Agenda and minutes

Announcements:

·         Changes to Wiltshire’s taxi tariffs

·         Update on leisure centre transfer to WC

·         Wiltshire Youth Council update

·         Official opening of Melksham Skate Park

·         Campus build update

·         Melksham House update

·         Future plans for Melksham

The Chairman welcomed everybody to the Melksham Area Board meeting.

The Melksham Area Board members were introduced.

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

·         Changes to Wiltshire’s taxi tariffs

·         Update on leisure centre transfer to WC

·         Wiltshire Youth Council update

·         Official opening of Melksham Skate Park

·         Campus build update

·         Melksham House update

·         Future plans for Melksham

There were no apologies for absence.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 22 September 2021

Decision

·         That the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 22 September 2021 were confirmed as the correct record

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

There were no declarations of interest.

Sergeant James Twyford

Sergeant James Twyford gave an update on behalf of the Trowbridge Community Policing Team.

Points made included:

• That a Warrant was executed on 17^th November in Forest; a quantity of Cannabis and £2000 cash from the proceeds of Drug Dealing was seized.

·         That a Youth was being Charged with an Arson attack on a Garage in Mills Road in October. That Police had received a fantastic response from the Community in terms of willingness to provide evidence that had secured a Guilty Plea to the offence.

·         That Gavin and George Quinn had appeared in Court Charged with ABH, following an attack on a member of public in Church Street.

·         Youth-related ASB in the Town Centre.  A small group had caused a number of investigations to commence. Police were looking to address the general behaviour exhibited by the group.

·         Op Elf was now running throughout the Christmas Period.  This was a proactive Operation run to tackle Shoplifters.

·         That Night Time Economy issues were again at the forefront in the leadup to Christmas.  Officers from the Neighbourhood Team, supported by colleagues from Response, would be conducting Licensing Checks on venues and addressing issues related to the Night Time Economy at peak times.

·         That speeding would be targeted on Skylark Road by local teams.

The Chairman thanked Sergeant Twyford for his update.

Station Manager Dave Geddes

The written update contained in the agenda pack was noted.

Nick Darbyshire - Head of Strategic Asset Maintenance & Facilities Management, Wiltshire Council

Cllr Phil Alford advised that:

·         Facilities Management at WC were currently procuring the contractor for the demolition. The detail of the method and approach would be finalised with the successful contractor once they had been appointed.

·         There was likely to be some occasional disruption to the operation of the Household Recycling Centre but Wiltshire Council were liaising with the waste team to minimise this and to ensure timely and appropriate communications goes out to the community as and when necessary.

·         Once demolished, the site would be left vacant until such time as it was redeveloped, at which point all of the normal processes (e.g. planning process, consideration by Area Board etc) would take place.

·         The demolition removed the holding costs such as NNDR (rates), utilities etc.

·         The cost of the demolition was off-set by the increase in capital value of the site.

Steve Wilson - Major Highways Project Engineer, Wiltshire Council

Steve Wilson - Major Highways Project Engineer, Wiltshire Council gave an update on the A350 Bypass.

Points made included:

That the Wiltshire Council Cabinet had received a report on the Melksham A350 improvement scheme at its meeting on 30 November 2021.  Cabinet resolved that:

·         The response to the second public consultation and the views of the town and local parish councils and others were noted and taken into account in the scheme development.

·         In view of the comments made in response to the consultations the route variants should be the subject of further investigation and consultation as appropriate after the OBC had been approved.

·         The possibility of improving walking and cycling facilities in the area in conjunction with the scheme or separately should continued to be explored.

·         That further consideration should be given to the scheme when the results of National Highways’ M4 to Dorset Connectivity study and the DfT’s comments on the OBC were available.

Second non-statutory consultation Key findings / messages

·         Divergence of opinion between those who support the need for an improvement to the A350 and those who do not.

·         Concerns regarding potential impacts on countryside habitats and the environment. Also carbon and climate change implications.

·         Concerns regarding noise and air quality impacts.

·         Concerns regarding impacts on wildlife.

·         Importance held by local communities regarding access to the countryside.

·         Concerns regarding impacts on mental and physical well being.

·         Alternative route suggestions.

Second non-statutory consultation route variations

·         North - suggestions for alternative “pylon route”.

·         East – suggestions to move route further from Redstocks

·         South – suggestions for route to be moved further from Bowerhill with screening.

·         Further consultation needed.

Key Next Steps (short term)

• Outline Business Case to be submitted to DfT -  (December 2021)

• Develop Carbon Management Plan to supplement OBC (new requirement from DfT -  (January – March 2022)

• Monitor any feedback from DfT and respond to any technical queries / challenges they may raise - (from January 2022)

• Undertake further non-statutory consultation in connection with suggested route variants -  (say May / June 2022)

• Consider feedback / output from National Highways study and what implications that may have for A350 Melksham Scheme (Late summer 2022)

Indicative Timeline (longer term) 

• Outline Business Case approval - (Autumn 2022)

• Environmental investigations & survey works - (From Autumn 2022)

• Detailed design development - (From Autumn 2022)

• Planning submission including Environmental Impact Assessment -     (Winter 2024) 

• Full Business Case development - (2026)

• Construction period - (2026 – 2028)

• Scheme opening - (2028)

The Chairman thanked Steve Wilson for his update.

