Graham Ellis - my blog
A victory for common sense!
From the BBC
When I stood for election, local councillors WERE allowed to attend meetings online - not just "from home" but online from whereever they happened to be located. That was a change that was brought in during Covid restrictions and it made huge sense and as far as I was aware worked well with few problems. It allowed busy people to become councillors and to do a good job to represent their electorate even when physicslly not around, and it was one of the changes that "tipprd the balance" and persuaded me to stand.
Then the old rule was put back into place ... and Town and Parish councillors have to be back in the Council Chamber to take part in meetings. With the need for us to be careful if we are vulnerable, stay away if we are infectious, and plan holidays and trips around imporant meetings - for a role we undertake as unpaid volunteers for the community.
We can watch in as members of the public - and one of our three mayors was very good at suspending standing orders to let [me/us] speak in a circumstance. But the illustrative picture was taken on a flight I made back from Venice to attend a meeting during a holiday. At my expense, of course. The rule is all the more absurd in that members of our staff can (and do) attend meetings remotely from time to time, and very effective those meetings have been. They have also saved you (the taxpayer) travel time and expenses for staff who happen not to be in the Town Hall at 19:00 of an evening.
The rule was explained to me by a contact of the then locsl government secretary that it was put in place to avoid Town Councils being overrun by absentee councillors. Well - that doesn't wash; there's still and always has been a rule that you can loose your seat if you don't attend for six months, so the safety net's still there.
I have negotiated train time changes for you from mid-Atlantic. I have got (at least) the peak trains back between Christamas and 23rd January next when there are engineering works, done from Somerset, and both of those were during journeys that brought me experiences to apply (or suggest) locally for Melksham - I am proud to be able to travel AND talk about buses from the river bank at Stel am Stein ... but of course those are other activities. But I have had to be in Melksham and phyically in the Town Hall to speak for you as a councillor; I have been prepared to plan my trips around meetings for this term, and I celebrate that we'll have a return to sanity for the next set of councillors for the next 4 years from May 2025.
I wasn't well on Monday and sent my apologies to the meeting, and next morning I liatened back to the chair expressing great concern as to whether they were quorate, and expressing the view that the absence of councillors from the chamber was a real problem. Indeed, and had the rules under which I was elected been in place, I could have listened to the debate and indeed commented on things like the renewal of vehicles, where I feel we should be considering setting an example and going electric. I'm relieved that other councillors ahared that view and expressed it.
| Councillors in England will be allowed to take part in debates from home using their computers, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has announced. At the moment all local councillors are required by law to attend certain meetings in person. |
When I stood for election, local councillors WERE allowed to attend meetings online - not just "from home" but online from whereever they happened to be located. That was a change that was brought in during Covid restrictions and it made huge sense and as far as I was aware worked well with few problems. It allowed busy people to become councillors and to do a good job to represent their electorate even when physicslly not around, and it was one of the changes that "tipprd the balance" and persuaded me to stand.
Then the old rule was put back into place ... and Town and Parish councillors have to be back in the Council Chamber to take part in meetings. With the need for us to be careful if we are vulnerable, stay away if we are infectious, and plan holidays and trips around imporant meetings - for a role we undertake as unpaid volunteers for the community.
We can watch in as members of the public - and one of our three mayors was very good at suspending standing orders to let [me/us] speak in a circumstance. But the illustrative picture was taken on a flight I made back from Venice to attend a meeting during a holiday. At my expense, of course. The rule is all the more absurd in that members of our staff can (and do) attend meetings remotely from time to time, and very effective those meetings have been. They have also saved you (the taxpayer) travel time and expenses for staff who happen not to be in the Town Hall at 19:00 of an evening.
The rule was explained to me by a contact of the then locsl government secretary that it was put in place to avoid Town Councils being overrun by absentee councillors. Well - that doesn't wash; there's still and always has been a rule that you can loose your seat if you don't attend for six months, so the safety net's still there.
I have negotiated train time changes for you from mid-Atlantic. I have got (at least) the peak trains back between Christamas and 23rd January next when there are engineering works, done from Somerset, and both of those were during journeys that brought me experiences to apply (or suggest) locally for Melksham - I am proud to be able to travel AND talk about buses from the river bank at Stel am Stein ... but of course those are other activities. But I have had to be in Melksham and phyically in the Town Hall to speak for you as a councillor; I have been prepared to plan my trips around meetings for this term, and I celebrate that we'll have a return to sanity for the next set of councillors for the next 4 years from May 2025.
