Agenda item

New NHS Medical Practice in Bradford on Avon – Dr James Heffer

Dr James Heffer advised the area board of a new NHS medical practice that was scheduled to open for the residents of Bradford on Avon in April 2011.

 

Points made by Dr Heffer included:

 

• The new practice was the result of the merging three of the current Bradford on Avon medical practices.

 

• The new practice made good sense with the current national situation of funding within the NHS and an ageing UK population.

 

• The practice would have an NHS spend of £10 million and a drug spend of £2 million.

 

• The three merging practices would endeavour to keep their patients informed as to developments of the new practice by surgery news letters.

 

The Chairman thanked Dr Heffer for his update.

 

 

 

Street Lights switch off Project - Diane Teare

Diane Teare gave a brief presentation highlighting a project to encourage local communities to think about turning off suitable street lighting from midnight to five am, reducing energy costs, light pollution and CO2 emissions.

 

Points made by Diane Teare included:

 

• There had been around one hundred nominations received for lights to be considered.

 

• No firm decisions had been reached yet as to which lights would be included in the project.

 

• Residents would get the opportunity to review the scheme at a later date, with a view to check whether lights had been suitable in their chosen locations.

 

• The project scheme had received good support from Bradford on Avon town council, the chamber of commerce, the conservation trust as well as local councillors.

 

• Communities on the whole did appear to support switching off lights.

 

• Any further nominations for the scheme will be held for future funding.

 

• The final decisions would be announced at the February area board.

 

 

Questions raised from the floor:

 

• Will the villages be included in any future schemes?

It was confirmed that parishes could also nominate streetlights and

that each parish council in the community area had been written to ask if they would like to be involved in the initiative. Diane Teare was project managing the initiative in Bradford on Avon Town with the support of the Town Council.

 

 

The Chairman thanked Diane Teare for her update.

 

 

 

The 2011 Census

The census has collected information about the population every ten years since 1801 (except in 1941).

 

The next census in England and Wales is on 27^th March 2011.

 

The Chairman advised of the importance of including hard to reach groups such as the boating community.

 

 

 

Bradford on Avon Youth Group Update – Kath Brownlee

Points made by Kath Brownlee, Youth Development Co-ordinator for Bradford on Avon included:

 

• During the last three months the youth group had been involved in a youth parents group and organised a Wednesday evening drop in at Holt.

 

• The group are planning an ice skating and shopping trip to Bristol in December.

 

• The Youth Development Co-ordinator was looking to get some professional artists to work with the youth group in brightening up the youth centre facilities.

 

• An arts project was also proposed to reduce graffiti in the local area.

 

The Chairman thanked Kath Brownlee for her update.

 

 

 

Wiltshire Police

The written update distributed with the agenda pack was noted.

Points made from the floor included:

 

• Cllr Rosemary Brown voiced her disappointment at the recent news of the appeal verdict concerning the incident in Melksham Police station.

 

• Wingfield parish council were concerned that they had never received an invitation from their representative to attend the Wiltshire Police tasking group meetings.

Inspector Cullop advised that he would make sure that Wingfield parish council were included on future task group invitations.

 

• There were concerns after a spate of cars had been keyed at the new town area of Bradford on Avon.

Inspector Cullop advised that local police officers were aware of this incident.

 

The Chairman thanked Inspector Cullop for his update.

 

 

 

Formal objection to the proposal to raise the speed limit on the A363, north of the B3105 junction, to 50mph

Cllr Trevor Carbin advised the area board of a proposal to raise the speed limit on the A363, north of the B3105 junction, to 50mph.

 

A brief debate ensued and it was agreed that:

 

Decision

 

• That the Bradford on Avon Area Board wished to raise a formal objection to the proposal to raise the speed limit on the A363, north of the  B3105 junction, to 50mph. This proposal has been put forward as part of a speed limit review of A and B roads across the county.  The board felt that the nature of the road, being narrow and with a series of bends, made it unsuitable for the higher limit.  There are a number of private accesses to the road in this stretch and a higher limit would increase danger for residents accessing and emerging from these.  A 50mph limit would also increase potential danger at the junction with the B3105.

 

 

Note: Cllr Conley abstained from the vote.