Paul Lenaerts - Project Manager

Paul Lenaerts& Ian Britton - Wilts & Berks Canal Trust gave an update on plans to re-instate the Wilts & Berks Canal through the Melksham Community area.

Consultation had been carried out with the community in Berryfield on a masterplan and the canal alignment, where most respondents favoured a route through Berryfield itself rather than to bypass it to the west.

Understandably nobody wanted hundreds of new houses, but it was felt that new housing would probably be inevitable at some point in the future so it was better to gain as much community benefit as possible.

All thought about what they considered as being needed most in the area and rated the elements of the masterplan with the most popular items as follows:

·         Doctors’ Surgery

·         School

·         Children’s Play Area

·         Pub

·         Recreation Ground

Other ideas:

·         Shops, particularly a convenience store

·         Dentist

·         Care Home

·         Camping/glamping site

·         Hotel

There were also discussions about what other things were important to residents and how to soften the impact of any new housing in the area, and also where they would prefer to see some of the elements of the masterplan.

Residents liked:

·         The idea of overlooking green spaces, canal or marina (rather than new housing)

·         Being able to continue going for walks in local green spaces in addition to the new canal walk.

·         The idea of visiting the wetland area

Position of elements close to or in Berryfield:

·         Children’s Play area

·         Doctor

Position of elements close to the bulk of the new housing area:

·         School

·         Recreation Ground

·         Pub

·         Shop

·         Care Home

The Chairman thanked Paul Lenaerts& Ian Britton for their update.

Peter Dunford - Community Engagement Manager

It was agreed to defer this item for discussion outside the meeting.

Community Area Transport Group

·         recommendations from meeting on 25 November 

Health and Wellbeing Group

·         recommendations from special meeting on 29 November

·         recruitment of Older Persons and Carers Champion for Melksham

i) Community Area Transport Group – Cllr Jonathon Seed

Points made by Cllr Jonathon Seed included:

The notes of the meeting held on the 25 November were agreed.

·         Issue 9-21-5 – Littlemarsh old section of A350 – Speeding, littering and anti-social behaviour - that this Issue be added to the Priority Schemes list and to allocate £250 towards costs.            

·         Issue 9-21-8 – Melksham – Shared use path between Dorset Crescent and Heather Avenue – request for bollard to deter access by cars - that this Issue be added to the Priority Schemes list and to allocate £250 towards costs.        

A vote of thanks was given in recognition of the ongoing and excellent work of Mark Stansby, Senior Highways Engineer, in helping to resolve various highways matters in parishes across the community area.

ii) Health and Wellbeing Group– Cllr Nick Holder

Points made by Cllr Nick Holder included:

Interviews had been held on 29 November with 2 applicants who had expressed interest in the vacant position of Older Persons and Carers Champion for Melksham. No appointment had been made to date and recruitment efforts would continue.

A postholder is sought who can:

·         Talk to and seek the views of older people or carers in the local community on matters related to services provided by the Council or NHS and represent these views at the area board.

·         Advocate for older people or carers and be a focal point for identifying what service improvements or developments are required. 

·         Provide a focus for the exchange of views and information between older people or carers and the Council’s adult care and housing services.

·         Work with the Area Board on service improvements and developments to meet the needs of people in the Melksham community area.

iii) Recognition & Plaques for Area Board related funding projects – Cllr Holder

To raise the profile of the area board grant schemes.

Decision

·         That all awards of grant funding by Wiltshire Area Boards are subject to the conditions set out in the Area Board Funding Criteria. This specifies that applicants must acknowledge Wiltshire Council’s financial support in any publicity, printed or website material and use the Council’s approved logo in doing so.

·         In addition and where appropriate, the Melksham Area Board requires that capital projects funded by the board should recognise this by way of a plaque to commemorate the funding contribution.

The Chairman thanked Cllr Seed and Cllr Holder for their respective updates

Community Grant

·         Christ Church, Shaw, requesting £5,000 towards reordering and

   redecoration to form a community hub

·         Riverside Club requesting £2,895 towards improvements to the

existing kitchen

·         Melksham Station Hub requesting £2,500 towards

fitting weatherproof blinds to the canopy and improved signage

·         Independent Living Centre requesting £2,300 towards

replacement of oil tank and removal of bees nest in chimney

·         Melksham Town Council requesting £2,075 towards cycling

support in Melksham

·         Melksham Cricket Club requesting £5,000 towards new cricket playing astro

Health and Wellbeing Grants

·         Alzheimers Support requesting £782 for the “Movement for the

Mind” project for local people with dementia

Community Grants

·         Christ Church, Shaw awarded £5,000 towards reordering and redecoration to form a community hub

·         Riverside Club awarded £2,895 towards improvements to the existing kitchen

·         Melksham Station Hub awarded £1,500 towards

fitting weatherproof blinds to the canopy and improved signage

·         Independent Living Centre awarded £2,300 towards

replacement of oil tank and removal of bees nest in chimney

·         Cllr Hubbard awarded £2,075 towards cycling

support in Melksham

·         Melksham Cricket Club awarded £5,000 towards new cricket playing astro

Health and Wellbeing Grants

·         Alzheimers Support awarded £782 for the “Movement for the Mind” project for local people with dementia

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

There were no public questions.