In this week's Standard (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

In this week's Standard

Making news in the Cotswolds and North Wiltshire this week:

METAL studs that were added to pavements in Cirencester will be removed at a cost of tens of thousands of pounds after it was decided they were too hazardous to blind people.

Cotswold District Council installed the brass bolts in Silver Street, Park Lane and Park Street in 2002 to smarten the town's appearance. They formed part of its £1 million Cirencester Traffic and Environment Plan, which was scrapped last year.

However, the council has decided to replace them with stone pimples at a cost of £30,000 after pressure from Cirencester Access Group, which campaigns to improve access around the town for the disabled and elderly.

The group believes the studs are too slippery for visually impaired people and unsuitable for guide dogs.

Ironically the so-called tactile paving is placed at recognised road crossings so visually impaired pedestrians know where it's safe to cross the road.

A ROW over the use of football pitches at Cirencester's new Kingshill sports complex could leave a local team homeless.

But the town council says it has a duty to its existing tenant sides first and that there aren't enough pitches to accept other teams.

Stratton United left their long-standing Kemble ground three years ago - partly due to vandalism and because the club hoped to secure a place at Kingshill.

But the council says it has to give priority to the teams which used to play on its former London Road site, and cannot look to accommodate other sides until the pitches at the new facility have bedded in properly.

TOURIST information centres in the Cotswolds have been given a temporary stay of execution.

The authority sparked outrage when it announced plans to cut its funding of visitor information centres (VICs) in Cirencester, Stow-on-the-Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water and pass responsibility to town councils and chambers of commerce.

Campaigners fear the move will force the closure of some centres and affect tourism.

Now, following pressure, CDC's executive committee has agreed the council should carry out wider consultation first.

Final proposals for the future of VICs will be presented to the full council at a special meeting on June 17.

NICK Baker struggled to hear his own translator at the start of an appeal against his 14-year conviction for drug smuggling this week.

Supporters claim Nick had to lean forward with his hand cupped around his ear but was still unable to hear what was being said.

Our man in Japan says the female interpreter began to read a 33-page document, on Tuesday, which details the defence's argument.

She was hunchbacked throughout her recital, with her head buried in the text.

Nick's translator managed to read just under half the document before the case was adjourned.

The next hearing was scheduled for April 20, but the interpreter said she was unable to attend that day and it was put back further to May 11.

Nick has always maintained his innocence, saying he was set up by a travelling companion.