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Hilperton Neighbourhood Plan

The project to create a Neighbourhood Development Plan for Hilperton has been running for about a year now. 

The draft plan is ready for consideration and comment by the residents of the Parish (Reg 14 consultation).

It, and supporting documents, can be downloaded using the Neighbourhood Plan link at the top of this page.

Hard copies can be viewed at the village hall, the local churches, Hilperton School, the Garden Centre, the Lion & Fiddle, Marsh Road Stores, and Trowbridge Library.

The deadline for comments to the draft is 30th June 2017.

During the consultation period there will a presentation of the draft plan at the village fete on 10th June at the playing field in Whaddon Lane.

HPC precept set

The main point was that the PC agreed unanimously NOT to increase its precept (council tax) for 2017/18.

It also agreed its support for St. Michael pre-school with its possible move to new premises adjacent to the village hall, set aside funds for increased grass cutting for Hilperton play areas and open spaces, increased funding for play equipment repair/replacement, and increased the budget allocation for traffic calming etc.

Full details of the budget can be obtained from the clerk via this web site.

Community Governance Review

Following the decision made by Wiltshire Council in July, to transfer some 200 houses from Hilperton to Trowbridge, the parish council considered its position.  It agreed to seek legal advice and this was received from both a solicitor and counsel.

Following this a Letter Before Action was sent to Wiltshire Council.

A reply was received and, after very careful consideration, the parish council decided that it would not proceed with a Judicial Review against Wiltshire Council.

Housing needs survey

Over the next few weeks, all houses in the parish should see an A4 size ‘brown envelope’ drop through their letterbox!!

It will contain a parish council newsletter and, more importantly, a Housing Needs Survey from Wiltshire Council.

Please ensure that you complete the survey and post it back to WC in the reply paid envelope supplied..

Parish Council by-election Information

Candidate information packs will be available from Wiltshire Council from Thursday 15th October.  Completed nomination forms have to be returned to Wiltshire Council between 10.00am and 4.00pm starting from Friday 16th October.   The deadline for receipt of nominations is 4.00pm on Friday 23rd  October.

Councillor by-election confirmed

The required number of Hilperton residents have contacted WC requesting that a by-election be held to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Cllr. Viv Bielecki last month

More details will be posted as they are known but the cost of the by-election, which has to be paid for by the council tax payers of Hilperton, could be in the region of £5,000.

Grit Bins!

Parish councils could see new bins provided and kept supplied with grit.

The suggested scheme is that the capital cost of the bins would be shared 50/50 by WC and the appropriate local council. The town council would then employ a contractor to fill the bins as required with the cost for filling bins in the parishes being bourne by the PC.

I hope that the parishes agree to this scheme as it seems to be a win/win situation with everyone working for the common good. Details Courtesy of Ernie Clark

Hilperton voted Best Kept Large Village 2012

Hilperton now has the report of the judges. Apart from Hilperton, the other large villages in the Wiltshire round were :-

  • Box (second)
  • Bowerhill (equal third)
  • Burbage (equal third)
  • Laverstock (fifth).

For Hilperton, the judges (Steve Russell and Air Cdre Nigel Williams) CPRE signcommented ‘What a wonderful village!  A church with well maintained borders and churchyard.  Families picnicking at the playing field, the best allotment site the judges had ever seen.  The school was neat and tidy; footpaths were well maintained and public open spaces and residential gardens were very well kept.  Despite a busy road through the village, litter was minimal.  Wonderful facilities all well cared for and well used – a real community village’.

What more needs to be said?  Other, of course, than a big ‘Thank You’ to all the residents that take a pride in our village and keep it looking so  great.

Ernie Clark
September 2012