Working Together – Working with you…
Liberal Democrats were elected in 2021 to lead the town council and represent three of the four local divisions on Wiltshire Council. Working together, along with all councillors, staff and volunteers, we have delivered on a large number of projects and provide details below.
We have also built a firm basis to make progress over the next four years. For more information, see our manifesto.
A flourishing community
We have:
• Expanded the town council’s youth service, with new youth drop-in sessions
• Set up a new town council run subsidised summer club
• Built the skatepark
• Refurbished Poulton park play area and allocated money to upgrade the other play areas
• Refurbished the tennis courts, working with the Lawn Tennis Association
• Run successful events including old favourites such as the Christmas Lights, the Pancake Race and the Duck Race and supported others such as the Green Man Festival
• Created thriving new events including the BOA live music festival, fireworks at Poulton, play day at Poulton, winter films and a dog show
• Organised events for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, and King Charles’ Proclamation and Coronation
• Promoted volunteering with the ‘Big Help Out’ event and by supporting groups such as CluB, emergency volunteers, tourist information volunteers, Lorry Watch, the train station volunteers and many more
• Actively supported the Aldhelm Court 60+ club, the Dementia Action Alliance and the Men’s Shed project
• Supported Ukrainian refugees, setting up a welcome hub in 2022 and hosting a community fund to provide social and educational activities
• Seen to little things that make a difference: for example new noticeboards at Poulton and the top of Whitehill, new bins and refurbished picnic tables
A thriving town
We have:
• Consulted on traffic and negotiated with Wiltshire Council on a future scheme that will prioritise pedestrian safety
• Worked towards the construction of a new pedestrian bridge, with a strategic outline case completed and having secured Wiltshire Council’s agreement to work with us
• Expanded the town market having taken it on from Wiltshire Council
• Begun reviewing our Neighbourhood Plan, with creation of a town vision
• Worked to protect the golf course
• Secured road and pavement safety improvements;-
• Footway markings in St Margaret’s Car Park,
• Improvements at the Station Approach roundabout
• Handrail on ‘The Snicket’ path linking Rickfield and Belcombe Rd
• 20mph speed limits on all residential roads in the northwest of town (Ashley Rd to Belcombe Rd/Newtown)
• Road safety improvements on Berryfield Rd and around Christ Church School including flashing 20mph signs on Sladesbrook at start and close of school day.
• Purchase and deployment of a Speed Indicator Device and Auto Speed Watch camera to deter speeding
• Made top of Whitehill ‘No Entry’ except for cyclists
• Bollards on Trowbridge Rd to deter vehicles from mounting the pavements
• Supported businesses with ‘Shop local’ initiative and a flyer to all homes, extending the Christmas lights to attract shoppers during January, and a business forum event.
A greener place to live
We have:
• Planted over 3000 new trees
• Organised and encouraged community environment events such as tree planting and nature conservation
• Taken on grass cutting from Wiltshire Council and now manage our green spaces such as the cemetery, Barton Farm, Poulton Meadow and others for biodiversity
• Piloted a community compost scheme
• Completed the living green wall scheme at Lamb Yard
• Got the community fridge initiative underway
• Continued the Terra cycling scheme and brought in a digital drive project to recycle old laptops and phones
• Installed new bins including a recycling section
• Introduced ‘Try before you buy’ schemes for electric bikes and eco cooking equipment
• Won awards including the Gold Award in the Preece Cup for the South West in Bloom competition
• Begun carbon audit of town council buildings
• Displayed ‘no-idling’ banners to help improve air quality
• Procured electric vehicles and tools
• Supported Big Green Week activities
An engaged town council
We have:
• Set up a consultative Residents Panel
• Worked effectively and collaboratively as a whole town council, sharing key roles with non-Lib Dems
• Created a new role of Community Engagement Officer
• Improved the town council print and online communications
• Introduced live streaming of all full council meetings
• Introduced the E-mail newsletter ‘Snippets’
• Run community consultations on Poulton Park, new pavilion, traffic, pedestrian bridge
• Held well attended annual town gathering events when the town council reports on its work
