Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the Ludgershall Memorial hall for the meeting of the Tidworth Area Board and gave everybody in attendance the opportunity to introduce themselves.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Dick Tonge – Wiltshire Council, Alistair Cunningham – Service Director, Inspector Christian Lange – Wiltshire Police and David Wildman – Tidworth Community Area Partnership.

Councillors are requested to declare any personal or prejudicial interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

Agenda Item No.10, Member led project – Tidworth Mums playgroup, vulnerable families project.

Cllr Mark Connolly – member of Tidworth Town Council.

The following Chairman’s Announcements included in the agenda pack were briefly outlined:

·         State of the Environment Report.

·         Wiltshire and Swindon Local Nature Partnership.

·         Barrier Busting Proposals.

The Chairman also advised that Central Government had earmarked 1.9 million for investment in Wiltshire’s military towns, which would include Tidworth and Ludgershall.

Jenny Wilcockson - Digital Literacy Co-ordinator, Wiltshire Council, gave a

presentation to raise awareness of the digital literacy project and to recruit local people as digital champion volunteers to support local people to get online.

Communities would be supported through the use of volunteers to provide

hands on support for digital literacy. This would achieve:

·         More adults being able to use technology and the internet, with fewer

           feeling ‘digitally excluded’, especially amongst the elderly and those on

           low incomes. It can also help people in getting jobs, as most employers

           now require digital skills.

·         More demand for internet access and services, especially superfast

           broadband connectivity.

·         To ensure that every adult has the opportunity to become digitally literate and confident users of technology. (Phased in conjunction with the superfast broadband rollout in each area)

·         A volunteer programme will be established (schools, local community

           groups and business) that will offer a menu of support and also work       with Area Boards to identify specific needs and opportunities for support linked to opportunities arising from localism projects and to the customer focus programme. (Phased in conjunction with the superfast broadband rollout in each area)

Questions from the floor included:

·         Would training be provided for people wishing to be digital champions?

a.Yes, a days training is provided with online help.

·         Would volunteers be CRB checked?

Yes, CRB checks would be carried out.

The Chairman thanked Jenny Wilcockson for her presentation.

Nicole Smith - Head of Strategic Housing, Wiltshire Council and Julian Paine – Regional Director, Aster Communities to inform and consult the Area Boards regarding the housing review.

Nicole Smith - Head of Strategic Housing, Wiltshire Council, and Julian Paine – Regional Director (Wiltshire) , Aster Communities gave a presentation that sought  to inform and consult the Area Boards regarding the housing review.

The presentation was split into three parts:

i.Understanding your area – Tidworth.

Nicole Smith outlined points that included:

·         Basic stock profile.

·         Potential land opportunities.

·         Housing register breakdown.

·         Households by age group.

·         Housing register breakdown.

·         Under occupation.

·         Social housing lettings in the Tidworth area.

·         Lettings in the Tidworth area breakdown by band.

ii.Aster Communities – about us.

Julian Paine outlined points that included:

·         The Aster Group - £83m turnover, £60m assets.

·         Aster Communities – 17,000 homes, 1,000+ in the Tidworth area, 40,000 customers.

·         Aster Living – Created by bringing all care and support work together.

·         Aster Homes – Building around 350 homes each year – affordable rented, shared ownership, private sale/rent, extra care.

iii.Review of Allocations.

Nicole Smith outlined changes with the introduction of the Localism Act 2011, and the new freedoms to set the rules determining which categories of applicants qualify for social housing.

Using the electronic voting handsets attendees were invited to answer four questions:

1.    How should Wiltshire Council consider local connection?

2.    What is a local connection to an area?

3.    Should additional priorities be given to under occupation, employment, training and those who volunteer in the community.

4.    Should we include any exclusions within the policy?

Questions raised from the floor included:

·         Will there be swapping arrangements for residents?

a.Yes, mutual exchanges are encouraged.

·         How can you guarantee that local people would be allocated local houses?

a.There is at the present time no priority for local connections.

·         How does Aster maintain contact with Town and Parish Councils?

A.Through our team of Aster Neighbourhood Officers.

·         Some roads, pavements and fences are in a very poor state of repair, could these issues be addressed?

a.Ownership of these areas would have to be identified and the cause of any damage determined, budget for such repairs would also be an issue.

The Chairman thanked Nicole Smith and Julian Paine for their presentation.

i.To consider three community grant applications including Tidworth Community Area Partnership application for 1st tranche of Area Board Funding 2012/13.

ii.One application for the youth initiates fund – POP youth dance Project.

ii. One Member led Project, sponsored by Cllr Chris Williams.

Grant application packs for the Community Area Grants Scheme are available from the Community Area Manager or electronically at:

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/communityandliving/areaboards/areaboardscommunitygrantsscheme.htm.

To receive any updates.

The next meeting of the Tidworth Area Board will be on Monday 19 November at the Pheonix Hall, Netheravon.

The next meeting of the Tidworth Area Board will be on Monday 19 November at the Pheonix Hall, Netheravon.