Agenda and minutes

Chairman’s Announcements:

·       Consultation of Community Area Open Spaces

·       Grants for Rural Organisations and Businesses (Leader Funding)

·       School Place Planning and Commissioning

·       Healthwatch Wiltshire (July update)

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting of the Area Board and thanked the many residents of the Melksham community area for attending the meeting.

The following Chairman’s Announcements were noted:

·       Consultation of Community Area Open Spaces

·       Grants for Rural Organisations and Businesses (Leader Funding)

·       School Place Planning and Commissioning

·       Healthwatch Wiltshire (July update)

Mike Franklin – Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 17 June 2015 and Wednesday 9 July 2015.

Decision

·       The minutes of the meetings held on Wednesday 17 June 2015 and Wednesday 9 July 2015 were agreed as the correct records.

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

There were none.

Ceri Evans – Community Youth Officer.

Ceri Evans – Community Youth Officer gave the LYN update.

Points made included:

·       Spice Time Credits - Young people had now been on several organised excursions using their Time Credits.

·       That the youth group mini bus was now operational.

·       That the youth group would be taking part in the Big Walk -  Saturday 12^th September and the Bowerhill youth club consultation -  Saturday 19^th September.

The Chairman thanked Ceri Evans for his update.

·       Children and Young Peoples Network - Cllr Jon Hubbard

·       Economy – Cllr Roy While

·       Health – Cllr Pat Aves

·       Transport – Cllr Terry Chivers

·       Read Easy – Cllr David Pollitt

Children and Young Peoples Network - Cllr Jon Hubbard

·       Well done to all the young people for the voluntary work that they had already carried out. The group was now looking for other volunteering opportunities to get involved with.

·       That the new youth club at the Melksham Adventure Centre was going well, with attendances growing. It was now hoped to open a youth centre at Bowerhill.

Economy – Cllr Roy While

·       Bowerhill and Hampton Park Business Initiative - Slight delay to the first Hampton Park Industrial Bulletin. To be finalised shortly and to go out to all companies by end of September.

 Health and Wellbeing Network - Cllr Pat Aves

·       That the group’s last meeting at Dorothy House had been very productive.

·       Next meeting on Tuesday 8^th September.

Transport - Cllr Terry Chivers

·       Nothing to report.

Read Easy Project - Cllr David Pollitt

·       Currently interviewing potential ‘coaches’ in readiness for the group’s ‘Training Days’.

·       Actively advertising for more Coaches & Readers and expected to have 7 or 8 Coaches trained and ready for teaching by mid October.     

·       Referral agencies had been contacted and the group expected to start receiving their nominees in October.

The Chairman thanked all members for their updates.

a.Background to Melksham campus and wider campus programme – Cllr Jonathon  Seed.

b.Update on the Woolmoore Farm development – Cllr Jonathon Seed.

c.Melksham Campus Project Board

·       The membership of the new Melksham Campus Project Board to be agreed – Cllr Jonathon Seed.

d.Melksham Campus position and work of the Board, including timescales – Cllr Jon Hubbard.

e.Melksham Town Council – Cllr Jon Hubbard.

f.Q & A

g.Campus workshop (30 mins) – Cllr Jon Hubbard.

The Chairman gave a brief overview of the most recent Melksham Community Campus project developments, and advised that:

·       Bulldozers were now on site at the Woolmore Farm site.

·       The budget for Melksham House was now in place.

·       The need to establish a Melksham Project Board.

Ceri Williams - Senior Community Organisational Transformation Manager, Wiltshire Council then outlined the Melksham Campus current position.

Points made included:

•        Overview of the Woolmore Farm project.

•        Melksham Market Place options.

•        That the Melksham House site would be vacant from July 2016.

•        Ongoing positive dialogue with Melksham Town Council over the use of shared communal space.

Melksham Campus Project Board

The Chairman then outlined the aim of the board:

To work with council officers, residents, clubs, groups and partners to put forward campus recommendations to the Area Board within a timely manner, which delivers a campus for the Melksham community area within the agreed budget.

