County News
Consultation on the Housing Strategy 2011-2016 ‘Building Strong Foundations
Strategic Housing have now completed the final draft of the council’s Housing Strategy 2011-2016 ‘Building Strong Foundations’ for consultation and comment. To help you comment on this draft strategy, we have included a feedback questionnaire for you to complete and return to us by 6 July 2011. This draft has been produced after extensive consultation on the themes and priorities included within it and as such, it should reflect the views of our elected members, colleagues, partners and the residents of Wiltshire. However, we would appreciate your feedback on this document to ensure that it is a dynamic document that will help us to deliver real improvements in housing and housing-related support services to meet the needs of our communities.
This consultation is also available online, on the consultation pages of the council’s public website
This is a final draft of the strategy, however each chapter of the draft document will be revised and amended as a result of the comments and feedback we receive before the strategy is formally signed off. We will also be updating the strategy with any announcements or further updates from government that are made during the three month period of consultation, with a further annual review within 12 months of the strategy being adopted.
I would appreciate if you would take the time to read the Housing Strategy and fill in the feedback questionnaire. Please complete the form online or return it via email to housing.strategy@wiltshire.gov.uk or by post to:
Nicole Smith
Strategic Housing Team
Wiltshire Council
Monkton
Park
Chippenham
Wiltshire
Please ensure you return your questionnaire by 6 July for your comments to be considered in the development of the final strategy.
Winter preparation
Next winter may seem a long way off, but Wiltshire Council is already preparing the gritters and arranging salt supplies.
It will not be possible to provide any additional grit bins this year because of the difficulties we have keeping the existing ones filled during severe weather when our operatives are busy driving snow ploughs and gritters.
However, there is an opportunity for Parish and Town Councils to review their existing grit bins to ensure they are where they are needed most. If you want any of them moved to better locations let us know before the end of August and we will carry out the necessary site inspections.
The provision of 1 tonne bags of salt to Parish Councils was very successful last year. It enabled communities to fill their own grit bins, and we will be repeating the scheme this year. It is necessary to have undercover storage for the salt in a suitable location, and be able to transfer the salt to where needed.
Any requests for 1 tonne bags of salt or relocation of grit bins must be submitted by the 31 August.
Please contact Sarah Peterson in the highway support team with details as soon as possible on 01225 718789
Paths Improvement Grant Scheme (PIGS) 2011
The Paths Improvement Grant Scheme is running again in 2011. The PIGS scheme aims to encourage parish and town councils to make innovative improvements to their rights of way or create new permissive links for the benefit of the local community and visitors. Match funding grants are provided to winning bids in an annual competitive bidding process. The scheme is run jointly by the Wiltshire and Swindon Countryside Access Forum and Wiltshire Council’s Right of Way section. Up to 8 schemes have been offered funding in previous years.
Although applications have to be received from Parish or Town Councils, most of the ideas for new routes come from parishioners, so people need to be made aware of the scheme. To this end, an A4 flyer has been produced. Could all parishes please print this out and put it up on their parish notice boards and also mention the scheme in their newsletter.The best time of year for PIGS projects to be put in place is the summer, so this year the deadline for the scheme is Friday 15 July.
Further information can be found at the Wiltshire and Swindon Countryside Access Forum website
Local people helping their communities through volunteering”- Consultation on a new draft volunteering plan for Wiltshire
A draft volunteering strategy for Wiltshire is currently out for consultation. This county- wide volunteering strategy has been developed through partnership working and sets out a shared vision. It includes a three-year action plan for increasing and supporting inclusive volunteering. It addresses barriers to volunteering and how they can be overcome through practical measures. It sets out how to promote volunteering at local level and through a range of organisations.
The draft strategy and action plan have been developed in consultation with volunteers, volunteer-involving organisations, voluntary sector infrastructure support organisations, the council and business organisations. A full list of those involved so far is included in the document.
The strategy working group is now seeking views from a wider range of organisations and residents of Wiltshire during a 12 week consultation period that ends on 30 June 2011.
Please go to the consultation portal
At the top of the page, just above two tabs that say ‘Event information’ and ‘Supporting documents’ is a link to an online questionnaire about the strategy and action plan.
The document itself can be found by clicking the ‘Supporting documents’ tab, where it can be downloaded as a .pdf file.
