Bath Voice News: Government outrage that Bath’s MP Wera Hobhouse was prevented from visiting relatives when entering Hong Kong airport by Communist officials and deported back to the UK

April 13, 2025

By Harry Mottram: Foreign Secretary David Lammy has reacted angrily to the Communist officials in Hong Kong who refused to allow Bath’s MP Wera Hobhouse to enter the former British run territory to visit relatives. She was stopped at the airport and deported. David Lammy said: “It is deeply concerning to hear that an MP on a personal trip has been refused entry to Hong Kong. We will urgently raise this with the authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing to demand an explanation. As I made clear earlier this week, it would be unacceptable for an MP to be denied entry for simply expressing their views as a parliamentarian. Unjustified restrictions on freedom of movement can only serve to further undermine Hong Kong’s international reputation.”

Wera Hobhouse said she was shocked at the refusal to allow her to enter the territory at the airport to visit her son and grandson. She told The Sunday Times: “My son was waiting at the other end at arrivals. I couldn’t even see him and give him a hug and I hadn’t seen him in a year. When I was given the decision, my voice was shaking and I was just saying: ‘Why, please explain to me? I am obviously devastated. I was obviously looking forward to holding [my grandson] and cuddling him and… establishing a relationship. They are obviously quite a long way away, so each month you lose is a bit of a loss for the relationship I will have with my grandson. Having to fly back, it was so hard. I didn’t cry but I was very close to tears.”

The Sunday Times reported that Ms Hobhouse’s husband was allowed to enter but decided to return to the UK. The couple had travelled to visit their son who has lived in Hong Kong since 2019. However, the Chinese authorities gave her no explanation as to why she was kicked out of the country although it is generally thought it was due to her membership of Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac). The organisation unites lawmakers worldwide, promoting democracy and addressing threats to the rules-based and human rights in the People’s Republic of China where there are no human rights, no democracy and a dictatorship run by male millionaires does not tolerate the mildest of criticism. The Liberal Democrat MP for Bath has voiced her criticism in Ipac of the Chines brutal crushing of the democracy movement in Hong Kong, its repression of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang province and the trampling of human rights across the country. China has previously banned other Ipac members, including Sir Iain Duncan Smith and Nusrat Ghani, as well as former security minister Tom Tugendhat.

Wera Hobhouse has received support from the leader of the Liberal Democrats in Parliament Sir Ed Davey who wrote on X: “I have written to David Lammy to ask him to summon the Chinese Ambassador after Wera Hobhouse was refused entry to Hong Kong when visiting her family, apparently simply because she is a British MP. China should not be allowed to undermine our democracy.”

The affair comes at a difficult time in world trade with the USA’s plans to hike tariffs on imports from China and also the UK and the EU which has prompted the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves and foreign secretary David Lammy to travel to Beijing in recent months for talks on easing trade barriers. At the same time the Government and opposition parties are strongly opposed to the anti-democratic and free speech policy of the Chinese regime together with its threats to start a war with the democratic Republic of China based on the island of Taiwan.

Hong Kong was a British Colony and then a dependent overseas territory from 1898 to 1997 when it was returned to China. For a short period its democratic institutions were respected in part until the rise of the current Chinese dictator and president when all opposition was crushed. Around 7.5 million people live there with a mixture of nationalities although overwhelmingly Chinese.

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Bath Voice News: Six in election battle for the Metro Mayor on May 1st – read here who they are and what they stand for – and what they plan to do as mayor and why you should vote for them

April 11, 2025

By Harry Mottram: It has been an election with a difference after the outgoing Metro Mayor Dan Norris arrested on a number of charges including rape – something that has cast a shadow over the electoral battle. That aside he was standing down anyway due to Labour Party rules saying he couldn’t be a mayor and an MP as well after he ousted Jacob Rees-Mogg in the 2024 July General Election for the constituency on North East Somerset and Hanham.

The election is on Thursday, May 1st, 2025, when Bathonians can vote in the Metro Mayor election to replace Dan Norris. The responsibilities include strategic planning in the region and largely has a focus on transport, with the local transport plan featuring bus and rail projects as well as to coordinate strategy overall. Known as the Metro Mayor the roll is in charge of a combined authority within the West of England area, consisting of the local authorities of Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and Bath and North East Somerset.

The Labour Party’s candidate to replace him and considered by some to be the favourite is Helen Godwin, while the Conservative’s Steve Smith will be hoping to emulate the success of Tim Bowles in the 2017 election for the first Mayor of the West of England Combined Authority.

Joining the fray is Oli Henman – the Liberal Democratic Councillor for Walcot in Bath who will be hoping to make a serious challenge for the top job plus Mary Page for the Green Party who has a background as a local government consultant. Making up the list of candidates are the Independent and former Labour man Ian Scott and the Reform Party’s Aaron Banks.

In alphabetical order here are some notes on the candidates:

Aaron Banks: Reform Party

The business man and a former donor to UKIP and behind the founding of the Reform Party that features the MPs Richard Tice and Nigel Farage Aaron Banks is not shy of publicity. Born in Cheshire and educated in Newbury he left school to work as a salesman although his successful business background comes from his career in the insurance industry. He now lives in South Gloucestershire. Nationally, Reform UK’s policies include a freeze on ‘non-essential’ immigration, tax cuts for small businesses, the scrapping of the net zero target, tax relief for school fees and continuing investment in the NHS. On X he posted his anger at the number of caravans and old vehicles illegally parked on Clifton Down blaming the City Council and the police for failing to move them although admitted as Metro Mayor he has no powers to do so but would put pressure on the authorities for action.

