Agenda item

News and information on what’s going on across the County:

·         Changes to street lighting

·         Magna Carta celebrations

The Chairman gave updates on the following:-

Changes to Street Lighting   The Council needed to save money and reduce its carbon footprint by reducing energy usage. Rising energy costs, carbon tax and budget restraints made it necessary to change the way streets were lit.

The Council would be converting some of the street lights in towns and surrounding areas, so that some of them were not on between about midnight and 5.30am where it was safe to do so.

Lights at junctions, pedestrian crossings and where required for safety would remain on all night. Lighting where there were CCTV systems, in the town centre, and in areas where crime was a problem would remain on and at normal lighting levels.

The scheme had been operating successfully in Trowbridge for over six months and would be rolled out in the other towns during the Summer, including Westbury from 1 July 2015. A review of the scheme would be undertaken after six months to determine whether further changes were necessary, and the views of the Town and Parish Councils would be sought.

Joint Health & Wellbeing Strategy  A new consultation draft of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Wiltshire  (2015-18) had been developed based on our understanding of Wiltshire’s communities, as set out in the Joint Strategic Assessment for Wiltshire.

The consultation draft of the strategy set out the main areas that working together would be a priority for health and social care organisations in Wiltshire. It did not list everything that all organisations and individuals would be undertaking to improve health and wellbeing. Instead, it focused on setting out a vision for integrated working in the future.

Two key aims within the strategy were:

• Healthy lives – encouraging communities, families and individuals to take on more responsibility for their own health
• Empowered lives – personalising care and delivering care in the most appropriate setting – at or as close to home as possible

Any views on the content of the strategy. Should be sent to David Bowater by email david.bowater@wiltshire.gov.uk and by taking part in our joint health and wellbeing strategy survey

The consultation would close on 1 July 2015.

Magna Carta Celebrations  The Community Area Manager reported on Magna Carta celebrations. Pupils from Matravers school would be taking to the streets of Salisbury on 15 June to help mark 800 years of the Magna Carta. 12 pupils from the school were due to  be taking part in the Westbury section of the historic pageant which would feature heraldic shields painted by pupils from Westbury Junior school, Wiltshire apple trees from Bratton community orchard, a banner carried by air cadets from the 68 Westbury Squadron and a giant painted baron puppet. Mayor David Bradshaw would be wearing his new mayoral robes to take part in the procession and other participants would also be in medieval style costume.  A special Magna Carta newspaper front page designed by the White Horse News would be distributed to the crowds as scrolls. The pageant would thread through the city streets of Salisbury to the cathedral for a commemorative ceremony and pyrotechnic display.