Graham Ellis - my blog
Car Parking at Melksham Campus from 8.1.24
Car Parking limits will be introduced at the Melksham Campus as from Monday 8th January 2024. - see (here). It's in "Customer Update" so I suspect the text will change)
The announcement says:
| This will limit users to 3 hours parking between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday, and will help to increase the number of spaces available to campus users. Special arrangements will be in place to support any clubs, group bookings or events that may be affected by this. Please contact us directly at the campus if you require support with this. The car park will continue to be monitored to ensure that it remains a facility for campus users, and we may look to bring in other changes in the future to ensure this remains the case. There are no plans to introduce any charges at this car park. |
I am - relieved - that the restrictions do not apply in the evenings, even though the TRO (Traffic Regulation Order) which has been suggested, consulted on and taken allows then to be applied 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Campus Car Park (in my SCOB days) was planned to support town centre leisure activities around the site, including the Assembly Hall. I am aware that Wiltshire Council shunted the SCOB into a siding to rot away, then narrowed many visions including ones working with the other public bodies on the public facilities. No police hub, no doctor's surgery, no post office, no Citizens Advice, no seniors wellbeing or youth facilities aside from sport - all of which were on the table in SCOB days.
We are saved, in this decision, in having the absurdity of people attending evening events at the Assembly Hall - where they will typically be for just over 3 hurs - being unable to use Campus Parking and instead having to park at the Kings Street or Central Car Parks, both operated by Wiltshire Council, and both also free of charge in the evening. The decision on what is implemented is a sensible one, even if powers taken are somewhat more than needed.
As asides, I note that the "special arrangements" described do not list staff parking. I wonder if Wiltshire Council staff, and others working based at the camus as contractors or public servants will be considered special too ;-). I also wonder how parking across the whole site will work come the opening later this year of the special needs schooling at Melksham House which will draw its clients from a wide area and for whom public transport may not be viable.
Ideas for 2023 awards
There are many people in Melksham to celebrate. We have a great town, with lots of wonderful volunteers who give their time for free. And at the turn of the year, we look back at the year just gone and say "Thank you" to those people with not one but two sets of awards.The Melksham News "person of the year" is described at ((here)) and ther are individual and group caterories. These days, the judging is by a panel rather than a popularity vote, so there's a real opportunity to thank an unsung hero. A short timescale for submissions - must be in by 8th January
The Town Council's "Melksham Civic Awards" are described ((here)) - community service, enhancing Melksham and acheivement awards, and unlike "Person of the year" there can be (usually are) multiple awards in each category - so this one is not a competition but a chance to say "Thank you". Although the text says "Made to any individual or organisation ..." that's qualified in the small print, so do have a careful read. Longer timescale for submissions - you have until 4th February.
I am going to mention some ideas.
* In 2023, we lost some excellent Town Councillors who - remember - are unpaid for all they did, and some excellent staff too, many of who went beyond the call of duty and are still very much around in some cases in new roles. Reading the rules of the Civic Awards, they clearly are worded to exclude current councillors and staff, so you could nominate previous holders of those roles. And nothing I see in the "Person of the year" category with the Melksham News excludes past or indeed current councillors or staff.
* Behind the scenes, but known to some potential nominators, a number of people worked really hard through 2023 on the Neigbourhood Plan - the volunteer members of the steering group and task groups, and the enormous work put in by some staff over and above the call of duty. A rich vein of people deserving of recogition, and I note that the Civic awards allow the nomination of councillors and staff with other public bodies.
* The Friends of Melksham Assembly Hall, and so many of the individuals there have done a great deal. No longer any permanent closure talk. Parkrun has gone from strength to strength. Melksham Free dining has blossomed. The first Shambles festival and it organiser did amazingly. The Larder ... The Food and River Festival ... or you could try nominating the Melksham News to the Town Council of the Town Council to the Melksham News!
