Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed those present to the meeting and invited the Councillors and Officers present introduce themselves.

Apologies for absence had been received from the following:

• Geoff Brickell
• Acting Inspector James Williams
• Sheila Glass

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meetings held on 12 September 2017.

Resolved:

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 12 September 2017.

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

To note the following items for information:

·        Wiltshire Local Plan Review

·        Eat Out Eat Well

The Chairman drew attention to announcements in the agenda pack in respect of the Wiltshire Local Plan Review and Eat Out Eat Well initiative.

To note the attached Partner updates and receive any further information partners wish to share:

1. Wiltshire Police
2. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue
3. Healthwatch Wiltshire
4. Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)
5. MADT (Marlborough Area Development Trust)
6. Transition Marlborough
7. Town / Parish Councils
8. Marlborough Area Neighbourhood Planning Group
9. Feedback from Grant Recipients

Written updates were available in the agenda pack from Wiltshire Police, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, health services and Marlborough Area Development Trust.

Cllr Mervyn Hall, Mayor of Marlborough, updated on behalf of the Town Council that the refurbishment of the Community/Youth Centre was now complete, as was the first stage of the refurbishment of the public toilets at George Lane. It was noted the Christmas light switch on in the town was to be held on 1 December and the Town Council was developing an action plan of future priorities for 2017-2021. The Mayor also updated on behalf of the Neighbourhood Planning Group that meetings on car parking and housing need for Marlborough had been well attended and the group would feedback the discussions into the Neighbourhood Plan.

The Chairman noted written updates were available in the agenda pack from Marlborough Area Poverty Action Group and Marlborough Tennis Club about their projects the Area Board had recently helped to fund.

Sarah will explain more about her role supporting homeless people and rough sleepers in this area.

Sarah Johnson, Assertive Outreach Worker, explained the work she did to support rough sleepers across the county through drop-in centres, facilitating access to medical care, bank accounts and benefits. The officer gave examples of recent success stories and highlighted she had to be responsive to the different needs of each individual. It was explained that Marlborough Library could grant access to homeless people to use the phones and computers in the library to help them make contact with the council and seek help. A question was raised from the floor as to the impact of Public Space Protection Orders on the homeless and the Chairman advised he would look into this and report back.

The Board thanked the officer for her hard work and interesting presentation.

The experiences of Daniel, a former rough sleeper, and what he is doing now to support other people.

Daniel, a former rough sleeper, explained how he became homeless following a relationship breakdown and loosing his job, highlighting how easily this can happen to anyone. The main causes of homelessness were explained and it was noted that most rough sleepers were between the ages of 25 and 40.

Daniel explained ‘The Lamp’, a publication he was starting that would act as a ‘survival guide’ to help homeless people cope with life on the street and to access help if they wanted it. It was noted a challenge would be to keep the contact details for local councils and other support networks in ‘The Lamp’ up to date. An overview of online resources to support the homeless was provided.

The Chairman thanked Daniel for his informative presentation.

How Marlborough Area Poverty Action Group is working to help homeless people in this area.

Sue Elks, Marlborough Area Poverty Action Group, explained how the group helped to support homeless people that stayed, or passed through, Marlborough. The group offered sleeping bags, thermos flasks and conversation to those rough sleeping. Sue also spoke of the enormous value of Sarah’s work to support homeless people in Marlborough and around the county.

The Chairman thanked Marlborough Area Poverty Action Group for their dedication to improve the lives of the poorest in the community.  

To receive an update and consider any recommendations arising from the CATG meeting held on 21 September 2017.

Cllr Nick Fogg provided an update following the CATG meeting held on 21 September 2017 and presented the group’s recommendations to the Board. Particular items of interest were HGV problems and it was noted the ‘No Entry’ sign on Silverless Street was working well. The Chairman advised there had been much local interest in traffic calming measures proposed in Baydon and the CATG had agreed proposals with the Parish Council. A discussion was had on a 20mph limit near the school on George Lane.

Comments from the floor included that a recent HGV watch by volunteers showed a higher HGV traffic than recorded by Highways Engineers and it was requested that action be taken on this matter. It was agreed HGV traffic also affected air quality, and councillors understood air quality monitors in the town were now working and reporting data. The Area Board encouraged the town council to develop a traffic plan to feed into the work of the Highways Department and join up projects to address the traffic problems in the area .

Resolved:

To note the update and agree the recommendations arising from the CATG meeting held on 21 September, including:

·         To support the permanency of traffic orders against HGVs in Silverless Street;

·         To support proposals for bin space at Ogbourne St Andrew;

·         To support the proposed build out and associated works for traffic calming at Ermin St, Baydon;

·         To support metrocounts in various locations to assess locations for 20mph limits;

·         To support further warning signs at Lockeridge.

To receive an update on the Local Youth Network (LYN) and to consider the following application for grant funding:

·        Innov8 Sports CiC and JB Youth Services - £10,168 for a mobile youth club in four rural areas

Helen Bradley, Locality Youth Facilitator, introduced a request for grant funding, supported by the LYN, to work with Innov8 Sports CiC and JB Youth Services to deliver a mobile youth club in Ramsbury, Lockeridge, Baydon and Ogbourne St George for 6 months. The long term goal of the project to work towards establishing a permanent youth club in those areas were young people struggled to access facilities.

In response to questions from councillors it was confirmed the areas that had been chosen specifically for this project had a high youth population and demand for this type of opportunity, and the parish councils had already been consulted.

Resolved:

To grant Innov8 Sports CiC and JB Youth Services £10,168 to support a mobile youth club in four rural areas.

To consider the following applications for Health and Wellbeing Funding:

·        The Restoration Trust- £1,919 to support ‘Human Henge’ wellbeing project;

·        East Wilts MENCAP- £632.87 towards a trip to the Bristol Hippodrome for MENCAP members.

The Board considered applications for Health and Wellbeing funding. The Restoration Trust requested funding to support those with mental health issues by way of a 10 week project in the Avebury heritage landscape, working with the National Trust. In response to questions about the element of funding to support promotion, the Board was advised this funding would attract interest in the project and support transport.

A second application was considered from East Wilts MENCAP for funding to allow a group to go on their yearly visit to a pantomime at the Bristol Hippodrome, it was explained the organisation asked for a donation from those clients able to contribute towards the costs.

Resolved:

To grant the Restoration Trust £1,919 to support ‘Human Henge’ wellbeing project;

To grant East Wilts MENCAP £632.87 towards a trip to the Bristol Hippodrome.

To receive an update from your Community Engagement Manager, Andrew Jack.

Andrew Jack, Community Engagement Manager, told that a Memory Café was to be launches at Savernake View Care Home and a Music for the Mind group was also starting to work with Dementia patients. In other news, a HomeRun app was now available, and already very popular to encourage walking to school. The CEM also encouraged parish council to get in touch by 30 November if they had suggestions for planting locations for trees to commemorate WW1 centenary.

There were no other questions.

Any other items of business which the Chairman agrees to consider as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items.

The next meeting of the Marlborough Area Board will be held on 23 January 2018, 7pm, at Marlborough Town Hall.

The next meeting of the Area Board was to be held on 23 January 2018 at Marlborough Town Hall.