Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed all those present at the meeting, and introduced the top table. A special welcome was reserved for Councillor Carole Soden for whom it would be her last Area Board meeting as a Councillor after serving more than 30 years on District and County Councils.

A brief video was shown documenting the achievements of Wiltshire Council over the past 4 years, detailing some of the success stories and strategic projects.

Apologies for absence had been received from the following;

Miranda Gilmour – Community Area Manger

Tony Pooley – Little Somerford Parish Council

Sid Jevons – Malmesbury & the Villages Community Area Partnership

Peter Gilchriest - Malmesbury & the Villages Community Area Partnership

Terry Mockler - Hankerton Parish Council

Grahame Thorne – Minety Parish Council

Ray Sanderson – Mayor of Malmesbury

Ellen Blacker – Dauntsey Parish Council

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 16 January 2013.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chairman made the following announcements:

a)    Integrated Youth Service

Information was provided as detailed on page 11 of the Agenda pack.

b)    Community Covenant Grant Scheme

The Chairman encouraged local organisations to consider whether their projects might be eligible for funding under the Armed Forces Community Covenant grant scheme.

The Covenant (launched in Wiltshire in 2011) is a voluntary statement of mutual support between a civilian community and its local Armed Forces Community. The aim of the Community Covenant is to encourage local communities to support the Service community in their area and nurture understanding and awareness amongst the public of issues affecting the Armed Forces Community. This being particularly relevant following MOD announcements to bring a further 3500 personnel to the area.

The grant scheme has been designed by the Ministry of Defence to fund initiatives and projects which support local community covenants.   Successful applicants have demonstrated that their projects will promote integration and mutual understanding between the civilian and the Armed Forces communities. 

Since the grant scheme started, organisations in Wiltshire have successfully drawn funding of almost half a million pounds. 

All projects must be endorsed by Wiltshire’s Community Covenant panel.  For more information about the scheme visit Wiltshire Council’s website. 

The next deadline for applications is likely to be Friday 3 May 2013. If you have any queries and would like some advice about a possible application then please contact the Communities and Voluntary Community Sector on vcs@wiltshire.gov.uk

Maria Cattelona - Disabilities Commissioning Officer for Wiltshire Council and Wiltshire Autism Partnership and Patti Harrison – Wiltshire Parent Carer Council, will talk about autism, how the condition affects people and why this is important for the Malmesbury area.

The Chairman introduced Maria Cattelona from Wiltshire Council and Patti Harrison from Wiltshire Parent Carer Council. Patti and Maria gave a brief overview of Autism as a condition and talked about prevalence rates, sharing that around 4,500 people may have an autism spectrum condition in Wiltshire, with around 190 of these estimated in the Malmesbury area. It was explained that a large proportion of these people may not require social care support as many people can lead relatively independent lives however, Maria and Patti highlighted the need for community awareness and understanding to ensure those with an autism spectrum condition can access the same local services, amenities and support structures as everyone else.

Patti and Marie stated that autism is a spectrum condition, which means that, while all people with autism share certain difficulties, their condition affects them in different ways. The three main areas of difficulty which all people with autism share are sometimes known as the 'triad of impairments'. People have difficulties with:

1. social communication (e.g. difficulty with both verbal and non-verbal language)

2. social interaction (e.g. difficulty recognising or understanding other people's emotions and feelings)

3. social imagination (e.g. difficulty understanding and predicting other people's thoughts or behaviour).

A short DVD was then shown detailing the lives of some Wiltshire residents who live with autism, and the affect the condition has on their daily lives.

Patti then gave a few examples of where autism can lead to misunderstanding of a person’s needs, or a misrepresentation of their behaviour. Patti also highlighted the need for awareness in the local community of individuals who may be autistic, and to consider their needs in managing their lives.

The chairman then asked if police or other services had been made aware of the differences in managing individuals who may be autistic in difficult situations.

