Agenda and minutes

Announcements:

• A350 Melksham Bypass - consultation extension to 17 January 2021

• Community Governance – confirmation of boundary changes to electoral divisions from May 2021

·         Healthy Us Weight Management Programme

·         Covid-19 Community Packs

The Chairman welcomed everybody to the Melksham Area Board meeting.

The Melksham Area Board members were introduced, as was Cllr Allison Bucknell - Portfolio Holder for Communities, Arts, Heritage and Tourism.

The following Chairman’s Announcements contained in the agenda pack were noted:

• A350 Melksham Bypass - consultation extension to 17 January 2021

• Community Governance – confirmation of boundary changes to electoral divisions from May 2021

·         Healthy Us Weight Management Programme – as per the agenda pack

·         Covid-19 Community Packs – as per the agenda pack

There were no apologies for absence

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

Cllr Hubbard declared non-pecuniary interests in agenda item 9 (Young Melksham grant applications)

Even though the interests were non-pecuniary, in this instance he declared that he would not vote on the applications.

Inspector Jill Hughes gave the police update after taking over the Melksham community area Inspector role from Inspector Andy Fee, who had recently retired from the force. Andy Fee sent his thanks to the Area Board for his time working in the Melksham community area, and the support of the Area Board

Points made included:

• That four youths and an adult had been charged for incidents at the Melksham skate park

• That local teams continued to targeting organised crime in the Melksham community area

·         That local area speeding checks were being carried out at Shaw, Beanacre and Atworth

• That an incident of egg throwing in the town centre was being followed up by local teams

The Chairman welcomed Inspector Hughes to Melksham and thanked her for her update

An update on this project delivering culture and heritage events and activity in community settings, to support the wellbeing of vulnerable older people, plus details of the “Creative Conversations” pilot project in Melksham

Rebecca Seymour gave an update on this project delivering culture and heritage events and activity in community settings, to support the wellbeing of vulnerable older people, plus details of the “Creative Conversations” pilot project in Melksham.

Points made included:

That the project had re-structure since Covid-19 to deliver four key strands of activity that could reach older people in multiple ways, not just digitally.  These were:

·         On-line concerts and performances

·         Outdoor concerts

·         1:1 Creative Conversations via telephone

·         Noticing Nature: Taking Art Outdoors

Creative Conversations on the phone

Points made included:

·         Pilot project funded by Wiltshire Community Foundation to work in partnership with Age Friendly Melksham

·         Since the launch in October we have trained 4 creative artists and 7 volunteers

·         Phillipa Huxtable, Age Friendly Melksham Co-Ordinator and Moira Conroy, Community Connector referring participants

·         Currently Five participants receiving weekly calls

The Chairman thanked Rebecca Seymour for her presentation

An update on Melksham Community Service activity since the last meeting, including the impact of the second Lockdown, and highlighting new Age Friendly work focussing on social isolation

Phillipa Huxtable gave an update on Melksham Community Service activity since the last meeting, including the impact of the second Lockdown, and highlighting new Age Friendly work focussing on social isolation.

Points made included:

·         That since March 2020 the Melksham Community Support project had helped hundreds of people with thousands of tasks as together it tackles the challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic

·         Continuing to tackle social isolation as part of the Creative Communications project being run by Celebrating Age

·         Developing the volunteer Age Friendly Companion role to provide long-term support for people in the community

·         Regular welfare calls allowing for early notice of deteriorating wellbeing or health

·         Christmas Dinners - Asking people to cook and deliver an extra portion of their Christmas dinner for those who couldn’t be with their family and friends during the Christmas period

·         Face2Face Video Calls - Available to anyone who does not have the means or ability to make video calls to friends and family

·         Lots of amazing volunteering being carried out – thanks to all who had volunteered, the Melksham community had responded brilliantly

·         That the prescription delivery service was set to continue

The Chairman thanked Phillipa Huxtable for her presentation

Matt Billingham – Melksham Local Area Co-ordinator gave a presentation that outlined his role in the Melksham community area

Points made included:

·         That the role ensured that he worked alongside all people whatever the need

·         Helping communities to become inclusive, welcoming and self-supporting places

·         Supporting people to stay strong and preventing a need for service intervention by building on personal strengths and by finding natural support through local relationships

·         Supporting people facing crisis to get support within the context of a supportive community network around them

·         Helping public services to transform so they are integrated, person centred, and co-produced with communities

The Chairman thanked Matt Billingham for his presentation

·         To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 3 December 2020

·         To agree recommendations for action 

Cllr Jon Hubbard – Chairman

The minutes and recommendations of the meeting held on Thursday 3 December 2020 were noted and agreed

To recommend to the Area Board that the following issues are now complete or can be closed:

Issue 6914 -  A350 Beanacre – request for ground socket to assist SID deployment

Issue 9-19-12 – Seend Bell Hill – concerns that drivers are failing to give-way at crossroads (northbound)

Issue 9-20-6 – Seend High Street – request for access protection markings

Issue 9-19-14 – Atworth – request for Parish Boundary signs

Issue 6055 – Broughton Gifford - Gateways and Traffic Management measures.

To recommend to the Area Board that this issue is moved to the “Other Priorities” list

Issue 9-20-9 – Melksham Sandridge Road – request to improve footway link to Maple Close

To recommend to the Area Board that this issue be added to the Priority Schemes list

Issue 9-20-13 – Keevil Seend Road Farm – request for single track road signs

To recommend to the Area Board that this issue be added to the Priority Schemes list and to allocate £400

Highways Response to Covid-19 – Re-allocation of road space

To recommend to the Area Board that Sites 1, 3 and 6 be added to the Priority Schemes list:

1.    Melksham Town Bridge – drop kerbs and signs

3.    Farmers Roundabout – signing to promote use of shared use cycle route to and from Holt Road

6.   Whitley West Hill to Top Lane – footpath

Highways to commence preliminary design work to produce ball park estimates when staff resources become available

Community Grant Scheme 

·         Atworth Village Hall and Recreation Ground Committee requesting £5,000 towards Atworth Village Hall refurbishment of changing room

·         Melksham Oak Community School requesting £407 towards Boxercise Intervention

·         Age Friendly Melksham requesting £918 towards the Face2Face Mobile Video project

·         Young Melksham requesting £4,950 towards disabled access to Canberra Centre

Youth Grant Scheme

·         Young Melksham requesting £4,950 towards 4Youth Mentoring 2021

Councillor Led Grant

·         Cllr Alford requesting £10,000 towards the provision of detached youth workers in King George V Playing Fields and Skate Park

Community Grant Scheme 

Decision

Atworth Village Hall and Recreation Ground Committee awarded £2,000 towards Atworth Village Hall refurbishment of changing room -with residual funding after the February funding round if funding is still available

Decision

Melksham Oak Community School awarded £407 towards Boxercise Intervention

Decision

Age Friendly Melksham awarded £918 towards the Face2Face Mobile Video project

Decision

Young Melksham awarded £4,950 towards disabled access to Canberra Centre  

note: Cllr Jon Hubbard does not vote

Youth Grant Scheme

Decision

Young Melksham awarded £4,950 towards 4Youth Mentoring 2021

 note: Cllr Jon Hubbard does not vote

Councillor Led Grant

Decision

Cllr Alford awarded £10,000 towards the provision of detached youth workers in King George V Playing Fields and Skate Park

To note any written partner updates

Written partner updates for the NHS and Healthwatch were noted

Members of the public are invited to ask questions relating to Area Board business

There were no public questions raised

Wednesday 3 February 2021

Wednesday 3 February 2021