Pill & Easton-in-Gordano Parish Council

Free food for you and your family!

LOOK what’s coming to the resource centre

PILL & DISTRICT COMMUNITY FRIDGE

Opening for the first time Saturday 12th June from 10am – 12 noon, and then when the Resource Centre is open currently 9.30-3.30 Mon-Thurs and Sat 10-12

Help reduce food waste – take some food from the Community Fridge

WATCH OUT FOR NEWS OF GRAND OPENING IN JULY

THE STORY SO FAR

Food waste is a big issue in the UK!

The average family throws away £470 worth of food every year.              

Most food waste in the UK(4.1 million tonnes) is avoidable and could have been eaten had it been better managed.

One Solution:  Community Fridges

Community fridges are one tried and tested way stopping good food ending up in the bin. Surplus food is donated by local businesses and members of the public and is then available for collection by people who need it.

What’s next for Community Fridges?

Pill & District Community Fridge is part of a growing network across the UK. We hope you enjoy your Community Fridge and experience the many benefits of sharing good food and reducing food waste.

FREE FOOD FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY

By taking some food from the Community Fridge not only are you helping yourself you will help reduce food waste.

You can donate any surplus home-grown fruit and veg or packets and tins of food you won’t use.  Food must be within ‘use by date’ and undamaged.  We are not allowed to accept home cooked food.

If you would like to help with the running of the fridge or collecting food donations, please email louise_osborne422@yahoo.co.uk

This is the litter that was collected at the April Village Litter Pick. Many thanks to Ben Culverhouse for the aerial photos and to all the litter picking volunteers.  In the photos you can see the recyclable waste on the green tarps which made up more than half of the litter collected. Plastics were the highest volume (many plastic bottles & take away coffee lids). Coke, Red bull & Thatcher’s cider cans were the most frequently found cans. There were numerous non-biodegradable face masks and wipes as well as take away coffee cups, which are difficult to recycle because of the plastic lining and so aren’t taken by our current kerbside recycling scheme. A notable amount of waste was Mac Donald’s non-recyclable takeaway packaging.

Thanks to the Parish council for the equipment. Litter pickers, gloves and Hi-Viz vests are available to borrow any time from the Resource Centre & recycling bin nets can be bought from the Post Office to prevent waste from blowing out of recycling bins.

It was a satisfying morning’s work helping the village to look tidy, stopping plastics from polluting our environment and being able to recycle over half of the waste collected. Village litter picks are organised on the third Saturday of every month, meet in the precinct at 10am.

It is two years since the last Annual Parish Meeting, so this report is a brief summary of what the Parish Council (PC) has been doing since then. Clearly, the COVID pandemic has changed our behaviour, routines, work practices, family relationships and community involvement.
The PC has been no different from any other organization and has had to look at new and creative ways of communicating and working. In this context, I should like to record my thanks to all councillors who have shown admirable commitment to their voluntary PC work – often whilst juggling the exhausting demands of work, home schooling, or caring for elderly or sick members of their families and the community. We have managed to maintain a full complement of Councillors throughout the pandemic although some colleagues have needed sabbatical time in order to respond to their primary family and employment commitments. During this time, our new intake of councillors has also refreshed and galvanized the ways in which we work. Thanks to the ingenuity, efficiency, and permanently good cheer of our Parish Clerk we have been able to keep up to date with developments outside the village and we have also learnt how to cope patiently with Zoom meetings.
Following the closure of The Pill Paper, the PC was delighted to support the launch of its cousin, The Village Voice. The first edition was delivered in November 2019 with an online version on the PC website. This was the first sign of our new digital approach and we were grateful that some of our new Councillors brought their knowledge, skills, and confidence to improving things. We now have a radically redesigned and user-friendly PC website which has up to date links to our Facebook page and The Daily Pill, thereby creating a wider interest group – particularly amongst the 16-40 year olds. The website has also links to the several consultations which have taken place in the last two years on such matters as The Neighbourhood Plan, Metro West railway developments, The Community Land Trust proposals, mud dredging from Hinkley C, and new traffic restrictions through the village.
The PC has also established some different working practices which have resulted in fewer sub-committee meetings and more action. We have ten monthly PC meetings (where planning is always a separate agenda) and four Finance and Personnel Committee meetings a year, with the rest of the work undertaken by groups which have a small budget and often work with other people outside the PC who have the skills and some time to offer. These PC groups, which report their progress at full PC meetings, include:-
The Climate Emergency Group.
The rewilding programme for several spaces in the village.
A group looking into widening the play opportunities for younger children. The footpaths group committed to keeping paths open rather than becoming “lost ways.”

