THIS year has been busy and eventful – both nationally and in Salisbury but I feel it is ending on a positive note.

The best news is the greatly improved outlook for the economy. The Government is slowly but surely fixing the huge deficit we inherited, cutting it by a third and helping businesses create one-and-a-quarter million new jobs while keeping interest rates at record lows. Cost of living pressures remain a key concern but sustained growth next year will be the best way of addressing these.

Unemployment in Salisbury ends the year well below two per cent – one of the lowest figures in the country. There is no doubt that we are fortunate but that does not remove the imperative to keep trying to improve the range and quality of jobs on offer and addressing our reliance on the public sector and low-paid service sector jobs.

There is no better place to start than by equipping our young people with the skills modern employers are looking for and I reflect enthusiastically on the progress that has been made towards the foundation of a Salisbury University Technical College specialising in defence, science and engineering subjects.

The delayed start following the reconsideration by police chiefs of the timescale within which they wanted to vacate their Wilton Road HQ was an unfortunate blip. But what has never wavered is the commitment of all parties to seeing this fine and precious building retained as a public asset.

Having determined that it is barely half occupied and no longer able to meet the needs of the 21st century police force, I am delighted that, instead of seeking to sell it off, as they would have been perfectly entitled to do, the police, Wiltshire Council and UTC leaders opted to work together to save an iconic building, provide a magnificent central location for the UTC and a new purpose-built central Salisbury HQ for the police – all at a significant saving to the taxpayer.

The latter stages of 2013 have also placed the thorny issue of the A303 back on the national agenda and specifically the vexed question – to dual or not to dual...to tunnel or not to tunnel. Works that near to Stonehenge will always attract controversy – not just locally but nationally and internationally, as recent history shows. A battle lies ahead...

Next week, I will reflect on my hopes and priorities for 2014.