I support five parish councils and try to make myself available at every monthly meeting and throughout the month to answer emails, telephone calls and make site visits. As the foundation of local governance, our parish councillors do a fantastic job and I support them fully at every opportunity.
The issue I hear most about from residents is speeding. Every village I cover has a speeding issue to varying degrees. Whether it is 90mph+ on Spin Hill in Market Lavington, or habitual 40mph+ speeds through The Cheverells, West Lavington or Easterton, the impact is the same, added danger for other road users, pedestrians and horse riders. I have a “direct line” to our Police & Crime Commissioner as well as the Roads Policing unit at Wiltshire Police which means I can call on them for speed enforcement where we need it. This, together with my work as Chair of the Local Highways & Footpaths Improvement Group, means I can support our community in tackling speeding and other Highways infrastructure problems.
Planning is another interesting topic I often get involved with. Most projects that I see are straightforward – small extensions, listed building consent, tree work etc. Occasionally we have large and contentious projects, and I am never afraid to fight when a proposal negatively impacts our community. Hedges House in West Lavington is a good example of such an application on which I refused to backdown, instead taking it to the Eastern Area Planning Committee and winning a refusal. There is always the right for an applicant to appeal to the Government’s Planning Inspectorate, however, the cost of this (and the risk of losing at appeal) should not see us give up at the first stage. Aster regrettably lodged an appeal to the Hedges House refusal, rather than listening to you and your passionate feedback. This month I have been working on a defence to the appeal which is due to be discussed soon.
You may have seen me on ITV recently alongside Victoria Park residents and our MP Danny Kruger. The residents in Victoria Park have put up with failed street lighting, dangerous pavements and a village green that became a building site years ago. The problem lies with the fact that the entire estate, which sits alongside HMP Erlestoke, is owned by the Ministry of Justice. I work closely with our Wiltshire MPs on various matters, and I am pleased to have their personal support when needed. Victoria Park and my work with Danny is a great example of the strong links Wiltshire Councillors have with our MPs.
Those of you following the Black Dog Crossroads project will know that I asked both our Cabinet Member for Highways, and a representative from the Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner to accompany me on a site visit to the junction to demonstrate the dangers first-hand. Thankfully my perseverance in attempting to reduce speed on the A360 through the junction resulted in our campaign group gaining two important allies. In June I have a follow-up meeting with the Corporate Director for Place, who sits at the top of the Highways chain, to progress things.
Over the last year I have also championed significant improvements to Market Lavington’s road infrastructure, formulated plans for waiting restrictions across West Lavington, given my support for Lavington School’s Post-16 education offering, and dealt with Wiltshire Police on numerous acts of vandalism and criminal damage. I have also helped individual residents with social housing issues and supported youth focused projects across the area – and that’s without even touching on the work I do with the Education & Skills portfolio across the whole of Wiltshire.
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.
