Welcome
Welcome
Welcome to my website! It's brand new, and I want it to reflect the sort of information that you want to read, so if you have any ideas for inclusion here, please do not hesitate to contact me. Even better, it would be great if you could register with the site so that I can keep you up to date with any local news; simply fill in the boxes on the right. I promise not to bombard you with too many emails.
Or you can follow me on Twitter:
I will use this website to let you know what Wiltshire Council is up to and how it affects our area as well as providing you details of how to contact me.
Waste and Recycling
As you know, Wiltshire Council are introducing changes to the collection schedule, beginning this week. To check when yours will be collected, follow this link and input your address. You will see when your rubbish, recycling and kerbside boxes are collected. There is also a realy useful printable version for you to print out and keep as a reminder. Here's my one, yours may be different, so check your own.
A budget for Wiltshire’s communities – that makes a difference – was approved today...
The budget for next year 2012/13 was agreed at council today. The budget will continue to invest in key services and protect the most vulnerable in our communities.
It was agreed that council tax will be frozen at zero per cent for the third year running, that free swimming for young people during school holidays will be introduced, and support will be provided for communities to celebrate and take part in this year’s once-in-a-lifetime events; the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic Torch Relay route.
Our financial plan, which was published last year, has been reviewed to reflect the changes and challenges that we continue to face.
Despite the tough economic climate, we will invest £9.7 million into adult services and £4.9 million into children’s services ensuring vulnerable adults and children are supported. £152 million will be invested in the delivery of affordable homes, roads and roads maintenance, superfast broadband, new campuses and communities.
In 2012/13 the funding from government will decrease by £3.2 million. This, combined with the rising costs of goods and services and an the need for additional funding to meet the needs of Wiltshire’s growing number of older people and children, means the council must make efficiencies of £32.6 million in 2012/13.
We will find the efficiencies needed by continuing to work innovatively. Our transformation programme will save £17 million in property sales and net savings of £4.5 million per year by 2014. By working differently we can remove duplication and waste and by working more closely with our public sector partners we can look at where our assets could be shared and, where possible, our services can be co-located; following the model at our Monkton Park offices, where the Police recently relocated. We are also further reviewing our structure and responsibilities at service director level to align services within the new structure and deliver further efficiencies.
The plan allocates £273 million for investment in Wiltshire over the next three years. Major projects will deliver more affordable homes, an increase in roads maintenance and repairs, and the implementation of high-speed broadband, new community campus models in Corsham, Melksham and Salisbury and an allocation of £500,000 for community area transport groups to decide on local transport priorities and schemes. Local businesses, wherever possible, will be delivering the work, creating jobs for local people and boosting the local economy.
Speaking at today’s meeting, council leader Jane Scott said: “Our priority at Wiltshire Council has always been to deliver what’s best for the people of Wiltshire: to look after our growing ageing population, our vulnerable children, to manage the challenging economic situation and to keep council tax at a zero percent increase for the third year running.
"We have a clear vision – to create stronger and more resilient communities. And our goals – to provide high quality, low cost customer focused services, to prioritise local issues, to be open and honest in our decision making, and to work with our partners to support Wiltshire’s communities –- remain at the forefront of everything that we do. This is a budget that will deliver what’s best for the people of Wiltshire – a budget that makes a difference.”
Jane Scott’s full budget speech is available on my blog page.
This week has been extremely busy
Cllr Stuart Wheeler, Cabinet Member for Campus Delivery and Culture, and I have been visiting volunteers staffing some of our libraries. Last year, Wiltshire Council took the decision to keep all of our libraries open, despite a reduction in Central Government funding, using volunteer staff to assist our core librarians. In some cases, our libraries are even open for longer hours, or at times more convenient to the local community. Meeting these local people working in our libraries, I found out just how much community spirit we have here in Wiltshire, and how far the people in those communities will go to maintain services in our towns. Thank you all, very much.
Talking of how much work the community does, the Corsham Shadow Community Operations Board has been exhibiting the plans for the new Corsham Campus around the Community Area this week. We have welcomed hundreds of visitors to the exhibition, and the responses have been extremely positive. Local people have welcomed the Campus concept, and liked the design proposals, especially the landscaping, with both the model and the 3D proving extremely popular. More information can be found on the Springfield Campus website
New Portfolio
Since the start of Wiltshire Council I have held the Portfolio for Schools, and enjoyed many opportunities to visit our schools where I have consistently been impressed by the standard of teaching in Wiltshire. I have been involved with our young people in many ways, most notably the concert tour of China and Hong Kong last year by the Wiltshire and Swindon Youth Orchestra. I have been working with school governors to set up the Wiltshire Association of Governors, now well established, and many other areas of helping our schools to improve, and to improve the lives and outcomes of our young people.
Now I am delighted to be taking up a new portfolio - libraries and culture, which includes our 31 libraries, 5 mobile libraries, all of our heritage sites, museums, galleries and music centres. I'm really looking forward to meeting the managers and staff, and helping them continue the excellent services offered.
Schools will now be looked after by Cllr Laura Mayes.
Next Surgery
I hold surgeries on the first Saturday each month in Corsham Library, together with Cllr Peter Davis who represents Corsham Town Division. Please come along to discuss any of your concerns, or simply to have a chat.
The next surgery will be on Saturday 3rd March 2012, from 10.30 to 11.30 am.