Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Ernie Clark and Horace Prickett.

To approve and sign as a true and correct record the minutes of the previous meeting held on 5 December 2024.

The minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2024 were presented for consideration, and it was,

 

Resolved:

 

To approve and sign the minutes as a true and correct record.

 

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

 

There were no declarations.

The Area Board is asked to note the following items:

 

·       Devolution to Wessex Update

·       Wiltshire Local Elections 2025

·       Update from Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service: Service Update December 2024 - YouTube

·       Community First Update

·       Cost of Living Update

·       Family and Community Learning Impact Report 2023-24

·       Defect and Potholes Dashboard

 

Written updates were received as set out in the agenda papers.

To receive an update from Wiltshire and Swindon’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Wilkinson.

Philip Wilkinson, Police and Crime Commissioner, was in attendance and provided a verbal update on his work and that of Wiltshire Police. Details were provided about changes to police complaints processes, that Wiltshire and Swindon received the second lowest funding per head of population in the country, and that although the precept had been raised to the maximum extent for 2025/26 there were still millions of savings and efficiencies required. An example was provided of large costs for kennelling dangerous dogs as a result of new legislation, without government having provided additional funding. Despite the challenges the Commissioner believed the police were offering more for less, and provided details for more support to tackle retail and rural crime.

 

The Board then provided comments and questions for the Commissioner. There were queries on the level of budget reserves, which were limited, and need to centralise some forces into fewer stations, though a new station in the Salisbury area was still intended. A question was raised on increased costs for firearms certificates, and it was confirmed funds raised were part of the general police budget. There was discussion of shoplifting, and discussion of a system in Swindon in part paid for by retailers enabling swifter reporting. There was also discussion of exploitation of young and vulnerable people to undertake crime.

 

The Board thanked the Commissioner for his attendance and update.

 

 

To note the remaining budgets and to consider any applications for funding, as detailed in the attached report and summarised below:

 

Remaining Budgets:

 

Community Area Grant	Older & Vulnerable	Young People
£11,963.02	£0.00	£9,170.68

 

Community Area Grants:

 

Ref/Link	Grant Details	Amount Requested
ABG2192	Trowbridge Girl Guiding Hall – Trowbridge Girl Guiding Hall Move to Electric	£500
ABG2201	Southwick Community Hub – Southwick Community Hub Refurbishment	£5,000
ABG2208	Friends of The Down Cemetery – Non-Conformist Chapel Window Restoration	£1,500
ABG2209	Friends of Southwick Country Park – Additional Equipment to Extend our Maintenance Programme	£481.07

 

Young People Grants:

 

Ref/Link	Grant Details	Amount Requested
ABG2178	Trowbridge Child Wellbeing Partnership – Trowbridge for Youth	£500
ABG2196	Wiltshire Mind – 2025 Children and Young Peoples Counselling	£4,000
ABG2199	Wiltshire Treehouse – NEST Young Peoples Bereavement Support Trowbridge	£5,000
ABG2200	SMASH Youth Project – Street Based Youth Engagement and Detached Youth Work	£1,260

 

Further information on the Area Board Grant system can be found here.

 

The Area Board considered the following applications for funding:

 

Community Area Grants:

 

a)    Trowbridge Girlguiding Hall - £500 towards move to electric heating/cooking. It was confirmed that the hall was used by multiple local community groups, and had also been used by the town council.

 

On the motion of Cllr Daniel Cave, seconded by Cllr Mel Jacob, it was:

 

Resolved:

 

To award £500 to Trowbridge Girlguiding Hall.

 

Reason:

 

The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria.

 

b)    Southwick Community Hub - £5000 towards community hub refurbishment. Details were provided around current multi use of the building, planned refurbishment, and proposed parish council contribution. It was raised whether the Board might be able to use the venue as a meeting location in the future.

 

On the motion of Cllr David Vigar, seconded by Cllr Mel Jacob, it was:

 

Resolved:

 

To award £5000 to Southwick Community Hub.

 

Reason:

 

The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria.

 

c)    Friends of the Down Cemetery - £1500 towards window restoration. Detail was provided on the history of the non-conformist chapel, its current state, and proposed restoration process of the Grade II building beginning with the window.

 

On the motion of Cllr Edward Kirk, seconded by Cllr Mel Jacob, it was:

 

Resolved:

 

To award £1500 to Friends of the Down Cemetery.

 

Reason:

 

The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria.

 

 

d)    Friends of Southwick Country Park - £481.07 towards additional equipment. Detail was provided new equipment proposed to assist with maintenance and support work in the country park.

 

On the motion of Cllr Jo Trigg, seconded by Cllr David Vigar, it was:

 

Resolved:

 

To award £481.07 to Friends of Southwick Country Park.

 

Reason:

 

The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria.

