Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

Wiltshire Council news from Ernie Clark.

Your Independent councillor for Hilperton.

Wiltshire Council now has a ‘My Wiltshire’ web page which can be used to report just about everything – blocked drains, potholes, leaves on pavements etc. The address is rather long (!) being http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/parkingtransportandstreets/roadshighwaysstreetcare/mywiltshirelogin.htm or, if you contact me via my web site, I can send you a shortcut.

Elected members of Wiltshire & Swindon and Dorset Fire Authorities have agreed to work towards developing a business case, paving the way for a potential combination of both Fire Authorities and Services in two years’ time (April 2016). The main reason was due to the on-going cuts to government grants which could see the services having to set huge precept increases, or cut services, if the two authorities remain separate.

If you want a winter outing with a difference, a trip over the Imber Ranges could be the answer. The tarmac roads to Imber Village from Bratton, Gore Cross, Heytesbury and Warminster have been open since 16.00hrs on 20th December and will be until 08.00hrs on 6th January. Please note that this concession by the Ministry of Defence is subject to any urgent operational requirements which might mean access is denied for some or all of the period. If you do go onto Imber Ranges, do NOT touch anything that you might find on the ground – it could explode and injure or kill you.

Hilperton Parish Council obtained a number of trees (30 small whips) from the Woodland Trust for communal planting. The planting took place on Saturday November 30th at the village hall. A good number of people (including youngsters and teenagers) attended and all the trees were planted in the space of about ten minutes!

A consultation event recently took place regading the possible solar farm at Marsh Farm. The results will be know shortly but, in the meantime, there is growing anger from other villages about the number and size of applications being submitted. There is a growing trend for these schemes to set up a ‘Community Fund’ so that some of the profits from the scheme can be channelled into local schemes. It will be interesting to see whether such a scheme is offered at Marsh Farm.