With the new website now launched, there is new space for me as Town Clerk each week to muse on some of the topics, I have been involved in.
The Council’s Planning Committee met on Tuesday and whilst there were not too many planning applications to comment on, one was significantly important as it was for up to 200 dwellings, local businesses and takeaway food adjacent Coate Road. The Town Council agreed it was not an appropriate development and have objected to Wiltshire Council. The Council also commented on a new business unit on Whistley Road.
You won’t be surprised to read that the new parking charges consultation brought forward quite a debate with the Town Council agreeing that there needed to be a level of harmonisation if charges with other Wiltshire Towns and a simplification of charges in Devizes. We are also seeking an explanation as to why Sunday charges do not have a short stay charge.
Away from the committee work, the new Town Council road sweeper has been out and about. The road sweeper will be visiting the following areas next week; Hillworth Road, Hartmoor Road, West View Crescent, Broadleas and all other streets in this area. The sweeper will also be paying a visit to Quakers Walk and Roundway Park. It has been many years since the roads in Devizes have been swept so it may take a few more goes to get them as clean as we would like them, so please bear with us.
With Councillors, I met with members of Sustainable Devizes where we discussed amongst other things the Sustainability Event to be held in the Market Place on June 11th.
As Clerk, I also met with Councillors to review various aspects of the Council’s venues operation and also with the Greening Team to progress the project for the town.
A future date for your diary is 5th July when the Commonwealth Games Baton will be in Devizes and making its way from the Market Place down to the Caen Hill locks. You will need to be out and about early as after a short rest in the Market Place it will head on its journey at 8:15 am. We have been working hard with Visit Wiltshire and Wiltshire Council to make Devizes one of the few towns in the South West the baton will visit. Keep an eye out for more updates.
Finally, we say farewell to Richard Hopkins, who has been the Council’s Finance Manager since 2009, so we wish him well in his retirement
Town Clerk, Simon Fisher