Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked them for coming. She explained there were unfortunately some changes to the agenda since it was published. Anzac House would no longer be an item and nor would the Cabinet Representative and Youth Services items go ahead, as Councillor Keith Humphries and Richard Harris had sent their apologies for the meeting.

The Chairman provided information about the skate park. Councillor Mayes was grateful for the help given by Devizes Town Council, especially Simon Fisher, to the project. The Green Lane site had been selected and young people were involved in the design of the park, which should open in July. A member of the public commented their child was delighted with the indoor facility in the town and very much looking forward to an outdoor facility.

A new online community site for Devizes and the surrounding villages had been launched called Our Community Matters. The fully interactive site provided local people and organisations with a free way of sharing community news, events and information.

The membership of the Shadow Community Operations Board (SCOB) was ratified as below. The Chairman explained the Shadow COB would work on the campus project and how local services should best be delivered in the future. The Chairman clarified this model had been used across the county and DCAP would also be involved as an important consultee. One position was still waiting to be filled and this would be reported back at the next area board meeting.   

Decision

The area board agreed the membership of the Shadow COB would comprise of:

Sector                                                  Appointed Member

Wiltshire Council Officer x 1                   Rachel Goff

Area Board Representative x 1              Councillor Nigel Carter

Town/Parish Council x 1                        Councillor Peter Evans

Education and Young People x 1            Stephanie Davis

Wider Community x 1                            Anna Farquhar

User and Community Groups x 3           Glenys Armstrong, Mike Weston (One position still being filled).

A late announcement had been received on the day of the meeting. The Children’s Centre in Devizes had a minibus they were no longer using, please get in touch if you would be interested in this.

Apologies had been received from Councillor Jane Burton, Richard Harris (Locality Team Leader), Councillor Keith Humphries, Jo Partt (Bromham Parish Council), Liz Read (Little Cheverell Parish Council) and Rick Rowland (Roundway Parish Council).

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 24 September 2012.

The minutes of the meeting held on 24 September 2012 were approved and signed as a correct record.  

Councillors are requested to declare any pecuniary or non-pecuniary interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chairman spoke about the small grants that were given by the area board to bring communities together to celebrate the Jubilee.

Thelma Edwards described the effect the small grant from Devizes Area Board had had on the new community at Quakers Walk. A group at Quakers Walk began from Thelma meeting people when gardening her front garden. She quickly found speaking to local people that they shared common interests and concerns and an informal group was set up.

The first event they had was a Christmas wish tree, followed by a parade with a town band to raise money for Wiltshire Air Ambulance and an Easter celebration. The small grant from the area board was used for a successful event to celebrate the Jubilee that attracted approximately 180 people of all ages.

The Quakers Walk group had since developed and would be working with the local school to put on an event at Christmas, again collecting for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance. In the New Year the group would consider becoming more of a formal small organisation.

Similar successes from the small grants awarded were reported from the communities in Rowde and Long Street. Comment was made that traditionally communities would get together and celebrate in this way. The intention was for new communities to use the small amount of funding available to become self sufficient and sustaining in the longer term. Parish Councils could also offer support to new communities.

Decision

The area board was supportive of the small grants for celebrations scheme in principle and would look into the success of the grants already awarded in further detail.      

To receive updates from the following partners:

a.     Wiltshire Police – to include a welcome to Inspector Matt Armstrong (attached)

b.     Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (attached)

c.     NHS Wiltshire (attached)

d.     Devizes Community Area Partnership – to include information on the traffic model event on 19 November

e.     CATG – to include feedback from public exhibition for Devizes Transport Strategy

f.      Parish Forum (attached).

a.     The Chairman welcomed Inspector Matt Armstrong and thanked Inspector Ron Peach for all his hard work in the community area. The written update from Wiltshire Police was noted. Inspector Matt Armstrong gave a brief summary of his background; after 15 years of service in a wide range of roles he was now working in Devizes, Marlborough and Pewsey.

b.     The written update from Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service was noted. Mike Franklin added there had been a local incident in which five members of a family had been treated for carbon monoxide poisoning; this highlighted the importance of having a carbon monoxide detector fitted. There would be an event focused on keeping safe at Christmas at the Market Place on 3 December.

c.     The written update from NHS Wiltshire was noted.

d.     Devizes Community Area Partnership provided feedback from the traffic strategy exhibition. Although the information available at the exhibition had been less than expected, the event had been successful in many ways and had attracted approximately 140 attendees. Responses would be looked into and the Devizes Transport Strategy may be amended accordingly. An additional event would be scheduled and information was available to view at the area board meeting. 

e.     Councillor Gamble provided an extensive update about the Community Area Transport Group. This included the following main points:

·       Suitable facilities to attract tourist coaches to Devizes (please see resolution below).

·       The accident on Armistice Day on the A360 between Littleton Panell and Black Dog crossroads – very sadly a child of 13 had since died. Any response would await the coroner’s report.

·       The new crossing of the Nursteed Road near the back entrance to Devizes School was now operational.  

·       The cycle route on Quakers Walk was now legal.

·       A cycle route across The Green had been surveyed and discussions were underway about lighting.

·       Bike stands in or near the Market Place were under discussion.

·       Village gates at Marston were being planned.

·       There was room for new items on the CATG agenda. The possibility of providing informal pedestrian crossings in West Lavington and Littleton Panell was being looked into. 

·       Speeding issues – Councillor Gamble thanked residents for the Horton Road petition and speed limits on this route were under review with a report expected in the New Year with additional steps taken to improve the bus stops.

·       The Worton road was similarly under review.

