Agenda and minutes

The Chairman will welcome Councillor Keith Humphries, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Protection Services. Information will be provided about:

a.     A household survey about ‘What matters to you’ (attached)

b.     A speed indicator device programme review

c.     Helping older and vulnerable people to live at home (attached)

d.     Exciting opportunities for young people’s projects in the Devizes community area (attached)

e.     Feedback on the workshop to consider practical actions to reduce the need to drive into or through Devizes held at the last Area Board meeting. 

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the Area Board meeting and thanked them for coming to Market Lavington. The councillors and the officers sitting at the top table then introduced themselves.

Councillor Mayes provided information about a household survey that was taking place to help Wiltshire Council and its partners to understand local people’s priorities and needs. Copies of the survey were available to complete or take away at the meeting. The survey could also be completed online: www.wiltshire.gov.uk/whatmatterstoyou.

A speed indicator device programme review was taking place. If any parish would like to use a speed indicator device, please contact the Community Area Manager, Richard Rogers, on 07771 547522 or richard.rogers@wiltshire.gov.uk.

Councillor Mayes highlighted that Wiltshire Council had been working with the NHS and residents on a major review of the services available to older and vulnerable people living in the county. The result of the review would be a new form of service delivery tailored to the needs of the individual concerned and helping them to remain in their own homes.

Exciting funding opportunities for young people had come up in the Devizes community area. Funding would be allocated to groups of young people and their projects by public vote at the Devizes Area Board meeting on 23 January 2012 at Devizes Sports Club. This meeting might start at an earlier time than usual, confirmation to follow. The application process could be accessed at: www.sparksite.co.uk. The deadline for applications was Tuesday 13 December 2011.

Funding had also been ring fenced for Diamond Jubilee celebrations in June 2012. If a parish wished to submit an application to receive funding for a celebration, please contact Richard Rogers, as above.

Councillor Mayes then congratulated all those who had been involved in the lantern festival for what had been an excellent event.  

Apologies had been received from Councillor Bryant, Chris Callow (Roundway Parish Council), Councillor Grundy OBE and Noel Woolrych (Devizes Community Area Partnership).    

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 3 October 2011.  

The minutes of the meeting held on 3 October 2011 were approved and signed as a correct record, subject to the amendment in the attendance list of Mary Nightingale with Margaret Nightingale.

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive updates from the following partners:

a.     Wiltshire Police – to include an update on Sheep Street (attached)

b.     Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (attached)

c.     NHS Wiltshire

d.     The Traffic Working Group

e.     Devizes Community Area Partnership (attached)

f.      Town and Parish Councils (attached)

g.     Young People.

a.    The written update from Wiltshire Police was noted. Inspector Peach added that anti social behaviour with motor vehicles was being addressed at Sheep Street. A number of telephone reports had been investigated and followed up with letters and signage had been put up to warn individuals of the consequences of their behaviour. Inspector Peach reminded the meeting that Wiltshire Police appreciated reports of anti social behaviour and these could be made on the 101 number.

While there had been a spike in crime linked to the night time economy, this had reduced in the last few months. A number of windows in the town had been broken and four ATM cash machines had been hammered. However no issues had been raised over Halloween and Bonfire Night. He cautioned the meeting to be especially careful with securing their motor vehicles and homes in the run up to Christmas. 

The local area also welcomed PC Emma Reed, the new recruit for Devizes North rural.

Councillor Caswill then gave an update from the Wiltshire Police Authority. He explained the policing element of council tax in 2012/13. The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on 3 October that grants would be paid to police authorities which freeze the element of council tax attributable to policing for the year 2012/13. This would mean the policing precept stayed at the 2011/12 level.

Legislation to create a new directly elected office holder, responsible for the totality of policing in the force area had also received Royal Assent. The first elections to this post would be in November 2012. 

b.     The written update from Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service was noted.

c.    The Chairman explained that Maggie Rae, Corporate Joint Director of Public Health and Wellbeing, would provide an update about NHS Wiltshire later in the meeting. A question was raised about the lack of X-ray facilities in Devizes. Maggie Rae commented that facilities had been promised to the town and the NHS must be held to account. The Health and Social Care Forum were working to follow up this issue. The Chairman took a show of hands from the room to measure support.

Resolution

The room was in strong support of having X-ray facilities in Devizes.  

d.    Councillor Mayes gave an update about the traffic working group. Full minutes of their meetings would soon be available on the Wiltshire Council website. A county wide air quality strategy was being developed and would be presented to Cabinet in December 2011. The public protection service had assessed the air quality at Southbroom Road in Devizes. While action would not be taken at present, the site would continue to be assessed. The Chairman was disappointed that the A342 at Rowde had been assessed in the speed limit review as a 50 mph zone. The Area Board would help the village to reduce speeding with two different initiatives. A trial 20 mph limit and improved signage was being introduced at Cheverell Magna. The traffic working group were now focusing on the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Julian Alexander, Associate Director at PFA Consulting Limited, will present the new Devizes traffic model.

