Agenda and minutes

The Chairman will provide information about:

a.     Welfare Reform in Wiltshire (attached)

b.     Youth Service Update (attached)

c.     Wiltshire Online: Connectivity and Provision (attached)

d.     Legacy for Wiltshire (attached)

e.     Joint Strategic Assessment for Health and Wellbeing 2012-13 (attached).

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and gave a special mention to Councillor Jane Scott OBE, Leader of Wiltshire Council, and Angus Macpherson, Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon. 

The Chairman provided information about the topics below, as in the agenda pack.

i.                 Welfare Reform in Wiltshire – The Welfare Reform Act 2012 would bring about Government change to welfare intended to simplify the benefits system and encourage people to work. Those affected would be contacted and further information was available on the Wiltshire Council website.

ii.                Youth Service Update – including the formation of Youth Advisory Groups (YAGs) in each community area, led by young people. The YAG would be a more formal version of the previous CAYPIG.

iii.              Wiltshire Online: Connectivity and Provision – the Wiltshire Online Programme would bring availability of standard and superfast broadband to homes and businesses across the county.

iv.              Legacy for Wiltshire – a series of evening events were being held to focus on what could be done in 2013 to help communities come together and celebrate, as in 2012. The Chairman drew attention to the event at the Corn Exchange on Wednesday 27 February at the Corn Exchange, Devizes at 6.30 pm, with refreshments available from 6.00 pm.   

v.               Joint Strategic Assessment for Health and Wellbeing 2012-13 – this document was now available and could be downloaded from the Wiltshire Intelligence Network website.

Apologies had been received from Richard Harris (Integrated Youth Service Locality Team Leader) and Paula Winchcombe (Devizes Community Area Partnership).

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 26 November 2012.  

The minutes of the meeting held on 26 November 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.

Councillor Bryant declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 10d, a grant application from Rowde Community Village Shop, as her mum worked as a volunteer in the shop. She was free to take part in the debate and vote.   

An opportunity to look back over the past four years and reflect on how the area board has made a difference to the Devizes area.

Councillor Mayes explained that four years had passed since the introduction of the area boards with the move to a unitary Wiltshire Council. The area board had developed from addressing service issues to taking on strategic projects. Councillor Mayes explained the key to success in Devizes had been the active community that the area board worked with and she thanked its members and the supporting officers.

A short film was shown about the achievements of the area board and how it was working with local people. The film was available to view on the Wiltshire Council website.  

An opportunity to hear from Angus Macpherson, the new Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Wiltshire and Swindon, about his role and the new draft Police and Crime Plan. This will be followed by an opportunity to ask questions.       

Angus Macpherson, Wiltshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, presented information about the future of policing in Wiltshire.

This included:

·       The role of the Commissioner – this was a commissioning role to ensure a policing service fit for purpose in Wiltshire.

·       Angus had a budget of £100 million and five support staff.

·       He was at present writing a five year Police and Crime Plan to set the strategic direction of policing in Wiltshire and Swindon.

·       The plan was available for comment from 18 February until 10 March, with the intention to publish the plan on 28 March. You can read and give views on the plan via the Police and Crime Commissioner’s website – www.wiltshire-pcc.gov.uk.

·       In short, the aim of the plan was for community-based policing, protecting the most vulnerable, putting victims and witnesses first, reducing reoffending, improving quality of life, customer service, ensuring a timely response and unlocking resources.

This was followed by a short question and answer session, which covered the main points below:

·       The Police and Crime Panel – this was a statutory Panel hosted by Wiltshire Council and made up of councillors from Wiltshire and Swindon and two independent members. The main role of the Panel was to hold the Commissioner to account.

·       A list of Panel members was available to view on the Wiltshire Council website and their meetings were public meetings.

·       A strategic review of the entire Wiltshire Police estate was underway.

·       Recruitment for Wiltshire Police had not taken place for three years, however Angus was now in the happy position of being able to recruit. A pool of 1,000 applicants had been received recently for 20 posts.   

Councillor Jane Scott OBE will provide a short overview of the future of local government. This will be followed by an opportunity to ask questions.   

To receive updates from the following partners:

a.     Wiltshire Police (attached)

b.     Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (attached)

c.     NHS Wiltshire (attached)

d.     Devizes Community Area Partnership – to include release of the second tranche of funding for 2012/13 (attached)

e.     CATG – to include Devizes Transport Strategy

f.      Air Quality Steering Group – to include ratification of their terms of reference (attached)

g.     Town and Parish Councils.

a.     The written update from Wiltshire Police was noted. Wiltshire Police was pleased to report that the local team was up to full strength. There were a number of new faces as team members were developed and would inevitably move on.

b.     The written update from Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service was noted. Mike Franklin highlighted that the number of fires had dropped to only five in December 2012.

c.     The written update from NHS Wiltshire was noted.

d.     The written update from Devizes Community Area Partnership was noted. Tony Sedgwick congratulated Devizes Area Board on its achievements in the last four years and added that a great strength was the relationship between the Partnership and the area board. Display boards about safe cycle routes and the Devizes Transport Strategy were available to view and comment on at the meeting and on the Partnership’s website. The economy group were continuing with their mentoring scheme in schools and were encouraging new businesses through the ‘Devizes Means Business’ scheme. The reopening of a tourism desk was an exciting development and Tony thanked Age UK for their generosity as its host.

