What they stand for

Local lass · What they stand for

THE GREEN PARTY

Sophy Fearnley-Whittingstall is the Green Party candidate for Calne North division in the Wiltshire Council election on 4 June.

Sophy has lived in Calne for four years and works in Chippenham for Good Energy, the green electricity supplier. She joined the Green Party because the main parties weren't doing enough to tackle climate change. As the mother of two young children she wants to be sure they inherit a safe, secure world.

Sophy recently set up the Calne Schools' Farm Project, working with local schools to set up a school farm to benefit every primary and secondary school child in the area.

Sophy says, "Like my brother, TV's Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, I believe in supporting local, ethically-produced food."

If elected, Sophy's priorities will be:

Keep the Post Office sorting office in Calne
Better support for local firms
More allotments or access to land for growing food
Zero-tolerance for graffiti, litter and anti-social behaviour
Improved bus services at evenings and weekends

HAD THIS THROUGH THE DOOR YESTERDAY.COULD NOT FIND PETERS AND CHUCKS.BUT WOULD BE INTRESTED TO SEE WHAT YOU STAND FOR.
PREHAPS YOU COULD ADD YOURS HERE SO ALL MEMBERS CAN COMPARE THEM

Peter Dolman

Local Lass where do you live as my 3rd leaflet is currently being delivered. Duncan Street area completed to day. North Street/Lickhill Road/Dixon Way/Stokes Croft/Northend/North Way/ Lansdowne Crescent/Bremhill View over the weekend as will those streets around the Fynamore School.
If you have not received any I am surprised but can arrange for all 3 to be put through your door today (Thursday 21/05/09)

I have similar aims.

Reduce traffic and cut pollution
Keep the sorting office (but thats going to be with us for at least another year although we still need to keep the pressure on them)
Weekly bin collection for compostable material.
Increased support from the new council for the Leisure Centre.
More resources for Calne, we always seem to be way down the list when anythings being handed out.
Tighter controls on fiscial matters, better value for money, do away with the above inflation council tax rises.
Nationally, scrap council tax and introduce a local income tax
A new playground for Calne North
Better roads and paths for our area
More recycling, including business's
Fight for more local facilities like dentists/doctors etc
Support for local shops and business's (I was a shop keeper for a short time as you know)
Increase local beat police
Fight to keep the town's police station here and lobby for longer opening times.
Subsidised local transport, will help cut traffic, at a time when its wanted.
More leisure opportunities, ie ice skating rink, ten pin bowling alley, cinema/auditorium and much more
Its a big list and I can go on but anyone can see what I stand for by reading my comments on this site. I have never tried to hide my identity and I am passionate about Calne. The town has been my families home since the mid 50's. We, the town and I, have been through many changes some good some not so good but we are still here.
There are to many people prepared to rubbish Calne, I believe it you want to change things and improve what we have got you have to get off your backside and get to work.

ps I have received 1 leaflet from the conservatives with details of the 5 candidates but todate none from the greens. I am sure that Sophys will arrive soon though.

pps might get me into trouble but I am not keen on;
Trident
European monetary union

Chuck

I guess I should also declare what I am keen on for Calne;

Better roads, safer roads allover but in particular the ones I have been walking these last few weeks.
Speed restrictions near school at particular times where traffic is an issue.
Pelican Crossing by Fynamore.
Better drop off solution for Fynamore
Post boxes on the new estate
More visible policing people are scared to go out in certain streets at certain times.
A playground for North Calne
Actually to try to pull people together as well there is so much we can do as a mass of public and we just don't use the power of our voices we should get some residents assiociations going.
Council tax bands need reviewing certain houses are paying too much and appeals are recognising that but why should you have to appeal when a revaluation could be enbloc?
More recycling
No Alternate Weekly Collections
We have poor drainage that needs fixing.
We need more jobs I will fight to support Calne business.
We need an NHS dentist not sure how but we must try to get a practise here.
There are so many great kids in this dormatory town they need looking out for.
We need to promote a sort of parish warden service for the local streets particularly once Persimmon have handed over the estate.
And Persimmon needs to be encouraged strongly to hold up their end of the bargain, the roads, the drainage and quite a bit more just isn't quite right on the big new estate - we need to encourage people to feel empowered to get to grips with them and the Council later.

