Agenda and minutes

The Chairman, Councillor Laura Packard, welcomed everyone to the meeting and introduced the councillors and officers present.

The purpose of the item is to discuss and influence the priorities for the Highway Investment Fund, which includes a list of proposed highways maintenance schemes. Officers will attend the meeting to take questions from the public, partners and Councillors alike.

Attached is a copy, as report 2 a), of the list of schemes previously approved by the Area Board for delivery in 2014/15.  Also attached, as report 2 b), is the list of schemes, in priority order, for 2015/16 and beyond.

Please note that this is draft and not final, and thus subject to change. The information will be updated, once officers have had time to analyse the road condition data.

Parvis Khansari, Associate Director for Highways & Transport, Wiltshire Council, introduced the item which gave the meeting an opportunity to discuss and influence the priorities for the Highway Investment Fund, which includes a list of proposed highways maintenance schemes.

Issues discussed included:

·       That condition surveys were used to produce the initial prioritised list;

·       That officers would respond to comments regarding the sequencing of tarmacing and line-painting works; and

·       The balance of rural to urban roads on the list.

The Chair proposed that the matter be further considered by the Community Area Transport Group (CATG) who would make recommendations to the next Area Board meeting. It was noted that the next CATG meeting would take place on the 15^th December and that Parish and Town representatives were invited to attend.

The Chair also asked officers to clarify the impact of proposed changes to the funding of Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs). It was noted that Parish and Town Councils had been written to inform them that £75,000 funding for the maintenance and siting of the SIDs had been removed from the budget, and that the police were not in a position to take on the budget. Consequently, Parish and Town Councils were asked to consider funding SIDs themselves. Officers stated that unless enough parishes in all of the Community Areas agreed to fund the £4,200 per Community Area, then the scheme would not be retained.

Resolved

That consideration of the Highways Investment Fund be delegated to the Community Area Transport Group (CATG), and that this group be asked to make recommendations to the January meeting of the Chippenham Area Board.

Officers from the Wiltshire Online project will present an update about the progress of the broadband rollout funded by Wiltshire Council in the Chippenham Community area. There will be an opportunity, after the presentation, to ask questions about the project.

Marie Nash (Project Officer, Wiltshire Council) and Matt Lloyd (BT) gave a presentation regarding the Broadband project in Wiltshire.

Issues discussed included:

·       That £30.9m of partnership money was being used for a rollout of fibre broadband technology focusing on areas not currently being provide by private companies;

·       That the project was replacing copper wires with fibre technology, connecting local cabinets to their exchanges;

·       Doing it where there are not current private providers and use public subsidy. Replacing copper wire with fibre that provides faster speed;

·       Existing projects included the Castle Combe, Chippenham, Kington Langley areas, with Hullavington and Seagry areas being addressed at a later date;

·       Community Packs are sent to Parish Councils once work completed; and

·       The project was sensitive to concerns about street clutter and was liaising with the Council to minimise the visual impact.

Further information could be found at http://www.wiltshireonline.org/ or by emailing the team at broadband@wiltshire.gov.uk

The Chair thanked the officers for attending the meeting.

Councillor Jonathon Seed will talk about his responsibilities for Communities, Campuses, Area Boards, Leisure, Libraries and Flooding, and respond to any questions.

Note – questions may be submitted in advance – please email william.oulton@wiltshire.gov.uk by 12 Noon on Thursday 6 November.

Councillor Jonathon Seed, Cabinet Member for Communities, Campuses, Area Boards, Leisure, Libraries and Flooding, attended the meeting to present information about his portfolio and to answer questions from the meeting.

Issues included:

·       That importance of the areas within Cllr Seed’s portfolio in relation to building resilient communities;

·       That a report, regarding Campuses was being considered by Cabinet at their meeting on the 11 November;

·       That the goal was to keep leisure centres open and to renew them as appropriate;

·       That Wiltshire Council has allocated £1m of discretionary funding to address flooding, and that, due to a good relationship with Government, had secured extra funding;

·       That the Lead Members would respond to specific issues raised regarding Kington Langley;

·       How the Campuses can develop links to the more remote rural communities;

·       How the Chippenham campus project should be integrated with the wider economic development projects;

·       That elements of the Campus project could be delivered in phases; and

·       How money from the sale of capital assets could be used to fund the Campus projects.

