Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Inspector James Brain.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 8 October 2015.

Decision

The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Matters arising

·                Min. No. 5 – Chairman’s Announcements – Child Poverty  The Chairman reported that following the success of the Workshop on the attainment of disadvantaged children held at Matravers School on Tuesday 13 October 2015, an action plan was being drawn up and this would be reported back to the next meeting of the Area Board on 4 February 2016.

·                Min. No. 8 – Campus Working Group  The Chairman reported that an update would be provided at the next meeting.

·                Min. No. 7 – Partner and Community Updates – Wiltshire Police  Dr Peter Biggs requested that Inspector James Brain had been requested at the last meeting to include a section on Restorative Justice in his next report and the Senior Democratic Services Officer agreed to remind him to provide this information in his report to the next meeting.

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

·                Cllr Russell Hawker declared a non-pecuniary interest regarding the Community Grant application for £3,390.00 to replace a scoreboard for Westbury & District Cricket Club in Minute No. 9 below, as he was a member of the Management Team.

·                Cllr Gordon King declared a non-pecuniary interest regarding the Community Grant application for £1,300.00 for internal alterations at Crosspoint (Westbury) to enable the relocation of the counselling facilities elsewhere on the premises in Minute No 9 below, as he was a member of the Board of Directors.

To note the following items for information:-

·         NHS Health Checks

·         Your Care Your Support Wiltshire

·         Emergency Planning

The Chairman made the following announcements:-

·                NHS Health Checks  Wiltshire residents were being encouraged to take advantage of free NHS Health Checks, to help reduce the possibility of them developing life threatening conditions and illnesses.

The NHS Health Check programme, commissioned by Wiltshire Council and provided by local GP practices, helped to check people’s risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and others, with support and advice also provided to help them reduce or manage that risk.

Everyone between the ages of 40 and 74, who had not already been diagnosed with one of these conditions or was otherwise ineligible, was invited every five years to have a free NHS Health Check. The check only would take about 20 minutes and people would be asked some simple questions related to their lifestyles, family history and medication use. Some simple tests including blood pressure would be taken as well as an instant blood test to check cholesterol levels. The results would be discussed and further advice and support provided. Should they be required, additional tests would be carried out.

It was noted that there was no mention as to whether residents over the age of 74 years were eligible and the Senior Democratic services Officer undertook to make the necessary enquiry and report back to the next meeting.

·                Your Care Your Support Wiltshire  Healthwatch Wiltshire was working in partnership with Wiltshire Council to manage and develop Your Care Your Support Wiltshire, the new health and social care information website for the county. As part of this work, Healthwatch Wiltshire has regularly engaged with local people to make sure that the website reflects their need for good quality, comprehensive, and accessible health and care information.

The website went live on 1 April 2015 and was still evolving. This was really exciting as it meant that Wiltshire people had a chance to be part of its future growth.

Further information was available from Healthwatch Wiltshire on 01225 434218 or email contact@healthwatchwiltshire.co.uk

·                Emergency Planning  The Chairman reported that an emergency planning workshop had been held on 12 November 2015 which had been fairly well attended.  Presentations had been made by Southern Electricity, Wiltshire Police and Wiltshire Council and a Local Plan that might include Westbury Town Council and neighbouring parishes was now being developed with help from Westbury Town Council and with input which would be invited from the neighbouring parish councils. A further workshop would be held in Trowbridge on 21 January 2016.  

To receive updates from our key partners. Some reports have been received and are included in the pack.

·         Wiltshire Police

·         Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service

·         BA13+ Community Area Partnership

·         Healthwatch Wiltshire

·         Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group

·         Town and Parish Councils

The Area Board received the following updates from key partners:-

·                Wiltshire Police  Sergeant Pete Sparrow, Community Policing team  deputy for the Trowbridge and Warminster areas introduced and explained the Police report  based on what was happening in the Westbury Community area.

It was noted that in the current period of austerity it was not intended to provide much statistical information which could be viewed on the Police UK website at www.police.uk/wiltshire/EG/crime and was updated on a regular basis. Instead it was planned to present more detailed accounts of specific areas of greatest threat and risk as identified within the Control Strategy.

·                Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service  The update report was received and noted.

·                BA13+ Community Area Partnership  The update report was received and noted.

·                Healthwatch Wiltshire  The update report was received and noted.

·                Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group  The update report was received and noted.

·                Town and Parish Councils  Cllr JA Moody from Dilton Marsh Parish Council complained about the poor maintenance of the roads particularly in the Dilton Marsh area and the amount of weeds that needed clearing.

AGREED that details of a weed killing programme be made available at the next meeting.   

(1)       To receive a Local Youth Network update and to consider the following grant applications for youth activities:

(2)       To consider the following delegation:

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 £5,000 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.

(1)       The Area Board received an update from the Community Youth Officers on youth activities that had been held since the last meeting.  In particular, the Area Board was pleased to note that discussions had been taking place with the Manager at Leigh Park Community Centre about the setting up of a new youth club there.  It had been agreed that a youth club would meet at the Centre twice a week, on Wednesday and Thursday evenings starting in January 2016.  The club would be split into two groups, school years 7-8 and years 9-11.

Consideration was given to six grant applications for youth activities.

DECISION: 

To approve the following applications:-

·         The full £4,856 to Fairfield College for youth club recreation facilities.

·         The full £3,296 to Fairfield College for outdoor learning  workshops.

·         The full £4,785 to Fairfield College for indoor fitness facilities.

·         The full £5,000 to Westbury Youth Football Club for the grounds maintenance project.

·         The full £1,095 to Westbury Youth Netball team for new kit and equipment.

·         The full £1,323.63 to Bratton Youth Club for games and equipment.  

