Agenda and minutes

(reports in pack where appropriate)

·                Dog Control Orders

·                Street Trading

The Chairman welcomed everyone to Melksham Oak School.

The Chairman then introduced the Wiltshire councillors who made up the area board and Cllr John Thomson (Cabinet member for Adult Care, Communities and Libraries), who was attending the meeting to introduce his portfolio and take any questions, and Brian Moore (Chief Constable, Wiltshire Police).

The following Chairman’s announcements contained in the pack were noted:

• Dog Control Orders.

• Street Trading Consultation.

Apologies were received from Cllr Jane Scott OBE and Cllr Mark Griffiths.

Councillors are requested to declare any personal or prejudicial interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

Agenda Item No.10 Community Area Grant – Melksham Town Council.

Cllr Rod Eaton – Prejudicial interest, member of Melksham Town Council, would leave the room when this application was discussed and voted on.

Agenda Item No.10 Community Area Grant – Happy Circle Day Centre.

Cllr Jon Hubbard – Personal interest, had supported and attended events arranged by the applicant.

Agenda Item No.10 Community Area Grant – Melksham Town Council.

Cllr Jon Hubbard – Prejudicial interest, member of Melksham Town Council, would leave the room when this application was discussed and voted on.

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 1 December 2010 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting on 1 December 2010 were approved and signed as a correct record.

Joan Savage (Seend Parish Council) asked when the community area grant application for Seend Parochial Church Council’s new printer for the Spotlight community magazine would be discussed. She was advised by the Chairman that this application would be included on the 9 March 2011 Area Board agenda.

To receive updates from any of the following partners:

a.      Community Area Partnership Representative

b.      Wiltshire Police

c.      Wiltshire Police Authority

d.      Melksham CAYPIG

e.      Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

f.        NHS Wiltshire

g.      Melksham Town Council

h.      Parish Council Nominated Representatives

The Chairman advised that in order to give as much time as possible to the presentation of the outcome of leisure review and options for the Melksham Community Campus the partner updates would be kept as brief as possible.

Melksham CAYPIG (Young People’s Issues Group)

CAYPIG representatives advised that:

• The next CAYPIG meeting would be held on Wednesday, 9 February 2011 where the area board funding projects would be discussed.

Wiltshire Police Authority

Angus McPherson - Wiltshire Police Authority gave a short power point presentation on the potential impact of the spending cuts on Wiltshire policing.

Points made included:

• Wiltshire Police Authority’s annual budget of £107 million must be reduced by £15 million over the next four years to meet government spending cuts.

• Wiltshire Police was likely to lose up to 150 police officers and up to 200 police staff posts, but were committed to keeping officers on the streets and protecting the frontline as far as possible.

• Numbers of neighbourhood police would remain the same.

• New technology would keep officers on the beat fighting crime.

• Current helicopter arrangements with the air ambulance would continue until at least 2014.

• The Swindon and County divisional structures would be merged.

• Wiltshire Police Authority had compiled a questionnaire for the residents of Wiltshire to give their input as to funding cuts.

Questions from the floor included:

• How will Wiltshire Police maintain the same level of cover if they are losing 150 police officers?

A.     The reduction will be through natural wastage, Wiltshire police are  currently not recruiting any new officers, back office staff will bare the brunt of the cuts.

• What is happening with regard to the air ambulance arrangements after 2014?

A.     Detailed discussions had yet to take place on this.

• Concerns had been raised as to the Chief Constable’s comments on the knife incident that had occurred recently in the town centre. A lot of positive work was happening between young people and the police in the community area.

A.     The Chief Constable felt that many positive points had been made  by him after the incident, a lot of good youth policing was going on in and around Melksham, but that parents had to buy into what the police and partner agencies were trying to achieve.

• It was noted how well valued the PCSO’s had become throughout the community area.

The Chairman thanked Angus McPherson and the Chief Constable for the presentation and question and answer session.

Wiltshire Police

The written update distributed with the agenda was noted.

Community Area Partnership

The written update distributed with the agenda was noted.

Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

The written update distributed with the agenda was noted.

NHS Wiltshire

The written update distributed with the agenda was noted.

Presentation by Julie Anderson Hill - Strategic Development Manager, Wiltshire Council.

Lucy Murray-Brown (Campus & Operational Estate Management Lead, Wiltshire Council) outlined the Melksham Community Campus options.

Attendees were provided with information packs and a power point presentation was used to highlight the proposals, the Chairman made the point that the information given in the presentation and the information pack should be taken away, digested and that any questions attendees had should be brought up at the Special Campus Area Board meeting at the Melksham Assembly Hall on the 29 March.

