Agenda and draft minutes

To elect a Chairman for the 2024/25 municipal year.

The Democratic Services Officer Max Hirst sought nominations for the position of Chairman of the Malmesbury Area Board for the 2024/25 municipal year.

 

Decision

Councillor Martin Smith was elected Chairman of the Malmesbury Area Board for the 2024/25 municipal year.

 

Cllr Martin Smith in the chair.

To elect a Vice-Chairman for the 2024/25 municipal year.

The newly elected Chairman sought nominations for the position of Vice-Chairman of the Malmesbury Area Board for the 2024/25 municipal year.

 

Decision

Councillor Chuck Berry was elected Vice-Chairman of the Malmesbury Area Board for the 2024/25 municipal year.

The Chairman, Cllr Martin Smith, welcomed everyone to meeting.

To receive any apologies for absence.

There were no apologies for absence.

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 13 February 2024.

The minutes of the meeting held on 13 February 2024 were presented for consideration and it was:

 

Resolved:

 

To approve and sign as a true and correct record of the minutes of the meeting held on 13 February 2024.

 

To receive any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

Cllr Gavin Grant recused himself from the Area Board Grant concerning HEALS of Malmesbury (Ref ABG1837).

 

The Chairman will provide information about:

 

·       Consultation on Statement of Licensing Policy

·       Local Nature Recovery Strategy - Public Engagement

·       Area Board Culture Strategy

·       Best Kept Village Competition

·       Highways Matters Event – Question Responses

The Chairman provided information about:

 

·       Consultation on Statement of Licensing Policy

·       Local Nature Recovery Strategy - Public Engagement

·       Area Board Culture Strategy

·       Best Kept Village Competition

·       Highways Matters Event – Question Responses

The following information items are available in the agenda pack:

 

BSW Together

Healthwatch

Community First

Multiply

AGE UK

Parish Clerk Job Advert

The board noted the following Information Items:

 

·       BSW Together

·       Healthwatch

·       Community First

·       Multiply

·       AGE UK

·       Parish Clerk Job Advert

 

Councillors also wished to thank Parish Clerks for all the work they do behind the scenes.

 

To receive updates from the following partners:

 

a.    Wiltshire Police

b.    Wiltshire and Swindon Road Safety Partnership

c.     Dorset & Wiltshire Fire Service

d.    Spurgeons – Family Hubs

e.    Healthwatch Wiltshire

f.      Health & Wellbeing Champion

g.    Riverside Centre

h.    Town and Parish Councils

 

The board received updates from the following partners:

 

Wiltshire Police

 

Neighbourhood Chief Inspector James Brain spoke to the Community and a Road Safety PowerPoint that was attached to the agenda.

 

Clarification was made on speed enforcement measures and local issues such as youth crime and drug dealing. The Board thanked the police for their work in these areas.

 

The Board discussed police response times and knowledge of the local area and whether these could be improved given the reassurance this would provide for local communities. A “Meet the team” event was proposed by James Brain which was warmly welcomed by the Board.

 

It was suggested that the police could assist with reporting dangerous road conditions such as potholes through the “MyWilts” app which would help issues gain attention quicker.

 

Spurgeons – Family Hubs

 

Lily Guppy briefly introduced herself and Spurgeons and their work as “family navigators” via drop-in sessions, to signpost local services such as food banks and youth support. Spurgeons also work with children and vulnerable SEND adults up to 25 years old.

 

Councillors were excited to hear about Spurgeons and urged further communication to set up collaboration in the future.

 

To receive the Area Board End of Year Report as well as to

report on progress made in addressing the Area Board

priorities selected for 2023/24:

 

·       Positive activities for young people – Cllr Gavin Grant

 

·       Green Issues – Cllr Martin Smith

 

·       Reducing loneliness and social isolation – Cllr Chuck

Berry

 

·       Highway Safety – Cllr Elizabeth Threlfall

 

·       Community resilience – Cllr Gavin Grant

The Board received the Area Board End of Year Report from Andrew Jack (Strategic Engagement Partnerships Manager). The full report was attached to the agenda pack.

 

Each of the following Local Priorities were covered:

 

Youth Engagement

 

The Local Youth Network was described as “working extremely well” with great participation from Malmesbury Secondary School.

 

Climate Change and the environment

 

Achievements over the past year included:

 

• EV charging points being installed on Sherston High Street

 

• The Climate action networking event that had just taken place before the meeting

 

• 8 months of river water quality testing with BART and Wessex Water

 

• The Board’s grant contribution to the Solar PV scheme for Sherston Cricket Club

 

Reducing Isolation and Loneliness

 

Achievements over the past year included:

 

• The continued success of the Malmesbury Health and Wellbeing Forum

 

• Successful communication with Town/Parish councils to collaborate on activities.

 

• The Board’s grant contribution to Malmesbury Amateur Boxing and their amazing national success story organising sparring sessions for Parkinson’s sufferers.

 

• The launch of the Cartmel Minibus

 

Highway Safety

 

Achievements over the past year included:

 

• Successful collaboration with police enforcement team and using Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs) to reduce speeding.

 

• Increasing budgets for white lining, gulley clearing and pothole repair

 

• Progress on Lyneham Banks with work due to start in early July.

 

Community Resilience

 

The continued success of local food banks was stated as extremely beneficial to its local communities.

