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Anger over car park

SINCE 1973 Wiltshire Council as owners of the multi-storey car park have respected the protective covenant, which provides the visitors and workforce of Trowbridge with 475 free car parking spaces (including all day parking).

However, the Cabinet of Wiltshire Council recently voted unanimously to allow the sale of the multi-storey car park and therefore break their commitment to provide free car parking in Trowbridge.

It is clear from documentation that the new owners will introduce charges.

Will Wiltshire Council compensate the people of Trowbridge for the loss of this amenity?

In discussions between Wiltshire Council and Devizes Town Council, the revenue value of their parking in the Market Place, if charging was introduced, was estimated at £90,000 a year (£1,168 per space). With the same calculation on each space in the Trowbridge multi-storey car park, the people of Trowbridge will be losing £554,800 a year.

Regrettably, Wiltshire councillors representing Trowbridge had no say in this decision to sell. Furthermore, we will be the ones in the firing line from residents, as anti-social parking in residential areas increases significantly.

The Trowbridge Town Council staff including the Town Clerk, currently use the multi-storey, they will now have to pay along with the rest of the population.

Why should free parking be taken away from the visitors and workforce of Trowbridge, but continue for councillors and Wiltshire Council staff at County Hall? Are we not all equal in the eyes of Wiltshire Council?

Edward Kirk, Town & Wiltshire Councillor for Trowbridge Adcroft

Thanks for caring

WE would like to thank all our friends and family for their flowers, donations, cards and messages of love and support following the passing of our dear Betty. We are very pleased that the generous donations received for Trowbridge Alzheimers have now reached over £500.

John Wheeler and family , Westbury

More cops on beat

THROUGH your columns I would like to thank the Police and Crime Commissioner, for listening to my concerns at both the Police and Crime Panel, where I am a member, and in the local press and radio. I asked him to revisit his plan to spend the additional precept he is asking for on extra firearms and traffic officers.

He responded at the Police and Crime Panel last week by agreeing to a further ten officers on the beat as well as giving me a personal assurance that firearms officers would be engaged in community policing.

These extra feet on the beat are a victory for the people of Wiltshire and Swindon who are crying out for more visible policing.

Councillor Jonathon Seed, Wiltshire Council

Support campaign

WILTSHIRE Council is proposing to address the issue of provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities in the north of the county by closing local special schools (St Nicholas in Chippenham and Larkrise in Trowbridge) and building a fine new and very expensive school for children with a wide range of needs on the Rowdeford site. This will be a “centre of excellence”.

There will be green spaces where the children can play and learn to do horticulture, catering and animal care. There will be engagement with the local community who will enjoy coming in to use the grounds and visit the café. What’s not to like?

Well, quite a lot, actually. I speak as a retired speech and language therapist with 40 years experience in this sector.

When I started work, children with profound disabilities had only just gained the right to education as opposed to care. There were still many large institutions where I worked and these were located too far for people to easily access the local town, but they were beautiful green spaces where people learned.

The main issue here is about social inclusion. We all know about the rise in hate crime and the targeting of people with learning disabilities – and what we should also know is that the best safeguard is that children are known and supported to grow up and make friends in their local communities, where people look out for them, and where they can develop their own interests, not just gardening and catering, but creative arts, campaigning, or even just achieving positive relationships and a home of their own.

Please encourage Wiltshire Council to rethink their plans. Support the parents’ campaign (https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/keep-special-schools-local) and responding to the consultation before February 26 ( http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/council-democracy-consultations) (email SpecialSchools@wiltshire.gov.uk).

There is still time for Wiltshire Council to rethink, and if we all work together, we can create an educational system that will benefit all our children.

Nicola Grove, Horningsham

Revoke Article 50

GOVERNMENTS are elected to represent our interests, so we expect them to make sensible decisions on our behalf. And governments have access to information which is not readily accessible to the public, which should inform those decisions.

One such document, published by the government in March 2016 – prior to the referendum - is entitled “Alternatives to membership: possible models for the United Kingdom outside the European Union”, which can be viewed by Googling that title.

This document is heavy reading, but the inescapable conclusion is that the government was fully aware that leaving the EU would be seriously detrimental to the interests of the UK, but failed in its duty of care to advise us of that fact.

The referendum was a gross abdication of the government’s responsibility to act on our behalf, and a cowardly act of ‘buck-passing’, as the electorate rather than the government will be blamed for the inevitably disastrous outcome if we leave the EU. It has split the country and both major political parties down the middle.

And in an act of utter hypocrisy many people who voted to leave the EU are amongst those who have effectively now decided to leave the UK, or relocate their interests to the EU or elsewhere. In any economic upheaval there are always speculators who will capitalise on change, but for the vast majority of the population that is not an option.

Ironically, should we leave the EU, our future trade with Europe – our main market - would leave us subject to EU terms but with no say on those terms, so we will have lost rather than gained control. Some of those who voted to leave may have had valid concerns but these can best be addressed through our continued membership, which the EU would still welcome.