Patti was able to confirm that autism alert cards are carried by some autistic individuals to alert services of their condition, whilst Mark Thompson was also able to confirm that officers had undergone some training in managing individuals in accordance with their duties.

A question was raised from the floor detailing some examples of socially unacceptable behaviour from some individuals, and asked how this could be managed.

Patti was able to respond stating that managing the needs and requirements of the individual is the same as managing the requirements of any individual, but that it must be exercised with a degree of awareness of the condition.

Councillor Killane then raised an example whereby an individual in a park who approached children could be misinterpreted, and how parents could be concerned.

It was agreed that there is likely to be confusion sometimes individuals whom are autistic, in terms of their actions and how it is viewed by society. Patti reiterated the importance of understanding autism in the local area, and raising awareness of those who are affected.

Some further information on Autism in the local area can be found on the Wiltshire Council website;

www.wiltshire.gov.uk/autism

The Chairman  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

The Chairman opened this item by announcing the steps taken following the flooding exercise at the previous meeting. The Chairman directed the attention to the action sheet – detailed in the agenda pack at page 19.

The Chairman reiterated the commitment of the future area board to addressing the issues on the action sheet and to developing the flood plans as agreed at the previous meeting.

Councillor Sturgis updated the meeting on the progress with the Environment Agency and also highlighted an upcoming meeting with the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) and the National Farmers Union (NFU) regarding access to blockages on land that contribute to flooding. Councillor Sturgis then highlighted that he would update the next Area Board meeting with the outcomes from this meeting and developments against the flood action sheet.

Owen Gibbs from Brinkworth Parish Council then confirmed that all roads around Brinkworth were now clear.

It was also confirmed that a meeting has been held in regarding the installation of a channel in Luckington where the land owner has agreed to the works.

A question was also raised from the floor regarding a number of bye laws that were in the process of being passed by the council. It was agreed that Jacqui White would address the issues surrounding this and respond accordingly.

Councillor Killane raised the issue of developing the Malmesbury flood plan. It was suggested that Malmesbury Town Council would present this progress at the next Area Board Meeting in July.

Decision

The Area Board agreed to receive updates from Cllr Sturgis regarding progress against the action sheet at the July Area Board.

The Area Board agreed that a presentation would be made by Malmesbury Town Council at the Next Area Board Meeting, regarding progress of the Flood Action Plan for Malmesbury.

To receive updates from the following partners:

a.     Wiltshire Police (attached)

b.     Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (attached)

c.     NHS Wiltshire (attached)

d.     Malmesbury and the Villages Community Area Partnership (attached)

e.     Town and Parish Councils

f.      Young People

g.     Malmesbury and District Chamber of Commerce.

The Chairman invited updates in addition to the written update reports set out at pages 23-32:

a.     Wiltshire Police

The Chairman introduced Mark Thompson and Martin Alvis from Wiltshire Police who updated the meeting with the report on page 23. Inspector Mark Thompson also confirmed that following the issuing of the report, there had been 4 additional burglaries in the Malmesbury Area.

Mark suggested that this was a stand-alone event, and confirmed that similar burglaries had been conducted in other regions across south west and central counties, and that due to the transient nature of the associated crimes, it is likely that there will not be any further incidents.

Councillor Sturgis then raised the issue of a suspicious event he had heard of in the area, and Mark stated the importance of residents collecting information (license plates etc.) regarding suspicious behaviour, and reporting it to the police. Martin Alvis confirmed that the police are working with residents in vulnerable areas of Sherston as a result of these events.

Decision

The Area Board noted the report.

b.     Wiltshire Fire and Rescue

The Chairman introduced Mike Franklin who gave a short presentation on the report attached on page 25, and the additional report that had been circulated at the meeting.

Mike confirmed there had been 1 additional fire in February and reaffirmed the importance of smoke alarm fitting and testing. Mike stated that vulnerable people could be eligible for free supply and fitting, and urged possible beneficiaries to contact Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service on 01380 723601.

