Agenda and minutes

To welcome those present to the meeting.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting of the Stonehenge Area Board.

At the Chairman’s invitation, the Members of the Area Board introduced themselves.

To receive any apologies for the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Rob Yuill (Amesbury South).

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 22 September 2022.

The minutes of the meeting held on 22 September 2022 were presented for consideration and it was,

Resolved:

To approve and sign the minutes as a correct record.

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

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive the following announcements and information items through the Chairman:

·       Wiltshire Police

·       Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

·       Cost of Living Update

·       Community First update

·       Wiltshire Council Grants for Electric Vehicle Chargers

·       BSW Together (Integrated Care System) and Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Alliance update

·       Healthwatch Wiltshire

·       Wiltshire Climate Strategy Delivery Plans

·       Building Bridges, support for unemployed / not in education

·       FUEL Camps: holiday activities and food provision - FUEL programme - Wiltshire Council

·       Temporary Events Notices

The Chairman referred the meeting to the announcements included with the agenda pack and gave a brief summary of each one.

To receive an update on the Stonehenge Area Board priorities.

Graeme Morrison, the Strategic Engagement and Partnerships Manager (SPEM) for Stonehenge Area Board gave an update to the meeting.

The current local priorities for the Board were:

·       Paths 4 All scheme.

·       Protect the environment and reduce carbon footprint.

·       Health and wellbeing.

·       Positive activities for young people.

There was a proposal to add the ‘Community response to the rising cost of living’ as a local priority.

An open meeting had been held to discuss the response to the rise in the cost of living. During this Warm Spaces were discussed and it was expected that there would be a need for more Warm Spaces to open up. Some villages were preparing warm packages and libraries were also providing warm packages. An interactive map of the help available could be found on the Wiltshire Council website: https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/article/6801/Interactive-Community-Directory-find-out-where-local-warm-spaces-and-community-food-providers-are-in-the-county.

The Communities Team were also producing leaflets for each community area with details of local Warm Spaces and where to go for Cost of Living Support so that those who did not have access to information online could still get the find out where to get help. The SEPM encouraged people who were running Warm Spaces, were going to open a Warm Space or had places that could be used as Warm Spaces to contact Wiltshire Council via the survey form on the above web page so they could be added to the map and the leaflet. 

The Chairman, seconded by Councillor Ian Blair-Pilling proposed that ‘Community response to the rising cost of living’ be added as a Stonehenge Area Board priority and it was;

Resolved:

To add ‘Community response to the rising cost of living’ as a Stonehenge Area Board priority.

To receive an update on youth activities.

To consider the following Area Board Initiative:

·       Stonehenge Area Board, £3,086 towards the Rural Youth Outreach Project, year 2.

To consider the following applications for youth grants:

·       God Unlimited Outdoor Therapy, £5,000 towards engaging young people in outdoor therapy and activities.

·       Army Welfare Service Community Support, £3,000 towards Bulford Youth Club indoor equipment for play.

Please see the grant report under item 10 for further details.

Councillor Mark Verbinnen, Area Board Lead Councillor for Young People gave an update on the Local Youth Network (LYN).

Councillor Verbinnen explained that the LYN meetings usually involved youth group leaders, however a meeting had recently been held at Stonehenge School with about 20 young people from across the community area to discuss their priorities. The young people wanted:

·       Increased sporting opportunities

·       War gaming room

·       Debating groups

·       E-Sports

·       Music Space

·       Places for young people to hang out

The cost of living was also discussed by the young people, with all of them detailing how the rising cost of living had affected their lives.

Councillor Verbinnen had also visited Bulford Youth Club and the Girl Guides in the past month. Councillor Verbinnen was very impressed by the young people and it was good to get their perspective on matters.

Councillor Verbinnen presented the youth grant applications as detailed in the agenda for consideration. It was noted that these grants had not been to the LYN for consideration and recommendations to be made to the Board. However, under the grant rules and procedures it was possible for the Board to consider these grants. Representatives of the organisations applying for grants spoke in support of their applications.

An Area Board initiative which fell under youth grant funding was also presented for consideration. This Member led initiative was to provide support for year 2 of the Rural Youth Outreach Project.  