Published Sunday, 31st December 2023
Looking ahead to 2024
I'm making plans, not resolutions, for 2024. "Plans" strike me as positive, whereas "resolutions" have a flavour of giving up things. For sure, some things will be given up, but the focus is on looking forward.I'm writing this from on board "Iona" with just over 5300 other passengers - coming up The Channel and into Southampton tomorrow after a semi-break for Christmas; New Year at home. We've only been semi-away - news flows here via TV and Internet, so batteries recharged but yet no big restart needed.
This (December 2023) month we celebrated 10 years since the restart of a useable train service calling at Melksham, and it was wonderful to see so many old friends and colleagues - some of whom had jobs that put them at odds with our campaign and to see what we have achieved. But yet that task of supporting public transport is far from over and this celebration was much more a "checkpoint" and far, far from the end of anything. 2024 will bring more and not less activity that relates to public transport - there is work to be done; the current setups are a long way from perfect and it's just about the most hostile governmental environment for public transport - rail especially. Others have pulled out and there is a gap to be filled.
If it's 10 years since the trains started calling at Melksham during the day again, it's coming up to 18 years since the "First Great Western Passenger Forum" - the "Coffee Shop" where we chat through passenger and rail aspects was formed. I remain the host and webmaster, with a wonderful team of people as admins and moderators on this public website keeping it friendly, clean and on topic though being there with the people and not typically as web police. The forum has gained us a significant audience, including not only passengers but operators and decision makers - even "the man from the ministry". 2024 brings a "steady as she goes" approach though there are always updates and considerations which you'll see over coming months.
All the work done in running the "Coffee Shop" has trained me well in public interaction and social media interaction - something I am very comfortable with. It's set me in good stead for working wider. It's taught me that clear guidelines, and full, correct and easy-to-find answers and data and explanations. That's the opposite of a "need to know" philosophy which, rather sadly, I have found prevalent in Town Council work, where public enquiries seem to be treated as malicious attempts to find fault but then that is magnified when answers are incomplete and given to different questions than the one asked. 2024 brings an ongoing situation ... to be continued.
This year gone took us by ship from Southampton to Mexico and the USA, and now (as I write) to the Azores and the Canaries. Within the UK, leisure travel also took me around the Severn and Solent area during the summer. 2024 will bring Interail travel as in 2022, and we have a further trip (much shorter than the Transatlantic one) from Southampton. Many meetings will be attended remotely, but archaic laws and staff and operational issues all reduce what I can do for the Town Council on Zoom, and I will plan around vital meetings. That's not a problem - except when "emergency" extra meetings are called and - yes - I did put the word "emergency" in quotes because at times it's assumed that volunteer councillors will drop everything in their personal lives to make meetings planned at staff convenience. Let's see what the next year brings.
In 2022, one of my councillor colleagues asked if I would stand for mayor, but she moved on to support a different candidate in the 48 hours I had asked her for to consider it. In 2023, a different councillor asked me if I would stand, but the following conversation lead me to believe that he may just have been fishing to find my plans. At the annual doling out of committee places and chairs, I declined to take any chair. Public meetings are "lively" to put it mildly, and with my lack of directional hearing I am not a good candidate to chair such meetings. 2024 may bring the question again. But it already shows signs of being a year of aggressive campaigning for re-election. For the greater good of Melksham, there is a need for a strong mayor for the final year of this council with us all supporting him or her. Unless there was a massive change of character by certain of my colleagues in the council, bringing us all together for the common good, I am not the person for the role.
In 2023, we took the Melksham [Town Council] Environment and Climate [Working] Group forward by leaps and bounds. I am delighted and privileged to have been asked to chair it - it's friendly and effective with some marvellous people all looking at similar but enormous issues. We've taken to meeting every 3 weeks ahead of the Economic Development and Planning Committee (this connexion being that it's convenient and efficient for staffing). And many of our members and others meet up away from the working group to progress things too. 2024 will bring a great deal more activity; as individuals we can only make a small difference but as informers, instigators and example setters we can do so much more. Watch this space - it's a biggie!
