Agenda item

This event was held on 26 February 2014.  A full report of priorities selected and ideas for projects is attached.  The Area Board will be asked to:

·         Consider the outcomes from the ‘What Matters to You’ event

·         Decide on action

Sally Hendry, Community Area Manager explained that the ‘What matters to you?’ event was held on 6 March 2014 in the Laverton and more than 80 members of the public and partner agencies took part.

The purpose of the event was to look at facts and figures for the Westbury Community Area and consider priorities for action.

It was pointed out that some of the key issues facing the Westbury community were:

•      High rates of child poverty

•      High rate of child obesity

•      4^th highest in county for domestic abuse

•      Higher than average benefit claimants

•      Lowest countywide recycling rates

Sally Hendry reported that the following priorities had been made at the meeting on 6 March:

Community Safety

·         Anti-social behaviour of adults in the evening and young people in the day time.29%

·         Engaging with the more vulnerable in our society to keep them safe from accidental fires – ensure their personal safety 29%

·         Reduction of domestic abuse 42%

Environment

·         Identify land that can be made available for community benefit. 28%

·         Information to residents in rural communities about the possible re-grading of farmland that would open it up for development.  5%

·         Look into extending the Cranborne Chase AONB to include the Westbury Escarpment or create a corridor up to the Cotswolds AONB. 22%

·         Promote reduction of packaging from stores and fast food outlets, and educate for less to landfill and more recycling.  45%

·         Suggest - Wellhead Woods and Wellhead Valley – as Town Parks for the community

·         Does WC own triangle of grass (possible orchard spot) by the Coop – suitable for asset transfer?

Transport

·         Address issues of air quality by supporting the Air Quality Action Group 9%

·         Improve, enhance, increase availability of cycle routes in and around Westbury. 38%

·         Encourage effective use of the Railway Station, ensure its continued use as a hub 17%

·         Improve traffic flow on the Warminster Road 19%

·         Establish whether the community would be interested in discussing the options for by-pass 17%

Children and Young People

• Mitigating the effects of poverty – stress, obesity, higher refuse, domestic violence. 57%
• Reaching out to hard to reach people 8%
• Importance of young people being able to access affordable resources 34%

Culture

• Westbury Town Heritage Trail – blue plaques – raise profile of historic buildings 18%
• White Horse/Swimming Pool/Library – multi use leisure and culture – raise profile 28%
• Clubs/workshops for young people (music/drama/arts) – better advertising 33%
• Co-ordinated advertising of local events – notice boards/website/calendar 21%

Economy

·         Improve education and employment aspirations of school children 57%

·         Increase opportunities for higher end jobs 13%

·         Plan for re-purposing of the town centre (leisure, heritage trail etc) 30%

Health and Wellbeing

• Dementia: improve awareness, become 'dementia friendly' 20%
• Healthy diet and healthy bodies for the whole family (starting with breastfeeding and all the way through to older age) 37%
• Connect people socially and improve activity levels leading to better health and mental wellbeing 40%
• Falls prevention (in the home and outside too) 3%

Leisure

• Improve access for participation: better public transport, improved cycle ways etc 19%
• Maintain the town’s swimming provision and leisure facilities ensuring campus plans encourage joint working to make best use of all facilities 32%
• Widen GP referral scheme to use all the leisure providers in the community area 7%
• Encourage volunteering to enable increased leisure provision and improve communication to publicise what’s on 10%

·         Maintain youth services and leisure provision for youth 32%

Housing

• Empty Homes Initiative – work to pro-actively bring some of the empty homes back into use (up to 60 in Westbury Area) 45%
• Create a support network in the community to assist older and vulnerable people move to more appropriate housing 36%
• Monitor the impact of the Growth & Infrastructure Act (2013) on Section 106 provision of new affordable housing – matching it to local demographics and housing need 10%
• Explore initiatives to help private landlords improve the quality of the private rented sector 9%

Our Community

• Free central community space(s) for community groups to use. 27%
• Raising the aspirations of young people in the community area 59%
• Lack of communication about local issues that affect communities 14%

The meeting was informed that action and the next steps would be as follows:

·         Work on identified priorities 

·         Area board research commenced

·         Westbury Area Forum

·         Work with partners such as BA13 CAP

·         Area board grants to reflect community priorities

·         Progress reports at every area board

·         Update of community plan