It’s been a busy couple of weeks so my apologies for not updating my blog sooner. I spent some time out of the office last week as my husband Ron had an operation and my main priority was his care and recovery and I am pleased to say he’s on the mend, although now I need a break!
I did, however, manage to attend a round table discussion with other council leaders and representatives from the LGA to discuss how we rewire and reinvigorate local government. Everyone recognises the need to take action to make local democracy more interesting and important. After all the decisions we take directly impact on local communities and people’s lives and it’s vital that they can influence these and get involved.
I also attended the South West Wiltshire Area Board meeting and was invited to update on the council’s plans for the next four years. I focused on our priorities and key actions including the investment in highways which continues to be a local priority for all area boards and was a key matter for discussion at this week’s cabinet meeting. I also updated on plans to host the Elite Cycle Race in Wilton and the surrounding area next May. This will be a huge opportunity attracting visitors and boosting the local economy and we know these Elite events are supported by national TV. I will update more on this event over the coming months as work is underway to ensure all the key representatives are involved in its delivery. It’s always good to get out to the area boards and listen to what matters to communities. Over the next few months I’m hoping to attend all the board meetings to update on our work to deliver a legacy for Wiltshire.
On the matter of legacy, following consultation with our key sponsors we have decided to reschedule the Legacy Sporting Dinner to Thursday 13 March 2014. The decision to reschedule from the original date of 25 October (next week) allows more time for Wiltshire’s future sporting stars hoping to represent their country at the Olympics and Paralympics in Rio in 2016 to bid for support from the Future Funding scheme and attend this unique event that will connect them to local Wiltshire businesses. Several leading local businesses have already pledged their support through sponsorship and attendance at the dinner. The objective is to generate as much funding as possible to assist future sporting stars in their journey. Even the smallest amount can make a huge difference and the evening will feature rising stars and professional athletes as well as celebrity and motivational guest speakers. The revised date also provides the opportunity for businesses, which were precluded by the timing of the event in October, to attend the rescheduled dinner next March. The evening will take place in the Atrium at County Hall, Trowbridge and promises to be an exceptional event. One-off experiences will be auctioned, as part of the evening, including the opportunity to cycle with Paralympic Gold medallist Mark Colbourne MBE at the velodrome in London and a swimming session with Paralympic Gold medallist Stephanie Millward, plus many other experiences which you just can’t buy. I hope some of you may want to be part of this event and I know many of you will be involved in making it a real success.
From cycling to road improvements – I know how problematic damaged roads can be to cyclists and motorists alike which is why my cabinet and I are determined to ensure our roads are as safe as possible. At Tuesday's (October 22) cabinet meeting we agreed to invest £52million over the next six years to tackle the backlog in highways maintenance. This is good news and it means we can repair the roads that need it the most. We will be working with communities through the area boards to ensure this funding is prioritised to the most damaged and well-used roads. This investment isn't about fixing individual potholes – that work will continue – along with the work we do to continually monitor and repair the roads throughout the year – it's about major repair works which will improve hundreds of miles of our highways network for the next thirty years.
At Tuesday’s meeting we also agreed to sign the memorandum of understanding for the university technology college (UTC) in Salisbury. This an important step forward for us and our partners in moving this project forward. The plans would see the police station in Wilton Road relocating and the building transformed into a UTC, which would open in 2015 and specialise in science and engineering. Again, good news for young people - this is a facility which would invest in the future of this county.
And, finally can I just take this opportunity to say thank you and good bye to those staff who are leaving the council having taken voluntary redundancy. Many of them have been with Wiltshire Council and with the former county or district councils for many years and will be missed. Can I just wish them all the very best for their futures and thank them for their hard work and commitment and the huge contribution they made to making Wiltshire a better place.
Jane
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