A bit like shutting the door after the horse has bolted .... Here are answers to questions that I asked the best part of 2 weeks ago, which were handed in printout form to the chair of the meeting ("they will be answered before the meeting"). I have now just found them online
What I asked:
The sustainability appraisal report suggests that option 3 could "affect the viability of town centre businesses". That's not just saying it would make life harder for them - it's saying that it would force them to close.
How many businesses, employing how many, would be lost over what period, at what costs to the town's economy?
What compensating new private business would develop at / around the campus?
Is this business change reflected in the costings provided at a general level, or at a council level with things like changes to town centre parking revenue?
Answer given:
In the event that the area board and subsequently Cabinet approve the proposal to develop campus facilities on the Woolmore Farm site then it is intended that some form of economic impact assessment be carried out.
The Council has also submitted an EU funding bid for support for incubator units and start-up businesses, which specifically mentions Melksham. Officers of the Council would be very happy to work with any Shadow Community Operations Board to help develop this aspect of the project, which officers would hope would focus on the town centre area.
Furthermore, as part of the development of the Core Strategy, officers from the Council [82][ac] Ä s Economic Development team will be at Seend Community Centre on 12 April; we would encourage anyone with an interest in the future economic growth of Melksham to attend.
And I asked:
Cooper Tires has reduced its workforce over the years, and questions have been asked with regard to their long term need for a site as large as they have close to the town centre and river. Have there been any discussions with Cooper Tires / and consideration given to an option on that site - perhaps a riverside option? If not, why not? If there have been, why was the option ruled out?
Answer given:
There have not been any discussions regarding the campus proposals with Cooper Tires to date. However, assuming local members resolve to support the proposed single site campus, all land options would be re-evaluated based on an advertised request for owners of available land to come forward for consideration.
Cooper Tires are an independent landowner and company who at any time may approach the Council with a proposal if they wish. The Council has no influence over this.
Full answer set via:
http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/council/areaboards/melkshamareaboard/melkshamcommunitycampus.htm
Comment
a) I don't believe my first set of questions was answered. The response is at a tangent to the information requested; I surmise that they're saying "we don't know, but we have great thoughts and would like you to come to another meeting".
b) There could be a chink of light here ...
(written 2011-04-01)
Associated topics are indexed as below, or enter http://melksh.am/nnnn for individual articles
Z405 - Melksham Campus [3193] Melksham Campus - what, why, questions, concerns and how you can input - (2011-03-04)
[3214] Melksham Campus - any last minute inputs from Melksham businesses? - (2011-03-26)
[3224] Melksham Campus - a win / win opportunity, but a severely lacking decision process - (2011-03-31)
[3246] Melksham - the way forward. 26th April, Well House Manor - (2011-04-13)
[3277] Between a rock and a hard place. - (2011-05-04)
[3279] Letter to The Editor - (2011-05-06)
[3325] The Olympic Torch, and Melksham House - (2011-06-14)
[3481] Some thoughts in answer to some Melksham Campus questions - (2011-10-14)
[3500] Campus Shadow - a great responsibility - (2011-10-30)
[3503] Melksham House - a community facility - (2011-10-31)
[3518] Melksham House / Melksham Campus - Seniors Input Sought - (2011-11-12)
[3520] Quintessentially English - scenes from our Wiltshire town - (2011-11-14)
[3735] A walk around Melksham this morning. Can you place all of these? - (2012-05-17)
[3736] Abstraction - (2012-05-19)
[3741] Low carbon and other environmental lessons for the Melksham Campus? - (2012-05-23)
[3748] Not everyone has a computer - 9 more ways to learn about the Melksham Campus - (2012-06-03)
[3812] The Melksham News - July 2012 - Part 1, Campus and Chamber of Commerce - (2012-07-22)
[3888] What a difference a year made - Melksham Campus - (2012-10-12)
[3901] How much parking should there be at Melksham Campus? - (2012-10-21)
[4048] Art, Catering, Transport - Melksham Campus Elements - reaching local experts - (2013-03-19)
[4103] Questions from children about Melksham Campus - (2013-05-26)
[4311] Melksham Campus - how is it going - October 2014 - (2014-10-06)
[4399] The Campus in Melksham - name, logo, and livery choice - (2015-01-18)
[4418] Melksham Community Campus - which of these potential signs do you like? - (2015-02-07)
[4423] Campus - about the logos / way marks you have been choosing from - (2015-02-11)
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