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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Morgans Vale and Woodfalls Village Hall, The Ridge, Woodfalls, Wiltshire, SP5 2HU

Contact: Lisa Moore  (Democratic Services Officer)

Items
Note No. Item

7.00pm

1.

Welcome and Introductions

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Chairman, Councillor Richard Britton welcomed everyone to the meeting of the Southern Wiltshire Area Board.

 

2.

Apologies

Minutes:

There were none.

3.

Minutes

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting held on Thursday 4 December 2014.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the previous meeting held on Thursday 4 December, were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

 

The representative from Health Watch Wiltshire noted that this stood for Clinical Commissioning Group and not Care Commissioning Group as reported in the previous minutes.

 

4.

Declarations of Interest

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

 

Minutes:

There were none.

5.

Chairman's Announcements

To receive Chairman’s Announcements including:

 

·       Emergency Planning – Workshop Proposal

·       Parish updates to Area Board

 

Minutes:

The Chairman made the following announcements:

 

·       New schemes for consideration by the CATG should be submitted by 25 February 2015 to the Community Area Manager (CAM), Karen Linaker.

·       Parish councils were asked their view on the possibility of the Area Board holding an Emergency Planning workshop event. There was little take up of the proposal, therefore this event would not go ahead.

·       Parish councils were also asked whether they would like an opportunity to have a slot on the agenda on a rota basis to provide an update and showcase their village to the rest of the community. This idea was supported by those at the meeting and would be included on the next agenda.

·       £1,500 had been allocated to the Community Award scheme for 2014/15. Winners would be chosen and awarded a prize at the next Area Board meeting. If Parish Councils knew of any individuals or groups they would like to see recognised for their work, they could submit the details to the CAM.

6.

Current Consultations

To note the attached information on the following current consultations:

 

Consultation

Closing Date

More information

Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site management plan 2015 public consultation

1 March 2015

Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site Management Plan. Contact the Stonehenge World Heritage Site coordinator with any queries about this survey:

World Heritage Site Coordination Unit
Archaeology Service
Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre
Cocklebury Road
Chippenham
SN15 3QN

Consultation on Wiltshire Local Flood Risk Management Strategy

31 January 2015

Flooding is a serious issue in Wiltshire, with extensive flooding in the north of the county taking place in 2007 and 2008, and more recently across the whole county in 2014, when over 500 properties were affected.

The Flood and Water Management Act 2010 requires Wiltshire Council to develop a PDFLocal Flood Risk Management Strategy Local Flood Risk Management Strategy 4mb. The Council is seeking the views of the public, local councils, other organisations and the public regarding the proposed strategy. The results of the consultation will be reported to the Council’s cabinet when the strategy is considered for adoption early next year.

Housing needs survey

Open

Wiltshire Council is working with parish councils to identify the housing needs of local people and would be grateful for your help.

Households in parishes are being asked to take part in a survey that will give up-to-date information about local housing circumstances and aspirations.  

Email: housing.strategy@wiltshire.gov.uk

Telephone: 01249 706614

 

Minutes:

The Board noted the information on current consultations as detailed in the agenda.

 

7.10pm

7.

Reports on matters of interest to the community area as a whole

Written Updates attached are:

 

·       Wiltshire Care Commissioning Group (CCG) – Integrated Performance Management Report

·       Southern Wiltshire Issues System

·       Theme Update: Footpaths

·       Comments and reports on any other matters of interest to the community as a whole.

·       Wiltshire Fire & Rescue – verbal update

 

 

 

The Community Area Transport Group (CATG) next meets on the 25 February, at 6.30pm – Get your project ideas in to the Community Area Manager, Karen Linaker in good time for this meeting.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Board noted the following written updates attached to the agenda:

 

·       Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) – Integrated Performance Management Report

·       Southern Wiltshire Issues System

·       Theme Update: Footpaths

 

The following verbal updates, questions and comments were received:

 

Issues System – Karen Linaker

Seven new issues had been raised since the last Board meeting, two of those had been taken to CATG for consideration. One new issue at Livery Road, Winterslow was concerning traffic not being able to pass on that road. This was being looked at by Transport.