The power point presentation is attached to these minutes.

Points of clarification raised included:

• Where are the costed proposals for all of the sites?

1. In the information packs.

• Will car parking at the campus be free?

1. Recommendations are that parking should be free, although a decision had yet to be made.

• Concerns about pupil safety if Melksham Oak School shared facilities with the leisure campus.

1. Dual use sites are operating across the county with no issues reported.

• Who will have access to the desk space at the campus?

A.     Wiltshire Council and other public sector staff, voluntary/community organisations and the public.

• Will Wiltshire Council be canvassing the views of Trowbridge and Devizes residents who may use the leisure facilities?

1. The campus is for the Melksham community, it is their views that we want.

• Have Wiltshire Council looked at the experiences of other authorities?

1. Yes, Wiltshire Council has.

• Would Wiltshire Council listen to the views of Melksham residents if they wanted a different campus site to the one recommended by Wiltshire Council?

1. The Melksham Area Board will make the decision as they represent the community area, this decision will be a considered decision that will take on board the residents views.

• How much is the campus expected to cost?

1. Around 23 Million pounds.

• Was the Melksham Library recently refurbished?

    A. The library was refurbished about five years ago, this work did not include the roof. A condition survey of the library and other buildings will be available on the council’s website with full details.

The Chairman thanked Lucy Murray-Brown for her presentation and once again encouraged all present to read the information provided and play their part in feeding in to the decision making process.

Chris Holden - Melksham Community Area Partnership.

Chris Holden (Chairman - Melksham Community Area Partnership) outlined who the partnership were and how they would ensure everyone’s voices could feed into the campus consultation.

The following points were made by Chris Holden:

• Community Area Partnerships are independent and open, and are set up to represent the views of the community to Wiltshire Council.

• The Partnership had been asked to work with the Area Board to consult on the proposals for the Service Campus and would be doing the following:

Sat 12 February - OPEN DAY, Melksham Town Hall, 1pm - 5pm.

Thursday 3 March - OPEN EVENING, Melksham Assembly Hall, 6pm - 8pm.

Saturday 12 March - OPEN DAY - Melksham Town Hall, 10am - 1pm.

                      Information on display with questionnaires available at the Library, Town Hall and an empty Shop (Church St).

           4.  Meetings with local groups to discuss the campus proposals.

           5.  Compiling Results.

                Results will be presented back at the Area Board Meeting on 29  March at Melksham Assembly Hall

Great Hinton Parish Council – Junction at A361/C232

A request was made by Mike Dodd (Vice-Chair, Great Hinton Parish Council)  that the Area Board supports Great Hinton Parish Council in seeking changes to traffic management at the junction of the A361 and C232 at “The Strand”.

Decision

• The Melksham Area Board supports Great Hinton Parish Council in seeking changes to traffic management at the junction of the A361 and C232 at “The Strand” to improve the safety of traffic turning right into the C232 and exiting right from the C232, and urges the Highway Department of Wiltshire Council to take the action Requested by Great Hinton Parish Council.

The Chairman thanked Mike Dodd for the request.

The Chairman to take any other items of public concern.

i. Cllr Chris Petty (Melksham Town Council) – advised that Melksham traders had raised concerns over the length of time it was taking to renew the pavements in Church Street, Melksham.

Alan Creedy (Head of Service - Sustainable Transport, Wiltshire Council) and (David Thomas Traffic Engineering Manager, Wiltshire Council) were on hand to answer any question that were raised.

David Thomas advised that:

• Melksham Market Place would not be closed due to the works to keep disruption to a minimum, although this would mean that the work would take longer.

• The method of work was to renew 10-15 metre sections of pavement at one time, this caused minimum disruption to traders, pedestrians and drivers.

Questions raised from the floor included:

• Could Wiltshire Council not close the road and do the work over a weekend?

A.     Using larger teams and working on Saturdays could be considered.

• Are there any public accessible plans available for the works that are currently being carried out?

A. Detailed information will be covered in a newsletter for local traders and also on the Wiltshire Council website, Melksham Library will also be given the plans to display.

The Chairman thanked Cllr Petty and Allan Creedy for their input.

ii. Melksham Choral Society

Richard Slingsby thanked the Area Board members for the community area grant that the society had been granted, the Board were also advised by Mr Slingsby that the Melksham Choral Society were happy to return £314 which they hadn’t spent from the grant.

