It's undoubtedly been a challenging time for local authorities and their communities. In recent years, pressure has been put on the finances and resources of councils throughout the country. At Wiltshire Council, we are in a better position than most due to our Business Plan, providing us a clear vision and strong foundation to work from, but we're not immune to such challenges.
These circumstances have impacted our economy, in particular the centres of our market towns and city, and so we have a responsibility to lead from the front to help where we can.
As Salisbury was recovering from the incident that plunged the city and surrounding area into the international spotlight in 2018, we were devising programmes of work to encourage people to get out and about once again and experience the unique medieval city. We launched a trail app for the city that would give people a fun reason to leave their houses with friends and family, discovering some hidden history in the process. The aim was while they were out, they could perhaps have a coffee, visit a pub, buy a meal or pop into one of the city's shops. We started in Salisbury for good reason, but we always had the vision that this type of app should take in all the incredible history of the whole county. Beyond the world-famous ‘headline acts' of Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral, Avebury and our white horses, Wiltshire has so much history and stories waiting to be discovered. That's when Explore Wiltshire came to life.
We've often tried to think differently and have a focus on what's within our gift and, just as importantly, an awareness of what isn't. We can't compete with internet shopping, and we've no intention to change that. But what can we do? Unlike many of the corporate online brands we all use, we have a unique relationship with our county and communities. Each town, village and our city has its own personality and our Explore Wiltshire app, which launched in June, helps to showcase that. This is a project we could not have done alone, so we've collaborated with town and parish councils to make the best use of their expert knowledge and perspectives of their local area alongside the expertise of our own Heritage Services Team.
The free app is location-aware and features information about historical landmarks, cultural sites, people and events that have helped to shape Wiltshire's heritage. It features interactive maps, trails, hunts and challenges, plus photographs, audio and visual clips, and information from the archives of the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre. It isn't funded through sponsorship or advertising but entirely by Wiltshire Council to make sure it's inclusive and supports our communities, not just those willing to pay to be on it.
We've worked closely with town and parish councils and developer Calvium to produce an app we're proud of. It's funded through our Wiltshire Towns Programme, for which we've allocated £1m a year from 2021 up to 2025 to support activity on our high streets. Retail supports around 20,000 jobs in the county and our vision is for people to use our app and in turn make use of the shops, restaurants and all the other amenities the county has to offer. Online shopping can't provide that type of unique in-person experience that still has so much relevance and importance despite the changing times.
So, next time you find yourselves in the county with friends, family or on your own, please download Explore Wiltshire and dig a little deeper to see what our beautiful county has to offer.
Terence Herbert is chief executive of Wiltshire Council
