Agenda and minutes

The Chairman, Councillor Jose Green welcomed everyone to the meeting of the South West Wiltshire Area Board.

Apologies for absence were received from:

• Inspector Hutchings – Wiltshire Police
• Claire Churchill
• Cllr Tony Deane

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

There were none.

To confirm as a correct record and sign the minutes of the previous meeting held on Wednesday 18 July 2018.  

To note any matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting.

Decision

The minutes of the previous meeting held on Wednesday 18 July 2018, were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Chairman made the following announcements:

·       Praise was given to Jaki Farrell and the young people for the noble work they did, as it has been well noted by many. The AONB were also impressed with the work the young people had carried out in the Ox drove in the Chalke Valley.

·       Annual return of the electoral roll, 220,000 forms went out to homes across Wiltshire, yet only 159,000 were returned and 60,000 forms had not yet been returned. Canvassers have been going out to encourage more people to return forms.

·       WW1 Tree Planting scheme – a list of parishes in our area have asked for the trees, delivery details will be circulated in due course.

·       First meeting of Nadder Community Land Trust had taken place – where they had discussed work stream opportunities for local people and possible sites for Affordable Housing.

·       Cllr Church made a call for more foster parents – She urged any local families that might be interested in fostering Wiltshire children to look at the information online. There were 450 children currently in care.

·       Wiltshire Online – The Chairman read an update:

As residents of Alvediston may be aware, Wiltshire Council’s Wiltshire Online programme has plans to provide a Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) service to premises (both residential and business) in Alvediston as part of our Contract 2 deployment in partnership with BT.

The European Commission requires that local authorities can only use public money in areas they can demonstrate there is no current, or planned (within the next three years) deployment of either standard or superfast broadband.  In order to identify the areas we were allowed to invest our funds, we completed an Open Market Review which gave commercial telecom providers the opportunity to provide their current and planned footprint, the outcome of this review was our Intervention Area (the area where there is no current or planned activity).

At the time of designing the Contract 2 deployment and following the outcome of the OMR, there were no other fibre providers in the area.  However, we have recently been made aware that Wessex Internet are now offering their own FTTP solution and they are considering deploying this solution in Alvediston.

Whilst this issue could not have been avoided as it is due to timing of the build plans, Wiltshire Council wants to ensure that the best way forward for the whole community is identified and therefore the planned build by BT has been paused.

The situation as we understand is that Wessex Internet has confirmed that they will be laying fibre spine in the area come what may and will connect any business to this fibre so long as they apply and are eligible for a central government Local Full Fibre Network voucher.  This voucher allows an eligible business to claim £3000 towards the cost of a full fibre service.  However, Wessex Internet has advised that they will only be able to provision every premises (both business and residential) within the village  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

The Health Trainer Service is for people aged 18 +, is free and can assist you every step of the way to achieving and maintaining your goals.  Caiti Buck will give an overview of the service with the opportunity to ask questions afterwards.

Officer: Caiti Buck

The Health Trainer Service is for people aged 18 +, it is free and can

assist you every step of the way to achieving and maintaining your

goals. Caiti Buck gave an overview of the service and answered questions.

Caiti was the Health Trainer for Tisbury and Wilton and surrounding parishes, with her colleague Olivia covering the Mere area.

A dedicated Health Trainer can assist every step of the way in achieving and maintaining your goals. There is also help in finding other services and activities.

The service offers 6 courses themed around:

·       Improving general wellbeing

·       Building self-confidence and motivation

·       Eating healthier food and be a healthy weight

·       Reducing or stopping smoking

·       Being more active

·       Drinking less alcohol

Caiti can assist in exploring what works best for individuals

In 2017 – data showed that the service engaged with over 900 individuals. Caiti was available for drop-ins to other groups, so if you know of somewhere that would benefit from the service, either regularly or ad hoc let us know.

The service had good links with GPs in the area, and gets many referrals from them.

Questions:

·       Do you operate outside of office hours? Answer: We can do in some circumstances.

·       The call number – where does that go? Answer: To the Public Health administrator – they allocate callers on to us.

To receive an update on the Amesbury and Salisbury recovery following the recent major incident.

