Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and introduced the Councillors and Officers present.

The Chairman drew attention to the announcements included in the agenda pack. Councillor Mayes highlighted that the Area Board met immediately after the Annual Council meeting on 18 May to appoint a Chairman and Vice Chairman for the next municipal year. She was pleased to announce that she would remain Chairman and Councillor Ody Vice Chairman for the next municipal year.

Information was also provided about changes to youth worker staffing allocations, consultation on the Air Quality Strategy for Wiltshire document and the Annual Programme of Highways Work for 2010-11, as in the agenda pack.

Apologies were received from Claire Perry, Conservative MP for Devizes.  

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 22 March 2010.

Decision

The minutes of the meetings held on 22 March 2010 and 18 May 2010 were approved and signed as a correct record.  

Councillors are requested to declare any personal or prejudicial interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

Councillor Brown declared a personal interest in the Community Area Grants Scheme application from Rowde Parish and Rowde Youth Councils (Item No. 12). He did not vote on the item.    

Councillor Keith Humphries will give a brief overview of his Cabinet responsibility for Health and Wellbeing.

Councillor Humphries gave a brief overview of his Cabinet responsibility for Health and Wellbeing. This involved two main components; protection and safety and working with the NHS.

The Chairman will highlight what Devizes Area Board has achieved in its first year.

The Community Area Manager will then report on highlights and unresolved issues in the community area. A log of the community issues submitted is available to view online at:

http://portal.wiltshire.gov.uk/area_board/areaboard_issues_search.php?issue_location_in=Devizes

The Chairman highlighted what Devizes Area Board had achieved in its first year. Since the first meeting in July 2009 there had been five meetings with 611 attendees in total. 70 community issues had been logged and 24 had been solved. Progress had been made through bringing local government to the community.

Main issues that had been raised at the first meeting were:

·         Provision for youth

·         Traffic

·         Condition of roads

·         Grants for small groups

·         The NHS

·         Development creep

·         Inclusion of the villages

·         Dropped kerbs and pavements

·         Signage

·         The Brittox    

Highlights of the Area Board included:

·         Holding the first Area Board youth orientated meeting

·         Setting up a transport pilot scheme in Market Lavington

·         Creating a skate park working group

·         Holding a dedicated traffic meeting

·         Having the NHS and Highways Officers regularly attending meetings

·         Giving over £30,109 to community groups, equating to over £117,527 with matched funding

·         Holding a dedicated NHS meeting

·         Having an increase in the budget available for potholes

·         Creating an Assize Court and the Wharf working party

·         The Devizes Development Partnership plan for the Brittox

·         The Devizes Community Area Partnership progress on refreshing the Community Area plan

The Chairman acknowledged the Area Board still had work to do regarding:

·         Results of the Local Development Framework consultation

·         Signage

·         Inclusion of the villages

·         Improving the issues system

·         Including parish councils in agenda setting

·         Giving people a fair chance to speak at meetings.

The Area Board had made a good start, but much remained to be done. Ideas for future projects would be discussed at the next Area Board meeting on Monday 19 July. The Chairman thanked everyone for their support and guidance over the last year.

Decision

A future Devizes Area Board meeting would be dedicated to the villages in the area.

Decision

Provision of an off road track on Salisbury Plain would be resurrected as a main issue from the first Area Board meeting.

The Community Area Manager then provided a brief summary of issues in the Community Area. A log of the community issues submitted and progress made was available to view online at: http://portal.wiltshire.gov.uk/area_board/areaboard_issues_search.php?issue_location_in=Devizes

To receive updates from the following partners:

a)    Wiltshire Police

b)    Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

c)    NHS Wiltshire

Jeff James, Chief Executive - Wiltshire Primary Care Trust, will provide an update on health matters for the Devizes area  

d)    Devizes Community Area Partnership

e)    The Traffic Working Party

f)     Town and Parish Councils.

a)    The written update from Wiltshire Police was noted.

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

c)    Jeff James, Chief Executive of Wiltshire Primary Care Trust, provided an update on health matters.

Rationalising the use of existing facilities in Devizes and the Green Lane and Southgate House sites for the new Primary Care Centre were under consideration. The agenda of the new Government regarding the NHS was becoming clear and there were no indicators that plans for a new Primary Care Centre would not go ahead.

d)    The written update from Devizes Community Area Partnership was noted. Paula Winchcombe added that the Annual General Meeting of the Partnership would take place at 6.00pm on 8 June at Nurstead Community Centre, with all welcome.

Concern was raised by Councillor Grundy over the splitting of effort related to health matters in Devizes. There was a second health group, unrelated to the constituted Partnership. Judy Rose spoke about an open meeting with Claire Perry to discuss health matters from 7.00-9.00pm on 30 June in Devizes Town Hall. This group would focus on health matters only.     

e)    Councillor Ody spoke about the Traffic Working Party. The Party was dealing with a bus stop on Estcourt Street outside Morrisons that was felt to be an obstructive feature. Bath Road was due to be resurfaced in early June and this would involve nightly closing on week days when traffic would be diverted. There would be road works on London Road from mid June to late September for sewerage works and the installation of two crossings. A traffic survey would take place on Tuesday 25 May. The Party sought the approval of the Area Board to move forward a pedestrian crossing on Long Street.

Decision

The Traffic Working Party had the support of the Area Board for a pedestrian crossing on Long Street.

Councillor Gamble announced that with great regret the taxi bus service in the Devizes area had to be withdrawn due to financial reasons.

