Agenda and minutes

To welcome those present to the meeting.

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

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence had been received from Cllr Nick Fogg.

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

Following the Youth Fair earlier in the evening and votes from the public, councillors will consider applications for up to £500 youth grant funding, from a total £3000 allocated to participatory budgeting.

The Area Board is also asked to consider a regular youth grant application of £5,000 from Aldbourne Youth Council towards a youth café skills workshop.

To consider a request from the Local Youth Network to ringfence the remaining youth grant budget and accrue it into the next financial year, to be available to Marlborough Community Youth Project.

Following the Youth Fair earlier in the evening and votes from the

public, councillors considered applications for up to £500 youth

grant funding, from a total £3000 allocated to participatory

budgeting.

The following votes had been cast from the public:

-       Action for River Kennet – 27

-       Marlborough Tennis Club – 38

-       Phoenix Brass Band – 64

-       Savernake Explorer Scouts – 34

The Board was also asked to consider a youth grant application of £5,000 from Aldbourne Youth Club, it was recommended for £3,000 by the Local Youth Network since the LYN considered the parish council should contribute some funding towards the project.

Finally, members were asked to consider a request from the Local Youth Network to ringfence the remaining youth grant budget and accrue it into the next financial year, to be available to Marlborough Community Youth Project which was expecting to bring a proposal forward.

Resolved:

To grant Action for River Kennet-  £500 towards ‘Get Hooked’ youth fishing project;

To grant Marlborough Tennis Club- £480 towards Club outreach sessions;

To grant Phoenix Brass Band- £500 towards a new flat tuba for the band;

To grant Savernake Explorer Scouts- £500 towards a hillwalking activity camp;

To grant Aldbourne Youth Council £3,000 towards a youth café skills workshop.

Reason: The LYN considered the parish council should contribute some funding towards the youth council.

To agree the ringfencing of the remaining youth grant budget to accrue it into the next financial year, to be available to Marlborough Community Youth Project.

To consider the following applications to the Community Area Grants scheme:

·         MINAL PLAY £2,700 for the creation of new car parking;

·         Kennet Valley Village Hall £3,096 towards the replacement of the front entrance doors;

·         Alzheimer’s Support £475 towards equipment for the Mildenhall Memory Group;

·         Baydon Primary School £942 towards library area equipment.

To consider the following councillor-led initiatives:

·         Cllr Nick Fogg £140 to purchase a set of new guided reading books for Preshute School

·         Cllr Nick Fogg and Cllr Jane Davies, £250 each towards White Horse interpretation boards.

The Area Board considered applications to the Community Area Grants scheme. A representive from Minal Play Area spoke in support of funding towards a new car park to allow more visitors to access the facility. Kennet Valley Village Hall Committee had applied for funding towards the replacement of the front entrance doors to support a new entry system. It was suggested by the Area Board the parish council should contribute funding to support this local asset and the Area Board could not fund all of the project due to insufficient funds at the end of the financial year.

A representative from Alzheimer’s Support spoke in favour of their application towards equipment to support the new memory group. Baydon Primary School had applied for funding to make their library space attractive for children and provide seating to encourage reading.

Cllr Dobson introduced a member initiative for funding towards new guided reading books for Preshute School, Cllr Davies also expressed her suppor for this project.

The Board also considered additional member initiatives from Cllrs Fogg and Davies for White Horse interpretation boards to promote the white horse trail.

Resolved:

To grant Minal Play £2,700 for the creation of new car parking;

To grant Kennet Valley Village Hall £1,500 towards the replacement of the front doors.

Reason:

It is considered the Parish Council should contribute funding to maintain this valuable community asset and there is insufficient funding for all community area grants at the end of the financial year.

To grant Alzheimer’s Support £475 towards equipment for the Mildenhall Memory Group;

To grant Baydon Primary School £942 towards library area equipment.

To grant £140 towards the purchase of new guided reading books for Preshute School.

To grant two councillor-initiatives for £250 each towards White Horse Interpretation Boards.

A short video about the benefits of fostering in Wiltshire is available, alongside further information available in the agenda pack for those interested to know more.

A video was shown prompting the benefits of fostering for the children and young people affected, further information was available in the agenda pack.

The Chairman highlighted the vital role foster parents play in the lives of young people and encouraged anybody interested in learning more about becoming a foster parent to contact Wiltshire Council.

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. Community Engagement Manager

Written updates were available in the agenda pack from Area Board partners, the Chairman advised a new Police Inspector would be available to present at the next meeting.

Town Mayor, Mervyn Hall, welcomed the meeting to the community and youth centre which had recently been refurbished and had office space available to rent. Other key updates from the Town Council included at 20mph speed limit was out to public consultation, a litter pick was planned for the coming weekend and Merchant’s House was opening a Town Museum.

The Community Engagement Manager, Andrew Jack, advised he was currently working on a project with a former rough sleeper to develop a practical guide for those on the street.

To consider an update, and any recommendations arising, from the CATG meeting held on 22 February.

Andrew Jack provided an update for the top 5 priority projects following the CATG meeting held on 22 February. It was noted the Town Council wished to appeal a decision on George Lane and was to progress this. Cllr Dobson advised that ‘SLOW’ markings were to be painted on George Lane.

The Chairman drew attention to the agenda supplement which contained details of proposed highways maintenance schemes for 2018/19. The Area Board expressed disappointment The Parade was not included on the resurfacing lists and requested the Highways department provide further explanation as to why this was the case. Board members expressed disappointment the proposals were available so late before the meeting and considered more advance notice was needed to allow the community to consider the proposals.

Resolved:

To note the update arising from the CATG meeting on 22 February.

To note the highways proposals for 18/19 and to request further information from the Higways department as to why The Parade is not considered a priority for resurfacing, and to recommend this be included in the list of schemes for 2018/19.

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 23 January 2018.

Resolved:

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 23 January 2018.

The Chairman advised the Highways agency was consulting on their proposals for the A303 Stonehenge Amesbury to Berwick Down. The consultation was open until 6 April and details about the scheme, how to respond to the consultation and public information events were available on the Highways England website.

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 15 May 2018 at Marlborough Town Hall.

The next meeting of the Area Board was to be held on 15 May 2018 at Marlborough Town Hall.