Cllr Pauline Church, Cabinet member for Economic Development and Salisbury Recovery gave an update on the continuing recovery in South Wiltshire following the incidents in Salisbury and Amesbury. 

The incidents moved from response to recovery earlier this month. The South Wiltshire Recovery Coordinating Group, chaired by Alistair Cunningham, was responsible for ensuring that the sites potentially affected were thoroughly cleaned by specialist teams and returned to normal use as soon as possible. The group was also focused on supporting local businesses and the economy as well as the local communities of Amesbury and Salisbury.

Sunday night’s incident in Prezzo in Salisbury and the ensuing media coverage may have dented public confidence, but be reassured that the city and Amesbury were safe to visit and were both very much open for business.

Significant progress was being made on returning South Wiltshire to normal as quickly as possible.

Final stages of clean-up at the sites potentially affected, was underway. The initial work at the Skripal house in Christie Miller Road in Salisbury had been undertaken and the next phase of the clean-up of this property was being planned.

There was positive news for Amesbury where clean-up work started last weekend at Boots pharmacy in Stonehenge Walk and Amesbury Baptist Church. This was good news for businesses and the communities in both Salisbury and Amesbury and would go a long way to helping the return to normal life.

Supporting businesses and the economy in South Wiltshire was a top priority.

Businesses in Wilton had been contacted to determine if, and how, the recent incidents affected them. The feedback showed a mixed picture - some reported an increase in trade through displacement from Salisbury and Amesbury and others had stated a direct impact in a decrease in footfall and visitors.

·         19 businesses in Wilton were contacted – 7 said they had experienced no loss or impact on their trade.

·         Four businesses reported a drop-in footfall

·         Three reported trade was down on last year

·         The Burnbrake Trust was reporting a 30% - 40% drop in footfall which they said was impacting on their turnover

·         Annie’s Out Of House reported that sales were down

Our focus is to support businesses and the local economy. We know people were beginning to return to the area when the second incident happened. After that incident in Amesbury footfall dropped.

·         At the beginning of August footfall in Salisbury was down 16% compared with 2017.

·         Prior to the second incident footfall in Salisbury had recovered to 4.2% below 2017.

·         A long-term recovery programme for South Wiltshire had been agreed with central government that sets out a portfolio of interrelated projects to stimulate and support recovery and economic growth with a commitment from central government to provide support (direct and indirect).

·         Both Salisbury and Amesbury had been supported with free car parking in all council run car parks and the five park and ride sites. This cost had been met by the council with recent financial support from central government.

·         A comprehensive  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38.

To receive any verbal updates from Partners and Community Groups present, including:

·         Police – Neighbourhood Teams

·         PCC

·         Fire & Rescue

·         Youth - LYN

To note the following written updates attached to the agenda:

a)    Police

b)    Fire & Rescue

c)    JSA

b) Wiltshire Council Items for Information

Current consultations can be found at: http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/council-democracy-consultations

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

Police Neighbourhood Teams

In attendance was acting Sector Inspector for the West, James Williams.

In Wilton there has been some catapult damage and as a result there were currently targeted patrols.

The Teams continued to be committed to visibility.

The force supported the national campaign to tackle modern day Slavery, which affected migrant workers in rural locations. If you had any concerns, please contact us on 101 or 999 if you are immediately concerned.

We want to try and find ways to make the Police more approachable. If you can think of ways that we can then please let us know.

Comments and questions included:

·         Thank you from Mere for having two police in attendance at the carnival this year. Answer: They will also be at Tisbury Carnival

·         Hare coursing was prevalent here, are you targeting that? Answer: Yes it was a priority for West Wiltshire. In another area we started a Whatsapp group which went well and had 12 arrests from that. We need you to report incidents so that we can target other areas.

·         What about cuckooing, where young people are used to run the drugs around? Answer: We call them dangerous drug networks, we are trying to get a foothold in West Wiltshire. They go for vulnerable people, they take over their address and keep them for drug cohesion. We do target these if we hear about them, we get a target order on these addresses. The real problem comes when you have two gangs that try to take over an area at the same time. It is a constant battle. Unless we can stop people from becoming addicts, we will always have those that supply.