I wasn't well on Monday and sent my apologies to the meeting, and next morning I liatened back to the chair expressing great concern as to whether they were quorate, and expressing the view that the absence of councillors from the chamber was a real problem. Indeed, and had the rules under which I was elected been in place, I could have listened to the debate and indeed commented on things like the renewal of vehicles, where I feel we should be considering setting an example and going electric. I'm relieved that other councillors ahared that view and expressed it.
Welcome new staff at Melksham Town Council
A warm welcome to new staff at Melksham Town Council, and to staff promoted to new roles - see attached text from a press release. Melksham Town Council has had quite a number of projects on their plate for some time now, without the active staff resources to take them all forward. A number of excellent existing staff have been thrust into roles for which they were not employed (and don't necessarily enjoy or have training for) in addition to their normal duties. A big "THANK YOU" to them - they know who they are - for taking on and helping with that work which has stretched them at times close to (and I hope not past) breaking point.
Our new team, alongside the established hands, will take time to learn into the detail of the town's systems, projects and character so - PLEASE - don't expect miraculous and sudden changes. Priorities are being set, with the urgent and then the important being prioritised. Some things need to wait, but I would anticipate that if you look back in six months or so you should see significant movement, and be able to look forward to the following council who can build on the team set up by this one and their work.
As a current councillor, I offer myself as available to help inform and ease the new teams into place - I am retired, and now have only limited other roles whilst retaining an unlimited enthusaiasm for doing right for the town and region.
Melksham Town Council is excited to welcome several new members of staff to its Officer team.
The Council tasked Tracy Predeth MPA, Locum Clerk, with recruiting a new administrative team to take the Council forward and work towards the new Municipal Year, as local elections take place in May 2025.
Hayley Bell has been appointed as Deputy Town Clerk and will be assisting with project management as well as taking on tasks to support the Locum Clerk.
A Part-Time HR Officer, Fran House, has been appointed to undertake all recruitment and personnel tasks, as well as ensuring all Council policies are up to date.
Christina Connor is the new Events & Community Development Officer, and will be overseeing all Melksham Town Council events, managing the Grants Scheme and developing new community engagement projects in Melksham.
She will be supported by a new Events & Community Development Assistant, Franchezka Cunanan, who will also be undertaking reception duties and assisting the Assembly Hall Team.
Brian Bennett, who has been with the Council for 7 months, is now moving into the role of Assembly Hall Manager, overseeing the operations in the Hall and assisting in running Council events. In addition, due to an increase in regular bookings and popularity, an additional Duty Manager will shortly be recruited to plan and run events in the Hall as well as out in the community.
The Town Council is looking forward to being in a stronger position to develop current and future projects, and to better support the community of Melksham. The Town Mayor, Councillor Tom Price, welcomes all the new employees to the Council.
Melksham Town Council can be contacted by email at towncouncil@melksham-tc.gov.uk or by calling 01225 704 187. Melksham Assembly Hall can be contacted by email at assemblyhall@melksham-tc.gov.uk or by calling 01225 709 887.
Published Wednesday, 23rd October 2024
New to Melksham or perhaps newly retired?
"I'm newly retired - how can I find the company I used to find at work?". "I have just moved to Melksham - what is there to do?". "Is there a chat club around here?". "How can I keep fit enjoyably?"I read a number of these every month. And there are plenty of answers - of course there are - this is a friendly town. But different answers and different new niches for different people. Here's another ...
On Friday of next week (that's 25th October 2024 for readers coming to this later), we are relaunching the Melksham Transport User Group (MTUG). At the Campus, 14:30 and again - a repeat event - at 18:30, so we cater for everyone.
Public Transport is a social and healthy way of getting around, and can be inspirational in places visited. Our buses and trains are accessible to all, and there are a number of us in the community who can help with information, fares, getting you tickets, and perhaps even coming with you on a first trip - a favour that you could pass on by takin others at a later date.