The future of the Melksham Assembly Hall was very much in question a couple of years ago as we recovered from Covid and look at the financial drain it had put on the Town Council's ratepayers during that period. I am delighted to report that the public voice has been heard, that there are full houses, that the hall is in use for an astonishingly wide variety of tasks and that a fabulous team of volunteers is helping to a limited extent and are ready to do so more. 2024 starts with a complete replacement of the employed (non-casual) staff and with that the loss of our in-house experience that will make the year a challenge. We do have a good person new in the role, and I very much hope the support she needs is there; for my part, I offer that support but it remains to be seen how that works out wider. The repair of the roof starts next week (at last!!) and that should ensure that the hall remains watertight and operational.
Adjoining the Assembly Hall is the Blue Pool and it shares a wall. It's owned by Wiltshire Council but they no longer need it, and have offered it to the Town Council as an asset transfer. The idea is mighty attractive, with multiple good-looking business plans widely covered elsewhere. 2024 will take us forward with those plans and I would anticipate there being progress. Experience over the past 9 months suggests that everyone will have different views and my fear is that short term popularism to get re-elected in 2025 may bias the position some take - short term tactics taking precedence over the best long term strategy. I also fear that we may not have the expertise we need; I hope we take on appropriate project management resources which we need beyond the time available from our staff, even if we have the skills on our team.
In 2023, I helped run the Splashpad - one shift a week through the summer and I thoroughly enjoyed doing so. 2024 may see me back on the Splashpad or on other volunteer tasks, but there's so much more (see above) that I wouldn't be sure of having the time. Sitting at the Splashpad and keeping an eye on things does, however, give me a chance to meet with people, understand what we are doing, and in quieter times get on with "paperwork".
The Joint Melksham Neighbourhood Plan has been a massive job this year. I have joined the steering group to represent the Town Council, and am vice chair. Amazing credit to the chair and the clerk of our sister council - Melksham Without - for their huge support. 2024 should see the plan going forward through legal process of being checked out and to a local vote so that it can become a valid legal planning consideration. Important work, finishing off the bulk of what was done over the last two years.
At the start of this year, we had three guests from Ukraine living with us as part of our family. Brother and Sister arrived this year, and the other three have moved on. We love having them with us - people say we are heroes but, no we are not - it's a pleasure. 2024 is a whole year and I have no idea where we will be on this 12 months from now. Yes, of course Lisa and I will be willingly there to support our wider family. But yet this is a transient situation for these people, so we will see where we are by next Christmas
Last, and certainly NOT least - a big thank you to Lisa for being my partner this year. 2024 - I look forward to the year together and with the hope that we can both do so many things.
Published Saturday, 30th December 2023
Who's who into 2024, Melksham Town Council
An update to my blog of last May. How the Town Council works is described on the website at https://www.melksham-tc.gov.uk/about-melksham-town-council/how-we-work which also includes links to services offered by other organisations - "Melksham Town Council is not responsible for the following, please [visit that page and] click the links and you will be redirected to the correct website page: Council Tax, Refuse, Garden Waste, Recycling, Public Transport"Active Melksham Town Council Staff at Christmas 2023 and onwards well into 2024
Other staff members may become available or have been available. I will edit this list if and as appropriate over coming weeks.
Office and admin staff team:
Andrew Meacham - Committee Clerk
Gloria Delves - Events and Communication Officer
Mel Rolph - Finance Officer
Sarah Askew - Communications Officer
Assets and amenities staff team:
Hugh Davies - Head of Operations
Dave Elms - Amenities Team Manager
Sara Land - Assembly Hall Manager
Gary Dougherty - Amenities Assistant
Stephen Randall - Amenities Assistant
Karl Harvey - Amenities Assistant
The Town Council has a general email address townhall@melksham-tc.gov.uk from where your email will be forwarded as appropriate or answered directly. As from 2nd January, the Town Hall will be open during the day to visitors without appointments on Monday to Thursday. Visitors are also welcome at public meetings - you can find a diary via the Town Council's web site at https://www.melksham-tc.gov.uk. The Town Hall can be reached by phone on 01225 704187.