 

Cllr Martin Smith proposed, and Cllr Chuck Berry seconded accepting the recommendations after which it was:

 

Resolved:

 

To note the achievements of the Area Board over the last year and thank Andrew Jack (SEPM) for all his hard work.

 

·       To highlight potential priorities for the Area Board to consider

for 2024/25.

 

·       Community Area Joint Strategic Needs Assessment

 

·       To appoint Members as Lead representatives to Outside

Bodies and any new Non-Priority Working Groups.

 

·       To appoint a Lead representative to the LHFIG

 

·       Appoint a Health and Wellbeing Champion for the Area

Board.

 

The Board received a report from Andrew Jack (SEPM) which looked ahead to the coming municipal year and beyond. As part of this item, The Chairman, Cllr Martin Smith moved the following motion, which was seconded by Cllr Gavin Grant:

 

1)             That the following priorities be adopted by the Malmesbury Area Board for 2024/2025 as well as the respective Lead Councillors:

 

Youth engagement, improving opportunities, and SEND provisions and outcomes. – Cllr Gavin Grant

 

Addressing climate change, improving active travel and reversing biodiversity loss. – Cllr Martin Smith

 

Supporting positive mental health and wellbeing and reducing social isolation. – Cllr Chuck Berry

 

Improving highway safety. – Cllr Elizabeth Threlfall

 

Community Resilience. – Cllr Gavin Grant & Cllr Elizabeth Threlfall

 

2)             That the following Councillors be allocated the respective Outside Bodies for 2024/2025:

 

·       Malmesbury Local Youth Network (LYN) - Cllr Gavin Grant

·       Malmesbury Health and Wellbeing Forum (HWB) - Cllr Chuck Berry

·       Malmesbury Community Safety Partnership - Cllr Gavin Grant

 

3)             That Cllr Elizabeth Threlfall be re-appointed as Councillor Representative for the Malmesbury Local Highways and Footway Improvement Group (LHFIG), with it noted that all other members were welcome to attend meetings.

 

Resolved:

 

To accept the motion and the appointments within.

 

To consider any grant applications made to the board.

Community Area Grants

 

Sherston Scout Group requested £2500 towards updating the electrics in their Scout Hut.

 

Proposed by Cllr Martin Smith and seconded by Cllr Elizabeth Threlfall

 

It was:

 

Resolved

To award Sherston Scout Group £2500 for their Scout Hut electrics.

Reason – The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria 2024/25.

 

Fruitful Malmesbury requested £2500 towards an Edible Forest Garden

 

The Board wished to urge Malmesbury Tennis Club to ensure a long lease is provided to Fruitful Malmesbury reflecting that public money is being invested.

 

Proposed by Cllr Gavin Grant and seconded by Cllr Elizabeth Threlfall

 

It was:

 

Resolved

To award Fruitful Malmesbury £2500 for their Edible Forest Garden

Reason – The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria 2024/25.

 

Older and Vulnerable Adults Grants

 

Malmesbury Pickleball Club requested £500 towards Club Equipment

 

Proposed by Cllr Gavin Grant and seconded by Cllr Martin Smith

 

It was:

 

Resolved

To award Malmesbury Pickleball Club £500 for Club Equipment

Reason – The application met the Older and Vulnerable Adults Grants Criteria 2024/25.

 

Youth Grants

 

HEALS of Malmesbury requested £2500 towards a Summer Programme for 2024.

 

Proposed by Cllr Elizabeth Threlfall and seconded by Cllr Chuck Berry

 

It was:

 

Resolved

To award HEALS of Malmesbury £2500 for their Summer Programme

Reason – The application met the Youth Grants Criteria 2024/25.

 

 

Caerbladon CIC requested £2000 towards a Youth Arts Studio

 

Proposed by Cllr Martin Smith and seconded by Cllr Gavin Grant

 

It was:

 

Resolved

To award Caerbladon CIC £2000 for their Youth Arts Studio

Reason – The application met the Youth Grants Criteria 2024/25.

 

The RISE Trust requested £5000 towards Friday night safe spaces for young people.

 

Proposed by Cllr Gavin Grant and seconded by Cllr Elizabeth Threlfall

 

It was:

 

Resolved

To award The RISE Trust a reduced amount of £2500 for safe spaces for young people owing to the local Malmesbury Area Board limit for Youth Grants.

Reason – The application met the Youth Grants Criteria 2024/25.

 

The RISE Trust requested £3400 towards Street Based Youth Engagement

 

Proposed by Cllr Gavin Grant and seconded by Cllr Elizabeth Threlfall

 

It was:

 

Resolved

To award The RISE Trust a reduced amount of £2500 for safe spaces for young people owing to the local Malmesbury Area Board limit for Youth Grants.

Reason – The application met the Youth Grants Criteria 2024/25.

 

To consider and approve recommendations made at the recent meeting of the Local Highway and Footway Improvement Group held on 23 April 2024.

The Board considered the notes and recommendations from the recent meeting of the Local Highways and Footways Improvement Group (LHFIG) which took place on 23 April 2024.

 

Proposed by Cllr Elizabeth Threlfall and seconded by Cllr Gavin Grant it was:

 

Resolved

 

To approve the recommendations from the meeting of the Local Highways and Footways Improvement Group on 23 April 2024.

 

Any other items of business which the Chairman agrees to consider as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items.

The next meeting of the Malmesbury Area Board will be held on 24 September 2024.

The next meeting will take place on 24 September 2024.