 

Young People Grants

 

e)    Trowbridge Child Wellbeing Partnership - £500.00 had been approved by delegated decision with agreement of the Board since the last meeting.

 

It was noted that there was insufficient budget remaining to award all remaining applications the full amounts requested. Each applicant was invited to make representations before decisions were proposed for all applications.

 

f)     Wiltshire Mind - £4000.00 requested towards children and young people counselling.

g)    Wiltshire Treehouse – £5000.00 requested towards NEST Young Peoples Bereavement Support

h)    SMASH Youth Project - £1260.00 requested towards street based youth engagement and detached youth work.

 

For each application the Board received a representation, and sought additional details on the proposed projects, events, and activities.

 

On the motion of Cllr Jo Trigg, seconded by Cllr Mel Jacob, it was:

 

Resolved:

 

To award £3455 to Wiltshire Mind

To award £4455 to Wiltshire Treehouse

To award £1260 to SMASH Youth Project.

 

Reason:

 

The applications met the Young People Grants Criteria.

 

An update was also received from FamiliesOutLoud on growth in their support work for families of addicts, including beginning a service specifically for teens.

To receive an update from Colin Kay on Youth Event Planning.

The event was deferred.

To receive an update on the new Trowbridge Integrated Care Centre.

Jane Rowland, Interim Director for Planned Care, Cancer and Community Services, provided an update on development of the new Trowbridge Integrated Care Centre being constructed next to the health centre. At this stage there was not confirmation of which services would be transferred to the new centre from the current hospital site. Construction was aimed to be completed by the end of 2025.

 

The Board made comments and asked questions about the new centre.  It was stated the intention was to retain the minor injury treatment, provide space for GPs, with some community services to be provided by HCRG Care Group, AWP, or the RUH.

 

Comments were also received on the design of the building, concerns around lack of car parking for staff and impact on surrounding residents, plans for the current hospital site, space for vans providing services such as mammograms, and a timeline for when which services would be included could be confirmed.

 

It was proposed that a further update or briefing be provided to the Board later in 2025 as more information became available.

 

To receive an update from Caroline LeQuesne, Engagement and Partnership Lead, on the Melksham Legal Arts Wall.

Caroline LeQuesne, Engagement and Partnership Lead, presented an update on a pilot programme in Melksham on legal art walls. This was a public art project distinct from unmonitored graffiti, which could include commissioned work or provision of space for uncommissioned work, but with some restrictions.

 

The Board discussed the pilot scheme with some commenting it has been shown to work positively in some areas, with others concerned it could have negative effects, and would not prevent disruptive graffiti practitioners from their activities.

 

It was agreed to have a further update in September 2025 to consider the effects of the pilot scheme.

A brief recap of the last four years of Trowbridge Area Board successes.

 

 

Liam Cripps, Strategic Engagement and Partnerships Manager, provided an update on a four-year review of the Area Board.

 

There were positive comments on work with local groups, in particular with Trowbridge Future. A comment was made that the Board meetings were cut off from the public and poorly attended. In reply another comment stated it was that it was a similar story in many other Boards, and that a metric for success was not numbers of people at formal business meetings of the Board, but work and activity undertaken or facilitated by the Board in the community, which was positive. Other comments were made about improving communication on where Board money was allocated and the successes this could help engender.

 

The Board noted the update.

To note the written reports and receive any updates from the

following:

 

a)    Wiltshire Police

b)    Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

c)    Child Friendly Trowbridge

d)    Trowbridge Future

e)    Family Hub Wiltshire Council

f)      Town and Parish Council Nominated Representatives

 

Town and Parish Council Nominated Representatives are encouraged to attend the meeting and provide an update on issues and successes arising in their respective areas.

 

Written updates which were received were noted. In relation to the Fire and Rescue Service Cllr Cave, who also sat on the Fire and Rescue Authority, raised concerns regarding a dispute involving Trowbridge Fire Station

 

Acting Inspector Gemma Rutter was in attendance and provided an update on recent crime statistics in the Trowbridge area, retail crime, issuing of criminal behaviour orders to encourage tougher sentences for repeat offenders, and discussions between retailers, police and the local council.

To note the minutes and consider any recommendations arising from the last LHFIG meeting:

 

Agreed Commitments	Estimates
SID Infrastructure – 3 Sockets and 2 Posts in Southwick	Total = £900 (£600 LHFIG & £300 SPC)
Hardstanding Adjacent to Layby Outside Grove School, Hazel Grove	Total = £3,500 (£3,000 LHFIG & £500 Contribution from  Grove School)

 

 

 

Further information on the LHFIG process can be found here.

 

The update from the LHFIG was received. In relation to the request for hardstanding at the layby adjacent to Hazel Grove it was stated it was believed that the town council would be contributing £750 towards the final cost.

 

It was,

 

Resolved:

 

To approve the awards recommended by the LHFIG.

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

There were no urgent items.