Councillors in office:
PAv - Pat Aves - Forest Ward
PAl - Phil Alford - North Ward, also Wiltshire Councillor
GC - Gary Cooke - East Ward
JC - Jacqui Crundell - South Ward
SC - Simon Crundell - Mayor - East Ward
GE - Graham Ellis - South Ward
CF - Claire Forgacs - Forest Ward
JH - Jon Hubbard - South Ward, also Wiltshire Councillor
SM - Sue Mortimer - Forest Ward
JO - Jack Oatley - Forest Ward, also Wiltshire Councillor
TP - Tom Price - Deputy Mayor - Forest Ward
SR - Saffi Rabey- North Ward
CS - Charlie Stokes - East Ward
There is a vacancy in South Ward. A by-election is to be held on 18th January 2024
For East Ward, your Wiltshire Councillor is Mike Sankey who is not a Town Councillor
All Town councillors sit on the full council, which meets about once a month
Town Councillors can be reached by email [forename].[surname]@melksham-tc.gov.uk and other contact details for some are available at https://www.melksham-tc.gov.uk/about-melksham-town-council/councillors
Published Friday, 29th December 2023
Car parking consultation - my response
I applaud Wiltshire Council's intent to continue to provide car parking at Melksham Station now that the TransWilts CIC has ended its lease on the Cafe and Car Park at Melksham Station. In their official TRO paperwork, Wiltshire Council say:
"The car park has previously been operated by a third party on a lease basis which is due to expire. Wiltshire Council would like to continue with its operation as a Pay and Display car park with the legal Orders to support this. The tariffs are set to encourage use of the train as an alternative method of transport."
My response to the official consultation:
I am concerned that the proposed tariff appears to offer little consideration for people parking at Melksham Station for overnight business and leisure trips, including weekends away. There is a gap in tariffs offered from the "all day" rate (expires midnight?) at £3.60 through to the one month season at £41.50. Please provide a way to enable the use of the train for such trips; I note that your proposal does not offer the £12.50 option of the previous operator. Although you state that you encourage the use of the train as an alternative means of transport, your tariff regime does so only for day trips; for longer trips the lack of longer term parking provision encourages these travellers to drive out of Melksham (perhaps all the way to their destination) rather than take the train.
From Wiltshire Council (should you choose to respond)
See the consultation details here
Closing date for comments
This consultation will close on 2 January 2024. Please send your comments to arrive with us before that date to ensure they are considered.
How can I comment?
Anyone commenting must include their name and address - without this we cannot accept any comments.
Comments on the proposal together with the reasons for which they are made should be sent by post to reach the Traffic Order Team, Sustainable Transport, County Hall, Bythesea Road, Trowbridge, BA14 8JN allowing 7 days, by email to trafficorderconsultations@wiltshire.gov.uk or using the response form on the website at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/troconsultations.htm to reach the Sustainable Transport Group quoting reference LJB/TRO/MELKos3.
Published Thursday, 28th December 2023
By-election - choosing who to vote for
I've not decided yet who I'll be voting for on 18th January in the parish ward election. From what I know of them, both candidates have a great deal going for them, but then I don't know that much about either of them yet and I look forward to learning more that will help me place my vote wisely in three weeks time. And I look forward further to working alongside, and hopefully in co-operation and tandem, with whomever is selected.* Does [person] live in the ward and have a personal connection with it, or are they more motivated to get a seat for any ward available, and indeed do they live in Melksham Town? Is their motivation the ward, the town, the area, or the political grouping named in their nomination or their own political career?
* What skills and experience would they bring to the Town Council - in terms of local experience as well as specialisms, and have they already been showing us those facets and how they already and in the future might make use of them - are they going to enter as a team player, a storm to shake things up or "lobby fodder"?