Wiltshire Council season ticket scheme
The council has launched a new season ticket scheme to make it easier and cheaper for people who frequently use council park parks.There are a range of different types of season tickets to meet different parking needs.
Contract - this season ticket is for use in the same bay every day. The bay will be marked with a number and the only permitted user is the person who has purchased that bay. This is not available in all car parks.
Premium - This Season Ticket will be offered in more central car parks (not shoppers’ car parks where short-term time limits apply and high turnover of spaces are required to ensure economic activity in town centres). It is designed for those who wish to have closer access to their vehicle and are willing to pay a premium on the standard Season Ticket cost. This season ticket is available to buy in durations of 12, 6, 3 and 1 month.
Standard - This Season Ticket will be offered for car parks further from the economic centres of the towns. It is designed for commuters and workers who have to stay long periods of time and are prepared to walk a short distance and want the best value for money. They are valid in one car park only. This season ticket is available to buy in durations of 12, 6, 3 and 1 month.
Businesses can purchase season tickets which are not vehicle specific and they can be used by any employee. This could be beneficial to part-time workers, those who job share and many others. This option cannot be purchased on MiPermit
For more information visit the Wiltshire Council website or email parking@wiltshire.gov.uk
Transforming services in children and adult services
Message from Sue Redmond, Corporate Director Department of Community Services and Carolyn Godfrey, Corporate Director Department for Children and Education;
The council has started work on two major reviews within children and adults services. These are called the Disabled Children and Adults review and the Helping people to Live at Home Review. Both reviews aim to improve the experiences of children, adults and carers who require support whilst ensuring that the changes are sustainable for the future. This is an exciting time to really make a difference to the lives of people in Wiltshire.
We will keep you updated with the progress of these reviews and more information can be found on the Wiltshire Council website and any queries can be emailed to communications@wiltshire.gov.uk
Communicating the new Waste and recycling collection service
A big thank you for your responses to our item in last months newsletter, asking for help to communicate the new Waste and recycling collection service through your Parish Newsletters and magazines.
If you didn't see the item and would like to helpplease email your contact details together with details of your publication dates and deadlines to judi.gardner@wiltshire.gov.uk who will arrange to send you more information.
Want to find out more about the new Waste and recycling collection service?
Why not take the opportunity to have a Waste Officer come along to one of yourParish meetings, giving you thechance to find out more and ask any questions you have about the new service. If you are interested please email vicki.white@wiltshire.gov.uk
Wiltshire’s third local transport plan
Wiltshire’s Third Local Transport Plan (LTP3) covers the period from March 2011 to March 2026. It sets out the council’s objectives, implementation plans and targets for transport in Wiltshire. Furthermore, as a document developed through partnership working and extensive consultation, LTP3 also provides the framework for all other organisations with a direct or in direct involvement in transport in Wiltshire.
There are four supporting strategies that make up LTP3:
- Car Parking
- Freight
- Public Transport
- Road Safety
There is also a one year Implementation Plan which is based on realistic funding levels.
It is planned that the other supporting theme and area strategies as well as an Implementation Plan for 2012-2015, will be subject to public consultation some time in 2011/12.
Please take a look at The plan (LTP3) (and other associated documents) which are now available online.
In addition a very limited number of hard copies are also available to purchase at £10 each including P&P. For further details please contact:
Sustainable Transport
Transport Policy Team
Wiltshire
Council
County Hall
Bythesea Road
Trowbridge
BA14
8JD
transportplanning@wiltshire.gov.uk
Telephone: 01225 713458
Fax: 01225 713207
Drainage team update
This last month has been very busy for the drainage team.
The gangs have been finishing the drainage scheme in Ford nr Salisbury this month. Drainage improvement works to increase the capacity of the existing piped watercourse and improve the highway drainage system at Goosey Corner, Crudwell are nearing completion. Working in partnership with Wessex Water, Environment Agency, Crudwell Parish Council and other stakeholders through the Operational Flood Working Group – north, the council has implemented the scheme which was designed by Mouchel and constructed by Ringway, the council’s term consultants and contractors respectively.
The drainage culvert units weighed around 3.5 tonnes each and specialist lifting equipment has to be used to place each section of the culvert.
