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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Devizes Sports Club, London Road, Devizes SN10 2DL

Contact: Libby Beale (Democratic Services Officer) 

Items
Note No. Item

6:30pm

1.

Welcome

To welcome those present to the meeting.  

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed those present to the meeting.

2.

Apologies for Absence

To receive any apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Tony Duck, Jennifer Haynes and Margaret and Ray Taylor.

3.

Minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2015.  

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Resolved:

 

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2015.

4.

Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

 

Minutes:

In relation to item 12 on the agenda, an application from Devizes Town Council for funding towards a bus shelter, Cllrs Peter and Sue Evans declared themselves members of the Town Council, they would vote on this item with an open mind.

6:35pm

5.

Chairman's Announcement

 

·       NHS Health Checks

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Chairman drew attention to an announcement in the agenda pack providing details of free NHS health checks and also encouraged the meeting to access flu vaccinations.

6:40pm

6.

Partner Updates

To receive updates from the following partners:

 

a.     Wiltshire Police

b.     Fire and Rescue Service

c.     NHS Wiltshire CCG

d.     HealthWatch Wiltshire

e.     Devizes Community Area Partnership

f.      Campus update

g.     Schools updates

h.     Town and Parish Councils

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Written updates were available in the agenda pack from Wiltshire Police, the Fire and Rescue Service, NHS Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group, and HealthWatch Wiltshire.

 

Mike Veale (Chief Constable) and Inspector Nick Mawson were in attendance. Inspector Mawson introduced himself as the new lead for the Neighbourhood Policing Team. The officer explained that new policing arrangements would be implemented in Devizes in 2016, these would see 5 officers dedicated to Devizes in 24-hour policing. Current priorities for the Police were: tackling cybercrime, violent crime and domestic abuse, the public were reminded to remain vigilant and report suspicious behaviour as it could be linked to terrorism.

 

Mike Franklin, Fire and Rescue Service, advised that a full update on the Wiltshire and Dorset Fire Service merger would be provided at the next meeting.

 

Simon Truelove and Dr Sandford-Hill, NHS Wiltshire CCG, updated the meeting on the ‘Daisy’ centre and new urgent care centre in Devizes. The Daisy centre would provide 5 residential units for vulnerable adults, thereby allowing those in Wiltshire with mental health problems to receive care locally. The centre would provide complex residential care and requests had already been made for the places.  Dr Sandford-Hill advised there would soon be an urgent care/minor injury unit in Devizes, located on Marshall Road, this would relieve some of the pressure on GPs surgeries which were unable to expand to meet increasing demand in the town.  It was confirmed that the NHS had protected funding for growth and expected the centre to be built within 2 years.

 

Claire Perry MP thanked officers, GPs, and local people for their hard work in supporting the development of the urgent care centre.

 

Kate Freeman, Devizes Community Area Partnership, advised that the new route trialled for the Connect 2 Service had been different to that proposed by the group’s transport consultant; a revised route would be in place by February 2016. Cllr Philip Whitehead advised that CATG funding could not be used to repair the canal towpath, and year-on-year savings needed to be made by the bus service meaning that S106 funding could not be used to support this.

 

Sue Marshall, Acting Headteacher at Devizes School, explained that the school had recently hosted many events such as Sports Awards and Great War Week. New exams in GCSEs and A Levels had been introduced and Philip Bevan would be the new Headteacher for the school. Cllr Anna Cuthbert thanked Sue for her investment in the school which was now much more involved in the community. 

7:10pm

7.

Julia's House Hospice

Ian Wadley is to introduce plans for Julia’s House, its involvement in and around Devizes and how you can support the charity.

Minutes:

Ian Wadley, Fundraising Manager for Julia’s House Hospice, presented the charity’s plans for the building of a respite care centre in Devizes which he expected to be operational by autumn 2017. The charity had already been supporting children in the south of the county and in Dorset for 12 years but hoped to expand its respite care to the whole of Wiltshire. The charity had received much support however required ongoing local support through volunteers and fundraisers, the public were encouraged to get in touch if they were able to assist. 

