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Agenda and minutes

Venue: St Margarets Hall, St Margarets St, Bradford on Avon BA15 1DE

Contact: Kevin Fielding 

Items
No. Item

1.

Welcome

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed everybody to St Margaret’s Hall and thanked them for attending the Health Fair which had preceeded the meeting of the Area Board.

 

The Chairman introduced the Area Board members and the Wiltshire Council officers present.

 

2.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Cllr Ian Thorn.

3.

Declarations of Interest

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

 

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

4.

Minutes

i)To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Bradford on Avon Area Board meeting held on 16 July 2014.  

 

ii)To approve and sign as the correct record the minutes of the Bradford on Avon Community Area Transport Group meetings held on 16 June and 8 September 2014.   

 

 

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Decision

 

·       The Bradford on Avon Area Board meeting held on 16 July 2014 was signed as the correct record.

 

·       The minutes of the Bradford on Avon Community Area Transport Group meetings held on 16 June and 8 September 2014 were signed as the correct records.

5.

Chairman's Announcements and Updates

i)Bradford in Business Forum, 8 October.

ii)Wiltshire Market Towns Forum, 22 October.

iii)Emergency Planning Workshop for Bradford on Avon Community Area, 26  November.

iv)Toilet Facilities at Barton Farm.

 

Updates

 

·       Wiltshire Police

·       Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

·       Youth Advisory Group

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The following Chairman’s Announcements and updates were noted:

 

·       Wiltshire Market TownsForum, Wednesday 22October inSt Margaret'sHall, furtherdetails tobe announced.

 

·       Emergency Planning Workshopfor Bradfordon Avon CommunityArea, Wednesday26 Novemberin St Margaret'sHall, furtherdetails tobe announced.

 

·      ToiletFacilities atBarton Farm -Wiltshire Councilwas consideringthe futureof thepublic conveniencesat Culver Close butthe longerterm costsof repairand management were prohibitive.The possibilitiesof anArea Board capital grantfor refurbishmentand anasset transfer to theBradford onAvon TownCouncil forfuture managementwere beinginvestigated. Thematter was raised atthe TownCouncil LeisureYouth andArts Committee, (Tuesday 16 September)wherethere wasgeneral support expressed forsuch amove. Optionswould bediscussed furtherat TownManagement Committee on24 September.

 

 

Updates

 

Wiltshire Police – Inspector Chris Chammings

 

The written report was noted.

 

Questions raised included:

 

Illegally parked vans/cars in Silver Street causing a nuisance – could the Police look into this?

a.Yes, this issue would be passed on to the NPT and Wiltshire Council’s enforcement team to follow up.

 

The Chairman thanked Wiltshire Police for their hard work in policing the Tour of Britain as it passed through Bradford on Avon and Wiltshire.

 

 

Youth Advisory Group – YAG representatives

 

Points made included:

 

·       That the YAG would continue to use the Youth Development Centre for the next six weeks to discuss the way forward for youth services in Bradford on Avon.

 

·       The YAG’s desire to have a street based youth service in Bradford on Avon.

 

·       That the YAG did not feel that Wiltshire Council had listened to their points of view.

 

·       That they had had a further meeting with Cllr Laura Mayes – Cabinet member for Children’s Services, Wiltshire Council.

 

·       That the YAG met and had discussed the terms of reference for the Local Youth Network (LYN).

 

·       That the YAG would be carrying out a survey to find out what young people want from their youth service in Bradford on Avon. The YAG would report back to the Area Board at a future meeting with the results of this survey.

 

·       Bradford on Avon Town Councillors had visited the Youth Development Centre building, and had been given a tour of the building by members of the YAG.

 

The YAG representatives asked if any of Wiltshire Council’s youth centre buildings would remain open?

Mal Munday - Head of Service – Early Help, Wiltshire Council advised that Wiltshire Council was carrying out a property review of its youth centre buildings. Some Youth Centre buildings may stay open in the short term, others may be transferred to other parties as an “Asset Transfer”.

 

The Chairman thanked everybody for their updates.

 

6.

Implementing a community-led model for youth activities

Mal Munday - Head of Service: Early Help, Wiltshire Council.

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Mal Munday gave a short presentation that outlined implementing a community-led model for youth activities.

 

Points made included:

 

·       That Wiltshire Council had adopted a community-led model for the provision of positive activities for young people. By delegating responsibility and resources to Community Area Boards for youth activities, the council was committed to supporting young people and their communities to come together to develop a responsive and locally driven positive activities offer for young people. This means the positive activities offer would develop differently in each of the 18 Community Area Board areas to reflect local needs.

 

·       Local Youth Network (LYN) would be set up as a sub group of the Community Area Board. It would represent a wide range of community stakeholders who would work in partnership to facilitate a range of positive activities across the community area. Young people play a central role in all aspects of the LYN.

 

·       Local Youth Networks would identify local needs, priorities and outcomes and make recommendations to the Area Board on how funding for positive activities for young people should be deployed.

 

·       The need to work with the Youth Advisory Group (YAG) if it was agreed that the YAG should continue alongside the LYN.

