Agenda item

To receive any updates from the following partners:

(a)               Wiltshire Police

(b)               Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Services

(c)               NHS Wiltshire

(d)               Corsham Community Area Network

(e)               Town and Parish Council Nominated Representatives

(f)                 Corsham Area Young People’s Issues Group

(g)               Chamber of Commerce

(a)       Wiltshire Police

A written report was submitted to the meeting and included in the agenda papers.  The Wiltshire Camera Safety Partnership had now been disbanded but the Neighbourhood Policing Teams would be trained to use the camera equipment to prevent speeding.  The community speedwatch scheme was also very successful in some local areas and support was available if any Parish or Town Councils were interested. 

Crime overall had decreased in the Corsham community area by 13%.

(b)       Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

A written report was submitted to the meeting and included in the agenda papers.  It was important to ensure that chimneys were swept at this time of year as chimney fires tended to increase during the winter months.

(c)        NHS Wiltshire

A written report was submitted to the meeting and included in the agenda papers.

(d)       Corsham Community Area Network (CCAN)

CCAN had held an open evening and AGM on 16 September at which Wiltshire Council had made the announcement to launch the consultation on the proposed development of a community area campus on the Springfield site.

CCAN was fully supporting a consultation period working with Wiltshire Council, Corsham Town Council and partner parish councils with a postal survey questionnaire and a number of public events to obtain views on the proposal from as wide a cross section of the community as possible.

Open meetings aimed at community organisations and the general public were planned alongside the survey which will likely run during November.  Planned meeting dates were 17 November and 1 December at the Corsham Community Centre.

Progress was being made with the discussions with Wiltshire Council on the recommendations of the Cycle Report which aims to improve cycle connections into Corsham from Rudloe and Neston.

Work was continuing on the bus stop survey in conjunction with the parishes to validate the detail of the original survey and report in terms of condition and ownership of the bus stops across the community area.

A positive start had been made to the street light project aimed at identifying possible lights to be switched off during silent hours to save electricity and light pollution.   Evidence suggested that switching off lights after midnight until 5am could save 12p per night per street light.  Town and Parish Councils were being briefed and would review and decide on the findings, and Wiltshire Council would then give a technical opinion, prior to presentation to the Area Board for final decision at the January meeting.

At the AGM held in September Christine Reid was re-elected as the Chair of the Steering Group and with new members elected there was now representation from all parishes.  CCAN would make a mid year report and application for a second tranche of support funding at the next Area Board meeting.

In response to concerns raised as to whether midnight was too early to switch off street lights CCAN agreed to further investigate this issue.

(e)       Town and Parish Councils

(i)                 Corsham Town Council

The Town Council thanked Westlea Housing and Wiltshire Council for their help with Corsham in Bloom.  The town had won a Silver-Gilt award in the competition. 

There were plans to extend Corsham cemetery, surveys had been undertaken and a planning application would be submitted in a couple of months’ time.

(ii)               Colerne Parish Council

The new Parish Council website was now up and running.  Agendas, meeting details and notices would be available in the near future.  The recreation ground project had now started and plans would be available shortly.

(f)                 Chamber of Commerce

A report from the Chamber of Commerce was circulated at the meeting.  The Chamber congratulated Corsham Town Council and its staff on achieving the Silver-Gilt award in the South West in Bloom contest.

The Chamber remained opposed to the charge for the first hour of car parking in Corsham.  It did not accept the premise that the money has to be used by the Council to subsidise free bus travel which encourages shoppers to travel out of the town.  The main competition was where there was free parking such as in Sainsbury’s, Morrison’s and Waitrose on the edge of Chippenham and Melksham.

The Chamber’s view was that parking charges have to be considered as part of the economic strategy for the smaller market towns.  The proposal to charge on Sundays was totally rejected.

There were also concerns regarding unauthorised street selling and entertainment in the High Street and Martingate Centre.