Decision

The Area Board noted the report.

c.     NHS Wiltshire

There were no questions regarding the report submitted on page 27.

Decision

The Area Board noted the report.

d.     Malmesbury and the Villages Community Area Partnership (MVCAP)

The Chair introduced Mark Allen who updated the meeting with the report on page 29 of the agenda pack.

Mark confirmed the next meeting of MVCAP would be on Wednesday 27th March 2013 at 7:30pm at Malmesbury Fire Station.

Mark also confirmed that MVCAP would be supporting sports events to be held over the summer to mark the legacy of the Olympics, and that further details of events and activities would be given at the next meeting.

The issue of road surfacing was then raised, and Councillor Sturgis confirmed that the Council were working towards improving road access but that the difficult winter had meant many major works had been postponed until the summer to prevent repetition of damage.

A question was asked as to why there were deviations in the life cycle of some roads in the north and south of the County, which Councillor Sturgis then confirmed was in the most part due to variances in the construct of the ground the roads are built on. It was suggested that a presentation on life cycle differences between North and South, be made by MVCAP at the next Area Board meeting in July.

Decision

The Area Board agreed to consider the issue of road surfacing at  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

A short video will be shown, documenting some of the key achievements of the Area Board over the past four years.

The Chairman gave a brief presentation on some of the successes of the Malmesbury Area Board. These included;

Malmesbury area board allocated

£314,175 to local projects and gave 79 grants to community groups.  The board supported projects totalling over £1 million.

£15,433 was given to young people through participative budgeting with considerably more funding going to young people through community area grants.

£50,080 was invested in Community Area Transport projects.

10 community Speedwatch schemes have been supported, with more in the pipeline

142 community issues have been referred to the area board with 88% to date being resolved.

1549 people have attended area board meetings with many more attending special meetings such as the Joint Needs Assessment events and presentations from supermarkets.

52 community information bulletins have been circulated and 642 people have signed up to the Community Area Network, so people who do not attend meetings are in touch with what is going on.

Some of the projects the area board has supported include:

Crudwell Village Hall - £2,912 awarded in 2010

Tents for Twynnoy Explorer Scouts - £665 awarded in 2011

Charlton Village Hall – new kitchen - £ 5,000 awarded in 2012

Oaksey Football Club - seniors pitch - £763 awarded in 2009

Easton Grey - Whitewalls – protection of the Roman site from 4x4 damage - £ 4,386 awarded in 2011

The Malmesbury Community Area Transport Group (CATG) has been responsible (on behalf of the area board) in over £50,000 of local highway and road safety projects – which have been identified by the community.  The CATG bid for and received a further £70,000 towards 3 substantive schemes in 2012/13. There have been a wide variety of schemes, including:

•        Traffic calming in  Crudwell

•        Safety improvements to  North End crossroads in Ashton Keynes

•        Improving access & dropped kerbs in Malmesbury

•        Allocating Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs)  to encourage speed reduction

•        Road safety signage in Dauntsey

•        Traffic Regulation Order Mill Lane Malmesbury

CATG demonstrated the value of devolving local budget and the success of empowering local people to agree how and where funding should be allocated.

The Chairman then confirmed the many partners of the Malmesbury Area Board have worked with, including;

•        Malmesbury & Villages Community Area Partnership.

•        Parish and town councils

•        Community groups and volunteers

•        Community Speedwatch

•        Cowbridge foot and cycle route

•        Young people representatives

The Chairman also highlighted some of the investments made with regard to young people. These included;

•        A circus trip to inspire Sherston Young Craft Group

•        ‘The last 60 years’- inter-generational project in Ashton Keynes

•        Visit to a theme park for young people with special needs

•        Extending a dew pond and wild life area at Aunt Addies Farm

The Queen’s Jubilee

Members of the town council, Athelstan Museum and Abbey Gardens put on a great show representing Malmesbury when the Queen visited Salisbury last year.

