Agenda item

This will be an Open Forum Sessions in which everyone will be encouraged to express their views on how the Area Board should develop. Local Council Clerks, partners and members of the public are requested to give some thought to this before the meeting and express their views on:-

(a)          The start time of each meeting.  Is 7.00pm the most convenient start time for most people.  If not, what would be preferable?

(b)          The venue of each meeting.  It has been customary to hold Area Board meetings alternatively between a village and Marlborough.  Is that the most convenient arrangement, bearing in mind that some parishes have not been represented when a Board meeting has been held in their village.

(c)          Are there any particular topics that should be considered in depth at Board meetings and would it be preferable to arrange meetings so that they are themed?  The following is a list of subjects which could be themed, but no doubt there are others which could be included:-

·           Children’s Services & Integrated Youth Service

·           Safeguarding and Good Neighbour Schemes

·           Wiltshire Local Transport Plan

·           Local Highways, Streetscene & Rights of Way

·           Health

·           The Planning Process

·           Broadband Facilities

·           Campus  

The Chairman explained that the main business for this meeting would be a series of Open Forum Sessions during which everyone would be encouraged to express their views on how the Area Board should develop.  Local Council Clerks, partners and members of the public had been requested to give some thought to this in advance of the meeting with a view to expressing their views in particular on:-

·                The start time of each meeting.

·                The venue of each meeting.

·                The content of a typical meeting.

Andrew Jack, Community Area Manager, gave an inter-active presentation in which all present were encouraged to divide into small groups and discuss particular topics and then record their votes, which were as follows:- 

Timing of meetings:

•         Is 6.30 for 7.00 start the best time to hold meetings?

•         Is Tuesday the most suitable day? (change to this would not take effect until 2014/15)

•         Does the area board meet too often or not enough?  At present it meets every two months

•         Are there any other changes we could make so that meetings are more accessible?

Voting: What is you preferred start time for Area Board meetings?

1. 5.30 for 6.00pm start                          3%
2. 6.00 for 6.30pm start                          4%
3. 6.30 for 7.00pm start (as now)       84%
4. 7.00 for 7.30pm start                          6%

Location of meetings:

At present, Marlborough Area Board alternates meetings between Marlborough Town Hall and a rural parish.  These have included, Broad Hinton, Lockeridge and Aldbourne.

•         Are you happy with the current arrangements?

•         Marlborough Community Area is one of the largest in Wiltshire.  Are some rural venues too far away?

•         Would staying at one venue be easier to remember?

•         Would Marlborough make a good, central location?

•         What else might improve meetings?

Voting: What is your preferred option for meeting locations?

1. Alternate between town and rural (as now)                                     19%
2. Visit rural parishes more often                                                             9%
3. More meetings in Marlborough as accessible, central location     72%

Items for the Agenda:

At present, Marlborough Area Board takes items for the agenda based on a Wiltshire-wide Forward Work Plan, issues brought to members’ attention and organisations asking to present.  This can lead to lots of different things appearing on agendas.

•         Are you happy with the current arrangements?

•         How can other items get put on the agenda?

•         Would holding themed meetings, where one topic is the sole focus of the night be useful?

•         Would you like to see a (draft) agenda produced earlier?

Voting: If MAB was to theme its meetings, what themes could we use?

1. Transport & Highways (inc. RoW and Streetscene)       15%
2. Older People                                                                            9%
3. Health                                                                                                30%
4. Community Safety (inc. Police, Fire, etc)                                    27%
5. The Planning Process                                                        42%
6. Young People                                                                      39%
7. Campuses                                                                             39%
8. ICT, Digital Literacy and Broadband                                58%
9. Other                                                                                      27%

Feedback from Community Area Grants:

Over the last four years of the previous area board, over £160,000 was awarded to around 90 community groups to help fund their locally-based projects.

•         How can we promote the current grant scheme, especially to groups or parishes that haven’t taken it up before?

•         Grant recipients are asked to provide feedback on their projects.  What form should this take?

•         Should the area board target grant funding at priorities from the Community Plan and Joint Strategic Analysis?

Voting: What sort of feedback should MAB require from grant recipients?

1. Provide photos and report to MAB meeting after project complete -    81%
2. Write a News item on the Our Community Matters website about the project - 52%
3. Contribute to a “Register of Community Assets” where equipment could be shared by others - 16%
4. Promote the grant scheme to others – be “ambassadors” -  42%
5. Write press releases or photo opportunities for local media, i.e. G&H or MNO - 77%

At the conclusion of the exercise, the Chairman thanked everyone for expressing their views and assured the meeting that future meetings would be planned to take them into account.   She would ensure that parish councils were made aware of these new arrangements.