Agenda and minutes

The Chairman, Councillor Linda Packard, welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked everybody for attending the proceeding Health Fair.

To receive presentations on the Bettercare Plan followed by an opportunity for questions and answers.

Cllr Jane Scott – Leader, Wiltshire Council and Maggie Rae - Director of Public Health, Wiltshire Council introduced a short film on the Better Care Plan which was followed by questions and answers from the floor.

Questions raised included:

The importance of basic level carers should not be over looked.

a.Carers are the most important people, if we are to provide a good quality of care then our carers need to be paid accordingly with a programme of training and development.

A large turnover of care staff means a loss of continuity which is a problem.

a.Yes, continuity is key to drive up professionalism within the care industry. In certain areas of Wiltshire it has been difficult to recruit carers and retain them.

Where do the NHS Hospitals fit into the plan?

a.The hospitals have been an integral partner on Wiltshire Council’s Health & Wellbeing Board. Treating a person safely in their own home is preferred to that person becoming embedded in the hospital system.

Where does Chippenham Hospital fit into the plan?

a.Chippenham Hospital is part of the plan, but some of the dynamics of the beds may change. Chippenham would continue to be utilised.

Won’t it be problematic to try and treat people living in rural areas in their own homes?

a.Yes, it would be challenging, but Wiltshire is very much a rural county. Wiltshire Council is now planning to build specialist older peoples housing stock in rural areas of the county.

The Chairman thanked all the speakers for attending the meeting and presenting the plan.

Apologies for absence were received from Maurice Dixson, Chair of Kington Langley Parish Council and Mike Franklin – Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service.  

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 30 June 2014.

Decision

·        

The minutes of the meeting held on the 30th June 2014 were agreed a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

There were no declarations of interest.

To include:

·         Review of Pavements

·         Community Awards

·         Changes to the Electoral Registration System

·         Chippenham Campus Project ‘Equality & Inclusion’ workshop

·         Project IMPRESS Initiative

·         Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service Consultation

The following Chairman’s Announcements were included in the agenda pack were noted:

·       Review of Pavements

·       Chippenham Area Board Community Awards

·       Changes to the Electoral Registration System

·       Chippenham Campus Project ‘Equality & Inclusion’ workshop

·       Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service consultation

Skatepark Project

The Chairman gave a brief update, points made included:

·       Timeline – Evaluation of the responses from interested suppliers to the pre-tender qualification questions (PQQ) would be undertaken over a two week period by Wiltshire Council Procurement (financial) and Ridge (technical).

·       Technical Aspects – Topographical and ground investigation surveys had been completed. Reports had not identified any significant items of concern (no contamination etc).

Environmental/Habitat survey had been completed. The report did not identify any significant issues that would impact on the proposals.

Desktop Flood Risk Assessment had been completed.

Acoustics report was available as prepared by Mach Acoustics.

·       Planning position – Liaison  with the Planning Authority had confirmed that planning statements would be developed for inclusion within a planning application, including:

Community consultation (as had already been undertaken)

Design and Access Statement, covering the rationale for the design and matters relating to access and equality under the Equality Act 2010.

In accordance with the guidance, it was proposed to request formal pre-application advice from the planning authority, in advance of the planning application expected to be made around the end of 2014.

·       Approach to Consultation - The view of the planning officer was that had been considerable consultation undertaken already on the proposal and that in this context and given the scale and nature of the development proposals itself, further consultation with all parties on such matters was neither necessary or beneficial. This position was also informed by the fact that any application would be subject to statutory consultation procedures.

A question was raised AlanGould - Chippenhamresident re the Skatepark Working Party.

Why isthere atotal refusalto meetor listen to localcouncil taxpayers inSadlers Mead andQueen Mary'sStreet, and other interestedlocal people, tohear theirviews whichare likelyto improvethe quality of theapplication andthereby avoidgreat dissentwhen theapplication is considered?

