Agenda item

The chairman informed those present of the following:

(a)       Buses to Basil Hill (Corsham) – New Services Funded by Developer Money

With the new development at the MoD at Basil Hill, after lengthy negotiations, arrangements for new bus services have now been agreed and are being formally put in place.

CORSHAM TOWN (service 10)

The current timetable will be enhanced with effect from 1 November to give a regular half-hour frequency all through the day with just two routes but with both serving Basil Hill, which will have a 15 minute service. The existing buses will be replaced with two brand new low floor buses. On Saturdays the service will run hourly using just one bus operating until lunchtime.

RURAL SERVICES

In addition, three dedicated services for MoD employees will begin on 1 December, following routes that have been agreed with the MoD using information about where their staff live. To make best use of resources, these will be operated in conjunction with existing school (coach) contracts.

The three services are:

82 - From Trowbridge

83 - From Bradford on Avon, Holt and Broughton Gifford,

84 – From Melksham, Shaw, Whitley and Gastard.

The MoD was keen to publicise these arrangements in advance of the staff moving in and the Passenger Transport Unit would do their utmost to ensure local residents also get information in good time to enjoy the full benefit of the enhanced timetable and new easier access buses.

Negotiations between the Council and the MoD were continuing to ensure the transfer of monies to Wiltshire Council so that funding would be available when required to proceed with works to the A4.

(b)       Wiltshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2026

The Council has a statutory duty to review and publish a new Local Transport Plan (LTP) by the end of March 2011. In essence, Local Transport Plans steer the implementation of national transport policies at the local level.

The Wiltshire Local Transport Plan is made up of:

·        A long-term transport strategy that seeks to:

o       support economic growth

In addition, the Local Transport Plan provides the framework for all other organisations with a direct or indirect involvement in transport in Wiltshire.

Consultation on the draft Local Transport Plan will run from 4 October to 26 November 2010.

The preferred method of communication is for comments to be submitted online at: http://consult.wiltshire.gov.uk/portal,where electronic copies of all the documents will be available. Paper copies of the summary document, questionnaire and a reference copy of the Local Transport Plan will also be available from all libraries and main Council offices.

The Council’s Cabinet and full Council will consider the results of the consultation in February 2011 prior to the publication of the final Local Transport Plan in March 2011.

(c)        Wiltshire Intelligence Network

A new website has been created to provide access to a wide variety of

information and research for Wiltshire.  The new site, www.intelligencenetwork.org.uk, is available to all and aims to support planners and policy makers, community leaders and politicians, voluntary groups and the general public in using accurate data to make informed decisions. A broad range of information is available, organised into the following topic themes:

·         Consultation

·         Local Area Profiles

·         Population & Census

·         Health & Wellbeing

·         Education & Skills

·         Economy

·         Crime & Community Safety

·         Community

·         Planning & Housing

·         Transport & Communications

·         Environment, Climate Change, Waste & Recycling

·         Culture, Leisure & Tourism

The content of the site will continue to grow over the coming months and the research team is keen to hear any suggestions for content that people would like to see on the site. The site was developed by Wiltshire Council’s corporate research team in the Department of Public Health and Wellbeing, in conjunction with the South West Observatory and working in partnership with NHS Wiltshire and Wiltshire Police. For more information, or to give views and feedback, please contact Sally Hunter on 01225 713289, or email sally.hunter@wiltshire.gov.uk.

(d)       Mobile Phone Safety

Immobilise, the UK national property register, are running a scheme to help protect mobile phones and other property in the future. Please visit their website, www.immobilise.com, to register mobile phones for free. This will help Wiltshire Police to recover property and to catch the thief. If anyone would like a poster to display or further information about this scheme, please see the Immobilise website.  

(e)       Adverse Winter Weather – Call for Partnership Working

Wiltshire Council is looking to expand its partnership working with town and parish councils should problems be caused by adverse winter conditions.

Wiltshire Council is encouraging local councils to record their interest in working together to help provide services during adverse weather conditions.  This could involve being a local agent for storing salt, or refilling salt bins, or mechanical salting of footpaths and roads.      

This partnership working would help to provide a better and more extensive coverage at a time when resources will be fully stretched.

Local councils are asked to register their interest via their Community Area Manager (Dave Roberts Tel: 07979 318504 or Email: dave.roberts@wiltshire.gov.uk  before 30 November 2010.