Agenda item

a)    Consultation on the Review of Special Educational Needs Provision

The Chairman described how over recent months Wiltshire Council officers had worked with schools, parent representatives and other people to review Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision in the county.

The review considered:

·      special school provision

·      specialist provision that was part of mainstream primary and secondary schools and

·      SEN support services for schools.

A document had been written that set out what the review had shown and what the Council would like to do in the future. This was now to be shared with a wide range of people who were invited to respond on what they thought about what the Council’s proposals.  As soon as the document was available it would be circulated to Parish Councils, through the Area Boards network, and it would be available on the Wiltshire Council website.

There was also an opportunity to meet with officers to discuss the proposals at Sheldon School, Chippenham on Wednesday 21st April at 7pm

The closing date for the consultation was 12 noon Monday 24 May 2010.  Additional information was included in the agenda pack on page 15.

b)    Wiltshire Community Safety Partnership Consultation

The Chairman described how Wiltshire Council was currently consulting on two very important draft strategies: Anti-Social Behaviour and Violence Reduction.  The strategies identified the main themes for future work and established a base from which to develop a detailed implementation plan. The consultation would run until the end of March 2010.

c)    Health Fair and Workshop

Unfortunately, due to staff shortages, NHS Wiltshire had postponed the event due to be held last Friday at the Town Hall.  The rescheduled date would be publicised as soon as it was received.

d)    Consultation on Gypsy and Traveller Sites

Wiltshire Council was preparing a strategy to identify possible land for gypsy and traveller sites including a policy for assessing the suitability of other sites the Council was asked to consider through the planning application process.

The council had a responsibility to plan for the housing needs of everyone in the Wiltshire community including planning for the accommodation needs of gypsies, travellers and travelling show people.

The number of gypsies and travellers in Wiltshire had increased in recent years and a consequence of not addressing this growing accommodation need could be increased tension between the settled and travelling community and discrimination towards the gypsy and traveller community.

An eight week consultation on the issues and general approach to identifying land for sites was to start on Tuesday 6 April until 5pm on Friday 4 June 2010. This was the first stage in the process of preparing a Gypsy & Traveller Site Allocations Development Plan Document.

The purpose of the consultation was to:

·         discuss the issues around providing new sites

·         develop a method for assessing what is a good location for new sites and

·         Invite land to be put forward to be considered as possible new sites.

All information relating to the consultation would be available from the end of March on line at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/gypsyandtravellersitesallocationsdpd, in the main Council offices in Chippenham, Devizes, Salisbury and Trowbridge and available at local libraries.  If you would like to discuss the issues involved in this consultation in more detail, a drop-in event was being held between 4pm and 8pm at the Neeld Hall, Chippenham on Wednesday 5^th May 2010.

e)    Islam4UK March

The Chairman drew the meeting’s attention to a paper regarding the abandoned Islam4UK march through Wootton Bassett.

On 1 January 2010 Anjem Choudary announced that Islam4UK intended to march through Wootton Bassett to draw attention to the number of Muslims killed in the conflict in Afghanistan. 

There was no specific intelligence at the time to indicate if, when or where any march would actually take place.  However, the item became the focus of national press speculation that resulted in significant Community Impact.

Due to the potential consequences of such an event and the impact it would have on public order and community confidence a Gold Group was established.  The membership of the group consisted of a wide range of internal key managers from Wiltshire Police and various senior members of other agencies including the Fire Service, Ambulance Service, Health Authority and the Local Authority. Swindon Borough Council and local communities were included in the operational plans to ensure a pan-Wiltshire approach was adopted. 

Regular meetings were held and a great deal of work was carried out on how to contain a protest and counter any potential fall-out.  The planning of this demonstrated the benefits of a network of partners working together to achieve a desired aim and all involved were to be congratulated for their dedication.

During the evening of Sunday 10 January, Islam4UK issued a statement that they no longer intended to march through Wootton Bassett.  This has received widespread national coverage.  On 12 January 2010, the Home Secretary announced that he would proscribe Islam4UK and its various derivatives.

f)     BBC Blast

On behalf of BBC Blast, the BBC’s youth creativity service, the Chairman announced that this May, as part of its annual nationwide tour, BBC Blast was coming to Chippenham.

Offering creative workshops, master-classes and showcases to young people, they would be based at the Chippenham campus of Wiltshire College from 20-22 May.

To find out more, please look at www.bbc.co.uk/blast or contact the local event organiser Holly Edwards at holly.edwards@realideas.org or 07525 130 140.

g)    NHS Out of Hours Service

From 1 April 2010, the Out of Hours service would be provided by Wiltshire Medical Services, which was run by local GPs. The service would be run from all existing sites, plus a number of additional sites, to improve access for patients.  A communications campaign for patients was currently being developed, which would be launched in the weeks leading up to 1 April. NHS Wiltshire had no further comment to make but was keen to stop any further speculation about cuts in services.