The Parish Council Clerk has asked me to post the following on the website :-

Notice of Vacancy_Hankerton Parish_19.1.18

Form to request election

Did you know that one of Britains’ rarest moths is living in your parish?  The Barberry Carpet moth was once far more common but is now restricted to only a few colonies with its’ stronghold being in North Wiltshire.  As the name suggests, the Barberry Carpet feeds on Common Barberry Berberis vulgaris, but this is actually the only food-plant that this moth will use.  Other Berberis cultivars that are readily available in garden centres and gardens throughout Britain just won’t do for this very particular moth!

With support from Heritage Lottery Funding, this moth is now receiving an extra helping hand from the charity Butterfly Conservation through one of many Back from the Brink Projects that have been launched to help some of the rarest species in Britain.  The Project Officer Fiona Haynes would love to hear from anyone in the parish who would be interested in having some Barberry plants for their garden or on their land.  BC are planting many more plants in and around existing colonies of the moth in order to link the remaining colonies and increase the available habitat for the moth.  Barberry is not just important for one moth as it also supports a range of other invertebrates and the berries provide food for small mammals and birds.  Fiona can be contacted at fhaynes@butterfly-conservation.org or 07483 039323.

Barberry Carpet Moth

Claudine Pynn has forwarded on these “Thank You” letters following funds collected whilst carol singing before Christmas :

Dorothy House Athelstan 2018 Reply

This desk and drawer set are being given away free to anyone that wants them. All you need to do is let Fiona know and collect them.

Please email : fionacowlam@hotmail.com

Sizes
Desk W160cm, D120cm, H71cm.
Drawers W44cm, D66cm, H58cm.

Toby has asked us to let people know that The Wheatsheaf in Crudwell is organising a Burns Night on Thursday 25th Jan.

Full details are in the pdf : Burns Night at the Wheatsheaf Inn

Dear Sir or Madam,

I wanted to inform you about the launch of my consultation on the policing precept for 2018/19. I would be grateful if you could share this and make residents aware of opportunities for consultation. The details are set out below or you can access a video of me outlining the proposals at https://youtu.be/lsKkPmUd1Nc

The policing precept consultation which launches today (2/1/2018) is looking for the views of Wiltshire residents on the proposed increase of £12 a year.

Currently the average band D household contributes £14.19 per month to local policing, but if residents back the proposal then this would rise to £15.19 per month.

As a Force, Wiltshire Police has seen the second highest increase in demand across the country in the last year yet the funding we receive from central government doesn’t recognise the increasing pressures our service is under.

In fact we receive the fourth lowest funding per head of population in England and Wales.

Since 2010, Wiltshire Police has received £19 million less but have been responding to more crimes and supporting more members of the public year on year.

Whilst we live in an incredibly safe county, there’s only so far the budget will stretch and we’re streamlining our services to ensure they’re as efficient as possible at the same time as keeping the public safe, but we are feeling the squeeze more than ever. Without this increase Wiltshire Police will have to look at further reductions in officers and staff to close a budget gap of around £3m.

That’s why I am asking whether residents in Wiltshire and Swindon would be prepared to pay an extra £1 a month to help bridge this gap.

This increase will mean that I can protect frontline services from further reductions and maintain the current level of service.

The consultation which runs from 2^nd January 2018 to midday 31^st January 2018 wants to hear your views on the proposed increase. 

For more information on how to share your views please visit www.wiltshire-pcc.gov.uk, you can also email pcc@wiltshire.pcc.pnn.gov.uk or use #AskAngusPCC on social media.

With best wishes for 2018,
Angus Macpherson MBE
Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon