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Royal Wootton Bassett
Town Council

We honour those who serve

t: 01793 850222

e: enquiries@royalwoottonbassett.gov.uk

D-Day 80 Proclamation

At 8am tomorrow, Thursday 6th June 2024, everyone is welcome to join the Mayor Councillor Pat Farrow, Deputy Mayor Martin Denz, Deputy Lieutenant Angus McPherson, Town Crier Owen Collier, Reverend Katey Minshall, RBL members Gary Kendall & Harry Willamson by our War Memorial on the High Street to hear the D-Day 80 Proclamation cry by our Town Crier, that pays tribute all those who took part in the D-Day Landings 8o years ago, to secure our peace and freedom we enjoy today.

The D-D flag will be lowered and raised and wreaths laid in honour of the day and the Mayor will read out a poem composed by our Town Crier.

For those who can’t join us on the day, you can hear our Mayor and Town Crier being interviewed by BBC Radio Wiltshire at around 8.05am, so please tune in.

D-Day 80 proclamation cry

Notice of Councillor Vacancy – South & West Ward

Please see Notice of Vacancy in Office of Councillor for the South & West Ward:

Notice of Councillor Vacancy for South and South West Ward

Town Hall Refurbishment Works

An inspection on the Town Hall was carried out and at a meeting on Thursday 8th February 2024, the Town Hall Trust Trustees approved the renovation project. The essential works include repairs to the roof, external frame and walling, doors, windows, joinery and electrical work.

Restoration works are being carried out on the iconic listed building to ensure it is preserved for future generations to enjoy.

The project commenced on Monday 20th May 2024 and is expected to take approximately 16 weeks. For the work to be carried out safely and efficiently, scaffolding has been erected.

Our Wednesday Market has been moved to Borough Fields Car Park, starting from Wednesday 29th May 2024 of the renovation period, due to the area needing to be used by the contractor. The Town Hall Museum is also presently closed whilst the works to the building are carried out.

We will keep residents informed throughout the restoration via social media and we apologies for any disruption this may cause. It is essential that this work is carried out on our Town Hall and we appreciate everyones co-operation during this time.

If residents have any concerns in relation to the planned works then please contact us.

Photo of Town Hall renovation works

Floral Displays

Grounds team were out yesterday installing beautiful floral hanging baskets along the High Street as well as our carpet bedding opposite BP/M&S garage. This year’s design commemorates the 8oth Anniversary of D-Day landings. The town can attend our anniversary event on 6th June 2024 at RWB Rugby Football Club.

 

 

Council Meetings – Thursday 23rd May 2024

Please see notice below:

Residents can view Agendas and Supporting Documents for the meetings to be found here.

 

Council Meetings notice for Thursday 23rd May 2024

Wiltshire Bat Group walk at Jubilee Lake

Photo of common pipistrelle batOn Saturday 11th May 2024 the Wiltshire Bat Group led a bat walk around Jubilee Lake with around 20 people turning up for the evening. The Wiltshire Bat Group has produced guidance on a number of self guided bat walks in the County and Jubilee Lake was accepted as one of them [if interested in taking the walk yourself then please visit their website for more information].

The Wiltshire Mammal Recorder has provided a list of species detected during the walk; of the 16 bat species in the UK at least half of them can be located at the lake.

The list as recorded on Saturday:

Common pipistrelle: Multiple individuals foraging along stream, woodland and around the lake.

Soprano pipistrelle: Multiple individuals foraging along stream, woodland and especially around the lake.

Plecotus sp.: (long eared bats – Brown long-eared has been recorded at the lake before) 2 passes foraging along stream and around the lake.

Noctule bat: 1-2 individual actively foraging over/around the lake.

Serotine: 1-2 individual actively foraging over/around the lake.

Natter’s bat: 2-3 passes of foraging individual along the lake margins.

Whiskered/Brandt’s bat: Multiple passes foraging along stream, woodland and around the lake.

Daubenton’s bat: Multiple individual foraging along stream and around the lake.

 

Bassett Youth Festival

On Sunday 5th May 2024, the town hosted the first Bassett Youth Festival aimed at 13 to 19 year olds, organised in partnership with Wiltshire Council Area Board, Lime Kiln Leisure Centre and Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council.

Many local community groups participated and gave their time, passion and expertise to willing young minds. We were delighted to welcome KingRamps mobile skate park in Royal Wootton Bassett Academy car park, where young people could skate and watch demonstrations from pro-skaters for free.

Please see some photos taken from the day.

Councillor Vacancy

Are you interested in a challenging and rewarding voluntary role in our town?

