Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the Extraordinary Area Board meeting.  He explained that, as only two members of the Area Board were present, the meeting was not quorate and any recommendations made would need to be formally ratified at the next meeting following consultation with the other two Area Board members.

Apologies for absence were received from:

Cllr Peter Davis

Cllr Dick Tonge

Sian Walker – Service Director

Nick Cooke – Wiltshire Police

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 20 September 2012.

Recommendation

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 20 September 2012.

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

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive any chairman’s announcements.

Devizes Road, Box

In response to a query raised at the last meeting, the Chairman explained that the method by which the sites are chosen for road resurfacing each financial year reflects the latest available technical surveys upon the condition of the highway network which examine the skid resistance and structural integrity of the roads to focus the available funding at those locations where it would be most effective in reducing accidents. This is a countywide process, this year there were roads in worse condition than Devizes Road, and they became the priority.

Part of Devizes Road was resurfaced under the Carriageway Repairs Programme which is designed to deal with localised failures. There is a backlog of Highway Maintenance in Wiltshire and we have to make some difficult decisions in the priority process. The Council currently undertakes ten to twelve surfacing sites annually with other sites receiving surface treatment only. Wiltshire Council has a policy of improving skid resistance where this is currently poor which can lead to high speed skidding accidents. This Strategy will continue into the 2013 programme and many roads will have localised repairs to address the skid resistance issue.

The remainder of Devizes Road will be considered for next year but it is not possible at this time to say whether it will be included or not.

The Wiltshire Councillors will consider the following applications to the Community Area Grants Scheme:

·         Neston Memorial Hall - £5,000 – To provide additional storage space

·         Colerne Village Hall - £1,000 – To provide disabled access ramps and doors

·         1^st Colerne Sea Scouts - £923 – To upgrade insulation; install door and repairs to roof

·         Colerne Luncheon Club - £1,017 – To purchase new industrial dishwasher

The Area Board considered four applications seeking 2012/13 Community Area Grant funding.

Recommendation

To approve the following grant applications:

(1)  Neston Village Hall – Award £5,000 towards a total project cost of £12,336 to provide additional and modern storage space for users of the hall.  Funding is conditional on the balance of funds and any required planning permission being in place.

(2)  Colerne Village Hall – Award £1,000 towards a total project cost of £3,258 to put in place disabled access ramps and doors.  Funding is conditional on the balance of funding and any required planning permission being in place.

(3)  Colerne Sea Scouts – Award £923 towards a total project cost of £1,847 to upgrade insulation, install a door and repairs to the roof.  Funding is conditional on the balance of funding being in place.

(4)  Colerne Luncheon Club – Award £1,017 towards a total project cost of £2,035 to purchase a new industrial dishwasher.   Funding is conditional on the balance of funding being in place.

ACTION: Dave Roberts – Community Area Manager

To receive a presentation from CCAN

·         Community Area Plan 2012 Update

·         Current position of CCAN and plans for the rest of the financial year

·         Way forward for the Community Plan

CCAN will invite the Area Board to:

·         Endorse the 2012 Update

·         Agree to work with the local community to help realise the Community Priorities

The 2012 update of the Community Plan for the Corsham Area was now available in a colourful booklet form.  It was launched at CCAN’s annual meeting held on 30 October.   The update followed a large consultation event and next steps were to produce a web based version which would be easier to keep up to date.

It was very important to ensure that successful outcomes are achieved based on the plan and to work together in the community to meet the aspirations expressed.  Efforts had been made to recruit new members to the Steering Group but this had not been successful. 

The Chairman thanked CCAN and, in particular, Christine Reid, for the hard work undertaken to produce the plan.  The priorities clearly reflected what people in the area wanted.  The Area Board noted the huge number of achievements of CCAN and the Board since 2009 and noted the priorities and next steps that had been identified.

Recommendation

(1)  To endorse the 2012 Community Area Plan Update.

(2)  To agree to work with the local community to help realise the Community Priorities.

ACTION: Corsham Area Board and CCAN

Mike Franklin gave a brief update to the Area Board on the work of the Fire Service covering the following points:

·         There had been four fires in the community area in the last reporting period.  Two had been accidental and two deliberate.

·         16 home fire safety visits had taken place. 

·         Three weeks ago a family in the south of the county had been hospitalised due to carbon monoxide poisoning.  This highlighted the importance of sweeping chimneys regularly.

·         A programme entitled “Adopt a Hydrant” was being introduced in some rural parishes.  This would involve members of the public keeping an eye on hydrants close to where they live and reporting to the fire service if they felt any work was required to the hydrants. 

·         The Safe Drive/Stay Alive programme was still available for any schools wishing to take part.

ACTION: Dave Roberts to include details of the “Adopt a Hydrant” programme in the Community Area Newsletter and the Parish Council Newsletter.

To note that future meeting dates will take place on:

Thursday 24 January 2013 – Corsham Town Hall – 7pm

Thursday 23 May 2013 – Box Pavilion – 7pm

Thursday 18 July 2013 – Colerne Village Hall – 7pm

Thursday 19 September 2013 – Lacock Village Hall – 7pm

Thursday 21 November 2013 – Corsham Town Hall – 7pm

It was noted that future meetings of the Area Board would take place as follows:

Thursday 24 January 2013 – Lacock Village Hall – 7pm

Thursday 23 May 2013 – Box Pavilion – 7pm

Thursday 18 July 2013 – Colerne Village Hall – 7pm

Thursday 19 September 2013 – Lacock Village Hall – 7pm

Thursday 21 November 2013 – Corsham Town Hall – 7pm

Following the meeting all four Corsham Area Board members confirmed that they agreed the recommendations made at this meeting.  The recommendations will be formally ratified at the Corsham Area Board meeting on 24 January 2013.