Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chairman for the forthcoming year.

The Democratic Services Officer sought nominations for the position of Chairman for the forthcoming year.

Decision

To elect Cllr Jane Davies as Chairman for the forthcoming year.

To elect a Vice-Chairman for the forthcoming year.

The Chairman sought nominations for the position of Vice-Chairman for the forthcoming year.

Decision

To elect Cllr Caroline Thomas as Vice-Chairman for the forthcoming year.

The Chairman will welcome those present to the meeting.

The Chairman welcomed attendees to the meeting and thanked her fellow councillors for electing her as Chairman.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence had been received from the following:

• Mayor Lisa Farrell

• Simon Todd – Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue

• Inspector Al Lumley – Wiltshire Police

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 22 March 2022.

Decision

The minutes of the previous meeting, held on 22 March 2022, were approved as a true and correct record.

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

There were no declarations of interests.

To receive the following announcements through the Chairman:

·       Recruitment of Hackney Carriage Drivers

·       Solar Together Wiltshire

·       FUEL Programme

Further information available here.

·       Our Community Matters Event – 20-24 June

Further information available here.

The Chairman explained that there was a campaign underway to recruit more taxi drivers in Wiltshire. As well as services to the wider community, regular contracts and hours were available through Wiltshire Council to support social care services and people with special educational needs.

It was reported that Wiltshire Council, working in collaboration with Swindon Borough Council, had launched a group-buying scheme for solar panels and battery storage. The Chairman noted that 8,000 households had already registered their interest and encouraged attendees to register before the deadline later that evening.

The Area Board were looking at ways in which local children, in receipt of free school meals, could access school activity camps being run in Devizes and Royal Wootton Bassett over the summer holidays as part of the FUEL programme.

The Chairman reminded the Area Board that an online event would be held between 20 and 24 June to celebrate the fantastic work done by voluntary organisations across Wiltshire. Voluntary groups would have the opportunity to deliver live-streamed or pre-recorded presentations showcasing their organisation as well as the difference they make to Wiltshire’s communities.

Community Engagement Manager Andrew Jack to provide an update on recent changes to Area Board processes.

The Community Engagement Manager (CEM) explained that Wiltshire Council had undertaken a review of Area Boards in order to build upon the great work that they had been doing since 2009. Changes included amending processes for the Area Boards and a new handbook. He then highlighted some of the key changes to the grant system in further detail including:

• Grant applications would need to be received four weeks before an Area Board.

• Parish and town councils would only be able to apply for revenue grants from the Older and Vulnerable People’s budget and Youth budget.

• The maximum amount an applicant could apply for without the requirement for match funding was now £500.

• The Area Board would be able to refer an application to a new Grant Assessment Panel where the applicant is:

Ø  Requesting over £5,000.

Ø  Not from a voluntary or community sector organisation.

Ø  Applying to more than three Area Boards.

Full details are included in the PowerPoint presentation attached to this agenda.

Community Engagement Manager Andrew Jack to provide an update on the actions resulting from the Community Status Report.

To appoint lead members to the Area Board’s priority areas.

The CEM summarised the progress that the Area Board had made towards its priority goals for 2021/22, including:

•Helping to promote a successful awareness day about the environment, held in April 2022.

• Re-establishing the Health and Wellbeing Group and making new contacts with the Stroke Association and Health and Wellbeing Team.

• Steps had been taken towards setting up a charitable incorporated organisation to employ a local youth worker.

• Encouraging young people to become involved in sport through investments at Ramsbury cricket and tennis clubs.

• Running an activity day alongside the local sports forum.

• Supporting numerous local groups with grant funding.

He also gave an overview of local challenges and the information that was available to the Area Board to help to inform their priorities for the forthcoming year. One such challenge was the impact of rising fuel prices in a relatively rural area with a greater than average number of properties reliant on oil heating. In addition, the CEM explained that the Area Board could consider Wiltshire Council’s business plan, climate strategy and natural environment plan when assessing how to implement its local priorities.

Members thanked the CEM for the update and noted the progress made towards their goals over the past year.

Decision

1. To note the progress update from the 2021/22 local priorities work (Appendix A.).

2. To note the changing data as it applies to the Marlborough Community Area.

3. To note the whole of the report, along with its appendices [pages 33-42 of the agenda pack].

4. To consider the priorities the Area Board wishes to focus on in the coming year.

Having considered the report from the CEM, members discussed their priorities for the forthcoming year as well as which members would take the lead roles in driving these priorities forward. During the discussion the following points were made:

• Members were keen to carry on in similar roles to the previous year in order to help embed their achievements and have further time to deliver projects.

