Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2012-04-14 19:00:39 - Graham Ellis
Who's who? I have attempted to list the various bodies you may come across and wish to contact. For a diary of special events in the area, please see [here]. Please contact me if you spot any errors or omissions, or if you represent one of the organisations and would like me to replace my description with your own more accurate one.
Wiltshire Council - [link]
Our Unitary Council, covering one of the biggest areas in the country. Responsible for planning, rubbish collection, parking, schools, art, health, community, travel and transport and many more areas of daily life.
Area Board - [link]
The Area Boards of Wiltshire Council are a way bringing local decision making back into the heart of the community. They are a formal part of Wiltshire Council that try to find solutions for local issues such as road repairs, traffic problems and speeding in villages, litter, facilities for young people and affordable housing.
Melksham Town Council - [here]
Melksham Town Council provides a local service to the town. Amongst other duties are the promotion of the town, and the town council aims to give people a clear view of the town in terms of its advantages to residents, commerce and industry. Allotments, Grants and Civic Awards, public footpaths and tree preservation orders are amongst other issues dealt with. Melksham Town Council is responsible for an area that extends between half a mile and a mile from the town centre.
Melksham Without Parish Council [link]
Melksham Without Parish Council provides local services to the area surrounding the town, outside the more central area that's the responsibility of Melksham Town Council. This area includes The Spa, Bowerhill, and much of the new housing to the East of Melksham and well as Shaw, Whitley and Beanacre.
Melksham Community Area Partnership - [link]
Melksham Community Area Partnership is made up of local people who come together to share ideas to make Melksham and its surrounding villages a better place to live. They hold consultation events and surveys to produce the Melksham Community Plan, a living document which highlights what actions need to happen locally to improve the area.
Melksham Chamber of Commerce and Industry - [link]
The Melksham Chamber of Commerce and Industry represents its members, then Melksham's general business interest. Any business is welcome to join; as well as Chamber representation, membership benefits include access to training, information, the ability to input to local political process the effects businesses, and a variety of local and wider discounts. Melksham Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a member of the Wessex Association of Chambers of Commerce.The author of this post is a member of the Chamber - please feel free to get in touch.
Federation of Small Businesses, North and West Wilts - [link]
The Federation of Small Businesses is the UK's largest campaigning pressure group promoting and protecting the interests of the self-employed and owners of small firms. Formed in 1974, it now has 200,000 members across 33 regions and 194 branches. Melksham is within the North and West Wilts branch, which stretches from Mere in the south through to Cricklade in the north.
Melksham Independent Traders - [link]
"We are separate from the Chamber and all other local organisations, and have all agreed that we're not against being involved with, or working alongside any and all group where necessary, but that we also want to remain neutral and on-side with all groups. With this in mind, we won't be affiliating ourselves with one particular group, or political party – we are prepared to work with and/or around matters that arise"
Melksham Shadow Community Operations Board - [link]
Wiltshire Council are building a Campus at the Melksham House site in Melksham to bring together many of the facilities that are currently provided in 9 different locations within the Melksham area. The cost of this new facility is significant and completion is planned for 2014 with no facilities closing until replacements are in place. This is a substantial investment for Wiltshire Council and they therefore want to make sure it provides services and facilities the Melksham community area needs. To this end they have set up a Shadow Community Operations Board to ensure community involvement. The author of this post is a member of the SCOB - please feel free to get in touch.