People power in Devizes! Due to pressure from Devizes retailers and councillors, Wiltshire Council today revised their plans for essential cable works in Devizes, originally set to commence during the busiest Christmas period….
Retailers were informed the works were planned from 12th October until 18th December, covering The Brittox, Little Brittox, Wine Street, Long Street, Morris Lane and The Shambles. Making it clear they were not against the works happening, just the poor timing, which, with stop-go traffic controls, threatened to lessen footfall during the crucial Christmas shopping period, Ida McConnell of Devizes Retail & Independents rallied local retailers and councillors to ask Wiltshire Council to consider postponing the work. And it was successful.
Wiltshire Council posted an update, stating they’ve “worked closely with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, to agree a revised programme of works in Devizes that significantly reduces disruption and protects the town’s important festive trading period.”
This included a promise the current works would be completed by 21st November, that any remaining work has been pushed back until January, and access to shops and businesses will be maintained throughout. They also stated work on Little Brittox will take place between 5pm and 11pm to avoid normal trading hours, and activity on Thursday market days will be reduced between 9am and 3pm.
After an initial “whoohoo!” Ida said,“The original letter was initiated by us at the request of Justina from The Healthy Life Company, and Faye from Faye’s, with support from Jodie at The Gourmet Brownie Kitchen, three local retailers,” and she thanked them. Ida also thanked all town and county councillors who “worked together to get the issues addressed.”
And herein lies the secret as to how this happened so effectively. Ida said, “this was a team effort from local councillors from different political persuasions,” giving special praise to Devizes South Cllr Maria Hoult, Devizes North Cllr Ian Hopkins, and Devizes East Cllr Jonathan Hunter, as well as the two hundred people who signed the letter to the council.
In a time where local Conservatives are abusing the Government-enforced waste food recycling and three weekly bin collections change to fiercely rally their candidate for the Milford by-election, Laura Jones, hoping it will topple the Lib Dem led county council, this joint effort should illustrate exactly why any need to topple them should be taken with a pinch of salt. On this issue, as with many others to date, the newly led Wiltshire Council clearly listened, and responded positively.
Yet Devizes town councillor Iain Wallis is seemingly expanding his ‘local’ boundary to include campaigning in Salisbury, and said, “vote Conservative in Salisbury Milford and they will no longer be running the council. A vote for anyone else will allow them to continue.” But we could only speculate how the outcome on this issue might have differed coming from a Conservative led Wiltshire Council, and, more worryingly, what lengths they would be prepared to go to in order to secure this win; would they jump in bed with Reform?!
In their desperation to regain control, this nightmare scenario is more likely than we might imagine, and then they’d be too busy singing the National Anthem, like every council meeting is the World Cup Final, to have sorted this so quickly!
Local issues are more effectively resolved when councillors disregard any national party affiliation and work together with the public; this success story proves it. Compared to the previous Conservative led Wiltshire Council, the Lib Dem new guys have only just got their foot in the door, and things are already looking better. They deserve to be given a chance in my opinion.
Meanwhile, not to overly poison this good news story, the success of our local indie shops during the Christmas build up no longer can be governed by, or blamed, on roadworks; only on and by you, shopper! This ballyhoo would be a completely and utterly pointless waste of time if you then go and shop online anyway! We must support our local businesses and do a Christmas shop here, in Devizes.
