Agenda and minutes

The Chairman, Councillor Jose Green welcomed everyone to the meeting of the South West Wiltshire Area Board and introduced Councillor Jane Scott, Leader of the Council.

The Chairman thanked the Pest Control Officer and the Officer from the Police and Crime Commissioners Office for the information displays which had been set up prior to the meeting.

Apologies were received from:

·         Mike Franklin – Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service

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

There were none.

To confirm as a correct record and sign the minutes of the previous meeting held on Wednesday 17 July 2013.

The minutes of the previous meeting, held on Wednesday 17 July 2013 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Board will discuss any matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting.

Broadband

Councillor Deane reported back that he had been unable to obtain any tangible information on the locations of the green telephone exchange boxes within south west Wiltshire.

It was likely to be 2015 before superfast Broadband would be available within the community area. The Board would receive an update for Wilton in May 2014 and Mere and Tisbury in November 2014.

To receive Chairman’s Announcements including:

·       What Matters to you Survey

·       JSA Update

·       Community Speedwatch Re-launch

The Chairman provided the following announcements:

·         Congratulations were given to Teffont and Dinton for their recent success in receiving awards in the Best Kept Village Competition.

·         A bid to the Substantive scheme for funding towards the implementation of a lay-by outside the village shop in Broad Chalke had been successful.

·         People were urged to log on and complete the ‘What Matters to You’ survey which was still open, the information collected from this survey would be collated per community area and would feed in to the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSA).

·         The JSA event for the South West would be held on 30 April 2014.

·         Information on the Carers Grant Scheme was included within the agenda pack.

·         On 16 September 2013, the Community Speedwatch scheme had been re-launched at an event held in Devizes.

·         A new application called ‘My Wiltshire’ had been launched, which enabled users to report a wide range of issues in the community.

·         The following day the mobile health unit would be visiting Salisbury to offer early stage diabetes testing for members of the public.

To note the information on current consultations, attached to the agenda.

To take part and for further information, visit the consultation portal:

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/council/consultations.htm

The Board noted the list of current consultations provided in the agenda pack.

For current information on all of the consultations online, follow the link:

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/council/consultations.htm

Councillor Jane Scott, Leader of the Council will provide updates on:

·       The Wilton Cycle race

·       The Business Plan

·       And will take any questions from the floor

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Jane Scott gave the following updates to the Board:

Wilton Cycle Race

The Wiltshire Legacy Board was working with the event organisers of the Wiltshire Cycle Race to ensure that the 2 day event was as successful as possible. The event would involve professional riders as well as riders from the community. The South West Wiltshire local representative on the Legacy Board was Gary Nunn; he would feed back further updates to the Board in due course.

Wiltshire Council’s Business Plan

The council’s Business Plan had been published online, to view a copy follow the link:

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/council/howthecouncilworks/plansstrategiespolicies.htm

Paper copies are also available in libraries across Wiltshire.

Over the next four years the council will focus on 12 key actions to help deliver the three priorities, some of these are:

·         Council Tax - Since the start of the unitary council in April 2009 there had been no increase to council tax, there would continue to be no increase for the next two years.

·         Roads - Additional money would be invested during 2014–2017 to reduce the historic backlog in highways maintenance. This would include works on major roads as well as rural and estate roads and pavements.

·         Balfour Beatty Contract – The initial handover period of this large contract had taken time to get going, however weekly meetings with the contractor were taking place and improvements were now happening. The £1 million saving from this contract would go back into road maintenance.

·         Investments to refurbish council housing would be made and the development of new affordable homes would be encouraged, including supported living in rural areas.

·         The council would be looking to run a pilot scheme, to build and provide special housing units for older people, to enable them to remain in the rural community settings they have always lived in, close to family and existing support networks. Further information on this scheme will be available at a future Area Board meeting.

·         To continue to improve safeguarding services to protect the most vulnerable in our communities.

·         To invest in the economy. The unemployment figure for Wiltshire falls 1.7% under the national average; the council aims to work to keep on top of this.

Questions and comments were then taken, these included:

·         Phil Matthews, Wilton Town Council - Who was the contact on the Legacy Board regarding the Wilton Cycle Race? Answer: The local representative would be Gary Nunn, but the main Lead Officer would be Laurie Bell.

·         Would the pot holes in West Street, Wilton be filled in prior to the cycle race? Answer: The pot holes were scheduled to be filled in early 2014.

·         David Hope, Mere – The council resurfaced part of the Shaftesbury Road but stopped short of the boundary, leaving that section in need of repair, why wasn’t the whole section of the road completed in one go? Answer: An answer would be fed back to the Community Area Manager.

