Duncan Hames for Chippenham

Jon Hubbard and Duncan Hames say it is time to clean up Melksham.

Melksham town has overflowing bins and litter in the streets say two local Lib Dem campaigners.

Litter in the streets was the top issue in Jon Hubbard’s local residents survey. They are campaigning to tidy up the area and have already had some successes, such as persuading the council to empty the bins along the footpath from Hazelwood Road into the town centre.

Jon Hubbard, speaking about the campaign, said “Local people keep reporting issues to me about the mess on our streets. I am pressing the council to sort it out. I am also campaigning against the Tory’s new ‘two finger bin policy’. Shockingly they are now refusing to empty green bins that cannot be pulled along with two fingers! The Tory policy is an insult to people trying to recycle.”

Duncan Hames, who is the prospective Lib Dem MP for the Melksham area, added “It is vital that people feel proud of their town. Melksham is a lovely place and I want to help keep it that way. The council should be making it easier for people to recycle - not harder. Jon Hubbard is doing a great job in this campaign for Melksham residents. Together we also want to see plastic and cardboard recycled from the doorstep which would help protect our environment.”

Bradford-on-Avon residents fight housing plan for golf course

Duncan Hames, prospective Lib Dem MP for Bradford-on-Avon, is working with local residents to fight plans for 200 houses on a golf course in the town.

The owners and developers of the site have applied for permission to build an access road from Greenland View and Mythern Meadow.

Local residents living near the site have collected hundreds of petition signatures, and the Liberal Democrat Town Council, have listened to the concerns and opposed plans for any development on the site. The decision now rests with West Wilts District Council.

Duncan Hames commented on the plans, “I am backing local residents all the way. This site is not allocated for housing in the local plan, and should not be built on.

“It is a valuable recreation space for people in the town, local roads are not suited to the increased traffic from more houses.
“How could the district council approve even more building in Bradford, when nothing has been done to tackle air pollution in the town?”

Duncan Hames spoke at the public meeting in July and is helping local people mount their campaigns.

Duncan Hames joins protesters against the council’s handling of traveller consultation.

Duncan Hames, prospective Lib Dem MP for Chippenham, has slammed the secretive approach of Tory-run North Wiltshire District Council to deciding on future travellers sites.

The Conservative Executive of the district council were poised to approve a new traveller site earlier this summer without even telling local residents.

At the last minute, an angry crowd forced them to start a public consultation.
The council still insisted on keeping several of the sites they had considered a secret, and only went public with a handful of most unsuitable council-owned plots.

Duncan Hames, along with local councillors Sylvia Doubell, John Scragg and hundreds of local people, marched through the streets in protest to the way the council had handled the consultation.

One banner during the march read ‘NWDC need to listen’ and another declared ‘Its time you supported us!’ After a shambolic consultation process, the council finally announced that all the sites had been rejected.
They have now put-off solving this issue for the new Wiltshire Council to decide.

Duncan Hames said “All the council have achieved is to waste lots of staff time and council taxes, causing many local residents lost sleep and worry.”

Local Labour and Conservative councillors have teamed up to prevent Liberal Democrat questions about Chippenham Hospital.

Residents have expressed shock after it emerged that Conservative and Labour councillors have prevented the Lib Dems from looking into the cuts at Chippenham hospital.

In a surprise move, the Conservative council voted to oust Lib Dem Chris Caswill as the head of the council’s watchdog committee, after doing a deal behind the scenes with a Labour Councillor.

The committee is there to keep a check on the actions of the Tory controlled council and other local agencies.

Local councillors have said they believe the move came about because Cllr Caswill was pushing hard to look into recent health cuts.

Cllr Caswill pressed for the Wiltshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) to be called into account for their closures at Chippenham hospital several times, but this was always blocked by the Conservatives.
Now they have got rid of him all together.

Duncan Hames, prospective Lib Dem MP said: “Chris worked very hard for local people, too hard for the Conservative Party’s liking.”

“It is a disgrace that local people will not get their questions asked by this important committee.”

There are now fears that his replacement, the only Labour councillor in North Wiltshire will silence the issue.

The councillor is also a paid director of the Wiltshire NHS Trust, which would make it very difficult for her to lead inquiries into any matter relating to Chippenham hospital.