The Chairman thanked Richard Slingsby for the update.

iii. Flooding – A3102

Recent issues with flooding at the housing Development at Snarlton Lane/Sandridge Hill had now been resolved after developers were served notice that drainage pipes were inadequate, a pump had now been installed to pump any future flood water into the Clackers Brook.

To ask Councillors will consider threeapplications seeking 2010/2011 Community Area Grant Funding:

·        Melksham Tennis Club have applied for a grant of £1095 towards the installation of floodlights on the two all weather courts at Melksham Tennis Club.  The recommendation is to award the funding.

·        Happy Circle Day Centre have applied for £985 for a series of trips and activities for day centre members (older people living independently). The recommendation is to award the funding.

·        Melksham Town Council have applied for a grant of £1447 to promote and market the new cinema offering within Melksham Assembly Hall. The recommendation is to award the funding.

Performance Reward Grant Scheme

• Application from Wiltshire Volunteer Centre -  £55,694

• Application from TransWilts Rail - £25,000

• Feedback from Semington Football Club – awarded £24,000 in 2010.

Community Area Grant Scheme

The Wiltshire Councillors considered three applications to the Community Area Grants Scheme 2010/11, as follows:

Melksham Tennis Club awarded £1095 towards the installation of floodlights on the two all weather courts at Melksham Tennis Club. 

Note: This grant was awarded subject to planning to a planning application being granted.

Reason

The above application met the Community Area Grant criteria for 2010/11 and demonstrates a link to the Melksham community plan.

Happy Circle Day Centre awarded £985 for a series of trips and activities for day centre members (older people living independently).

Reason

The above application met the Community Area Grant criteria for 2010/11 and demonstrates a link to the Melksham community plan.

Note

Cllrs Eaton and Hubbard leave the room.

Melksham Town Council applied for £ £1447 to promote and market the new cinema offering within Melksham Assembly Hall. They were awarded £500 by the Area Board to support the advertising costs of this venture.

Reason

The Area Board members agreed that £500 was sufficient to support the advertising costs of this application.

Performance Reward Grant Scheme

The Wiltshire Councillors considered two bids to the Performance Reward Grant Scheme, as follows:

Note

Cllr Eaton was out of the room and did not vote on this application.

The new Wiltshire Infrastructure Support Service – ‘GROW’

Enhancing Community Support includes a countywide Volunteer Service for Wiltshire for the first time.  This application, if approved, would both build on the basic service and develop an accredited volunteer centre for Wiltshire. At present the nearest accredited centre is in Swindon.  The proposed service would offer the six core functions of a Volunteer Centre as prescribed by Volunteering England. The benefits to all community areas in Wiltshire will include better access to volunteering opportunities and support to individuals, Employer Volunteering scheme, specialised support, information and good practice services, access to draw down further funding via Volunteering England to support volunteering, and access to support and information as part of a national framework. 

Decision

·        The Melksham Area Board supports the “Grow” application.

Cllr Eaton now back in the room.

TransWilts Rail

Presentation by Paul Johnson (Chairman, Knorr-Bremse and Chairman, Wessex Association of Chambers of Commerce Transport Policy Group).

Who requested that the Area Board support a grant of £20,000 for an additional strategic rail service across Wiltshire.

The provision of an appropriate additional rail service linking the major towns of Wiltshire (Salisbury - Warminster - Westbury - Trowbridge - Melksham - Chippenham and on to Swindon) would provide a major economic stimulus for the towns along the route, connecting the communities to each other by fast public transport and relieving road pressures, and also providing better links into and out of the area, and through the new proposed LEP region with Swindon up to Gloucester and Cheltenham.

This application has significant support from the business community illustrated by the proactive involvement of Wessex Association of Chambers of Commerce. 

Decision

·        The Melksham Area Board supports the TransWilts Rail  ...  view the full minutes text for item 100.

Cllr Jane Scott, (Leader - Wiltshire Council) will introduce her portfolio and take questions.

Cllr John Thomson (Cabinet member for Adult Care, Communities and Libraries), who was attending the meeting to introduce his portfolio and take any questions on behalf of Cllr Jane Scott, (Leader - Wiltshire Council) who was unable to attend the meeting.

It was agreed that as the meeting had over ran its end time of 9pm Cllr Thomson would come back to a future meeting to introduce his portfolio and take questions.

Weds 9 March 2011 – Shaw School.

Tues 29 March 2011 – Melksham Assembly Hall.

The Chairman highlighted the forthcoming meetings and drew particular attention to Wednesday 9March which would be for routine business and Tuesday 29 March for the Campus discussion and debate.

The Chairman thanked everybody for attending the meeting.