Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting which was focused on the theme of older people.

Apologies for absence were received from:

Sian Walker – Service Director

Mike Franklin – Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

Georgina Fairbrass – Corsham Chamber of Commerce

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meetings held on 18 August and 5 September 2011.

Decision

To confirm the minutes of the meetings held on 18 August and 5 September 2011 as a correct record.

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive the following chairman’s announcements:

(a)  Warm and Well – Free Home Insulation Scheme

(b)  Lorry Watch

The Chairman made the following amendments:

(a)  Warm and Well

Details of the new Wiltshire Warm and Well Scheme, which was open to all home owners and private tenants to enable them to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, were circulated with the agenda papers.

(b)  Lorry Watch Scheme

Details of the new lorry watch scheme were circulated with the agenda papers.

To receive any updates from the following partners:

(a)   Wiltshire Police

(b)  Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

(c)  NHS Wiltshire

(d)  Town and Parish Council Nominated Representatives

(e)  Chamber of Commerce

(f)   Shadow Corsham Community Operations Board

To receive an update from the Corsham Community Area Network (CCAN) and to consider a request for the final tranche of core funding for the financial year 2011/12.

The Area Board considered a report seeking the Area Board’s approval to the release of the second and final tranche of core funding to CCAN for the financial year 2011/12.

CCAN then gave an update covering the following issues:

·         The AGM had been very well supported.  Jane Scott, Leader of Wiltshire Council, had attended and had spoken about the future of Corsham and answered questions.

·         The older people’s information day which had been held prior to the meeting at the Community Centre had been a great success.  There had been a slipper exchange where 112 pairs of slippers had been distributed.  About 200 people had attended and had been able to ask questions and visit the various stalls.

·         Christine Reid thanked all those who had helped with the day and, in particular, Ann Wilson who had left Wiltshire Council the previous day and had attended in her own time.

·         She also thanked the Area Board for reorganising its meeting to follow immediately after the event and the WI for organising refreshments for the day.

Decision

Following consultation with the Community Partnership Development Officer to agree to the release of the second and final tranche funding of £4,036.

Reason

The Area Board is satisfied that CCAN’s workplan commitments as detailed in the report are being met.

ACTION: Dave Roberts

Councillor John Thomson, Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Communities and Housing, will give a brief update relating to his portfolio and respond to any questions.

Cllr John Thomson, Cabinet member for Adult Care, Communities and Housing gave a brief update relating to his portfolio and responded to questions.

The following issues were discussed:

·         Cllr Thomson’s area of responsibility covered Adult and Social Care, Libraries, Housing and Community Planning.

·         There were big challenges for the Adult Care service over the next few years due to budget cuts and increasing need for the service.

·         In the next few years there was likely to be a 55% increase in people aged over 65 and an 89% increase in those aged over 80.

·         The number of people aged over 65 were likely to increase from 72,000 to 122,000 and those aged over 80 from 11,000 to 22,000.

·         People in Wiltshire were already living longer and this was putting more pressure on budgets.

·         It was important to provide a more efficient and more joined up service.

·         There were over 60,000 calls to the council regarding the adult care service each year and 32 thousand service users.

To find out more about Wiltshire Council’s plans for older people’s accommodation in Wiltshire.

Presenting Officer: Karen Jones, Senior Project Manager

The Area Board received a presentation regarding the older people accommodation development strategy from Karen Jones, Senior Project Manager.

The presentation covered the following points:

·         The number of older people within the Corsham area would increase by 49.1% by 2026

65-74 age group increase by 34.7%

75-84 age group increase by 58.6%

85+ age group increase by 79.2%

·         The number of people with dementia in Corsham would increase by 57.2% by 2025.

• Most recent projections estimate 26% higher growth than originally anticipated.

• The aim of the older people’s development strategy was to develop modern and fit for purposefacilities to meet current and future needs and expectations of the people of Wiltshire.  This would focus on nursing care, specialist dementia care and extra care housing provision.

• This would be a 10 year programme delivered through partnership working.

• In Corsham there were plans for a 40-50 unit extra care scheme and an 80 bed nursing home.  This was due to take place between 2015 and 2020, however, with successful community engagement this may be delivered earlier.

• There would be substantial improvement of older people’s accommodation in Wiltshire.

• There would be 715 units of extra care, 338 specialist dementia care placements and 539 additional nursing beds.

• The Council was currently looking for suitable sites for older people’s accommodation in Corsham and anyone who had any suggestions was urged to get in touch.

• The Spring Tynings site was suggested as a possibility for development of an extra care housing scheme along with the Hungerford House site.  Karen Jones confirmed that the Council was in discussions with the landowners of this site although no firm proposals had yet been agreed.

To discuss the help available to enable older people to remain in their own homes for as long as possible.

Presenting Officer: Nicola Gregson, Head of Commissioning: Care, Support and Accommodation

To respond to the two presentations, make comments and raise issues, priorities and concerns for the community area in relation to the information received.

There was a round table discussion regarding services for older people and questionnaires were completed.

To receive an update from Richard Brown, Planning Consultant for the Copenacre Development, regarding future plans for the site.

Richard Brown, Planning Consultant for the Copenacre site attended the meeting to give an update on future plans for the site.  The following issues were discussed:

·         It was recognised in the Core Strategy documents that development at the MoD sites at both Rudloe and Copenacre should be progressed.

·         It was important to engage with stakeholders in the local community to identify the best use for brownfield site land.

·         The prominence of the Copenacre site in the area was recognised and it would be important to ensure that the visual impact was in keeping with the environment.

·         A public exhibition would take place early in the New Year and the following three proposals for the site were currently being considered:

(1)   An entirely residential development.

(2)  A proportion of the site allocated for housing and the remaining for commercial or business use (about 60% residential and 40% business).

(3)  Retail use – such as a supermarket.

·         The developers would engage with the Town Council, Civic Society, Wiltshire Council and others.  They would consider issues such as access, trees, drainage and sustainability.

·         The architects would be from a company called “Pegasus”.

·         It was confirmed that the correct procedures had been followed when disposing of the MoD land.

·         The site comprised about 13 acres and if purely residential the development would provide about 100 to 120 homes.

·         There could be an opportunity for a care or nursing home on the site and for affordable housing.

·         It was noted that the core strategy was still out to consultation and that the Localism Bill could also have implications for local development.

To note that future meetings will take place on:

Thursday 1 December 2011 – The Pavilion, Box – 7pm

Thursday 2 February 2011 – Corsham Town Hall – 7pm

Thursday 22 March 2011 – Corsham Town Hall – 7pm

A forward work plan for the area board is attached for information.

Meetings of the Area Board would take place on the following dates:

Thursday 1 December 2011 – The Pavilion, Box – 7pm

Thursday 2 February 2011 – Corsham Town Hall – 7pm

Thursday 22 March 2011 – Corsham Town Hall – 7pm