Property Level Protection (PLP) bids
We were notified by the Environment Agency that additional funding was available for PLP with a deadline of 18 April. The team worked very hard and put forward eight communities with a combined total of 180 properties. These will be assessed by the Environment Agency and Defra on a national basis, so we will be competing with other authorities such as Oxfordshire, Cornwall and Gloucestershire who have experienced severe flooding over the last few years.
Preliminary Flood Risk Assessments (PFRA)
The Preliminary Flood Risk Assessments needed to be drafted up and submitted to scrutiny for May, ready for its final submission to the Environment Agency in June.
The Flood Risk Regulations 2009 implement the requirements of the European Floods Directive, which aim to provide a consistent approach to managing flood risk across Europe. It establishes four stages of activity within a six year flood risk management cycle.
The first stage of the cycle is for the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA’s), which in Wiltshire is the council to carry out a PFRA and prepare a Preliminary Assessment Report and identify flood risk areas. This information has to be submitted to the Environment Agency by 22 June 2011, who will review, collate, publish and report the results to the European Commission.
The subsequent stages are to prepare flood hazard and flood risk maps by 22 June 2013, and to prepare Flood Risk Management Plans by 22 June 2015.
The cycle will then start again in 2016, so it is important to ensure that information on flooding is collected by the Council, and is maintained and kept up to date for future use. In the next cycle it will be mandatory to collect information for floods that occur after 22 December 2011. New forms have been designed to record any flooding incidents and the information provided by town and parish councils has been of great help in submitting the report.
It should be noted that there is a specific definition of ‘significant’ in the context of the PFRA requirements. The Environment Agency have carried out initial assessment work based on the number of properties in each 1km square with an estimated 1 in 200 risk of flooding in any given year. The adjoining grid squares were analysed to identify those clusters where more than 30,000 people were considered to be at risk. In the south-west the only area qualifying as having a Flood Risk Area as defined by the guidance is Bristol.
The review of historic flood information currently available, and the surface water flooding information provided by the EA, have been reviewed, and it is confirmed that there are no Flood Risk Areas in Wiltshire as defined by the guidance.
Locally significant harmful consequences of flooding must also be recorded but no definition is provided in the guidance and it is left to the LLFAs to set their own definitions. The South West Flood Risk Managers Group of which Wiltshire is a member has agreed that a flood should be considered locally significant if it causes internal flooding to five or more residential properties, or floods two or more business premises, or one or more items of critical infrastructure, or causes a transport link to be totally impassable for a significant period.
A draft of Wiltshire’s PFRA has been submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for approval.
Operation Watermark
Warminster town council took the opportunity to test their plan as one of only two towns in the whole of the south west participating in this national flood exercise. A telephone call from the Environment Agency started the emergency exercise, reporting heavy rainfall in over a 6 hour period. Various events were then called in which were logged, plotted and passed to the relevant flood warden to handle and report back. As part of the exercise an added emergency in the form of a major road traffic accident because of the bad weather took one of the flood wardens away – a retained fireman.
Largely successful the exercise brought to light several important requirements which had been overlooked and which are now being addressed, the most noticeable being the need for additional flood wardens.
Wiltshire council also took this opportunity to test its own flood plan and procedures at the same time. The plan was effective and the lessons learnt from the exercise will be incorporated in an updated document in due course.
Calling CLARENCE
As you all know, the condition of Wiltshire’s roads matter a great deal to our residents, and we encourage them to contact us to report potholes and other road and highways problems using CLARENCE.
CLARENCE is a national service, based in Edinburgh, which routes callers to the right authority based on their telephone (STD) code.
This works fine for landline numbers, but there are two quirks. Firstly, when calling the system from a landline on our borders, you can end up speaking to a neighbouring authority eg Dorset. Secondly, when calling from a mobile phone you end up speaking to somebody based in Edinburgh who will give you a different number to call (the number we promote for mobile callers – 01225 718012).
