Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

The meeting is today at 2.00 in County Hall.

Under the constitution of Wiltshire Council, a call-in of a Cabinet decision has to be based on flaws in the method used to make the decision NOT the decision itself.

This is the first time that I have ever used this process and my justification is below. 

• to ensure open, fair and honest administration  Fair to whom?  It certainly didn’t seem a fair decision to the 150 residents who attended Council on Tuesday or the many who have contacted myself and Cllr. Oldrieve.  Nor will it be seen as fair by the two first tier authorities who objected to the proposed speed limits.
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• to be clear over desired outcomes and aims  What was the desired outcome and aim?  Was it to speed traffic along the new roads as fast as possible as these series of distributor roads are now an effective east of Trowbridge by-pass?  Or was it to achieve the best quality of life for local residents and users of the many public rights-of-way which cross these roads (particularly the HRR)?
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• to consult interested parties where appropriate and practicable  What evidence is there to show that equestrian interests were consulted on the speed limit where bridleway HILP33 is crossed ‘at grade’ by the HRR?
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• to show due respect for human rights, and to provide equality of opportunity  The four rights-of–way crossing the HRR are currently variously used by many elderly people, cyclists and equestrian users.  No regard has been given to their human rights and the elderly in particular are seeing an erosion of their equality of opportunity.
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• to serve Wiltshire communities ...    Which Wiltshire community are the speed limit orders serving and in what way?
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• to promote the ... environmental well-being of the county  These orders do not promote the environmental well-being of the county let alone the environmental well-being of those who live close to the roads and will need to cross them on a regular basis be that out of necessity or for leisure and recreation.  Quite the opposite in fact!