Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chairman for the ensuing year.

Decision

To elect Cllr Jemima Milton as Chairman of the Marlborough Area Board for the ensuing year.

Cllr Jemima Milton in the Chair

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and invited the Councillors and Officers present introduce themselves.

The Chairman also welcomed those parish representatives who were in attendance.

To elect a Vice-Chairman for the ensuing year.

Decision

To elect Cllr Stewart Dobson as Vice-Chairman of the Marlborough Area Board for the ensuing year.

Apologies for absence were received from the following:

• Cllr Marion Hanniford Dobson – Marlborough Town Council
• Cllr Andrew Ross – Marlborough Town Council
• James Cawley – Service Director, Adult Care Commissioning

a.            To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 29 January 2013. (Copy attached)

b.            Update on actions and outcomes arising.

Decision

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 29 January 2013 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

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

A report is attached.

On considering a report requesting the appointment of representatives to outside bodies and Working Groups for the year 2013/14,

Decision

(1)          To appoint Councillor representatives to outside bodies for the Municipal Year 2013/14 as follows:-

·                     Avebury Solstice Operational Planning Meeting – Cllr Jemima Milton

·                     Avebury World Heritage Site Steering Committee – Cllr Jemima Milton

·                     Avebury World Heritage Site Traffic & Visitor Management Group – Cllr Jemima Milton

·                     Marlborough Youth Issues Group (CAYPIGS) – Cllr James Sheppard

(2)          To reconstitute and appoint Councillor representatives to the Marlborough Community Area Transport Group for the Municipal Year 2013/14 as follows:-

Cllr Stewart Dobson

Cllr Nick Fogg

Cllr Jemima Milton

Cllr James Sheppard

Marlborough Town Council and the parish councils were asked to submit the names of their representatives to serve on the Marlborough Community Area Transport Group as soon as possible.

This will be an Open Forum Sessions in which everyone will be encouraged to express their views on how the Area Board should develop. Local Council Clerks, partners and members of the public are requested to give some thought to this before the meeting and express their views on:-

(a)          The start time of each meeting.  Is 7.00pm the most convenient start time for most people.  If not, what would be preferable?

(b)          The venue of each meeting.  It has been customary to hold Area Board meetings alternatively between a village and Marlborough.  Is that the most convenient arrangement, bearing in mind that some parishes have not been represented when a Board meeting has been held in their village.

(c)          Are there any particular topics that should be considered in depth at Board meetings and would it be preferable to arrange meetings so that they are themed?  The following is a list of subjects which could be themed, but no doubt there are others which could be included:-

·           Children’s Services & Integrated Youth Service

·           Safeguarding and Good Neighbour Schemes

·           Wiltshire Local Transport Plan

·           Local Highways, Streetscene & Rights of Way

·           Health

·           The Planning Process

·           Broadband Facilities

·           Campus  

The Chairman explained that the main business for this meeting would be a series of Open Forum Sessions during which everyone would be encouraged to express their views on how the Area Board should develop.  Local Council Clerks, partners and members of the public had been requested to give some thought to this in advance of the meeting with a view to expressing their views in particular on:-

·                The start time of each meeting.

·                The venue of each meeting.

·                The content of a typical meeting.

Andrew Jack, Community Area Manager, gave an inter-active presentation in which all present were encouraged to divide into small groups and discuss particular topics and then record their votes, which were as follows:- 

Timing of meetings:

•         Is 6.30 for 7.00 start the best time to hold meetings?

•         Is Tuesday the most suitable day? (change to this would not take effect until 2014/15)

•         Does the area board meet too often or not enough?  At present it meets every two months

•         Are there any other changes we could make so that meetings are more accessible?

Voting: What is you preferred start time for Area Board meetings?

1. 5.30 for 6.00pm start                          3%
2. 6.00 for 6.30pm start                          4%
3. 6.30 for 7.00pm start (as now)       84%
4. 7.00 for 7.30pm start                          6%

Location of meetings:

At present, Marlborough Area Board alternates meetings between Marlborough Town Hall and a rural parish.  These have included, Broad Hinton, Lockeridge and Aldbourne.

•         Are you happy with the current arrangements?

•         Marlborough Community Area is one of the largest in Wiltshire.  Are some rural venues too far away?

•         Would staying at one venue be easier to remember?

•         Would Marlborough make a good, central location?

•         What else might improve meetings?

Voting: What is your preferred option for meeting locations?

1. Alternate between town and rural (as now)                                     19%
2. Visit rural parishes more often                                                             9%
3. More meetings in Marlborough as accessible, central location     72%

Items for the Agenda:

At present, Marlborough Area Board takes items for the agenda based on a Wiltshire-wide Forward Work Plan, issues brought to members’ attention and organisations asking to present.  This can lead to lots of different things appearing on agendas.

•         Are you happy with the current arrangements?

•         How can other items get put on the agenda?

•         Would holding themed meetings, where one topic is the sole focus of the night be useful?

•         Would you like to see a (draft) agenda produced earlier?

Voting: If MAB was to theme its meetings, what themes could we use?

1. Transport & Highways (inc. RoW and Streetscene)       15%
2. Older People                                                                            9%
3. Health                                                                                                30%
4. Community Safety (inc. Police, Fire, etc)                                    27%
5. The Planning Process                                                        42%
6. Young People                                                                      39%
7. Campuses                                                                             39%
8. ICT, Digital Literacy and Broadband                                58%
9. Other                                                                                      27%

Feedback from Community Area Grants:

Over the last four years of the previous area board, over £160,000 was awarded to around 90 community groups to help fund their locally-based projects.

•         How can we  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

Cllr Nick Fogg will provide an update at the meeting.