 

Anyone can raise a new issue online, follow the link:

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

 

Footpaths – Cllr Leo Randall

The Footpath Group was keen on welcoming new volunteers to help with forthcoming projects. The Group would be starting work in Whiteparish next Monday, anyone interested could meet at 10.00am at Halls Farm.

 

Question

Was Winterslow being left out of the work schedule this year? Answer: The Group had a schedule of planned projects, it just happened that the current work was around one area, the Group would be moving round the Community Area in future.

 

Fire – Cllr Chris Devine

Following the decision to merge Wiltshire and Dorset Fire & Rescue Services, a report had been published and the main Stakeholders had been asked to reply. The report would then be submitted to Eric Pickles and his Lawyers who would decide whether a public enquiry was needed.

 

If a public enquiry was required this would delay matters and we would miss the closing of Parliament at the end of March, which could bring a six month delay to the process. Whatever happens there would be a 100% frontline service in Wiltshire and Swindon.

 

Comments and other matters of interest to the community as a whole

 

Question

·       The Chairman of Britford PC asked whether the Board was doing anything in relation to the flooding and speed related accidents occurring along the A338 from Salisbury to the county boundary. Answer: If a list of specific issues and details of patches of that road could be produced, the issues would be looked at.

·       Although the parish councils felt that they had a good relationship with the Highways Community Coordinator, Tracy Myers, they asked whether there was a way to track the work logged on the system, referred to as ‘a magic ticket’. Answer: BBLP had their own monitoring system, the Chairman had been told by the relevant Cabinet Member that there was no reason for the Board not to have access to that. He asked for a list of the jobs logged with Tracy and he would seek further information on their progress.

·       Firsdown PC reported having similar issues with a particular job in the village which they had been in discussions about for over a year now. They also asked whether they could feed info of that job to the Board for investigation? Answer: Yes, feed back to the CAM.

·       Cllr Devine asked whether the Board could have an update from BBLP on the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

7.20pm

8.

Police and Crime Commissioner Budget 2015/16

To receive a presentation from the Police and Crime Commissioner Angus Macpherson on the proposed increase to the precept for 2015/16.

 

Minutes:

The Police and Crime Commissioner Angus Macpherson gave a presentation to the Board on his proposals for an increase to the Police element of the precept for 2015/16.

 

The challenges for next year

·       The big challenge for the 2015-16 financial year, and for the years beyond, will be to maintain and improve performance against reducing budgets.

·       There were key factors which need to be taken into account when considering the precept and these were:

o   There had been a 5.1% cash reduction in grant

o   Net costs had increased by 1.3%

o   The Commissioner could not increase council tax beyond 1.99% without a local referendum

·       Over the next three years the funding gap would continue to increase.

·       The size of the gap was dependent on the level of council tax that was proposed by the Commissioner.

·       A 1.9% increase in council tax compared to no increase merely reduces the funding gap in year 3 by £2.275 million – an increase does not close the funding gap.

Our current funding

·       The largest element of the Commissioner’s budget (62%) was funded from grants provided by the government – it is these grants the government are reducing

·       Just over a third (38%) of the Commissioner’s budget was funded through the policing and crime element of the council tax.

·       Any increase in the precept would therefore only cover part of the 5.1% lost grant. 

·       The two local authorities were funded differently:

o   40% of Wiltshire Council’s funding comes from grants provided by the government

o   48% of Swindon Borough Council’s funding comes from grants provided by the government

o   This is in comparison to the 62% of the Commissioner’s budget which was funded by grants provided by the government

 

The impact on council tax

·       The policing and crime element of council tax for a Band D property for this financial year equates to £160.92.

·       This is in the lowest in the south west region which consists of Avon and Somerset Constabulary, Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, Dorset Police, and Gloucestershire Constabulary.

·       The Commissioner was proposing a precept increase of £3.06 per year for the average Band D property.  This equates to a 1.9% increase.

·       An increase of this amount would provide funding of £345,000 in 2015-16, and £728,000 in 2016-17.  This would help reduce the effects of the lost grant albeit only by a small amount.  It would, however, help the long term funding position when further grant reductions were expected.  

 

Questions and Comments included:

 

·       If a 1.9% increase would raise £345,000, what would a 0% increase raise, as that would entitle you to a government freeze grant? Answer: If we went with 0%, we would get a freeze grant, but that would only be for one year. In the longer term, if we like local policing, then we have to pay for it.

