I'm a member of the SCOB - the Shadow Campus Operations Board - and last night I attended a meeting to learn about the uses that are being made of current facilities, from their users, about their current concerns, and about what they would like to see for the future. I can't possibly be knowledgeable about everything - so I have to learn, and to help (with other members of the SCOB) gather views, requirements and desires, so that we can come up with something which best meets the needs of Melksham for future years.
This SCOB membership makes me intensely busy - we met in full last week and will do so again next week. I have a meeting on Saturday afternoon, another on Monday evening and that one I mentioned yesterday (Tuesday). And I'll be at a meeting with a SCOB element tonight too. It's been like this for a while, and will continue to be so. BUT questions like "What is the SCOB?" and statements like "Never heard of you" are all too common. And that's not really a surprise - after all, how do you reach everyone?
To make it far easier for people to find out what's going on, and for people to be able to make inputs, the SCOB is starting a website, in the format of a blog where all the SCOB members can post. Comments will be accepted - and indeed encouraged - to allow inputs from anyone, and we'll be providing "Open question" posts so that anyone can raise anything they wish. Of course, it's not "one size fits all". The website is at
http://www.melkshamcampus-scob.org.uk/. There is already information being provided to users at some existing sites and to groups and individuals who are interested, the press is being informed (and we have excellent local press in Melksham), and more will follow.
My answer to the person who said "Never heard of you" is "you have now" ... that's good. It's even better because we're able to start a conversation - we have a route through which we can reach you, and a route through which you can make comments and ask questions.
(written 2012-02-08, updated 2012-02-18)
Associated topics are indexed as below, or enter http://melksh.am/nnnn for individual articles
Z403 - Organisations [58] Call Centres, selling, and a pause for thought - (2004-09-22)
[307] Farming yesterday - (2005-05-10)
[472] Are you free on 29th October - Charity ball - (2005-10-21)
[981] Finalist reception - Wiltshire Business of the Year - (2006-12-13)
[1258] A day looking ahead for Well House Consultants - (2007-07-05)
[1278] West Wilts Show - (2007-07-26)
[1280] West Wilts - no longer Wet Wilts - show - (2007-07-28)
[2012] The Wiltshire Police - (2009-01-29)
[2015] Service Excellence Awards - (2009-01-30)
[2026] Melksham Climate Friendly Group - (2009-02-05)
[2128] Wiltshire - where everybody matters - (2009-04-13)
[2236] Alumni - revisiting and supporting the old University - (2009-06-13)
[2271] Dogs Trust, Dog Show, Newbury - (2009-07-06)
[2574] Summary of Wiltshire Core Strategy responses - (2010-01-13)
[2585] Consultation in Melksham, on Melkshams future - (2010-01-17)
[2807] Canal through Melksham - the options and issues - (2010-06-13)
[2869] Contact Information for Melksham Oak Community School - (2010-07-13)
[2902] Community consultation - a true open input - (2010-08-04)
[3317] Self Portrait (in words) - (2011-06-04)
[3484] A Melksham Timeline - Domesday to present day - (2011-10-17)
[3511] Melksham has a heart - have your picture taken and support the defibrillator appeal - (2011-11-06)
[3677] Some advise for guest speakers at meetings - (2012-03-31)
[3704] The Bowerhill Villager - a newsletter for Bowerhill, Melksham - (2012-04-22)
[3712] Some unpublished and historic pictures - Museum of Melksham - (2012-04-28)
[3774] Melksham - a new dawn - (2012-06-23)
[4020] Melksham Community - Annual Report / MCAP - (2013-02-26)
[4039] Seed Swap at Well House Manor - (2013-03-10)
[4548] Melksham - two small townships, or one big one? - (2015-10-22)
Some other Articles
Design Patterns - what are they? Why use them?Designing your application - using UML techniquesGypsy and Billy enjoy the snowSnow comes to Melksham, Wiltshire - picturesMelksham Campus - a blog you can read, and a place you can commentAnother cold nightEmerging proposals for land to the east of Spa Road, MelkshamRail Travel - has it become more unreliable?Visa, MasterCard and American Express - changing payment profilesSeeing how Melksham has changed over the years, via an iPad