Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

Wiltshire Council news from Ernie Clark, your Independent councillor.

As I write this, the western area planning committee has given planning permission for the old Tesco site in Trowbridge. Hopefully, Legal & General will now waste no time and get started.

The development is being funded by the L&G Property unit trust and so doesn’t need to raise finance from an outside source. As well as a seven screen digital Odeon cinema, the development includes a Premier Inn and various restaurants.

There is another extant planning application for a cinema, restaurants and a Morrison supermarket on the old Bowyer’s site. This application is expected to come before the same planning committee next month. It will be interesting to see what the recommendation from the planning officer is.

Community Speed Watch (CSW) continues in the village but with a lower frequency. Apparently this is because Hilperton now shares the laser gun with three other CSW areas. There are over a dozen trained volunteers but more are welcome. Contact me and I will arrange for the coordinator to get in touch.

The budget setting meeting of Wiltshire Council is due any day now. No increase is proposed but it will be interesting to see whether the Conservative administration will be amenable to making a few changes to how the income is spent. It still seems odd to me that WC no longer provides free swimming to the under 16s or over 60s. Also, why do the sports centres in west Wiltshire close on a Bank Holiday? Surely, this is when most working people would be able to use them!

The parish council has increased its Band D precept by 50p (!) and, this year, the money will go towards the £38,000 cost of the new play equipment that is going to be installed at the village hall play area. The order has been signed and work is expected to be completed by early May in readiness for the official opening during the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations.

I understand that the village celebration will be on Saturday 2nd June, so put this date in your diary.

16 February 2012.