MTUG is the official Station Friends group for Melksham Station (members of the Community Rail Network) and we work with other partners there. Amongst prospects we are exploring are the re-opening of the Cafe building (which could thrive as a volunteer club-run outfit as happens in many other places) ... for friends to meet up, information point, welcome to people arriving in the town, cup of coffee for those going on the train, and a re-assurance and human face for the timid. Come to the relaunch of MTUG on 25th (and it's at The Campus and NOT at the station!) ... or if you can't make it get in touch with me.
Published Wednesday, 16th October 2024
25th October 2024 - Melksham Transport User Group
Less is more ... so this is a short headline.Please come along at 14:30 or 18:30 (or both!) on Friday 25th October to the Melksham Campus for our relaunch of the Melksham Transport User Group (MTUG), and/or at 17:00 on the same afternoon to the KGV Park to unveil a "Happy to Chat" memorial bench to Peter and Margaret Blackburn.Some background. If you have ANY interest in ...
* Buses * Trains * Cycling * Walking
* This year * Next Year * Next 10 years
* Helping * Meeting People and chatting
* Keeping Fit * Environmental Good
* Commuting * Personal Business
* Getting out and about * Trips out
* Buses on your street * Buses and trains to and from our town
* How to find out about travel * How to find places to go
* How to find the best routes and fares
... then come along a week on Friday. It will costs you nothing but your time.
Public Transport provides a vital travel element in Melksham for many of us, and over the years the Melksham Railway Development Group (MRDG) - which has morphed into the Melksham Transport User Group (MTUG) - has had some notable achievements. Most of the changes have been informed by community input, and many of the current service users have learned via publicity circulated by the group.
Looking forward, we are in a time of great risk and also great opportunity. Now is the time for us to make views know and blow a little wind into the sails of the new government and the new systems they set up for specifying road and rail services. And also for helping plan where we want our town to grow and redevelop, and how. We should not wait to let people know after new systems and decisions are in place.
We also need to promote and use what we have today. The big increase in some bus service this summer is on a trial "use it or lose it" basis, and it makes sense to get more bums on seats by having people know what is around, how to use it at an economic cost, and how to help other use it and get it tuned already towards the future.
The group has taken a strategic break over the past couple of years. Many members are no longer around, and as acting chair I (Graham Ellis) am looking to reactive the group. Whether that succeeds will depend on the community response on 25th and at the time of writing I don't know how that will go. On 25th we will inform. We will (I hope) motivate, we will look to plans ahead where we can help you and you can help us from early 2025. Stopping by for a chat. Helping people with public transport. Us helping you. Promoting forward. Coffee morning and a natter with new friends. Trips out to show you how. Please come along if you're interested - no matter how small a contribution you feel you'll make. There are lots of different ways for different people to be involbed. Together, we can enjoy helping to make Melksham that town for the future.
For the agenda
- Current services
- Service project List
- Network for short term meeting
- Station hub volunteer cafe project
- Information exchange and friendship group
- Formal Membership
This is a community meeting – for the community and local representatives and specialist groups to help us get all our ducks in a line.
No need to book - just turn up. But I am very much available ahead of time - my email is graham@sn12.net and my phone number is 07974 925 928. Happy to meet in person - just let me know and check the time as I have a few other things in my diary.
Published Monday, 14th October 2024
Town Council - an extra £120,000 for staff after all
The Town Council budget which was detailed in December 2023 and confirmed the following month takes us through to April 2025. Sixteen months ahead, it really has to be a plan which can be updated within the overall boundaries set and not much more - even Town Councillors do not have crystal balls. Image from Melksham News in January - click on image for full articleAt Tuesday's Full Council meeting, we voted to transfer £120,000 from our "General reserves" to our staffing budget - full text of the public draft minutes below. The Town Council spends more that half of its precept income on staff, and for a town like Melksham £120,000 is a big sum.
I want here to correct an error of fact during the discussions. It was stated by another councillor that all councillors voted to pare back spending this year with a very small increase, below inflation yet again. That was not the case ad I was adamant at the time that we needed to set a realistic budget to take ourselves forward. Against protocol, I interrupted to correct the error of fact stated by another councillor, but in line with Town Council protocol, my interruption was stopped by the mayor.
