Deputy Mayor Update: January 2026 - Council Decisions, Community Voices, and Project Updates

January 2026 has somehow already passed us by. I would like to begin this update by welcoming Cllr Adam Summers as a new town councillor for the Central Ward via election on 22 January and Cllr Sophie Myers was co‑opted to the Chilvester & Abberd Ward at the Full Council meeting of 26 January.

HR for Councillors

This year began with some useful HR for Councillors training — something that may surprise some. As a corporate body, the Council is the legal employer of all staff, and that responsibility sits with us collectively rather than with any one councillor. Training helps us understand what that really means in practice. It gives us the confidence to set budgets and policies at the right level, while recognising that day‑to‑day management belongs with the Town Clerk. Keeping those boundaries clear helps create a healthy, respectful working environment where everyone knows their role and can do their best work.

This was followed by a month of many meetings — 19 by my count. These ranged from working groups and committee meetings to sessions where I’m representing the council, as well as meetings with officers to move projects forward, including the development of the Council’s new website.

Governance, Policy, and Scrutiny Working Group

Due to the illness of the Chair, I was pleased to step in and chair the Governance, Policy and Scrutiny Working Group. Working groups are not delegated to make decisions, but they can make recommendations to their parent committee or to Full Council. From this meeting, one recommendation to Full Council was to update the flag policy so officers can apply for planning permission to fly the Progress Flag at the Town Hall.

Extraordinary Full Council meeting – Lower Compton HRC

I also chaired the Full Council meeting regarding the Town Council’s response to the closure of the Household Recycling Centre at Lower Compton, welcoming many members of the public, who spoke passionately about how this closure will negatively affect them. This resulted in a unanimous vote for the following motion, which was subsequently sent to Wiltshire Council:

“Calne Town Council opposes the closure of Lower Compton Recycling Centre until another suitable, and local, site is found and ready for use. Calne Town Council urge Wiltshire Council to continue negotiations with Hills to enable this to happen.

Calne Town Council expresses its disappointment in our Mayor’s abject failure to represent the best interests of the residents of Calne in the matter of Lower Compton Recycling Centre.”

Full Council meeting – Earmarked Reserves

The Council received the outcomes of November’s Strategic Planning Day and agreed to continue the work with further workshops to refine the long‑term vision, set review points, and plan wider community engagement. A valuation exercise for key council buildings was confirmed, with the Governance, Policy & Resources Committee to oversee the next steps.

Councillors also approved the updated Reserves Policy (2026) and agreed the year‑end adjustment process. As part of this, several earmarked and restricted reserves were moved into general reserves:

• EMR 321 – P&R Climate Change: £360
• EMR TCM Climate Change Reserve: £167
• RR Precept Support: £26,510
• RR Precept Contribution: £39,983

These reserves had either fulfilled their original purpose or were small amounts better held centrally. Moving them into general reserves strengthens the Council’s flexibility and financial resilience, supporting year‑end planning, risk management, and future budgeting. It also aligns with the newly approved Reserves Policy (2026), which sets out how reserves should be organised and adjusted.

Ninja Trail - Now Open!

I mentioned the Ninja Trail in my October 2025 update and was very glad to attend the soft opening, which instantly attracted children to the equipment. The ninja trail and toddler zone are now fully open, with a formal launch planned for Easter Sunday. You can check out both areas in the following videos:

 

@calnepastandpresent Ninja Trail now open! Today we had a soft opening of Calne's new Ninja Trail - a project I first proposed in April 2025 after the community's disappointment over the splash pad. Thanks to the commitment of councillors, staff, and our Outdoor Spaces Working Group, this 'destination' play area has moved from idea to reality. It's a proud moment for Calne and an exciting new space for families to enjoy. #ninja #gladiators #play #park #destination ♬ Golden - HUNTR/X & EJAE & AUDREY NUNA & REI AMI & KPop Demon Hunters Cast

@calnepastandpresent Jungle-themed toddler zone now open at The Recreation Ground Calne #play #zone #jungle #park #calne ♬ Akon's Beautiful Day - Akon

As we move into February, I’m looking forward to continuing the work already underway — from strategic planning to community projects — and keeping you updated as things progress. Thank you to everyone who has engaged, attended meetings, or shared their views this month.