 

Resolved:

 

To note the presentation and commend the work of Julia’s House.

7:20pm

8.

Fostering opportunities

Kerryn Alt from Wiltshire Council’s Fostering team will explain how you can foster a child and answer any questions you may have about fostering.

Minutes:

Kerryn Alt, Social Worker, introduced the meeting to the need for foster carers in Wiltshire, a video was shown highlighting why children come into local authority care. Currently 158 households in Wiltshire provided foster care, however carers were needed in Devizes to ensure that local children could continue to live locally. Members of the public were encouraged to get in touch if they required any further information.

 

Resolved:

 

To  note the presentation.

7:35pm

9.

Child Sexual Exploitation

A discussion on the reality of Child Sexual Exploitation in Wiltshire and how local people can help to prevent it.  

Minutes:

This item was deferred due to time constraints.

7:50pm

10.

Child Poverty in Devizes

A presentation on the local profile of child poverty, its causes and how the community can take action.

Minutes:

Justine Womack and Kate Blackburn, Public Health, introduced the local profile of child poverty. There had been no significant change recently in the levels of child poverty in Devizes, which was fairly high compared to the rest of the county. Key figures for Devizes included that approximately 835 children locally were in poverty and approximately 30% of young children were living in socially rented homes. The effect of poverty on children was that they would grow up with a greater risk of poor health, exposure to crime and failure to reach their potential, thus creating a cycle of poverty for the future.

 

Methods to tackle poverty were: to encourage healthy eating through SHINE and the Healthy Schools programme, support for stop-smoking campaigns and the Warm and Safe Wiltshire campaign. Questions were raised of the effect of tax credits and children’s centres on child poverty, officers advised these did have an impact but were not the only factors. Cllr Laura Mayes explained that children’s centres would now be targetted in areas of the highest levels of deprivation.

 

Resolved:

 

To note the statistics for child poverty in Devizes and use this information to help target Area Board projects.

8:10pm

11.

Local Youth Network (LYN)

To receive the notes from the last meeting of the LYN Management Group and any updates from Sally Willox, Community Youth Officer.

 

To consider the following applications for funding:

 

·       Dorothy House Hospice Care Bereavement Support and Making Memories Project- £2,802;

·       Devizes BOCCIA Club - £4,700;

·       Devizes LGBT Youth Support Group- £4,065.54;

·       Devizes Young People’s Art Competition- £250.17;

·       Bromham Youth Club- £5,000;

·       Devizes School Year 11 Lunch Club- £2,279.52;

·       Devizes Youthy- £4,993.15;

·       Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts- £2,564.

 

To note a decision of the Community Youth Officer made between meetings of the Area Board, to grant £209.40 for the procurement of positive activities for young people.

 

To consider updating previous wording delegating authority to the Community Youth Officer to the following:

 

That in respect of urgent matters that may arise, the Community Youth Officer, following consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Area Board, may authorise expenditure to support youth projects from the youth budget of up to£2,500 in total between meetings of an Area Board. The decision and reasons why it was considered urgent will be reported to the next meeting of the Area Board.

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Sally Willox, Community Youth Officer, presented an update from the Local Youth Network; it had funded a total of 17 projects for young people since October 2015. Introductions were provided for the applications for youth funding presented to this meeting. Cllr Anna Cuthbert highlighted that the application for Bromham Youth Club would provide positive activities for those away from the town centre, and projects with Devizes School would also give opportunities to young people living in surrounding villages who were enrolled at the school. It was confirmed that 11 young people would initially benefit from the LGBT Youth Support Group and 180 students in Year 11 at Devizes School from the Lunch Club. Any member of the public interested in becoming a governor for Downland School was encouraged to put themselves forward.

 

The Area Board considered an updated resolution delegating authority to the Community Youth Officer to grant funding to support positive activities for young people between meetings of the Area Board and agreed the resolution detailed below. 

 

The Board thanked Sally for her efforts supporting the Local Youth Network which had been a great success; Sally was to leave the Council at the end of the year.

