Tisbury Parish including Upper Chicksgrove Also West Tisbury Parish
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One moved into the UPPER
CHICKSGROVE area of Tisbury Parish in 1980, however our family had
sent cousin Finetta (Downe) to Tisbury via Dinton by 4th.May
1674. As a new comer I wasn't minded to seek election to any local
Council here , though one had previously twice stood for election as
an Independent to the New Forest District Council, after eight years
residence in that location.
One had three daughters,
all fortuitously soon at Salisbury Girl's Grammar School. Possibly
locals may not be aware that in those days ,Tisbury persons were
ineligible for Salisbury Grammar Schools. However my old spirit being
undulled,one contested such ineligibility, and despite there being no
vacancy at the girls grammar school, the school was required on
appeal, to accommodate yet another girl, because there were vacancies
at the Boys Grammar, and equality of the sexes was then of prime
import. It was after our entry, that Tisbury persons were deemed
eligible for selection to the Salisbury Grammar Schools. Certainly
before then some Catholic children could be sent by the Council to
Catholic Private Schools such as St.Mary's at Shaftesbury. I did
actually offer to let our girls go there , rather than to a Salisbury
Grammar School, but the Council thought that an expensive option.
Attendance at Salisbury
wasn't that straight forward, for there was soon the suggestion that
both its Grammar Schools be abolished. Thus one was busy assisting
others in their fight for the retention of both schools. Though one
left most of the enterprise to them, one assisted, becoming too
Secretary and Treasurer of the PTA. At South Wilts.
Having never lost interest
in local governance, there came a time one wondered whether to have a
stab at candidacy for Salisbury District Council, however saw no
actual vacancy, nor considered myself in any way better suited to
attempt either Tisbury seat, than those who then represented us. That
was as well, for decision was next made to abolish the District
Council and have but County and Parish Councils. The probability of
my failure apart , it was as well one hadn't stood for election as
an Independent, for one next heard that none of those elected in our
area was considered suited to hold 'office' at Trowbridge, though the
Council chair was herself elevated to become a member of the House of
Lords.
Tisbury Village, has
Parish Councils for each of its two constituent parishes . People did
volunteer their services as Councillors, but seemingly too few do so
now. I recall a while back, that a then sitting Parish Councillor and
I, made complaint to the then District Council that Tisbury Parish
Council had too many Parish Councillors. Despite a letter from the
Parish Council disputing the suggestion, The District reduced the
number of our seats by two. This, please be reminded reduced our
Councillorship to but eleven persons ,
even so last May we had no election for Parish Councillors, because
we were short of four or was it five candidates. One has really lost
track of West Tisbury, for that Parish Council hasn't had an election
for years.
Is either Tisbury
Parish Council now representative of its area electorate ?
Despite the good intent
of those offering their services as Parish Councillors in either
Parish, one suspects Tisbury Village area', should be a conjoined
Parish, with fewer Parish Councillors than severally it now has.
Should
that first happen, then possibly an over all elected Parish Council ,
might better decide upon the way ahead for the village of
Tisbury, for some do not see things as others currently do.
Unfortunately West Tisbury
seems reluctant to amalgamate its Parish with ours, could this be
because currently Tisbury Parish Council ratepayers alone, pay for
facilities enjoyed too by West Tisbury ?
One noted the disparity
of votes cast at Tisbury's Parish Council election in May four years
ago. That indicated that some of our Councillors were more favoured
than others. That's perfectly understandable, however one is asked to
elect a full Council, not nominate personal favourites. Clearly one
should either vote for a full council, or not vote at all. What
happened distorted all the candidates' good intent. However its only
fair to acknowledge that many other Wiltshire Parishes also failed to
hold an election this last May, because there were too few candidates
to precipitate an election.
One does not know whether
there are still vacancies on Tisbury Parish Council. If now there are
none, one wonders why those who may have filled vacancies didn't
offer their services from the off. Something that one does register
is that the Tisbury Business Association seems to thrive, so further
wonder why more such' public spirited' persons failed to stand for
election to the Parish Council.
Living as one does out in
the 'sticks', I have little idea who some of our current Parish
Councillors are, for their names are unfamiliar . Nor do I know most
of the
'Tis Plan Steering Group, July 2017', nor how one came
by them , but one is grateful for everyone's helpful intent.
One wonders, concerning the ' Neighbourhood plan for Tisbury and West Tisbury.'
but thank all those who
have done so much work concerning it. I certainly went to one of its
'open days.' however the only person there whom I knew, seemed too
busy to engage in any conversation with me. I do not recall receiving
a specific questionnaire one heard tell of. However do recall that
several years back the then Chair of Tisbury Parish Council was
surprised to hear that Upper Chicksgrove was within Tisbury Parish.
Since then we did elect an Upper Chicksgrove resident as a Parish
Councillor, however she resigned early on, because I understand ,
Tisbury Parish Council seemed less than inclusive of Upper
Chicksgrove.