Action: CAM to provide feedback once received.

·         Although there  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

The Board members will:

1.     Note the attached 6 month updates from Mere & District Chamber of Trade, Tisbury Business Association and Wilton & District Business Chamber following the Area Board’s project funding in 2012/13.

2.     Consider the recommendation for incorporating expenses to populate a new ‘Discover Nadder’ website following the Councillor Led Initiative in 2012/13 to support the sustainable rural tourism programme.

3.     Note the update on Area Board priorities.

Supporting documents are attached to the agenda.

Chambers of Trade

The Board noted the 6 month updates from the three Chambers of Trade, attached to the agenda.

Councillor Bridget Wayman had met with all three Chambers of Trade from Mere, Tisbury and Wilton. Positive progress was being made towards the targets set by each of them.

The Mere and Tisbury Chambers were both looking at the possibility of having additional brown tourist signs to promote local businesses.

A ‘Meet the Neighbours’ event had been held by Wilton Chambers. They would also be holding a Business Lunch on 30 October, which the Leader of the Council would be attending.

Discover Nadder Funding

The South West Wiltshire Area Board considered the request to approve the incorporation of expenses towards populating the new ‘Discover Nadder’ website as part of the £4,800 allocated on 6 February 2013 to support the sustainable rural tourism project run by Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs AONB.

Decision

The South West Wiltshire Area Board agreed to approve the incorporation of expenses towards populating the new ‘Discover Nadder’ website as part of the £4,800 allocated on 6 February 2013 to support the sustainable rural tourism project run by Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs AONB.

To note the following written updates attached to the agenda:

a)    Police – Neighbourhood Policing Teams

b)    Youth

c)     PCC Office

d)    Fire

e)    Wiltshire Council Items for Information

f)      Wilton Town/Community Team minutes from 18 July 2013

The Board will also receive verbal updates from Partner Organisations and Groups, these will include:

g)    Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs)

Note: If you are planning to provide a verbal update we ask that you contact the Community Area Manager or the Democratic Services Officer, prior to the start of the meeting.

Speakers are reminded that they each have a 3 minutes slot, unless they have previously discussed alternative arrangements with the Community Area Manager.

Police – Inspector Alan Webb

In addition to the written update attached to the agenda, Alan reported that in recent weeks there had been some success in targeting burglaries across the sector, with a downturn in reported burglaries in the last week.

Two residents in Wilton had come forward to be trained as volunteers under the Community Speed Watch Scheme.

The Mere Police Station would now be manned between 10 – 12noon by a local ex Policeman.

Comments and Questions included:

·       Recently in Wilton three young people caused damage to the tree which was used to display the Christmas lights each year. Those involved were caught by the Police and under the ‘Local Resolution’ scheme it was agreed that if the parents of the young people paid for the damage then the matter would be dropped.

·       Following recent burglaries in Hindon and Tollard Royal, the parish council had spoken to a PC from the local Neighbourhood Police Team (NPT) to request some additional foot patrols around the area, instead of car patrols as they felt this would be more effective. However the parish felt that the feedback from the PC had not been supportive.

Youth – Jaki Farrell, Youth Services Coordinator

Jaki circulated a written report at the meeting, a copy is attached to the end of the minutes.

Youth Advisory Group (YAG) - Nicky

At the first meeting since the community quiz, the group had discussed possible future events, these included Christmas Bingo and a Craft event.

During the summer holidays, some members of the group had attend a YAG meeting in Pottern, where they were able to share ideas and talk about how the YAG meetings were run across other areas of Wiltshire.

The group hoped to be involved with the future Area Board Youth Projects funding, and offered their assistance in the decision making process.

Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office (PCC)

The Board noted the report attached to the agenda.

Wiltshire Fire & Rescue

The Board noted the update attached to the agenda. In addition, it was reported that there would be further strike action on the coming Saturday from 6.30pm – 11.30pm. Rigs would be manned by non Unison Fire fighters during the strike.

Wilton Town/Community Team Minutes

The Board noted the information attached to the agenda.

Tenants Group – Mrs Eunice Beer

The last meeting of the group had been informal as the Chairman had been unable to attend. There had been an open meeting of the Sheltered Housing Forum to try and encourage new people to attend.

Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs) – Charles Smith

Issues regarding the insurance had been resolved and a small team of volunteers had come forward. There had been a delay in having the device moved from site to site, Highways had been asked if the device could be fitted to telegraph poles and lampposts, a response had not yet been received. The SID had recently been installed in Mere.

