radstock4u - Norton Radstock News from B & NES Council

radstock4u / News from B & NES

Dial-a-ride
- coming soon to
Norton Radstock

PEOPLE with mobility difficulties living in Midsomer Norton and Radstock will soon find it much easier to get around when a new dial-a-ride scheme is introduced in the area from November.
Residents can phone for an appointment and a low floor, fully accessible bus will come and pick them up from their front doors making previously difficult journeys to the doctors, dentists or the shops, for example, much easier.
Funding for the dial-a-ride has been provided by Bath & North East Somerset Council, Norton Radstock Town Council and The Countryside Agency.
Cllr Sir Elgar Jenkins, Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Executive Member for Highways and Transportation, said: “I am delighted that a new dial-a-ride is to be set up in Norton Radstock.
“Bath & North East Somerset Council has already helped set up a very successful scheme in Keynsham that now offers more than 160 passenger journeys a week to people with mobility difficulties. I am sure that this new scheme will prove just as popular.”
To get the scheme up and running, volunteers to form a management committee are being sought and anyone who would like to get involved is invited to attend a public meeting at Midsomer Norton Methodist Church Hall on Thursday, September 2 at 7pm.
Cllr Francine Haeberling, Executive Member for Social Services, said: “The dial-a-ride is a great way for people to get back / maintain their independence and get out and about around the town without having to rely on public transport or taxis.
“If you do have the time to spare to get involved with the management committee please go along on September 2 – dial-a-ride is a fantastic idea that I am sure will be very beneficial to the people of Midsomer Norton and Radstock.”
Cllr Betty Perry, Chair of Norton Radstock Town Council, said: “We are thrilled that dial-a-ride is coming to Norton Radstock.
“It will be a lifeline for people in the area who are not able to use public transport, broaden their horizons and give them something to look forward to.”
For more information about the Midsomer Norton and Radstock dial-a-ride, contact Stephen Warren or Chris Bunton at Bath & North East Somerset Council on Tel: 01225 394113 or 395321.

Be a bat detective
for the evening

ARE you batty about bats? If so you’ll want to come along to a free riverside bat walk organised by Bath & North East Somerset Council on Friday, August 27 in Bath.
The twilight walk at Kensington Meadows will offer a fun introduction for all the family to these amazing flying mammals.
Would be bat detectives will have the chance to use bat detectors to locate the animals and find out what species fly along the River Avon at night.
The special devices can detect the high frequency calls made by bats and make the calls audible to the human ear.
The calls are a sophisticated echolocation system that bats use to navigate and locate their food.
The route will go alongside the river at Kensington Meadows, and part of the walk will be in the dark.
Participants should bring weatherproof clothing, sturdy outdoor footwear, and a torch for anyone who is not confident about walking in the dark.
The walk will start at 8.15pm at the entrance from the Safeway car-park off London Road. The event is free and open to all – just turn up on the night.
The event is being organised by Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Wildspaces project (part of English Nature’s Wildspace! scheme with funding from the Big Lottery Fund) and the local Batscapes project.
It is being held to celebrate European Bat Weekend, an event taking place in many countries across Europe raising awareness about these threatened creatures.

FINE TIME FOR PARENTS

By: RACHEL PEGG
11:00 - 27 August 2004

Parents who take their children on holiday during term time could find themselves with a £50 fine from next week. Education officials in Bath are preparing to start using new legislation which allows them to penalise people who book term time holidays to cut the bill for foreign trips.

Headteachers are wary over the new and controversial powers but Bath and North East Somerset Council says the fines could prove useful in some cases.

The penalty is one of the measures in the Anti-Social Behaviour Act introduced by the Government last year, and would be incurred if children spent more than ten days away from class without permission.

Parents will still be able to negotiate termtime holidays with headteachers but the Government is keen for fewer to be authorised - and for parents who defy a refusal to be fined.

In recent months, schools in B & NES have been encouraged to take a tougher stance and now always record holidays taken without permission in registers.