* My own philosophy promotes environmental issues, freely available information and discussion, and equality of treatment of all - in each case looking towards positive quality of life outcomes. But there is some cost in following some of these approaches; how might the candidates align with my views? How trustworthy, responsive, available, consistent, positive for Melksham is the candidate and their team?
* I have found the Town Council to be perhaps the most challenging role of my life, and I don't believe I am alone in that sentiment. And it continues to be challenging. How well placed will the successful candidate be to take on their role and do so effectively to represent and work for the people of Melksham (Town (South)) for the next 18 months. The role is a volunteer (unpaid) one - do they have the time, home support, and finances to allow them to do a thorough job?
No answers here to as to whether Andrew or Gillian gets my vote; much depends on how each of them stacks up against the above criteria, and where they differ it then depends on the relative importance of each of the aspects I have talked about. Two candidates both with some good qualities.
Illustration - two people with only limited information (thus far at least) about either of them
Published Wednesday, 27th December 2023
Future - Meditteranean Climate changing Melksham
Greetings from Fuerteventura. A week ago today, we sailed from Southampton (yeah sure, I'm still online daily) and we visited the Azores and The Canaries. It's a holiday. It also teaches (or reminds) me of the Mediterranean climate and has me wonder if this is what we need to look forward to with global warming.
Our ship - P&O's "Iona" has been pootling along taking multiple days where faster ships take just a day. "Iona is one of the world's first ever LNG-powered cruise ships. LNG stands for liquefied natural gas, which is cooled down until it becomes a liquid. This eco-friendly drive system prevents the emission of sulphur dioxides and soot particles." the blurb tells us. How that effects the carbon footprint, I don't know, but with 5,000 passengers at least it's split between a vast number of us.
So what might we look forward to in the future in Melksham. Here are some pictures.
The warmer and much dryer climate - what will we grow, and how will our indigenous trees survive? Where will our own water come from?
Will we all be sitting out in the pedestrianised street - and will we even see a rise in temperature such that we'll need shades in the street and (horror of horrors) will be be drinking chilled lager rather than 6X, Butcombe, or Guinness.
Tourism grows. We have moved from the man and his luggage to these vast ships. When the canal arrives in Melksham, I do not expect it to be big enough to pass Iona nor us to have enough attractions to absorb the crowds - but we must be looking forward for facilities - for our own residents and for guests from elsewhere in the region.
No answers - just learning and thoughts.
The Environment and Climate Working Group of the Town Council has moved this year from being an occasionally meeting backwater to an effective forum meeting every 3 weeks - ahead of Economic Development and Planning to make best use of officer's time. Many of us with an interest - councillors and none-councillors, including people not on the working group, also get together informally in between, up to once a week.
The Environment was one of my three stated key concerns when elected in 2021 and is good to see it having moved from being a side-issue for most councillors to one that is attracting more attention. As a popular cause, I already see a councillor or two flexing their political muscles to make sure they take credit for environmental activities next year, even if they have been less that helpful so far. The change is good(ish) for the environment. It is also frustrating to those of us who have been building up in 2023 are looking at having to deal with the over-robust inputs of newcomer changelings who want the votes it brings.
Published Saturday, 23rd December 2023
Thank you to our 2023 team, Welcome to team for 2024
Town council and councillor - changing staffingAnd so we came to 21st December - and the final day that your Town Council office were open to the public until the New 2024. It has been a year of change - there has been an almost complete (unhealthy) change of staff - compared to last December, I have only been able to work with three of the same full time staff and one of those has now left. We have lost or are loosing multiple part timers; only one of them from 2022 is in our long term plans beyond the Christmas period.
We have lost a number of fabulous members of our team - far too many. Some through natural wastage, for sure, but others because the Town Council has not provided them with an environement in which they could flourish.
