Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed everyone to St Margaret’s Hall, and introduced the Wiltshire councillors who made up the board, as well as the Community Area Manager, Democratic Services Officer and the acting Service Director.

 

Cllr Jane Scott OBE – Leader of Wiltshire Council was also welcomed.

 

All town, parish and partner and youth representatives in attendance were welcomed by the Chairman.

 

i)                 Shadow Community Operations Board – a report of the inaugural meeting on 12 September was given.

 

ii)               Mini-recycling site review – sites to be removed from use from 1st October were confirmed as St Laurence School; Christchurch Primary School; Fitzmaurice Primary School; Westwood with Iford Primary School; Winsley Primary School; Sainsburys Car Park; Station Car Park; and Budbury Circle.

 

iii)              Street Light Savings – following a successful pilot switch-off phase which included Bradford on Avon, the policy is being rolled out across the county such that about 50% of street lights will convert to part-night lighting, between midnight and 5.30am.

 

iv)             State of the Environment report – facts and figures relating to land use, wildlife, climate change, waste, air quality, water resources and the historic environment now available at www.intelligencenetwork.org.uk/environment .

 

v)               Wiltshire and Swindon Local Nature Partnership – now established as a statutory mechanism to help improve the health of the local environment and to engage more effectively with the business, community and health sectors

vi)             Barrier Busting Proposals – new powers to cut through red tape, rules and regulations by way of a Government team and online portal at http://barrierbusting.communities.gov.uk/ .

 

vii)            Wiltshire Involvement Network – progress report June to August 2012.

 

viii)           ‘From Drought to Flood’ event, 17 October in Warminster for at-risk towns such as Bradford on Avon.

                   

• Police and Crime Commissioners – Kieran Kilgallen, Chief Executive of the Wiltshire Police Authority, updated the Area Board on the forthcoming Crime and Police Commissioner elections to be held on 15 November 2012. The new Commissioners would replace the old Police Authorities and bring added accountability to the Police Service.

 

 

Partner updates

 

Wiltshire Police - the written report was noted. PC Darvill, in attendance on behalf of Inspector Harvey, answered questions.

 

Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service – the written report was noted.

 

NHS Wiltshire - the written report was noted.

 

Community Area Young Peoples Issues Group – Kath Brownlee, James Davies and other young people from the Youth Centre:

• The CAYPIG members advised that they were know working with the Town Council and Wiltshire Police to try and improve the skate ramps and litter bins at Poulton Recreation Ground. The ramps were in poor condition and were attracting anti-social behaviour.

 

·       A Youth Action Group, led by young people, was being set up to supercede the CAYPIG, to engage with local issues and to look at local services from a young persons perspective.

 

 

·       Several of the young people had taken part in the National Citizen Course, and felt that the course had given them confidence to become a volunteer.

 

 

The Chairman thanked everyone for their updates.

 

Alan Mines advised that Wingfield Parish Council had sent a letter of complaint to Cllr Jane Scott OBE, Leader of Wiltshire Council, in response to the failure of officers and an elected member of Wiltshire Council to effectively respond to issues raised by the Parish Council.

 

The Chairman promised that these failures would be investigated.

 

Councillor Jane Scott, Leader, Wiltshire Council & Laurie Bell, Director of Communications, Wiltshire Council gave a presentation that recapped the Summer celebrations for the Jubilee and the Olympics, and discussed the effect the year of celebration had had on the community and how to carry on the legacy through 2013 and beyond.

 

 

Points covered included:

 

Key Events

 

•        Queen’s Diamond Jubilee – 1 May.

 

•        Olympic Torch Relay – 22 & 23 May inc lunchtime stop at Clarendon College, Trowbridge.

 

•        Olympic Torch Relay – 11 & 12 July.

 

•        Festival of Celebration – 11 July, Hudson’s Field.

 

•        Michael Johnson – 12 July, Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral.

