www.wiltshire.gov.uk
Parish Newsletter
Welcome to the ‘Wiltshire News’ – a parish newsletter which provides information for parish and town councils about the work of Wiltshire County Council. It contains brief summaries of key reports, consultations and news with links to further information on our website and it will replace the large amount of paper-based information we currently send to councils.
April 2007
One Council for Wiltshire
You will be aware that the bid for One Council for Wiltshire has been picked to go through to the next round of consideration. The Wiltshire bid, which was proposed by Wiltshire County Council and supported by North Wiltshire District Council, was one of 16 nationwide from an initial list of 26 which will now go to consultation. You can get more details about the consultation on the website of the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) at http://www.communities.gov.uk
A final decision will be made in July. If it is approved, the district and county councils will be replaced by a new council by early 2009. We will keep you up to date with developments. In the meantime, details of the bid and all the latest news can be seen at www.onecouncilforwiltshire.co.uk
Parish Partner Scheme
The Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) office is keen to re-establish its Parish Partner Scheme which fell by the wayside when staff changes occurred last year. If there are any parish representatives that are keen to come on board, Nicky Matthews, the Communications Officer would be keen to hear from you. The scheme is designed to act as a liaison point between parishes and the AONB for news, events and projects updates. It does not necessarily have to fall to one of the parish councillors as it is open to any nominated parishioner.
Contact Nicky on 01725 517417 or nickymatthews@cranbornechase.org.uk
Local Area Agreement
The Local Area Agreement (LAA) is an agreement between central government and a local area which encourages partnership working to improve local services and benefit communities. In Wiltshire, it is led by the Wiltshire Strategic Board (WiSB) with the county council as the ‘accountable body’ and brings together the work of a large number of partners from the public and voluntary sectors. It strikes a balance between the priorities or central government and those of the local area and includes a number of targets to achieve improvement locally. In Wiltshire the LAA has now been agreed and further details can be found at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/council/wiltshire-strategic-board/local-area-agreement.htm
Grass Cutting
After a long and very wet winter, it’s good when thoughts turn to spring. The District Councils have already begun the first of eight to twelve cuts of our urban grass verges. The rural verge cutting begins on Tuesday, 8th May. As before, we will cut the minor routes and A road junctions during May. The A roads will then be cut during the first two weeks of June. The county council’s multi-purpose UniMog machines will join the parish stewards in attending urgent sites, reported through the CLARENCE number (0800 232323). This responsive cutting will continue throughout the summer.
The William ‘Doc’ Couch Educational Trust
The trustees of a legacy left by a Wiltshire benefactor to help children and young people are opening the door to this year’s round of grant applications. The William ‘Doc’ Couch Trust provides up to £100,000 a year for grants to help children and young people throughout Wiltshire who have disabilities or other needs. Projects supported in 2006 included refurbishment of a multi-sensory room at a playgroup in Devizes, support for a book club in Warminster and a countywide special schools music festival.
Applications are invited from individuals and groups and forms are available from the county council from 2nd April; the deadline for submitting a grant request is 1st June. Successful applicants should be notified by the end of July.
Application forms are available from Michael Gamble on 01225 713784 or studentfinance@wiltshire.gov.uk. More information is available on the county council website.
Wood you believe it?
The biggest woodfair in the south is coming to Dorset this autumn and organisers are keen to involve all the woodfolk from Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire. The Cranborne Chase Woodfair aims to attract more than 4,000 people to its event at the Larmer Tree, Tollard Royal on Saturday/Sunday, 20th/21st October. It’s urging anyone who works with wood, from foresters to furniture makers, willow weavers to wood turners to get involved to help promote the environmental, social and economic value of the region’s trees and woods. A variety of exhibitors and demonstrators from the wonderful world of wood will be displaying their products and skills. The Cranborne Chase Woodfair would particularly like to hear from any businesses or individuals who would like to be involved together with anyone interested in sponsorship opportunities. The event is partly funded by the Sustainable Development Fund, administered through the Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs AONB at Cranborne to promote rural businesses.
For more information, call David Blake or Nicky Matthews on 01725 517417or email info@cranbornechase.org.uk or visit www.ccwwdaonb.org.uk
Quick Links
For information about Wiltshire’s latest road works (www.wiltshire.gov.uk/transport/clarence-roadwatch/roadwatch.htm)
For information about bridges currently under construction (www.wiltshire.gov.uk/transport/bridge-strengthening/bridges-currently-under-construction.htm)
News in Brief
Street Scene
Street Scene is one of the four key priority projects adopted by the Wiltshire Strategic Board (WiSB) and incorporates a number of services that have an important impact on the ‘street’ and public open spaces in terms of their appearance and condition. For further information, please visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk/wilts-street-scene-a-z
Parish Annual Highways Meetings
The invitations for the 2007 annual parish highway meetings will be sent out during the coming days. The meetings will take place during April and May and will consist of a presentation which outlines a little of what has been done in the past year and also what is new for this year. This is also an opportunity to meet many of the local highways team and to look at some of the latest technology and equipment. As in previous years, this will follow the publication of the ‘Members Pack’ in April which describes the coming year’s resurfacing and structures maintenance programme in your area.
Smokefree Wiltshire
On 1st July, 2007, Wiltshire will be going smokefree along with the rest of England. To find out more about the new legislation and how it will affect everyone from businesses to private individuals, visit the smokefree Wiltshire website www.smokefreewiltshire.org.uk/
Did you know? …
The county employs between eight and eleven tractor mowers during the verge cutting programme. Each mower cuts around 30,000 sq. metres per day. That figure represents both sides of a ten mile stretch of road and is around five football pitches in area. Each of our tractor mowers this year is fitted with a satellite tracking device. We will always know where they are and where they have been; this can be helpful to area staff should we need to redirect one to an urgent matter.
Race Equality Scheme
Thank you to all who have given feedback on the Race Equality Scheme and the Disability Equality Scheme action plans. This consultation period has now come to an end. We will be publishing the final action plans on the website at the end of April at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/race-equality-scheme.htm and www.wiltshire.gov.uk/disability-equality-scheme.htm These action plans will be reviewed annually. If you are aware of any issues relating to equal opportunities that you feel we should know about, please email equalities@wiltshire.gov.uk
This newsletter is produced by the communications team at Wiltshire County Council.
We would be pleased to receive your comments/feedback and any changes of address / parish clerk details to:
Contact Details
By post
Communications Unit
County Hall
Bythsea Road
Trowbridge
Wiltshire
BA14 8JN
By email