Helen Godwin: Labour Party

The former Labour councillor for Southmead in Bristol gives her skills on LinkedIn as  business development, relationship management, community engagement, project management, partnership building, stakeholder management, leadership, staff development and team building. And she adds ‘I also have board level experience from several non-profit organisations. I have a strong sense of purpose and am absolutely committed to working for a better, fairer society and to contributing to my community. I champion diversity and inclusion and am a vocal activist and ally in the struggle for equality.’ As for policies she will scrap the proposed bus lane on the A4 from Saltford to Keynsham, look at franchising bus services which could be bought back under local authority control, improve relationships between the trio of local authorities and welcome North Somerset to the West of England Combined Authority.

Oli Henman: Liberal Democrat

As the Bath and North East Somerset Councillor for Walcot Oli Henman is reasonably well known in Bath where he is the cabinet project lead for climate emergency and sustainable travel. Fluent in French and German Oli Henman is an Oxford University graduate with a background in working for European and Government organisations to engage with citizens or a range of issues and is currently the  Global Coordinator of Action for Sustainable Development, where he is responsible for ‘developing a new and rapidly growing decentralised network of over 3,000 civil society organisations and local activists in more than 160 countries, who have come together to promote a more just and sustainable world.’ If elected his policies include working more closely with local councils, welcoming North Somerset to WECA, creating more ‘green jobs’, cutting red tape to free up more cash for local transport and bringing the bus service back under local authority control.

Mary Page: Green Party

The communications specialist and community engagement officer is a former modern language teacher and graduate of Sheffield Hallam University where she studied communications media, journalism and Spanish – and played hockey for the college and founded the University’s snow board club. As the co-founder of the campaign group to end the way Bristol was governed by the elected mayor system ‘It’s Our City’ she can rightfully claim success since Mervyn Rees as the last mayor lost the vote and the city is again governed by the committee system. If elected she said she will deliver the things people want done, end ‘tribal politics’, support start-up small businesses, extend the ‘Birthday Bus’ scheme begun by Dan Norris to include a one day a week free bus ticket for residents. Previously she worked for BC Radio Sheffield, as well as a political advisor at South Gloucestershire Council.

Ian Scott: Independent

As a former Labour councillor he is currently the Independent councillor representing the South Gloucestershire ward of Woodstock having previously been a councillor in Filton in North Bristol where he lives, having originally hailed from North Somerset where he was born. After falling out with the Labour Party over issues he is reported to have said over ‘ageism and sexism’ he decided to stand as an Independent, citing his long experience in local government. A long term postal worker his policies if elected include getting more cash from central government to invest on local services in Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire as well as improving bus routes and fares – and also standing up for motorists. With no backing from a party organisation he has funded the campaign and fee of £5,000 to stand himself .

Steve Smith: Conservative

The former Bristol councillor for Henleaze and Westbury-on-Trym and CEO of the youth club charity Young Bristol Steve Smith is well known in the city. He is self employed with a consultancy company that advises firms on winning public sector contracts and if elected would seek to end the arguments that have dogged WECA between its three constituent members – and would welcome North Somerset as a member. Improved and expanded rail services are on his agenda and putting the available Government cash into more trains and buses rather than arguing about new bus lanes and cycle paths. One area he is keen on is in increasing the amount of house building – especially utilising brown field sites – as he feels Bristol has fallen behind in the number of homes built compared to Bath and South Glos.

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Bath Voice News: shock at the arrest of MP Dan Norris over sexual offences and misconduct in public office as WECA staff are offered support due to the “unsettling and upsetting” news

April 7, 2025

By John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporter: Dan Norris MP’s election agent has said he is shocked and upset at the MP’s arrest on suspicion of rape and child sex offences.

The North East Somerset and Hanham MP was arrested on Friday April 4 on suspicion of sexual offences against a girl, rape, child abduction, and misconduct in a public office. Avon and Somerset Police said most of the offences are alleged to have occurred in the 2000s but it was also investigating an alleged offence of rape in the 2020s.

Norris has been released on conditional bail. Formerly the MP for Wansdyke, Norris lost the seat to Conservative Jacob Rees-Mogg in 2010 but won it back, as North East Somerset and Hanham, 14 years later in last year’s general election. The Labour Party said it had immediately suspended him upon learning of his arrest.

Grant Johnson, a Labour councillor on Bath and North East Somerset Council who was his election agent at the election, said on Sunday: “Yesterday’s announcement in the media of Dan Norris’ arrest and the allegations being made against him have left me shocked and upset.

“I have campaigned with Dan for a number of years and acted as his agent in the recent election, but nothing can compare you for the serious allegations being made against him. The Labour Party has done the right thing in immediately suspending him from the party.

“My thoughts are with all those impacted by this news. I do not intend to comment further as this is an ongoing police investigation.”

Norris is also the West of England Metro Mayor. His time in the role leading the West of England Combined Authority is due to come to an end next month, as the election for the next Metro Mayor is set to take place on Thursday May 1. Under Labour Party policy, he is not standing for reelection due to being an MP.

Staff at the West of England Combined Authority are being offered specialist trauma support. Helen Godwin, the Labour candidate for West of England Metro Mayor, also said she was “shocked and upset” at the allegations against Norris.

She said: “I’m pleased that the Labour Party took the swift action to immediately suspend him from the party. I am thinking about everyone affected by this news and urge people to reach out to relevant organisations if they need support. I cannot comment further than this due to the ongoing police investigation.”