Councillors were then asked to vote on the formation and membership of the new board.

Decision

•        That the Melksham Area Board agrees:

•        The proposal is to create a new Melksham Campus Project Board, recognising the Town Council involvement and the necessity to tighten the links between the three key organisations; Wiltshire Council, Melksham Area Board and Melksham Town Council.

•        The Melksham Campus Project Board would be determined by the Melksham Area Board and should consist of a mutually agreeable representative as follows:

 Three members of the Melksham Area Board, with Cllr Jon Hubbard to  Chair.

Two members of the Melksham Town Council

•        The Melksham Area Board shall recommend three Councillors and the Town Council will recommend two Councillors. Appointments would be voted on at an Area Board meeting by the Melksham Area Board members. 

•        The aim of the board was as follows:

•        To work with council officers, residents, clubs, groups and partners to put forward campus recommendations to the Area Board within a timely manner, which delivers a campus for the Melksham community area within the agreed budget.

•        The Melksham Area Board recognises the vital contribution that the Melksham COB had provided over the past 4-5 years, with each volunteer contributing a great deal of time, effort and expertise in bringing the development to its current position. The proposal was that the COB would continue as an advisory group, working alongside the Campus Project Board. They would provide information and advice when required and would act a scrutiny group on proposals put forward by the Campus Project Board. 

Cllr Jon Hubbard then outlined the current Campus position.

Points made included:

•        £16M budget to deliver the Melksham campus and the market place development.

•        That the current schemes were unaffordable.

•        Looking at ways to deliver all of the proposed facilities by increasing the capital available.

•        Potential Town Council involvement, including the integration of the Assembly Hall.

Cllr Terri Welch – Melksham Town Council advised that upkeep costs for the Assembly Hall were costly, with the building suffering  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Kate Blackburn – Wiltshire Council.

Presentation and discussion on child poverty locally and agreeing a number of areas to work on together. Information about this will be collated to inform the Child Poverty Strategy Implementation Plan.

Kate Blackburn – Public Health Registrar, Wiltshire Council and Justine Womack – Public Health Consultant, Wiltshire gave a presentation and discussion on child poverty, providing the Area Board with data about child poverty locally.

Points made included:

•        What is Child Poverty?

The proportion of children living in families within the UK that are either in receipt of out-of-work benefits or in receipt of tax credits with a reported income which is less than 60 per cent of national median income. This measure provides a broad proxy for relative low-income child poverty as set out in the Child Poverty Act 2010 and enables analysis at a local level.”

The Wiltshire Picture

·       In 2012 10.6% of children in Wiltshire in poverty.

·       Significant variation within Wiltshire -pockets of high deprivation found in particular localities and significant deprivation across some vulnerable groups.

·       Employment rate: Wiltshire 77% (men 84%, women 70%)                       

          National 72% (men 77%, women 67%)

·       Median gross annual earnings employed £20,657

          (Females £15,875, part-time £8,543)

·       Median weekly income: Wiltshire £503.60 National £520.70

·       Country Life: Tougher To Make Ends Meet report found people living in rural communities need to spend 10-20% more that those in urban areas to reach a minimum acceptable living standard while pay levels are frequently lower than urban areas.

The Wiltshire Child Poverty Strategy

•        Child Poverty Act commits this and future governments to eradicating child poverty by 2020. Tasks local areas to produce a child poverty needs assessment and strategy. 

•        New Life Chances legislation (incorporated into the Welfare Reform and Work Bill) proposes to remove a number of the legal duties and measures set out in the Child Poverty Act 2010 and to place a new duty on the Secretary of State to report annually on children in workless households and the educational attainment of children.

•        Wiltshire strategy has 5 objectives:

Objective 1 – Provide effective support to vulnerable families with 0-5  year olds.

Objective 2 – Narrowing the Educational Attainment Gap.

Objective 3 – Develop an inclusive economy that will enable equality of economic opportunity for all.

Objective 4 – Provide locally-focused support based on a thorough understanding of needs.

