Recycling promoted to flat and house-share residents

A new campaign to help publicise recycling services for people living in flats and shared houses is being launched by the Council.

Some people living in flats and shared houses find it difficult to find out about and use recycling services, particularly when they move into new or temporary accommodation, so funding has been granted by WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme) to make this easier.

This funding has the Council the opportunity to organise a series of visits to accommodation including flats, shared or rented properties to tell people about the Council’s recycling services and answer any questions that they may have.

Information packs containing posters with collection days and magnets and stickers showing what can be recycled will be distributed as part of the campaign.

Additional services provided by the Council, including talks about recycling to local community groups and residents’ associations, and the chance to sign up for a quarterly e-newsletter to help keep up to date with developments to the service, will also be promoted.

If you would like to sign up for the e-newsletter, request a talk to a local group or find out more about recycling in Bath and North East Somerset, please contact Council Connect on 01225 39 40 41, email: councilconnect@bathnes.gov.uk or see the Council’s website www.bathnes.gov.uk/wasteservices

Students and the local community - Public Meeting

The next public meeting to discuss issues surrounding the growing number of privately rented houses in the city is due to be held on Wednesday 28th March 2007 at 7.00 p.m. at St Luke's Church Hall on Wellsway.

Cllr Shaun McGall who is Chair of the Council’s Student Liaison Committee said, “The Council is committed to working with local residents, the universities and their students’ unions to improve ‘Town and Gown’ relations and these public meetings are one small part of the activities we are funding to try and improve the situation.”

Local residents are encouraged to come along to the meeting to ask questions, make statements or just listen to the debate. More information can be found at: www.townandgown.org.uk

Landlords recruited in burglary crackdown

Police in Bath are recruiting the help of over 500 landlords to drive home anti-burglary messages to student tenants in 1,500 of the city's accredited properties.

Last week crime reduction officer PC Chas Cannon launched a new campaign designed to get landlords to educate student tenants about the importance of marking their property and securing their homes. Full details of the accreditation schem can be found in the Student Housing Handbook.

The campaign is the latest addition to the Bath & North East Somerset Council-run Property Accreditation Scheme, which ensures all registered properties meet required standards and are awarded one, two or three stars following inspection.

Cllr Shaun McGall, Chair of the Council's Student Liaison Committee, believes that the Property Accreditation Scheme which aims to ensure that rented accommodation meets a number of standards in order to provide suitable living conditions is crucially important to students and young professional alike. The introduction of the property-marking packs is a welcome addition to the scheme, as they will help to raise awareness of the simple steps that can be taken to increase security measures in the home.

Over 1,500 packs will be provided to landlords registered on the scheme, who will be encouraged to present them to new students, emphasising the importance of marking their property. Each landlord will be given a pack containing an ultra-violet marker pen, window stickers, poster, hologram labels and instructions to help prevent student homes becoming a target for burglars.

It is vital that landlords positively engage with their student tentants to encourage them to mark their property like laptops, MP3 players, stereos, cameras, bikes, etc, with their postcodes, and take responsibility for their possessions.

It is a simple, fail-safe way of identifying lost or stolen property and returning it to its owner. Crucially, it also provides the police with the vital evidence we need to prove that it is stolen and convict people who could otherwise get away with it and re-offend.

To check whether your privately rented property is accredited by the Council, please contact Linda Stickings at the Council on 01225 396287 or email her on linda_stickings@bathnes.gov.uk

Public Meetings: "Students and the local Community"

The Student Liasion Committee which Cllr Shaun McGall chairs, is holding a series of public meetings in order to give local residents in the City of Bath the opportunity to raise issues concerning students and the local community.

Meeting dates for 2006/07:-

All meetings are scheduled to start at 7.15 p.m. and will end at 9.00 p.m.

Date: 27th November 2006 Venue: Hayesfield Lower School (School Hall), Brougham Hayes
Date: 24th Janaury 2007 Venue: Ascension Church (Chruch Hall), Claude Avenue
Date: 28th March 2007 Venue: St Lukes Church (Lower Hall), Hatfield Road
Date: 30th May 2007 Venue: Green Park Brasserie (Bath Society Meeting Room), Green Park

Please come along and put your questions to the panel comprising local Councillors, represenatives of the two Universities and their Students' Unions, the Police and relevant Council Officers.

There will also be a presentation on the work of the Student Liaison Committee.

If you are unable to attend any of the meetings, but would like to raise an issue or ask a question, please write to Wali Rahman;

Community Liaison Co-ordiantor,
B&NES Council Student Liaison Committee,
c/o University of Bath Students' Union,
Claverton Down, Bath. BA2 7AY