The full list of candidates standing to be elected the next West of England Metro Mayor on May 1 is:

Steve Smith (Conservative)

Arron Banks (Reform UK)

Helen Godwin (Labour)

Oli Henman (Liberal Democrat)

Mary Page (Green)

Ian Scott (Independent)

More from John Wimperis: Trauma support is being made available to staff at the West of England Combined Authority after the Metro Mayor was arrested on suspicion of rape and child sex offences.

Dan Norris, who has held the role leading the combined authority since 2021, was arrested on Friday April 4 on suspicion of sexual offences against a girl, rape, child abduction, and misconduct in a public office. Avon and Somerset Police said most of the offences are alleged to have occurred in the 2000s but it was also investigating an alleged offence of rape in the 2020s.

An email to all staff at the West of England Combined Authority seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service said the senior office team recognised the news was “unsettling and upsetting” and would affect people in different ways. He said “specialist trauma support” would be available from Monday morning.

It said: “We have been in touch with Avon and Somerset Police, who operate a victim-centred service and fully understand how difficult it can be to share sensitive experiences. They have asked us to reassure colleagues that any contact with them will be taken extremely seriously and they are committed to providing specialist support to anyone who reaches out.”

Norris has been released on conditional bail. Since the 2024 General Election, he has also been the Labour MP for North East Somerset and Hanham alongside being the Metro Mayor. Under Labour Party policy, he is not standing for reelection as Metro Mayor in the upcoming election on Thursday May 1. He was immediately suspended by the Labour Party following his arrest.

The email reads: 

“The senior officer team has met following yesterday’s news concerning the Mayor. We fully recognise that this is unsettling and upsetting and that it will affect people in different ways.

“Our priority right now is supporting you — our colleagues.

“If you have been impacted by this news or just want to speak with someone, please do not hesitate to reach out. You can contact:

“•  […] in confidence: […]. Specialist trauma support will be available from Monday morning, via […]. If you would like to access this, please contact […], who will arrange a confidential meeting for you.

“•  Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) — a free and confidential service available 24/7 to all employees and their immediate family members: Helpline/website/code: […]

“We have been in touch with Avon and Somerset Police, who operate a victim-centred service and fully understand how difficult it can be to share sensitive experiences. They have asked us to reassure colleagues that any contact with them will be taken extremely seriously and they are committed to providing specialist support to anyone who reaches out.

“There are several ways to get in touch with the Police: via the online reporting tool, or by calling 101 and asking for Bluestone. The online reporting tool also provides access to the Victim Information Booklet, which may be helpful.

“As we navigate the days ahead, I know that colleagues will continue to treat each other with kindness, care and respect.

“We will be holding a short all-staff call on Monday in that spirit and a calendar invitation will follow.

“Thank you.”

Bath Voice and Local Democracy Reporters

The journalists are funded by the BBC as part of its latest Charter commitment, but are employed by regional news organisations. A total of 165 reporters are allocated to news organisations in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland including Bath Voice. These organisations range from television and radio stations to online media companies and established regional newspaper groups. Local Democracy Reporters cover top-tier local authorities, second-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.

Bath Voice Monthly Newspaper is distributed free to thousands of homes and some supermarkets – distributed from the first of the month. Harry Mottram is the News Editor

Email him at news@bathvoice.co.uk Bath website: https://bathvoice.co.uk/news/
Bath Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/bdtf2kep  Also on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bath_voice And Bluesky @bathvoicenews.bsky.social And also on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/harrymottram6/

Read the newspaper online at :https://issuu.com/bathvoice

To advertise to thousands of Bathonians call Shaun on 07540 383870 or email him on sales@bathvoice.co.uk

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Bath Voice News: Zhenya Shkil is keeping the Ukrainian flag flying as she recently helped raised funds for the Friends of Oleksandriya with a huge concert in Bath Abbey – even though she’s from Kiev

 Apr 4, 2025

April 3, 2025

By Harry Mottram: Three years to the day the Ukrainian flag flew over Bath’s Guildhall marking the anniversary when Russian forces invaded Ukraine.
It was February 24th 2022 when the unprevoked armed assault ordered by Russia’s dictator Putin attempted to carry out the so-called Special Military operation to oust the Kiev regime in a few days.
History shows it failed spectacularly and the war continues to this day with attempts to find a lasting peace which seems unlikely given the absolutist demands of the Kremlin to subjugate Ukraine. How the war will ends is anyone’s guess, but President Trump failed in his promise to end it in one day with a phone call to Putin.
Collective wisdom suggests it will take a change of Government in Moscow for sanity to prevail since the Ukrainians have pledged to fight on until they are free of Russian forces.
Three years ago Bath welcomed hundreds of refugees – and on the anniversary of the invasion many packed into Bath Abbey for a concert of Ukrainian music with the fundraising event driven by a Ukrainian teacher from Bath.
Zhenya Shkil has lived in the UK for about 10 years having taught in Bristol and attended the University of Bath where she took a Masters Degree in interpreting and translation.

