Author: ParishClerk

From 1 April 2023 a new Somerset Council will replace the county council and four district councils and take on responsibility for all your waste services.

At SWP, all the authorities have worked together on waste services since 2007, so it will be largely business as usual.

Importantly, the collections contractor stays the same (SUEZ) as does the contractor running out recycling sites (Biffa). The SWP team behind the scenes will simply become part of the new council. In short, you shouldn’t notice the switch at all.

There will be a few tweaks though. The SWP web content will shift over to Somerset Council’s new website www.somerset.gov.uk/waste when it goes live at the start of April. So, the www.somersetwaste.gov.uk will be no more. Don’t worry you’ll still be able to do all the same things online that you can do through the current site – order containers, report missed collections, subscribe to the garden waste service, check your collections days etc.

A single phone number, 0300 123 2224, replaces district contact numbers and will be taking calls about waste services from the start of April. The new email address is wasteservices@somerset.gov.uk.

SWP will bid a fond farewell to the SWP name and branding. You’ll see some things change immediately (like the website and social media branding) and some gradually over time (like vehicle branding and signage).

This is an exciting new era and SWP look forward to their continuing work with you to waste less and recycle more.

Download a calendar for printing or, better still, download it into the calendar on your device and get automatic reminders of your collection days.

Snow, ice and freezing temperatures can disrupt collections so please bear with us in the event of severe weather. Crews will return as soon as possible for any missed collections. If conditions are bad SWP may not be able to meet our usual ‘return in two days’ target.

For information on the repair cafés and Fixy reuse van, see: somersetwaste.gov.uk/share-and-repair.

Please be advised that the transportation of equipment from Combwich Wharf northbound along the C182 to the Hinkley Point C construction site.

Due to the size and shape of this equipment, these deliveries will be managed via an escorted ‘rolling roadblock’ and will likely cause delays along this route on these dates. We apologise in advance for any inconvenience this may cause.

Although this isn’t a full closure of the road, you may like to use an alternative route between the hours of 9am-5pm to avoid a delay on the below date:

Sunday 26 March 2023

If you do encounter part of the roadblock, please do follow the instructions of the escort team who will assist with the safe management of traffic.

If you wish to find out further details please email: edfenergy@hpcenquiries.com or call HPC Enquiries on 0333 009 7070.

There are between 800-1000 reports of fraud and cyber-crime every month in Avon and Somerset alone – these are just the cases that are reported. The National Crime Agency predicts that only 20 per cent of fraud incidents are reported nationally so the real figures are likely to be much higher.

Avon and Somerset Police were one of the first police forces to invest in dedicated fraud and cyber protect teams, committed to providing support to victims of fraud and educating people and businesses to help prevent them becoming victims of fraud or cyber-crime.

The teams provide a proactive response to fraud and cyber-crime by educating the public around any new or specific threats.

The fraud and cyber protect teams provide talks to many groups within the community including Womens Institutes, Rotary Clubs, care homes, schools and universities. Reaching out to 1,600 vulnerable residents they used the Meals on Wheels network to deliver Christmas cards, which contained information on how to keep safe from fraud.

Follow Avon and Somerset police on Instagram and Facebook on 7 February to catch Cyber Protect Officers’ Megan and Felix’s top tips for staying safe online on Safer Internet Day.

Working to stop people becoming victims of fraud and cyber-crime | Avon and Somerset Police

The team is also hosting a free online webinar on Monday 27 February: ‘Online Safety for Women and Girls’. The session will focus on how to keep safe online and protect personal information. It is part of a wider piece of work within our Violence Against Women and Girls strategy which, amongst other activity, focuses on empowering and educating women and girls, but the session is open to all.  You can register for this webinar at Eventbrite searching for Avon and Somerset Police Cyber Protect Team: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-safety-for-women-and-girls-tickets-528119308067

If you are part of a community group, school, business or parent group who would benefit from a talk on fraud prevention or cyber-crime, please email the teams at fraudprotect@avonandsomerset.police.uk or cyberprotect@avonandsomerset.police.uk

If you have been a victim of fraud, including fraudulent emails, do not open any attachments or click any links. Report all incidents of fraud to Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre, via their website or contact 0300 123 2040. In an emergency, call 999.