Place names of Calne: Wenhill Heights and Wenhill Lane

Wenhill Heights

Wenhill Heights was build c. late 1980s by Persimmon Homes as a development of detached and semi-detached properties in primarily red brick and stone.

The name Wenhill comes from the common field, known on the 1831 boundary map of Calne as Went Hills and in c. 1728 as Win Hill. The name for this field has had many names, and by the 1840s tithes had the following names: Whenhill, Wenhills, and Wenhill.  After the enclosures of the early 1800s, 28 acres of the Wenhill common field was converted into a park for Vern Leaze (16 Silver Street).

Wenhill Lane is an early road that would have been in use prior to the Bristol road, now the A4, started to take traffic[1]. Wenhill Lane now leads to Wenhill Cottages.


References:
[1] Calne: Introduction | British History Online. 2019. Calne: Introduction | British History Online. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol17/pp27-34. [Accessed 23 October 2019].

Place names of Calne: Saddleback Close

Saddleback Close

Saddleback Close is a development of 2 terraced town houses constructed with gambrel roofs, c. 1996.

The name likely refers to saddleback breeds of pig, possibly the Wessex breed that was combined with the Essex Saddleback in the 1960s to create the British Saddleback. However, saddleback can refer to markings resembling a saddle on various animals and there saddled/belted pigs in the west country as far back as the early 1800s[1].

References:
[1] Rare Breeds Survival Trust. 2019. British Saddleback | Rare Breeds Survival Trust . [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.rbst.org.uk/british-saddleback. [Accessed 11 October 2019].

Deputy Mayor Update: December 2025 - Investing in our Future and Honouring our Past

On 10 December 2025, Town Councillors met to agree on the budget for the 2026/27 financial year. While the decision to raise the precept was a difficult one, our goal is to ensure our town continues to thrive through steady investment in our local services and environment.

Your Precept Update

To fund these improvements, there will be a small change to the annual precept.
For a Band D property, the figures are:

• Current Rate: £260.19 per year (£5.00 per week)

• New Rate: £288.81 per year (£5.55 per week)

• The Change: An increase of 55p per week, totalling £28.60 for the year.

The total precept requested for the year is £1,934,744. While this is an 11% rise, it remains below many recent cost-of-living increases. This adjustment allows the Council to deliver more for everyone who lives and works here.

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Where the Investment Goes

We want to be clear about how these funds are being put to work for the community. Key projects include:

• Community & Events: Increasing grants for local groups and hosting more events at the recreation ground.

• Sustainability: Investing in green spaces and a new solar battery project, which is set to save the town £5,000 every year.

• Better Communication: Launching a new, accessible website and improving how we reach out to residents.

• Governance & Transparency: Funding councillor training and live-streaming meetings so you can easily stay informed.

• Staffing & Operations: Adding new roles and conducting reviews to ensure our team can continue to provide high-quality service.

To ensure the precept is used effectively, a Full Council meeting in January will confirm the specific budget allocations for the year ahead.

Letters to Heaven Unveiling

On 17 December, I officially unveiled the "Letters to Heaven" post box at Curzon Street Cemetery. The ceremony was led by myself and Reverend Caspar Bush, joined by our community partners and members of the public. This partnership highlights the compassion and creativity that make Calne a special place to live.

This community-led project provides a quiet, dedicated space for residents to send messages, birthday wishes, or notes of remembrance to loved ones they have lost.

The "Letters to Heaven" post box is managed through a dedicated partnership designed to ensure that every message is handled with the utmost respect and sensitivity.