• Steady progress had been made towards establishing the Local Youth Network. Attendees were encouraged to contact the Area Board if they were interested in being involved.

• The possibility of holding a skills fair to help young people into employment was discussed. Further discussions with St John’s Secondary School were due to take place to develop the proposals.

• It was reported that lots of environmental work had taken place between Marlborough Town Council and Wiltshire Council. Residents were encouraged to contact their councillors if they had any suggestions for initiatives.

• It was noted that standards for electric vehicle charging points were set at the national level, but local councils were able to apply to Wiltshire Council for grants. Two chargers near the local Tesco supermarket were broken but a tender was out for their replacement. Marlborough Town Council were investigating the possibility of installing a charger on their land.

Decision

1a. To adopt the suggested priorities for the forthcoming year  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43.

The Area Board is requested to:

a.         Appoint Members as Lead representatives to Outside Bodies as set out at Appendix A;

b.         To note the Terms of Reference for the LHFIG as set out in Appendix B.

Following on from the Area Board’s discussion about its priorities for the forthcoming year, the Chairman invited members to appoint a lead councillor to the Area Board’s two outside bodies. She also invited the Area Board to note the terms of reference of the new Highway and Footway Improvement Group.

Decision

1.    Appoint Members as Lead representatives to Outside Bodies as set out at Appendix A, namely:

- Avebury Solstice Operational Planning Meeting – Cllr Jane Davies

- Avebury World Heritage Site Steering Committee – Cllr Jane Davies

2.    To note the Terms of Reference for the LHFIG as set out in Appendix B [pg. 51-52 of the agenda pack].

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

1. Wiltshire Police
2. Wiltshire Fire and Rescue
3. Healthwatch Wiltshire
4. Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)
5. Jubilee Centre
6. Transition Marlborough
7. Town / Parish Councils

Note: Speakers are reminded that they each have a 3-minute slot, unless they have previously discussed alternative arrangements with the Community Engagement Manager.

The Chairman noted that written updates from the following partners were available in the agenda pack:

- Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue (pgs. 53-59)

- BaNES, Swindon and Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (pgs. 61-63)

- Healthwatch Wiltshire (pg. 65)

- Kennet and Avon Medical Partnership – KAMP (Agenda Supplement 1)

Verbal updates were available from the following partners:

Police

Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Swindon and Wiltshire, Philip Wilkinson, provided the Area Board with an update on his crime plan. He reminded attendees that he had undertaken a wide consultation on his plan and hoped it would help to improve the delivery of services and better align the police’s priorities to those of residents. He then went on to provide further information about the reforms that he had bought into place including:

-       Implementing supervisor training to improve standards and address concerns about police culture. Experience had taught him that good supervisors could identify potentially problematic behaviour before it became serious.

-       Appointing Cllr John Derryman, from South Newton Parish Council, to collate data from community speed watch teams and identify hotspots.

-       Doubling the size of the rural crime team and equipping them with night vision goggles and drones.

-       Tripling the size if the team dealing with violence against women and girls.

Alluding to a recent inspection, the PCC stated that he expected that Wiltshire Police would be shown to require improvement. However, he reassured the Area Board that there were some excellent police officers in Wiltshire, and he was confident that his reforms would lead to better outcomes. Metrics were being put in place to measure performance so that the Chief Constable and he could be held to account.

During the discussion points included:

- Wiltshire would have 1164 officers by the end of 2022, up from 928 18 months ago.

- A member of the public thanked the PCC for the improved levels of cooperation with community speed watch teams. The Chairman also noted that she had noticed an improved level of service.

- Cllr Sheppard requested that police speeding patrols went out early in villages to enforce limits.

- In response to a question from the public about the perception that the police did not take minor crimes seriously enough, the PCC explained that a threat assessment process was in place, and he was working to improve the visibility of officers.

- The PCC was opening mobile stations to increase the visible police presence around the county. It was noted that Marlborough Police Station was open and that the front desk was open many days until 5pm.

- Wiltshire had a specialist anti-drug team in place and the PCC was coordinating anti-drug operations across the South West of England.

KAMP

Suzy Deering, Communications Officer for KAMP, and Dr Richard Hook explained that they had 17,500 patients registered across Marlborough and Pewsey. KAMP was based at two sites and provided around 2,500 GP appointments per month. Alluding to pressures facing GPs, the communications officer  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45.

To receive an update from the latest meeting of the Marlborough Health and Wellbeing Group.

To consider the following application for Health and Wellbeing funding:

·       Friends of the Victorian Cemetery requesting £700 towards a new website, publication of flyers and enhancing their social media presence.

Please see the attachment to Item 15 for further information about this grant application.