·         Do you still have enough funding and time to go in and do school visits? Answer: It depends on the age of the child as to who can go in and visit. The ones that go in to secondary schools are specially trained. The PCSOs can go into primary schools. With the current savings we have had to make we are doing the best we can for Wiltshire Police. This weekend, every team worked 4 hours late. That is the reality, it is a national issue.

·         Police always attend the CSG, the local PCSO is brilliant, and he liaises with the local Cllr.

The Board gave thanks to all of the Services that serve our community. Inspector Williams responded by adding that as a force, they thank the community for all of the support they have been given and to the visiting Officers.

PCC – Angus Macpherson

I am here to find out what you need, and have found out a lot from talking to the Neighbourhood Teams.

It has been challenging down here in the south and across the county following the incidents. I sent the Government a bill to cover the financial costs and that has been paid. We need to remember that Officers have put in a lot of additional hours and missed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.

To receive an update.

Steve Harris gave an update, the main points were:

·         Community Project to produce an art display area had progressed, and there were now pieces of art on the wall. It was hoped that the centre would now develop a partnership with the Wylye Valley Art Trail.

·         Messums had been asked to provide a piece of work for outside, and permission from developer to use funds to support this project had ben approved. The project would involve local groups, to run some workshops before the chosen piece was revealed.

·         Tisbus would soon be moved to the Centre permanently.

The Board will note the minutes and actions from the last Community Safety Group meeting held on 5^th September, as detailed in the attached report.

Decision

The Board noted the minutes and actions attached to the agenda.

To note the reports attached to the agenda and to receive an update from the Chairman of the group; Councillor Tony Deane.

The Board considered the notes and recommendations from the last meeting as set out in the report attached to the agenda.

Decision

The Area Board approved the recommendations of the CATG as set out in the report.

Community Area Grants

The Board members will consider 3 applications for funding from the Community Area Grants Scheme:

Late Item – Fingerpost funding bid

The Board considered the applications for funding from the Community Area Grants Scheme, as set out in the report.

Decision

The South West Wiltshire Area Board awarded £1,630 to Chalke Valley Sports Centre for a replacement oil tank.

Reason

The project met the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2018/19.

Decision

The South West Wiltshire Area Board awarded £1,710 Tisbury History Society towards improved access works.

Reason

The project met the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2018/19.

Semely School was asked whether there was a contribution from the parish council, towards the project. Answer: No we have not asked them.

Cllr Wayman proposed that the Board award £4,500 with the suggestion that the applicant ask the parish council to provide the remaining £500.

Decision

The South West Wiltshire Area Board awarded £4,500 Semley CE VA Primary School towards a Toilet Block, with the condition that the Parish Council be approached to provide the remaining £500.

The Board also considered an additional bid to the Fingerpost Funding Scheme for 2018/19, as detailed in the papers circulated at the meeting.

Decision

The South West Wiltshire Area Board awarded £400 to Swallowcliffe Parish Council for fingerpost replacement.

Late Item

Ken Taylor of Quidhampton Parish Council presented information on a project to purchase an additional piece of play equipment for the recreation ground, behind lower road. The Parish Council would part fund the project, in addition to some fund raising that had taken place. He asked the Board if it would consider funding the remaining amount to complete the project.

It was explained that the correct process must be followed, and as the Board would first need to see a completed application form to the Community Area Grant Scheme before it could consider funding, if the matter was urgent and could not wait until the next Area Board meeting in November, the reason for the urgency would need to be provided.

If it were considered appropriate, the Board could then consider the matter out of the meeting, by asking the Community Engagement Manager to act on his delegated powers, to liaise with the Members once all of the required information had been provided and then make a decision in consultation with Members to gain a majority vote of support. This decision would then be reported back at the next Area Board meeting for ratification.

The Area Board agreed to invite the applicant to work with the Community Engagement Manager to take this matter forward, out of the meeting.

The applicant was advised that this was an exceptional circumstance and the usual practice of submitting application forms in line with deadlines set by the Community Engagement Manager, for consideration at Area Board meetings, would be the way forward in future.

The next meeting of the Board is on Wednesday 21^st November 2018, at 6.30pm.

The next meeting of the South West Wiltshire Area Board will be held on Wednesday 21^st November 2018.