Agenda and minutes

To receive details of any apologies for the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Sarah Holland, Community Youth Officer.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 19 September 2015.

The minutes of the meeting held on 19 September 2015 were presented for consideration, and it was,

Resolved:

To APPROVE and sign as a true and correct record.

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

There were no declarations.

To include the following:

      i.        NHS Health Checks

    ii.        Parish Boundary Review - Council 24 November 2015

Announcements were received through the Chair as follows:

i)             NHS Health Checks - as detailed in the agenda

ii)            Parish Boundary Review - to be discussed at Full Council, 24 November 2015

iii)           Age UK Wiltshire event - 25 November 2015 (The Shires, Trowbridge)

To enable any Member of the Public in attendance to raise an issue of concern with the Board that is not on the agenda to discuss or highlight for a future meeting to discuss as appropriate.

The Chairman invited any public or members present to raise any issues of which they wished the Area Board to be aware.

The Board discussed the Alabaré Christian Care and Support drop-in centre which provided support for homeless individuals. A report from Alabaré was provided at the meeting and is attached to these minutes. The Board were informed the current centre would be closing at the end of November, and some members expressed concern that Wiltshire Council had not worked with Alabaré to identify other suitable suites, feeling that there were several unused council properties in the town that could be utilised, and that communication with Alabaré and local members had been poor.

The Area Board requested the Cabinet Member in attendance, Councillor Laura Mayes, report their concerns to the Cabinet and that a response to the concerns be provided.

The Area Board further requested that council Group Leaders discuss concerns that the requirement to keep local members informed of matters within their Divisions was not as effective as it should be.

Councillor Laura Mayes, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, will be in attendance. If you have any particular questions in relation to Children’s Services, if you submit them to kieran.elliott@wiltshire.gov.uk and the Cabinet Member can be advised in order to prepare a response.

The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Councillor Laura Mayes, was in attendance, and gave details of her role in the Cabinet and the work of the Council in education, safeguarding children, children in care, working with those with special education needs and disabilities and other children’s provision. Councillor Mayes emphasised that the council was always looking for new foster families and adopters, and encouraged all those present to advertise that desire. She also highlighted efforts to ensure more children with disability could receive post 16 education within the county, rather than the majority receiving extra-county provision previously.

A presentation was then given on the proposals to reduce the number of Children’s Centres in Trowbridge which had been the subject of a recent consultation, and received questions from members of the public and the Area Board. Issues raised included:

There were queries on details of savings that were being identified with the consultation proposals, and it was stated around £0.500m, which involved the closure of 13 of 28 centres. The Cabinet Member stated that while some centres were well used many were not and keeping them open all day was not an effective use of money or staff, and that retaining staff to go out and meet people directly was felt to be more cost effective.

It was also raised that many centres were utilised for various support groups and provided a convenient meeting place in secure, suitable locations, and questioned how such groups could be retained with the proposed closure of 2 of the 3 Trowbridge centres, with the sole retention being in Studley Green, with some concerned the location was not central enough to be convenient. The Cabinet Member acknowledged the consultation had raised the issue of location of the centre to be retained and that this would be assessed closely, but assured those present that when officers met with groups outside the centres they would only use appropriate and safe locations.

Some members expressed concern that Trowbridge was being targeted more harshly than other areas, noting that Chippenham and Salisbury, of comparable size, were proposed to only lose 1 of their 3 children’s centres, despite Trowbridge’s projected growth to make it the most populous community area in the county and contained significant pockets of deprivation.

The Cabinet Member acknowledged that the latest figures on deprivation showed that Studley Green was the most deprived single area in the county, but that Chippenham and Salisbury both contained significant levels of deprivation in a more diffused state, which had been a factor in assessing which centres should be retained and where they should be located. It was agreed the latest official statistics on deprivation would be circulated to the Area Board.

Other issues raised included whether current buildings could be used for multiple purposes and therefore retained with their current uses, and concerns that the centres were only being discussed in respect of deprivation, when the issues they dealt with and support offered were those that crossed social barriers.

The Cabinet  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

To note the written reports and receive any updates from the following:

      i.        Wiltshire Police

    ii.        Local Youth Network (LYN)

   iii.        Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

   iv.        Trowbridge Community Area Future (TCAF)

    v.        Town and Parish Councils

   vi.        Chamber of Commerce

  vii.        Others

Updates from partners were received as follows:

      i.        Wiltshire Police

The written update was presented, detailing an ongoing pilot of a new team structure for the community area, combining response teams and special constable units, with an intent to maintain visibility wherever possible while noting a further £3millions of savings were needed to be made within the service across the county.

It was stated there was a drive to increase special volunteer constable numbers, and it was suggested all Area Boards should highlight the issue for their areas in an attempt to publicise the need further.

    ii.        Local Youth Network (LYN)

The written update was presented.

   iii.        Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

A DVD was received highlighting the activities undertaken by the service in the past year, and details were provided of the ongoing merger of the Wiltshire and Dorset Fire Service, which would be fully constituted from April 2016, with the new Combined Authority running alongside the existing authority until that time.

   iv.        Trowbridge Community Area Future (TCAF)

The written update was noted.

    v.        Town and Parish Councils

The Town and Parish Councils each highlighted their responses to the Community Governance Review, and details were provided of efforts to resolve bus route concerns in Southwick.

   vi.        Chamber of Commerce

A DVD and presentation was provided by David Baker, Chairman of the Trowbridge Town Team on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce on collaborations between businesses and other partners in the town, and provided details on applications to gain approval for a Business Improvement District.

 vii.        Others - Goodneighbours

A written report was presented on the Goodneighbours scheme, a service to support older people in rural communities by coordinating local organisations able to provide specific assistance and advice for health and safety, as well provide social activities to assist with loneliness.