I caught up with her outside Bath Abbey where she pointed out the queue for the concert stretched from down Stall Street to the Abbey door.
“We sold about 500 tickets before the box office closed, then another 100 or more on the door and then there were children who came in for free as well and all the performers as well so at least 800 making the Abbey feel very full,” she said. “There are 500 Ukrainians in Bath and North East Somerset and they come from different towns. I have no connection with Oleksandriya – it is south of Kiev where I come from – and the reason we chose Oleksandriyais it is similar to Bath in size and with an oblast with villages and towns is like Bath and North East Somerset.
“In our constitution of the Friends of Oleksandriya we are pledged to help civilians to get through the war. When the war is over then maybe there will be businesses who will invest in Ukraine from our connections we’ve made.”
Zhenya is a self-employed teacher, translator and facilitator for Ukrainian adults and children to learn English for school exams and for employment.
She said she will continue to organise the annual concerts plus in Refugee Week (16-22 June 2025) the plan is to highlight Ukrainian culture. See https://refugeeweek.org.uk/

Bath Voice Monthly Newspaper is distributed free to thousands of homes and some supermarkets – distributed from the first of the month. Harry Mottram is the News Editor

Email him at news@bathvoice.co.uk Bath website: https://bathvoice.co.uk/news/
Bath Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/bdtf2kep  Also on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bath_voice Read the newspaper online at :https://issuu.com/bathvoice

To advertise to thousands of Bathonians call Shaun on 07540 383870 or email him on sales@bathvoice.co.uk

Harry Mottram is a freelance journalist. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Telegram, TikTok and  Email:harryfmottram@gmail.com
Website:www.harrymottram.co.uk 

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Bath Voice News: the Metro Mayor election to replace Dan Norris is just a month away as a sixth candidate joins the battle for the May 1st vote

April 1, 2025

By Harry Mottram: On Thursday, May 1st, 2025, Bathonians can vote in the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority election to replace Dan Norris who became a Labour MP.

Known as the Metro Mayor the roll is in charge of a combined authority within the West of England area, consisting of the local authorities of Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and Bath and North East Somerset. Based on the old Avon County originally North Somerset was to be part of the regions but it opted out.

The responsibilities include strategic planning in the region and largely has a focus on transport, with the local transport plan featuring bus and rail projects. The idea is for metro mayors – there have similar roles across the country including Greater London, Greater Manchets, South Yorkshire and Liverpool City Area to coordinate strategy.

In the last elections all but the Tees Valley were won by Labour – Tees Valley being Conservative. This time only this area and the one covering Cambridge are having an election with the others in 2028.

There are five candidates so far declared for this region with Helen Godwin for Labour hoping to take over from Dan Norris. She said her strong connection with Kier Starmer’s Labour Government will help to secure funding and support for the region – and will build on the work of Mr Norris.

Lib Dem Oli Henman is familiar to Bathonians as he is a B&NES councillor for Walcot and is the Cabinet Project Lead for Climate Emergency and Sustainable Travels so will be on top of his transport brief if elected.

Mary Page from the Green Party will hope to capitalise on the party’s increasing vote share in Bristol and the region in general. Her policy of a New Green Deal has set out the economic benefits of green energy, sustainable housing, and improved public transport.

Steve Smith for the Conservatives will be looking to re-establish the Tories as the main opposition after last year’s drubbing at the polls. Keen on improving links with business he will create a strategic advisory and investment board to increase infrastructure.

Ian Scott fell out with Labour and is standing as an Independent and is promoting new railway stations in North Bristol and a new Community Hospital in Frenchay.

A sixth candidate has entered the election – businessman Arron Banks for the Reform Party. He founded the Leave EU campaign and UKIP before backing Reform with Richard Tice MP.

Bath Voice Monthly Newspaper is distributed free to thousands of homes and some supermarkets – distributed from the first of the month. Harry Mottram is the News Editor

Email him at news@bathvoice.co.uk Bath website: https://bathvoice.co.uk/news/
Bath Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/bdtf2kep  Also on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bath_voice And Bluesky @bathvoicenews.bsky.social And also on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/harrymottram6/

Read the newspaper online at :https://issuu.com/bathvoice

Harry Mottram is a freelance journalist. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Telegram, TikTok and  Email: harryfmottram@gmail.com
Website: www.harrymottram.co.uk 

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Bath Voice News: Labour group call on Bath & North East Council to auto-enrol more children for free school meals

November 13, 2024

By Harry Mottram: Labour councillors in Bath and North East Somerset are planning to put pressure on the ruling Lib Dem run council to increase the number of children receiving free school meals. They plan to do this through ‘auto-enrolling’ which essentially means if the school or social services know which children come from homes which have a combined income of less than £7,400 a year, or £617 a month, before benefits, they will automatically be given a free school meal.

Their reasoning is that nationally around one in ten school children could have free school meals as they come from households that qualify. On Thursday, 21st November, 2024, at the Council meeting, the Labour official opposition group, has a motion asking all councillors to vote for B&NES to make a switch from granting free school meals to families who apply, to automatically enrolling those children they know who come from low-income families. In this area that could mean some 27,000 children could benefit from auto-enrolment say Labour while the schools would benefit with more funding. Once a child is registered for free school meals, this triggers extra funding (pupil premium funding) for the school to use to support the children across the community.

Several local authorities adopted the administration change in recent years, with all reporting an increase in learning outcomes – shorthand for improved exam results. The health of school children was also reported as having improved along with behaviour and concentration levels. The Labour motion asks councillors to require the Lib Dem Cabinet to make auto-enrolment a priority so it’s in place next September, and to provide regular updates from January to the Children’s Health and Wellbeing Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel, to ensure the work is staying on-track.

Proposing this change, Labour’s Lesley Mansell (Radstock) said, “The link between food insecurity and health is clear. Auto-enrolling is a simple opportunity that B&NES should take, to improve the lives of young people and their families. It will benefit them, their schools and their future prospects.”