Looking Forward, the Chairman confirmed the future aspirations of the Malmesbury Area Board, including;  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

The Chairman introduced the report on pages 33-38 and invited questions from the room regarding opposition to closure of items.

Opposition was made from the floor with regard to the closure of issue 2758 – perceived speeding in Gloucester Road.

Councillor Killane confirmed with Wiltshire Police that metro count surveys had not revealed any speeding on the road, and this fed into the perception of speed rather than actual speed.

Councillor Soden also stated that actual speed was not a problem, and favoured the closure of the issue.

Decision

The Area Board voted and confirmed the closure of the following items:

•        Issue 2796, 2569 and 2550 – Speeding Minety. 

•        Issue 2774 – Safety of white line on A429 near Corston. 

•        Issue 2758 – Perceived speeding in Gloucester Road.

•        Issue 2678 – Pavements in Parklands.

•        Issue 2670 – Perceived speeding in ‘The Street’. Lea.

•        Issue 2657 – Speed near the school, Great Somerford.

•        Issue 2636, 2436, 2268, 2236, 2232 – Traffic speeds and HGV in Leigh.

•        Issue 2498 –Speeding in Ashton Keynes.

•        Issue 1608 – Speeding / HGV in Wood Lane.

The Board reviewed the Community Area Transport Group report and discussed the recommendations within the report.

Decision

The Board voted and AGREED the following;

·       The allocation of Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs) across the Malmesbury community area will be reviewed at the 21 May CATG meeting.

·       The Board noted that: following financial reconciliations, the current balance of the 2012/13 CATG budget is £3,146.78.

·       The remaining CATG budget will be used to implement roundels on B4040 in Minety, Leigh and Charlton to provide a consistent message to road users to reduce their speed as they enter these villages. Any funding left in the area board 2012/13 budget will also be used to undertake this work to address this serious speeding problem.

·       All recommendations of the Malmesbury CATG contained in the Action Notes of the 5 February 2013 meeting were approved and the progress of a wide range of issues and schemes in Appendix 1 of the report, was noted.

Councillors will be asked to consider the Community Area Grants report and make recommendations on the applications received.

Officers will discuss and vote on;

1.     To approve officer delegated expenditure of £828 to victims of November 2012 floods.

2.     Oaksey Youth Club – award £990 towards a 2 day music project for 12-19 year olds for those living in the village and beyond.

3.     Malmesbury United Reformed Church -  award £5,000 towards a lift, conditional on the balance of funding being in place

The Board were asked to consider the funding requests from the Community Area Funding Report:

Decision

Both Community Area Grant applications were approved by the Board. The area board agreed the following funding and delegated expenditure:

Decision

1.     APPROVE officer delegated expenditure of £828 to victims of November 2012 floods.

Reason

The request was in accordance with delegated authority powers, approved 10 November 2010 and would benefit victims of recent flooding.

Decision

2.     APPROVE Oaksey Youth Club: £990 towards a 2 day music project for 12-19 year olds for those living in the village and beyond.

Reason

The application met core grant criteria for 2012/13 and would benefit young people in the area.

Decision

3.     APPROVE Malmesbury United Reformed Church: £5,000 towards a lift, conditional on the balance of funding being in place.

Reason

The application met core grant criteria and would benefit local people by providing additional community space for events and activities.

As a note of special thanks to Councillor Soden, the Chairman introduced a celebratory video in recognition of her service to local people and to local democracy.

Councillor Soden was presented with a gift from the Area Board, and was greeted with applause from the meeting.

Councillor Soden spoke of her enjoyment working with the Malmesbury Area Board and for the presentation.

The Chairman then thanked everyone for coming to the meeting and reminded attendees that the next meeting would be in July, following elections.

It was noted that the next meeting would take place on Wednesday 3 July 2013, 7pm at Crudwell Village Hall, Tetbury Lane, Crudwell, Malmesbury SN16 9HB