Agenda item

Part I – Looking Back

To receive the Area Board End of Year Report (to be published as an agenda supplement) as well as to report on progress made in addressing the Area Board priorities selected for 2022/23:

·       Combatting Social Isolation and Loneliness (encompassing the previous priority from 2021/22 of Digital Inclusion) (Cllr Gordon King)

·       Wellbeing for Young People and Positive Activities (Cllr Carole King)

·       Local Environmental Action (Cllr Suzanne Wickham)

·       Child Poverty (Cllr Matt Dean)

Part II – Looking Forward

To highlight potential priorities for the Area Board to consider for 2023/24.

To appoint Members as Lead representatives to Outside Bodies and any new Non-Priority Working Groups as set out at Appendix A;

To appoint a Lead representative to the LHFIG (listed on Appendix A) and to note the Terms of Reference as set out in Appendix B.

Part I – Looking Back

The Area Board received a presentation from Strategic Engagement Partnerships Manager (SEPM), Graeme Morrison on the Area Board End of Year Report. The presentation included the following points:

·       Information regarding the composition of the Westbury Community Area and its population was provided.

·       Total Area Board investment was outlined as follows:

o   Community Grants: £47,148 – which leveraged a total community contribution of £136,887.

o   Youth Grants: £25,784 – which leveraged a total community contribution of £131,369.

o   Older and Vulnerable Adults funding: £14,800 – which leveraged a total community contribution of £45,681.

The SEPM provided an overview of the work completed under the previous local priorities that had been identified by the Area Board for 2022/2023:

·       Combatting Social Isolation and Loneliness

o   The Health and Wellbeing Group had continued to meet regularly and had been attended by several local groups to discuss various aspects of Health and Wellbeing in the community.

o   There have been three tranches of the Digital Inclusion Programme, with positive feedback received and another tranche hoping to take place in Autumn.

o   The Westbury Health and Wellbeing Event on 25 June 2023.

o   Work is set to be completed with the Westbury Area Network on enabling them to make use of the Household Support Grant.

·       Wellbeing for Young People and Positive Activities

o   The Local Youth Network (LYN) was recently reestablished and has been attended by several local groups.

o   The Westbury Young People Awards recently took place and was attended by over 200 people.

·       Local Environmental Action

o   The Pollinator Project had progressed well, with an overview of the work provided by Cllr Suzanne Wickham.

o   Phase 2 of the Bitham Brook project is set to take place, which was funded by a grant from the Area Board awarded to the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust.

o   An initial meeting had taken place to help parishes look at ways to open footpaths and rights of way.

·       Child Poverty

o   The Area Board funded 4Youth detached youth workers as well as other youth engagement projects.

o   The Area Board helped to part-fund a team for the Westbury Soapbox Derby.

o   Though the initial session wasn’t well attended, an event in collaboration with Wiltshire College is hoped to take place in September to provide sessions on employability, basic maths, and English skills.

o   The Area Board funded an event on the day of the King’s Coronation which took place in the Market Place and was free to attend.

The SEPM provided an overview of Area Board engagements as well as providing examples of projects that had been supported by the Area Board. It was recommended that the local priorities for the Area Board remain the same for the coming year.

Part II – Looking Forward

The Chairman introduced Part II of the item, with reference drawn to the report attached to the agenda pack, which included an Outside Bodies Appendix and LHFIG Terms of Reference Appendix.

After which, it was;

Resolved:

That Westbury Area Board decided upon the following priorities it wished to focus on in the coming year:

·       Combatting Social Isolation and Loneliness

·       Wellbeing for Young People and Positive Activities

·       Local Environmental Action

·       Child Poverty

That Westbury Area Board appointed the following lead Councillor for each of selected priorities:

·       Combatting Social Isolation and Loneliness – Cllr Gordon King

·       Wellbeing for Young People and Positive Activities – Cllr Carole King

·       Local Environmental Action – Cllr Matt Dean

·       Child Poverty – Cllr Suzanne Wickham

That Westbury Area Board appointed the following Councillor Representatives to the following Outside Bodies:

·       Westbury Local Youth Network (LYN) – Cllr Carole King

·       Westbury Health and Wellbeing Forum (HWB) – Cllr Gordon King

·       Westbury Ham Community Project (Eden Vale Youth Centre Project) – Cllr Matt Dean

·       Warminster and Westbury CCTV – Cllr Matt Dean

That Westbury Area Board appointed the following Councillor Representative to the Local Highways and Footway Improvement Group (LHFIG):

·       Westbury Area Board LHFIG – All Westbury Area Board Members

That Westbury Area Board noted the Terms of Reference for the LHFIG as set out in Appendix B, attached to the agenda.