(2)       Consideration was given to a scheme of delegation for the determination of youth projects between meetings of the Area Board.

DECISION:

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 £5,000 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.

A presentation on the reality of Child Sexual Exploitation and how it should be tackled in Wiltshire will be made by Blair Keltie, Service Manager, Child Sexual Exploitation and Missing Children.

che Chairman introduced Blair Keltie, Service Manager, Child Sexual Exploitation and Missing Children who had attended the meeting to make a presentation on the reality of Child Sexual Exploitation and how it should be tackled in Wiltshire.

He explained that Child Sexual Exploitation happened to children and young people under 18, where they were exposed toexploitative situations, contexts and relationships. Young people (or a third person or persons) received something(e.g. food accommodation, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, affections, gifts, money) as a result of them performing, sexual activities.  It could also occur through the use of technology without the childs's immediate recognition; for example being persuaded to post sexual images on the internet/mobile phones without immediate payment or gain.  In all cases those exploiting the child/young person had power over them.  Exploitative relationships were characterised in the main by the child's or young person’s limited availability of choiceresulting from their social/economic and /or emotional vulnerability.

It was noted that the sexual exploitation of children and young people was a form of sexual abuse. It was not new. What was new was the level of awareness of the extent and scale of the abuse and of the increasingly different ways in which perpetrators sexually exploited children and young people.  

Grooming referred to actions deliberately aimed at establishing an emotional connection and trust with a child or young person in order to increase the likelihood of them engaging in sexual behaviour or exploitation. Grooming referred to actions deliberately aimed at establishing an emotional connection and trust with a child or young person in order to increase the likelihood of them engaging in sexual behaviour or exploitation.  Disturbing signs of grooming included:

•         Regularly missing from home or school and staying out all night

•         Change in behaviour – becoming aggressive and disruptive or quiet and withdrawn.

•         Unexplained gifts or new possessions such as clothes, jewellery, mobile phones or money that can’t be accounted for.

•         Increase in mobile phone use or secretive use

•         Appearing to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol

•         Being picked up or dropped off in cars by unknown adults

•         A significantly older ‘boyfriend’ or ‘friend’ or lots of new friends

•         Spending excessive amount of time online and becoming increasingly secretive about time spent online

•         Sudden involvement in criminal behaviour or increased offending

•         Sexual health problems

There were a number of ways in which local authorities, police and other key partners could reduce the prevalence of CSE.

•         Prevent the abuse from happening;

•         Protect young people who are victims or at risk of sexual exploitation;

•         Prosecute offenders wherever possible;

•         Publicise this activity, including how people can report Child Sexual Exploitation.

Blair Keltie explained that the area boards were a way of working to bring local decision making back into the heart of the community. They were a formal part of Wiltshire Council that tried to find solutions for local issues. By working in partnership  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

(1)       To consider applications for funding from the Community Area Grants Scheme.

(2)       To consider the following delegation:

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.

(1)          Consideration was given to a report by the Community Area Manager in which councillors were asked to consider funding from the 2015/16 Area Board Grants Budget, all of which met the grants criteria.  After receiving brief statements from the applicants giving reasons for the requests:

AGREED:

·                     Westbury & District Cricket Club

To approve a grant of £3,390 towards the replacement of Westbury Cricket Club scoreboard.   

·                     Bratton Jubilee Hall Management Committee

To approve a grant of £5,000 towards the replacement of boilers and part flat roof refurbishment.

·                     Crosspoint (Westbury)

To approve a grant of £1,300 towards the cost of internal alterations at Crosspoint (Westbury) to enable the relocation of the counselling facilities elsewhere on the premises.  

·                     The Monday Gang

To approve a grant of £1,000 towards the cost equipment and tools for the Monday Gang,

·                     Westbury Rugby Football Club

To approve a grant of £1,390 towards the cost of providing a new scrum sled. 

(2)       Consideration was given to the following delegation:-

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.

Cllr Russell Hawker considered that the Community Area Manager should consult with all four members of the Westbury Area Board rather than just the Chairman and Vice-Chairman before authorising expenditure and, after some discussion,

AGREED

To defer consideration of this proposal until the next meeting to allow for further discussion and consultation to take place.

To receive the notes of the Westbury Community Area Transport Group meeting held on 27 November 2015 and to consider the recommendations set out in the notes.

The Area Board received notes of the Westbury Community Area Transport Group (CATG) meeting held on 27 November 2015.

AGREED:

·                To allocate £1,000 for formal consultation on waiting restrictions at Oldfield Road, Westbury.

·                To allocate £600 for a pedestrian survey at Bratton Road, Westbury.

A report by the Community Engagement Manager is attached which  provides an update on developments and which seeks authority to include additional land in the lease to the registered charity called “Leigh Park Community Centre (Westbury), also trading as “LPCC”

Consideration was given to a report by the Community Engagement Manager which provided an update on developments and which sought authority to include additional land in the lease to the registered charity called “Leigh Park Community Centre (Westbury), also trading as “LPCC”.

On receiving further information from Cllr Russell Hawker,

AGREED:

(1)       To receive and note the update report.  

(2)       To approve the proposal to include the additional land in the lease.

The next meeting of the Westbury Area Board will take place on:

Thursday 4 February 2016 at The Laverton, Bratton Road, Westbury, BA13 3EN.

Future Meeting Dates

Thursday 7 April 2016 at Bratton Jubilee Hall, Melbourne Street, Bratton, BA13 4RW.

Thursday 2 June 2016 at The Laverton, Westbury BA13 3EN

It was noted that the next meeting of the Westbury Area Board would be held on Thursday 4 February 2016, at The Laverton, Bratton Road, Westbury, BA13 3EN.