In the tail of 2023, we set a budget which remains, in my view, inadequate and out of line with what we wish to do, and failed to allow for any contingencies. We do have a reserve which we are raiding, but that is a fix for this year only as years of keeping the precept low have resulted, inevitably, in a building problem and a need / desire to put up the precept for next year. That is no longer just my view - it was expressed by several other councillors too, including some party to the decision made last December that inevitably has driven us towards this situation, which has been exacerbated by the unplanned needs of the staffing budget.
Now - contrary to how this might read, I am 110% in support of us maintaining a well compensated, well motivated, permanent staff team at the Town Council and we have some excellent staff. I welcome all of those who have joined us in the last 15 months or so to do the very job that we as councillors have voted that we wish to have done on behalf of the town and its residents.
For the 2025/26 budget, which will be formulated in coming months and set in January, it is our duty as councillors to come up with something that will probably work. We owe it to the new councillors seated from next May, who have to work within the guidelines set by this current bunch - myself included - of old hands. And that includes any members who are looking to get re-elected for 2025 to 2029 based on current shorter term perceptions of them by the electorate.
There was discussion on the request Concerns about the effect on future years budget and precept were raised and discussed. It was suggested that the funds should be ring-fenced rather than transferred so that budget discussions for 2025/26 will show an accurate overspend on 2024/25 budget. Councillor Ellis wanted it recorded that he had misgivings but had trust in those who made the decision on staffing and would support the request. It was pointed out that there were one off cost burdens to the staffing budget this year and that £100000 had been cut during 2024/25 budget discussions. Some members expressed the view that if projects and events were to be actioned then council must provide the resources. It was proposed by Councillor Hubbard, seconded by the Town Mayor Councillor Price and RESOLVED to ring-fence the sum of £120,000 from general reserves for additional staffing costs. |
Image from https://melkshamnews.com/council-budget-cuts-staff-costs-and-maintains-services/
Published Thursday, 10th October 2024
Blue Pool - old pictures
These old pictures of the Blue Pool (source - Alfie Sparks via Terri Welch, with permission, rescanned) are fascinating - some showing clearly the older tall rear section of the Assembly Hall and very clearly the doorways and windows into that remain, but currently covered, between the two buildings.
Published Wednesday, 9th October 2024
Neighbourhood Plan - adopted unanimously by Town Council
I am delighted that Melksham Town Council signed off the draft Joint Melksham Neighbourhood Plan II, to run through to 2038, earlier this evening. Myself and councillor Aves have bene representing the Town Council on the steering group in the work to get this monumental piece of work completed.Please find below what I said at tonight's meeting. It was then proposed by councillor Jon Hubbard and seconded by councillor Adrienne Westbrook that we ratify the plan and take it forward, and I am heppy that it was then unanimously passed - fully supported and indeed lead tonight - by those councillors.
What I said ... to describe the plan and the people involved:
I commend to you the plan that goes to Wiltshire Council and inspection. It is an ambitious plan, protecting town centre, heritage and green space assets and looking for quality in town rejuvenation and growth with new housing where it is logical, and of a fitting type, standard and mix.
The Neighbourhood Plan has been much consulted on and the sheer volume and quality of inputs has both helped us on the steering and other groups and the community shape it well, but has also put up the time and cost of the work. Concern is often expressed that new housing is built without infrastructure. Under an adopted Neighbourhood Plan, 25% (rather that 15%) of the "Community Infrastructure Levy" on developers goes to the plan area and that is a significant sum. Our agreement with Melksham Without is that we share the extra 10% on joint projects to the benefit of both communities and as house building in the local plan is predominantly in Melksham Without, this is a very good deal for the town, who's facilities those new residents will use.
If we pass this plan tonight - and I do not propose to talk through all hundred pages that wave been widely open for consultation for a year - it goes to Wiltshire Council and then an inspector to check for detailed legality and then comes to a final referendum in the town. The plan is an ambitious one and can scale well with any central government diktat for extra housing such as their 80% uplift proposed. Indeed the plan serves that well by already setting standards and providing for extra town and parish infrastructure expenditure if that uplift is realised.
