Mayor’s Christmas message Cllr Simon Crundell, Melksham Town Council

IT is an immense privilege to have the opportunity to send a Christmas message to the people of Melksham as mayor of this beautiful town.

Such a message couldn’t possibly be complete without first expressing on behalf of our town a massive thank you to the Melksham Christmas Lights team for the phenomenal display of lights that they have once again provided for us.

Each year we watch with eager anticipation as the team of volunteers selflessly brave the elements in order to bestow Christmas joy on the town. As the nights continue to draw in, it is of great consolation that we are able to marvel at the festive transformation of our town centre – which is simply unrivalled in our county.

As our debt of gratitude to the Melksham Christmas Lights team continues to grow, so too it seems does the ambition of this selfless team.

The display this year is beautiful, and the joyous faces in the crowds of people who came to watch as the lights were switched on bears testimony to the brilliant work the team does.

But as we begin to wind down to enjoy the festivities with our families and friends, let us also find opportunity to think about those who will continue to work throughout the Christmas period: the police, fire service, nurses and doctors, hospital and care staff, the hospitality and retail workers and those who keep our utilities running.

And, of course, our town’s clergy, who for Christmas is the most busy time of the year as they undertake their duties in both the church and in the wider community.

Since being elected as Melksham Town Council’s mayor in May, I have been given the honour of representing Melksham at our many events, and have been welcomed to charities, businesses and other organisations.

Apart from being reminded that I am in fact ‘a rather young mayor’, it has also shown me the extent of the dedication that so many voluntary groups commit to ensuring that our town is also a vibrant and compassionate community.

This is what makes our town stand out, and we all benefit from Melksham’s incredible groups of volunteers. However, as the years go on these teams are getting ever smaller, and those that remain work their socks off for the benefit of their neighbours.

Put simply, we urgently need more help. Whether you can spare a day a week, or an hour a month, the donation of your time is one of the greatest gifts you can give to the community. Please do get in touch with the Town Hall team if you would like to learn more.

Another year has almost passed and in 2022 your town council has been extremely busy making improvements to its services within the local community. One such project is the Melksham Joint Neighbourhood Plan which we have been busily working away on, with our neighbours, Melksham Without Parish Council, for the good of the future of our town and its residents.

In doing so, our Neighbourhood Planning Team, consisting of councillors and residents, has received lots of feedback from residents in terms of infrastructure requirements, sustainable energy production, the retail offering, the protection of wild spaces, and so much more.

We will be seeking your views again on the draft Neighbourhood Plan in the New Year, all of which will be reviewed when preparing the final version. The Plan is an opportunity for the people of Melksham to have a say on how developments are shaped in the future. Melksham has had a lot of new homes built in recent years, and while the Plan does not allow us to affect the volume of house building, it does give us an opportunity to emphasise the need for community building, and to shape how we want those homes to be built.

There is a lot to be excited about as we approach 2023, with many projects in the pipeline. However, it is important to remember that this is your town council, and we are never more happy than when residents come to our meetings to express their opinions on the day’s agenda.

So please do come along, you are always welcome.

Finally, on behalf of all of the councillors and the team and Melksham Town Council, the mayoress Rose and I would like to extend our best wishes for a Merry Christmas, and a happy, prosperous, and above all peaceful New Year.