Councillor Verbinnen, seconded by Cllr Graham Wright proposed that all the youth grants be awarded in full and it was,

Resolved:

·       To grant God Unlimited Outdoor Therapy, £5,000 towards engaging young people in outdoor therapy and activities.

Reason

The application met the grants criteria 2022/23.

·       To grant Army Welfare Service Community Support, £3,000 towards Bulford Youth Club indoor equipment for play.

Reason

The application met the grants criteria 2022/23.

·       To grant the Stonehenge Area Board Member led initiative, £3,086 towards the Rural Youth Outreach project, year 2.

Reason

The application met the grants criteria 2022/23.

To receive an update on the Health and Wellbeing Group.

To consider the following application for Older and Vulnerable Adults funding:

·       Read Easy South and East Wiltshire, £563 towards establishing Read Easy South and South East Wiltshire group (RESEW).

Further details can be found in the grant report at item 11.

Councillor Monica Devendran as Chair of the Health and Wellbeing (HWB) group gave an update to the meeting.

The priorities for the HWB group were detailed:

·       Dealing with Loneliness, Isolation and Mental Health for older people and vulnerable adults.

·       Community Engagement Programs to improve Health and Wellbeing.

To help meet these priorities a coffee morning had been held on 11 November 2022, which was well attended and a video from the morning was shown to the meeting.

A video was also shown regarding the upcoming Christmas Concert on 20 December at Antrobus House at 10.45am, this was already sold out.

A further coffee morning was being planned for 2 February 2023 at Stonehenge School. Attendees could contact monica.devendran@wilsthire.gov.uk for further details.

All of these events would help to combat loneliness and isolation and would help to improve people’s wellbeing. Councillor Devendran stated that helping people in this way was incredibly rewarding

Details of a ‘Ask the Leader’ event which had recently been held were also given. This was well attended and residents got their chance to ask the Leader of Wiltshire Council questions, which they found helpful.

Councillor Devendran introduced the Older and Vulnerable Adults grant application for consideration, as detailed in the agenda. A representative of the organisation applying for funding spoke in support of their application.

Councillor Devendran proposed that the grant be awarded in full, this was seconded by Councillor Graham Wright, it was:

Resolved:

·       To grant Read Easy South and East Wiltshire, £563 towards establishing Read Easy South and South East Wiltshire group (RESEW).

Reason

The application met the grant criteria for 2022/23.

To consider the update from the Local Highways and Footpaths Improvement Group (LHFIG) and approve any funding recommendations.

Councillor Graham Wright as Chair of the Local Highways and Footpaths Improvement Group (LHFIG) introduced the funding recommendations of the LHFIG for consideration, these were detailed within the agenda report and highlighted on page 76.

Councillor Graham Wright proposed that the Board noted the discussions from the LHFIG meeting on 26 October 2022, confirmed the high priority schemes and approved the funding recommendations as detailed in the agenda. This was seconded by Councillor Ian Blair-Pilling, and it was,

Resolved

That Stonehenge Area Board:

·       Note the discussions from the Stonehenge LHFIG meeting held 26 October 2022.

·       Confirm the high priority schemes.

·       Approve the funding recommendations detailed below:

o   Durnford 30mph speed limit implementation £5,250.

o   East Chisenbury & Coomber 20mph speed limit implementation £8,250.

o   1-22-2 Orcheston 20mph speed limit implementation £5,250.

o   1-22-22 Netheravon Stagg Lane street name plate £375.

o   1-22-26 Shrewton B3086 and B3083 additional signposts £225.

To determine the applications for Community Area Grant funding:

·       Shrewton Paths Project, £500 towards Shrewton footpath historical information signage.

The Chairman introduced a grant application from the Shrewton Paths Project for £500 towards Shrewton footpath historical information signage to note. It was highlighted that the agenda should state that this grant was to be noted, rather than determined, as it had already been awarded under the delegated authority of the Strategic Engagement and Partnerships Manager (SEPM).

The Chairman, seconded by Councillor Ian Blair-Pilling proposed that the grant be noted, and it was,

Resolved:

·       To note the grant already awarded under the delegated authority of the SEPM to Shrewton Paths Project, £500 towards Shrewton footpath historical information signage.