I have been the junior Town Council rep on the steering group for several years, and would like to add my thanks to Pat Aves and Linda Roberts who have provided MTC support, and to the staff and councillors at Melksham Without and at Place Studios - too many to mention the all but I must mention "lead" of David Pafford as chair, Teresa Strange as clerk of MWPC and Vaughan Thompson of Place Studios. Between them and so many others from our community, they have produced an excellent plan which guides us well for the next decade and beyond, and I commend this plan to you.
And the plan in context as described in the introduction by David Pafford
The first Joint Melksham Neighbourhood Plan (JMNP) 2020 – 2026
was brought into force on 1st July 2021 when our community gave it
the thumbs up, through a positive community referendum result. It is
therefore adopted as part of the Development Plan for Wiltshire to
be used to guide and decide upon planning applications.
Ongoing and new issues like providing affordable homes in the
right places, tackling climate change and helping local businesses
recover from the impact of COVID make it imperative that our
Neighbourhood Plan evolves to continue to provide a strong local
planning voice, alongside Wiltshire’s emerging new Local Plan that
will set out where new homes and jobs will be provided looking
ahead to 2038.
To achieve this Melksham Town and Melksham Without Parish
Councils, and the Steering Group jointly launched the review of
the Neighbourhood Plan to look ahead to 2038. The result is
this second edition of the Joint Melksham Neighbourhood Plan
(JMNP2). It has been updated and added to in order to make sure
it remains up-to-date, forward looking and strong.
This is a bold Plan that goes beyond minimum requirements, with
the aim of getting the best possible outcomes from development for
our communities as well as providing a legacy for future generations
from a plan-led regeneration of brownfield sites.
It tackles the difficult issue of housing shortage and need, by taking
a positive and proactive approach to managing future development.
It prioritises the regeneration of both the Cooper Tires and the Old
Library site to support the delivery of homes, jobs and town centre
vitality. Both of these projects attracted strong community support
at the consultation stage.
At Shaw and Whitley, the strategy protects the separate identities
of each village and enables the delivery of much needed smaller
and more affordable homes.
The Plan even seeks to ensure that development granted at
appeal, such as land South of Western Way, delivers on local
priorities.
From those members of our community who are part of our
Steering Group, to the people who joined our working groups, to
those who have responded to our consultations; it’s local people
who have helped to shape this update.
Our thanks to the many of you who have taken the time, in one
way or another, to contribute to this Plan, to make sure it stays
bang up-to-date and gives us the strongest possible say in local
planning decisions.
David Pafford
Chair of Melksham Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group and
Melksham Without Parish Councillor
Where can I read it?
I have mirrored tonight's agenda pack, including the full exact version of the Neighbourhood Plan that was put to councillors, at https://grahamellis.uk/lib/full_20241008.pdf
Published Tuesday, 8th October 2024
Blue Pool, Canberra, Staff Budget, financial regulations
At last night's special full council meeting (30.9.2024) ...Blue Pool
A unanimous decision to go ahead and negotiate the purchase of the Blue Pool from Wiltshire Council, taking into account practical access to the building / site for the future over Wiltshire Council land, and giving Wiltshire Council a pedestrian right of way / right of public access over the pedestrian path to the Melksham Campus and to Melksham House. Much comment made to get the transfer made with all due haste, and in legal and local government terms that suggests within the next six months - in other words in time for the new council elected in May 2025 to have their full four years to move the project forward, and those of currently on the council to be able to point to the purchase as an achievement of our time in office.
There are multiple opportunities for the future of the to-be newly acquired Blue Pool. We could provide an expanded facility to meet the bursting needs of the Assembly Hall and overcome access, reception and bar issues amongst others there, providing museum, extra rooms to meet venue demand, and efficiency for staff. We could demolish and rebuild the whole indoor venue setup for the town, or provide a free car park instead. Or we could sell off the site for housing; not in line with the Neighbourhood Plan, but if the new government pressures / requires more housing, who knows?
Open area to rear of Canberra
A grant of just under £8,000 was agreed to help fund path provision prior to tree planting on the green field area that's held in trust as green space, and indeed is a designated green space in the draft neighbourhood plan too. Good call for the field, though the Council's stated policy is to improve all the various facilities at KGV so that the KGV park becomes ever more an outdoor venue for the whole of our community.