 

 

The Impact – community

 

•        Over 225,000 people attended the events – half the population of Wiltshire.

 

•        Hundreds of street parties, events, concerts and activities held across county.

•         

•        Atmosphere of celebration.

 

•        Reason to bring communities together.

 

 

The Impact – economy

 

•        Additional spend on events days est. over £1 million – not including tourism impact.

 

•        Hotels and B & B’s in Salisbury fully booked w/c 9 July.

 

•        Visit Wiltshire website highest monthly number of visits since records began in 2008.

 

•        Substantial return on investment (£290,000).

 

 

The Impact – publicity

 

•        Queen’s Diamond Jubilee event – local, regional, national and international – advertising value £191,000 – circulation 100 million.

•        Olympic torch and Hudson’s Field so far… local, regional, national and international – advertising value £890,000 – circulation of 250 million +.

 

•        Footage of Stonehenge and Michael Johnson coverage – advertising value £2.7million – circulation 50 million + per day.

 

 

The Impact – culture

 

•        Biggest partnership event.

 

•        Robust resilience – keeping the county safe.

 

•        Close working with area boards and town and parish councils.

 

•        Great team building – over 1,000 Wiltshire Council staff worked the events.

 

•        Many people took on different roles and expanded their skills and experience.

 

•        Lasting relationships formed...

 

 

The Impact – legacy

 

•        Need to build on the success of this year.

 

•        Setting up a Legacy Board.

 

•        Focus on;

–       Health and sport for all – free swimming.

–       The economy – series of business events and promotions.

–       Communities – an annual event or activity in every area?

–       Working in partnership to deliver more.

 

 

 

Questions raised from the floor included:

 

·       Will Wiltshire Council be funding free Swimming?

a.Yes, free swimming is available for under 16’s during school holiday periods.

 

·       Jim Lynch from BoACAN confirmed that there is already a group in the town looking at a programme of events for Christmas 2012 and Summer 2013. There is a growing sense of partnership working for the good of the town.   

 

The Chairman thanked Cllr Scott and Laurie Bell for their presentation.

 

 

Jim Lynch from BoACAN reported on the work of the Task and Finish Group in developing an Air Quality Action Plan for the town. A report was tabled which gave details of discussions held to date and recommended next steps.

 

The long-term goal is to achieve a Clean Air Town by 2020 with a medium term

goal of Legal Air Quality by 2015.

 

Recommendations:

a. An Air Quality Partnershipengaging all relevant Departments of Wiltshire Council, our Town Council, relevant Parish Councils, plus voluntary/community groups and organisations (including our schools) and the local business community.

b. An Air Quality Networkengaging all our citizens in a concerted campaign.

c. A Project Management Groupmandated to act upon and deliver the desired outcomes with minimum bureaucracy.

 

Despite the long history of previous efforts there is an immediate and important need to provide up-to-date information in the following areas:

i) Origin and Destination Traffic Information: Who is creating this problem? Where are they coming from; going to, and why? Is it ‘us’ i.e. is it town-based, area-based or from further afield?

Answers require a properly resourced and funded Origin and Destination Survey. Any differences regarding cost, organisation, purpose (and so forth) are entirely secondary to the imperative need for top-quality data. This project is the absolute sine qua non for further action.

ii) Public Health: a Health Impact Survey is now available (c/o Rosemary Brown). The survey must be linked to existing data and engage both Wiltshire Council Public Health initiatives and the Primary Care Trust, Health Centres etc

 

iii) Safety Impact: although it is obvious that traffic in and around the town is a constant danger to pedestrians, this information needs to be collated and assessed. The HCZ initiative is looking at this material, as are others concerned with mobility and safety.

 iv) Environmental Impact: It is important that we support the work of the Environment Health Department whilst also looking at other methods of collecting data on the environmental impact; town fabric, pollution etc. A new air quality monitoring station is to be sited on Masons Lane by the end of this year to record nitrogen dioxide and particulates in real time.

