.
Please note these dates may be subject to change.

0800 521 660 – Amey 24hr Customer Service Centre
0800 783 4444 – Severn Trent Customer Operations Service Centre

Project reference – 6138861

Planning for the future – tell us what you think

An important consultation about planning development in Tewkesbury Borough launched today.

The borough council wants to hear from the public about a crucial planning document – the Pre-submission Tewkesbury Borough Plan – before submitting it to the Government for independent examination.

The Tewkesbury Borough Plan provides detailed and locally-specific planning policies on issues in Tewkesbury Borough, such as housing, employment, retail, the urban and natural environment and transport. It also includes smaller-scale sites allocated for housing and employment development.

The plan feeds directly in to the Joint Core Strategy – the over-arching strategic planning document for Gloucester City, Cheltenham Borough and Tewkesbury Borough which sets out how much growth needs to be accommodated in the three areas and the broad strategy for how that growth will be delivered.

The Pre-Submission Tewkesbury Borough Plan is at an advanced stage in the plan-making process, having been developed over a number of years and been through three previous stages of public consultation.

This is the version of the plan that the council intends to submit for independent examination by a Government-appointed planning inspector, but before it submits the plan, the council is required to consult on the document one last time. However, unlike previous consultations, the responses made this time will be submitted alongside the plan, as part of the examination process.

The consultation will run for just over six weeks until 5pm on Monday, 18 November – any comments received after the deadline cannot be accepted.

To read more about the plan, the consultation process and to make comments, visit www.tewkesbury.gov.uk/boroughplan

Over the next few weeks you might see Hucclecote Parish Councillors on the streets of Coopers Edge. The purpose behind this is to record all remedial work that needs to be undertaken prior to the streets and open spaces being adopted by Tewkesbury Borough Council and Gloucestershire County Council.

This list will ONLY record works needed to roads, pavements, street lights, drains and public open spaces in Hucclecote Parish (north of Lobleys Drive), it will NOT record ANY work required to your property, boundary walls, etc. regardless of whether you own or rent the property.

We will endeavour to record all snags but you can help by informing the Parish Council via e- mail (hucclecotepc@supanet.com ) of any snags close to your property. Please include your house number, your street name, photograph and the snag details. Thank you for your help.

Highways England operates, maintains and improves England’s motorways and major A roads.  Shortly they will be carrying out essential bridge works on Noake Bridge on the A417 and Brockworth Bypass Bridge on the M5 near junction 11a.

 The works

Routine inspection has identified significant defects on these bridges and these works will ensure that this section of road will remain safe and reliable for many years to come. The works will include the replacement of the bridge joints on Noake Bridge, as well as resurfacing of the carriageway on the bridge deck. They will also be carrying out refurbishment works on the bridge joints of Brockworth Bridge.

When

Dates: 29 July to 14 August

Traffic management

To minimise disruption, work will be done overnight when there are fewer vehicles on the road. During the day the carriageway will be kept open as usual.

A clearly signed diversion will be in place – please allow extra time for your journey. The following traffic management will be in place:

A417 Noake

A417 westbound on Noake Bridge Monday 29 July – Tuesday 6th August. Full closure of carriageway (excluding Sat/Sun) 8pm – 6am

A417 westbound Wednesday 14 August: Full closure of carriageway 8pm – 6am

A417 eastbound on Noake Bridge Tuesday 30 July – Wednesday 31 July: Full closure of carriageway 8pm – 6am

A417 eastbound on Noake Bridge Tuesday 6 August – 14th August: Full closure of carriageway (excluding Sat/Sun) 8pm – 6am.

M5 Brockworth

M5 Northbound at junction 11a Monday 29 July – Tuesday 30 July: Closure of onslip, lane 1 and lane 2 with lane 3 running 8pm – 6am.

If you have any queries or comments about the work, or would like further information please contact Highways England Customer Contact Centre on 0300 123 5000 or by email: info@highwaysengland.co.uk

After settling into the newly extended parish hall, the council has continued to build on its best practice, maintain momentum in some key areas of interest for parishioners, and explore new developments to enhance the quality of life for Hucclecote Parish residents.

The hall and meeting rooms continue to be well used since the redevelopment, and we are delighted by the increase in bookings from new organisations who use the facilities on a weekly basis. The council continues to monitor planning applications; and frequently comments to our planning authority, Tewkesbury Borough Council, on large and small scale planning applications. The playground is well maintained and used by many local children.

We are aware that noise pollution from the motorway continues to blight many lives, and we are working closely with councillors from Upton St Leonards and Gloucester City to maintain pressure on Highways England to install effective sound barriers on the M5 between junctions 12 and 11A.

The need for an improved GP practice for the area has been a priority for the council. We have worked with the Hucclecote practice and its counterpart in Brockworth, and we believe that we are close to securing with the local NHS, a new community practice for both areas on vacant land close to Tesco, which will be accessible by public transport.

The growth of Cooper’s Edge has brought challenges and some progress. The council has pressed BT Openreach to improve internet speeds for some parts of the development, and there have been positive steps forward. The state of the unadopted roads has been a frequent focus for the council in its discussions with the developers; and the council continues to monitor the impact of business park employees using Cooper’s Edge as a daytime carpark.

Your council is conscious that some local residents may not be fully aware of the full range of activities that could help improve their quality of life. To address this, we held a pilot community event (“The Hucclecote Hullabaloo”) on a very hot day in early July 2018. On 6 July 2019 we will have our second Hullabaloo, with a very wide range of clubs and organisations present, where our residents can “have a go” at activities for all ages.

We are also trialling new ways of finding out what parishioners would like – through small, informal, social gatherings.
The council is also working to promote walks in its area, a fitness pathway, and relationships with local employers.

I would like to thank my fellow councillors for all their hard work and commitment in the last year. It is all offered on a voluntary basis, and is much valued. We currently have two vacancies – but are encouraged by interest being shown, and hope to have full council shortly.

My gratitude also to our parish clerk and her assistant, without whom we would not be able to operate so effectively.

Finally, I would offer my thanks to the wide range of organisations who work with us to improve quality of life in this parish, some of whom have provided very helpful support funding.

I commend this report to the parish.

Andrew Pugh, Chairman
May 2019.

Now that spring has sprung, Tewkesbury Borough Council is asking dog owners to join the dog walking community in bagging and binning dog poo.

A new Public Space Protection Order has been introduced which now gives council officers more powers to tackle dog fouling across Tewkesbury Borough. As part of the order, dog walkers can not only be fined £100 for not picking up after their dogs, but can now also get a £100 fixed penalty notice for not carrying dog poo bags.

The council is aware that most people are picking up after their pets but, sadly, the small few who don’t are continuing to risk the health of others. Dog faeces carries the risk of disease, particularly Toxacariasis – an infection caused by roundworm parasites.

As a result, environmental health officers will be working with parish councils to spread awareness of the new Public Space Protection Order across Tewkesbury Borough. Old signs will be replaced with new ones, and patrols will be carried out regularly at dog fouling hot spots.

Dog fouling can be reported to the council through their website here.

Brockworth Lane will be closed from 09/05/19 – 14/10/19 to allow for the safe construction of footways and a roundabout.

From junction 41104 Court Road to the A417 bridge (marked in red on the map below)