·       The Dorset force would be going for a 0% increase, had they found a way of funding the gap? Answer: I don’t know, but in Wiltshire we have  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

7.40pm

9.

Local Police Team Update

Inspector Minty will provide the Board with a full update on the following matters:

 

·       Neighbourhood Policing update

·       Rural Crime

·       Local Policing structures and the team composition

·       Local Resolution

·       Community Messaging

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Board noted the written update from the Neighbourhood Policing Team and received the following verbal updates from Inspector David Minty and his team.

 

Rural Crime – PC Jeff Rice

The Rural Crime Team was formed in 2008 to tackle issues such as hare coursing and the associates antisocial behaviour, intimidation and damage to property and crops linked to these types of crime.

 

In Wiltshire, resources were targeted to large areas such as Salisbury Plain. Using the services of the RSPCA and the RSPB to fund any testing required. Also providing assistance with issues around various pieces of Wildlife Legislation, Game Laws, Animal Health Act, pesticides and poisons etc.

 

The team was in place to assist Officers and provide any assistance they may require in tackling rural crime.

 

Also working with other forces across the border on operations to ensure joined up thinking in plotting full coverage of large areas, enabling suspects to be caught even when they move across the border.

 

Local Resolution – Caroline Deverill, Out of Court Disposals Manager fr Wiltshire Police

 

Some offenders of low level crime and anti-social behaviour in Wiltshire are now being held accountable for their actions within the community rather than in the court room.

 

Wiltshire Police officers are trained to use a form of restorative practice called Local Resolution. It puts victims at the heart of the process by giving them a say in how justice should be delivered.

 

Typical Local Resolutions are:

 

·       Offenders apologising, verbally or in writing, to their victims

·       Understanding how their actions made the victim feel

·       Repairing damage they caused, such as replacing a fence

·       Paying fair compensation to the victim

 

Giving the right conditions, officers are using their professional judgement and discretion to help create resolutions in line with victims’ wishes. The process also reduces time and paperwork needed to take a case to court and involves working with partner agencies, such as local councils.

 

All parties have to agree to the Local Resolution and if an offender fails to carry out their agreed actions they can be arrested and prosecuted.

 

In Wiltshire during September to December 2014, 340 Local Resolutions were delivered.

 

The Chairman was a great enthusiast of Local Resolution, he felt that the more cases which could be dealt with in this way, the better. He thanked the Officers for coming.

 

 

 

 

 

Due to a shortage of time, Inspector Minty agreed to provide a demonstration of the new Community Messaging system which had recently been rolled out across Wiltshire, at the next Area Board meeting in March.

 

8.00pm

10.

Local Highways Investment Fund 2014-2020

The Board is asked to:

 

·       Note the progress of schemes for 2014/15

·       Agree the 2015/16 Highways Maintenance schemes for Southern Wiltshire Community Area

·       To suggest sites for consideration for inclusion in future year’s highways maintenance and resurfacing programmes.

 

as detailed in the attached report and appendices.

 

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Jim Bailey, Principal Engineer - Highways Assets & Commissioning was in attendance to ask the Board to:

 

·         Note the progress of schemes for 2014/15

·         Agree the 2015/16 Highways Maintenance schemes for Southern Wiltshire Community Area

·         And to suggest sites for consideration for inclusion in future year’s highways maintenance and resurfacing programmes.

 

as detailed in the report and appendices attached to the agenda.

 

Decision

The Southern Wiltshire Area Board noted the progress of schemes for 2014/15 and agreed to the schemes for 2015/16 as listed in the report, subject to additional schemes put forward by the Board members.

 

 

 

8.10pm

11.

Youth Provision in the Southern Wiltshire Community Area

The Board is asked to confirm its support for the creation of cluster based Local Youth Networks (LYNs), to take forward the Boards theme of generating new opportunities for youth activities in our villages.

 

The Board is also asked to comment on the membership of the LYN Management Group, and to consider a grant request for a new youth initiative in Whiteparish.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Emma Drage, Community Youth Officer for Southern Wiltshire gave an update to the Board on the progress of the cluster meetings which had taken place since the last meeting. The cluster meetings would be ongoing, anyone who had not received an invite could contact Emma for further details. Emma added that it would be nice to see people in the surrounding villages supporting the start up of these groups.