Peter Binley, Highway Network Maintenance Manager, will give a presentation on a scheme to reduce unnecessary street lighting in Wiltshire, for communities to reduce their carbon footprint, reduce light pollution of the night sky and reduce energy costs.

Peter Binley, Highway Network Maintenance Manager gave a presentation on a scheme to reduce unnecessary street lighting in Wiltshire, for communities to reduce their carbon footprint, reduce light pollution of the night sky and reduce energy costs. Peter Binley asked for volunteers to take part in the scheme, please contact Community Area Manager Jonathan Gale on 01380 734617 or jonathan.gale@wiltshire.gov.uk if interested.    

The Chairman of Urchfont Parish Council, where a pilot of the scheme had taken place, commented that in general the scheme had been well received. However there had been concerns raised by the local newsagent and certain lights had been reinstated.  

Carolyn Gibson, Principal Planning Officer, will report on responses to the earlier Local Development Framework consultation and explain the next stages in the process.

Carolyn Gibson, Principal Planning Officer, gave a report on responses to the Local Development Framework.

This covered:

·         Wiltshire Core Strategy

·         The consultation process

·         Issues raised in Devizes Community Area

·         Proposed actions to respond to issues raised

·         Next steps for the Core Strategy

·         Creating a green infrastructure for the town

To find out more and to receive notification of future consultation events, please visit the link below and search for Devizes:

http://consult.wiltshire.gov.uk

Jo Howes, NHS Wiltshire Community Engagement Manager, will provide information on responses to the event run in February and review headline statistics.

Maggie Rae, Director of Public Health and Wellbeing, introduced herself and her role. She provided information on responses to the excellent health fair event and workshop held on Monday 8 February.

Findings from the event and workshop were that improving cancer screening rates and childhood obesity were priorities in the Devizes Community Area. Breastfeeding rates could also be improved. Please contact Community Area Manager Jonathan Gale on 01380 734617 or jonathan.gale@wiltshire.gov.uk for a full health report. 

Decision

Maggie Rae and Jonathan Gale would work together to address health priorities in Devizes Community Area with the support of the Area Board.  

Councillor Richard Gamble and Peter Lay, Chairman of Devizes Development Partnership, will make a statement on the future of CCTV in Devizes.

Councillor Gamble and Peter Lay, Chairman of Devizes Development Partnership, spoke about CCTV in Devizes.

The Devizes Development Partnership is an association of private and public sector bodies and individuals dedicated to the improvement of Devizes for businesses and local people. CCTV had since then contributed to a significant reduction in crime and anti social behaviour in the town. Devizes Development Partnership had delivered CCTV in the town for the last three years at a low cost and with the benefit of a low subsidy from what was Kennet District Council and from Devizes Town Council. The subsidy was now in doubt as Wiltshire Council, the successor to Kennet, was reviewing its policy on CCTV. This left the CCTV system in immediate need.

Decision

Wiltshire Council would provide sufficient funds to maintain the current CCTV system, with both capital and revenue, in this financial year and until the Council’s policy review of CCTV was completed.

Decision

Jonathan Gale would cooperate with Peter Lay to provide further information on CCTV effectiveness to the parishes.  

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

1.    Rowde Parish and Rowde Youth Councils – requesting £3,168 towards completion of a skateboarding facility.

2.    Blues n Zuz – requesting £750 towards transport and other costs.

3.    All Cannings Church – requesting £5,000 towards installation of water supply, WC and kitchenette.

4.    Devizes Carnival Committee – requesting £2,700 towards event promotion.

Consideration was given to the four funding applications made to the Community Area Grants Scheme.

Decision

Rowde Parish and Rowde Youth Councils were awarded £3,168 towards completion of a skateboarding facility.

Reason

The application meets grant criteria for 2010/11 and would provide a diversionary activity to reduce anti social behaviour, provide an additional sport facility, encourage exercise and was a specific outcome in the Rowde Future Plan.   

Decision

Blues n Zuz were awarded £750 towards transport and other costs.

Reason

The application meets grant criteria for 2010/11 and would provide a diversionary activity to reduce anti social behaviour.

Decision

All Cannings Church were awarded £5,000 towards installation of water supply, WC and kitchenette.

Reason

The application meets grant criteria for 2010/11 and the application would allow a more varied use of the church and would make it easier for the school to use the church.  

Decision

Devizes Carnival Committee were awarded £2,700 towards event promotion.

Reason

The application meets grant criteria for 2010/11 and demonstrates a link to the Community Plan around culture, tourism and economy.

To note the appointments to outside bodies which were made by the Board last year and to note that these appointments will continue for 2010/11.

Devizes Community Area Partnership – Councillor Phillip Brown

Devizes District Association for the Disabled Executive Committee – Councillor Jane Burton and Councillor Jeff Ody

Devizes Development Partnership – Councillor Nigel Carter and Councillor Richard Gamble

Devizes Youth Issues Group – Councillor Laura Mayes and Councillor Lionel Grundy

Viridor Credits Panel/Steering Group Wiltshire – Councillor Nigel Carter

The appointments to outside bodies which were made by the Board last year would continue for 2010/11.

Devizes Community Area Partnership – Councillor Brown

Devizes District Association for the Disabled Executive Committee – Councillor Burton and Councillor Ody

Devizes Development Partnership – Councillor Carter and Councillor Gamble

Devizes Youth Issues Group – Councillor Mayes and Councillor Grundy

Viridor Credits Panel/Steering Group Wiltshire – Councillor Carter

The Chairman thanked those at the meeting. The next Area Board meeting would take place on Monday 19 July 2010 at Devizes School, with refreshments available from 6.30pm.