Why doesthe WorkingParty insistthat therewill bean opportunity toexpress views when theapplication issubmitted, whenthat islikely tobe toolate totake benefit from theinformation and viewswhich canimprove theapplication?

Does theBoard support,or notsupport, itsown environmentalpolicy whichis to "involve thelocal people"?  Does the Board supportthe principalof the exerciseof localdemocratic involvement?  Ifso, itshould instructthe Working Party tolisten tothe viewsNOW,whenthey canbe ofuse.

And whileitisat it,the Boardmight examinewhy itsofficers goout oftheir ways to turndown requestsfor information madeunder theFreedom of Information Act.

The Chairman advised Mr Gould that there had been a long consultation that had involved local people, and that Wiltshire Council officers  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To note the written updates provided and answer any questions arising from the floor:

                 i.          Parish and Town Councils

   To include a proposal to form a Parish Forum

                ii.          Wiltshire Police

              iii.          Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

              iv.          Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)

               v.          Chippenham and Villages Area Partnership (ChAP)

              vi.          Chippenham Vision

            vii.          Chippenham Campus Development Team

           viii.          Youth Issues update

  To include a proposal to form a Local Youth Network (LYN)

              ix.          Chippenham Partnership of Schools

               x.          Skate Park update

              xi.          Other Community Groups

Updates from partners were received as follows:

Proposal to form a Parish Forum

The Chairman advised that she and the Community Area Manager had met with Parish Representatives on 5^th August 2014 to discuss forming a Parish Forum that would give the rural communities a voice at the Area Board meeting.

It was proposed that Cllr Howard Greenman would Chair the forum.

Decision

·       That a Parish Forum would be formed, which would be chaired by Cllr Howard Greenman, and which would work with any other Chippenham area rural forums in existence.

Note

Cllr Chris Caswill abstained from the vote

Wiltshire Police

The written report from Wiltshire Police was noted. Inspector Dave Hobman reported that:

·       That the Neighbourhood Policing Team was now fully staffed.

·       That there had been 508 fewer victims of crime in the last twelve months compared to the previous twelve months.

Questions raised included:

·       Would it be possible to have a “Mobile CCTV Van” standing item as part of the police update?

a.Yes, a regular update would be given, the van should be operational during November 2014.

·       Could Neighbourhood Watch communications be improved?

a.Yes, the new “Community Information” service would help to improve the flow of information.

·       Kingston Langley would like more Neighbourhood Watch signs to put up, could you assist with this?

a.Yes, This would be followed up.

Parish and Town Councils

The written report from Grittleton Parish Council was noted.

The written report from Kington Langley Parish Council was noted, points made included:

·       The recently held Parish Forum was attended by the Parish Council Chairman and Clerk.  Both found it to be a very useful meeting. 

·       School parking was still a concern to the village and was an ongoing issue that was being looked into by the School and the Parish Council.  One solution could be to allow parking on part of the commons - however any information on the legalities of this would be appreciated.

·       Drainage issues are ongoing - a meeting was held with Danny Everett - a proposal, with costings to rectify the problems at Silver Street/Fairleigh Rise is awaited.  However it was understand that during the holiday season it was proving difficult to arrange the necessary site visit.

·       A350 – Concern over increased traffic noise had been raised at a recent parish council meeting.  A formal request had been made to the Project Manager of the A350 upgrade project to include noise abatement measures in the design of the upgrade and to advise what steps are being taken to reduce and control traffic noise.         

·       Councillor Dennis Gill had been appointed to represent the Parish
Council at the Police meetings.

·       The Parish Council was still taking an active part in discussing planning applications.  An enforcement issue had been raised on application Nos 05/02382/FUL and 14/06203/FUL The appropriate forms had been completed.  

An update on this was awaited.

A Housing Needs Survey had been carried out.

·       The Parish Council had submitted its response to the Chippenham Landscape Setting Study.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To receive updates on the following priority areas, as follows:

a)    Crime & Community Safety (Cllr Desna Allen)

b)    Child Poverty (Cllr Chris Caswill)

c)    Outdoor Spaces (Cllr Linda Packard)

Updates were received as follows:

Chippenham Community Safety Group- Cllr Desna Allen

Points made included:

·       That work continued on the Chippenham Contingency Plan.

