Agenda item

The Community Area Manager will provide a summary of current community issues and the Area Board will agree those to be closed.

The Chairman explained that following the Malmesbury Town Council public meeting on 9 November, he would like to make a statement regarding proposed development in Malmesbury. Please find a copy of this statement attached. Councillor Killane had also considered the issue and put forward a proposal to the Area Board. Please find a copy of this attached to the minutes. Councillor Killane stated that it was important for the community to get organised and have an input into visioning how Malmesbury Community Area should develop. It was essential to get the Town Council, the Chamber of Commerce and local organisations together and to link with the Area Board to work out the infrastructure and development needs of the Community Area.     

Wiltshire Council was currently developing guidance to assist Town Councils and other local community stakeholders undertake town planning. The town planning process sought to enable local communities to lead the direction of planning for their towns, feel a sense of ownership and contribute directly to decisions affecting their local areas.

Draft guidance was being prepared and a workshop had been planned for 10 December to which representatives of Town Councils had been invited. The emerging guidance proposed that a steering group should be set up to oversee the process and made suggestions for the membership of the group in order to reflect a cross section of the local community. It also suggested that Wiltshire Council Officers could be advisory members of the group.

The issue identified by Councillor Killane of taking a co-ordinated approach to the future housing growth and infrastructure needs of the town could fit in well with this process.

The guidance was being prepared during a time of Governmental change, including reforms to the planning system. It was intended that the workshop would help shape the guidance and evolve in response to changes to the planning system so that the documents prepared add value to the decision making process.  

In addition, with regard to considering future development options for the town and scale of growth to be accommodated, Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet on 19 October agreed that in light of the revocation of Regional Spatial Strategies Wiltshire’s housing requirement would be determined through a comprehensive review. The review would involve local communities and respond to the implications of the Localism Bill when it was published.

Following publication of the Bill, a consistent methodology and approach to considering future levels of growth with Wiltshire’s communities would be prepared. Councillor Thomson underlined that Wiltshire Council would be supporting communities like Malmesbury to work on the core strategy for the future. Wiltshire Council would provide information on housing, school needs and the suchlike as soon as possible to enable discussions to take place with good knowledge. This was followed by a short discussion, which covered the following main points:

·         There was no specific budget provision for this community work. Support from Wiltshire Council would be in the form of Officer time and expertise and the evidence needed for each community to support the case they were making

·         Any information provided by Wiltshire Council would be in the form of public documents available to access by all

·         A working party was already in place in Malmesbury under the Chairmanship of the Mayor. This should be led by the Town Council for credibility in the legal process

·         Town Councils had been invited to a meeting on 10 December 2010 led by the Spatial Plans team

·         It was important to make sure the process of planning for Malmesbury was inclusive and involved the whole community.  

Decision

The Area Board would support Councillor Killane’s attached proposal.

The Community Area Manager then introduced the community issues report and invited Councillors to agree the next steps for a number of issues.

Decision

The Community Area Manager would close issues 426 (Minety Parish Council recognised there was insufficient support from local people to adopt Community Speedwatch), issues 609, 762, 882 and 947 (Malmesbury, Malmesbury St Paul Without and Great Somerford Parish Councils had agreed to adopt Community Speedwatch), issue 1132 (inspection of the cobbled footpath at the entrance to George Veterinary Surgery had shown it was in good repair and there was no need for change) and issue 1310 (the drain was the responsibility of the private landowner and advice has been provided).

Decision

Issues 1226 (car parking on grass on corner of Burnham/Hudson Road), 406 (residents parking in Malmesbury) and 655 (St Joseph’s seek parking permits for Cross Hayes) had been considered at the meeting as part of Wiltshire Council’s parking strategy consultation feedback.

Decision

The Local Transport Plan Allocation Group (a sub-group of the Area Board) met on 28 September. The group was made up from Wiltshire Councillors, a parish representative from the four electoral divisions (one of whom also represented Malmesbury and the Villages Community Area Partnership) and Officers from the transport department. The purpose of the meeting was to decide which schemes should be recommended to the Area Board for funding, to identify more potential sources of funding and where further research was required before a decision could be made by the Area Board.

A total of £13,360 was available to support schemes that improved safety, increased accessibility and sustainability by promoting walking, cycling and public transport; and improved traffic management. This funding was not for maintenance issues.

Issues discussed by this group included 334 (safety at North End crossroads, Ashton Keynes), 562 (crossing needed on Tetbury Hill Road near Filands), 620 (footpath required in Dauntsey), 1134 (perceived speeding approaching zebra crossing by Health Centre) and 1202 (pavement at Swann Close) in addition to others received by transport Officers. A decision about which schemes to fund would be considered at the Area Board meeting on 19 January 2011.

Decision

Issues 438 (remove or replace speed bumps in the town) and 440 (poor road conditions in Malmesbury) were associated with the joint survey by Malmesbury Town Council and Malmesbury and the Villages Community Area Partnership relating to the speed bumps in town, and other highways issues. The results would be considered at the 19 January 2011 Area Board meeting.

Decision

Road maintenance issues 273, 430 and 637 (poor condition of roads in Malmesbury), and 440 (disabled access in Malmesbury) would be picked up within general maintenance schedules.

Councillor Killane thanked Adrian Hampton, Head of Local Highways and Streetscene, for his work in the Community Area.