Staffing Budget
The Town Hall Staffing budget is already 66% spent and we are just five months into the financial year, and The Clerk requested that we transfer £120,000 from our reserves into the staffing budget. As promised papers to help explain this had not been provided to councillors, the decision was put off until next week's further additional full council meeting (18:45 on 8th October). I have questions about this and will feel much more comfortable if more fully informed, and indeed a public question was asked to which no answer was immediately available. Over half of the Town Council's budget is spent on staffing, though much of the detail is not in the public domain because of privacy issues; even councillors such as myself who are not part of the "inner sanctum" can only guess at times.
Other financial management systems
On a separate matter, the council adopted a new set of Financial Regulations / procedures, as recommended by the national organisation of local government officers. These are said to protect staff and councillors and reduce fraud (of which there is no suggestion to my knowledge in Melksham) but could add a significant onus / workload onto staff and councillors. Even under old "regs" it's been hard to get councillors available to sign things off in the Town Hall, and the paragraph above shown how staff too struggle to get information out in good time. Personally, I used to go to the Town Hall to sign off many of the bills and was often disappointed at how disjoined the system has been on placing orders, and also on how long it was taking us at times to pay suppliers. Indeed, I stepped back from being a signatory as my ability to attend in person was not what was required by staff. Last night, we discussed the potential ability for councillors to approve expenditures and accounts remotely which would be an excellent and sensible move, meaning that it could be done not only in person and during Town Hall working hours only, but also of an evening or weekend when one or more of us could go through scanned documents to check and approve them.
Published Tuesday, 1st October 2024
Council - tonight - Indoor venue future
This evening, 30th September 2024 at 19:00, a Special (extra) meeting of Melksham Town Council. On the agenda - Blue Pool and Assembly Hall "To receive information to date, to agree the transfer of ownership of the Blue Pool on the terms set out by Wiltshire Council and agree next steps. For Decision". The public are welcome to observe. There is a separate public participations session prior to the main agenda at which "Members of the public are invited to address the council".Melksham Assembly Hall is our indoor venue for the community with a wide range of all weather activities taking part there throughout the year - in a typical month there are between 25 and 30 lets and events taking place there, with anywhere from 15 to 1500 people going through the door. It's estimate that the number of entries though the door is in excess of 50,000 per annum, the majority of whom are residents of Melksham Town, but also with a footfall from surrounding parishes and further afield to bringing in people to our town's businesses and economy. The needs survey confirms what people would like to see for the future.
The Assembly Hall is booked to capacity. On two occasions this summer, I have away from my councillor role attempted to make a booking, but had to move away to another venue, and I am not alone in that experience. Events are popular - we already have events in November for which tickets are sold out, and on wider town events such as table sales, staff are on duty for queuing and crowd control purposes. Truly a success. And we are rebuilding an excellent - skilled and enthusiastic staff team. Where help is accepted by the council, community volunteer skills bring a great deal to the hall, and there is a desire in the community to help further.
But all is not perfect. The entrance to the hall between parked cars and vans in not attractive and causes some concerns, the reception and bar area are too cramped for maximum benefit and indeed constraining, facilities such as loos are limited, and staff are sometimes underused with just a single event space. The hall is old and maintenance in some areas has fallen behind, resulting in it looking a little tired although basically sound and with excellent internal facilities. At the least, it needs bringing up to modern environmental standard such as fitting with solar panels to reduce the significant ongoing utility costs.
Attached to the Assembly Hall and sharing a main wall is the "Blue Pool" - the former swimming pool which became redundant with the opening of the Melksham Campus. The swimming pool and equipment was past its economic life, but the building itself is in reasonable condition - a large area with great potential to meet the more practical desires of the needs survey, and providing the solution to many of the issues raised already. The presentation by the friends of Melksham Assembly Hall last year, and available in their library online, gave councillors a glimpse of what could be done. Some work has carried on, though with staff changes and other urgent priorities at Melksham Town Council the work on taking the Assembly Hall and Blue Pool forward - important but not yet urgent - has been on hold.
Wiltshire Council - the current owner of the Blue Pool - has offered to sell it to the Town Council for s token amount, and we have to make a decision as to whether to take it. But that token amount payment would just be the start of something. We have options in a major decision.
