Agenda item

To note the written reports and receive any verbal updates from the following:

a.    Key Partners including Wiltshire Police, Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, NHS Wiltshire, Community Area Partnership, Parishes, Community Area Young People’s Issues Group (CAYPIG), Chambers of Commerce and Westlea Housing Association

b.    Outside Bodies

c.    Community Groups.

The Chairman welcomed updates from partners, which were received as follows:

Wiltshire Police

The written update report from Wiltshire Police was noted. Inspector Steve Cox commented on the increase in domestic and non-domestic burglaries and announced that a male was arrested last week who had been linked to a number of local incidents. Inspector Cox reiterated the importance of ensuring that homes were kept as securely as possible.

Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

The written update report from the Fire and Rescue Service was noted. Mike Franklin reiterated the advice within the report regarding chimney fires and the importance of having chimneys swept properly. Mike introduced his colleagues Peter Price and Perry Payne, who provided an update on the Cricklade Fire Cadets.

Fire Cadets

Since the Fire Authority announced in April that it intended to close both Cricklade and Ludgershall Fire Cadet units, the support to keep both the units going had been overwhelming. The Fire Authority met on 23 September and agreed a set of recommendations (attached at Appendix A).

Councillor Peter Colmer welcomed the statement from the Fire Authority and proposed the following:

      i.        That Wootton Bassett and Cricklade Area Board works closely with Tidworth Area Board to ensure that a consistent approach to funding is achieved for the remainder of this year.

    ii.        That alternative sources of funding be investigated to sustain the Fire Cadets in subsequent years.

The Chairman asked for a show of hands in support of Councillor Colmer’s proposals; to which the large majority of the public present showed support. The proposals also received unanimous support from the Area Board.

Decision

The Area Board agreed:

      i.        That Wootton Bassett and Cricklade Area Board works closely with Tidworth Area Board to ensure that a consistent approach to funding is achieved for the remainder of this year.

    ii.        That alternative sources of funding be investigated to sustain the Fire Cadets in subsequent years.

NHS Wiltshire

The written update report from NHS Wiltshire was noted.

Chambers of Commerce

Bob Jones, Chairman of the Cricklade Business Association, expressed disappointment that recent applications to the Performance Reward Grant Scheme were not successful, and also at the proposed car parking charges which posed a real threat to Cricklade, with the risk that local shoppers would choose to shop at West Swindon instead.

Bob also announced Cricklade’s success in being awarded Gold Standard at the Britain in Bloom finals, making Cricklade the top achieving town in Wiltshire in this competition.

Town and Parish Councils

Written updates were received and noted from Wootton Bassett Town Council and Cricklade Town Council Further verbal updates were received as follows:

Purton Parish Council – Mike Bell expressed concern at the amount of information being received through the Area Board, and particularly the very short notice that the councils were given to provide informed responses, and requested that consideration be given to this in the future. He also stated that he was pleased to see Cross Lanes in Purton being one of the preferred options put forward by the Local Traffic and Highways Working Group.

Cricklade Town Council – Gina Chapman commented on the issues with local flooding and praised the work of the Land Drainage Department since 2007/08. She expressed concern that such resources appeared to be scarce since Wiltshire became a unitary authority and requested that the councillors looked favourable upon such resource during budget cuts.

Lydiard Tregoz Parish Council – Peter Willis referred to Item 8 on the agenda; Community Planning, and stated that the officer’s report did not include an option 5, as put forward by the council. The Chairman acknowledged that the report had not clearly identified the fifth option, and explained that this option had been outlined on the agenda instead.

Northern Community Area Partnership (NCAP) – Bob Jones, Chairman of NCAP, expressed concern at the communication and engagement between the Partnership and the Area Board. He also referred to the Community Planning report accompanying Item 8 on the agenda, and felt that there was another option missing from the report that had previously been agreed with Wiltshire Council.

Wootton Bassett Community Fayre - Thomas Woodhouse reported that a Community Fayre had taken place in the Memorial Hall on 25 September, with approximately 60 people in attendance representing 15 groups and organisations. The event had been very successful and included some useful presentations including one from Community First regarding funding streams and one from Alison Sullivan on Community Area Grants. Further details would be published shortly in the community magazine, and there was a view to hold further similar events in the future.

Extended Services – Jo Smith announced that the Wootton Bassett Arts Festival would be held next year at Wootton Bassett School, and encouraged anybody interested to get in touch. There would also be a family learning event for the Wootton Bassett and Cricklade cluster on Saturday 23 October at Wootton Bassett School. This event was free and would involve cooking preparation in the morning and arts events in the afternoon.