And the government’s incompetent muddling over the last two and a half years has created appalling levels of stress which MPs are handsomely paid to take off our shoulders. A more intelligent referendum may be an option, but a simple full parliamentary vote to withdraw Article 50 permanently is the least divisive option, and would end this insanity.

Does this government now have the integrity, courage and decency to take that step, and protect us from this impending catastrophe?

David Maunder, Church Street, Semington

Will shops survive?

WHY won’t councillors listen to the views of local people and traders? On Friday I was an exhibitor at a big event at the Corn Exchange in Devizes. Having parked outside at 8.30am, unloaded my display, then parked down in the long stay car park in Station Road, I was on my feet for six hours.

I had paid for all-day parking, but didn’t have the energy to drive back down the hill to park again, return to the high street and then back to the car in the wind and rain. However, I could see the opportunity to park in the Market Place and decided to stop for just a half hour longer – free. If I had not had that opportunity to park for just 30 minutes, then I would have driven straight home without buying anything. I feel very sorry for the traders! How are our shops, particularly independent shops, going to survive?

Caroline Fowke, Tudor Close, Chippenham

Grants on offer

THERE is still time for groups and organisations to apply for grants from the St James Trust. We have £35,000 available so that they can give help and support to people in need, hardship and distress in Trowbridge and nearby villages. Application forms can be obtained by sending a request and a stamped, addressed envelope to the Trust at 37 The Mount, Trowbridge BA14 8SZ.

Ros Histed, Trowbridge

Harness light rail

THERE are currently eight light rail systems in operation in England and national statistics highlight these forms of transport are popular, with over 267 million passenger journeys made in 2017/18.

Indeed, three per cent of transport journeys in England are made on a light rail system.

The Government has also made significant investments in recent years to extend existing light rail systems, including in Nottingham, Manchester and the West Midlands.

That is why today we have launched a Call for Evidence, which is available at the following link - http://bit.ly/2t5PXhV.

It invites views on how the Government and the private sector can help to harness the opportunities for light rail, and to consider how we can build our manufacturing and engineering capacity for a new generation of light rail and related systems in the UK, in line with the Government’s Industrial Strategy.

We want this Call for Evidence to act as a stimulus for new ideas, and as a means to gather input from a wide range of stakeholders, including from Members of Parliament, on the scale of the opportunity for light rail and similar rapid transit solutions.

This will form an important part of the Government’s work on the Future of Mobility Grand Challenge, established in the Industrial Strategy, and on ‘smart places’; work which is considering the use, value and deployment of emerging transport technologies and services.

Jesse Norman MP, Minister of State for Transport

Check your benefits

STILL feeling the pinch after Christmas? Worried about the cost of keeping warm?

Between £10 and £15 billion in welfare benefits lies unclaimed, according to official figures published by the DWP. That works out between £150 and £250 for every person in the UK. Of course, no one is going to tell you how to claim these benefits and finding out if you could be entitled can be difficult and time-consuming.

Benefitanswers are offering a free check which will tell you if you could be entitled to a share of the billions in unclaimed benefits. For a free check telephone 0330 223 4773.

June Bennett, Benefitanswers, Preston

Farming explained

WHAT are the prospects for a book, sponsored by Newsquest, written by Denise Plummer based on her ongoing series of articles?

The comfortable, easy style makes the 365-day world of agri-horticulture intelligible to those with little direct contact or experience and emphasises the interaction with origin/supply of foods-on-the-table.

Older readers are reminded of the ways in which equipment, methods and techniques have changed in the 21st century; the advent of sophisticated veterinary medicines; increasing administrative control; whilst frequently making wise comment on environmental connections/responsibilities.

Primary pupils could delve for project guidance, teenagers for career options, degree students for useful prompts and touchstones.

UK farming differs from Out of Africa and Brexit looms.

Harold Hazell, Bradford on Avon

Best of a bad job

AS the disaster of Brexit approaches, I wondered why we hear very little about the hundreds of millions of pounds being spent on preparing for the deal or no deal. Money that would be much better spent on many new hospitals/schools etc.

I assume these large sums of money are being ignored by the few hard-line Brexiteers who still think our leaving will actually benefit our people. Even Mr Farage now admits that we’ll be no better off.

Also, of course, the choice of words by Mr Tusk was poor. However, he was not criticising the people who voted to leave, but the clever, devious hard-line Brexiteers who quite simply lied to the people with false promises of better times. Most Brexiteers admit the NHS will not get an extra £350m per week. Where are the fantasy trade deals we’ll need when we lose the many benefits of the EU? Do we really think that Mr Trump will ride to our rescue? I don’t think so.

Finally, Mrs May’s deal is the best she can make of a terrible situation because, of course, the hard-liners just want to leave regardless of the cost to our people and country.

Gary Hunt, Chippenham