The Chair thanked Cllr Seed for attending the meeting,

The meeting adjourned for a 10 minute comfort break.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Jane Scott and Councillor Nina Phillips.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 8 September 2014.

Decision

The minutes of the meeting held on 8 September 2014 were agreed a correct record and signed by the Chairman, subject to the following amendment to minute 8:

1.     That reference to the Crime & Community Safety group be replaced with the Chippenham Community Safety Group; and

2.     That reference to the Crime & Community Safety Plan be replaced with the Chippenham Contingency Plan

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

There were no declarations of interest.

To include:

a)    Car Parking  Strategy Consultation

b)    Countryside Benefits Consultation

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

were noted:

·       Car Parking  Strategy Consultation

·       Countryside Benefits Consultation

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

a)    Parish and Town Councils

b)    Parish Forum

c)    Wiltshire Police

d)    Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

e)    Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)

f)     Chippenham and Villages Area Partnership (ChAP)

g)    Chippenham Vision

h)   Chippenham Campus Development Team

i)     Chippenham Partnership of Schools

j)      Skatepark Update

k)    Other Community Groups

Written updates from partners were received as follows:

·         Christian Malford Parish Council

·         Kington Langley Parish Council

·         Chippenham Town Council

·         Police

·         ChAP Partner

·         Chippenham Vision

·         Partnership of Schools

Additional issues raised included:

·         That 22 people attended the October meeting of the Rural Forum;

·         Whether the Rural Forum could link with the Campus project;

·         That police would be starting an project to combat ASB in the run-up to Christmas, called Operation Brightside;

·         That work to install the lifts at the train station should start in 2 weeks;

·         That the development agreement for the Bridge Centre and Car Park would be discussed at Cabinet;

·         The Chair expressed her wish that the Area Board be involved in future discussions for the site;

·         That Katherine Brownlee had been appointed as Community Development Officer for the Buckley Barracks. ;

·         That the timeline for the Skatepark project has been updated online;

·         Regarding the Campus project, that funding had been agreed for a feasibility study, that the project would be aligned to other economic redevelopment projects; that contractors will be tasked in early Spring to look at the current and preferred site; that there was some concern as to the clarity for the project. Following discussion it was unanimously agreed to;

Resolved

1.     That it is requested at the earliest opportunity Chippenham Area Board Councillors be appraised of the implications  for the Chippenham Campus proposal of being re-designated as part of a development/regeneration programme; and what exactly this means;

2.     Additionally members would like to know how and when a budget requirement will be determined, where future funding will come from, and the time scale within which commencement/completion of a Campus for Chippenham is envisaged; and

3.     That Campus Board minutes be received by the Chippenham Area Board in the future.

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

a)    Crime & Community Safety (Cllr Desna Allen), to include Road Safety (Cllr Bill Douglas).

b)    Child Poverty (Cllr Chris Caswill)

c)     Outdoor Spaces (Cllr Linda Packard)

The meeting received updates on the following priority areas, as follows:

a)   Crime & Community Safety (Cllr Desna Allen), including Road Safety (Cllr Bill Douglas).

b)   Child Poverty (Cllr Chris Caswill)

c)  Better Use of Outdoor Spaces (Cllr Linda Packard)

Issues discussed included:

·         That the Monday 17^th November Safe Places has been cancelled;

·         That a night-time audit had taken place for the Purple Flag project, between 5 – 3am;

·         That Chippenham seems to be well served by lighting and streetscene issues;

·         That Street Pastors had recently recruited new volunteers;

·         That the Contingency Plan was being drawn up by the Town Council;

·         That there was an audit of cold calling zone across the county;

·         That the results of public consultation on 20mph zones has been published;

·         That the nightclub on Station Hill may reopen.

The purpose of the item is to ask the Chippenham Area Board to note the information contained in the report; to consider and approve the recommendations from the Chippenham Local Youth Network (LYN) outlined in this report, including:

1.     To adopt the guidance and terms of reference for the LYN;

2.     To consider the application from the Riverbank Studios project for £5000; and

3.     To agree arrangements for dealing with urgent issues.

Richard Williams, Community Youth Officer, presented the report which asked the Chippenham Area Board to note the information contained in the report; to consider and approve the recommendations from the Chippenham Local Youth Network (LYN) outlined therein.