I have to say typically it is all pretty laudible stuff and worth fighting for.

I have come across a few individuals with special issues too who I will do my best to help just add my pretty loud voice to their case to help. It sometimes works quite well.

I've got to say that there is a good choice of people to vote for honest forthright citizens who want to do the right thing for others.

Thanks for reading this but remember as I keep saying its not what I want it's what you want! It'ds not about me it's about you!

Chuck

GTB

Shouldn't Miss Fearnley-Whittingstall be fighting her own corner rather than letting a third party do it? We have had ample debate on most items from two of the triumvirate standing but the third has been rather quiet.

I know a lot of local people who read the Calnetalk forum but have never bothered to register for one reason or another(it doesn't cost anything). A quick scan of this political section by them will soon put into their mind who may be the right candidate for them in the forthcoming election.

Local lass

i think i have had your leaflet through the door peter well your party havnt had nothing from the cons yet.

Local lass

Local lass

PETER WROTE

Reduce traffic and cut pollution HOW WOULD YOU PROPSE TO DO THIS ?

Keep the sorting office (but thats going to be with us for at least another year although we still need to keep the pressure on them)
Weekly bin collection for compostable material.

Increased support from the new council for the Leisure Centre.IF YOU HAVE MORE INCREASED SUPPORT FOR THIS THEN SURRLY IT WILL NOT BE INDEPENTANT FROM THE COUNCIL.WITH THAT INCREASED SUPPORT WOULD THE SOUNCIL GET MORE SAY WITH WHAT GOS ON THERE AND WOULD IT MEAN A BIGGER INCREASE IN OUR TAXES

More resources for Calne, we always seem to be way down the list when anythings being handed out

.

Tighter controls on fiscial matters, better value for money, do away with the above inflation council tax rises.

Nationally, scrap council tax and introduce a local income tax

A new playground for Calne North

Better roads and paths for our area

More recycling, including business's

Fight for more local facilities like dentists/doctors etc DENTISTS SPECIALY

Support for local shops and business's (I was a shop keeper for a short time as you know) HOW WOULD YOU GET THIS \/NO PROBLEM WITH IT PROVIDING THE SHOPS IN QUESTION MEETS ARE NEEDS.

Increase local beat police

Fight to keep the town's police station here and lobby for longer opening times.

Subsidised local transport, will help cut traffic, at a time when its wanted.

More leisure opportunities, ie ice skating rink, ten pin bowling alley, cinema/auditorium and much more

TOWN IS NOT BIG ANOUGH TO GET THESE THINGS ,DO WE REALLY WANT TO BE A MINI SWINDON
Its a big list and I can go on but anyone can see what I stand for by reading my comments on this site. I have never tried to hide my identity and I am passionate about Calne. The town has been my families home since the mid 50's. We, the town and I, have been through many changes some good some not so good but we are still here.
There are to many people prepared to rubbish Calne, I believe it you want to change things and improve what we have got you have to get off your backside and get to work.

Local lass

CHUCK WROTE

Better roads, safer roads allover but in particular the ones I have been walking these last few weeks.

Speed restrictions near school at particular times where traffic is an issue.

Pelican Crossing by Fynamore.

Better drop off solution for Fynamore

Post boxes on the new estate

HAVNT THEY GOT ANY THEN

More visible policing people are scared to go out in certain streets at certain times

.

A playground for North Calne

Actually to try to pull people together as well there is so much we can do as a mass of public and we just don't use the power of our voices we should get some residents assiociations going.

Council tax bands need reviewing certain houses are paying too much and appeals are recognising that but why should you have to appeal when a revaluation could be enbloc?

More recycling NEEDS A INCREASE ON WHAT THEY PICK UP KERBSIDE

No Alternate Weekly Collections

IF THERE IS THEN ARE COUNCIL TAX NEEDS TO BE LOWER AS WE ARE NOT GETTING THE SERVICE WE PAY FOR.

We have poor drainage that needs fixing.

