Over the last few months there has been no shortage of debate about Wiltshire Council’s new HRC booking system.
The new system now requires residents to book a slot online before visiting the tip. Cabinet argues that the changes will help “manage demand, improve efficiency and reduce queues”. Critics (like me) have questioned whether the extra faff, on top of the move to 3-weekly black bin collections, will lead to an increase in fly-tipping.
Nobody enjoys arriving at the tip to find a long queue, so if technology can improve the experience it’s worth exploring. However, I have literally never seen anyone queuing at Devizes HRC so why make it more complicated than it needs to be? DEFRA is clear – the harder you make it for people to legally get rid of rubbish, the greater the risk that some of it ends up in a lay-by or country lane. I‘ll await the evidence, although I have already been told data on queue times, number of vehicles on the road outside and accurate visitor numbers has never been recorded, so quite how they intend to prove the system benefits us is anyone’s guess.
In positive local news, you may have seen recent coverage of Lavington School which continues to go from strength to strength. There is a tendency for politicians to talk endlessly about “supporting young people” while overlooking one of the most important ingredients of a thriving rural community – having an excellent local school. Lavington School has quietly built a reputation that extends far beyond the villages it directly serves. The school’s sixth form, which I wrote to the Education Secretary to support in 2024, started its second academic year in September, allowing more young people to continue their education locally rather than travelling elsewhere.
This month Lavington School ranked as the most oversubscribed non-selective secondary school in the county with 205 applications for 168 Year 7 places. Oversubscription is a strong sign that a school is doing things right; families are voting with their feet and choosing where they want their children educated. Coupled with above average GCSE results, Lavington is flying high, but with any successful school comes challenges, car parking being an obvious one. I remain encouraged by the Headteacher’s dedication to working proactively with the community and a plan is in motion.
Lavington’s achievements belong not just to the leadership team and teaching staff but also to generations of pupils, parents, governors and supporters who have helped build the school’s reputation over many years. It is easy to take local institutions for granted until we lose them. At a time when so much public debate focuses on what is going wrong, it is important to take a moment to recognise what is going right. Across The Lavingtons we are fortunate to have five fantastic schools that attract families from across the wider area. Even households without school aged children will see a benefit due to the increased desirability of our villages due to the huge number of families who choose where to live based on the presence of highly rated schools.
You may contact me about this or any other matter by email to dominic.muns@wiltshire.gov.uk or by phone on 07585 394 178.
