Parish newsletter - January 2010
Information from Wiltshire Council for town and parish clerks
January 2010
Welcome
Happy new year to all town and parish council members. In this, our first issue of 2010, we highlight a series of health and well being events, proposed changes to Wilts & Dorset bus services in Salisbury and how the council is raising the profile of planning enforcement services.
Many thanks
Rachel Baker
Editor
communications@wiltshire.gov.uk
Nominate and change someone’s life - 2010 Health and Wellbeing Partnership Awards launched.
These awards recognise individuals, organisations and employers who have made a significant contribution to improving the health and wellbeing of people in Wiltshire.
The 10 awards reflect the initiatives happening in Wiltshire communities on a daily basis. Nominations are invited from teams, partnerships and organisations involved in public health initiatives. This year’s categories include physical activity, healthy eating, sexual health, stopping smoking, mental health, alcohol and drug abuse.
To nominate visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk and follow the Health and Wellbeing Awards link.
The deadline for nominations for organisations and individuals is 15 January. Individuals or organisations may nominate themselves up to 29 January.
Health and wellbeing events
The most extensive analysis of health and wellbeing data ever undertaken in Wiltshire is about to be published.
The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) provides a health check for each of the community areas in the county. Produced in partnership by Wiltshire Council and NHS Wiltshire, the JSNA sets out data on a range of health and social wellbeing indicators, providing a ranking for each, area by area.
This will be an annual analysis, so trends and priorities can be identified and tackled. It is proposed to launch the JSNA at a special event in each community area.
The events will involve some form of public exhibition during the daytime and be followed by a presentation of the statistics in the evening. Provisional dates so far are:
Tidworth
– 18 January
Warminster – 21 January
South west Wiltshire
– 25 January
Melksham – 28 January
Devizes – 8 February
Malmesbury
– 6 February
Westbury – 11 February
Trowbridge – 24
February
Amesbury – 25 February
Bradford on Avon –
27 February
Chippenham – 1 March
Southern Wiltshire
– 11 March
Pewsey – 22 March
Wootton Bassett – 26
March
Corsham – 30 March
Salisbury – TBA
Marlborough
– TBA
Calne – TBA
Look out for further information about these events in your local area.
Forthcoming changes to bus services in Salisbury
Wilts & Dorset bus company has advised us that on the 21 March 2010 it will be making a number of changes to bus services in the Salisbury area.
Many of these services have remained largely unaltered for several years. The company is proposing to completely revamp them with new numbers, simpler routings and timetables that cope more easily with traffic congestion.
Most of the changes affect journeys that are currently being operated by the bus company on a commercial basis, without funding from Wiltshire Council, and so our ability to influence the changes has been rather limited.
However, as some of the proposals would have left a small number of communities without a bus service, we have been working with Wilts & Dorset and bus users to provide alternative services to the affected areas.
The new timetables are still being finalised and we hope to include a summary of the main changes in next month’s newsletter. Unfortunately, there are some rumours circulating about the changes (many of them incorrect). To check what you have heard is correct, please email the council's passenger transport unit at buses@wiltshire.gov.uk or phone 01225 713454.
Start 2010 with a recycling resolution
There’s so much you can recycle these days. Why not begin 2010 by recycling the following:
Christmas cards
As in previous years, The Woodland Trust is operating its Christmas card recycling scheme. You can take your cards to WHSmith, TK Maxx and Marks & Spencer from 2 to 31 January 2010.
Alternatively, residents can recycle old cards through the cardboard skips at the household recycling centres.
Christmas trees
Christmas trees can be recycled at any of our household recycling centres. They will be taken to our central composting site and turned into a quality soil improving compost.
Householders who receive a kerbside garden waste collection service may recycle their tree through this service - but please chop them up to fit in the bin.
In the east of the county, residents can take their Christmas trees to
- George Lane Car Park (coach park area), Marlborough
- Station Road Car Park (recycling area), Devizes
between Tuesday 5 and Friday 22 January.
Batteries
Old batteries can now be recycled through Wiltshire's household recycling centres.
Small electrical appliances
Small electrical appliances such as hairdryers and toasters can now be recycled through the household recycling centres.
Bradford on Avon Town Cycle Network
Wiltshire Council is currently consulting on a draft town cycle network for Bradford on Avon, further details
Raising awareness of planning enforcement
Wiltshire Council held two planning enforcement seminars in Trowbridge and Salisbury last month.
The seminars raised awareness of planning enforcement amongst parish and unitary councillors, so they had a clearer understanding of what enforcement can do to resolve planning breaches and by when.
We also sought participants’ views on their priorities for enforcement and how the service could be improved.
In the past, planning enforcement had a rather low profile and its purpose was perhaps not generally understood by the public. However, enforcement is high on the list of our priorities as an effective tool in protecting our heritage and residents’ quality of life.
In the New Year an enforcement policy will be prepared which takes account of the feedback from the seminars and sets service standards for the future.
In view of the high levels of interest shown in the seminars, we are holding a further event at Monkton Park, Chippenham, on 19 January at 6pm. Invitations have been, or will be sent shortly, to parish councils and members who were unable to attend the first two seminars.
Have your say on Wiltshire’s single equality schemes
Wiltshire Council, NHS Wiltshire, Wiltshire Police and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service have joined forces to make it easier for people to feedback their views on the organisations’ work to promote equality.
The project will inform the equalities action plans for each organisation and shared across the voluntary and community sector.
An event will be held in February for people to find out more and give their views. People interested in attending can email equalities@wiltshire.gov.uk.
Community groups and organisations can also request a visit from one of the partners by contacting Wiltshire Council’s equality and diversity team at equalities@wiltshire.gov.uk on 0300 456 0100 or text phone on 01225 712500.
Anyone wanting to comment can: Fill in a form at one of the libraries across Wiltshire; email equalities@wiltshire.gov.uk; or complete a survey online at www.wiltshire.gov.uk, www.wiltshirepct.nhs.uk, www.wiltshire.police.uk, and www.wiltshirefirebrigade.com
Free six week course for carers looking after people with memory loss
People looking after a relative with memory loss can learn essential coping strategies at a training course in February and March.
The six-week course, run by Alzheimer’s Support, will give carers a clearer understanding of the nature of the illness and how it is likely to progress.
Participants will be given information on dealing with every day situations and practical advice on legal and financial aspects of caring – including a session on Wiltshire Council’s new direct payments scheme.
The course, which is free to participants, will run for two hours each Thursday afternoon at the Leigh Park Hotel in Bradford on Avon.
If you would like a place, or to find out more, please contact Stephany Bardzil on 01225 776481.
New monthly café for people with dementia and their families
A monthly Alzheimer café is to be launched in Marlborough next month.
The cafe, run by Alzheimer’s Support and supported by Wiltshire Council, offers an informal meeting place for people with dementia and their families.
The first café will be at the Castle and Ball Hotel on Monday 1 February from 2pm to 3.30pm, when clinical psychologist Dr Rik Cheston will speak on Alzheimer’s myths and facts. The cafés will be held at the hotel on the first Monday of each month.If you would like to attend, please contact Stephany Bardzil on 01225 776481.
Warminster swimmers to benefit from new changing facilities
Wiltshire Council commenced work in November 2009 on a £102,000 refurbishment of the changing rooms at Warminster Sports Centre.
£92,000 for this project was awarded to Wiltshire Council as part of the government’s free swimming initiative for under 16s and over 60s.
Phase 1, the male changing room refurbishment, is due for completion in January. Phase 2, female changing room refurbishment, is due for completion at the end of March.
Help and advice on fundraising and charity governance
Charities Information Bureau South & West is a local charity which helps and advises groups and individuals on funding and charity governance.
It offers ‘business to business’ support service to voluntary and community groups, working with them to improve their fundraising skills and the way they govern themselves.
For more information email enquiries@cibwilts.org.uk or phone 01380 729279
Salisbury residential parking – visitor scratch cards
Visitor scratchcards issued by the former Salisbury District Council for the Salisbury residential parking schemes that are due to expire at the end of 2009 will be honoured by Wiltshire Council until the end of 2010 if the year is written on them.
This prevents residents from having to destroy old stock and apply for new scratchcards.
Last updated: 5 January 2010