AS councillors some of the things we deal with are complicated. We must work across council borders, with the West of England Combined Authority, and agencies such as the police, health and social care services. Each body has its own remit, agenda, funding streams, rules and processes which can make getting some things done tricky, slow and frustrating.

We are receiving more complaints about off-site airport parking. This is lucrative business. While many operators are professional and have insurance, others do not and use muddy fields for which they do not have the necessary permissions. You can temporarily change the use of agricultural fields to parking for up to 28 days per year without requiring permission. But enforcing this involves complicated legal work and we can't always get a quick fix.

We are now collaborating with Annemieke Waite (councillor on North Somerset Council) and enforcement, both in B&NES and North Somerset Council who have huge experience dealing with unscrupulous operators. If you have concerns about such sites, please report them to us, your Parish Council or at www.bathnes.gov.uk/report-something-planning-enforcement.

On the topic of health, the Integrated Care Board (ICB) for our area are looking at providing better access to dentists with a dental bus. Extra clinics are also being set up for blood pressure checks. David is pushing the ICB to ensure we get a fair shout in the rural areas. After a recent committee meeting, the ICB are going to do more consultation as they are considering shutting the area’s Long Covid Clinic.

The dangerous driving and anti-social behaviour caused by speeding motorbikes and cars using the valley as a race track is another problem that as we as Councillors can influence to some extent. Our consistent efforts urging the Police and Crime Commissioner and the service to become more proactive have paid off. We are now seeing more recruitment and training, the use of wider powers, and cars and motorcycle police working in groups in the valley. Getting a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) is in progress but the legal work and consultation procedures take time. This will allow the police to be even more proactive. The B&NES Highways team also have some funding this year to look at engineering designs to help address this problem.

WECA funds our buses. They have just released new tenders for companies to bid to run our bus services from July. WECA only allows authorised bus stops to be used, and these stops must have proper signage and safe standings. The days of rural buses stopping where it’s convenient, such as at the Chew Lane / B3130 junction, are gone. Drivers can even get charged if they disobey these orders. But B&NES are responsible for bus stops. We and Simon McCombe (Councillor for Mendip Ward) met with WECA and B&NES officers last month to get the bus stops in Chew Magna brought up to scratch. Hopefully this will mean that routes such as the X91 (if funded!) will stop in Chew Magna again.