city council – 0% rise in council tax!

Salisbury City Council, which is Lib Dem run, proposed a 0% increase in its council tax, for the next financial year, meaning a Band D property will remain at £80, as this year.

The vote was unanimous, which is usually unheard of in a local government finance vote.  We now just wait to see how much Wiltshire Council will raise its tax by.

Please click here to see the Budget proposal for 2010/11: http://www.salisburycitycouncil.gov.uk/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=245&extmode=view&extid=63&date=2010-02-01&return_to=L2luZGV4LnBocD9vcHRpb249Y29tX2pjYWxwcm8mYW1wO0l0ZW1pZD0yNDUmYW1wO2V4dG1vZGU9ZGF5JmFtcDtkYXRlPTIwMTAtMDItMDE=

Salisbury City Council – next Full Council Meeting

The next Full Council meeting of Salisbury City Council will be on:

Monday 1st February, 6pm at The Guildhall, Market Square

Members of the public are very welcome.

For the Agenda, please click:  http://www.salisburycitycouncil.gov.uk/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=245&extmode=view&extid=63&date=2010-02-01&return_to=L2luZGV4LnBocD9vcHRpb249Y29tX2pjYWxwcm8mYW1wO0l0ZW1pZD0yNDUmYW1wO2V4dG1vZGU9ZGF 

Conservatives push for AWC refuse collections

Conservatives at Wiltshire Council (WC) are to push for Alternative Weekly Collection (AWC) of household waste. 

At the Environment Select Committee meeting at Trowbridge, on Tuesday, a Tory dominated scrutiny group, which had looked at waste, had recommended AWC across Wiltshire, in their findings.

But two LibDem members on the waste group could not support their findings and wrote their own Minority Report (attached with the main report at the link). http://194.72.162.210/documents/dscgi/ds.py/Get/File-24226/Item_No._09_-_Waste_Scrutiny_Task_Group_Final_Report.doc

At the meeting on Tuesday, the LibDems, moved that the Minority Report be accepted by the main Environment Select Committee.  A few ‘rebel’ Tories also supported that Motion, which was then accepted by the Committee.  This effectively rejected the waste review groups recommendations of AWC.

The Tory Cabinet member was present, Cllr Sturgis, who tried to say that cardboard & plastic would be rolled out across Wiltshire within 5 years and that this Committee should “Just endorse” the waste groups recommendations! I reminded him that this Committee did NOT have to do that and that is what happened.  The Conservatives are in turmoil.

I spoke very strongly against the AWC proposal, which Cllr Sturgis supports (because it saves WC money!).

I stated strongly that south Wiltshire already had cardboard & plastic collection and that his proposal would be a detrimental cut to waste collection services in south Wiltshire.

However, Cllr Sturgis and his Conservative councillors will have the final say in bringing in AWC across Wiltshire, after their ‘public consultation’.  This will be a huge cut in services received by householders in south Wiltshire if this comes in.  north Wiltshire also has weekly collections, like south Wiltshire.

If you wish to write to Cllr Sturgis, objecting (or supporting) AWC, then his email is: toby.sturgis@wiltshire.gov.uk

Internet & Computer Grants for low income families Tel 0333 200 1004

The government has launched a grant scheme, for low income families, to provide a laptop and internet access.

Please pass this on to anyone that you might know, who may qualify for this scheme.  For further details, please click:  

http://www.homeaccess.org.uk/

The telephone number is 0333 200 1004.  Please pass this number on! 

The money will soon run out, so please pass on to anyone that you might think may benefit from this scheme!

Conservatives to outsource Leisure in Wiltshire

At a meeting of the Environment Select Committee yesterday in Trowbridge, the Cabinet member responsible for Leisure across Wiltshire Cllr Wheeler, made it very clear at the meeting, that his preference is to outsource Leisure facilities across Wiltshire.

The Leisure facilities in south Wiltshire were previously owned and run successfully by the former Salisbury District Council.  These may now be outsourced for another company to manage.

Consultation on this matter is due to take place shortly.

For details of yesterdays Agenda & Reports, please click: http://194.72.162.210/documents/dscgi/ds.py/View/Collection-2000

Yellow lines get the go-ahead in Harnham

Double yellow lines are to be painted at some junctions in the Bouverie Avenue & Ridings Mead area in Harnham.

For a Map of locations, please click:  http://194.72.162.210/documents/dscgi/ds.py/Get/File-24324/HT-003-10_-_Objections_to_the_Implementation_of_Waiting_Restrictions_at_Various_locations_in_salisbury_-_Appendix_1.pdf

For the Report, please click:  http://194.72.162.210/documents/dscgi/ds.py/Get/File-24322/HT-003-10_-_Objections_to_the_Implementation_of_Waiting_Restrictions_at_Various_Locations_in_Salisbury.doc