Local Transport Plan

Wiltshire Council is currently developing a new Transport Plan (LTP3). Margaret Willmot of Salisbury Campaign for Better Transport has sent us an update > click to read

Solstice Park Megasheds
Disappointment at latest decision
> read more

Wesbury Bypass
Scheme cancelled
> read more

Urban green spaces under threat
(posted 3 Nov 09)

Colette Crielesi of the Urban Green Space Campaign has sent us this message:

The current economic crisis is leading to many public parks and gardens, sports fields, children’s playgrounds and school playing fields in our towns and cities being used for building projects, turned into car parks or enclosed for other private commercial use and lost forever. This trend to deplete our urban green space, the lungs of our cities, in an era of global warming and population increase, is dangerous for our health and for our quality of life.

Unfortunately councils and governments are getting away with this because there is no effective legislation in place to protect our urban green spaces, so we are petitioning the European Commission to put this matter before the European Parliament.

Please go to www.urbangreenspacecampaign.org/ for details of the petition.

This is an important issue for everybody. Caroline Lucas and Erica Hope, one of Caroline's researchers, have given us a lot of help and information to get this initiative underway. We need collaboration from many, many, many people to get the one million signatures we need for the Citizen's Initiative that would, hopefully, get this onto the floor on the European Parliament and give Caroline and others the chance to put forward the problem at a European level and get some legislation in place. We hope that you will be able to dedicate some of your own time to this campaign. Thank you.

Wiltshire Council reaffirms its support for the Nottingham Declaration

Salisbury Green Party welcomes the decisive vote against a motion put by a few maverick councillors to withdraw from the Nottingham Declaration which commits local authorities to tackle climate change. This followed a short sharp and extremely energetic campaign by groups and individuals across the county – the leader of Wiltshire Council, Jane Scott, said she had never received so many emails on a single issue. A big thank you to all those who called or emailed their councillor and thanks to our Green Party friends in the north (of the county) who were able to attend the meeting.
See also SW Wiltshire Agenda21 website

General election – candidate selection
With the general election looming, Salisbury Green Party is starting the process of selecting a candidate. Members have recently received a letter inviting nominations for the position.

Next SGP business meeting: 4th February
> see Diary

Threshold Centre – eco-housing development near Gillingham

Alan Heeks who lives at the Threshold Centre has sent this message:

‘I am writing to let you know about three cottages which will be available at the Threshold Centre where I live, near Gillingham, North Dorset, from January 2010. Could you pass this info on to anyone you know who may be interested?

Conversion work is well advanced and on schedule to create seven new eco cottages and upgrade seven holiday cottages, and half of these will be available for affordable housing via East Dorset Housing Association. We have already allocated four of these, but three are still available: a one-bed cottage for affordable rent, and two 1-2 bed cottages for shared ownership. In all cases, you will need to be eligible and on the North Dorset Housing Register. For the shared ownership units, this means a limit on capital or £100k to be eligible. We are especially keen to have a couple more households with children here.

We are hoping to allocate these three units as soon as possible, so that the prospective residents can choose some of the details of the final finishes, so if you are interested, act soon. You can get more information about the Threshold Centre, and about how to apply for these units at our website, www.thresholdcentre.org.uk. Ignore the deadline, as we have extended it! For enquiries call Amanda Pearson here, on 01747 835633, or myself.’