Families don’t always take up free school meals if they have to apply due to a mix of social reasons including the stigma associated with them and the fear their children may be teased, plus there is the pride factor as it may go against their own feelings in having to apply for the benefit, also there’s the complex application process and sometimes they are not aware of the scheme. Eligibility for free school meals in B&NES is available for families receiving a number of benefits including: Universal Credit; Income Support; Income Based Jobseeker’s Allowance; Income Related Employment and Support Allowance; Child Tax Credit; Working Tax Credit; Guaranteed Element of State Pension Credit and support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

In 2018 the then Lib Dem opposition called on the council’s ruling Conservatives to call on the Government to work with schools, academies and local authorities to raise awareness of families’ eligibility for Free School Meals and encourage all those entitled to Free School Meals to take them up.

Last year Wera Hobhouse Bath’s Liberal Democrat MP, signed a cross-party letter from 56 MPs to the Chancellor calling for free school meals for all primary school pupils to be included in the budget on 15th March. In May of this year the Liberal Democrats called on the next Government to introduce free school meals for all primary school children. Currently only children in reception and year 1 and 2 universally have free school meals.

Labour Leader on B&NES Robin Moss said, “Tackling child poverty is a key priority of the Labour Government.  We have significant pockets of deprivation and struggling families here – B&NES Council need to take full advantage of the funding that government’s made available to them – let’s pull out every stop.”

The Full Council Meeting takes place on November 21^st, 2024.

Parent and guardians can make their application for free school meals at:  https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals

Bath Voice Monthly Newspaper is distributed free to thousands of homes and some supermarkets – distributed from the first of the month. Harry Mottram is the News Editor

Email him at news@bathvoice.co.uk Bath website: https://bathvoice.co.uk/news/
Bath Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/bdtf2kep  Also on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bath_voice Read the newspaper online at :https://issuu.com/bathvoice

To advertise to thousands of Bathonians call Shaun on 07540 383870 or email him on sales@bathvoice.co.uk

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Bath Voice News: Bath’s RUH Hospital issues advice as Junior Doctors begin industrial action

 JAN 3, 2024

JANUARY 3, 2024

By Harry Mottram: The RUH have issued advice to visitors and patients as the British Medical Association (BMA) members stage a six day strike affected NHS service users in Bath and the rest of the country. The BMA is usually considered to be the trade union from most Junior Doctors – although the term includes doctors of all ages and experiences and not just trainees.

In advice published on the hospital website the RUH stated: “Patient safety is our top priority, and we are committed to keeping disruption caused by industrial action to a minimum. If you have an appointment or procedure booked, please attend unless you hear from us. You do not need to call to check if your appointment is going ahead. We will be in touch with patients directly if we need to rearrange an appointment.

“Our emergency department remains open 24 hours a day, if you have a life-threatening emergency. Please be aware that, like others across the NHS, our Emergency Department is really busy. If you have a minor illness or minor injury, local GP surgeries and pharmacies are open. If you have an urgent medical problem that is not an emergency and aren’t sure what to do, contact 111 first online or by phone – they will provide immediate medical advice and direct you to the best care for your needs. In emergencies, please call 999.

“We continue to welcome family members and loved ones to visit patients. There are no changes to our visiting arrangements during industrial action so please continue to follow the visiting hours provided by the ward team.”

It is the longest strike in the history of the NHS with the BMA’s Junior Doctors walking out over six days as they demand ‘wage restoration’ – in other words a pay rise to catch up with several years of wage cuts in real terms. The industrial action follows the breakdown of pay talks in December between the government and British Medical Association to resolve the dispute. To cover the absence senior doctors and consultants are being reassigned to cover for the junior doctors although routine hospital services, such as planned operations, like hip and knee replacements and check-ups, will be disrupted. However, it is expected that A&E will remain open in most cases and many striking doctors will return to work to cover a major emergency – and it should be noted not all junior doctors are members of the BMA and are not on strike.

The dispute is over the BMA seeking a 35% wage increase which has been rejected by the Government who have made an offer of 3% with a further increase in the spring to give an average of a 9% rise. The BMA said that was too little as wages had been below-inflation pay rises since 2008.

Health Secretary Victoria Atkins has asked for the junior doctors to suspend strike action and return to the negotiating table, ‘so we can find a fair and reasonable solution to end the strikes once and for all’.  This was rejected by the BMA junior doctors committee co-chairmen Dr Robert Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi who said the government needed to come forward with a “credible offer”.

The BBC reported that in August, a pay deal was reached with junior doctors in Scotland. It includes a 12.4% pay increase for 2023/24, in addition to a wage rise of 4.5% for 2022/23 with ministers also promising talks on future pay increases.

The Strike Action is from 7am Wednesday 3 January until 7am Tuesday 9 January, 2024.

For the advice from the RUH see https://www.ruh.nhs.uk/media/news_homepage/2024_01_Industrial_Action_Update.asp

For the view of the BMA see https://www.bma.org.uk/

For the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care see https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-health-and-social-care#:~:text=Current%20role%20holder-,The%20Rt%20Hon%20Victoria%20Atkins%20MP,Care%20on%2013%20November%202023.

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Bath Voice News: industrial unrest continues with teachers, rail staff and university workers taking action

MARCH 17, 2023

By Harry Mottram: This week has seen the industrial unrest that has affected Bath and the whole country continue as workers take to the streets in protest at working conditions and low wages.

Teachers took part along with civil servants, medics and train staff in a huge demonstration in London’s Trafalgar Square on Wednesday 15th March to campaign for improved pay and conditions. It is estimated around 50,000 people took part with many from Bath and the surrounding area travelling up to the capital.

University staff are taking strike action today with railway workers involved in action on 18th March, 30th March and the 1st April with Great Western Railway at Bath Spa Railway Station affected.

The situation nationally is fluid with the nurses and health professionals seemingly about to settle with a revised pay offer backed by the the Royal College of Nursing, Unison and the GMB.