Odette Funeral Director oversees the regular collection of all letters and cards from the cemetery. Once collected, these messages are kept in a secure, private location. To ensure complete confidentiality and peace of mind for the community, no letters are ever opened or read.

Each year on Easter Sunday, the collected messages are taken to Reverend Caspar Bush. In a final act of remembrance and respect, the Reverend performs a formal cremation of all the letters and cards. This process ensures that the private thoughts and wishes of residents are handled with care from the moment they are posted until their final commendation.

To initiate the unveiling, I prepared and read the following:

Friends and neighbours, thank you for joining us today.

This Letters to Heaven post box began as a heartfelt idea shared by a member of our community. Lucy reached out earlier this year, having experienced her own loss, and wondered whether Calne might benefit from a place where people could write to loved ones they miss.

Her suggestion touched me deeply, and I know it resonates with many of you.

The Letters to Heaven post box is more than a simple object; it is a vessel for love, remembrance, and connection. It offers us a gentle way to express feelings that often go unspoken — to write to those we miss, to share memories, and to keep bonds alive. We all carry names and faces in our hearts — loved ones who shaped us, guided us, and whose absence we feel. This post box gives us a way to honour them, to speak to them, and to keep their presence alive in our lives.

Calne has always been a town that values togetherness. This post box reminds us that grief and remembrance are not solitary journeys, but shared experiences. By supporting this project, we affirm that every voice, every memory, and every story matters.

And so today, we thank Lucy for her courage in sharing her idea, and we thank everyone who has helped bring it to life. May this post box be a source of comfort and connection for all who need it.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the following partners who made this project possible:

• Inspiration: Local resident Lucy, who brought the idea forward.

• Support: Members at Calne Town Council for voting to accept the proposal of this project, along with officers, particularly Rob Mercer and Kelly Adams.

• Construction: Signature Fencing, Chalford Building Supplies, and the Calne Town Council Grounds Team for providing materials and creating the reflection area.

• Management: Odette Funeral Director, who will collect the letters regularly, and the team at St Mary the Virgin Church.

Please feel free to visit the post box whenever you wish to share a message or a moment of reflection.

And finally...

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐚𝐩

For a while, I've been tinkering with a Google map that highlights Calne’s international connections with its twinned towns: Charlieu (France), Eningen unter Achalm (Germany), and Caln Township (USA).

Each pin reveals cultural, historical, and civic links, including street names, exchange events, and shared heritage.

Here's the link:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/4/edit?mid=1jCcPHaH_bTIVAwlZUEawqlie_HMmOvo&usp=sharing

If you can think of other items to add, please let me know!

Place names of Calne: Hillcroft

Hillcroft

Hillcroft is a field name meaning land on or that contains rising ground. The name has been in use since at least 1828, when it appeared on a map by Thomas Cruse. Hillcroft was also used as the name for 23 Anchor Road, which is currently known as Kew House.

Hillcroft was owned by the Calne Methodist Church and was leased to Calne Town Council for more close to 60 years before it was sold. In 1989, the trustees of the Calne Methodists terminated the lease, valued at £350 annually, and allowed the Council to continue using the field without charge on licence until possession was needed. Neither the Council or residents were happy at the loss of recreational open space or the potential for development of the land.

Eventually, the Council would acquire the land, part of which became a small development of five red brick houses built c. 1999 - 2002[1]. The planning application submitted by Calne Town Council also included the resurfacing of a play ground into a car park and access road. This allows access to Hillcroft Playing Fields, which is next to The Recreation Grounds. In 2013, Olympian, Bobby White captain of GB's handball team, opened a family-inclusive sports area at Hillcroft. This was built via a Section 106 agreement with Hill Homes as part of their development at Sandpit Road[2].


References:
[1] Planning application N/98/01722/FUL
[2] The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald. 2020. Olympian on hand to open Calne sports area | The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/10451941.olympian-on-hand-to-open-calne-sports-area/. [Accessed 10 March 2020].