On Thursday, 1st May 2025, elections will take place for 98 Unitary Wiltshire Councillors and across the Parish and Town Councils in Wiltshire. We take a closer look at the candidates who will be vying for your votes in Calne.
Meet John Boaler, Labour Councillor candidate for Chilvester & Abberd Ward.
Many residents will have already met John Boaler, a dedicated community leader and former Calne Town Councillor.
John has been an integral part of the Calne community since 1998, when he moved to the area to become Head of Learning Support (Special Needs) and teach English at Sheldon School in Chippenham.
John's commitment to public service is evident in his previous tenure as a Calne Town Councillor from 2017 to 2021. During this time, he actively engaged with local community groups and worked tirelessly to address pressing issues affecting the town.
So, why does John want to be a Councillor again? "Calne needs councillors who are rooted in the community," he told us.
"Whoever people vote for, they should satisfy themselves first that these candidates know our community well; and second that they are genuinely interested in local issues. The Reform leaflet that is being delivered says nothing at all about local matters, but carries the slogan 'Stop the Boats' - as if the River Marden is a point of entry for migrants!"
John's passion for Calne is palpable, and he is particularly interested in addressing issues related to planning, traffic and road safety, air quality, the environment, arts, leisure, and recreation.
As Chairman of the Calne Music & Arts Festival and Calne Pocket Park & Community Garden, John has already demonstrated his ability to bring people together and drive positive change, taking the lead last year on the town's Priestley250 celebrations to mark the 250th anniversary of the discovery of oxygen.
Should he be elected, John believes his approach to being on the council will improve the way they operate: "I joined the Labour Party a long time ago, but I am very much my own man, with my own views. If elected, I will work hard with councillors of other parties and none to help make Calne an even better place. I will prepare well for meetings (which in my experience not all councillors do), ask questions and contribute ideas, and am prepared to challenge the prevailing view.
"When I served on the Council 2017-21, I found complacency and small 'c' conservatism held us back. It was perhaps summed up in the strapline it adopted 'A Modest Town'. I think Calne is a town with lots to be proud of - the Bike Meet, the many community groups, its leisure facilities, its library, the Council's floral displays, etc. I want Calne to recognise what it does really well to be ambitious for our future.
"Calne is the 4th largest town in Wiltshire but we all know it gets nothing like its fair share of investment from Wiltshire Council - and our current Wiltshire Councillors must take some of the responsibility for this. They should be fighting our corner week in week out."
One of the key issues John wants to tackle is air quality. "There has been an Air Quality Management Area along the A4 as it passes through the town for 10 years! That means the air quality here falls below Government guidelines and poses a significant risk to health.
"The experimental reopening of the High Street in January is the first action Wiltshire Council has taken in 10 years to try to improve air quality in Calne town centre. I have repeatedly pressed for road signage and information boards about the AQMA - to encourage pedestrians to choose alternative routes; and to alert drivers to the poor air quality at busy times. If I am elected as a Wiltshire councillor, addressing the air quality issues in Calne would be my top priority.”
Other pressing concerns for John include speed limits along residential roads and the lack of safe road crossings. "There is no safe road crossing between Calne Town Hall and Holy Trinity School - a stretch of 0.7 miles. We need a pedestrian crossing on the A4 near the old White Hart pub. Hundreds of pupils from Kingsbury Green School cross at this point twice a day; as well as many other pedestrians.
"Again our Wiltshire Councillors should be lobbying the Highways department for a safe crossing here. I cannot think of another Wiltshire town centre where there is such a long gap between safe crossings. In my previous experience as a Councillor I found Highways unwilling to introduce any measure that might impede the flow of traffic - no roundabout for Alexandra Gate on Chilvester Hill; no zebra crossing outside Springfields Academy; and now no roundabout on the A3102 should the proposed housing development beyond Fynamore Gardens go ahead.
Residents of Chilvester & Abberd ward can reach out to John directly at
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