Did you know?….

• Over 70% of primary school age pupils live within one mile of their school, and almost 90% per cent live within two miles.

• 28% of secondary age pupils live within one mile of their school and about 60% live within two miles.

• 1.3 miles is the average distance to primary school and  three miles is the average distance to secondary school.

Essentially, most pupils and students live close enough to walk or cycle to school. Using the car or a bus is the only option for some, including those with mobility difficulties, travel to a special school provision, a school further afield, or who are dropped off when a parent heads on to work.

Did you know?….

• In Plymouth, 39% of car journeys to schools are less than 1.2 miles with many being even less, and 70% of all car journeys to schools are less than 2 miles.

In the past year, Plymouth City Council, in partnership with Sustrans, has continued to support projects to increase levels of active travel to over sixty Plymouth schools. These include all forms of non-motorised travel and working with families to raise their ambition and embed a culture of active travel within the school community.

Evaluations have revealed significant changes in people’s travel behaviours and sustained increases in walking, cycling and scootering and fewer journeys to schools taken by car. This has had a huge benefit on levels of children’s physical activity and general well-being, their feeling of safety and road safety awareness when travelling actively, less congestion around schools, reduced carbon emissions and also economic benefits for their parents.

I know from my discussions with local and city-wide schools as part of my Walking and Cycling Champion role for Plymouth City Council, active travel is something they strongly encourage. This is not just for their pupils’ physical fitness but also to create safer school neighbourhoods. As a keen advocate for the Safer School Streets project, now adopted at six Plymouth Schools, I will endeavour to bring such a scheme to a school in the Plymstock area where a compelling need has been identified.

Several parents and carers in the Elburton and Goosewell Schools localities have told me that walking to school with their children or training them to walk safely with others on some or all days, has been quicker and less stressful than driving, being stuck in traffic and trying to find a parking space. Some have parked further away from the school and walked their children to school or let them go independently before they head off to work. They also said there have been more opportunities for their children to talk with them and other children as they walk.

Did you know?….

• If you drive your children to school, you and your child could change a travel to school habit now to help you and your community reap the benefits listed above.

With Christmas and the New Year holiday having passed, our council continues to work full steam ahead with councillors resuming to discuss, scrutinise and decide upon many issues for our city and its people.

Last year, we as a council, delivered on many fronts with many planned projects completed and new ones at different stages of delivery.

Our local councillor community grants are helping local sporting groups and organisations in Plymstock Dunstone. They are providing fantastic service to members of our community. Just recently, we had an update from Plymstock Bowling Club about the installation of solar panels on their premises that will greatly improve their aim for 0% CO emissions. Cllr. Maria Lawson, Cllr. John Stephens and I have been delighted to have helped to make this happen.

If you are young in body or heart, why not give a visit to Plymstock Bowling Club as it is a fantastic facility that caters for all age groups.

Our aim for this calendar year is to continue to serve our local community groups and individuals as we have done so far.

An issue I have been tackling recently is the persistent fly tipping around the clothes donation bins and glass recycling banks at the Broadway and Morrisons car park.

The glass recycling banks were removed at these locations because they were at the end of their useful life and were also found to be encouraging fly tipping.

What really grinds my gears is most of the items dumped around the clothes bins are not even clothes. I have found building and household waste, glass bottles, and many other non-clothes items. So more regular emptying of the bins is not the answer. But let us be clear, it is never ok to dump clothes around the bins when they are full no matter how often they are emptied.

And I must confess, it is a special kind of ignorance to fly tip glass bottles given we have been able to recycle them in our green recycling bins for years. These people who are actively going out of their way to waste their own time and disrespect the rest of the community with their fly tipping antics.

I find the behaviour of this minority of residents completely unacceptable and extremely selfish. And who is left with the bill to clean up all the mess? That is right, you and me as council tax payers. I have had to ask Street Services to come out four times in the past month. Sadly, I see no alternative than for the clothes donation bins also to be removed. Rant over.

On a more positive note, I want to express my sincere thanks to the NHS staff and many others who worked over the Christmas and New Year period to keep us safe and healthy. I personally called on them for help to treat a very bad ear infection. I was extremely impressed that each time I needed help I was seen in a matter of hours. I know many people continue to face unacceptably long waits, but to me it was a demonstration of the NHS at its best, kind and caring, there in your time of need, and free at the point of access. My sincerest wish is to see our NHS back on its feet in 2025 and beyond.

A New Year offers the opportunity for new beginnings and new challenges. Little did I know that at the start of 2024 I would have the opportunity to become a councillor for Dunstone Ward. I have loved all the challenges the role has brought to date, and I am already looking forward now to what this year will bring. The local Labour team have already tentatively made plans with regards to what can be achieved to enhance and support the community this coming year.

John and I had the absolute pleasure of spending some time with the ‘Friends of Downhorn Park’ who are a committed group of volunteers that endeavour to keep this welcoming space user friendly for the residents of Plymstock. The group is led by Colin Munn, and they meet on Wednesday mornings. There is an established Orchard, a pond, a seating area and raised flower beds. Anyone can pick the fruit and vegetables that have been grown by the group and enjoy the parkland.

The group are keen to make the area more accessible for those with mobility issues and are looking to raise funds to construct a path.  We will of course be donating some funds from our community grant to kick start the project and help with ideas that the group have put forward.

We are happy to be approached by groups in the area who would like support with projects and activities that would benefit from contributions from our community grants. Please submit any requests to us and we can look at helping. We look forward to meeting you at our community surgeries and dates will be advertised soon.