Passport workers are planning a a strike sparking alarm amongst those applying for a new passport ahead of the summer. Members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union working across England, Scotland and Wales will take part in the action from 3 April to 5 May in their demands for a cost of living increase in pay.

Unions for NHS staff, including nurses and ambulance workers, recommended their members accept a 5% rise – lower than they had hoped for – and it includes a sweetener in the form of one off payment of around £1,600. However the doctors’ union the BMA have not yet entered talks with the Government in pursuit of the 35% pay rise. Unite do not support the deal but will accept a vote by their members.

The Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which represents train companies, have offered the railway workers a 4% rise which has not been accepted as the unions point out inflation is more than 10% and with Network Rail planning to slash hundreds of jobs it seems unlikely to be settled soon.

Bath Voice Monthly Newspaper is distributed free to thousands of homes and some supermarkets – distributed from the first of the month. Harry Mottram is the News Editor

Email him at news@bathvoice.co.uk

Bath website: https://bathvoice.co.uk/news/
Bath Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/bdtf2kep

Also on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bath_voice

Read the newspaper online at :https://issuu.com/bathvoice

To advertise to thousands of Bathonians call Erica on 07402 441485 or email her on erica@bathvoice.co.uk

Harry Mottram is a freelance journalist. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube etc

Email:harryfmottram@gmail.com
Website:www.harrymottram.co.uk

Mobile: 07789 864769

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Bath Voice News: nurses at the RUH to pause industrial action next week as talks with the Government begin

FEBRUARY 22, 2023

By Harry Mottram: Next week’s planned industrial action by nurses in Bath has been put on hold after it emerged the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) were to hold talks over pay and conditions with the health secretary Steve Barclay. Walk outs had been planned for next Wednesday and Thursday across the country with nurses in A&E and intensive care joining the strike for the first time. Clearly the pressure on the Government has worked as the RCN had been calling for talks since last year to resolve the issue of pay falling behind the rate of inflation along with increased stress due to staff leaving the profession.

With junior doctors also considering strike action plus teachers, lecturers, postal workers, railway workers and civil servants all in process of a series of disputes the received wisdom is that the health secretary may have decided the nurses are a special case. That is in part many feel because there is widespread public support for nurses.

In a joint statement from the Department of Health and Social Care and the Royal College of Nursing regarding ongoing pay talks it was noted: “The Government and Royal College of Nursing have agreed to enter a process of intensive talks. Both sides are committed to finding a fair and reasonable settlement that recognises the vital role that nurses and nursing play in the National Health Service and the wider economic pressures facing the United Kingdom and the Prime Minister’s priority to halve inflation. The talks will focus on pay, terms and conditions, and productivity enhancing reforms.

“The Health Secretary will meet with the Royal College of Nursing on Wednesday to begin talks. The Royal College of Nursing will pause strike action during these talks.”

There have been reports in the media that other health care trade unions will not be involved in the talks leading to fears the Government wishes to divide the various unions in their policy of keeping inflation down. Currently inflation is at more than 10% and the Government sees halving inflation as its number one priority.

The photo is from the RCN of nurses in Birmingham taking strike action

Bath Voice Monthly Newspaper is distributed free to thousands of homes and some supermarkets – out on the first of each month. Harry Mottram is the News Editor

Email him at news@bathvoice.co.uk

Bath website: https://bathvoice.co.uk/news/
Bath Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/bdtf2kep

Also on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bath_voice

Read the newspaper online at :https://issuu.com/bathvoice

To advertise to tens of thousands of Bathonians call Erica on 07402 441485 or email her on erica@bathvoice.co.uk

Harry Mottram is a freelance journalist. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube etc

Email:harryfmottram@gmail.com
Website:www.harrymottram.co.uk

Mobile: 07789 864769

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Bath Voice Business News: one in, one out – Southgate’s River Island is set to close although a competitor will take its place

Byharrymottram

 FEB 21, 2023

FEBRUARY 21, 2023

By Harry Mottram: Bath has lost several retailers in the last few months with the latest one set to close this month when River Island in St Lawrence Street shuts its doors. Along with stores in Harrogate, Shrewsbury, Lancaster and Lemington Spa the Lewis family who own River Island began a so-called restructuring process in 2020 cutting some 300 jobs, seeing the departure of the CEO, a £50m loss in 2021 and the closing of 20 or more of its 270 stores. According to Retail Week the firm is now on a safer financial footing after seeing the increase in online shopping and a slump in footfall in its shops plateau.

The store has a long history beginning back in 1948 in London as Lewis Separates fascia, rebranding as it grew to 70 branches in 1965 to Chelsea Girl. The 1980s saw it launch Concept Man as a brand before bringing both that and Chelsea girl under its current name. Despite the closure in Bath the chain has 250 stores left across the UK and around the world as well as concessions in other retailers.

In its place seems likely to be its competitor Zara. Bath Voice understands it is set to open later this year. Zara began life in Spain in the 1970s as a fashion store but now has more than 2,000 branches worldwide with one in Bristol and one in Cardiff.

Bath Live reported Guy Henderson, centre director at Southgate Bath, as saying: “We’re always looking to bring new brands and experiences to South Gate Bath to complement the great mix of stores, restaurants, bars and cinema we already have. We’re incredibly excited to be welcoming Zara to the city – it’s a well-known and much-loved brand, and I’m sure it will be hugely popular with visitors when it opens.”