We are looking at ways of improving this service, but in the meantime, we would like to remind you that there are two different contact numbers for CLARENCE:-
From a Wiltshire landline number, call 0800 232323
From all other numbers, including mobiles, call 01225 718012
NHS Foundation trust public consultation
We’ve begun a public consultation to give our staff, patients and local people the opportunity to comment on our plans to become an NHS Foundation Trust. We hope that you will have your say and become a member of our organisation – members are vital to our success. Please attend one of the meetings to find out more, or visit the Royal United Hospital’s website
Housing Strategy 2011-2016 - ‘Building Strong Foundations’
Strategic Housing have now completed the final draft thecouncil’shousingstrategy 2011-2016 ‘Building Strong Foundations’ for consultation and comment. To help you comment on this draft strategy, we have created a feedback questionnaire for you to complete and return to us by 6 July 2011. This draft has been produced after extensive consultation on the themes and priorities included within it and as such, it should reflect the views of our elected members, colleagues, partners and the residents of Wiltshire. However, we would appreciate your feedback on this document to ensure that it is a dynamic document that will help us to deliver real improvements in housing and housing-related support services to meet the needs of our communities.
This consultation is also available online, on the consultation pages of the council’s public website:
This is a final draft of the strategy, however each chapter of the draft document will be revised and amended as a result of the comments and feedback we receive before the strategy is formally signed off. We will also be updating the strategy with any announcements or further updates from government that are made during the three month period of consultation, with a further annual review within 12 months of the strategy being adopted.
I would appreciate if you would take the time to read the Housing Strategy and fill in the feedback questionnaire. Pleasecomplete it online or return it via email to housing.strategy@wilts.sch.uk or by post to:
Nicole Smith
Strategic Housing Team
Wiltshire Council
Monkton
Park
Chippenham
Wiltshire
Please ensure you return your questionnaire by 6 July for your comments to be considered in the development of the final strategy
Fredericks Wiltshire- Business loan fund
Wiltshire Council is working with the Fredericks Foundation and GWE Business West Ltd to deliver loans to viable small or micro businesses denied access to credit through the banking system. For more information contact Terri Stevenson or Tim King on 01793 698023
Sport & Physical Activity
Women encouraged to get WoW fit
WoW Fit is a week of activities taking place 6 - 12 June 2011, supporting women and girls of Wiltshire to get fit, active, make new friends and have fun! Over 100 sports and activity sessions will be available across the county, organised by local sports clubs, sports and physical activity development and leisure centres. The programme has been co-ordinated by Wiltshire Council’s Sports and Physical Activity Team to increase participation rates and raise the profile of all the wonderful opportunities there are for women and girls to be involved in some form of physical activity. All of the activities organised will be fun and friendly, with qualified coaches, to give women of allabilities the chance to learn something new or improve skills they may already have. From golf to dance, netball, or canoeing, walking, or cycling, WoW Fit will have something for everyone.
Olympic athlete Shelley Rudman from Pewsey, won silver in the skeleton, at the winter Olympics in 2006 is backing the campaign and urging the women of Wiltshire to get fit. She will be returning to Devizes in May to launch WoW Fit Week
Shelley said: “As someone who tried their hand at an unusual sport and got immense enjoyment from it, I would urge others to use this event to try and have a go at something themselves. Sport is not only a great way to get fit but it’s a lot of fun and a wonderful way of meeting other people. I’m thrilled to be back in Wiltshire to support WOW Fit”.
WOW Fit has also been granted the Inspire Mark – the badge of the London 2012 Inspire Programme. This recognises innovative and exceptional projects that are directly inspired by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Seb Coe, Chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games, said: “WOW Fit is encouraging women of all ages to fulfill their potential. I am proud that with the help of partners such as Wiltshire Council we are delivering on our vision to use the power of the Olympic Games to boost participation in sport and leisure.”
A full calendar of the events taking place during WOW Fit Week can be found on the Wiltshire Council website
Please put up this WoW fit poster
So:
- If you have never played sport in your life, it is time to have a go!
- If you want to try something a bit different, now is your opportunity!
- If you used to be active but life has since got in the way, take the chance to have some ‘me’ time and play again!
Wiltshire to get on their bikes!
On Sunday 12 June 2011, the Wiltshire Big Wheel is a chance for riders of all ages and abilities to enjoy a great day's cycling in the heart of rural England.