The full range of potential actions requires much more detailed work along ‘SMART’ lines (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Timely). Producing this would, again, be a first priority for a Project Management Group.

Work in Progress: Some groups are rightly keen to act on their own initiative in solving this multi-faceted problem. Climate Friendly Bradford are engaged in encouraging the uptake of electric vehicles and related actions as part of their long-term commitment to change.

 

Points raised from the floor included:

 

·       That we need to be looking at electric/zero emission vehicles in the near future, with Bradford on Avon having its own electric car charging points in car parks, hotels etc.

 

·       We should demonstrate the benefits through the use of electric community buses in the town centre.

 

Questions raised from the floor included:

 

·       Can  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Emma Cooper, Partnership Development Manager, Wiltshire Council & Simone Ward, Manager, Volunteer Centre Wiltshire informed the area board of the work being undertaken with partners to develop and support volunteering in Wiltshire.

 

Points made included:

 

·       Local people helping their local communities by volunteering.

 

·       Call-IT, 0845 5216224, is the new telephone number for people interested in getting involved with volunteering.

 

 

What are we doing?

 

·       Working together.

 

·       Making volunteering available to all.

 

·       Ensuring volunteering is well managed, supported and recognised.

 

·       Trying out new approaches to volunteering, such as “time credits”

 

 

How are we doing?

 

·       1500 volunteering opportunities promoted through Volunteer Centre.

 

·       The number of volunteers had doubled in the last year to 2265.

 

·       The number of unemployed volunteers had increased by 36%.

 

 

The Chairman thanked Emma Cooper and Simone Ward for their presentation.

Emma Cooper - VCS Support, Wiltshire Council gave a power point presentation which covered:

 

Points made included:

 

• What is financial exclusion.

 

• What does it mean to be financially excluded.

 

• Where is financial exclusion found.

 

• Does it exist in the Bradford on Avon community area.

 

• How the Wiltshire Community Bank operates.

 

• That Wiltshire Council were looking to give its staff the opportunity to

save with the Wiltshire Community Bank.

 

The Chairman thanked Emma Cooper for her presentation.

The Chairman requested that the Area Board members approved the detail of the transfer of the car park at Conigre Hill to a community trust.

 

Resolved:

 

·       That the Bradford on Avon Area Board approves the transfer of the car park at Conigre Hill to a community trust as per the report, (pages 50-51 of the 19 September, Bradford on Avon Area Board agenda pack).

 

David Maude from Hillside Action Group thanked the Area Board for their help and approval of the asset transfer to the community trust.

Councillors considered four applications to the Community Area Grant budget in 2012/13:

 

Decision

Bradford on Avon and District French Twinning Association awarded £2,006 for the May 2013 visit of twin town Sully-sur-Loire to Bradford and for a trip by Fitzmaurice School to Sully.

Reason

The application demonstrates a link to the Bradford on Avon Community Plan and Wiltshire Local Area Agreement through its support for the local economy, tourism, culture, education and civic links.

 

 

Decision

Wiltshire People First awarded £500 towards the ‘Our Lives, Our History’ oral history project.

Reason

The application demonstrates a link to the Bradford on Avon Community Plan and Wiltshire Local Area Agreement through its support for health and social care, education and inclusion objectives.

 

 

Decision

Holt Sports and Recreation Committee awarded £1,195 towards the Holt Second Sports Court.

Reason

The application demonstrates a link to the Bradford on Avon Community Plan and Wiltshire Local Area Agreement through its support for sport and recreation and community development in the village of Holt.

 

Decision

TEDxBradfordonAvon awarded £500 towards an event on 4 November 2012 for creative people and businesses on the theme of ‘Crafting the Unexpected’.

Reason

The application demonstrates a link to the Bradford on Avon Community Plan and Wiltshire Local Area Agreement through its support to the economy, creative industries and local democracy.