To receive updates on the following issues:-
(a) Community Operations Board (COB) – the progress on ideas for a Westbury Campus
(b) Local Streetscene – an opportunity to meet the team that look after your community and to hear about the new ways of working
(c) The Westbury Weaver Bus Service
(d) Reopening of Westbury Swimming Pool
Minutes:
The Area Board received updates on the following issues:-
· Community Operations Board (COB) – Lucy Murray-Brown, Head of Campus & Operational Models, gave a presentation on progress made to date on ideas for a Westbury Campus.
She explained that in February 2011 Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet approved the implementation of a Campus and Operational Delivery Programme which would, amongst other things, work with local communities to develop, facilitate and deliver community campus buildings across Wiltshire which would seek to bring together existing Council and partners services into ideally one accessible location within a community area.
It was noted that a campus development for Westbury would consider including services run by Wiltshire Council, such as the town’s leisure and sports facilities and potentially the library and youth centre. Services could be provided from a single or multiple sites, and could use new or existing buildings.
An initial public consultation took place in January 2013 via the White Horse News, asking the people of Westbury what facilities they would like in the town and how they would like them to be realised. From the responses received, the following services were put forward:-
Access to a healthy lifestyle
Access to personal care facilities
Indoor sports & leisure facilities
Library facilities
Presence of Registrar of Births, Marriages & Deaths services
Presence of Revenue & Benefits services
From the public consultation, it became apparent that a campus should be sited as centrally as possible with adequate car parking facilites.
The Shadow Community Operations Board (COB) was studying all the various views put forward by the public and would be developing a number of different options which would be brought to the next meeting of the Area Board for consideration and be the subject of further general consultation.
· Local Streetscene – Chris Clark, ,Area Manager, Local Highways & Streetscene, gave an update on the changes to the local highway and streetscene service. He explained that following on from Local Government Reorganisation in 2009, the various local highways and streenscene services as provided by the former County and District Councils were merged into one new Unit and further rationalisations had been carried out which resulted in one new highways and streetscene contract which came into effect on 1 June 2013, together with a new staffing structure to support the service. This new contract would allow for a single point of delivery and remove duplication in processes, such as invoicing and other back office services, thus maximising the economies of scale.
The existing Parish Steward Scheme, grass cutting, litter collection and town centre cleaning activities were all contained in the new contract and would continue,but the operatives would be known as Community Stewards. The new contract would bring these activities together to deliver efficiencies and serve improvements.
Each of the area boards would have a community coordinator to manage all the local highway and streetscene operational issues and they would be the point of contact for the parish and town councils. An Engineer would provide the technical support and attend the Community Area Board Transport Groups for two community areas.
The new highway and streetscene contract, which commenced on 1 June, would reduce several contractors to one provider, Balfour Beatty Living Places. This would provide an opportunity to introduce new ways of working and the Council had arranged a series of workshops with town and parish councils to discuss this further and to ensure they were fully informed and involved with the new service arrangements.
· The Westbury Weaver Bus Service – It was reported that a new simplified leaflet explaining the service, routes and timetable had been produced and would be delivered through the White Horse News.
· Reopening of Westbury Swimming Pool – It was noted that Westbury Swimming Pool reopened on Monday 10 June following the carrying out of maintenance works and to celebrate this, free sessions would be available to all members of the community on Saturday 15 & Sunday 16 June. However, it was pointed out that the men’s changing rooms would have to be closed for further repairs following damage caused by a water leak. Julia Cramp agreed to investigate and report back at the next meeting.