Starting and finishing on The Green in Devizes there's a choice of four great circular rides: 17 mile family-friendly route visiting Honey St. or 35 mile route visiting the Vale of Pewsey and the Milk Hill White Horse. The longer 50 mile route circuits Savernake Forest crossing the River Kennet at Ramsbury and returning through Marlborough. For the 100 mile challenge, riders completing the 50 mile circuit can simply take another ‘turn of the wheel’!
For further details and to enter this great day out for all the family please visit the bike events website
Wiltshire and Swindon Sports Awards
Nominations are now open for the second Wiltshire and Swindon Sports Awards which will be hosted by former England rugby captain, Phil de Glanville on September 22 at the City Hall in Salisbury.
Anyone can nominate an individual or organisation in one of the 13 categories and nominations close at 5pm on Thursday, June 30. The top three nominations from each category will be invited to the awards which will also be attended by 2004 Paralympic gold medallist 800m, Danny Crates.
Forms and criteria can be downloaded from the Wiltshire Council website
Following the success of last year’s awards, the 2011 Wiltshire and Swindon Sports Awards will once again be jointly hosted by Wiltshire Council, Wiltshire Health Improvement Partnership, NHS Wiltshire, Wiltshire and Swindon Activity and Sports Partnership and Swindon Borough Council. The awards will recognise and honour the work and achievements of athletes, sports clubs, volunteers and coaches across the whole of Wiltshire and Swindon
Pilates
Please download and put up the following posters to promote upcoming pilates classes:
South Wiltshire
Wheelchair walks
The popular wheelchair walks in Salisbury take place on the last Wednesday of the Month until September.
The next two walks are on the 25th May to the Avon Valley Nature Reserve and on the 29th June to the Town Path and the Middle street Meadow. All walks leave from Shopmobility in the Maltings at 2pm. For further details and to book a space call Shopmobility on 01722 328068."
East Wiltshire
Young and old get DownsAround in Pewsey walking festival
Walkers and runners aged from seven to seventy celebrated the beauty and tranquillity of the Marlborough Downs and Pewsey Vale as they took part in the Pewsey DownsAround Challenge on Sunday 15 April 2011.
140 people took on the Challenge, choosing between route distances of 10, 16, 26 and 32 miles through some of the most spectacular parts of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
All four routes started from Pewsey, leading up the Giants Grave hill and along the Tan Hill Way to Gopher Wood. The shorter routes returned to Pewsey via Oare, while the longer ones continued along the Wansdyke as far as Cherhill and Avebury, coming back to Pewsey over the Marlborough Downs. Each walker’s progress was logged at six checkpoints along the route to ensure the safety of the entrants and to refresh them with food and drink.
Participants munched and swigged their way through 15 cakes, 15 pizzas, many packets of biscuits and over 200 litres of water.
The event was organised and run by volunteers from the Wiltshire Long Distance Walkers’ Association. This year the Group received a grant from the North Wessex Downs AONB Sustainable Development Fund to expand their annual DownsAround challenge to reach a more diverse audience. The Group aimed to encourage family groups in particular.
Oliver Cripps, acting Assistant Director of the North Wessex Downs AONB, who manages the Sustainable Development Fund, said:
“We’re delighted that this year’s DownsAround was such a success, and that we were able to support it through our Sustainable Development Fund. We congratulate the Wiltshire Long Distance Walkers’ Association on all their hard work to make it happen and also everyone who took part, whether as a participant or volunteer. The North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is a very special place, and the Pewsey Walking Festival is exactly the sort of event that enables more people to explore and enjoy this beautiful landscape.”
Quick Links
What’s on at City Hall, Salisbury- Great entertainment at City Hall in May; One Night of Queen will rock the audience on Thursday 19 May 2011 and That’ll Be The Day returns with their 25 year anniversary show on Friday 20 May 2011. Visit the website to book tickets and find out about other live entertainment coming up at City Hall.
- Visit
your local market for a wide range of produce, clothes, antiques and
gifts.
Please download and print the
Markets poster markets poster 129kb
Contact Details (LiveLink)
Multiple Contacts:
eMail: communications@wiltshire.gov.uk
Telephone:
Out of hours:
Fax:
Postal Address:
Communications Unit
Wiltshire Council
County
Hall
Bythsea Road
Trowbridge
Wiltshire
BA14
8JN
In Person:
DX:
Last updated: 13 May 2011
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