We need more jobs I will fight to support Calne business. PREHAPS THEN THAT IT WOULD BE A GOOD START FOR CALNE BUISSNESS TO EMPLOY LOCAL CALNE PEOPLE AND NOT SO MANY POLISH

We need an NHS dentist not sure how but we must try to get a practise here. THERE ARE TWO PRACTISE IN CALNE WHAT DO NHS

There are so many great kids in this dormatory town they need looking out for. HOW WOULD YOU DO THIS

We need to promote a sort of parish warden service for the local streets particularly once Persimmon have handed over the estate.
And Persimmon needs to be encouraged strongly to hold up their end of the bargain, the roads, the drainage and quite a bit more just isn't quite right on the big new estate - we need to encourage people to feel empowered to get to grips with them and the Council later.

I have to say typically it is all pretty laudible stuff and worth fighting for.

I have come across a few individuals with special issues too who I will do my best to help just add my pretty loud voice to their case to help. It sometimes works quite well.

I've got to say that there is a good choice of people to vote for honest forthright citizens who want to do the right thing for others.

Thanks for reading this but remember as I keep saying its not what I want it's what you want! It'ds not about me it's about you!

Chuck
_________________

GTB

Peter Dolman

LL we have discussed the issue of traffic and my suggestion is to reduced cars on the road. one of the ways is to provide better public transport at times people want to travel and at a cost which is an incentive to use it. This may mean a subsidy which is effectively already available for the over 60's.

There are ways to incentivise business to come to Calne although you can never make shops come. You should also accept that any shop you may use is not neccessaryly one that someone else wants.

I believe that my dream of a leisure complex is workable although it would take a lot of planning and hard work to make it possible. I did not think we could make the leisure centre work but it we did and people are using it. Don't write it off before it can be evaluated.

The rate payers of Calne are paying taxes which are supporting the leisure centres at Chippenham/Malmesbury/Corsham/ Wootton Bassett. I think that it is only right that some of our money should come back to the town don't you?

sophy

Local lass, thanks for summarising my leaflet on here.

GTB, I know I haven't been around much to put my own case, been too busy out with my boys delivering leaflets around town. You might have seen us on our bikes with our green rosettes.

Lots of sound policies here, not just from me but from my Conservative and LibDem counterparts, so whoever Calne North gets on June 4th I'm sure they will represent the people here well.

On supporting local businesses, my feeling is that they should be helped by NWDC by being given subsidised rents (NWDC owns many of the retail properties here). I think Calne needs a better choice of independent food shops -- there are too many supermarkets and we have so many fantastic local food producers but nowhere to buy their produce. Better food shops here would attract more regular shoppers to the town which would benefit all the local businesses. I'd also like to see a loyalty scheme which rewards people for supporting local businesses.

Chuck

There is a buy Clane project from the Chamber of Commerce whihc I joined a couple of weeks agog and its going pretty well the Council should support business more and perhaps it will in the future it si a COnservative policy to allow Councils to keep the Non Domestic Rates of a new business so it will encourage them and allow them to help a bit.

Thanks for your kind words Sophy I came across some of your voters the other day and ther a re plenty of undecideds as well.

Take care,

Chuck

Peter Dolman

Sophy the reality of shops in Calne is that many of them are being treated sympathetically by the council already. Believe it or not rents for shops in the town are amonst the lowest in North Wiltshire. There are some I am told who have not been able to pay their rent due to poor trading. Rather than kick them out they have been allowed to trade on as it is hope that they will be able to pay rent in the future.

The conservatives have hinted that they will allow local councils access to some of the revenues from business rates, currently all of it goes to the government, but don't hold your breath on that promise.

sophy

Peter, I'm sure the reason the council has not kicked out any traders for non-payment of rent is because they know the alternative would be empty, boarded up shops which no-one wants to see and which would only accelerate the sense of decline in the town centre.

A town the size of Calne should be able to support a diverse retail sector. I think one problem is that there is no focal point to the town (or rather, that it seems to be Sainsburys!) It will be interesting to see whether the 'improvements' to Phelps Parade make much difference.

Peter Dolman

Sophy, I would agree with your reading of the situation. It would not make sense to have empty shops as this would deter even the few shoppers we have in the town.

The debate on how to attract more varied shops has been going on for a number of years. I made the attempt but jumped while I was still solvent. It was just about possible to generate enough revenue to pay rent, rates and other overheads but I did not pay myself any money during the 18 months I was open.
The question is why should anyone do that.

Calne 40 years ago had lots of interesting and appropriate shops but life is different now. With the internet, home deliver and personal transport (cars more than 1 per house) the world has moved on for better or worse.