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Special General Meeting, Adoption of Constitution for TransWilts Community Rail Partnership

Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2013-08-01 10:55:45 - Graham Ellis

Saturday, 31st August. ANYONE with an interest is welcome. Please sign up [here] to express an interest, whether or not you'll be coming along, and whether you want to become a formal member or just add your support. See also TransWilts Community Rail Partnership web site for more details.

10:00 to 10:45 - Background
11:00 to 12:30 - Special General Meeting
13:30 to 14:45 - Planning ahead


Arrive between 09:30 and 10:00 at Well House Manor in Melksham for coffee and biscuits. This is timed to connect with trains and buses ... but we have plenty of parking available too if you drive. The main purpose of the meeting is to formally adopt a constitution for the TransWilts Community Rail Partnership - draft copy attached and available online [here]. However, there may be newcomers to the TransWilts at the meeting, and there will certainly be people who would like an update, so we'll present "About the TransWilts - what it is, where it is today, and where it's going" as a background from 10 a.m.

The draft constituition has been prepared with reference to other Community Rail Partnership experience, and with constructive input and amendments from First Great Western and from Wiltshire Council. The founding officers believe it offers a firm foundation under which the community, local government, businesses, and the rail industry can work together to maximise positive use of the TransWilts train services.


The formal Special General Meeting will run from 11 a.m., and will be followed by a light buffet lunch.
• Introduction of founding officers and team
• Supports and representatives present
• An introduction to the constitution, questions and answers
• A brief statement on organisational and financial arrangements
• Adoption of the constitution; noting of any elements to be reviewed at the first AGM
• Election of interim officers to serve until the first AGM
• Any other business
• Upcoming events and date of A.G.M.


From 13:30 until 14:45, our interim team will lead us in the planning ahead of activities and events up to our first formal AGM in the first quarter of 2014. We anticipate that these 6 months will be a very busy period indeed, with a great deal happening under both the Local Sustainable Transport Fund and other schems, looking forward to supporting the use of train services to the full in 2014.

Interim Officers presently are:
Sion Bretton, Chair (Melksham Railway Development Group)
Peter Blackburn, Vice Chair (Federation of Small Businesses)
Phil McMullen, Secretary (Community Area Parnership)
Chris Hankin, Treasurer (Severnside Rail Partnership)
and in Additon, Graham Ellis (Chamber of Commerce) looks after press and publicity




The meeting is timed to be as public transport friendly as possible ...

here are your arrival options...

09:20 / train arrival at Melksham (from Westbury at 09:05 [for stations from Salisbury] and Trowbridge at 09:10)
... can connect from Swindon (at 07:55) and Chippenham (at 08:09) via Bath Spa and Trowbridge

Alternative from Chippenham - 09:15 bus from Bus Station, 09:40 to Melksham Market Place
Alternative from Swindon - 07:50 bus, service 55, change at Chippenham bus station. Also serves Royal Wootton Bassett at 08:12

From Bath - 08:20 bus, route 272, arrives Melksham at 09:07

Please let us know if you would like a lift from the station!


And after the meeting ...

15:21 / train departure to Chippenham (15:31) and Swindon (15:46)
16:29 / train departure to Trowbridge (16:40) and Westbury (16:48) (for stations to Salisbury)

Alternative to Chippenham - 15:40 bus, arriving Chippenham Bus Station at 16:05
Alternative to Swindon - 15:40 bus, arriving Chippenham Bus Station at 16:05, 16:15 bus to Swindon arriving there at 17:21. Also serves Royal Wootton Bassett at 16:58

To Bath - 15:22 from outside Well House Manor arrives Bath at 16:18