·       That group would next meet during October 2014.

·       That aspirations for Purple Flag status would continue.

Road Safety – Cllr Bill Douglas

Points made included:

·       That the recently launched Voluntary Speed Reduction Program had had a disappointing take up within the local community. More information on this would be made available at the next Area Board meeting.

Child Poverty - Cllr Chris Caswill

Points made included:

·       That nine organisations had now formed the Chippenham Child Poverty Group.

Cllr Caswill had draft terms of reference which he wished to circulate to the Area Board members. The Chairman felt that these Terms of Reference should first be viewed by a senior officer of Wiltshire Council’s Democratic Services to decide whether the group was a sub group of the Area Board or an Outside Body.

Democratic Services Officer will refer Draft Terms of Reference to Senior Officer for guidance.

Outdoor Spaces - Cllr Linda Packard

Points made included:

·       An improved toolkit for those organising Outdoor events was being drafted. That the group would next meet during October 2014, with an update at the next Area Board meeting.

The Chairman thanked the Councillors for their updates.

a.     Community Area Grants

To consider the following applications:

i.         Sheldon Road Methodist Church Chippenham

Grants application packs are available from the Community Area Manager or at:

www.wiltshire.gov.uk/areaboardscommunity grantsscheme.htm

b.    Area Board Projects

To consider the following applications:

i.         Street Pastors

The Area Board considered the following applications to the Community Area Grant Scheme 2014/15:

Community Area Grant

Decision

Sheldon Road Methodist Church Chippenham awarded £800 towards a portable community defibrillator, conditional upon the balance of funding being in place and that the applicant agrees to register defibrillator with an ambulance station if required and also ensures it is regularly maintained.

Reason

The application meets grant criteria 2014/15 and has been classified as a capital project.

Area Board Project

Decision

Street Pastors awarded £1,600 towards a portable community defibrillator, conditional upon the applicant agreeing to register the defibrillator with an ambulance station if required and also ensures it is regularly maintained.

Reason

The application meets grant criteria 2014/15 and has been classified as a capital project.

To consider the report arising from the last meeting of the CATG and any recommendations within.

The Chippenham Area Board noted and approved the recommendations from the Chippenham Community Area Transport Group (CATG) outlined in the report included in the 8^th September 2014 agenda pack:

·       Noted - The CATG membership for 2014/15. (Appendix 1)

·       Approved - The CATG recommendation for an amendment to the Terms of Reference; to amend the words “ can be open to the public” to “is open to public”. (Appendix 2)

·       Noted - The financial summary. (Appendix 3)

·       Approved - The recommendation that Issue 2407 Cuttle Lane is submitted to the Substantive Highways Scheme. (Appendix 4)

·       Noted - The update on the Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF). (Appendix 5)

·       Noted - Progress on schemes in progress. (Appendix 6)

·       Approved - The list of schemes recommended for prioritisation & funding. (Appendix 7)

·       Approved - The list of schemes recommended for retention & further consideration. (Appendix 8)

·       Approved the list of schemes recommended for removal. (Appendix 9)

·       Approved the list of schemes recommended for SID deployment.

             (Appendix 10)

The Chairman will invite any remaining questions from the floor and will welcome the submission of new Community Issues.

The next agenda planning meeting will take place on Wednesday 19^th September at 10am at Monkton Park Offices. Any parish or town council representative interested in attending should contact the Community Area Manager victoria.welsh@wiltshire.gov.uk or the Chairman linda.packard@wiltshire.gov.uk

The meeting is asked to note the future meeting dates below and is reminded to complete the evaluation forms in the packs.

The Forward Plan is attached for information.

The Chairman thanked everyone for attending the meeting. The next meeting of the Chippenham Area Board would take place on Monday 10^th November 2014 at the Neeld Hall, Chippenham.