March Newsletter available now

25th March 2020 by Dawn Wilson

Each household in the parish should have had a copy of the newsletter by the end of March.  If you haven’t then please click here to view.

Key information: It contains details of local volunteers offering to help with shopping and pharmacy collections; details of an Open Space Survey; recycling changes; defibrillator update and contact details for the parish clerk.

For more support and information see the post below.

Coronavirus update March 24th

24th March 2020 by Dawn Wilson

Much has changed in the past week.  We are now in lockdown mode where only essential journeys are permitted.  Unless you are a Key Worker you should be staying at home.  Leisure centres, libraries and clothes shops are all closed, as are hairdressers and beauty salons. Supermarkets, some garages, other food outlets and pharmacies remain open for essentials.  Public Transport is running a much reduced service.

Here are some websites that will be updated with information that can provide help that is being offered by local volunteers.  These facilities are all supported by Wiltshire Council at this time.

Wiltshire Councils Coronavirus news page with links to your local service hubs, other news, definitions and home learning choices.

You should first contact your local village support group listed in the March 2020 Newsletter and on the Oare Village Website

Your local Corona Virus Volunteer hub is the PCCA (Pewsey Coronavirus Community Assistance) running out of a local cafe in Pewsey – click here and sign up online to receive help or to volunteer. This group is covering the wider Pewsey Vale including those living on the Kennet and Avon Canal and has the support of local businesses and other resources.

Any local farmers who are struggling with staff shortages, please contact Cllr Dawn Wilson on 01672 563917.  We are aware you may have issues and are trying to set up a support group across the Vale of Pewsey.

Look out for further updates and support as they appear.  Facebook is one way of keeping up with local happenings.

Above all, try not to focus all your time on the media and other news outlets.  Hysteria and doom saying are detrimental to your well being.  Take this time to catch up with neighbours and old friends online or by phone , do NOT visit.  Try out that new hobby or list of jobs you don’t ever get around to. If you are used to group activities try video messaging or Facetime to exercise collectively in your own homes or look out for online Choirs popping up.  “Necessity is the mother of invention,” so go invent!

Corona Virus and your community

by Dawn Wilson

At this time the parish has coordinators in each village coordinating volunteers with those residents needing help. They are John MacAuslan for Wilcot, Victoria Le Suere for Oare and Dawn Wilson for Huish, Draycot and the Stowells.  Do not visit the coordinator’s homes, just be aware that they will be in contact with you or look out on the parish noticeboards for how to get in touch.  Contact cards are also being delivered in some cases.  The other parish councillors are helping out where they can.

If you have symptoms or someone in your household does, do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. You do not need to call NHS 111 to tell them you are staying at home. If you feel you can’t cope with your symptoms at home, your condition gets worse, or your symptoms do not get better after 7 days, then use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service.

The parish council will be receiving communications from the Unitary Council who receive their communications from central government.  Visit Wiltshire Councils website for their latest news updates.  Here is the short post from Wiltshire Council for March 19th 2020:

Coronavirus is at the forefront of everyone’s minds at the moment and it’s hard to know which sources of information you should keep up to date with.

We will be providing updates on our services on our website and you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

For central government updates follow:
Public Health England
NHS
Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Our leader Cllr Philip Whitehead has given an update on what actions we’ve taken so far. He also advises what you can do as a community to support one another: Video Clip here

There is also a community pack from Wiltshire Council you can download:  Download our community toolkit

More locally for those online on Facebook, there is a new Pewsey Community Corona Assistance page that is coordinating volunteers and requests for help across the Pewsey Vale.  They have linked in with local businesses to share resources and try to get information and help to those not online or more remote.

STAY SAFE – Whilst everyone is keen to help each other there is always an unscrupulous element of society who see this as an opportunity for cold calling, fraud and theft.  So please be very careful when visiting the vulnerable and elderly and take precautions if someone you do not know knocks on your door unsolicited.  If you are not sure who they are, call the organiser of any group you might be expecting to visit and confirm their identity.  A few more minutes and a bit of research might save a lot of misery.

Finally, the next meetings relating to the Parish moved to a new date in May.  This meeting may have to be done remotely. Whatever happens, we will keep you informed via this website and the new Parish Noticeboards.

Cllr Dawn Wilson

Draft minutes of the meeting of the Parish Council on 10th March 2020

23rd March 2020 by Dawn Wilson

Draft Minutes of the meeting of Wilcot and Huish with Oare Parish Council held on 10th March 2020

Click here to view

Annual Parish Meeting and Parish Annual General Meeting- new date May 19th at Wilcot Village Hall- cancelled

1st March 2020 by Dawn Wilson

Residents are usually invited to find out what the parish council has done in the past year.  During the current crisis, all public meetings have been cancelled or will be delivered electronically.  We will post any news via the websites and noticeboards.

Meeting of Wilcot and Huish with Oare Parish Council Tuesday March 10th at 7-30pm

by Dawn Wilson

You are invited to a meeting of Wilcot and Huish with Oare Parish Council on Tuesday March 10th at 7-30pm at Oare Village Hall.

Issues you wish to raise should be emailed to the Clerk.

Click here to view the agenda.

Minutes of the Planning Meeting on February 11th 2020

28th February 2020 by Dawn Wilson

Minutes of the Planning Meeting on February 11th 2020 are available.

Click here to view

Planning meeting of Wilcot and Huish with Oare Parish Council on Tuesday Feb 11th at 7-30pm at Wilcot Village Hall

6th February 2020 by Dawn Wilson

You are invited to attend a planning meeting of Wilcot and Huish with Oare Parish Council on Tuesday Feb 11th at 7-30pm at Wilcot Village Hall.  Click here for an agenda.

Community Governance Review – Potential changes to Parish boundary- what you need to know and do!

24th January 2020 by Dawn Wilson

Some residents will have had a letter from Wiltshire Council relating to this item.  Unfortunately the documentation is not very clear as to what is proposed.  For clarity here is a brief overview:

The parish boundary between Oare and Pewsey is incorrectly recorded on the official OS map.  This needs to be corrected.  Currently the properties of Hillview and the houses contiguous to Hillview on Sunnyhill Lane are within the Wilcot and Huish with Oare Joint Parish precept and electoral roll.  However the parish boundary on the OS map cuts through some properties on the current “incorrect” map, putting them in Pewsey Parish. Those residents who do not wish to find their properties moved across to Pewsey Parish, due to a relocated boundary,  need to  complete the Community Governance Review Survey January 2020 stating clearly that they wish to remain in the Parish of Wilcot and Huish with Oare.

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/council-democracy-cgr   Look at the information relating to “Wilcot”. or email you form or letter to CGR@Wiltshire.gov.uk

Item two relates to two issues.  Firstly the Joint parish councils of Wilcot and Huish were never officially “joined” although they have operated as such for decades. Secondly Wilcot Parish is made up of two Wards, Wilcot East (most of Oare) and Wilcot West (mainly Wilcot and the Stowells).  The Parish Council has proposed that the two Wilcot Wards and Huish are merged into one clearly and legally defined Parish Council.

I hope this provides some clarity on what is a confusing subject, as reported in the local press and documented by Wiltshire Council.  It is important that those residents of Sunnyhill Lane near the A345 and Hillview make their situation and parish preferences clearly known through this process. 

Posted by Cllr D Wilson

Minutes of the Parish Meeting 14th January 2020

by Dawn Wilson

Please find here the minutes of the meeting of Wilcot ans Huish with Oare Parish Council meeting held at Wilcot on January 14th 2020.  Click here to view.