For many residents the focus of Bath’s retailing offering has shifted south over the years since South Gate opened in 2009 and 2010 away from Milsom Street. There has been criticism of the Council’s policy of ending Milsom Street as a busy road for traffic  – as having a negative effect on retailers – but South Gate, Stall Street and Union Street are all traffic free. Perhaps it is best to say that shopping habits and where and what people buy changes over the decades just as fashions and tastes change and evolve.

Bath Voice Monthly Newspaper is distributed free to thousands of homes and some supermarkets – out on the first of each month. Harry Mottram is the News Editor

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Bath Voice News: Bath’s nearest airport will be allowed to expand after High Court ruling

FEBRUARY 6, 2023

By Harry Mottram: Bathonian’s nearest airport at Lulsgate has been given the green light to expand allowing more people from the city to travel by air every year.

Four years ago, Bristol Airport put forward plans to increase its capacity to handle an extra two million passengers a year, up from 10 to 12 million. To do this the existing terminal would be expanded with extra floors, plus walkways to aid passengers connecting to their flights, a new multi storey carpark and changes to the access roads, taxiway lanes for planes and service yard areas. Also, restrictions on night flights would be eased and the Silver Zone carpark would be increased.

Although the plans will be welcomed by many of those who use the airport they have not been welcomed by an alliance of protestors. These include Bath’s MP Wera Hobhouse, North Somerset Council, Bristol Airport Action Network, Bristol City Council, Bath and North East Somerset Council and the West of England Combined Authority, the Green Party and local residents in the area.

Dave Lees, CEO of Bristol Airport, said: “Bristol Airport welcomes the High Court Judge’s decision to dismiss the claim and uphold the planning permission to increase Bristol Airport’s capacity from 10 million to 12 million passengers per annum. The decision is excellent news for our region’s economy, allowing us to create up to 5,000 new jobs, deliver more international destinations for the South West and South Wales, and invest hundreds of millions of pounds improving the customer experience. We will do this while working towards our ambitious target of net zero carbon operations by 2030. We look forward to working with stakeholders and the community to deliver our vision to be everyone’s favourite airport.”

His views are not shared Bath’s MP. Vera Hobhouse said: ““I join my Liberal Democrat colleagues on B&NES Council in strongly opposing the expansion of Bristol Airport. Strong public opinion on the airport’s expansion extends well beyond Bath to our wider region. With the need to urgently act on the climate emergency growing ever stronger, airport expansion is not the way forward. The Leader of the House said she will be contacting the relevant Department to raise the concerns of my constituents over the matter. It is not just good enough for the Government to listen to the concerns of my constituents, they must act on them. It is my constituents’ lives who will be impacted yet their voices are the ones being ignored. This decision is a gross denial of their democratic rights.”

The airport began life 1927 as a flying club before being used as an RAF base in the war. After 1945 it reverted to being a club base for light aircraft and gliders before becoming Bristol Lulsgate Airport in 1957. Since then, it has been slowly upgraded from an annual passenger count of 33,000 to today’s millions. Initially it was owned by the Council but became a public limited company in 1987 resulting in a further upgrading – and an end to the A38 traffic crossing the runway in between flights.

Despite the alliance of opposition the airport is increasingly popular with passengers often arriving by bus and coach from Bristol and even Cornwall and South Wales. At just 19 miles from Bath clearly many in the city will privately welcome the expansion if it means more flights to more destinations.

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Bath Voice Theatre Preview: six women, six stories, six Lockdown Blues in a comedy drama by Polly Lamb

FEBRUARY 9, 2023

Friday, March 10th, 2023

Lockdown Blues:  Fresh New Comedy Drama from Really Truly Theatre Company.

Look out for an exciting evening of comedy drama at this year’s Elevate Festival from Really Truly Theatre Company. Lockdown Blues takes a wry, moving and often hilarious look at the lives of six very different women during the 2020 lockdown. Written by Polly Lamb this punchy piece of original theatre is on 10th March, 9pm at the Theatre Royal, Bath, and chimes very well with International Women’s Day, celebrated the same week.

Lockdown Blues dips into the lives of six women across the generations who share their frustrations, their triumphs and some very resourceful solutions to surviving Lockdown. Their stories are funny and poignant and pick up on familiar experiences of 2020.  Polly says ‘I was keenly aware that women had been affected by lockdown in so many different ways and the stories coming from the media indicated that women were experiencing distinct challenges to the ones men were facing. One monologue quickly developed into 6 characters and I’d like to think they all have a little maverick edge to them.’ 

Six actors, representing Danni, Eileen, Jeanette, Sally, Penny and Tash, reveal what they do to stay sane (you might be surprised) and what connects them to each other and to all of us. You can expect a fresh, fun and life-affirming evening.

The play, which was a sellout at the recent Frome Festival, runs for just over an hour and contains some strong language and adult themes.

Book tickets (£7) from the Elevate Festival box office: 01225 448844 BoxOffice@theatreroyal.org.uk

https://www.theatreroyal.org.uk/community-festival/

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Bath Voice News: Nurses at the RUH take second day of industrial action in pursuit of fair pay

FEBRUARY 7, 2023

By Harry Mottram: For the second day in a row, members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) at the Royal United Hospitals in Bath (RUH) have taken strike action in support of their demands for fair pay.

The RCN said in a statement: “Strike action will take place at all workplaces covered by this employer. The strike will be across all dayshifts, no matter when these are.”

The BBC’s Dan O’Brien, Karen Gardner, Paddy Tracey & Paul Barltrop reported on the dispute in Bath and across the South West. They wrote on the BBC’s website: “Nurses and paramedics across the west have joined the biggest strikes in the NHS’s history in a bid for better pay and conditions. Staff at some of the region’s biggest hospitals were on the picket line in freezing conditions on Monday morning. Nurses are calling for a pay increase of 19%, while paramedics want a rise in line with inflation, or around 10%. The government says the door is open for negotiations but that it can not afford to meet the unions’ demands.”

