Work is due to commence on August 4th for the crossing on Netherhampton Rd.  It has already been marked out and works will last approximately 10 days.

The location is about 30ft west of the Norfolk Rd junction.

Thank you to the scores of residents that came along to the public meeting.  I fully understand the frustration that is being caused by these proposals.

One question has come clear from many residents:  Why did Wiltshire County Council not consult residents across Wiltshire on these proposals?  A question asked by me at the county council meeting to decide the “One Council” bid several months ago.  The administration refused outright to consult residents.  Somerset County Council did consult; some 83% voted against!

Harnham residents are now preparing their objection submissions to the Boundary Committee, who will report their “Final recommendation” in late November/December.

A Motion to City Area Committee last week to replace Bus shelters, was carried.  This will involve having 13 of the tattiest shelters around the City replaced.

Top priority is for a shelter at the bottom of Hollows Close, which Gawthorne Drive residents had campaigned for and spoke in favour of at the Committee.  The other shelter that will be replaced in West Harnham is the one at Harnleigh Green, also on Harnham Road.

Both shelters on Harnham Rd will be like the ones on Bemerton Heath.  Several are now disused and have seating in them.

The shelters will be installed in this financial year.

I have today heard that the Boundary Committee for England are very likely to publish their “Draft Recommendations” for the new Wiltshire Unitary Council on July 1st.

Residents will then have eight weeks to make comments, details of which will be here at a later date.

As stated before, Option 2 will be submitted during this consultation period.  This option does not split Harnham, like the Tories have proposed.  Option 2 received unanimous support at a recent Surgery that was held in both East & West Harnham.

For  the Boundary Committee website, click here:  http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/boundary-reviews/all-reviews/south-west/wiltshire/wiltshire-electoral-review

For the County Council Minutes, that approved Option 3 for Salisbury, please click on the link.  You will see that i had my dissent recorded in these Minutes, with regard to the Tory Option 3 split-Harnham proposal.

http://194.72.162.210/documents/dscgi/ds.py/Get/File-19094/Minutes.doc

New Lining works have finally commenced in Harnham, which includes:

• Norfolk Rd restricted parking
• Old Blandford Rd restricted parking
• Downton Rd area Residents parking
• Re-painting worn lines

I am waiting comfirmation from WCC officers about the lining gang, as they appear to keep being pulled away onto other jobs in Wiltshire, which i am not happy with.  This is delaying works in our area, which is not acceptable.

The City Area (Community) Committee meets next Tuesday, 1st July and the Agenda includes the replacement of some “Tatty” Bus shelters around the City.  This was at my request and includes two shelters for West Harnham.  One ‘replacement’ and one ‘new’:

• Harnham Rd, at Hollows Close (New)
• Harnham Rd, at Harnleigh Green (Replace)

For details, please click link:  http://documents.salisbury.gov.uk/council/committees/City-Area-Community-Committee/2008-07-01/A-2008-07-01.pdf

Members of the public are very welcome to attend and speak if they wish.

Real Time Passenger Information (RTPI) is finally on its way to some of West Harnham Bus stops.  This will enable Bus users to see when the Bus is due, in real time counting down from 20 minutes..

The following Bus stops will be upgraded to RTPI and may involve the replacement of the street light column:

• Outside 59 Wiltshire Rd
• Essex Sq shelter to have RTPI unit
• Norfolk Rd shelter to have RTPI unit
• Netherhampton Rd, by No125
• Richards Way
• Middle St, adjacent to the field
• Harnham Rd, by Harnleigh Green to have RTPI unit.  City Area Committee (CAC) has agreed to fund a new shelter here too.
• Harnham Rd, Hollows Close.  Requests have been made for a Bus shelter at this location.  Again, I had taken this request to CAC for its July meeting, which agreed also to fund a new shelter at this location.

I have tried to get the most and best use of our limited £12,500 funds that are available for RTPI in West Harnham.

A Zebra Crossing for Netherhampton Rd has been given the green light.  Work is currently due to commence on August 4th and will last around 10 days.

The crossing will be sighted about 10m west of the Norfolk Rd junction and the Bus stop there will have to be re-located slightly further up Netherhampton Rd, probably where the Telegraph pole is.

There were no adverse comments to the proposals during the recent public consultation.

After a “Mobile Surgery” on June 14th at two areas in Harnham, residents are furious at the Boundary proposal by Wiltshire County Council (WCC) to split the Harnham community.

A group of 10-20 residents were at each location and not one supported the idea from WCC.   Large maps of the proposals were on hand to show residents.  Also available was the alternative “Option 2”, which does not split the Harnham community.  This option received unanimous support from residents.  This option was rejected by WCC.  They said that it “Doesn’t represent communities.”  However, Option 2 will be submitted to the Boundary Committee in July. 

A further letter will be delivered within the next month to residents, outlining what to do and who to write to.  A public meeting is also likely to be arranged.

More will be added in due course.

A letter and a Map are currently being delivered to residents affected by the Tory proposal in Harnham.  The Labour group have also submitted a similar proposal, moving out parts of Harnham into St Martin.

Residents are furious at being “Moved” out of Harnham and into another ward.  They feel part of the ‘Harnham community’, no-where else.  These are comments coming to me from residents.

The public consultation begins in July for eight weeks, when residents can voice their opposition to these ludicrous proposals.  Residents must write in to the Boundary Committee (BC) using “Community identity”.  Buildings such as the Old Mill, the Rose & Crown, St Georges Church and All Saints Church are all within the area proposed to be “Moved” by both the Tory & Labour groups.  Community groups and schools etc can be used in communication to the BC.

Similar proposals to remove the Downton Rd area into St Martin ward a few years ago was defeated by people power, when residents wrote in and petitioned the BC.  The BC listened and kept that area in East Harnham.

For full details of the Wiltshire Boundary review, please click:  http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/boundary-reviews/all-reviews/south-west/wiltshire/wiltshire-electoral-review

Further details and the address at which to write to, will appear in due course.