A number of excellent new staff have been recruited and are already doing great things for The Town. With our yearly cycle of events ranging from budget to park activities through to Christmas Lights, there is a steep learning curve for them, in addtion to the almost complete initial absence of detailed knoweledge of systems and the rich history of reports and work done in previous years. So excellent and enthusiastic though they are, there is also a learning curve which means that total productivity will only come with time.
The two remaining full time staff we (as councillors) worked with this time last year and are working with over this current festive season are both managers. I would implore them to move us forward in such a way that staff turnover return to more normal levels, with the team able to enjoy delivering well rewarded for the community, without so much time and money spent on arrival and departure procedures and the heartache some of the changes have brought for those involved.
We have lost three good councillors too out of the eight elected on the "Together for Melksham" ticket, and again that is too many. I was not elected on that ticket, but never the less have worked well with all three of those gone as well as with some remaining. Two new councillors have joined us, with a third to be elected next month. I welcome these new councillors, though just as with staffing there are some learning curves, and issues which have moved on from early consultation to final tuning and implementation stage are being knocked back to the potential detriment of the whole project, and certainly at a time cost.
With the Town Hall now closed in person until the New Year, I will be following up with some looks forward and back over coming days, and wish all my readers a happy Christmas and New Year. I AM available online - though away - but clearly with limit to who I can refer to if and as questions arise.
Published Thursday, 21st December 2023
Assembly Hall - Quiz
Yesterday evening was the final Assembly Hall quiz night of the year, and the final one hosted by Kevin who we wish well for his future in the West Country, though he will be around to assiste with bookings and passing on the baton in the new year, assisting Bruce as we move forward into 2024. Massive thanks to Kevin, Bruce and the the rest of the team for what has been achieved at the Assembly Hall in 2023 and has set us up so well for a program starting 2024 - a wide variety of events including a number of anticpated full houses."The Team" - too many to mention without leaving someone out - occasional staff (I don't like the word "casual" because they are far from that!), others on the town all team who lend a willing hand, and volunteers - a handful who are there filling regular technical or reception roles (you know who you are!) and others helping from time to time and around the area with things like the leadlet drops from door to door that have made such a huge difference.
Quiz nights continue on the last Thursday of the month (25th) January and we look forward to seeing lots of people there. Doors open 18:30, quiz starts 19:30. Teams of up to 5. If you are NOT in a team come along anyway - the "ad hoc" teams of disprate people always do well, and note that the bar is open and the 21:42 bus will get you home to the Forest or Bowerhill if you've not got a deignated driver.
We're looking forward to a great 2024 at the Assembly Hall ... more to follow. See you there.
Published Friday, 15th December 2023
Environment and Climate Working Group - Celebrating a year of progress
Our environment is so important - the big stuff needs to be done internationally and within that by national governments. But we can take our local steps too, to inform, to lead by example, and encourage the wide layers to create a regulatory environment which helps with the bigger stuff. And in being informed locally and acting on that information, we can help the people around us be environmentally aware, to act in ways that are both climate friendly and cost effective, and can help them inform and persuade others including the movers, the shakers and the decision makers.The Environment and Climate Working Group of Melksham Town Council has blossomed this year. We have stepped up from being just another working group to being the most active, meeting every three weeks formally AND once or twice between each meeting informally. We have blossomed with the welcome addition of passionate community volunteers and experts.
To my fellow councillors on the working group, and to those marvellous volunteers - THANK YOU. As chair, I am delighted to see everyone pulling together and doing that important work I have described above. I will cover detail, look forward and encourage more to join us next year in a later post. But for today, what a wonderful group, how caring of each other and respectful and happy to discuss and agree on our way forward, even in the face of adversity. We don't do it for enjoyment, but never the less it is joyful and rewarding.
We have built over the year. I was delighted to host a Christmas Social on Tuesday evening, mulling over mulled wine and looking forward. Two and a half hours passed seemingly at the blink of an eye, and the gathering around the big dining table was vibrantly crowded - just short of running out of chairs.
Published Thursday, 14th December 2023