Agenda item

To receive the following announcements through the Chairman:

·         Local Government Boundary Commission for England – Consultation

·         Annual Electoral Canvass

The Chairman asked Cllr Philip Whitehead to give an update on the road works in London Road.

It was stated that the planned works had overrun due to an unmarked gas main being found, which had to be relocated. It had also transpired that the ground in the location was very soft and therefore digging work undertaken had to go much deeper than anticipated. These issues would lead to an overrun of approximately four weeks, meaning the works should end the last week of September. In the first week of October the road would then be resurfaced. In order to complete this there would be some overnight road closures. Once complete the increased congestion should decrease and the completed work  would help alleviate congestion leaving Devizes in the morning which in turn would help to decrease air pollution. Cllr Whitehead stated he appreciated that the situation was horrendous and was causing disruption, for which he apologised.

Questions and comments were received from the audience, these included; extreme discontent at the disruption and delays caused; queries as to why the soft ground was not discovered previously and whether the correct surveys had been undertaken; asking whether the gas board could be sued for having a gas main that was not marked on any map; questioning who was responsible and whether someone from the Council would step up to take responsibility; queries as to the timings of the lights once installed and whether this would increase air pollution in Windsor Drive; asking who was picking up the bill for the delays; queries as to why the temporary traffic lights were not being managed better, for example not being used during rush hour; and questions as to whether there would be a detrimental effect to the businesses on the industrial estate once the new traffic lights were in use.

In response Cllr Whitehead stated the following; all the usual surveys had been undertaken, however until you started digging you could not be sure what the ground would be like; he would investigate whether the gas board could be sued regarding the unmarked gas main; the timing of the new traffic lights would give priority to London Road, however traffic should still leave Windsor Drive more quickly, so air pollution would be reduced. Wiltshire Council would have to pay for the costs incurred by the overrun; the contractors were doing everything they could to finish the work as quickly as possible and to minimise disruption.

The Chairman took a question from the floor regarding whether Cllr Anna Cuthbert, the member for Bromham, Rowde and Potterne, had moved away, and therefore was she still able to help her constituents? Cllr Laura Mayes stated the Cllr Cuthbert had not moved away but was currently on sick leave. Interim arrangements had been put in place, so Cllr Laura Mayes would cover Rowde, Cllr Richard Gamble would cover Potterne and Cllr Jonathon Seed would cover Bromham.

The Chairman then made the following announcements:

·         Local Government Boundary Commission for England – Consultation

The Chairman advised the meeting that there was a written update in the agenda pack with full details of the LGBCE Consultation and then summarised the main points. The LGBCE for England had decided on a future council size for Wiltshire Council of 98 with an average elector to councillor ratio of 4291 per councillor. Many of the Devizes area wards were smaller than this and therefore there was likely to be changes to division boundaries in the Devizes area.   A consultation on the pattern of electoral divisions would run from 28 August 2018 to 5 November 2018. The meetings was encouraged to respond online to the consultation and email submissions to Wiltshire Council

·         Annual Electoral Canvass

The Chairman encouraged the audience to respond to the Household Enquiry Forms, preferably online.