Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed everyone to St Margaret’s Hall, and introduced the Wiltshire councillors who made up the board, as well as Sharon Davies, (Service Director), the Community Area Manager and the Democratic Services Officer.

All town, parish and partner representatives in attendance were welcomed by the Chairman.

Apologies were received from Matthew Midlane, (Monkton Farleigh Parish Council), Jo Howes (NHS Wiltshire), Insp David Cullop (Wiltshire Police) and Mike Franklin (Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service).

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

Agenda Item No.10i Community Area Grant – Bradford on Avon Town Council.

Cllr Malcolm Hewson – Prejudicial interest, member of Bradford on Avon Town Council, would leave the room when this application was discussed and voted on.

Agenda Item No.10iii Community Area Grant – Bradford on Avon Town Council/Bradford on Avon Development Trust/Climate Friendly Bradford.

Cllr Malcolm Hewson – Prejudicial interest, member of Bradford on Avon Town Council, would leave the room when this application was discussed and voted on.

Agenda Item No.11ii Performance Reward Grant – Bradford on Avon Town Council.

Cllr Malcolm Hewson – Prejudicial interest, member of Bradford on Avon 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 19 January 2011.

Decision

The minutes of the meeting held on the 19 January 2011 were approved and signed as the correct record.

i)        Transport Working Group - meeting to consider priorities and progress with minor capital improvement works

ii)      Seminar on ‘Big Society, Localism and What it Means for You’.  

iii)    Proposed Changes to Arrangements Governing the Conduct of Councillors

iv)    Library Service Review

v)      Outcome of Leisure Facilities Review

vi)    Reducing Child Poverty Strategy Consultation

vii)  Childcare Sufficiency Assessment

viii) Partner updates from Wiltshire Police, Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service and NHS Wiltshire

The following announcements contained in the pack were mentioned briefly:

Community Area Transport Group (CAT-G)

Meeting to consider priorities and progress with minor capital improvement works – a date to meet in April to be agreed with parish reps at the end of the evening. (Post meeting Note: the CAT-G was set for Monday 18 April, 2pm at priory Barn, Newtown, Bradford on Avon)    

Seminar - Big Society, Localism and What it Means for You 

Wednesday 6 April, St Margaret’s Hall, Bradford on Avon at 6.30pm – open to all.

Localism Bill - Proposed Changes to Arrangements Governing the Conduct of Councillors

The Government’s Localism Bill, published on 13 December 2010, made significant changes to the current arrangements governing the conduct of councillors in Wiltshire which will come into effect in Spring 2012. 

Library Service Review

The Cabinet has accepted the review proposals and the implications for Bradford on Avon are that:

-          all mobile library stops will continue to operate

-          the library opening hours will be reduced to 40 hours per week 

-          new self-service technology will be introduced to improve efficiency

-          volunteers will be trained and supported by library staff 

Outcome of the Leisure Facilities Review

A refined proposal has been agreed by Cabinet that will enable the Council to consider the practicalities and options for campus developments in a wider strategic context, ahead of the transfer of local facilities to the community to manage.

Reducing Child Poverty Strategy Consultation

Consultation on the Wiltshire Strategy will close on 4 April, all comments welcome.

Childcare Sufficiency Assessment  

Local authorities had a duty, under the Childcare Act 2006, to assess the sufficiency of childcare in their area and produce a report. Wiltshire’s second report has now been drafted and it is out for consultation on the Wiltshire Council website.

Changes to Bus Services

As a result of significant reductions in local authority funding, and the Government’s insistence that a high proportion of the savings are achieved in the first year, Wiltshire Council has had to make difficult decisions in setting its budget for the 2011/12 financial year. However, due to efficiency and procurement savings of £850,000 and the use of additional income from car parking to help fund bus services, it has been possible to limit to £600,000 the amount that has to be found from making changes to bus services. This puts us in a much better situation than many of our neighbouring authorities.

The main changes affecting the Bradford-on-Avon Community Area are;

• Reduction in the weekday evening service on route 265 (Trowbridge – Bradford – Bath) from every hour to every two hours after 7pm, and withdrawal of all Sunday evening buses after 7pm.

• Withdrawal of Council funding to First bus for operating a half hourly service on route 265 between Trowbridge and Warminster. This is likely to result in the company reducing their service on this section of the route to hourly.

• Reduction in the frequency of the ZigZag service (Trowbridge –  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Discussion and prioritisation of issues facing young people - led by young people – including representatives of the Bradford on Avon Young Peoples’ Issues Group, Bradford on Avon Youth Council and St. Laurence School Council.

Issues arising to be addressed and debated by key professionals responsible for education, child welfare, youth work and policing in the community.  