Martin Aldam, Senior Transport Planning Assistant, and Julian Alexander, Associate Director at PFA Consulting Limited, presented the new Devizes traffic model.

The traffic model was intended as a key tool to understand traffic patterns in Devizes at present. The model would be used to ascertain a base level for morning and afternoon peak traffic periods (between 7 and 10 am and 4 and 7 pm).

Julian Alexander described the data that had been collected to develop and validate the model. The data included:

·       Automatic number plate recognition surveys

·       Junction turning counts

·       Link counts for common journeys

·       Screenline/cordon counts

·       Car park counts

·       Observed queues

·       Journey time surveys

The study area comprised of the main urban area in Devizes and all six key radial routes. Julian then ran the model to demonstrate how it worked. It could be used to test changes to routes, the impact of new development and the implications of road works and changes to traffic lights.

The demonstration was followed by a short question and answer session. Points covered included the following:

·       When modelling new development, the number of cars estimated per household would be based on comparable developments and their trip rate per household.

·       All trips in the network were contained in the model, including using the market place as a rat run.

·       Air quality projections could be made based on the model

·       Concern was raised that Whistley Road had not been included in the traffic model. It was confirmed that traffic counts had been carried out at either end of Whistley Road, at the A361 and A360. The A361 junction with Whistley Lane is explicitly included in the traffic model and the traffic using this junction has been modelled. However, the full length of Whistley Road between the A361 and the A360 is not modelled. Consequently, the model does not have the capability to predict traffic changes on Whistley Road in the forecast model runs from traffic re-routing to avoid delays in Devizes. It was agreed that the traffic counts and the automatic number plate recognition survey would be reviewed and a technical note be prepared to analyse the current usage of Whistley Road and identify the numbers of trips which turn right from the A361, travel along Whistley Road and then into Devizes along the A360 Potterne Road.  

The Chairman then asked for a show of hands as to whether those in the room had confidence in the new traffic model.

Resolution

 The room was in strong support of the new traffic model.

Carolyn Gibson, Principal Planning Officer, will provide a brief update on the Core Strategy, including the revised timetable.

Carolyn Gibson, Principal Planning Officer, provided a short update on the Wiltshire Core Strategy, including the revised timetable. Consultation with local people had taken place, localism meetings had been held and a Wiltshire Core Strategy consultation document produced.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           The next step was for the document to receive committee approval and this would be sought in February/April 2012.  

Judy Rose and Tony Sedgwick spoke to the meeting in opposition to proposed development along Coate Road and at Folly Road in Devizes. Those at the meeting were asked to express firm opposition by a vote from the floor.

Councillor Mayes explained that while the councillors were not in a position to comment, she was happy to take a show of hands from the floor.

Resolution

Members of public at the meeting expressed firm opposition to any development by Mactaggart & Mickel, or any other developer, on the site at Coate Bridge in Devizes.

Resolution

Members of public at the meeting expressed firm opposition to any development by the Merchant Venturers, or any other developer, on the site at Folly Road in Devizes.        

Maggie Rae, Corporate Joint Director of Public Health and Wellbeing, and Councillor Keith Humphries will give an update about national and local changes to the NHS.

Information will then be provided about the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment in Devizes.   

Maggie Rae, Corporate Joint Director of Public Health and Wellbeing, gave a presentation about public health in Devizes. This included:

·       Definition of public health

·       The health and social care Bill – the Government expected the Bill to be passed before the end of the parliamentary session, i.e. Easter

·       Timetable for a year of transition in NHS provision in 2012-13

·       What the NHS support system would look like on a national and local level

·       Provision at the local level would be made through clinical commissioning groups once Primary Care Trusts were closed.

There would be an event in February 2013 when data from the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment in Devizes would be looked into in greater depth.

Judy Rose added that she and two colleagues had been invited to an informal NHS briefing meeting. Judy explained that she would be happy to raise questions and pass on comments from members of the public and could be contacted on: work.judy@googlemail.com. If you are unable to access the internet, please contact Alexa Smith on 01249 706610.       

Councillors will be asked to consider one application made to the Community Area Grants Scheme, as follows:

a.     Salisbury International Arts Festival, seeking £3,000 for a community project to light a white horse near Devizes and a free lantern making workshop.

Councillors were asked to consider the Community Area Grants report and make a recommendation on the application received.

Decision

Salisbury International Arts Festival were not awarded £3,000 for a community project to light a white horse near Devizes and a free lantern making workshop.

Reason

Concerns were raised about the timing of the event, the number of people who would benefit and the links to the Salisbury International Arts Festival.

The Chairman thanked those at the meeting. The next meeting would be a youth themed meeting. It would take place on Monday 23 January at Devizes Sports Club, with the start time to be confirmed.