Ranelagh Gardens' new Community Garden

Last week end I was very pleased to be at the opening of the new community garden in Ranelagh Gardens in Banister Park. An enormous amount of work has gone into turning an empty piece of land into a great space for the local community. The local residents' association has done an amazing job and have worked with the city council, Radio Solent and the local Probation Service over the past 2 years. As well as being enjoyed by local residents the garden will used by the children from Banister School. 

Northlands Gardens Cutway

For some considerable time now residents have been concerned about cyclists speeding down the cutway between Northlands Gardens and Northlands Road. The situation is made more dangerous because the slope of the cutway allows cyclists to build up quite a speed and also because of the blind corner in the middle.

Cycling is not allowed in the cutway however the signs are often ignored.

Following requests by the local Neighbourhood Watch and a site visit with council officers and residents, the council has now agreed that action will be taken.

The city council has committed to putting in a staggered gate at the Northlands Gardens end, very similar to the one at the Northlands Road end.

At the site meeting the council also said that it would look at improved signage and markings to make it clearer that cycling is not allowed.

I have been informed that it is likely that the work will take place within the next two months.

Labour's Night Time Parking Charges Need A Rethink

Plans by the Labour council to introduce evening parking charges in Southampton city centre need a serious rethink. Charging to park at night will damage businesses, hit city centre workers and also residents.

It will mean more people parking on the outskirts of the city centre in places like Freemantle and Banister Park, to escape the charges. This will mean residents having to compete for parking spaces here when they return home from work. There is also a safety issue for people walking longer distances to their cars late at night.

I recently had a leaflet through my door advertising the new shopping area at Whiteley. They won't be charging for evening parking. It doesn't take a genius to see that Labour charges will drive business elsewhere to places like Whiteley.
It isn't too late to stop this crazy policy. Labour councillors need to re think this.

60th Birthday Celebrations for Banister School!

I was delighted to join Banister School on Wednesday for their 60th birthday celebrations. The school was first opened on 23rd April 1953. Built by a former aircraft manufacturer seeking to diversify their business after the war, the building was only intended to last 15 years. Wednesday's birthday celebrations were also an opportunity to mark the progress of the building of the new school which is due to open in September. The event was marked by the launching of Chinese lanterns from the outside learning space on the roof of the new building. 

New Banister School Agreed By City Planners

Today the Council's Planning and Rights of Way Panel considered the planning application for the new Banister School.

The new school will be open in September next year and will cater from a growing number of primary age pupils in area. The existing school is now very old and is long past its sell by date. It has for some time been the aspiration of many, including myself, to rebuild the school and extra government money secured last year by the City Council makes this possible. The new school is very good value for money and will be the quickest school build done in recent history in Southampton: just over 18 months from the decision to the school being open.

A large number of local residents were at the meeting and several spoke. It was good that everyone at the meeting was in favour of the new school although some valid local concerns were rightly raised.
A lot of work has gone on in recent weeks to try and get the best possible scheme, taking account of the views of neighbours.

As a result of local residents petitioning the City Council, several trees will be saved which were previously going to be lost. 3 lime trees will be protected. Also the planners asked that further consideration be given to saving the horse chestnut tree by Archers Road and if it is possible then the tree will also be kept.

The school has resolved to do everything possible to tackle concerns about congestion, with a 'Park and Stride' scheme planned, whereby parents who must drive drop their children away from Archers Road and walk them to school.

Maximum car parking has been secured on the site and the City Council agreed to make efforts to find temporary parking nearby during the construction phase so that teachers don't park in residential streets.

Also agreed today at the planning meeting was the application for the new Wordsworth School and a remodelled Moorlands School. Funding and sign off for the 3 schools was agreed at the end of last year by Conservative Councillors. It is great to see the schemes progressing.

Banister School Rebuild Given the Green Light

Freemantle Councillor, Michael Ball in Archers Road, outside Banister School

I am delighted to report that the City Council will be investing in a complete rebuild for Banister School. Conservative Councillors have been pushing for this for some time.  

A number of schools in the city are expanding to meet the growing demand for primary places. The greatest demand is in the central part of the city and in Freemantle Ward. All of the Junior and Infant schools in the ward are going to become 'all though' primary schools and this includes Banister School from September 2013.The current Banister buildings are very old and in need of replacement and now with the need to grow the school, a complete rebuild is the only sensible option to pursue.

At the end of last year the City Council was successful in winning additional capital money from the government to help deal us fund our ambitious local primary school expansion programme. The council was awarded £3.1M. As a result I am pleased to report that we are now in a position to commit to the Banister School rebuild.

We will be able to produce a fantastic, state of the art new building, which will not only be excellent quality but superb value for money. The new build will be completed for September 2013 and so this will be the fastest school build that the city council has ever done.

Helping Out in Ranelagh Gardens

I was very pleased to help out residents in Ranelagh Gardens in Banister Park on Sunday morning.

A big team was out to clear the community open space by the side of the close and help tidy up the local area. As well us picking up litter in Ranelagh Gardens we did a good job on Archers Road too.

Policing Priorities in Banister Park and Bevois Valley

Cllr Michael Ball and I attended the first Bevois Valley and Banister Park Neighbourhood Panel Meeting this evening at Bevois Town Primary School.

It was a good opportunity to meet with the beat police, local people and partnership agencies to discuss policing priorities. It was also interesting to hear the good work that the police are doing in the Banister Park and Bevois Valley area.

The police are rolling out similar meetings across Southampton and it is a good way for local people to help set priorities in their communities and ensure faster response times from the police. This evening was the second such meeting that I have been to. Earlier in the month Cllr Vincenzo Capozzoli and I met with the St Denys Neighbourhood Team.

Lindhoe Gardens

Banister Park is set to get a new road.

Next Tuesday the council will agree the name for a new close off Archers Road.

Approval was recently given for a development of 79 flats by Crest Nicholson at 1A Archers Road, a former nurses home at the junction with the Avenue.

The close is to take its name from Robert Lindhoe, the man who founded the Southampton Branch of the anti slavery society and is to mark the 200th anniversary of abolition of slavery in the British Empire.

Click HERE for a write up on the city council's website on Southampton's involvement in the abolition of the slave trade.