Energy prices are soaring hitting everyone, especially the vulnerable. Your Focus Team has won cross-party backing on South Glos Council for two energy initiatives: At Dave Hockey’s suggestion, officers are investigating a council-run collective energy switching scheme. £5000 has been identified to piggy back on the Bristol “Switch and Save” scheme (www.bristolswitchandsave.org.uk) which would allow […]

South Gloucestershire Council is currently planning the 2013 Discover Festival which will take place 12th September to 1st November 2013. The first Discover Festival in 2012 saw over 6,000 people attending 186 events across the local area and had themes around heritage, food, nature, arts, health and wellbeing, and also special events for people aged […]

On the same afternoon that the Westerleigh Village Energy Day was taking place, delegates at the Liberal Democrat Conference voted to support a motion “Revitalising the Rural Economy” which touched on some of the same issues, such as high fuel prices. The motion set out a clear Liberal Democrat vision to build thriving rural communities […]

Kieran Highman (centre) of the Centre for Sustainable Energy discussing renewable energy with a Westerleigh resident There was a good turnout for the Westerleigh Village Energy Day. It kicked off with a workshop where Keiran Highman of the Centre for Sustainable Energy used a large model to illustrate different types of sustainable energy that communities […]

Don’t forget that there will be a workshop and drop-in event in Westerleigh village hall this Saturday (9th March). Come along and find out how you can stay warm and save money. From 2-3pm, the Centre for Sustainable Energy will be holding a workshop on the future of energy supplies in Westerleigh village. Communities around […]

South Glos Council wants to know what you think should be its housing priorities over the next five years. It is drawing up a new Housing Strategy so that it has a clear plan on how to tackle the major housing issues that affect people in South Gloucestershire. The consultation focuses on four key areas – […]

Merlin Housing Society has teamed up with Clean Slate to help local people get back into work. Clean Slate will be at Juice Community Project, 56-60 Newton Road, Cadbury Heath, BS30 8EL every Tuesday from 11am to 4.30pm. Register as a member to get access to the internet (with support) and advice and training on […]

Fast broadband is vital for many local residents and businesses. While some local authorities have already claimed their share of Government money for improvements and others have submitted plans, until now South Glos had only got as far as starting a consultation to gather evidence of demand: http://www.southglos.gov.uk/broadband Now though there is good news as […]

On Thursday, Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat Business Secretary, opened the new multi-million pound National Composites Centre at the Science Park. The aim of the centre is to speed up new products going from the laboratory to the shop-floor. Business Secretary Vince Cable said, “Here in the UK we are very good at invention, but […]