The RCN said nurses have the right to strike and said the public could show their support for striking nursing staff by visiting picket lines. Hits Radio aired a video on Twitter with interviews with RUH nurses on the picket line – in the back ground motorists were sounding their support for the nurses. One of the nurses said too many nurses were leaving the profession due to low pay and conditions. Another one said they wanted the Government to negotiate with the RCN to bring an end to the dispute.

The man at the centre of those potential negotiations is the MP Steve Barclay Secretary of State for Health and Social Care who took on the post in October when Rishi Sunak became PM. Ahead of the current nurses’ strike he said the independent pay review body would decide on the pay levels for nurses but told Sky News that a 10% pay increase for nurses was not affordable, as it would cost  an extra £3.6bn a year taking money away from patient services.

The health secretary told Sky News: “I have discussions with the Treasury, as do other secretaries of state, and these things need to be balanced not just with the needs of teachers, with the education secretary, or train drivers, with the transport secretary, but also what’s affordable for your viewers in terms of their own cost of living pressures.”

The RCN said a statement: “We expect to see a pay award that goes 5% above inflation (the retail prices index). We reached our pay position for 2022-23 in close collaboration with our members across the UK. We carried out an analysis of economic trends and NHS pay over the past decade. We also considered the staffing pressures facing the profession.”

Currently the Consumer Prices Index for Inflation in December 2022 is 10.5%.

The black and white photo is of the Oxford picket line and is from the RCN.

For more news follow Bath Voice on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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Bristol Airport will be allowed to expand after High Court ruling

By Harry Mottram: Bathonian’s nearest airport at Lulsgate has been given the green light to expand allowing more people from the city to travel by air every year.

Four years ago, Bristol Airport put forward plans to increase its capacity to handle an extra two million passengers a year, up from 10 to 12 million. To do this the existing terminal would be expanded with extra floors, plus walkways to aid passengers connecting to their flights, a new multi storey carpark and changes to the access roads, taxiway lanes for planes and service yard areas. Also, restrictions on night flights would be eased and the Silver Zone carpark would be increased.

Although the plans will be welcomed by many of those who use the airport they have not been welcomed by an alliance of protestors. These include Bath’s MP Wera Hobhouse, North Somerset Council, Bristol Airport Action Network, Bristol City Council, Bath and North East Somerset Council and the West of England Combined Authority, the Green Party and local residents in the area.

Dave Lees, CEO of Bristol Airport, said: “Bristol Airport welcomes the High Court Judge’s decision to dismiss the claim and uphold the planning permission to increase Bristol Airport’s capacity from 10 million to 12 million passengers per annum. The decision is excellent news for our region’s economy, allowing us to create up to 5,000 new jobs, deliver more international destinations for the South West and South Wales, and invest hundreds of millions of pounds improving the customer experience. We will do this while working towards our ambitious target of net zero carbon operations by 2030. We look forward to working with stakeholders and the community to deliver our vision to be everyone’s favourite airport.”

His views are not shared Bath’s MP. Vera Hobhouse said: ““I join my Liberal Democrat colleagues on B&NES Council in strongly opposing the expansion of Bristol Airport. Strong public opinion on the airport’s expansion extends well beyond Bath to our wider region. With the need to urgently act on the climate emergency growing ever stronger, airport expansion is not the way forward. The Leader of the House said she will be contacting the relevant Department to raise the concerns of my constituents over the matter. It is not just good enough for the Government to listen to the concerns of my constituents, they must act on them. It is my constituents’ lives who will be impacted yet their voices are the ones being ignored. This decision is a gross denial of their democratic rights.”

The airport began life 1927 as a flying club before being used as an RAF base in the war. After 1945 it reverted to being a club base for light aircraft and gliders before becoming Bristol Lulsgate Airport in 1957. Since then, it has been slowly upgraded from an annual passenger count of 33,000 to today’s millions. Initially it was owned by the Council but became a public limited company in 1987 resulting in a further upgrading – and an end to the A38 traffic crossing the runway in between flights.

Despite the alliance of opposition the airport is increasingly popular with passengers often arriving by bus and coach from Bristol and even Cornwall and South Wales. At just 19 miles from Bath clearly many in the city will privately welcome the expansion if it means more flights to more destinations.

For More Bath Voice News visit: https://bathvoice.co.uk/

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Fox news is fauna news

A Bear Flat resident reported on Face Book last month how she came face to face with a fox in the middle of Bath.
Julie Ingerfield noted: “Strolling along Pulteney Bridge late Friday evening en route to the station when a fox comes trotting right down the middle of the street. It took us a count of three to realise what we were seeing. He must have been a canny scavenger operating the Christmas Market circuit! A very special moment right in the middle of Bath.”
There have been reports across the city of foxes entering gardens, breeding in dens, being fed by residents and generally living as four legged brush tailed Bathonians.
Foxes are not a protected species and can under certain conditions be culled under terms in the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).
To some they are vermin while to many they are an attractive member of Britain’s wild fauna. Organised fox hunting has declined in recent years – as the law has been tightened but the few remaining hunts continue to attract controversy – and Bath has its own group of hunt saboteurs who aim to disrupt hunts.
For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/natural-england and there is more here: https://foxproject.org.uk/

For more on Bath visit http://www.harrymottram.co.uk

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More news of Bath’s chic community in Bath Voice magazine – now out – or read online at https://issuu.com/bathvoice