Reason

The application met the grants criteria 2022/23.

It was highlighted that there was still grant funding available, so any groups interested in applying for grants should contact their local Wiltshire Councillor and Graeme Morrison, Strategic Engagement and Partnership Manager (SEPM) on graeme.morrison@wiltshire.gov.uk or 07986 365943.

The Health and Wellbeing Group will recognise and celebrate volunteers who have who have made outstanding contributions to the community.

The Chairman introduced the Rewards and Recognition item, explaining that the Health and Wellbeing group would recognise and celebrate volunteers who had made outstanding contributions to the community. Local people and councillors had been able to nominate volunteers under various categories. Those receiving recognition for their work were announced, collected their certificate and briefly explained about their work.

Those who received awards were:

Community Volunteer Group Category:

·       Amesbury Corona Virus Hub (Katherine Cook & Kelly Hitchen)

·       Cheerful Cuppa, Durrington (Shirley Lund) 

·       Cheerful Cuppa, Netheravon (Sarah Brown) 

·       Friends of Durrington (Wendy Parsons)          

·       Friday Day Centre, Durrington (Sue Paines) 

·       Wednesday Day Centre, Netheravon (Phillipa Lackford) 

·       Sunday Funday (Emma & Dion Spencer)

·       Wyndham Hall Action Group (Anne Bush) 

·       Durrington Plaza Film Nights (Martyn Ridley) 

·       Over 60’s Durrington (Prim Taylor)               

·       WI Durrington (Marion Wardell) 

·       Durrington Walls Wind Band (Peter & Anne Eve)        

·       Figgle Fest, Figheldean (Jacquie Dryden & Tina Cole) 

·       Amesbury Link, Chairman (Steve Williams) 

·       John Todd (Durrington events team) 

·       Figheldean Wednesday Coffee Mornings (Marianne Menzies) 

Individual Community Awards Category

·       Mary Towle, Netheravon (Community Champion) 

·       Andy Derry, Amesbury (Friendly Tuesday Club)       

·       Richard Harris, Shrewton (Exemplary Parish Councillor) 

·       Janice Hassett (Stonehenge Traffic Action Group) 

·       Naomi Betts (Amesbury Masked Tree) 

·       Pastor Barry Davies (Food Deliveries & More)

·       Jan Swindlehurst (Community Champion) 

·       Ian Mitchell (Community Champion) 

·       Louise Wheeler (Amesbury Green Fingers)

·       Lewis Perry, Durrington (Shopping for all)

·       Rachel Fortis, Amesbury (Prescriptions and Shopping)      

·       Dylan Hughes, Netheravon (Young Man Community Champion) 

·       David Burke, Netheravon (Exemplary Parish Councillor) 

·       Sandra Burch, Figheldean (Community Champion) 

·       Michelle Bartholomew, (Amesbury Trussell Trust) 

·       Phil Monk (Community Champion) 

·       Kathy Gill (Community Champion) 

Youth Volunteer Category

·       Mike Thompson, Durrington 

·       Peter Brooks, Durrington 

·       Buzz Action, Amesbury Youth Café &The Element Cafe 

·       Durrington Girls Junior Football (Mr and Mrs Paul Lane)        

Long Service Award Category

·       Sue Paines Durrington

·       David Healing, Durrington

·       John Menzies, Figheldean (awarded posthumously to his wife, following the recent very sad passing of Mr Menzies)

·       Richard Crook, Amesbury 

Special Thanks

·       Jacqui Abbott

A special thank you was given to Jacqui Abbott, the previous Community Engagement Manager for the Stonehenge Area Board, for all the support that she had given the Board. Jacqui had now left Wiltshire Council, but the Board wanted to highlight all the work that she had done and pass on their thanks.

The Chairman stated that it was heartening to hear about all the good work that was going on within the community area and to celebrate those who work tirelessly and often without any recognition to help support their communities. All attendees were in agreement and applause and thanks were given to everyone receiving recognition.

Any other items of business which the Chairman agrees to consider as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items.

The next meeting of the Stonehenge Area Board will be held on 30 March 2023.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Stonehenge Area Board would be held on 30 March 2023, 6.30pm at Antrobus House.

The Chairman thanked everyone for attending and wished everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.