Decision

The Area  Board agreed to release the second tranche of agreed funding of £5819.00 to the Devizes Community Area Partnership.

e.     Councillor Gamble presented an update about the Community Area Transport Group. With regards to the proposed path over the Green, while it was not mandatory to light, it was recommended for safety reasons. Installing low level lighting was now being investigated. The Devizes Transport Strategy had been discussed comprehensively at the area board meeting in September and the Partnership and Kate Freeman were thanked for their work. A task and finish group had been established to form a priority list and a schedule of work. The group would report back to the area board.

f.      The Air Quality Steering Group had held two meetings thus far. Their first task had been to clarify their purpose and to develop terms of reference. The administration of the air quality management area decision had been completed and reported to Defra.

Decision

Devizes Area Board ratified the terms of reference, as included in the agenda pack, for the Air Quality Steering Group.    

Danny Everett, Wiltshire Council Drainage Engineer, will provide information about dealing with flooding on the roads in the community area. 

Danny Everett, Wiltshire Council Drainage Engineer, provided information about dealing with flooding on the roads in the community area. The situation today was very different to that in May when there had been a hosepipe ban. Danny provided an overview of the successful experiences during the recent flooding with regard to drainage. He explained that the drainage team operated with a wide remit with limited resources. This included drainage of high speed roads, property flooding, low speed roads, residential land and agricultural land. Danny invited parish and town councils to provide maps and data on historical flooding to help develop future action plans and preventative strategies.

Danny confirmed that the landowner was responsible for blocked ditches. If there were problems with clearing ditches, the next step would be to contact the relevant parish council. Wiltshire Council would only then become involved if this became a ‘sticky’ issue.

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

a.     Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts – seeking the remaining £2,900 of the £5,000 that was ring fenced for their work this financial year

b.     Friends of Erlestoke Prison – seeking £1,500 towards a mosaic project with the offenders to help them think about their victims

c.     Market Lavington Parish Council – seeking £275 towards equipment for the Friday night youth club

d.     Rowde Community Village Shop – seeking £999 to make alterations to the shop in order to meet safety regulations and increase storage capacity

e.     Cycle Devizes – seeking £1000 towards an event to celebrate national bike week in June 2013.

Councillors will then be asked to consider the following recommendation:

Recommendation

That in respect of urgent matters that may arise from time to time between meetings of an Area Board, the Community Area Manager, in consultation with the unitary councillors on the Area Board, be granted delegated authority to make any necessary financial decisions.  A report explaining the decision and the reasons why it was considered to be urgent shall be reported to the next ordinary meeting of the area board to ensure that such decisions are subject to public examination. 

Reason for Recommendation

To facilitate the smooth and efficient running of Area Board business and to reduce the need for unnecessary extraordinary meetings.

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

Decision

Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts were awarded the remaining £2,900 of the £5,000 that was ring fenced for their work this financial year.

Reason

The application met the 2012/13 grant criteria and this application would help increase cultural activities.

Decision

Friends of Erlestoke Prison were awarded £1,500 towards a mosaic project with the offenders to help them think about their victims, on condition that the project was shared with the local community.

Reason

The application met the 2012/13 grant criteria and would help with the prevention of crime.

Decision

Market Lavington Parish Council were awarded £275 towards equipment for the Friday night youth club.

Reason

The application met the 2012/13 grant criteria and the initiative helped to address concerns around anti social behaviour, as well as offering more positive activities for young people.

Decision

Rowde Community Village Shop were awarded £999 to make alterations to the shop in order to meet safety regulations and increase storage capacity.

Reason

The application met the 2012/13 grant criteria and the transfer of stock from the loft area where it was stored to the shop via a ladder was very difficult for the elderly volunteers and also against safety regulations. 

Decision

Cycle Devizes were awarded £1,000 towards an event to celebrate national bike week in June 2013.

Reason

The application met the 2012/13 grant criteria and cycling was one of the key priorities for the area board to reduce reliance upon car usage and for health reasons. 

The Chairman asked the councillors to consider a recommendation to delegate certain authority over the pre-elections period in order to facilitate the smooth and efficient running of area board business.

Decision

That in respect of urgent matters that may arise from time to time between meetings of an area board, the Community Area Manager, in consultation with the unitary councillors on the area board, be granted delegated authority to make any necessary financial decisions.  A report explaining the decision and the reasons why it was considered to be urgent shall be reported to the next ordinary meeting of the Area Board to ensure that such decisions are subject to public examination.

The Chairman thanked everyone for coming to the meeting and wished a safe journey home. The next meeting would take place on Monday 20 May at 6.30 pm at Devizes Sports Club.