 

Decision

The Board agreed to the request to confirm its support for the creation of cluster based Local Youth Networks (LYNs), and to take forward the Boards theme of generating new opportunities for youth activities in our villages.

 

The Board considered a grant request for a new youth initiative in Whiteparish, as detailed in the agenda. In addition at the Chairman’s request, the Board also considered a late funding request from The Lover Youth Cafe.

 

Decision

The Southern Wiltshire Area Boardawarded:

 

1.    £850 from the 2014/15 Youth Funding budget to Whiteparish Youth Group, towards their Skate Ramp Community Art Project.

2.    £1,700 from the 2014/15 Youth Funding budget to The Lover Youth Cafe, for hall hire, insurance and equipment.

 

 

8.25pm

12.

Community Opportunities Board (COB) Update

To consider taking forward proposals for developments under the Campus programme at Alderbury, Winterslow, and Downton as detailed in the attached report.

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The COB had last met on 9 December 2014. The Chairman reported the COB’s recommendations to the Board regarding how it was intended to take forward the council’s campus initiative in the Southern Wiltshire Community Area.

 

Our Community Area does not have a logical or geographical centre like most of the other Community Areas. Geographic and logistical considerations indicated that Alderbury, Downton and Winterslow were the most logical places for mini-campus projects to be considered and the three local members for those areas had been asked to consult the parish councils to establish whether there was any enthusiasm to take the mini-campus or community hub idea forward.

 

The Board considered the proposals as set out in the report attached to the agenda.

 

Decision

The Southern Wiltshire Area Board agreed the following proposals:

1.     Alderbury, Winterslow and Downton were agreed as offering the most likely campus locations in our community area if we are to be limited to a three-campus solution.

 

2.     To reflect the differences in these locations and the village clusters in which they sit it was proposed that campus consultations should be conducted locally by separate, locally-constituted mini-COBs.

 

3.     The Local Member for each of the three locations would set up the mini-COB and, if not personally leading the mini-COB, would keep a watching brief over its work.

 

4.     Each mini-COB would consult with its local community and surrounding villages regarding the needs and aspirations for any campus project(s) in that location and report to the main COB.

 

5.     The main COB would devise a terms of reference for each of the mini-COBs and keep a watching brief on the work of the mini-COBs.  It would also (i) undertake the work of establishing what council services were being delivered in each campus location cluster (and therefore what opportunities might exist for providing council service points or hot desk arrangements); and (ii) provide guidance on aspects of constructing a Business Plan for each location to include, for example, notional health improvements resulting from improved activity opportunities.

8.40pm

13.

Dementia Friendly Villages

To receive an update from the Community Area Manager, Karen Linaker and to note the information paper: Dementia in Wiltshire, The Role of Healthwatch Wiltshire.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Due to other items on the agenda overrunning, this item was deferred until al later date. A full session on Dementia Friendly Villages was planned for a future Board meeting.

8.45pm

14.

Community Area Grants

The Board will consider 3 applications for funding from the Community Area Grant Scheme, as detailed in the attached report.

 

Officer: Karen Linaker, Community Area Manager

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Board considered 3 applications for funding from the Community Area Grant Scheme for 2014/15, as detailed in the report attached to the agenda.

 

Decision

Farley Village Hall was awarded £774.00 towards new curtains.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2014/15.

 

Decision

Boscombe Down Aviation Collection (based at Old Sarum Airfield) was awarded £996.00 for a new metal frame to support the fuselage of one of the world’s first passenger jet aircrafts – Comet 2 “Sagittarius”.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2014/15.

 

Decision

Old Sarum New Community Centre was awarded £5,000 (£1,500 of that from the digital funding budget) towards main hall equipment, set up and launch, subject to the lease being agreed, the new Management Committee becoming the Trustees, and confirmation of the Trustees new charitable status.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2014/15.

 

 

 

 

9.00pm

15.

Close

Minutes:

The Chairman thanked everyone for coming and closed the meeting.

 

The next meeting of the Southern Wiltshire Area Board would be held on Thursday 26 March 2015, 7.00pm at Whiteparish Memorial Hall.