Cllr Jeans added that there were some local farmers who  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

The Board will consider the recommendation to ring-fence £10,000 for Youth Project Funding in 2013/14, according to the criteria and process in the attached documents.

The Board considered the recommendation to ring-fence £10,000 for Youth Project Funding in 2013/14, according to the criteria and process detailed in the documents attached to the agenda.

Decision

The South West Wiltshire Area Board agreed to ring-fence £10,000 for Youth Project Funding in 2013/14.

The deadline for applications was moved back to Wednesday 8 January 2014, to allow applicants more time to submit the forms. Applications would then be considered at the Area Board meeting scheduled for Wednesday 5 February 2014. The Youth Advisory Group (YAG) would also be involved this year in the process.

Further details on the scheme would be publicised on the blogsite: http://southwestwilts.ourcommunitymatters.org.uk/  

To receive an update from the Chairman and Community Area Manager on the recent consultation on Area Board priorities for 2013/14.

In 2012/13 the Board had supported two themes, Highways and Transport and Business & the Local Economy. Following a recent consultation which asked local people to choose which areas the Board should support for 2013/14, over 90 people responded.

The consultation results had highlighted two clear winners for the preferred themes for 2013/14, these were:

1.    Encouraging volunteering opportunities

2.    Improved Footpaths and promotion of walking (SH)

The Chairman asked for the views of those present to see whether there was general support for the Area Board to proceed with Footpaths as a project for 2013/14. The majority of those present supported the project.

Local maps showing Rights of Way networks will be provided to all parishes for them to then carry out an audit, and a training/launch day will be arranged in due course. The information would be fed back to the CAM and collated into a report for the Board members to consider how best to provide support for the needs.

To receive an update from the Tisbury Campus Shadow Community Operations Board (SCOB).

Cllr Tony Deane

Councillor Tony Deane gave an update to the Board on the progress of the Community Campus Project since the last meeting of the Community Operations Board (COB):

·         The scheduled opening date for the Campus was planned for January 2015.

·         The COB was liaising with Yeovil College to establish which courses would be applicable to local people and whether they could be provided at the campus.

·         The next meeting of the COB was scheduled for 24 October 2013

To receive an update from the Chairman of the CATG, and to note the minutes from the last CATG meeting held on 10 September 2013.

Cllr Tony Deane

The Board noted the minutes from the last meeting of the CATG, held on 10 September 2013.

Councillor Tony Deane gave an update to the Board:

·         The bid to the Substantive Scheme for funding for the Broadchalke project had been successful.

·         The funding originally for the C road consultation had now been handed down to each individual Area Board.

·         Talks were underway to see whether it would be possible to install flashing warning signs on Brooks Hill on the A30, to warn oncoming traffic of vehicles coming from the opposite direction.

Parishes were urged to get in touch with the CAM if they had any small schemes for consideration. Tony noted that Parish councils were expected to make a small contribution to the cost of any works implemented.

The Board members will consider 4 applications for funding from the Community Area Grants Scheme:

1.     Mere Bowls Club - new changing rooms

2.     The Chris Brown Day Centre –club events

3.     Fovant Youth Club –start-up costs for a cookery project

4.     Seeds4Success – South West Wiltshire footpath improvement programme

The Area Board considered 4 applications for funding from the Community Area Grant Scheme for 2013/14. Applicants present were invited to speak in support  of their application, following discussion the Board members voted on each in turn.

Decision

Mere Bowls Club was awarded £1,500 towards new changing rooms.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2013/14.

Decision

The Chris Brown Day Centre  was awarded £2,000 towards club events.

Note

Funding for this grant was awarded from the Board’s revenue allocation as the application did not meet the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2013/14.

Decision

Fovant Youth Club was awarded £500 towards a start-up costs for a cookery project.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2013/14.

Decision

Seeds4Success was awarded £5,000 towards South West Wiltshire footpath improvement programme.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2013/14.

To note the Issues update report and to consider the proposals to close selected Issues as detailed in the attached report.

The Board noted the table of information attached to the agenda.

Wilton Town Councillor Phil Matthews drew attention to issue 2843, he informed the Board that the Community Payback scheme had visited the site to look at the work required, but had never returned to carry it out, so instead a local Town Councillor completed it.

Action: CAM to edit details on system.

To log an issue online follow the link:

https://forms.wiltshire.gov.uk/area_board/index.php

The Chairman thanked everyone for coming and closed the meeting.

The next meeting of the South west Wiltshire Area Board will be held on Wednesday 11 December 2013, 7.00pm at Bishopstone Village Hall.