Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

Another village is upset at their 'move' to Melksham.
I normally steer well clear of local issues outside my WC Division but, as this involves Semington (which I represent), I think it fair that I give the issue wider publicity.

Steeple Ashton parish council is not happy with their enforced, and unexpected, 'move' from the Trowbridge Area Board to the Melksham one.

In a letter to WC leader Jane Scott the parish clerk states:

"Trowbridge has always been the town to which the majority of the villagers look; it is nearer to the village than Melksham, the doctors are there, the secondary schools are there, it is our shopping centre and we have a bus link to the town; there is no connection by bus to Melksham. We are policed from Trowbridge and over the years have built up a good relationship with them with ongoing situations. We do not wish to waste this valuable asset by joining with another police team. We also have a parish boundary with Trowbridge, which, with the possibility of future housing being built near to the boundary, it is most important that our Unitary Councillor would be able to represent our parish on the Trowbridge Area Board. We would also not be able to be part of Trowbridge Community Area Future - a very valuable source of help to us and other parishes surrounding Trowbridge."

There was also grave concern regarding the way that the decision was reached.

"Steeple Ashton responded to the Area Board consultation sent 22nd December 2008 with 'no comment', indicating that they were agreeable with the proposal to join with Keevil, Great Hinton, Bulkington, Semington, Seend and Poulshot to form Summerham and Seend in the Trowbridge Area Board. There are no responses recorded for any other parish in the Trowbridge or Devizes area, except one from J. Seed (the prospective Conservative Unitary Councillor for Summerham and Seend) which states: 'Strongly opposing inclusion of the Summerham and Seend ED in the Trowbridge CA', explaining alignment of the parish councils and suggesting a more logical alignment with Melksham. This is the only indication in the agenda or appendices that there may be some change to Summerham and Seend. Thus, it appears that all who attended the IE meeting on 16.03.09 had no prior information that consideration may be given to changing Summerham and Seend to the Melksham Area Board or what is more disturbing, that some villages in Summerham and Seend also had no prior knowledge and thus had no consultation on the proposal."

The parish council goes on to say that "it appears most undemocratic that a decision could be taken like this, not on the agenda, no prior consultation, no means of response from those involved, is this how the new Wiltshire Council will be run in future?

Steeple Ashton Parish Council is strongly against this decision and the manner in which it was achieved. They request that it be reconsidered in a democratic manner involving consultation with all villages in Summerham and Seend."

The decision was made by the Conservative controlled Implementation Executive at County Hall (the same one that gave such generous 'goodbye' packages to ex-district council chiefs) and their press release stated the decision was made 'after extensive consultation'.

I have asked for clarification of this as I wasn't counsulted. I have also asked Julie Swabey (the WC councillor that represents Steeple Ashton) if she knew about this. So far, I haven't had a reply and I hope that the Conservative whip at WC isn't making life hard for Cllr. Swabey as my guess is that she had no more idea of the 'coup' than I, or the affected parish councils, did.