Objective 5 – Promote engagement with the Child Poverty Strategy and related implementation plan.

The Chairman thanked Kate Blackburn and Justine Womack for a very interesting presentation. It was agreed that the Area Board would hold a future workshop on this topic.

To receive any written updates from the following partners:

a. Community Area Partnership

b. Wiltshire Police

c. Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner

d. Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

e. NHS Wiltshire/Clinical Commissioning Group

f. Melksham Town Council

g. Parish Council Nominated Representatives

h. Melksham Chambers of Commerce

i. Melksham Senior People’s Forum

j.Trans Wilts Cic

Wiltshire Police - the written report contained in the agenda pack was noted.

Feedback to the questions:

1.     What are the three most important elements that you would like to see in a new Assembly Hall?

a.Catering, Cinema, Theatre & multi purpose use.

2.     In principle, would you support the sale of land in and around the Melksham House site, to increase the campus budget to help deliver all of the facilities identified in the original scheme?

a.85% felt that the minimum of land should be sold off to offset any budget  shortfall.

3.     Of the two market place schemes proposed, which would prefer to see delivered?

Note: Funding that will be used on the market place comes directly from the campus budget.

      a.Option 2 – the lower priced scheme was favoured.

The attendees were thanked for their participation in the campus workshop.

Cllr Jonathon Seed.

Cllr Jonathon Seed advised that:

•        That Cllr Roy While would be the new CATG Chairman from the 1^st October 2015.

•        Next CATG meeting on Thursday 1^st October

Decision

•        That the Melksham Area agrees the sum of £1,280 for two sets of safety hand rails in Keevil.

Toconsider applications to theCommunityArea Grantsscheme.

Applicant: Atworth Village Hall and Recreation Ground Committee
Project Title: Atworth Village Hall Refurbishment of Toilets - £3868.99

Applicant: Avon Bowls Club
Project Title: Avon Bowls Club Notice Board - £450.00.

Applicant: Broughton Gifford and Holt Scouts
Project Title: Replacement of remainder of tents - £2378.15.

Applicant: West Wiltshire Model Railway Circle
Project Title: new ceiling door electricity toilet to create clubroom - £2286.75.

Applicant: Atworth Parish Council
Project Title: Atworth Village Flood Equipment Store - £750.00.

Applicant: Poulshot Ladies Club
Project Title: Poulshot Jubilee Tapestry - £300.00.

Councillor Led Initiatives

Councillor: Cllr Roy While

Project: Casual play activity space, shrub planting, Bowerhill MUGGA - £2,500 (maximum).

The Wiltshire Councillors considered the following Grant Applications:

Decision

Atworth Village Hall and Recreation Ground Committee - Atworth Village Hall Refurbishment of Toilets awarded £2,000.

Reason

The grant meets the 2015/16 grants criteria.

Decision

Avon Bowls Club - Avon Bowls Club Notice Board awarded £450

The grant meets the 2015/16 grants criteria.

Decision

Broughton Gifford and Holt Scouts - replacement of remainder of tents. Awarded £1,200

The grant meets the 2015/16 grants criteria.

Decision

West Wiltshire Model Railway Circle - new ceiling door electricity toilet to create clubroom awarded £2,286.75

The grant meets the 2015/16 grants criteria.

Decision

Atworth Parish Council - Atworth Village Flood Equipment Store awarded £750.00

The grant meets the 2015/16 grants criteria.

Decision

Poulshot Ladies Club - Poulshot Jubilee Tapestry awarded £300.00

The grant meets the 2015/16 grants criteria.

Councillor Led Initiatives

Councillor: Cllr Roy While

Project: Casual play activity space, shrub planting, Bowerhill MUGGA – awarded a maximum of £2,500

Concerns were raised re cars being parked at the entrance to the grounds of Melksham House causing an obstruction.

Concerns were also raised re the lack of lights along the swimming pool wall in the grounds of Melksham House.

Both concerns were noted by the Area Board.

·       Wednesday 18 November 2015 – Seend Community Centre.

·       Wednesday 18 November 2015 – Seend Community Centre.