Issues discussed included:

·       That a new model for the provision of youth services was being rolled out across the county;

·       Each Area Board would have a delegated budget to consider awarding for different schemes based on the recommendations of a Local Youth Network;

·       has been established – to identify needs and make recommendations;

·       Work would be undertaken to complete a needs analysis, revisiting some work already undertaken;

·       A one-off permission had been granted for budgets to be carried over to the next financial year, if the money was unallocated;

·       It was hoped to develop existing contacts, especially in villages and parishes;

·       Volunteers and voluntary groups were encouraged to get involved.

Members requested  that the need to be greater clarity regarding the membership of the network, and as to whether the Board would have influence over strategic issues rather than just make recommendations on grants. Following a discussion, the committee;

Resolved

1.   To adopt the guidance and terms of reference for the LYN;

2.   To ask that a clearer statement of the procedures, membership, budget, TOR, needs assessment, strategy be presented to the next area board;

3.   To approve the application from the Riverbank Studios project for £5000;

4.   To agree arrangements for dealing with urgent issues Community Area Manager, in consultation with the Community Youth Officer,  Chairman of Chippenham LYN and Chairman of Chippenham Area Board, may authorise expenditure in support of positive activities for young people of up to £1,000 per project between Area Board meetings and that this will be recorded at the next available Area Board meeting.

Community Area Grants

To ask councillors to consider the following applications for funding:

Capital

1.     CLOGS Musical Theatre award £1,479 towards an amplifier and mikes kit, conditional upon the balance of funding being in place.

2.     Friends of Chippenham Museum award £716 towards Chippenham Museum Oral History kits.

3.     Castle Combe Parish Council award £973 towards Castle Combe Village Hall hearing loop installation, conditional upon the balance of funding being in place.

Revenue

4.    The Ivy Community Partnership award £1,000 towards Ivy Estate Resident Empowerment Training, conditional upon the balance of funding being in place.

Grants application packs are available from the Community Area Manager or at: www.wiltshire.gov.uk/areaboardscommunity grantsscheme.htm

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

Resolved

1.              To award £1,479 from the Capital Fund to CLOGS Musical Theatre, towards an amplifier and mikes kit, conditional upon the balance of match funding being in place.

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

2.              To award £973 from the Capital Fund to Castle Combe Village Hall Committee, towards the Castle Combe Village Hall hearing loop installation, conditional upon the balance of funding being in place.

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

3.              To award £716 from the Revenue Fund to Friends of Chippenham Museum, towards Chippenham Museum Oral History kits.

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

4.              To award £1000 from the Revenue Fund to the Ivy Community Partnership, towards Ivy Estate Resident Empowerment Training, conditional upon the balance of funding being in place.

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

5.              To note that a balance of £65,029 Capital and £1,229 Revenue remain.

The Chair implored those in attendance, to encourage community groups to bring forward applications for the Capital Fund.

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

The meeting considered the report arising from the last meeting of the CATG and the recommendations within.

Resolved

1.     To note the financial summary at Appendix 1;

2.     To note the Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) update at Appendix 2;

3.     To note the locations selected for 5 additional grit bins detailed at Appendix 3;

4.     To approve the list of 10 prioritised areas for installation of dropped kerbs as detailed at Appendix 4;

5.      To note progress on prioritized schemes summarised at Appendix 5;

6.     To approve the scheme recommended for prioritisation & funding; Fenway Park / Cepen Park North – Request for pedestrian crossing -Pedestrian count required, cost £1,350, detailed at Appendix 6;

7.     To approve the list of schemes recommended for retention & further consideration summarised at Appendix 7; and

8.     To approve the list of schemes recommended for removal summarised at Appendix 8.

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 17 December at 10:30 at Monkton Park. Any parish or town council representative interested in attending should contact the Community Area manager or the Chairman.

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

The Chairman thanked everyone for attending the meeting. The next meeting of the Chippenham Area Board would take place on 19 January 2015.

The next agenda planning meeting would take place on Wednesday at 17 December 2014 at Monkton Park. Any parish or town council representative interested in attending should contact the Community Area Manager or the Chairman