5th November news update
from Weston Central Ward Councillors Mike Bell, Robert Payne and Caroline Reynolds
Hello everyone - welcome to issue 80 of our regular local email newsletter.
This time we’ve got some welcome news on police action to tackle antisocial behaviour in the town centre, details of the Weston Carnival on Friday 10th and the opening of Icescape this week.
As always, if there are any issues we can help with, please get in touch.
Best wishes
Mike Bell, Robert Payne and Caroline Reynolds
Your Liberal Democrat councillors for Weston-super-Mare Central Ward
Tackling town centre antisocial behaviour
Over the past few weeks, we have seen a significant rise in the number of antisocial behaviour and associated offences involving young people in Weston-super-Mare town centre.
There have been several arrests in the last few days. The children and young people involved are aged from 12 years old upward. The police are asking all parents and guardians to speak with their children if they are out in the town centre in the evenings.
The police are working closely with North Somerset Council, Weston-super-Mare Town Council and business representatives to tackle this antisocial behaviour. Enquiries including CCTV trawls, house-to-house enquiries and increased police patrols will be taking place over the coming days and weeks.
We will not tolerate any anti-social or criminal behaviour and ask the public to support us in our efforts to make Weston and the surrounding villages a safe place to live, work and visit. You can report incidents to the police on the 101 non-emergency number or 999 in an emergency.
Community Living Rooms up and running
More than 40 Community Living Rooms are open across North Somerset as free and welcoming spaces for residents to come together for friendly company, activities and a place to keep warm if needed this winter.
Community Living Rooms are varied and take place within libraries, community centres, faith groups and more. It’s a great place to come together with other members of the community with some offering refreshments, arts and crafts, games, digital skills sessions as well as information, support and advice.
North Somerset Council worked with numerous organisations and community groups to help set up free Community Living Rooms across the region last year in direct response to the cost of living crisis. We've had great partnerships from Town and Parish Councils, faith groups, volunteers and many others.
To help find your nearest Community Living Room, including open times, visit www.n-somerset.gov.uk/communitylivingrooms
Weston Carnival on 10 November
Not long to go until the brilliant Weston-super-Mare Carnival. The parade starts at 1900hrs on Friday 10th November from Locking Road carpark and the end point is on the Sea Front by the Pirate Golf, last cart through at approx 2130.
The parade is a free to watch event, but please support all those involved by donating through the charity bucket collection on the night, throw your coins into the collection vehicles or through the carnival website: www.westoncarnival.co.uk
Don’t forget that road closures and enforced vehicle removal will be in place. There is a parking suspension on the carnival route - Alfred Street, Boulevard, Waterloo Street, South Parade and Royal Parade from 1530 on Friday 10th November 2023 (Parade Day). Enforcement tickets will be issued to any vehicle on the route after this time. For the safety and security of the event, any vehicle parked on the parade route in the lead up to and after the road closures at 17.30 on Friday 10th November could be authorised by the Police to be physically removed. Visit here for a full list of road closures.
Icescape opens this week
Icescape opens at the Tropicana this week. After a three-year break, the Tropicana will once again host the festive attraction from Tuesday 7 November 2023 to Sunday 7 January 2024.
There’s space for 400 skaters in each 45 minute skate session on the ice, with various sessions running throughout the day. These include the popular Parents and Toddlers, Quiet and Disco sessions. A number of other activities will run alongside the skating, including rides, as well as festive food and drink stalls.
To find out more visit www.icescape-tropicana.co.uk
Call for action on rents
We’ve written to John Penrose MP and Liam Fox MP asking them to urge the Chancellor to end the freeze on housing benefit. There is now a significant gap between levels of housing benefit and market rents in both Weston-super-Mare and North Somerset constituencies. Across the North Somerset Council area this means that more and more households are faced with making terrible choices – between paying the rent and heating their homes, providing warm clothes for their families, or even having enough to eat each day.
Housing benefit has been frozen since 2020 and action is needed now to fix this crisis that is increasing pressure on families and forcing more people into homelessness.
Rail ticket office closure cancelled
Great news: Proposals to close railway station ticket offices, including at Weston-super-Mare, have been abandoned.
The government consulted on plans to close 974 ticket offices at railway stations over the summer. More than 750,000 people responded to the consultation across the country and overwhelmingly objected to the proposals.
Following this, rail watchdogs formally objected to the closure plans and last week the government confirmed that the plans will not go ahead. This is good news for the tens of thousands of people who use the ticket office at Weston railway station every year.
Get in touch
Contact Councillor Mike Bell on 07881 320 279 or email mike.bell@n-somerset.gov.uk or follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Mike serves on North Somerset Council and Weston Town Council.
Contact Councillor Robert Payne on 07904 026 096 or email robert.payne@n-somerset.gov.uk or follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Robert serves on North Somerset Council and Weston Town Council.
Contact Councillor Caroline Reynolds by emailing caroline.reynolds@wsm-tc.gov.uk. Caroline serves on Weston Town Council.
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Good news about ice rink well done.
Please keep fighting for a rise in housing benefits its so needed