Agenda and minutes

The Chairman will welcome Councillor Lionel Grundy OBE, Cabinet member for Children’s Services.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to Calne Area Board and the Lansdowne Hall. She introduced the Councillors and officers present. The Chairman welcomed Councillor Lionel Grundy OBE, Cabinet member for Children’s Services.

Apologies were received from Councillor Marshall, Geoff Procter (Hilmarton and Goatacre Group Improving Safety) and Sam Shuker. The Chairman wished Councillor Marshall a prompt and full recovery.

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 14 February 2012.

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 February 2012 were approved and signed as a correct record.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chairman will provide information about:

·         The review of mini recycling sites and household recycling centre summer opening hours (attached)

·         Polling station review (attached)

·         Help to live at home (attached)

·         Volunteers update (attached).

The Chairman drew attention to the written announcements included in the agenda pack.

This included information about a review of mini recycling sites and household recycling summer opening hours. In light of the new improved waste and recycling collection services in Wiltshire, it was proposed to review mini recycling sites and for household recycling centres to go back to normal summer opening, until 5 pm, 7 days per week. If you would like to comment on these proposals, please complete an online questionnaire at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/consultations or call 0300 4560102 for a paper copy. Please reply by 28 May 2012.     

Wiltshire Council was seeking views on existing polling districts and polling stations (regular review was a requirement by law). Please see the Wiltshire Council website for more details and select the Review of Polling Districts – Briefing Note. Submissions must be made in writing by 25 May 2012. Forms could be completed online or downloaded from the website.

The Chairman provided an update about the help to live at home scheme. Following consultation, the new care and support service was in place throughout the county provided by Leonard Cheshire, Aster Living, Enara Complete Care and Somerset Care. 

Wiltshire Council was seeking to increase the number of volunteers in its youth centres. Details of opportunities were now available from the volunteer centre and local youth centres. The volunteer centre could be contacted on 0845 0345250 or enquiries@growwiltshire.org.uk.  

Councillor Crisp explained there were only four weeks to go until communities from across Wiltshire came together for the Diamond Jubilee celebration event on 1 May 2012. The event would take place at Salisbury’s Cathedral Close on 1 May 2012. The medieval-themed event would take place in Salisbury because of its links to the Magna Carta. All Wiltshire’s community areas would be represented with a tent to show what made each community unique. Friends of Abberd Brook, Calne Voices and the Heritage Centre would be represented.

The Olympic Torch would be passing through Calne on 23 May 2012. The Chairman urged local people to come into the town on foot and welcome the torch.   

To receive an update from the partners listed below:

a.    Wiltshire Police (attached)

b.    Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service – to include information on the Integrated Risk Management Plan for 2012-15 (attached)

c.    NHS Wiltshire (attached)

d.    Calne Community Area Partnership

e.    Calne CAYPIG (Community Area Young People’s Issues Group)

f.     Town and Parish Councils.

a.    Sector Inspector Martin Schorah highlighted key points from the written update from Wiltshire Police provided in the agenda pack. Up to date information about Neighbourhood Policing Teams and local priorities was available to view on the website: www.wiltshire.police.uk. The Sector Inspector explained that while there were no recent changes to staffing levels, costs

Calne Neighbourhood Policing Team were currently working with partners, including anti social behavioural officers, housing officers, Wiltshire and the Town Council to tackle the rise in anti social behaviour caused by large groups gathering in The Pippin. This work involved sending police warning letters to the parents/guardians of those concerned.

An arrest and charge had been made in relation to the rise in shed and garage burglaries over the last few months in Calne.

The Neighbourhood Policing Team had been working hard to secure statements and evidence to support an Anti Social Behavioural Order application regarding a local male who had caused the town distress through his behaviour and continued shop lifting. The male had been arrested and charged and an ASBO application hearing would soon take place.

A successful patrol had taken place with nine uniformed officers and a passive drug dog going into the local licensed premises and other late night establishments. 

b.    The written update from Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service was noted. Scott Taylor then provided information about the Integrated Risk Management Plan. The risks that Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service faced were changing, from a reduction in the budget, through the increased housing within Wiltshire to the type of incidents that were responded to. A service review was underway and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service welcomed public opinion.