Cllr Nick Fogg provided an update on the scheme to install electrical points in High Street, Marlborough.  By way of background, he explained the proposals to create electrical points along High Street, Marlborough.  Points to service the Mop Fairs for 4 days per year requiring higher voltage might need a substation (circa £40,000 - £50,000) so may not be economically viable.  However, the Showman’s Guild would still have access to the points for lower level usage. However, this installation would reduce environmental and noise pollution, thus improving air quality and the general amenity of High Street.

Marlborough Town Council had supported, in principle, the laying of trenching and ducting for the future provision of electrical points in High Street but considered that a full feasibility report should be carried out.   

A site meeting had been held on 23 May 2013 between officers of Wiltshire Council, the Marlborough Town Clerk, Atkins Global, Southern Electric and a local retired electrical engineer to ascertain where ducting would need to be laid for the installation of electrical points along the centre of the High Street to coincide with the summer re-surfacing project.  It was acknowledged that the costly part of laying trenching and ducting would be the actual excavation.  These costs would be absorbed into the re-surfacing work to the carriageway.  Having the ducting in place would allow for future connections.  It was noted that Southern Electric would be providing a quotation for cabling to feed through ducting to 6 points in the centre. 

In answer to a question, Jim Bailey, Highways Engineer, stated that the resurfacing of Back Lane and Oxford Road, Ramsbury was programmed with funding available.

On behalf of the meeting, the Chairman thanked Cllr Fogg for his update and requested that he provide a written update for the next meeting, to include quotes from Southern Electric to show how the Area Board’s money is to be spent.     

To note the attached Partner updates and receive any further information partners wish to share:

1. Wiltshire Police
2. Wiltshire Fire and Rescue
3. NHS Wiltshire
4. NHS Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group
5. Wiltshire Involvement Network (WIN)
6. Parish Forum
7. Town / Parish Councils
8. MADT (Marlborough Area Development Trust)
9. Transition Marlborough
10. Community Area Young People’s Issues Group (CAYPIG) / Youth Advisory Group (YAG)

The Area Board received the following partner update reports:-

1.  Wiltshire Police  Inspector Mark Thompson, new Sector Inspector and Sgt. Barry Reed, NPT Sergeant for Marlborough were introduced and welcomed to the meeting.  Inspector Thompson introduced his report and explained that whereas crime overall was indicating a downward trend, car crime had increased.   Additional resources were being put into this area in order to reduce the level of crime.  Beauty spots were being targeted and the possibility of introducing suitable warning signs was being examined.   

2. Wiltshire Fire and Rescue  Mike Franklin presented his report and informed the meeting that an Integrated Risk Management Plan was being developed and this would be brought to Area Boards for their comments.

3. NHS Wiltshire The submitted report was noted.

4. Parish Forum  There was no update.

5. Marlborough Town Council   The following updates were noted:-

·           The CCTV project in High Street was being implemented.

·           Some land was being sold in Chantry Lane, the proceeds of which would pay for the upgrading of toilets in George Lane car park.

·           The Town Council was hoping to work with the Community Transport Group to produce a survey regarding the siting, type of rack and suitable signage for cycle racks in Marlborough High Street.  It was suggested that this survey be extended to cover people living in the surrounding villages and that a progress report be made to the next meeting of this Area Board.

f.     Transition Marlborough  New Marlborough Rail/Bus Link timetables were available between Marlborough and Great Bedwyn, which would help provide an improved link to Paddington.  It was further noted that agreement had now been reached that electrification of the line from Paddington to Devon & Cornwall would only proceed at least initially as far as Great Bedwyn.

g.    Community Area Young People’s Issues Group (CAYPIG)/Youth Advisory Group (YAG)   There was no update.

The Wiltshire Councillors will consider four applications to the Community Area Grants Scheme, as follows:

1.    Marlborough Chamber of Commerce -requested £5,000 towards installation of new CCTV system for Marlborough High Street.  Recommendation: Defer until project is at funding ready stage.

2.    Baydon Young People's Association -requested £448 towards new outdoors table for BYPA Hall.  Recommendation: Meets Criteria

3.    Mildenhall Village Hall Association – requested £1,254 towards installation of new double door and frame for the village hall to give better access, energy efficiency and security.  Recommendation: Meets Criteria

4.    Marlborough Brandt Group – requested £1,241 towards development of a new website which will promote their work and enable young people to volunteer in their development work.  Recommendation: Meets Criteria

The Area Board considered four applications for Community Area Grant funding.  The Community Area Manager introduced each application, following which a representative of the applicant was given an opportunity to give a brief overview of their project to the Area Board.

Decision

(1)       Marlborough Chamber of Commerce -  application for £5,000 towards the installation of a new CCTV system for Marlborough High Street was deferred until the project was at funding ready  stage.

(2)       Baydon Young People’s Association was awarded £448 towards a new outdoors table for BYPA Hall.

Reason – The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria 2013/14.

(3)       Mildenhall Village Hall Association was awarded £1,254 towards the installation of a new double door and frame for the village hall to give better access, energy efficiency and security.

Reason – The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria 2013/14.

(4)       Marlborough Brandt Group was awarded £1,241 towards the development of a new website which would promote their work and enable young people to volunteer in their development work.

Reason – The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria 2013/14.

The Community Area Manager explained that Marlborough Area Board had been allocated a 2013/2014 budget of £55,422 for community area grants, digital literacy grants and community partnership core funding, area board operational funding and area board/councillor led initiatives. In 2013/2014 only capital funding would be available for community area and digital literacy grants.

There was none.

To note that the next meeting of the Area Board is due to be held on Tuesday 16 July 2013, starting at 7.00pm.

The Chairman thanked everyone for attending and stated that the next meeting of the Marlborough Area Board would be held on Tuesday 16 July 2013 in Marlborough, starting at 7.00pm.