Display boards will be at the rear of the hall showing general information on the work of the Childrens’ Centre, Youth Centre, St Laurence School and the Extended Services Network

Damian Haasjes (Head of Voice and Influence, Youth Service, Wiltshire Council) hosted an interactive voting session, in which the young people present, including representatives of the Bradford on Avon Young Peoples’ Issues Group, Bradford on Avon Youth Council and St. Laurence School Council were invited to vote on ten key questions relating to their experiences of growing up in Bradford on Avon.

The results of this voting session are attached.

Points made by the youth representatives included:

• Lack of decent sports pitches at the north side of Bradford on Avon.
• Provision of flood lighting on the astro pitches at St Laurence School.
• Too much traffic going through the centre of Bradford on Avon.
• Costs of public transport too high for students to use regularly, which can mean long walks to shops and amenities.
• Very important that Bradford on Avon becomes more eco-friendly.
• Faster broadband connections needed.
• Some concern at youths hanging around Victory Field.

Boards at the rear of the hall displayed general information on the work of the Childrens’ Centre, Youth Centre, St Laurence School and the Extended Services Network.

The Chairman thanked Damian Haasjes and the youth representatives for taking part in the vote and discussions that followed.

Heaven Scent

Kath Brownlee, Youth Development Co-ordinator and representatives of the Bradford on Avon Young Peoples’ Issues Group will talk about the graffiti mural project.

Poulton Recreation Ground

Councillor Peter Leach and representatives of the Bradford on Avon Youth Council will talk about proposals for a re-sprayable graffiti wall at Poulton Rec.

Display boards will be at the rear of the hall featuring the two projects.

Heaven Scent

Kath Brownlee (Youth Development Co-ordinator) and representatives of the Bradford on Avon Young Peoples’ Issues Group gave a short power point presentation which highlighted the work that had been carried out by the young people creating a graffiti mural project on the Heaven Scent building.

Points made included:

• A good fun day was had by all creating the mural, with lots of positive feedback from members of the public.
• The art work gave a positive message of what young people could achieve when given support and encouragement.

The Chairman thanked Kath Brownlee and the youth representatives for a brilliant piece of art work.

Poulton Recreation Ground

Harrison Basconnet-Ward from the Bradford on Avon Youth Council gave an update about proposals for a re-sprayable graffiti wall at Poulton Rec.

Points made included:

• The wall would be free style with artists being able to do what they wanted on it, it was noted that any inappropriate art work would not be tolerated.
• The wall would be re-painted at regular intervals for new work to be displayed.
• It was thought that an art competition would be a good idea to try on the wall.

The Chairman thanked the Youth Council for their update.

Display boards were placed at the rear of the hall featuring the two projects.

Young people from the Bradford on Avon Young Peoples’ Issues Group will bid for a fund which has been delegated to the area board specifically to put towards activities for young people and to address issues of youth transport and access to services.

Total funds available: £ 4, 711 Total sum requested: £ 5, 707.90  

i) Holt Youth Club - requesting £ 1,912.50

ii) DJ Project - requesting £ 1,420

iii) Football Coaching – requesting £ 1,200

iv) Ice Skating trip to Swindon – requesting £ 257.50

v) Trip to Longleat Safari Park – requesting £ 248.90

vi) Trip to Thorpe Park – requesting £ 538

vii) Trip to Parliament /a London museum – requesting £ 131

With the help of the Youth Development Co-ordinator, short presentations will be given on each project. The audience will rank the bids through electronic voting. Funding will to be allocated to the favoured projects.

Display boards will be at the rear of the hall showing an outline of each youth projectbid.

The young people from the Bradford on Avon Young Peoples’ Issues Group were invited by the Area Board bid for to bid for funding for youth related projects. Help was given to the groups by the Youth Development Co-ordinator, with short presentations given on each project. The audience then ranked the bids through electronic voting with funding allocated to the favoured projects.

 £4,711 was available for the youth funded projects, the total sum requested by the groups was £5,707.90.  

It was agreed that a short list of the most popular projects from a long list of seven would receive funding, these projects were:

i) Holt Youth Club (Assistant youth worker funding) - requesting £1,912.50

ii) DJ Project - requesting £1,420

iii) Football Coaching – requesting £1,200

iv) Ice Skating trip to Swindon – requesting £257.50

v) Trip to Longleat Safari Park – requesting £248.90

vi) Trip to Thorpe Park – requesting £538

vii) Trip to Parliament /a London museum – requesting £131

Results of the interactive voting

All projects were graded on value for money and quality of idea, the four most popular projects were:

1.      Holt Youth Club (Assistant youth worker funding)

2.      Trip to Parliament /a London museum

3.      Football Coaching

4.      DJ Project

Decision

·        That the Holt Youth Club (Assistant youth worker funding), Trip to Parliament /a London museum, Football Coaching and DJ Project would all receive project funding.