The cycling groups exploring a harbour-to-harbour cycle path from Portishead to Bristol.
All these groups have made constructive links with similar groups in the village so that sharing ideas ensures that makes for a better understanding of what people want.
In addition to these groups, the PC has been quick to support any initiatives in the village which have been of benefit to people during the pandemic. Of particular note here has been the way in which the PC has worked with the village Covid 19 group and the churches; supported the Pill and District Food Bank and the incipient Community Fridge; liaised with the Heywood Practice and local pharmacy to ensure that the most vulnerable members of the village were supported; and agreed to redirect much of the PC contingency fund of £10,000 to hiring portable toilets for Crockerne School for most of the school year 2020/2021. This last decision brought considerable relief to children, parents, carers, and school staff as it made it possible for Crockerne to stay open for a longer period of time whilst adhering to the social distancing regulations.
Other imaginative initiatives have followed with the recycling of donated computers for school use, additional patrols at school start and closing times, and volunteers for looking after planters which should become part of the traffic calming plans in the near future.
It was extremely uplifting during those interminable days of lockdown to know that so many people were doing so much to make their neighbours feel safe and not forgotten. Many of the older generation have shown their appreciation for such kindness. I know that my PC colleagues have also done their best to ensure people are not forgotten and have made special efforts to reach out to different age groups – with many young people feeling vulnerable and dejected – knowing that the pandemic has affected all of us, regardless of age.
Finally, I hope that the Annual Parish Meeting in 2022 will take place in the familiar surroundings once again but in the meantime, you will be able to read the contributions and reports from members of the parish on the PC website.
Paul Kent Chair PEIGPC 1/04/21

Thank you for your responses on the Hardwick Road Playing Field proposals which have now been analysed.

Overall, 60% of the responses said either ‘great’ or ‘in general I like it’; 30% didn’t like it at all; 10% were not very enthusiastic. The main reason for opposition was the fear that the plans would reduce space on the field for play. The Parish Council is confident that the plans have been carefully designed to keep the great majority of the area open for football, cricket, rounders and other games. At the same time we have noted the enthusiasm of others for different forms of play and engagement with nature as it is increasingly recognised that opportunities to experience the natural world is very important for our mental health. It is also important to encourage biodiversity and take opportunities to capture carbon wherever possible.

We therefore believe the proposals for Hardwick Road provide the right balance of all factors and look forward to their implementation.

Two comments in addition:

a) all the ‘don’t like it all’ came on the same day and said the same thing almost identically.  We believe this was down to one person getting anyone she could to oppose the scheme and do not believe it remotely reflects widespread feeling.

b) you might be interested by the item below from the Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/28/flower-power-the-movement-to-bring-back-britains-beautiful-meadows

Network Rail have advised us of some survey works that need to take place in Pill involving ground and structural investigations on and around the freight line. The works will be commencing from Weds 20^th January and may be quite noisy at times as they involve drilling boreholes at several locations, namely around Severn Road, Monmouth Road, Hardwick Road, at the back of Mount Pleasant and on the viaduct. We have discussed this in detail with Network Rail and the majority of the works will take place Monday to Friday but some of the works have to done on a Sunday as a line possession is needed.  All the works (whichever day of the week) will be undertaken in the daytime only, i.e. no night time working will be undertaken. 

As the works may disturb residents, we have drafted the attached letter which sets out as much detail as we have. We will print off a batch and will do a door to door letter drop of houses closest to the work sites on Sunday. There are contact details on the letter so that if there are any issues with the survey works, Network Rail can be reached. Advice has been given regarding ecological constraints and an on-site ecologist will supervise the works.

The dates and times of the works are included in the letter but are as follows:

Dates	Times	Type of Work
Wednesday 20 January to Friday 5 March	8:00am – 5:00pm, Mon to Fri only	Ground Investigation works
Sunday 24 January	8:00am – 6:00pm*	Ground Investigation works on the railway
Sunday 14 March to Sunday 25 April	8:00am – 5:00pm*, Sundays only	Ground Investigation works on the railway
Monday 22 March to Friday 23 April	8:00am – 5:00pm, Mon to Fri only	Structural Coring of Pill Viaduct

* The work needs to be carried out when the trains are not operating so our teams can work safely.

