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Agenda item

Report on Holt "Age Matters" event

Michael Darlow - Bradford on Avon Seniors Forum

 

 

Minutes:

Michael Darlow – Chairman, Bradford on Avon Seniors Forum gave a brief overview of the recent Holt "Age Matters" event held on the Thursday 25 May 2017.

 

Points made included:

 

·         The aim of the Seniors Forum's "Age Matters" event was to give people who lived in the Bradford On Avon Community Area, especially those over 60 and carers, the opportunity to meet their Wiltshire Council Community Engagement Manager, Area Board Chairman, councillors and the Seniors Forum, which was the area's official Older People's & Carers' Champion, and find out what people felt about living in the area.

 

·         Twenty to thirty people attended the Holt event, most of them of retirement age or over.

 

·         Generally people seem very happy to live in Holt. There are clearly a lot of positives to life in the village and a vibrant, mutually supportive community spirit. The village's community bus was seen as a great bonus, although it was not clear how much it is actually used. Forum members wondered if it could be used more and, maybe, by people in other villages.

 

·         Overwhelmingly the main issues raised related to traffic, pedestrian access and safety. Almost everyone drew attention to the dangerous, poorly maintained state of pavements which over long stretches are dangerously uneven, with many broken paving stones, potholes and other trip hazards. This problem is exacerbated by poorly maintained and over-hanging hedges, wheelie bins put outside houses in places where they block pavements and cars parked on pavements, especially along the main road through the village.  As a result pavements are often dangerous or impassable, particularly for people with impaired mobility, balance or eyesight problems, who use wheelchairs or push prams.

 

·         Difficulties for pedestrians in Holt are further increased, especially at peak times, by the volume and speed of traffic on the B3107 through the village and by the fact that there was only one pedestrian crossing. People felt there should be at least two more pedestrian crossings, with one near the village shop.

 

·         Another frequently raised problem was the very narrow section of the B3107 before you enter Bradford On Avon. People suggested that an alternative cycle path was needed.

 

·         Another major issue cited by people was the poor bus service – only one or two services each morning to Trowbridge, Melksham and Bradford On Avon and a similar number in the afternoon, made worse by the fact that the "Zig-Zag" service was not scheduled, so as to facilitate connections with the 265 First Bus services to Bath and Warminster.

 

·         People suggested that one of the reasons why cafés in Bradford on Avon seem so well patronised is because many of their customers are Holt residents who had gone into Bradford for a doctor's appointment or to collect a prescription and are waiting for the bus back to Holt.

 

·         Collecting doctors' prescriptions was particularly difficult for people without access to a car or who work during the day. Many people seemed not to know that some pharmacies would arrange for people who are house-bound to have their prescriptions delivered direct to their homes

 

·         A number of people called for a small branch GP's surgery in Holt, similar to The Bradford On Avon Health Centre's surgery in Winsley. People also raised the problem of getting a timely GP appointment at the Bradford On Avon GP practice. One lady said that it recently took her two to three weeks to even get a GP to phone her.

 

·         People mentioned problems over parking at the RUH and said they had found notices explaining the new parking system confusing.

 

·         Among issues raised that are not specific to Holt were concerns about potential cuts to pensions and pensioner benefits and more horror stories (similar to those reported to the Forum elsewhere) about the non-emergency ambulance service.

 

The Chairman thanked Michael Darlow for his presentation. The full report was included in the agenda pack.

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