·        It was also agreed that the trip to Longleat Safari Park would also receive Area Board funding.

The results of the voting session is attached to the minutes.

The Chairman thanked all the groups for their imaginative presentations.

i)        Victory Field - multi use games area

ii)      Culver Close – management issues

iii)    Barton Farm - play area

iv)    Poulton Recreation Ground – bike ramps

Diane Holmes, Town Clerk, and others will describe plans for improvements at these key sites

Display boards will be at the rear of hall showing the proposals.  

Steve Ibbetson, the Councils Technical Manager responsible for open space and Section 106 allocations introduced himself.

Victory Field - multi use games area update

Cllr Vicky Landell Mills (Bradford on Avon Town Council) advised that this project was to be sponsored by the Town Council and would be funded by S106 contributions from the Kingston Mill development and would provide a wider scope of activities and better disabled access than currently offered at the location.

Points made from the floor included:

• Could the improvements not include a tennis practice wall.
• Is this not duplication of the plans for Barton Farm play area?
• Why had there been no input from Fitzmaurice School?

Cllr Landell Mills advised that she would feedback points made to the Town Council.

Culver Close – management issues update

Cllr Malcolm Hewson advised that he was actively trying to find a solution to the ongoing football/cricket use issues that were affecting the use of this location.

Further details would be brought to a future meeting.

Barton Farm - play area update

Alison Brown (Friends of Barton Farm Play Area) presented improvements plans for Barton Farm Play Area which she felt were complementary to those proposed for Victory Field and at a location in the town which is heavily used by children and families.

The Friends of Barton Farm play area were disappointed that there were now two schemes in competition against each other for resources. They had been unaware that there was potentially S106 funding available for their scheme and requested that some of the monies earmarked for Victory Field be shared with Barton Farm, to the benefit of the community at large.

Cllr Rosemary Brown made the point that both the Victory Field and Barton Farm Play areas should be considered as complimentary to each other and that no conflict should be encountered.  This viewpoint was endorsed by Cllr Isabel Martindale, (Bradford on Avon town Mayor).

In discussion, the general feeling was the two projects should be taken forward in a mutually supportive way in order to cater for the different client groups of young people within the town. The Town Council agreed to re-consider the issue of the Section 106 funding to meet these aims. 

Poulton Recreation Ground - Bike Ramps update

Cllr Malcolm Hewson advised that the ramps were now installed, and gave thanks to everyone who had been involved to finally get this project to fruition.

An interactive vote was carried out to find out which play area project was preferred by the attendees of the meeting - attendees could vote for either Victory Field, Barton Farm or both.

Electronic Voting showed that 90.9% of attendees voted in support of the Barton Farm proposal and 66.7% voted in support of the Victory Field proposal, as the preferred site for play facilities.

Councillors will consider five applications seeking 2010/2011 Community Area Grant Funding:

i)        Hanging Baskets – Bradford on Avon Town Council requesting £ 2,798

ii)      Tannery Development Brief – Holt Parish Council requesting £ 2,825

iii)    Bradford 2026 Town Plan – Bradford  on Avon Development Trust/ Bradford on Avon Town Council/ Climate Friendly Bradford requesting £ 7,100

iv)    Come and Try It Sporting Activities – Bradford on Avon Community Area Partnership requesting £ 1,500

v)       Walkers are Welcome – WAW Steering Group requesting £ 758

Copies of the completed application forms and grant application packs for the Community Area Grants Scheme are available from the Community Area Manager or electronically at

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/areaboardscommunitygrantsscheme.htm

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

Cllr Alan Mines, (Wingfield PC) commented on behalf of the Bradford on Avon Community Area Grants Advisory Group for each application.

Decision

• Holt Parish Council – Tannery Development Brief – awarded £2,825.

The Spatial Planning Officer had requested that this be in the form of a ‘Design Guide’. The funding was granted subject to the continuing support of the Spatial Planning Department, Wiltshire Council.

Reason

• The above application met the Community Area Grant criteria for 2010/11,  and demonstrates a link to the Bradford on Avon Community Plan and Wiltshire Local Area Agreement through support to the Village Plan for Holt which is focused on the future of the Tannery site and consultation with local people through an enquiry by design process.

• Bradford on Avon Community Area Partnership – Come and Try it Sporting Activities – awarded £2,492.

Reason

• The above application met the Community Area Grant criteria for 2010/11, and demonstrates a link to the Bradford on Avon Community Plan and Wiltshire Local Area Agreement by addressing the need for outdoor sports and coaching facilities and by addressing objectives on health and wellbeing and promoting active lifestyles.

