Latest news with #IanThorn
BBC News
18 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Council introduces anti-terror gates to town park
A local council says it is in the process of installing two new gates on the entrances to a town park, to comply with a newly-enacted anti-terrorism Town Park has been identified as a site that meets the criteria for the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, also known as Martyn's legislation is named after Martyn Hett, who was among 22 people killed in the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing in May leader Ian Thorn said "We have been preparing for the new legislation known as Martyn's Law and have been reviewing how we will ensure that we are prepared to meet the future legal requirements." Martyn's Law, requires venues with a capacity of 200 or more to have a plan in place in case of an attack on their Home Office said that "through the Act, qualifying premises and events should be better prepared and protected, ready to respond in the event of a terrorist attack." Local Councillor Mel Jacob said that with the park regularly used for music and other events, the town council had to respond to the new legislation."We're all aware of those various incidents where vehicles have driven into people. We haven't had an incident of that type. We're just making sure we don't have one."The new gates will cost £3,000, a burden that will fall on local ratepayers."We didn't have a Martin's law pot of money. It's the same with any health and safety legislation. You've got to make sure you're compliant and obviously making sure people are safe is a key responsibility," Ms Jacob added.
BBC News
7 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Wiltshire's new council leader calls solar plans 'monstrosity'
A new council leader has called proposals for a 2,000 acre solar farm "a monstrosity that is a step too far". Councillor Ian Thorn, Liberal Democrat leader of Wiltshire Council since May, told the BBC he is "very concerned" about the controversial plans for the Lime Down Solar Park on farmland in the north of the previous Conservative administration was also against it, but the application will be decided by the government due to it's have been protesting outside Wiltshire Council on Tuesday - developers Island Green Power (ICP) have always said it would power 115,000 homes. The company said the project would "support national and regional aims to decarbonise our electricity systems and bolster our energy security".ICP finished a consultation earlier this month and hopes to submit a planning application in September. Thorn said: "We're not talking about an everyday solar farm. It will have an enormous, irreparable effect on our county."While the authority will not make the final decision, he said the council will be feeding back and sharing it's views."We are supportive of renewable energy, of traditional solar farms, but this is a monstrosity that is a step too far," he said. Many agree - plenty were stood outside Wiltshire Council's HQ, County Hall in Trowbridge, Michael Pitt from Stop Lime Down Solar Park said: "People are very passionate - right from day one when it was first announced, there was an eruption of anger about the proposals. "We are supporters of solar but it has to be in the right place. It has to be in places that don't damage the environment." Richard Skeffington, a retired environmental scientist and professor, is also against the project: "I never knew they were contemplating something so silly as this."He said his main worry is in relation to large battery fields where the energy would be stored. He explained that while fires are rare, they were "devastating" when they do said: "They can't be put out so they have to leave them to burn out. "They release toxic gases. They wet the adjacent batteries so they don't set on fire and that gets into he groundwater." Lesley Bennet is a local resident and supports the said: "I think it's really good. We're lucky we have a suitable site and build something that will improve the world for our grandchildren."I'm certain it'll do good. We want to produce our own energy and be independent." She mentioned it will allow alternative species to thrive and give land a rest from ploughing."This isn't the whole countryside - it's only a part of the countryside. I would be against it if it was - but it isn't," she said. The solar park would be spread across six locations around Hullavington, Stanton St Quintin, Sherston, and would be connected to the National Grid's Melksham substation through underground cabling – which would have to be channelled under the have said it was "grateful for all the feedback received from members of the public and interested parties during our statutory consultation and the recent targeted consultation". The company said it was considering feedback as they refine the plans before submitting to the Planning Inspectorate. As the capacity of the proposed development is over 50 megawatts, the project is classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure government's energy security department has said solar farms cover 0.1% of the land area in the UK, "while bringing huge benefits for the British public and our energy security".The department said there is a rigorous planning process."Solar is at the heart of our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower," it reporting from Local Democracy Reporter, Peter Davison.
