Issue - meetings

Please note:  The Salisbury and Laverstock and Ford schemes will not be considered before 2pm.

The Chairman outlined how he intended to deal with the various Community Governance Review schemes under consideration. Members of the public with general comments not specific to individual schemes would be invited to make statements and receive answers to questions which had been submitted.

Councillor Stuart Wheeler, Chairman of the Working Group on the Community Governance Reviews, would then introduce the work of the working group. Each scheme would then be considered in turn, with introduction of the scheme and working group recommendation from Councillor Wheeler, public statements and questions which had been submitted would then be received for each related set of schemes as detailed in Agenda Supplement 1. Members of the working group would have the opportunity to comment upon the recommendation prior to the item being open to debate.

Mr Lance Allan, Clerk to Trowbridge Town Council asked a series of questions as detailed in Agenda Supplement 1 regarding the conclusions of the working group and the considering and presentation of evidence which supported those conclusions.

Councillor Wheeler provided a verbal response on behalf of the working group, stating that the working group had spent considerable time considering each proposal that was put forward by town and parish councils and had taken into account the representations and comments that were presented to it. Each proposal was properly considered on its own merits in light of the relevant criteria and guidance. The council report summarised the conclusions of the working group upon those proposals and the reasons for its various recommendations. Contrary to what was stated in the questions, the working group did not ignore any evidence which had been presented to it. In reaching its conclusions the working group had to weigh up all relevant factors and it was inevitable that the weight given to those factors would vary between different proposals as each one had its own individual circumstances. It was for full council to make the final decision on the proposals and to consider all the relevant issues, including those raised in the questions regarding consistency. The full background detail for each scheme was included with the council agenda papers.

Mr Allan asked a supplementary question on the evidence available to full council. Councillor Wheeler replied that the evidence was clearly available and sufficient to allow full council to evaluate the recommendations and determine the schemes.

Mr Sharl Adabashi, a resident of Trowbridge, presented a statement in support of the proposals submitted by Trowbridge Town Council, as also detailed in Agenda Supplement 1.

Mrs Tracy Sullivan, Director of Trowbridge Arts, presented a statement in support of the proposals submitted by Trowbridge Town Council.

Councillor Wheeler then introduced the report of the Working Group on Community Governance Reviews.

Councillor Wheeler extended his thanks to the members of the working group who had attended a great many meetings over a considerable period to consider evidence and formulate their recommendations. He also thanked the officers supporting the working group, in particular John Watling, John Quinton, Ian Gibbons, Paul  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53