Issue - meetings

Chairman’s Announcements:

·         Air Quality Strategy for Wiltshire

·         Highways Programme for 2010/11

·         Reducing Unnecessary Street Lighting in Wiltshire

The Chairman, Councillor Christopher Williams, welcomed everyone to the meeting of the Tidworth Area Board and invited all those present to introduce themselves.

Councillor Williams also welcomed and introduced Councillor Richard Clewer, who was the Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Youth and Skills. Councillor Clewer was representing the Cabinet in the absence of Councillor Keith Humphries.

Councillor Williams made the following announcements:

Air Quality Strategy for Wiltshire

The Council had developed an Air Quality Strategy as an over-arching document detailing the approach to air quality. A consultation on the Strategy was running until 18 June 2010 and people were welcomed to submit their views. Further details were included in page 3 of the agenda.

Highways Programme for 2010/11

The Annual Programme of Highway Maintenance and Improvement Schemes for 2010/11 had been approved and the information was presented on an individual Community Area basis.

The information was available on the Council’s website under Community Area Highway Information, and further details were included in page 5 of the agenda.

Reducing Unnecessary Street Lighting in Wiltshire

Councillor Mark Connolly set out the details of a new initiative to help reduce energy costs and light pollution by switching off and/or dimming unnecessary street lighting at night time. A pilot scheme had already taken place in Tidworth, where parts of the lighting on the Ludgershall to Tidworth cycleway were turned off between midnight and 6.00 am.

Following this successful pilot, and one in Urchfont, each Area Board would receive £5,000 towards the introduction of schemes in their areas that would seek to reduce unnecessary street lighting.

Councillor Williams welcomed suggestions from parish and town councils and other interested parties, as to the most effective way to utilise this funding. Any ideas or suggestions for areas where street light reductions could be effective should be reported back to the Area Board. This would then be debated at a future meeting.

Councillor Williams proposed that, if there was no other interest from those present, Councillor Connolly should be nominated to act as Project Leader for this initiative, to liaise with the community and resolve any issues with the public. There were no other nominations and Councillor Connolly agreed to undertake the position of Project Leader.