 

Resolved:

 

To note a decision of the Community Youth Officer made between meetings of the Area Board, to grant £209.40 for the procurement of positive activities for young people.

 

To grant Dorothy House Hospice £2,802;

 

To grant Devizes BOCCIA Club - £4,700;

 

To grant Devizes LGBT Youth Support Group- £4,065.54;

 

To grant Devizes Young People’s Art Competition- £250.17;

 

To grant Bromham Youth Club- £5,000;

 

To grant Devizes School Year 11 Lunch Club- £2,279.52;

 

To grant Devizes Youthy- £4,993.15;

 

To grant Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts- £2,564

 

That in respect of urgent matters that may arise, the Community Youth Officer, in agreement with the Chairman and Vice- Chairman of the Area Board, may authorise expenditure to support youth projects from the youth budget of up to £2,500 in total between meetings of an Area Board. The decision and reasons why it was considered urgent will be reported to the next meeting of the Area Board.

 

 

 

 

8:25pm

12.

Community Area Grants

To consider the following applications to the Community Area Grants Scheme:

 

·       Devizes Canoe Club- £5,000 to improve access and security at the club;

·       Devizes Bowls Club- £2,000 for a replacement tining machine;

·       Cheverell Magna Parish Council- £5,000 for a new lawn mower;

·       Devizes Town Council- £2,086  for a bus shelter on London Road Devizes

 

To consider updating previous wording delegating authority to the Community Engagement Manager to the following:

 

That in respect of urgent matters that may arise, the Community Engagement Manager, following consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Area Board, may authorise expenditure to support community projects from the delegated budget of up to £2,500 in total between meetings of an Area Board. The decision and reasons why it was considered urgent will be reported to the next meeting of the Area Board.

 

 

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Members considered applications to the Community Area Grants scheme and it was noted that the application from Devizes Canoe Club had been deferred until future meeting.

 

Representatives from Devizes Bowls Club and Cheverell Magna Parish Council spoke in support of their applications. Cllr Richard Gamble suggested that £5,000 requested for a new lawn mower was a significant amount and it was agreed that £2,500 funding be granted instead. Cllr Peter Evans introduced the application for the bus shelter on London Road, the Town Council had asked the Area Board to match-fund the project.

 

The Area Board considered an updated resolution to delegate authority to the Community Engagement Manager to grant funding for community projects between the meetings of the Area Board and agreed the resolution below.

 

Resolved:

 

To grant Devizes Bowls Club £2,000;

 

To grant Cheverell Magna Parish Council £2,500;

 

To grant Devizes Town Council £2,086

 

That in respect of urgent matters that may arise, the Community Engagement Manager, in agreement with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Area Board, may authorise expenditure to support community projects from the delegated budget of up to £2,500 in total between meetings of an Area Board. The decision and reasons why it was considered urgent will be reported to the next meeting of the Area Board.

 

8:40pm

13.

Urgent items

Any other items of business which the Chairman agrees to consider as a matter of urgency.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Devizes Air Quality and Transport Strategy Group consulted with the Board on proposals to use £165,000 of s106 funding to provide a bound surface finish on the towpath between Prison Bridge and Town Bridge in Devizes. Works would be implemented by Wiltshire Council however the working group was seeking endorsement from the Area Board since this was a local issue. The item was taken as urgent since a stretch of the towpath was due to be repaired by the Canal and Rover Trust and if work could begin immediately and concurrently with the Trust it would save approximately £15,000 and prevent the towpath from being closed twice.

 

The Area Board expressed support for the project and considered the towpath an important route to schools and means of promoting healthy lifestyles.

 

Resolved:

 

To recommend to officers and the Devizes Air Quality and Transport Strategy Group the use of s106 funding for the provision of a bound surface finish on the towpath between Prison Bridge and Town Bridge. 

8:40pm

14.

Close

Minutes:

The next ordinary meeting of the Area Board was to be held on 25 January 2016 at the Sports Club.