SPECIAL TOWN COUNCIL MEETING on 2nd Feb 2011

On Thursday of this week, 2nd Feb 2012, at 7.30pm, Thornbury Town Council are hosting a Special Town Council Meeting at the Cossham Hall. According to the official agenda, they will be gathered "To consider the South Gloucestershire Core Strategy incorporating Post Submission Changes."
This is a public meeting, to which you, the members of the public, are invited to attend, and indeed participate.
Public participation will take place at the start of the meeting, and you will be invited (if you so wish) to speak to the Town Council for a maximum of 5 minutes, but only on the agenda item indicated.
So if you've been following the big debate over the past eighteen months about the suitability (or not) of different sites around Thornbury for housing development, now is the opportunity for your voice to be heard by Thornbury Town Councillors.
If you can't attend in person, but would like to put a view forward to be considered, you may write to the Town Clerk expressing your view.
Following public participation, Councillors will debate the issues themselves and formulate a corporate response to submit to the Independent Inspector, on behalf of the whole town

We hope to see as many townsfolk as possible attending the debate and making local democracy a reality for Thornbury.

The final deadline for submitting your individual personal views to the Inspector is not until Friday 17th February. Following on from Thursday's debate, we will be posting a few suggestions on this blogsite as to how individuals can best complete those submissions.

Dates for your Diary

As we now move firmly into 2012 it is time again to pick up the baton and consider where we are with the long term plan for Thornbury.

Having failed to satisfy the Planning Inspector at their first attempt, a second modified version was unveiled by South Glos Council in late December. There is now a period of consultation during which residents can express there views to the council on any amendments it contains.

The consultation ends on 17^th February and copies of the latest plan can be collected from the council offices in Castle St Thornbury.

Other than providing copies of the plan as indicated above it is difficult to find how the council are communicating with the public on this vitally important issue. However, two forthcoming events should be helpful in assisting with the formulation of your response:-

Saturday 7^th January. 10.00am at Turnberrie’s Community Centre. Thornbury.

Welbeck Land are holding an exhibition and community planning day where the public have the opportunity to participate directly with the design team in workshops and hands-on design groups to discuss key issues such as layout and landscape design, sustainability, transport and the local economy.

Refreshments will be provided during the event which is scheduled for approximately two and a half hours.

Saturday 14^th January. 10.00am to 1.00pm at Cosham Hall. Thornbury.

All three newly elected Independent Councillors are holding a surgery. Rob Hudson, Gareth Davies and Vincent Costello will be available to provide updates, discuss pressing issues and concerns, and importantly listen to the ideas of residents from throughout Thornbury.

The motivation driving the event is to provide a communication platform for residents to participate in the current wellbeing and future success of our town.

It is hoped to provide some refreshments on the day and all are welcome.