For this, you could register as a stakeholder and receive a survey to complete, please call: 01380 731114, you could view the consultation document and comment using the following email address: consultation@wiltsfire.gov.uk or surveys were available to complete at the meeting.

This was followed by a short question and answer session, which covered the main points below:

·         In other areas home safety checks had been tied to assisted bin collections to target vulnerable people. Mike Franklin confirmed that while Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service were not working with refuse collectors, they were working with other partner organisations on this issue.

·         There was the intention for the fire station in Calne to remain over the plan period 2010-2026.

·         It was proposed that Calne would be in a community with Devizes and Melksham, with a team based in Devizes who would reach out to the other teams (this would not apply to emergency calls).

·         Fire safety messages were given at the meeting regarding being careful in dry weather as small fires can easily spread and the need to put out disposable barbeques properly as they can melt wheeled bins.   

c.    The written update from NHS Wiltshire was noted.

d.    It was noted that Calne Community Area Partnership would be discussed at a later stage in the meeting.

e.    Will Kay, Youth Development  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Trevor Jenkins, Chairman of Calne Community Area Partnership, will present feedback/future work identified from the recent community planning event. This will be followed by a short question and answer session.  

Trevor Jenkins, Chairman of Calne Community Area Partnership, presented feedback from the recent community planning event held on 27 February 2012. Many ideas and much information had been gathered at the event and the Partnership was condensing this into an accessible form.

From an initial review, priority issues to tackle in the local area would include cleaning up after dogs, increasing a pool of volunteers through a reward scheme and joining up small voluntary groups to work together.     

Mandy Bradley, Service Director, will invite the community to come up with local actions that they would like to implement to improve air quality. This will be followed by a short question and answer session.

Mandy Bradley, Service Director, gave a presentation about air quality in the local area.

This covered the following:

·       Wiltshire Council’s legal obligations with respect to air quality – Wiltshire Council had a statutory duty to manage local air quality under part IV of the Environment Act 1995.

·       Action so far in Calne – monitoring of air quality had taken place over the last ten years. In 2010 elevated levels led to an extension of air quality monitoring at key sites around the town. This new period of monitoring was known as a ‘Detailed Assessment’ and conducted with a view to declaring an Air Quality Management Area with respect to New Road and Curzon Street.

·       The next steps for Calne – complete Detailed Assessment and report findings to the area board and d

·       DEFRA in summer 2012. The intention was to develop an Air Quality Action Plan by spring 2014.

·       What Wiltshire Council was doing in the meantime – implementing the new county-wide Air Quality Strategy, working on a county-wide action plan, working with colleagues to ensure that air quality was a material consideration in the Core Strategy, producing guidance for developers, working with local transport groups, developing practical measures (for example to encourage walking) and continuing monitoring and working with colleagues in Public Health.

·       There were actions that could be put in place now – there was no need to wait for the formal declaration of an Air Quality Management Area.   

Mandy introduced Alison Bell, Public Health Consultant at NHS Wiltshire, and both answered questions from the floor on the subjects below:

·       The link between air quality and breathing difficulties suffered by vulnerable people – the Department of Health had held a conference in 2011 and concluded that levels of air pollution in England could not cause disease, however they could exacerbate symptoms in certain groups of people.

·       The exclusion zone in London for polluting vehicles – Mandy was not aware of an exclusion zone that had been put in place in a rural authority or how enforceable this could be. Emission levels for Wiltshire Council vehicles and the vehicles of contractors were being looked into.

·       Travel plans for schools – Calne had the highest level of obese children in the county – encouraging children to walk to school was very important.

·       Concern was expressed regarding the two year time period of the plan – this was the length of time needed to complete the prescribed process, however measures could be taken in the meantime.

·       The influence of vegetation on air quality – there was evidence that vegetation could absorb some pollutants – this would vary throughout the year with deciduous plants.