BBC News
05-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
New Wiltshire Council leader urges patience on potholes
The new leader of Wiltshire Council has asked for voters' patience when it comes to resolving the county's Thorn told BBC Radio Wiltshire that it would take "at least two or three years to make a really positive difference".During a wide ranging interview he also said that his administration is "absolutely committed" to meeting the previous council's target for carbon neutrality by 2030 and that 1,000 council houses will be built in 10 Thorn is the first Liberal Democrat leader of the council, having struck a deal with independents, following the recent local elections in which no party gained overall control. Potholes were a leading issue prior to the local election in May, but Mr Thorn said that there is no quick solution to fixing the pothole situation."I would hope we'd notice a difference in the next two or three years, but I'm just trying to be realistic, so I'm not going to say next month, or in three week's time," he said."I'm going to give myself at least two or three years to make a really positive difference." In 2019, Wiltshire Council declared a climate emergency and committed to a target of 2030, for the county to reach carbon Thorn said that despite the change in governance, he was committed to achieving the goal in five years time."We are, as an administration, absolutely clear about the challenges that we face, not just today or tomorrow, but over the next decades, in terms of the impact of the climate emergency," he said. Regarding housing, Mr Thorn said that more houses were needed, even if it meant borrowing money."I certainly intend that we'll build a thousand council houses and I'd like to stick to the 10 year target," he added that he would like to build more, even if it would require borrowing more money.
BBC News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Wiltshire Council to be run by Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats will be running Wiltshire Council going party appears to have received the backing of independent councillors to form an administration after no party won enough seats for a majority at the local Liberal Democrats had the highest number of seats, but still not enough to lead on their means Ian Thorn, councillor for Calne Central, is the new council leader after he narrowly secured enough votes in a council meeting on Tuesday.
BBC News
07-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Who will run Wiltshire Council when there's no majority?
Who will run a council with no majority? 10 minutes ago Share Save Dan O'Brien Senior Political Reporter, Wiltshire Sophie Parker BBC News, Wiltshire Share Save BBC Ian Thorn is leader of the Liberal Democrats on Wiltshire Council The Liberal Democrats say they "intend to lead Wiltshire moving forward", despite not having a majority. For the first time, the Lib Dems became the biggest party in last week's local elections, but fell short of the 50 seats needed to control the chamber. The Conservatives say it is premature for the Liberal Democrats to already be forming their cabinet as there is no guarantee of how the new administration will function. The key Wiltshire Council meeting to appoint a new leader, where any power sharing deals are first tested, takes place on Tuesday 20 May. The Liberal Democrats in Wiltshire even had a visit from national leader Sir Ed Davey at the weekend after the result - he played cricket with the county's Lib Dem leader, Ian Thorn. "We won the popular vote. We think it's absolutely right that the Liberal Democrats should lead any administration in Wiltshire going forward," said Mr Thorn. He is very insistent his party will lead the council and said he does not see discussing a cabinet as premature, but instead wants to show that the party is "determined" and make it clear there is a "first class team to take us forward". That would appear to include inviting an independent councillor Jon Hubbard to join their ruling cabinet, Mr Thorn suggested on social media. PA Media Sir Ed Davey congratulated Ian Thorn after the election results Analysis: Dan O'Brien, Wiltshire political reporter It's an obvious fact that suddenly becomes important - if you want to get something done in a council chamber, you need to persuade the majority of councillors to vote in your favour. At County Hall, that means persuading at least 50 of the 98 councillors to pick your side. The Liberal Democrats, now the largest party, have 43. They strongly believe that with the most councillors, and winning the popular vote, they now deserve to run the show - but there are no guarantees for how this will all play out. They're promising to listen to all sides, but it is hard to envisage the Conservatives or Reform UK's councillors backing too many Lib Dem ideas. So the way things are heading, they'll push to persuade the independent group and the one remaining Labour councillor to team up - only just getting them over the line. Whether we see a formal coalition or something less official, we don't yet know - but the Lib Dems have already published their hopes for an independent councillor to take a seat on the cabinet. It's possible this leads to a more collaborative form of politics and decision making - that's what the Lib Dem leader is hoping for and there are plenty of councils across the land who make this sort of setup work. The election count last week was tense as it was became clear that there would be no clear winner Mr Thorn has reiterated the desire for working collaboratively with other parties. "I think it's a really good thing that politicians for different parties are being made to work together, which is exactly what's happening here," he said. But with Reform being elected in 10 seats, Mr Thorn acknowledged there a lot of different political views in the county and the council. "I think there is clearly a large number of people who are disaffected from party politics and I don't blame them for that," he said. He added that as the main opposition in the council chamber for a long time, the Lib Dems felt ignored, and he does not want that to happen in the future. "We've had far too much tribalism," he said. "The opportunities are there for every adult in the room who wishes to contribute. I want to hear from those people and want to work with them moving forward."
