Agenda and minutes

James Cawley, Service Director Strategy and DCS Commissioning gave a presentation on the Older Peoples Accommodation Strategy explaining that the Council had produced a 10 year development plan, which would modernise the way that older people’s accommodation would be provided, delivered and adopt an integrated accommodation system ensuring that the best use of resources was made and that the Council responded to the needs of the local older people.

He pointed out that older people were living significantly longer and that in the majority of cases people did not want to live in residential and care homes as they are now.  Older people wanted wherever possible to remain in their own homes, and that the Council had to re-focus the provision of care to facilitate this and dementia care.

It was realised that the Council would not be able to provide this level of provision without working with a variety of partnerships including the following;

·       A long term partnering agreement with The Orders of St John Care Trust, who currently operate the Council’s care homes for older people. The Trust recognises the need for developments and significant refurbishment due to the ageing nature of the existing facilities. 

·       The department of Health Private Finance, through which the Council has been provisionally allocated money to deliver specialist dementia care. 

·       An innovative Preferred Developed Partner Framework agreement is being jointly procured with Devon County Council to facilitate the development of extra care housing.

·       A review of sheltered housing stock to assess the quality of accommodation and its ability to meet current and future needs.

·       Utilising private sector and Registered Social Landlords (RSL) initiatives.

He explained that in Trowbridge the redevelopment of The Paddocks Care Home involved the both The Orders of St John Care Trust and Wiltshire Council. The Paddocks redevelopment is purpose built, including 30 registered beds, short and long stay accommodation, care for dementia and Alzheimer patients, and purpose built homes.  A redevelopment of Watersmead in Westbury would be in a similar vein.

He then went on to explain that the Council has been working with the NHS and residents of Wiltshire on a major review of the services that are available to older and vulnerable people living in the county ‘Help to Live at Home’. The service has listened to what is has been told and aims to support those in crisis.

·       To bring together a variety of separate services into one single service provider.  The sorts of services included in this are personal care in the home, housing support and other services that support people in their homes.

·       Ensuring that these services focus on helping people learn or re-learn skills they may have lost as a result of illness, or another event that has resulted in them losing confidence and needing some help.

·       Making better use of the wide range of community services that there are in Wiltshire.

·       Ensuring better use is made of the wide range of community services.

Savings will come from economies of scale of from  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

The Challenge aims to protect outdoor recreational spaces and facilities for communities now and for generations.  In brief the benefits of protection are:

·       Making an express and recognizable commitment to local people and to safeguard land, facilities and opportunities for sport, play and outdoor recreation both now and forever

·       Protecting public access to outdoor space

·       Providing reassurance to potential investors regarding viability and sustainability

·       Ensuring that in the case of sale proceeds are replaces are reapplied to replacement facilities, with a priority on new outdoor facilities

·       Raising awareness of the importance of such facilities in the context of quality of life, health, the environment and amenity.

After a vote from the Area Board member it was,

Decision

That Leighton Recreation Ground and Grassacres Park should be Westbury Area Board nominations for the Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge.

Councillors to consider two applications seeking the following funding from 2011/12 Area Board Grants:

1.  Westbury Arts and Music Festival application for £750 to fund the staging of a market and music event held as part of the festival 

2.  1^st Westbury Scout Group application for £897 to part fund the erection of a metal storage building

Westbury Arts and Music Festival

This year, one of the main features of this popular festival will be a folk festival including poetry workshops and a craft market to be held in All Saints churchyard on Saturday 17 September. The funding will pay for stage and the hire of associated sound equipment and marquee.

Decision

Westbury Area Board awarded the sum of £750 to Westbury Music and Arts Festival.

Reason

The application encourages participation in music and arts activities, promote tourism, encourage visitors and help local businesses

1^st Westbury Scout Group

This grant is for the replacement of storage building alongside the Scout Hall. The proposal is to clear a space alongside the new building, including removing a tree stump, and to lay a concrete base. They will then erect a prefabricated metal garage on this base. Up till now storage of some camping and other equipment, including gas bottles, continued in an old railway wagon situated alongside the new Scout Hall. That wagon was becoming derelict and beyond repair and was an eyesore – it has been dismantled and removed. 

Decision

Westbury Area Board awarded the sum of £897 to 1^st Westbury Scout Group.

Reason

The application for funds with help to provides a facility to support activities for young people.

The next meeting of the Westbury Area Board will be held on 6 October at the Jubilee Hall, Bratton.