Agenda and minutes

The Chairman will welcome those present to the meeting.

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

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Pip Ridout and Inspector Al Lumley (Wiltshire Police) and Heather Parks (Clerk of Sutton Veny Parish Council).

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 23 August 2022.

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 August 2022 were presented for consideration and it was;

Resolved:

To approve and sign as a true and correct record of the minutes of the meeting held on 23 August 2022.

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

There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary interest.

To receive the following announcements through the Chair:

·       Community Governance Review 2022-2023

·       Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living

·       Warminster Businesses Forum

·       Neighbourhood Plan and Town Regeneration Progress

·       Strategic Engagement and Partnerships Briefing Note

·       Building Bridges

·       Local Successes

The chairman gave the following updates:

·       Community Governance Review 2022-2023

The Chairman noted that attached to the agenda pack was a briefing note, which set out the background to the Community Governance Review Process. It was stated that Wiltshire Council is undertaking a Community Governance Review in certain areas, which began on 19 August 2022. Warminster has been agreed to be one of these areas, with the Electoral Review Committee having approved the terms of reference for a Community Governance Review which started on 19 August 2022. It was stated that the potential change would be an increase to the number of Warminster Town Councillors. Further details about Community Governance Reviews, could be found within the agenda pack.

·       Update on behalf of the Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living 

It was noted that within the agenda pack was a partner update from the Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living. It was outlined that the Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living is a Disabled People’s user led organization with the aim to ensure that all people in Wiltshire can live the life they choose as valued members of their community. The update included information about the main activities conducted by the centre in order to support people to live independently and to have a voice.

·       Warminster Businesses Forum

Cllr Bill Parks noted that he had recently attended a meeting and that progress was in its early stages. An update would be brought to the next meeting.

·       Neighbourhood Plan and Town Regeneration Progress

The Chairman drew attention  update on the Warminster Neighbourhood Plan that was attached to the agenda pack. The update detailed the recent progress of the Neighbourhood Plan, including the successful application of a £10,000 grant from Locality (the Government’s Neighbourhood Planning funding body), the appointment of a Steering Group and Topic Groups, evidence gathering through an interactive volunteer workshop. A Steering Group meeting had also taken place at the end of August.  Cllr Bill Parks noted that part of the grant would be used to appoint a company to take forward the Neighbourhood Plan.

·       Pop-up Youth Event

The Chairman noted that on 18 October 2022 a pop-up youth event would be taking place for children in school Year 6 and above in Chapmanslade Village Hall. It was noted that the previous event in Codford had been a success and that it would be positive if attendees could share the following link for registration: Pop Up Youth Event Chapmanslade Village Hall for Year 6 upwards Tickets, Tue 18 Oct 2022 at 17:30 | Eventbrite

·       Strategic Engagement  and Partnerships Briefing Note

The Chairman informed that a new staffing structure had come into place for the Engagement and Partnerships team, which has introduced three officer levels of support to local communities and Area Boards. The service would work with communities in an innovative and proactive way to empower them to do even more for themselves and to deliver to the Wiltshire Council Business Plan. Attached to the agenda pack was a brief overview of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To receive updates from any of the following partners:

·       Wiltshire Police

·       Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

·       Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board (ICB)

·       Warminster and Villages Community Partnership

·       Warminster Community Police Task Group (CPTG)

·       Warminster Health and Wellbeing Forum

·       Local Youth Network

·       Town and Parish Councils Nominated Representatives

Updates were received from the following partners:

·       Wiltshire Police

The Area Board noted a written update attached to the agenda.

·       Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

The Area Board noted a written update attached to the agenda which contained a link to a 10-minute video which showed notable incidents that the force had attended and the good work that was achieved across the Service in the last three months

·       Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board (ICB)

The Area Board noted a written update attached to the agenda.

·       Warminster Health and Wellbeing Forum

David Reeves, Secretary of the Warminster Health Wellbeing and Social Care Forum provided the Area Board with a verbal update, in addition to the written update attached to the agenda pack. The update covered the following points:

·       Work is being done to organise the Health Fair for April 2023, with 29 confirmed attendees so far including the Ukulele Club and Dogs for Help. It was stated that the Fair would include activities wider than Health and Wellbeing, such as pursuits and hobbies. The Health Fair is set to take place at the Warminster Civic Centre.

·       David had recently met with Cllr Parks and Cllr Newbury to discuss reaching out to rural communities as well as digital inclusion.

Following the verbal update the following points were raised by those in attendance:

·       Cllr Parks stressed the importance of taking messages out to those in rural and remote areas and hoped that the Health and Wellbeing Social Care Forum would be able to improve self-help.

·       Cllr Andrew Davis raised the point that residents in Warminster sometimes get the choice of going to either Bath or Salisbury hospital for their treatment, however it seems though there isn’t as much communication between the two hospitals. David Reeves agreed to feed this back and noted that the Forum had representatives from both Bath and Salisbury within its membership.

·       Town and Parish Councils

The area board noted that a written update had been attached to the agenda from Sutton Veny Parish Council.

The Area Board received a verbal update from Cllr Steve Jeffries on behalf of Warminster Town Council, which noted that an audition for the Town Crier had recently taken place in the park with the position set to be offered to a successful applicant. Community litter picking was also discussed, with it noted that though the amount of litter seems to have dramatically reduced, there has been a decline in interest from the public since the pandemic.

The Area Board received a verbal update from Sarah Jeffries, which covered the following points:

·       Chitterne Parish Council – Work is being done to better re-engage with the community as well as organising community events. Flooding issues have recently been investigated and the MOD has a liaison officer to implement the clearing of their part of Salisbury Plain. Community meetings have also taken place to discuss traffic problems brought forward from Maiden Bradley.

·       Horningsham Parish Council – The Parish Council has  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

The Area Board will be asked to consider the recommendations from the 6 July 2022 Warminster Local Highways and Footway Improvement Group (LHFIG) meeting outlined in the report.

The minutes of the Local Highways and Footway Improvement Group meeting held on 6 July 2022 were agreed as a correct record as well as the recommendations within.

To consider the following applications for funding:

Community Area Grants

·       Salisbury Plan Rights of Way Volunteers - £1,440 towards Providing a safe route between Warminster and Longbridge Deverill for Walkers, Riders and Cyclists.

·       Heytesbury Football Club - £500 towards Heytesbury FC spectator area.

Older and Vulnerable Adults Funding

·       Wiltshire Music Centre - £1,500 towards Celebrating Age Wiltshire.

The Area Board considered the followingapplications for funding:

Community Area Grants

·       Salisbury Plan Rights of Way Volunteers - £1,440 towards providing a safe route between Warminster and Longbridge Deverill for Walkers, Riders and Cyclists.

Resolved:

Salisbury Plan Rights of Way Volunteers was awarded £1,440 towards providing a safe route between Warminster and Longbridge Deverill for Walkers, Riders and Cyclists.

·       Heytesbury Football Club - £500 towards Heytesbury FC spectator area.

Resolved:

Heytesbury Football Club was awarded £500 towards Heytesbury FC spectator area with a caveat added that a plaque be included with reference to the Warminster Area Board.

Older and Vulnerable Adults Funding

·       Wiltshire Music Centre - £1,500 towards Celebrating AgeWiltshire.

Resolved:

Wiltshire Music Centre was awarded £1,500 towards Celebrating Age Wiltshire.

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

The Chairman noted that this meeting had been rearranged from its original date in order for respects to be paid following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

The next meetings of the Warminster Area Board will be on 10 November 2022.

The date of the next meeting is 10 November 2022.