Across the district, 17,000 school days were lost last year due to unauthorised absences, around one per cent of the total.

Simon Ratcliff, education welfare service manager at the council, said: "We are trying to address this feeling that there is a right to have two weeks' holiday in term time. It certainly feels that for some parents they see that as additional time they can have."

He said the crackdown would help children who already had poor attendance rates and whose schoolwork was suffering.

The powers can be used either by the council, or by headteachers and governing bodies. Money collected in fines will pay for the local administration of the system, with any surplus going to the Government.

If the fine is not paid within 28 days, a court summons will be issued and the parents will have to appear before magistrates and could face a criminal conviction.

Mr Ratcliff said B & NES would impose the penalty in cases where it deemed it necessary.

He said: "There are some schools which see it as something that can complement their strategies but other schools may feel the systems they have got are adequate."

Beechen Cliff School head- teacher Roy Ludlow said he thought it unlikely that heads would use the fines because it would harm their relationships with a pupil's parents.

He said: "I think it is a serious problem, parents taking children out of school in term time.

"It happens here as it happens in all schools.

"I always write to parents to express disapproval.

"My worry with these fines is two-fold, in that people would resist payment and also that it would undermine the relationship between the school and home.

"We have no plans at the moment to go down that route."

Mr Ludlow said he would like to see pressure put on holiday companies to even out the cost of holidays during the school year and during the holidays.

Cllr Jonathan Gay, the executive politician in charge of education at B & NES council, said this would also be his preferred option but he accepted that it would not be possible to force the firms to change, despite talks at a national level.

He said: "It is unfortunate that we have to go along with these fines. I can fully understand why parents do take their children out of school in term time because of the cost. I know for many parents if they don't go during school time they can't have a holiday, but we have to do something to curb it."

Cllr Gay said there was a risk that some parents might weigh up the costs and decide it was cheaper to take a holiday in term time even with the fine.

He added that he knew there were also times when families really needed to get away together, for example if there were problems at home, and the council would use its discretion in these cases.

Anyone who wants to find out more should visit the council's website at www.bathnes.gov.uk and search for "school attendance".