1. We could purchase the Blue Pool, with (please) careful negotiation to ensure that we get he correct boundary line / walls, access, and take over and initial expenses to the county. We then have the opportunity over the life of the next council to expand the needed indoor provision with a new fit for purpose reception, catering and meeting area, loos, etc, with a a re-opening of access from the attractive and appropriate new reception area (no longer through parked cars!) to a hall with expanded adjunct facilities, a new smaller and tiered theatre area and cafe, a museum for Melksham, a reception area for all MTC enquiries as well as looking after catering and hires of all venues based there. The cost of doing this would be significant, though not in excess of the £2.1 million that MTC was prepared to pay for Melksham House at its March 2023 meeting - so it's feasible and within thoughts
2. We could purchase and rebuild the whole Assembly Hall and Blue Pool site, probably at a cost of ten times that of option 1. Loan funding would be available for us to do this, with repayment from an increased council tax over the next 20 to 30 years. There is information on this in your agenda pack for tonight, and options are many and varied. The timescale is such that we would be looking at this over coming years and at this stage further options form architects who have been approached and are waiting to hear from us are explored.
3. We could say "no thank you" to Wiltshire Council. And that would limit our future provision having decided not to take on the expanded footprint. Such a decision would not remove the ongoing costs of maintenance and continuation - or of closure and replacement / demolition of the Assembly Hall. It would mean that we have no say on the future of the Blue Pool which, we believe, Wiltshire Council would demolish with undefined and perhaps catastrophic outcomes for the Assembly Hall part of the overall building.
"For decision" says the agenda with 100 pages of supporting material - and there are some 70 different documents on the friends web site too. But this evening, I believe that what we need to decide is:
a) Whether to negotiate the purchase of the Blue Pool, via the appointment of a professional project lead / negotiator should we not have such a person on our team.
b) To instruct or allow to instruct that project lead to investigate further and bring back through council the ongoing project helping us as we decide between the various outcomes and details in (1) and (2), and to recommend ongoing operational directions to meet the needs of the community for both facility and event provision and for prudent financial outcome - a business plan which may or may not be direct development and operation by the Town Council, community groups, commercial operations or those in combination
c) To set aside a four figure sum in the current year's budget to cover additional insurance, security and other immediate costs for the Blue Pool from takeover should it complete before April 2025 though to end of the current financial year.
The last five years have been tough for public halls and venues such as ours. A revision of some of the interim risk-averse hire policies that were appropriate during the covid recovery period will put us in a far firmer financial base and we should look forward with this indoor venue in appropriate parallel with out outdoor KGV venue, and with s much lighter cost on the council tax payer than our outdoor facilities.
We have a great opportunity here - to take Melksham Forward, or to signal the beginning of the end of our provision to meeting the needs identified in our community. I commend to you a decision this evening to purchase the Blue Pool, with eyes open to the work to be done ahead and the opportunities if we all pull together.
Published Monday, 30th September 2024
Assembly Hall, Blue Pool, Canberra Community Park - decisions next Monday
A special/extra full Melksham Town Council meeting has been called for next Monday (30th September 2024). On the agenda "Blue Pool and Assembly Hall (Pages 1 - 110) To receive information to date, to agree the transfer of ownership of the Blue Pool on the terms set out by Wiltshire Council and agree next steps. For decision." and "Canberra Community Park (Pages 111 - 112) To agree to pay the sum of £7988.00 (£6657.00 plus £1331.00 VAT) to 4Youth for the installation of pathways in The Canberra Community Park. For decision."
A period of public participation will take place during the meeting. The Press and Public are welcome to attend this meeting.
The full agenda (published at lunchtime on 24th September) includes over 100 pages on the Blue Pool and Assembly Hall may be viewed / read / downloaded at https://moderngov.microshadeapplications.co.uk/MelkshamTC/documents/g1097/Agenda2030th-Sep-2024%2019.0020Council.pdf?T=0
These are major decisions. Taking the next step on the future direction for the Assembly Hall and Blue Pool is long overdue and you can read from over 100 pages of text the documents from the last five years which, however have not been taken forward for the best part of a year and need to be acted on. In contrast, the Canberra Community Park came to us on Monday of this week with indecent haste; having now had 48 hours to read and consider the data, it does seem to make sense for the Town Council to provide the requested support.
Published Tuesday, 24th September 2024