If you are passionate about your local community, we need you. Councillors make a huge difference to the quality of life of local people and how local issues are dealt with. We need people from all backgrounds and experiences who reflect the communities they serve to put themselves forward.

We have a vacancy on Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council, and Electoral Services at Wiltshire Council have confirmed that this vacancy can now be filled by co-option. We are now inviting applications from local people to join the town council, and represent our South & West Ward. Are you interested in becoming a Councillor?

In terms of eligibility, you must be a British, Commonwealth or European Union citizen, over 18 years old and are registered to vote in the area; or have lived, worked, or owned property here for at least 12 months.

Responsibilities of the Town Council

The Town Council is responsible for our play parks, allotments, CCTV, Jubilee Lake, Vale View Gardens, Merchants House, benches, bus stops, noticeboards, the market, Remembrance Parade, town events including Christmas Lights, and so much more. It also determines how much money to raise through the council precept to deliver these services to the residents of the town.

What kind of person do we need?

You should have an active interest in local issues and things that affect local people and a willingness to represent the views of the community.

You will need to commit the time and effort to the role and to prepare for and attend Council meetings. You will be required to join one or two of the Committees or working groups and attend the meetings.

In addition, you will become a representative of the council on one of many community organisations or linked to a school in the town. Your attendance and help will also be required at the many events and civic occasions we have throughout the year.

How to apply

To apply, please send a letter of application to the Chief Officer, Mark Hopkins, via email enquiries@royalwoottonbassett.gov.uk or post it to 117 High Street, Royal Wootton Bassett, SN4 7AU, by 5pm on Friday 26th April 2024.

In your letter you may wish to include your connection to the town, why you want to be a town councillor and what skills / experience you can bring to the Council.

Applications will be looked at by Councillors and voted on at a meeting of the Full Council on Thursday 23rd May 2024 at 7pm, in the Conference Room at Royal Wootton Bassett Rugby Club. You will be invited to attend and say a few words about your application to the Councillors.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Mark

Mark Hopkins

Chief Officer

Town Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer (RFO)

Photos of Town Hall, Jubilee Lake and Allotments

Local Highways Improvements in Royal Wootton Bassett

Royal Wootton Bassett Town Councillors are happy to announce their support for the highways improvement requests deliberated at their meetings held on Thursday 8th February 2024 and Thursday 14th March 2024, that now have been passed to Wiltshire Council’s Local Highways & Footways Improvement Group (LHFIG) to take forward.

Typically, individuals raise highway issues, which must be submitted to the Town Council for support for them to be considered by LHFIG, whose aim is to find solutions for local transport issues such as road repairs, traffic problems, road layouts and parking.The Council considered 3 requests: –

  1. Since May 2023, Mark Hopkins, Chief Officer & Town Clerk has been working with Wiltshire Council Highways Officers and Parking Services, to identify parking and safety issues on the High Street, such as lack of disabled bays, other vehicles parking in the taxi rank, plus parking issues on the corner of Wood Street and loading bay area near Beamans Lane.
  2. A local resident raised their safety concerns on the pedestrian crossing on Noremarsh Road, reporting speeding vehicles failing to stop to let pedestrian cross safely, particularly during drop off and pick up time for children attending Noremarsh Junior School.
  3. The RWB Environment Trust identified that there were no physical signs on the ground to indicate to cyclists the Wiltshire Council recommended cycle route, published on a map:

https://www.connectingwiltshire.co.uk/getting-around/cycling/cycle-maps-routes/

The next steps are for LHFIG, which consists of 15 members including Wiltshire Council area board members, Parish and Town Council representative members supported by local highways’ maintenance engineers, to meet in May 2024 to consider all schemes, current and new schemes submitted, within the Royal Wootton Bassett & Cricklade Area Board boundary.

For more information about the group and how to raise an issue, please visit Wiltshire Council’s website: –

https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/article/6632/Local-highway-and-footway-improvement-groups

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Dropped Kerbs in our Town

The Town Council is pleased to inform residents that works have started on a series of new dropped kerbs in the town.

A survey of areas that were short of dropped kerbs revealed that there was a particular need in areas of housing built a number of decades ago. A case for this work to be carried out was submitted to the Local Highways & Footways Improvement Group of Wiltshire Council and this was agreed. Wiltshire Council will provide 75% of the cost and Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council the remaining 25% (£9,250.91).

The areas of the town which will benefit are, the Rosary and Queens Road area and the Lime Kiln, Fairfield and Laburnum Drive area.

This will be of great help to parents pushing prams and buggy’s and especially to user of mobility scooters. With an ageing population, the increasing number of mobility scooter users will find this particularly helpful.

We hope to be able to bid for further work on dropped kerbs in future years.

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