Somerset residents are being invited to have their say on the new Somerset Council’s approach to planning matters.

The five current Somerset councils (Mendip District Council, Sedgemoor District Council, Somerset County Council, Somerset West and Taunton Council and South Somerset District Council) are consulting the public on a draft ‘Statement of Community Involvement’ (SCI) – a single approach to planning which will be formally adopted by the new Somerset Council.

The SCI is designed to set out how Somerset Council, as the Local Planning Authority, will engage and consult with the community and stakeholders on all planning matters.

It will cite who the Council will consult with through the various stages of Local Plan preparation and what consultation methods should be used.

The consultation will run until Thursday 16 March 2023.

To view the current draft of the new Statement of Community Involvement and complete the survey, please visit somerset.inconsult.uk/sci/consultationHome.

Urgent / emergency Road Closure: – ttro855185WS – OR – Stringston Road, Stringston

Please be aware that we have received a notification of a TTRN (urgent / emergency) road closure at Stringston Road, Stringston  will commence on 14th January 2023 – 14th January 2023 (09:30 – 15:30) for a total of 6 hours.

This will enable Openreach to carry out works to overhead network to restore customer service.

The contractor has indicated that access for Emergency Services through the site  is permitted on this occasion.

For any further information about this closure please contact Sunbelt Rentals on 0370 050 0792, quoting reference: ttro855185WS.

Please visit one.network  https://one.network/?tm=132464240 where you will see the map of the affected area (in red), together with the supplied diversion route (in blue).

With the current climate emergency, homeowners may be wondering what they can do to support a reduction in carbon emissions. The rising costs of energy also means many are wondering how to cut their utility bills.

Many homes in the UK struggle to retain heat because of their age and poor energy efficiency, as well as how they are heated. Whether looking to invest in renewable technologies such as solar or heat pumps, or to install energy-saving measures, homeowners may be eligible for an energy efficiency loan to help fund the upfront cost.

Working in partnership with Social Enterprise lender, Lendology, Somerset West and Taunton (SWT) Council provides accessible finance in the form of low interest loans to homeowners wishing to increase their energy efficiency.

Since 2005, over £1.2m has been lent through Lendology to fund home repairs, improvements, energy efficiency measures and renewable heat technologies across the district. To date, over £883,137 has been repaid, which can now be re-lent.

Lendology always encourages applicants to explore grant funding in the first instance. Local organisations or services providing free and impartial energy advice and support with grant funding are detailed on Lendology’s partnership webpage.

For those unable to access grants, flexible loans delivered by Lendology could be the solution in funding energy efficiency work to their homes, helping to lower their carbon footprint and save money on their energy bills.

An SWT homeowner who recently received a home improvement loan said: “It was very helpful to us and our current circumstances. They provided a solution that was easy to understand and flexible.”

Cllr Fran Smith, Executive Member for Housing, said: “Everyone should have access to a safe, warm and dry home, which is key to good health across the district.

“There’s a variety of improvements covered under the scheme – be it repairing a leaky roof, funding an efficient heating system, fitting good insulation to keep bills down, or ensuring electrics are safe and up-to-date.

“It couldn’t be simpler to apply for a home improvement loan – just contact the team at Lendology.”

Cllr Dixie Darch, Executive Member for Climate Change, said: “COP26 highlighted the need for local action to support homeowners with the transition to net zero and through Lendology, and the launch of their recent ‘Decarbonising our Homes Campaign’, we’re committed to providing accessible funding for homeowners to increase their energy efficiency, reduce running costs and improve housing generally.”

To apply for an energy efficiency loan, visit lendology.org.uk or call 01823 461099.