• Walkers Are Welcome Steering Group – Launch of Walkers Are Welcome Initiative – awarded £758

Reason

• The above application met the Community Area Grant criteria for 2010/11, and demonstrates a demonstrates a link to the Bradford on Avon Community Plan by encouraging visitors, tourism and spending in the local economy as well as the promotion of healthy lifestyles and the conservation of the local landscape character.

Cllr Malcolm Hewson hands the chair to Cllr Rosemary Brown and leaves the room.

·        Bradford on Avon Town Council – Hanging Baskets - awarded £ 2,798.

The funding was granted subject to the condition that this was a one-off payment and would not be repeated in subsequent years.

Reason

• The above application met the Community Area Grant criteria for 2010/11, and demonstrates a link to the Bradford on Avon Community Plan and Wiltshire Local Area Agreement through its support to the local tourism industry, improving the appearance of the town centre and thereby encouraging expenditure in local shops and on local services. 

• Bradford on Avon Development Trust / Bradford on Avon Town Council/ Climate Friendly Bradford on Avon – Bradford 2026 Study – awarded £7,100.

The funding was granted subject to the condition that Spatial Planning Officers and Economic Development Officers at Wiltshire Council were happy with the undertakings given by the applicant.

Reason

• The above application met the Community Area Grant criteria for 2010/11, and demonstrates a link to the Bradford on Avon Community Plan and Wiltshire Local Area Agreement by providing importance evidence and parameters for the refresh of the 2005 plan, as well as addressing new areas not previously covered such as climate change.

To consider two expression of interest to the Performance Reward Grant

Scheme, as follows:

i)                    Application from Wiltshire Police - Crime Detection through Ultra Violet scanning. As a joint initiative with Smart water technology Limited Wiltshire Police have offered members of Neighbourhood Watch schemes across the county Smart water property marking kits at a discounted price.

Smart water kits are individually unique and provide a direct link between the property marked and the lawful owner.

To be effective the Police require the facility to scan items for property marking such as Smart water or Selecta DNA.

The purpose of this initiative is to seek funds for the purchase of UV scanning torches for issue to Police Officers on operational duties.

ii)                  Application from Bradford on Avon Town Council - Kingston Bridge - FOR INFORMATION ONLY.

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

The updated application from Bradford on Avon Town Council for Kingston Bridge.

This application had previously been discussed by the Area Board members at its 17 March 2010 meeting. The Board had endorsed the application from Bradford on Avon Town Council for £100,000 towards the cost of the bridge.

Updated information on the application had been provided by the Clerk of Bradford on Avon Town Council. Given that there were considered to be no material changes to the principles of the application since its submission and approval by the Bradford on Avon Area Board in March 2010 the matter was included on the agenda for information purposes only. However, recognising that this issue is an emotive one for the residents of the town, the acting Chairman allowed representations to be made from the floor on the updated application. Representations were made verbally and in writing from David Moss, Andrew Nicolson, Kate Nottage, John Seekings, Lloyd Stephens and others.  

Decision

The Bradford on Avon Area Board noted the updated information provided by Bradford on Avon Town Council in support of the Performance Reward Grant application and also the representations made at the meeting which were largely in support of a footbridge and the principle of the PRG application but in objection to the cable stay design. The application, supported by the Bradford on Avon Area Board at its meeting in March 2010 will now be forwarded to the PRG panel for its decision as to whether the application merits funding from the scheme.

Cllr Malcolm Hewson now back in the chair.

Wiltshire Police - Crime Detection through Ultra Violet scanning.

As a joint initiative with Smart Water Technology Limited Wiltshire Police had offered members of Neighbourhood Watch schemes across the county Smart Water property marking kits at a discounted price.

The purpose of this initiative was to seek funds for the puchase of UV scanning torches for issue to Police Officers on operational duties.

Decision

• That the Bradford on Avon Area Board supports this initiative for funding of £20,000 for the purchase of UV scanning torches for issue to Police Officers on operational duties.

Feedback using electronic voting.

The Chairman thanked everybody for attending the meeting, it was agreed that as the meeting had over-run its planned end time there would be no electronic evaluation carried out.

Wednesday 11th May – Holt Village Hall

Wednesday 20th July – Westwood Social Club

Wednesday 21st September – St Margaret’s Hall

Wednesday 23rd November – venue TBC

The Chairman highlighted the forthcoming meetings:

Wednesday 11th May – Holt Village Hall. NB. Subsequently changed to Cereal Partners Conference facility at Staverton.

Wednesday 20th July – Westwood Social Club.

Wednesday 21st September – St Margaret’s Hall.

Wednesday 23rd November – venue to be confirmed.