·       A metro-count was being arranged at Church Hill in Bromham and, subject to results, a Community Speed Watch scheme may be appropriate.

·       Councillor Carter was in discussion with local businesses to help ensure the Domino’s pizza delivery van did not add to congestion at Rose’s roundabout on market day.

·       The location of new signs on the side road at Potterne Wick marking the speed limit were being reviewed and would be moved if necessary.

Decision

Devizes Area Board agreed that further preparation work should go ahead regarding suitable facilities to attract tourist coaches to Devizes.

f.      Councillor Paula Winchcombe commented the Parish Council’s Forum  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Chris Trowell, Private Finance Initiative Project Manager, will give a short presentation about Private Finance Initative Housing and the plans for Anzac House.

Devizes Community Area Partnership housing group will also offer their response to above and there will be an opportunity to share ideas on how development may best take shape.    

This item had been removed from the agenda.

Mandy Bradley, Service Director for Public Protection, will provide further information about an Air Quality Management Area in Devizes and members will be asked to make a decision on the extent of the designated area.

Mandy Bradley, Service Director for Public Protection, provided further information about an Air Quality Management Area in Devizes, following up the presentation given at the area board meeting on 23 July 2012.

In July, three options for extending the Air Quality Management Area in Devizes had been presented to the meeting and a consultation process had been launched. This had now been completed. The preferred option following consultation was Option 3, the most extensive Air Quality Management Area (a combination of Options 1 and 2 with an extension along London Road towards Hopton Industrial estate).

This order would then be made and signed by the Wiltshire Council legal team with the Wiltshire Council Seal and a copy would be sent to DEFRA. In 12-18 months, an official Air Quality Action Plan should be established, however Mandy emphasised that much work on air quality was going on in the meantime.   

Decision

Devizes Area Board agreed that Option 3, as presented to the meeting, should go ahead as an Air Quality Management Area in Devizes.    

Councillor Keith Humphries will provide a short overview of his role as Cabinet member for Public Health and Protection Services.

Councillor Keith Humphries had sent his apologies for the meeting.

Richard Harris, Locality Team Leader, had sent his apologies for the meeting. In his absence, the Chairman explained what a Youth Advisory Group (YAG) was and that the youth service was looking for a representative from the area board.

YAGs were a new initiative led by young people and linked to the area boards. The YAG would be chaired by a young person under the age of 25 and involve the coordination of local activities, communication of opportunities and shaping services. The YAG could either replace the Community Area Young People’s Issues Group or the two could continue together.

Decision   

The Community Area Young People’s Issues Group should be replaced by the Youth Advisory Group in the Devizes community area.

Decision

An area board representative would be appointed to the Youth Advisory Group subject to negotiation and reported back at a future area board meeting.

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

a.     Bishops Cannings Cricket Club – seeking £5,000 towards providing a new cricket pavilion

b.     Sheep Street Baptist Church ‘Lunch at One’ project – seeking £1,525 towards new folding chairs and storage trolleys for their luncheon club

c.     The Friends of Bishops Cannings School – seeking £200 through the small grants scheme to purchase high visibility vests for the walking bus.

Councillors were asked to consider three applications made to the Community Area Grants Scheme.

Decision

Bishops Cannings Cricket Club were awarded £5,000 towards providing a new cricket pavilion.

Reason

The application met the 2012/13 grant criteria and the application contributes towards improving leisure and recreational activities as well as helping with health and traffic issues.  

Decision

Sheep Street Baptist Church were awarded £1,525 towards new folding chairs and storage trolleys for their luncheon club.

Reason

The application met the 2012/13 grant criteria and while the project is affiliated to the Church, it should provide a service to the wider community.

Decision

The Friends of Bishops Cannings School were awarded £200 through the small grants scheme to purchase high visibility vests for the walking bus.

Reason

The application met the 2012/13 grant criteria and the initiative helped to address both the concerns of high levels of childhood obesity in the area and road safety and congestion. The Chairman commented this successful initiative may be looked into further for use by other schools in the area.  

Councillor Mayes will bring a member initiative to ring fence up to £5,000 in order that additional land may be purchased for the Drew’s Pond Wood project.

Councillors were asked to consider a member initiative to ring fence £5,000 to support the Drew’s Pond Wood Project as it sought to purchase new land and extend its offering to the local community, to include a community orchard. At present the land was owned by a developer and a further £20,000 in total was needed.  

Several people in the room spoke in favour of the project and of the good work of those involved in taking care of the area.

Decision

Devizes Area Board would ring fence £5,000 to support the Drew’s Pond Wood Project as it sought to purchase new land and extend its offering to the local community, provided the valuation of the land was satisfactory.  

In light of the items that had come off the agenda, the meeting was opened up to discussion of issues of wider community interest. Subjects covered included:

·       The closure of the cafe Scrummylicious, leaving the community and its visitors without a functioning information desk and C2W Freephone point. This had been a useful and well used facility for the community, for example for displaying posters of local interest. Devizes Community Area Partnership would be looking into an alternative arrangement. Councillor Gamble thanked those involved for the excellent service they provided.  

·       The proposal to build around 400 homes close to Coate Bridge had been revived by the developers. Consultation was taking place over the next couple of weeks in Devizes Library and concerns were raised about the capacity of Devizes infrastructure to cope. Members were unable to comment on this subject as it was a live planning issue. The Wiltshire Core Strategy should be in place in the summer of 2013 and this should help to promote development that fitted the needs of the community.

The next meeting would take place on Monday 28 January at 6.30 pm with the venue to be confirmed.