 

·       That a Community Youth Officer role had been created, the Community Youth Officer would work with the young people and the Area Board to deliver the community-led model for the provision of positive activities for young people in Bradford on Avon.

 

Questions raised included:

 

·       Where would the Community Youth Officer be based in Bradford on Avon?

a.This was currently being looked at. It was hoped that somewhere in Bradford on Avon could be found, or working from the Trowbridge hub.

 

·       Was the Area Board consulted on the proposals for a community-led model for the provision of positive activities for young people?

a.Yes, the Area Board was consulted, as they would need to be involved along with the young people to shape the way forward.

 

·       Why can’t the Community Youth Officer be based at the Bradford on Avon youth development centre building whilst its still open?

a.     It could be done, in the short term.

 

·       People in Bradford on Avon are confused as to whether the youth development centre building is still open. Could the YAG organise an open day to highlight its potential usage to the community?

a.Yes, you’re welcome to do this.

 

Points made included:

 

·       That Bradford on Avon should try and gain ownership of the youth development centre building, and that it remains an asset to the local community and its community groups.

 

·       That the Area Board would support an open day at the youth development centre building.

 

·       That the local schools had concerns re the closure of the youth development centre building and local youth services being delivered from it.

 

·       That Wiltshire Council could have planned this whole closure much better, with more thought given to the youth and community groups.

 

·       That the Town Council needs to put a business plan together to identify  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Strengthening our Fire and Rescue Service

Minutes:

Jim Maloney – Area Manager, Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service gave a presentation that sought to outline the challenges faced by the Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service and the proposals for a merger with the Dorset Fire & Rescue Service.

 

Points made included:

 

Wiltshire and Dorset financial forecasts

 

·       Wiltshire needs yearly savings of between £3.1million and £3.9million from a £25million budget. This is equivalent to 83 to 103 full-time firefighters. (Wiltshire currently has 144).

 

·       Dorset needs further savings each year of between £2.3million and £3.2million from a £30million budget. This is equivalent to 61 to 84 full-time firefighters (Dorset currently has 210).

 

 

Financial Headlines

 

        Financial pressures are growing and outlook for public sector finance remains gloomy.

 

        At least £3.1m-£3.9m (Wiltshire & Swindon) and £2.3m-£3.2m (Dorset) annual savings to find within immediate future.

 

        Able to broadly balance the books so far but now very different and difficult choices ahead.

 

        Prudently built up reserves to support transformational change.

 

        Need key decisions in 2014 to allow a lead in time for transition issues and Combination Order.

 

 

Recommendations at December 2013

 

·       Subject to a due diligence and a full business case in September 2014, that both Authorities work towards the goal of a combined Authority in April 2016 whilst maintaining local identity.

 

·       A joint Political Oversight Board is established and councillor nominations be agreed through the Chairmen and Clerks to the Authorities.

 

·       Programme arrangements should be formalised to develop and deliver converged functions under single management teams.

 

·       A joint bid be developed and submitted to DCLG to try to secure resources from both the government’s £30m Efficiency Resource Fund and £45m Fire Efficiency Incentive Fund. The bid to be approved by respective Chairmen, CFOs and Treasurers.

 

 

The key benefits

 

·       Work at a local level with the police and ambulance and other partners by being a more effective Service with greater resources to offer.

 

·       Have more of an influence as we will be the fourth largest combined fire authority in England by station, and the sixth largest by budget.

 

·       Deal with an ageing workforce by recruiting more new firefighters.

 

·       Have a wider view and ability when it comes to managing our risks.

 

 

Consultation Scenarios

 

1.     Wiltshire Fire Authority to stay independent and increase collaboration with Wiltshire Council, and Swindon Borough Council

Should the fire authority and its fire and rescue service stay separate and independent as it is now, and increase collaboration with Wiltshire Council, Swindon Borough Council and other partners?

 

2.     Wiltshire Fire Authority to stay independent and increase collaboration with Dorset Fire Authority while also collaborating with Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council

Should the two fire authorities stay separate and independent, with the fire and rescue services collaborating more closely with each other and increase collaboration with Wiltshire Council, Swindon Borough Council and other partners?

 

3.     Wiltshire Fire Authority to merge with Dorset Fire Authority to create a single Combined Fire Authority while also collaborating with Wiltshire Council, Swindon Borough Council, Bournemouth Borough Council, Dorset County Council, and the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.

Community Grant Funding

·       A Local Larder: Bradford on Avon and Beyond requesting £1,998 to improve people's access to locally grown, reared and made food and drink.

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

 

The Wiltshire Councillors were asked to consider one application seeking 2013/14 Community Area Grant funding:

 

Decision

A Local Larder: Bradford on Avon and Beyond awarded £1,998 to improve people's access to locally grown, reared and made food and drink.

 

9.

Next Meeting

·       Wednesday 12 November 2014 at St Laurence School, Bradford on Avon.

 

 

Minutes:

·       Wednesday 12 November 2014 at St Laurence School, Bradford on Avon.

10.

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