Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

Wiltshire Council news from Ernie Clark.

Your Independent councillor for Hilperton.

Currently, the major concern of Hilperton residents, and those elsewhere in Wiltshire, is the shocking state of the open spaces, grass verges, cemetery etc.

Wiltshire Council awarded a new ‘streetscene’ contract to Balfour Beatty Living Places which should save over £1million in its first year. However, they seem to have got off to a shocking start. As I write this BBLP have brought extra staff in from other counties and they are working overtime and weekends in an attempt to get all the grass areas cut by the end of June. Councillors have been promised that the regular cutting schedule will then be adhered to.

The draft Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Public Safety Plan 2013-16 is now open for consultation. The plan sets out what the Authority has been doing to reduce risk within the community and how it intends to continue that over the next three years. The plan is available on the WFRS web site www.wiltsfire.gov.uk Comments should be sent to consultation@wiltsfire.gov.uk anytime between now and the 1st August.

Should 'first time voting' be compulsory? Would this be a reasonable and sensible compromise to forcing everyone to vote?

There is growing evidence that young people who don't vote in their teens or early twenties are less likely to develop the voting habit in middle age.

With the turnout in elections getting smaller, something needs to be done.