Latest news with #North East Somerset
Telegraph
09-08-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Pigeon delays zebra crossing opening by more than a month
A pigeon has delayed the opening of a zebra crossing for more than a month. Bath and North East Somerset council completed construction of the crossing on Monksdale Road in the Moorlands area of the city in June, but no pedestrians were permitted to cross until a nesting pigeon left. The Liberal Democrat-run council said the bird had prevented branches being trimmed, which were obscuring the beacon light on the crossing. Wild birds, their eggs and nests are protected by law, so the council monitored the pigeon to ensure it had left the tree before resuming the works. Now that the pigeon has flown off, the council have cut back the tree and the crossing has been opened. Protecting wildlife Cllr Lucy Hodge, a cabinet member for sustainable transport delivery, apologised for the inconvenience caused but reminded the public that wildlife must be protected. She said: 'We actively work to protect wildlife and apologise that the crossing could not be opened as planned.' This scheme is part of the council's ongoing programme of active travel improvements in the area. Restrictions on interfering with birds and their nests have also hamstrung the council's response to problems with seagulls in the city centre. The council is only able to remove eggs and nests in cases where there is evidence of serious impact on someone's health or safety.
BBC News
01-08-2025
- Business
- BBC News
New BANES bin times 'could cost businesses thousands'
Councillors have questioned why a change to bin collections, which could cost businesses thousands, was not been scrutinised before a decision was July, Bath and North East Somerset Council (BANES) cabinet member Mark Elliott signed off changes to the rules around the city centre evening business waste a result, the time shops are allowed to put their bins was moved to 18:00 BST, even though some businesses close at 17:00 to the council's own analysis, these businesses could now have to spend £3,089 a year in additional wages for someone to stick around to put the bins out. Charlie Dalton-Ball of family-run jewellers S. P. Green & Co in Bath, had warned the committee: "On paper this might seem achievable, but in reality it is entirely unworkable. "Our business is staffed from 10:00 BST until 17:30 BST which means there is now no legal window for us to place out our waste while the business is staffed."He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he believed the decision was "undemocratic". At a council meeting on 29 July, which was the first time the decision had been discussed in front of a scrutiny panel, Midsomer Norton North, Independent councillor Shaun Hughes said: "This, I don't feel, has had the right level of scrutiny."Mr Elliott said he had only been responsible for the portfolio covering this area of council policy since May."I am very happy to commit to you, as the portfolio holder now, that I will attempt to bring things to scrutiny if they look like scrutiny is required or will be helpful," he added. In light of a "small response" to a previous consultation, Mr Elliot decided the change would instead be brought in as a pilot and run for 12 months. But Midsomer Norton North, Independent councillor Shaun Hughes said the council would "do a better job" through scrutiny of mitigating and problems before moving to a pilot.
