'Post Office Local' Comes to Cirencester!

 

 

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Cirencester MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown

and shop owner John Lafford

pictured at the official opening of the new Stratton Post Office on 9th May 2011

  

We have worked long and hard behind the scenes for the return of Post Office facilities to Cirencester - the first success of its kind in the country - and we now turn our attention to Beeches Shop.

 

Local Conservative Councillors together with our MP, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, have lobbied and held meetings with all parties and at all levels over many months to get to this position.

 

The Post Office will operate under a new model known as Post Office Local which is commission based and will deliver virtually all the services formerly offered by the old Sub-Post Office. 

  

We know that John Lafford, the shop owner, is absolutely delighted and has contributed a great deal to this result. His enthusiasm supported by a sound business case were the main factors which persuaded the Post Office to agree to this new approach.

 

 

A special thank you to all those who have supported us throughout this campaign

 

 
 

Council Tax
 

2010 - the Lowest Council Tax Rise for 15 Years

2011 - the first 0% increase from CDC

 

Stop Press

 

  And now - 0% for 4 years from CDC

 

In the face of the worst grant settlement in the country for 2011 and rising inflation,  we have been working hard on our budget and have agreed not to increase Council Tax for 2011.

 

You have already seen this on your council tax bills.

 

After 8 years of increases at or below inflation and 0% for 2011 we can now freeze Council Tax for 2012, 2013 and 2014 as well.

 

No other Council in the country has promised that. No other Political Party has promised that.

 

And thats not all - we will maintain front line services and have no plans to cut jobs.

 

Councillors John Burgess and Peter Braidwood have made it clear. 'We will not support any increase in Council Tax that is greater than the increase in state pensions'.

 

This responsible approach has enabled us to go much further. This is the result of 8 years of hard work by the Conservatives at CDC to change the way we operate by cutting red tape, bringing in innovative staff support schemes and sharing officers and services with other councils. This is the reward and it should be passed on to those who foot the bill - the council taxpayer.

 

0% for 2011 from GCC as well.

 

We are pleased to confirm that Gloucestershire County Council and the Police Authority will also deliver a 0% council tax increase for 2011. We are working hard to show them how further years at 0% can be a real prospect.

 

CDC - A Better Place to Work

 

A Better Place to Work is the staff support scheme we have introduced to improve staff confidence at a difficult time. We have been cruelly mocked by the opposition, the local media and even Private Eye for using Better Place to Work in place of Investors in People. But we chose it because it suited our purposes better and we are not concerned that one of the providers happens to be a member of the magic circle.

 

The proof of the pudding is in the eating and this scheme has delivered by far the lowest absenteeism through sickness and stress of any government organisation in Gloucestershire - and at many levels the scheme delivers value for money. Now thats magic!

 

 

 

 
 

Beeches Road

An end to indiscriminate parking

After much work by Peter Briadwood and John Burgess at the County Council the new waiting restrictions on Beeches Road in Cirencester have been introduced.

Another example of Conservative Councillors delivering results for their communities.

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Beeches Road - before the new traffic order and lines

For many people Beeches Road is the principal route into Beeches Estate. The growth of indiscriminate parking has been causing congestion and creating, in our view, a serious liklihood of an accident - particularly around the school pick up point.

The Highway Authority has now implemented our proposals and the new restrictions will permit parking on one side of the road only, protect the school pick up point and prevent parking on the bend over the bridge.

Another issue, as can be seen from the picture above, was lorry movement to the Kiingshill South development through North Home Road. We brought pressure on the Highways Authority and developer to complete the new roundabout at Kingsmeadow many months ahead of schedule. Access to the development site through the Beeches Estate has now been closed.

 

Beeches Estate Old Concrete Roads to be Renewed

 

£100,000 has now been earmarked by the Highway Authority to break up and replace with tarmac the deteriorating concrete roads around Beeches Estate. The work is programmed to start next year.