Please click on this worthy web site, read it and sign the petition!

www.savethetrain.org.uk/

It was agreed at the meeting that a further Report comes back to committee on July 1st detailing full costs for the new shelters.

Fourteen shelters were identified by Ward Members as being in need of replacement, or new ones where there isn’t one.

More will follow in due course.

I have put a Motion to the City Area (Community) Committee regarding Bus Shelters.  The committee meets on May 6th and i have stated that i would like the “Tatty” old shelters around our City replaced, using our reserves for the funding.

Councillors in the City have been asked to name the shelters, if they have any, that could do with being replaced. 

I have put forward two shelters in West Harnham:  One to be replaced on Harnham Rd, opposite Folkestone Rd.  The other at the bottom of Hollows Close, where no shelter currently stands.  For many years, residents of Gawthorne Drive have requested a shelter at this location.

I hope that these two locations will get committee approval on May 6th.

At the county council meeting on April 18th, the Tory administration at County Hall forced through plans, which if accepted by the Boundary Committee (BC), will split up East & West Harnham for the new unitary elections in May 2009.

They have now pushed everything North of Netherhampton Rd, Harnham Rd, New Harnham Rd & Downton Rd into St Martin & Milford division.

An option for the City that would have kept West & East Harnham as two separate divisions was rejected last week, as the Tories voted for their own option for the City.

I tried in vain at the meeting to get Tory councillors to listen to the “community identity” of West Harnham, using St Georges Church, built 1115 and the Old Mill, built around 1135, as community links in West Harnham.  The pleas were disgracefully ignored and I was accused of being political!

There is going to be one heck of a fight through the BC to retain East & West Harnham identities.  Many residents are fiercely opposed to such plans.  Residents objected to plans to split Harnham in the last Boundary Review in 1998 and were listened too.  Hopefully, we will be listened to this time, as these proposals, supported by the Conservatives, are a disgrace to our community.

Affected areas in Harnham will be leafleted by myself in due course, with details on how to object to this proposal.  The Boundary Committee website is:  http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/boundary-reviews/all-reviews/south-west/wiltshire/wiltshire-electoral-review

The ‘flawed’ City proposals can be seen in the Tory administrations submission to the Boundary Committee: http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/wiltshire-boundary-review.pdf 

This proposal will be the “Draft Recommendation” from the BC.  It is important that local residents make their comments known to the BC.  I hope then that they’ll listen to us and change the details in their “Final Recommendations”, due later this year.

There will be a meeting to discuss the Local Development Framework (LDF) on

Tuesday 22nd April at 7.30pm

St Georges Hall, Lower St

A Planning Officer will be here to explain the consultation process.  All Harnham residents are welcome to attend. 

Potential new housing sites, in the consultation, have been identified in Netherhampton & Britford Parishes. 

Numerous complaints have come my way about the new “surface” of the Town Path.  Well, I have to say that I am very disappointed about the surface too, especially as we have waited two years, with numerous start dates that have been put off.  It is not what I expected.  I couldn’t print the many comments that I have received.  But I do agree with them.

If you are not hapy, please forward your complaint to Wiltshire County Council (WCC), (01225) 713000, or email the director of environmental services: georgebatten@wiltshire.gov.uk

WCC are the Highway Authority and are responsible for resurfacing the Town Path.  Salisbury District Council are responsible for the new Benches and the (soon to be) new Litter Bins.

The lighting is still not finished around the Old Mill.  Victorian type ‘heads’ will go on the columns here.  All the columns will then be painted black.

I have asked for an on site meeting to discuss the path.

A Bench & Plaque in memory of Susan Elizabeth Gilbret Harris, aged 20, who drowned at the Old Mill in March 1966, will be unveiled by her Friends, and some members of her family, on:

Thursday 10th April

opposite the hatches, past the Old Mill Restaurant at

10.30am

Susan swam into the turbulent and deep waters and tried to rescue a Boy who had fallen in.  She tragically lost her life doing so.

If you knew Susan, were at Sarum St Michael College, or are interested, then please turn up.

The Old Mill Restaurant have very kindly offered to supply Tea & Coffee after the unveiling.

Hurrah!  The county council have at last advertised a closing order for the Town Path in today’s Journal, 28th February.

The order specifies that the Town Path will close between 25th & 28th March and then again 31st March to 4th April.

This will enable a speedy resurfacing of the path and is welcome that they have at last set a date to do the works.

The new lighting, i am advised, will be installed week commencing 17th March.

Works will be complete by 4th April.

At long last, developers are to move in and start building the long awaited new Highbury Primary School, in Highbury Avenue.

This is the final piece of jigsaw in the three-tier saga and long overdue!  Pupils and Teachers have been blighted by the site of a boarded-up former Fisherton Manor School for the past couple of years.  This was recently demolished.

The county council have also secured some funding towards a double mobile classroom for the Busy Bee’s Nursery.  This will be sited near to the new school, with access from Wilton Road.  More details will follow.

The first ‘sod’ was cut out in an official ceremony on Friday 28th March at 10.30am.

Parliament has yesterday (26th February), given the go-ahead for a new Wiltshire Unitary Council.  The new Wiltshire Council will take over all council services of the county & district councils from April 2009. 

Elections to the new authority will take place on 7th May 2009.

The Boundary Commision are now in the process of drawing up 98 new divisions to the new Wiltshire authority.  There is likely to be 8 unitary councillors for the City of Salisbury, compared to the current 5 county councillors & 20 district councillors.

These details will be updated.  For further information, please click:  http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/boundary-review-guidance-2008.pdf