As stated above, we understand that these works will disturb some residents but please be assured we have restricted the working times to daytime only.

More information can be found in this document:

By now you will have heard that Nan Kirsen and Pat Derrick died during December. Both Nan and Pat were passionately committed to the village and served our local community in a variety of ways.
Nan was a member of the Parish Council for many years and showed a keen interest in village affairs.
She also became a North Somerset Councillor and helped to bring the concerns of the wider community to the authority’s attention. Pat worked tirelessly for many local causes including The Owls, Morgan’s Charity, The Rag, The Regatta and St. George’s Football Club as well as being instrumental in securing The Chestnuts for recreation purposes. His influence extended across the generations and will be felt for many years to come.
Many of you have already sent your condolences to the families of Nan and Pat and will remember and celebrate their lives. The Parish Council sends both the Kirsen and the Derrick families their thoughts and condolences in these sad times and will remember with gratitude the service and the example that both Nan and Pat showed to the local community.
Paul Kent on behalf of The Parish Council

The North Somerset Council Recycling and Waste Team would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas. 

As we start our festive countdown and residents start to prepare, we would like to offer some seasonal advice:

• Updated collection calendars for recycling, household waste and garden waste are now available on the North Somerset Council website. These are dated from now until March 2021.
• Residents can use the postcode look-up tool to download the new calendars and check when their next collection day will be.

Over Christmas to accommodate for bank holidays there are some changes to normal collections days:

Garden waste

To help with the excess of recycling and waste produced during the festive season, the garden waste service will be suspended completely between 21st December – 15th January.  When the service resumes on Monday 18 January, if residents are signed up to the garden waste service, they can place real Christmas trees (up to 2m high minus pot and decorations) out for collection next to their bin.

There are also options to dispose of a real tree by donating to charity or local organisation – we ask residents to choose the option closest to where they live to cut down on travel:

• St Peter’s Hospice – Long Ashton based. Collections for BS48, BS21 and BS20 – ‘Just giving’ scheme, donation for collection to go to charity. www.stpetershospice.org/support-us/join-our-events/christmas-tree-collection

• Weston Rotary (BS22, BS23, BS24, BS49) ‘Pines for Pounds’– donations for collection will go to Weston hospice https://register.enthuse.com/ps/event/PinesforPounds2020 Limit of 300 trees.

• Noah’s Ark Zoo and Farm Wraxhall – 1000 repurposed for animal enrichment and the rest to be chipped to mulch for the zoo. There will be a drop off point for trees in the main car park. Limit of 2000 trees.

Recycling centres

The centres are closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Winter opening hours apply to all three sites at Portishead, Weston-Super-Mare and Backwell.

Please check our website www.n-somerset.gov.uk/recyclingcentres for advice about social distancing guidelines and opening times before travelling.

The recycling centres are open for excess waste but please be considerate that in order to keep community and staff safe, there are limitations to the number of people allowed on site at one time. If there are queues on roads surrounding the sites please turn off your engines while you wait and be aware you may be asked to return another day. To avoid unnecessary travel always visit the site closest to your home.

Extra recycling can be placed out for collection in separate loosely tied bags or another box. For crew safety please put all glass in the recycling box and flatten and fold all cardboard to the size of the recycling box, it won’t be collected if it’s too big. If residents have large amounts of recycling, please put a little out each week, to help crews finish collections and reach every household. Occasionally we use different vehicles to collect your recycling over this period, it will still be recycled as normal.

This year, all recyclable wrapping paper needs to presented with the cardboard recycling.  Wrapping paper that is glittery, metallic or plastic coated cannot be recycled and needs to go into the black bin.  Try to scrunch the paper in your hand and if it holds shape and remains scrunched it is most likely you can recycle it, if it bounces back it cannot.  Glittery Christmas cards are also non-recyclable and must go in the black bin, or repurpose as gift tags.

What to do with waste in severe weather:

• Waste – Put your waste out on your collection and if it is not collected, leave it out the crews will return
• Food caddy and recycling – Put these out on your collection day, if they are not collected by 7pm, please take them back in and put them out again the following week on your normal collection day.
• Garden waste – Put it out on your usual day, if it is not taken please take it back in and put out again the following month on your collection day.