Some years ago a different
questionnaire was distributed by Tisbury volunteers, I helped with
its distribution and collection, but having done so, left ones fellow
volunteers to it, because one wasn't invited to even see , or process
the returns. The distribution of the questionnaire in large brown
envelopes was comprehensive, the only answers I saw were , but as a
published resume, produced by some of the remaining committee
members.
Did not that questionnaire
advise that 'Tisbury 'had no wish for a new car park at the bottom of
the High Street, nor wished to see the old Parmiter site used for
accommodation rather than employment ? If such was so, one may wonder
why any pursued the car park idea before abandoning the project, or
still persist in the idea of using the old Parmiter site for
accommodation, despite that expressed contrary wish of Tisbury
residents.
There was too the matter
of that 'new' housing estate off Hindon Lane, Tisbury. Of course
Tisbury acquired a financial 'Nest Egg' from that Developer, but some
of the money was used for the construction of a Cricket Pavilion in
an adjoined Parish. I've no idea who owns that structure, nor why
Tisbury paid for much of it.
What then of the former
Tisbury Middle School , once taken over by a private school. I
recall attending a meeting hosted by the County Council. I too,
having been invited to make comment by the County, the then chair of
the Tisbury Parish Council, objected that my expressed opinion was
contrary to that of the Parish Council, and that I spoke at a meeting
I had no business attending.
A Private School became
the occupant of the former Tisbury Middle School premises for a
period of time, but Tisbury shared use of its School Hall with them.
Eventually the school left
and its premises were re-acquired by the County for community use,
not only for Tisbury, but too for surrounding Parishes.
The current road access to
that former Tisbury school seems appallingly dangerous , passing as
it does through a housing estate if approached from central Tisbury.
Mind you one might approach it via the Wyndham Place area, (should
the 'proposed' gate remain open
The Wyndham name being adopted for
a particular piece of development ,wasn't appreciated by the owners
of other houses named Wyndhams in the Tisbury and Chicksgrove
Parishes, whose addresses soon attracted unwelcome correspondence of
a financial nature, which harassment the Police were advised of.
Why is Tisbury Parish
Council seemingly so out of touch with the electorate? I do not
believe'Tisbury Village as a whole', needs so many Parish Councillors
, nor need of two Parish Clerks.
One duly notes that Hindon
and Compton Chamberlain have modern Halls, so one wonders why
'Tisbury' has such a 'hotch potch' of Halls . Goodness only knows
what is to become of the old library premises? Is that too to cost
the Parish money ?
One wonders too what rates
local shops pay ? Its convenient to have such facilities, but one
sees Tisbury persons shopping in Shaftesbury and Salisbury, whilst
subsidising the Council rates of Tisbury Shop premises.
Living as my wife and I do
in Tisbury Parish, in an on- road semi detached cottage some two
miles off the Village Centre, I do not see it as my mission in life
to spend £ 45.98 every week of the year ( £6.56 per day, ) to fund
both County and Parish Councils . To add insult to injury newer homes
are charged on the value of such houses on 1st.April
1991. Thus too rather grander landed properties , now restored , pay
lower rates than we do, especially those who have their rates
discounted because of sole occupation, or due to other financial
considerations. No doubt those of us not so benefiting, pay for such
discounts ? If readers will excuse me mentioning such a thing, none
of the housing in Upper Chicksgrove is connected to the near by
sewerage system, so no such costs are not included in Council bills.
Upper Chicksgrove had
surveyors at work in a farm yard a couple of weeks ago. One fears the
worst , for all the buildings in both the upper and lower farm yards
were connected to a modern drainage system a year or so back. It will
be interesting to see what may happen there anon. One did ask the
owner of the farm in a letter dated the 19th July last
year, but received no written reply. I recall someone else explaining
to me a year or so back that he had opened a commercial car repair
business in the Farm Yard. He however left, though another now
repairs cars there, and others do I know not what. Do these Farm
buildings pay rates?
Quarry Lane Upper
Chicksgrove has a former Quarry the other side of the railway line.
Stone comes in, stone goes out, some stone is still excavated. Such
enterprise was seemingly encouraged by the Parish Council, however an
associated planning permission failed at County Council level. So
what happens now , apart from the stone that still goes in and out?
Then of course there is
access to that railway line, all of which is via a stone bridge over
the Nadder River, which is at last under repair. Upper Chicksgrove is
of course 'separated' from Tisbury village by both the burial ground
and the sewage works. Not that our community is connected to the
Sewage system, nor to Tisbury's high speed Internet access, though
we are expected to pay for its use.
Possibly Upper Chicksgrove
should be amalgamated with Lower Chicksgrove. There was talk a while
back of it being included in the Parish of West Tisbury, possibly
that was a joke !
One realises that Tisbury
, and other Parish Councillors try their best, however maybe the
electorate here and in other Parishes feels disconnected from Parish
affairs, so do not stand for election, vote, or attend Council
meetings. This never used to be the way things were. Has this
anything to do with the loss of our District Council ? JBP. 7th August 2017.
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