	Dial-a-ride - coming soon to Norton Radstock
	PEOPLE with mobility difficulties living in Midsomer Norton and Radstock will soon find it much easier to get around when a new dial-a-ride scheme is introduced in the area from November. Residents can phone for an appointment and a low floor, fully accessible bus will come and pick them up from their front doors making previously difficult journeys to the doctors, dentists or the shops, for example, much easier. Funding for the dial-a-ride has been provided by Bath & North East Somerset Council, Norton Radstock Town Council and The Countryside Agency. Cllr Sir Elgar Jenkins, Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Executive Member for Highways and Transportation, said: “I am delighted that a new dial-a-ride is to be set up in Norton Radstock. “Bath & North East Somerset Council has already helped set up a very successful scheme in Keynsham that now offers more than 160 passenger journeys a week to people with mobility difficulties. I am sure that this new scheme will prove just as popular.” To get the scheme up and running, volunteers to form a management committee are being sought and anyone who would like to get involved is invited to attend a public meeting at Midsomer Norton Methodist Church Hall on Thursday, September 2 at 7pm. Cllr Francine Haeberling, Executive Member for Social Services, said: “The dial-a-ride is a great way for people to get back / maintain their independence and get out and about around the town without having to rely on public transport or taxis. “If you do have the time to spare to get involved with the management committee please go along on September 2 – dial-a-ride is a fantastic idea that I am sure will be very beneficial to the people of Midsomer Norton and Radstock.” Cllr Betty Perry, Chair of Norton Radstock Town Council, said: “We are thrilled that dial-a-ride is coming to Norton Radstock. “It will be a lifeline for people in the area who are not able to use public transport, broaden their horizons and give them something to look forward to.” For more information about the Midsomer Norton and Radstock dial-a-ride, contact Stephen Warren or Chris Bunton at Bath & North East Somerset Council on Tel: 01225 394113 or 395321.		Be a bat detective for the evening ARE you batty about bats? If so you’ll want to come along to a free riverside bat walk organised by Bath & North East Somerset Council on Friday, August 27 in Bath. The twilight walk at Kensington Meadows will offer a fun introduction for all the family to these amazing flying mammals. Would be bat detectives will have the chance to use bat detectors to locate the animals and find out what species fly along the River Avon at night. The special devices can detect the high frequency calls made by bats and make the calls audible to the human ear. The calls are a sophisticated echolocation system that bats use to navigate and locate their food. The route will go alongside the river at Kensington Meadows, and part of the walk will be in the dark. Participants should bring weatherproof clothing, sturdy outdoor footwear, and a torch for anyone who is not confident about walking in the dark. The walk will start at 8.15pm at the entrance from the Safeway car-park off London Road. The event is free and open to all – just turn up on the night. The event is being organised by Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Wildspaces project (part of English Nature’s Wildspace! scheme with funding from the Big Lottery Fund) and the local Batscapes project. It is being held to celebrate European Bat Weekend, an event taking place in many countries across Europe raising awareness about these threatened creatures.
			FINE TIME FOR PARENTS By: RACHEL PEGG 11:00 - 27 August 2004
			Parents who take their children on holiday during term time could find themselves with a £50 fine from next week. Education officials in Bath are preparing to start using new legislation which allows them to penalise people who book term time holidays to cut the bill for foreign trips. Headteachers are wary over the new and controversial powers but Bath and North East Somerset Council says the fines could prove useful in some cases. The penalty is one of the measures in the Anti-Social Behaviour Act introduced by the Government last year, and would be incurred if children spent more than ten days away from class without permission. Parents will still be able to negotiate termtime holidays with headteachers but the Government is keen for fewer to be authorised - and for parents who defy a refusal to be fined. In recent months, schools in B & NES have been encouraged to take a tougher stance and now always record holidays taken without permission in registers. Across the district, 17,000 school days were lost last year due to unauthorised absences, around one per cent of the total. Simon Ratcliff, education welfare service manager at the council, said: "We are trying to address this feeling that there is a right to have two weeks' holiday in term time. It certainly feels that for some parents they see that as additional time they can have." He said the crackdown would help children who already had poor attendance rates and whose schoolwork was suffering. The powers can be used either by the council, or by headteachers and governing bodies. Money collected in fines will pay for the local administration of the system, with any surplus going to the Government. If the fine is not paid within 28 days, a court summons will be issued and the parents will have to appear before magistrates and could face a criminal conviction. Mr Ratcliff said B & NES would impose the penalty in cases where it deemed it necessary. He said: "There are some schools which see it as something that can complement their strategies but other schools may feel the systems they have got are adequate." Beechen Cliff School head- teacher Roy Ludlow said he thought it unlikely that heads would use the fines because it would harm their relationships with a pupil's parents. He said: "I think it is a serious problem, parents taking children out of school in term time. "It happens here as it happens in all schools. "I always write to parents to express disapproval. "My worry with these fines is two-fold, in that people would resist payment and also that it would undermine the relationship between the school and home. "We have no plans at the moment to go down that route." Mr Ludlow said he would like to see pressure put on holiday companies to even out the cost of holidays during the school year and during the holidays. Cllr Jonathan Gay, the executive politician in charge of education at B & NES council, said this would also be his preferred option but he accepted that it would not be possible to force the firms to change, despite talks at a national level. He said: "It is unfortunate that we have to go along with these fines. I can fully understand why parents do take their children out of school in term time because of the cost. I know for many parents if they don't go during school time they can't have a holiday, but we have to do something to curb it." Cllr Gay said there was a risk that some parents might weigh up the costs and decide it was cheaper to take a holiday in term time even with the fine. He added that he knew there were also times when families really needed to get away together, for example if there were problems at home, and the council would use its discretion in these cases. Anyone who wants to find out more should visit the council's website at www.bathnes.gov.uk and search for "school attendance".