Jill Turner, Chairman of Marlborough Health and Wellbeing Group, announced that they would be carrying out a review their work to see if there were further areas where they could add value. She informed the Area Board that a Health and Wellbeing event was due to take place in the Autumn at the Jubilee Centre. It was also reported that Wiltshire Wildlife Trust had opened a new training centre at their Bay Meadows site and were keen to thank the Area Board for their support.

Members then considered the following application to Older and Vulnerable People’s grant scheme.

Friends of the Victorian Cemetery, requesting £700 towards a new website, publication of flyers and enhancing their social media presence

Representatives from Friends of the Victorian Cemetery spoke in favour of their application. They explained that they had been meeting for eight years and were keen to enhance the biodiversity in the cemetery. The cemetery included grassland and they also hoped to install bat boxes. They explained that promotional flyers and the use of social media would help to attract volunteers, promote exercise and combat loneliness.

Decision

 To award Friends of the Victorian Cemetery £700 towards a new website, publication of flyers and enhancing their social media presence.

Reason

The application met the grant criteria for 2022/23

The Area Board will be asked to ratify the funding recommendations from the Marlborough Local Highway and Footway Improvement Group meeting of the 26 May 2022.

The Vice-Chairman explained that the Local Highway and Footway improvement Group (LHFIG) had replaced the old Community Area Transport Group. The new group had a far larger budget, which was able to be spend on a wider range of projects such as bus infrastructure and street lighting. She then went on to outline the high priority schemes that had been discussed at the previous meeting as follows:

• New double yellow lining and a layby at The Avenue, Avebury.

• 20mph assessment at Ogbourne Maizey.

• It had been recommended to keep the existing speed limit on the A4 outside Savernake Hospital, but the installation of new signage and road markings were being considered to raise awareness.

• Speed reduction signs were now in place east of Mildenhall and road marking were also being considered.

• Traffic calming measures at the A4 near Manton, including a substantive bid for a new traffic island.

• New signage for the no through road at Manton Hollow.

Other projects also being considered for future funding included a 40mph zone on Freeze Avenue and a pedestrian crossing on Marlborough High Street.

Members then considered the recommendations made by the LHFIG at their meeting of 26 May 2022.

Decision

1. To note the discussions from the LHFIG meeting of 26 May.

2. To confirm the seven high priority schemes agreed by LHFIG.

3. To confirm LHFIG’s contribution to new layby at The Avenue, Avebury: 75% of up to £4,000.

4. To confirm LHFIG’s contribution to implementing 20mph at Ogbourne Maizey: 75% of £6,500.

5. To confirm LHFIG’s contribution to Step 1 of safety work at A4, Manton: 75% of £5,000.

6. To confirm LHFIG’s contribution towards ‘No through road’ at Manton Hollow: 75% of £175.

7. To confirm the date of next LHFIG meeting as 22 September 2022.

To receive an update on the Local Youth Network (LYN) including on the employment of a new youth worker.

There were no applications for youth funding. The Area Board were reminded that work was underway to form a charitable incorporated organisation to employ a youth worker for the Marlborough area.

The Wiltshire Councillors will consider applications to the Community Area Grants Scheme, as follows:

·       Marlborough Bowls Club requesting £2,000 towards new flooring.

·       Friends of the Victorian Cemetery requesting £2,118.81 towards a new storage shed, garden equipment and notice board. 

The Area Board considered the applications to the Community Grant Scheme as outlined in the agenda pack.

Marlborough Bowls Club, requesting £2,000 towards new flooring

The Chairman of Marlborough Bowls Club spoke in favour of their application, explaining that they had a significant playing membership and 58 social members. He explained that the floor in their hall was becoming a safety hazard. In response a query about the club’s finances it was explained that they charged an annual membership fee of £60. They needed to keep a reserve fund of £5,000 but their finances had been depleted due to the need to maintain the building through the pandemic.

Decision

To award Marlborough Bowls Club £2,000 towards new flooring.

Reason

The application met grant criteria for 2022/23.

Friends of the Victorian Cemetery requesting £2,118.81 towards a new storge shed, garden equipment and notice board

Representatives spoke in favour of their scheme, noting that many of their volunteers were over 70 and were having to bring their own wheelbarrows to the site. The new facilities would make it easier for volunteers to continue helping at the cemetery.

Decision

To award Friends of the Victorian Cemetery £2,118.81 towards a new storge shed, garden equipment and notice board.

Reason

The application met grant criteria for 2022/23.

There were no urgent 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 Tuesday 11 October, 7.00pm at Marlborough Town Hall.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Marlborough Area Board would be on Tuesday 11 October 2022.