How to help:

• Put bins and containers out by 7am on your collection day.
• If collections are missed from the whole street there is no need to report it as it will already be logged.
• Remove all packaging from inside cardboard boxes, flatten and fold to the length of your recycling box.
• Extra general waste that does not fit in your black bin will not be collected and should be taken to a recycling centre, or stored until your next collection.
• Please help neighbours who may have difficulties.

New Garden waste service Please note that from April 2021 an annual charge for garden waste collections (£50 each bin) is being introduced.  We will send out a letter in early 2021 with details on how to sign up to the new service and options for registered users of the current service. https://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/my-services/bins-recycling/types-waste/garden-waste

Thank you to all our residents for your support and co-operation this year.  With your help North Somerset council achieved a 60% recycling rate and recognition as the top South West authority and the 9^th nationally. We hope to continue this great work into 2021 and would like to acknowledge the collaborative effort of our residents, staff and crews.

Give a gift that keeps on growing.  A tree will provide colour and shade and a home for a host of wildlife.  

We have free native saplings waiting for a new home – see this page. Note: scroll down & enter the trees you’re looking for in the form with your contact details and we will be in touch if we have anything suitable

Or if there’s no space for a big tree you could buy something smaller from Brackenwood garden centre.  

Crab apples are a great garden tree for blossom & fruit for birds.

You can plant a tree whenever the ground’s not frozen or waterlogged.  

It will bring pleasure that will last a lifetime, may be for generations.

On-line Event: Wednesday 2 December

If you’re thinking of making your home more energy efficient to reduce your energy bills and your carbon emissions, this is the event for you. Run by the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) in Bristol and supported by Solarsense, the North Somerset renewable energy company, the event will cover ideas like:

• insulation
• heat pumps
• draught-proofing
• solar PV

The government’s Green Home Grant scheme will be considered but won’t be central to the event. You will learn about CSE’s Futureproof project, which will help you understand what solutions are best suited to your home, lifestyle and budget, and maximise energy savings.

There is an Eventbritepage where you can book on it, at www.bit.ly/GreeningYourHome

As part of the Parish Council’s response to its declaration of a Climate & Biodiversity Emergency, we are looking at the various open spaces in the village to consider how they can better contribute to carbon capture and provide value for wildlife whilst continuing to meet their functions as areas for relaxation and exercise.  You may have seen the recent consultation on proposals for the Brookside Playing Field which were generally met very favourably and work to implement parts of the plan are going ahead in November.

A plan for the Hardwick Road Playing Field has also been prepared, and people who live in the houses immediately adjacent to the site have now been consulted with very positive outcomes.

Below is an outline of the proposals and a map, and a link to an online questionnaire. 

If you want to comment on the plan please use this questionnaire.

It is worth noting that in a meeting on site with some of the people local to the Field, various points were emphasised: 

• it would be good to set up a Friends of Hardwick Road Playing Field group both to help with the implementation of the plan, and to ensure that the existing function of the Field as a space for games and recreation is fully protected
• nothing should be done that would get in the way of the games of football, cricket etc that are so valued on the site

Perennial meadow: A two to five meter deep ‘ curved verge’ of longer grass which will be managed to encourage perennial wild flowers such as oxeye daisies, red campion, primroses and yellow rattle. This would require a cut in July, Sept. & March in the first 2 to three years, then once a year in August/Sept with all arisings raked away (& left as small piles to rot down in the adjacent ‘Spinney’) to reduce fertility for a more flower rich diverse meadow to evolve. Some plug planting and seed sowing of native species could also take place.

Expanded ‘fruiting thicket / hedge / Spinney’: A two to 3 meter deep area to be planted as a fruit and nut rich traditional hedgerow mix – containing: Sloes, Hazel, Barberry, Hawthorn, Crab apple, Wild plums, Damsons etc. The existing Blackberries will be allowed to establish below as the trees grow up and the Parish council would be committed to maintaining the boundary no more than 3m from it’s existing edge and to maintaining height for light / Potentially coppicing? as required every 4-5 years.

Small Blossom trees: These could be dwarf cherry trees (to not cast shade over residents gardens) Edible cherry varieties could be selected, though the birds will be likely to enjoy them first 🙂 They could equally be Plum trees. Each tree could be sponsored, for a nominal amount, in memory of a local resident with a small plaque hung from a branch.