Agenda and minutes

To receive Chairman’s Announcements including:

·         Census 2011 – Local Perspectives

To note the attached information on the following current consultations:

·         Public Protection Enforcement Policy

·         Street Trading

·         Harmonisation of Dog Control Orders

For further information on all current consultations and to take part in the consultations above visit: http://consult.wiltshire.gov.uk/portal

The Board received information on R2 funding from Technical Manager, Steve Ibbetson.  Some of the points he covered were:

• Section 106 Developer Contributions are made available to the community, via the local authority when a development does not provide certain facilities on a new site.
• On smaller developments where it would not be practical to provide 24m² use of amenity land per person, so the R2 money is given instead.
• Restrictions on how the money can be spent apply and there is usually a deadline for when the money must be used by.
• Maintenance money could only be spent on sites which were within the development site.

Steve advised people that if they had a project in mind, then they should speak to an officer in his team, so that assistance could be provided, prior to submitting the paperwork.

For R2 queries please contact Steve Ibbetson on 01380 734682 or steve.ibbetson@wiltshire.gov.uk

The Board will receive an update on the formation of the Tasking Groups since the last meeting, followed by a round table exercise to look at prioritising issues from the community plan.

Officer: Tom Bray, Community Area Manager

Tom Bray, Community Area Manager explained that at the start of the new year, it would be a critical time to form the task groups and start work on the five key headings established by the Community Plan. The five headings were:

• Transport
• Crime and Community Protection
• Rural Life and Environmental Issues
• Economy
• Community

People then took part in a round table exercise to look at prioritising three issues for one of the above headings. Feedback was then received from each group as follows:

Transport

• Speeding in Villages
• Improvements to public transport
• Cycle ways and Footpaths / Reduced HGV traffic through villages

Crime and Community Protection

• Effective policing in rural areas
• Supporting Neighbourhood Watch Schemes
• Supporting Youth activities to give young people a sense of community inclusion

Rural Life and Environmental Issues

• Working with Dorset and Hampshire on cross boundary issues
• Working in Transition Groups
• Possibility of extraction of gravel at SSSI and other cherished places
• Promotion of the Areas of Special Interest

Economy

• Set up a buy-local campaign to sell local produce
• Improvement of Broadband speed in rural areas
• Support the retention of rural activities and amenities (post offices)

Community

• Provision for play areas and leisure activities for children
• Promote the awareness of R2 funding
• Improved use of community buildings, for school holiday activities

Tom thanked everyone for their input and urged anyone interested in taking part in one of the Tasking Groups to get in contact with him.

Tom Bray, Community Area Manager gave an update on the progress of the Community Area Transport Group, which had met on 11 November 2010 to discuss which projects to take forward. He explained that the Board were concerned that with such a small amount of funds available, there was a danger that the majority of the funding could be swallowed up by the cost of carrying out surveys and the development of the schemes up for consideration, leaving little money left over for the completion of any projects.

Tracy Carter, Service Director agreed that some of the preparative processes required could be expensive, however there were some essential things which needed to be carried out when developing road/transport improvement projects such as these. Tracy felt that there may be an alternative approach, where the Board could achieve a couple of the priority projects, by concentrating the funds on two or three schemes. Tracy agreed to liaise with colleagues to find a way forward.

Councillor McLennan gave an update on the Laverstock project to create a footpath from London Road through to the schools in Laverstock. The project had been considered by Councillor Tonge. It was felt that if the Board set aside some funding towards the Laverstock project as a token gesture, then Councillor Tonge may be more inclined to agree to funding the remainder of the project.

A Parish Councillor present commented that he had attended the CATG meeting, and was surprised that some of the schemes submitted for consideration had not come from Parish Councils, but from single members of the public. He added that in the past all such schemes would have been passed to the Parish Council for consideration and comment before going on the council.

Tom Bray informed the Board that the officer who had attended the CATG meeting had confirmed that in future all of the schemes submitted for consideration would be passed to the Parish Council for comment.

Decision:

That Tracy Carter would meet with the appropriate officer to establish whether the following two transport projects; could be carried out for £10,000, leaving £3,000 to be allocated towards the Laverstock Project:

1.    Middleton Road, Middle Winterslow – a pedestrian crossing near Young’s Paddock.

2.    The Ridge, Woodfalls – a pedestrian crossing and possible footway improvements.

Reason

The Board felt that it would be more beneficial to allocate the funds to the completion of two projects and a contribution to the third project rather than use the funds for preliminary surveys for many projects which may never see completion, once the funds had run out.

To approve the proposals for the reduction of street lighting across the community area.

(report attached)

Tom Bray, Community Area Manager informed the Board that he would be working with Tracy Carter, Service Director, in the new year to push forward on some of the issues which had been on the system for a while.

Tom agreed to look into an issue logged in November 2010, where water run-off from The Whiteway Pitton, was being discharged into a garden of Parsonage Farm.

The Board will consider nine applications for funding from the Community Area Grant Scheme.

(report attached)

Officer: Tom Bray, Community Area Manager

The Board considered nine applications for funding from the Community Area Grant Scheme. The Chairman invited applicants present to speak in favour of their project, after discussion the Board Members voted on each application in turn.

Decision

That Coombe Bissett & Homington Village Hall Management Committee was awarded £2,236 towards their project to install Insulation and Glazing to the Village Hall.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Scheme criteria for 2010/11 and would provide improved facilities which could be utilised by the whole community.

Decision

That Farley Coronation Playing Fields was awarded £2,500 towards their project to redevelop the playing area.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Scheme criteria for 2010/11 and would provide improved facilities which could be utilised by the whole community.

Decision

That the Whiteparish Memorial Ground Trust, was awarded £2,909 towards their project to install soft surfacing for the play ground.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Scheme criteria for 2010/11 and would provide improved facilities for the young people and their families in community.

Decision

That Shine in the Community was awarded £3,500 towards the cost of purchasing a vehicle to transport equipment.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Scheme criteria for 2010/11 and would  provide a means for the disadvantaged young people in the community to receive access to equipment.

Decision

That the River Bourne Community Farm was awarded £2,455 towards their project to increase community access to farm.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Scheme criteria for 2010/11 and would provide improved facilities which could be utilised by the whole community.

Decision

That Alderbury Youth Club was awarded £750 towards the purchase of entertainment equipment.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Scheme criteria for 2010/11 and would provide improved facilities for young people in the community.

Decision

That Old Sarum Youth Club was awarded £167 to purchase a table tennis table for the youth club and residents.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Scheme criteria for 2010/11 and would provide improved facilities which could be utilised by the whole community.

Decision

That Pitton and Farley Parish Council was awarded £500 towards their project to build a new bus shelter.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Scheme criteria for 2010/11 and would provide improved facilities which could be utilised by the whole community.

Decision

That Alderbury & Whaddon Local History Research Group was awarded £2,000 towards the production of the new publication of a local history book.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Scheme criteria for 2010/11 and would promote and improve the understanding of local history.