·       The link between planning and the environment – the Government had recently published national guidance on this and the adoption of Supplementary Planning Guidance was being worked on at present. The Wiltshire Council scrutiny team was ensuring that a joined up approach to air quality was being taken.

Decision

Calne Area Board would set up a working group,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Councillors will provide an update on community issues and progress on area board working groups. This will include:

a.    Skate board park working group

b.    (CATG) Highways working group – Councillor Christine Crisp

c.    Calne campus working group – Councillor Alan Hill

d.    Sandpits Lane (section 106) working group – Councillor Tony Trotman.

Councillors provided an update on community issues and progress on Calne Area Board working groups. 

a.     Three letters of concern had been received regarding the skate board park. Councillor Trotman would follow these up. Sector Inspector Martin Schorah noted that Wiltshire Police were supportive of a skate park in Calne as containing skating in a single area would make the activity easier to police. A better facility would attract more serious users, who in turn were likely to look after the space. The issue of litter bins was raised again.

b.     Councillor Crisp reported on the highways working group. The crossing at Hilmarton was in place. Posts were installed at Studley crossroads and lights would soon be added. The community in Derry Hill were trying to fundraise the remaining £300 for their white gates. Volunteers were sought for speed watch schemes in Lake View and Sandy Lane and there was the intention to place a request in the Gazette and Herald newspaper.

c.     Councillor Hill explained the Calne campus working group were translating a wish list from local people into a feasibility study. How the three agreed sites would work in practice was being looked into in detail and plans were scheduled to go to Cabinet in September.

d.     A written report from Councillor Trotman regarding the Sandpits Lane (section 106) working group was circulated at the meeting. Please find attached to the minutes.     

To consider one application to the Community Area Grants Scheme and one area board initiative, as follows:

·       Calne Extended Schools Partnership – seeking £3,000 towards ‘Calne Games’, a range of events that will involve and encourage wider participation in Olympic and Paralympic values and will be open to all children who go to primary school in the Calne community area.

·       Wiltshire Diamond Jubilee Event – an area board initiative seeking £800 towards providing a presence for the Calne community area at the Salisbury Diamond Jubilee event.  

Consideration was given to the one application made to the Community Area Grants Scheme.

Decision

Calne Extended Schools Partnership were awarded £3,000 towards ‘Calne Games’, a range of events that would involve and encourage wider participation in Olympic and Paralympic values and would be open to all children who go to primary school in the Calne Community Area.

Reason

The application meets the 2011/12 grant criteria and the project would promote the Olympic and Paralympic legacy.

Consideration was then given to one area board initiative.

Decision

£800 was awarded to the Wiltshire Diamond Jubilee Event – providing a presence for the Calne Community Area at the Diamond Jubilee Event in Salisbury.     

Councillor Lionel Grundy OBE will give a short overview of his role as Cabinet member for Children’s Services.

Councillor Lionel Grundy OBE gave a short overview of his role as Cabinet member for Children’s Services.

As part of the 11-19 commissioning strategy, Youth Advisory Groups would be set up to function under the umbrella of each area board. The groups were a novel concept to encourage young people into becoming involved in the democratic process. In this tight economic climate, Wiltshire Council had invested £4.9 million into the service.

The provision of adult education facilities was an important issue at present. The closure and sale of Urchfont Manor was seen as an opportunity to find out more about what residents wanted in addition to the formal programme of education from Wiltshire College. Research had found the courses held at Urchfont Manor had attracted people from outside of Wiltshire and were thus running at a cost to local taxpayers.

The Chairman highlighted there were adult education opportunities available at the community hub in Calne. The Partnership were also starting an initiative with Sure Start to help parents cook on a budget and provide healthy meals for their family. Although funding was no longer available from the Government, Wiltshire Council was continuing to fund this excellent scheme locally.

Councillor Grundy confirmed that his team were working closely with schools through the school forum to address childhood obesity. The opportunity to link the issue with incentives to travel to school in an environmentally friendly way was highlighted by Councillor Berry.   

The next Calne Area Board meeting would be held at 7.00 pm on Tuesday 12 June at Beversbrook Sports Facility, with refreshments available from 6.30 pm.