The Area Board also approved appointing Emma Curtis from Good Neighbours as their Older Person’s Champion

Wiltshire Councillors appointed as representatives to Outside Bodies will report on any recent news, to include:

      i.        Transforming Trowbridge

    ii.        Collaborative Schools

Updates will also be provided on any working groups of the Area Board, to include:

i.          Trowbridge Area Board Campus Working Group

Outside Bodies:

      i.        Transforming Trowbridge - no meetings had occurred since the last meeting.

    ii.        Collaborative Schools - no update was provided.

Working Groups:

i.          Trowbridge Area Board Campus Working Group - Colin Kay, Chairman of the Working Group, detailed the latest work of the Campus Working Group, liaising with the Cabinet Member Councillor John Thomson on the most appropriate avenues of work that should be focused upon, and presented the terms of reference of the working group and the response to the consultant’s report on the campus proposals.

            It was also stated the group had been made aware of national          proposals through Sport England to develop health and leisure   facilities, which it was intended the Campus would involve, and             intended to investigate if this could open up further funding or         information streams.

Resolved:

To circulate the proposed terms of reference and delegated authority tor the Chairman and Vice-Chairman to approve if appropriate.

To provide an update to the Board on the recent Child Poverty Workshop and determine future action.

The Community Engagement Manager provided a presentation on the outcomes from the Child Poverty Workshop held on 19 October 2015, with the Area Board inviting specific partners to discuss the issue of child poverty in the community area and seek solutions.

The meeting was informed of recent statistics on child poverty indicators in the area, including significantly higher rates of under-18 conception rates, unemployment rates and childhood obesity. It was stated the workshop had been asked to prioritise specific options for actions to attempt to reduce these indicators, including more outreach support for families, campaigns on teenage pregnancy and linking existing programmes in place together to increase their effectiveness. A working group had been formed to follow up those actions and would report in future.

The Area Board welcomed the presentation, noting workshops on specific issues was a successful approach to discuss complex issues beyond updates at Area Board meetings, and welcomed further such workshops in future.

a.    Community Area Grants

To consider the following applications:

b.    Area Board Projects

To consider the following member led applications:

                      i.        Black History Month - To ratify award of £215

                    ii.        Wiltshire Youth Marching Band Christmas Concert - £300

The Area Board considered the following applications to the Community Area Grant Scheme 2015/16:

Community Grants

       i.        The Big Community Grow

The sum of £544.00 was requested for the CommuniTEA project.

Decision

The Area Board awarded the sum of £544.00 to The Big Community Grow.

Reason: The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria 2015/16.

      ii.        The Learning Curve (Voluntary Sector Development)

The sum of £920.00 was requested for Catering equipment for healthy cooking sessions.

Decision

To defer determination until the next meeting in order to obtain further information on accounts, charitable status and relationship to Selwood Housing.

    iii.        Neighbourhoods group

The sum of £936.00was requested for Community Noticeboards for Central Trowbridge Neighbourhoods

Decision

The Area Board awarded the sum of £936.00 to Neighbourhoods group

Reason: The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria 2015/16.

    iv.        Trowbridge Westbourne Sports Club

The sum of £1230.00 was requested for installation of heaters.

Decision

The Area Board awarded the sum of £1230.00 to Trowbridge Westbourne Sports Club

Reason: The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria 2015/16.

      v.        Castle Mead School

The sum of £291.24 was requested for Castle Mead Gardening Club

Decision

    vi.        The Area Board awarded the sum of £291.24 to Castle Mead School

Reason: The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria 2015/16.

Councillor Led Projects

     i.        Black History Month

Decision

To ratify the award of £215 for Black History Month

Reason: As it met the criteria for Councillor led projects and has community benefit

    ii.        Wiltshire Youth Marching Band Christmas Concert

Decision

The Area Board awarded the sum of £300 toward the Wiltshire Youth Marching Band Christmas Concert.

Reason: As it meets the criteria for Councillor led projects and has community benefit

i.              Harmonics Glee Club - £4550.00

ii.            Ice Rink Events - £6820.00  +VAT

The Area Board considered funding requests from the Local Youth Network (LYN).

i)             Harmonics Glee Club

Decision

To award £4550.00 toward the Harmonics Glee Club.

ii)            Ice Rink Events

Decision

To award £6820.00 plus the cost of VAT toward the cost of Ice Rink Events.

To consider passing the following motion:

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 £5,000in 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.

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 £5,000 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.

Resolved:

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 £5,000in 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.

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 £5,000 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.

To discuss and receive comments regarding the ongoing consultation (details attached) on the future of the RUH Hopper Service.

The Area Board discussed the ongoing consultation on the Connect2 Hopper service to the RUH, noting the talks between the Council and the CCG to discuss options for the continuation of the service, and reemphasised their support for its retention as a very important service for many people in the community area.

The Board requested their views urging cooperation to secure the long term future of the service be sent to the Chairman of the CCG as soon as possible.

To receive a presentation on the latest developments and next steps regarding the Trowbridge Neighbourhood Survey.

An update was provided on the Neighbourhood Survey produced as part of the wellbeing project. It was noted over 400 responses had been received through face to face contact, and that work was underway to identify solutions to issues raised, including community noticeboards to keep areas informed and improve upkeep, cooperation with resident’s associations, police, councillors and officers on area specific issues relating to perception of crime, streetlighting and other issues.

It was stated to the Area Board that there were increasing expectations for communities to provide for themselves with many local issues, and it was intended to use the information obtained in the report to identify key concerns and use it to coordinate solutions or use it as evidence to obtain funding for the community area.

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

There were no urgent items.