Agenda and minutes

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

Apologies for absence were received from:

• Inspector Gill Hughes - Police
• Fire & Rescue – Richard Humphrey

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 online, on Wednesday 30 September 2020.

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

Decision

The minutes of the previous online meeting held on 30 September 2020 were agreed as a correct record and would be signed by the Chairman at a later date.

Update since last meeting:

Tisbury Outdoor Swimming pool

Feedback from the users of the Tisbury swimming pool indicated that it had been greatly used during the additional month it was open. The GB Underwater Polo Team had also been to use the facility.

The Chairman gave thanks to all of the Senior Officers, Cabinet Members, staff and key workers for their commitment in keeping the wheels turning across Wiltshire. Sincere thanks to all of Wiltshire who had worked to keep things going during these difficult times throughout the pandemic.

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

·       Police – Neighbourhood Teams

To note the following written updates attached to the agenda:

a)    Police Warminster CPT/Mere & Tisbury

b)    Fire & Rescue

c)      Community Safety Group

d)    Health & Wellbeing Group

e)    NHS

f)      Healthwatch Wiltshire

The Board noted the written updates attached to the agenda and received verbal updates from:

Police - Inspector Pete Sparrow & Sergeant Kevin Harmsworth

Inspector Sparrow: 

There was no written update this time, however, happy to report the crime figures remained low and average in comparison to the same period for last year.

Road safety week – there would be a focus on speeding vehicles next week, with the Road Policing Unit active across Salisbury and Warminster areas.

Covid – this was creating demand on the service as the force continued to encourage people to stick to the rules and remain at home.

Questions:

·       How were the restrictions affecting policing? Answer: It was going relatively well, nationally there was a higher demand on the Police and due to legislation and people having to isolate, there were reduced staff numbers. So far, the effect on Wiltshire Officers had been low with the occasional team experiencing an issue.

·       I spoke to the PCSO in Mere, he would be retiring next March. We hope that the Police would be able to find a replacement of equal calibre as he has been extremely good in communicating with us. Answer: Kevin - Yes the PCSO there; Pete is a member of my local team, I have suggested that we may produce a certificate of recognition. 

·       We have been visited at our farm by a pickup with 2 men, which was scouting. When we appeared, they drove off. Could this behaviour be alerted to on the Neighbourhood alert, as the posts on there are not all related to crime? Answer: Pete – We do have an organised crime group that were known to steal from rural areas, we do target these individuals and will disrupt their attempts as much as possible. There was an incident a few weeks ago and we now have two individuals on remand. The communications on social media were not all written by Officers and yes some posts were more aimed at engaging the community  and getting the message out to a wider audience as possible.

·       Thanks to Inspector Sparrow in regard to the drug related incidents around Wilton. Part of the problem had been resolved, so thank you and your team, it is appreciated.

·        The volume of scams had risen hugely as well as cold calls during this covid time, what nationally was done about them? Answer: Pete – We advise people to report on scams and notify Action Fraud. The scams are usually national or international scams and not locally based. So there needs to be a national approach.

There was also an online reporting tool and phone number. An  additional layer of safety could be added to block these types of calls. If aware of any vulnerable people out there please do put them in touch with our neighbourhood teams.

Sergeant Kevin Harmsworth  

Within Mere there was a focus on Antisocial behaviour, and in Killmington. Police were helping to facilitate meetings with the family involved.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

An update from the Community Engagement Manager, Karen Linaker.

Karen Linaker, Community Engagement Manager gave an update. The main points were:

We are back in response with this second lockdown not as painful as the last, due to less restrictions being in place.

Village support groups were still up and running and were very self-sufficient and resilient. They had been given opportunities to meet with Karen to ask any questions and share tips. Only one person did join a drop in, maybe because of the late notice or just because actually, they are ok.

There will be covid educators, these ware Wiltshire Council staff permitted to go out and ensure that people understand what the restrictions are and deliver the education and the encouragement to abide by the restrictions.

The Wellbeing hub had been on reduced hours and was now open 7 days a week. There had been some demand, but not to the levels of the first lockdown.

Local groups keen to support and work with us. There had been a great approach from grass roots all the way up.

There were a total of 24 groups in our area.

To discuss a report offering up to date information regarding population data for villages in South West Wiltshire, and regarding the local economy, health and wellbeing, education and a range of other key issues. 

This paper will be used to steer discussions over the next 3 or 4 months with community groups, parish councils, businesses, schools, and others, with the aim of helping to shortlist which community priorities should be taken forward in South West Wiltshire for funding and action.

Officer: Karen Linaker, Community Engagement Manager

Karen Linaker, Community Engagement Manager presented a report to the Board. A copy of the presentation slides are attached to the minutes.

Due to the lockdown the Board had not been unable to set its priorities as it would have usually done with a JSNA event. These priorities help to set projects around the community area.

The aim was to stimulate more collaboration within and between parishes and groups on community projects. Karen shared a short list of key facts and concerns across the community area:

1.     Largest 65yrs + population in Wiltshire

2.     There were no secondary schools, 6^th forms or HE, therefore, young people tended to move on out of the area

3.     Rising numbers of youth unemployment

4.     We have pockets of generational deprivation

5.     Some of the highest property prices in the county with many struggling to get on the property ladder

6.     Crime rates were statistically low, but many residents remain concerned about speeding and rural crime in particular

7.     Young people found it difficult to access activities and employment because of a lack of transport

8.     Weak broadband in some villages

9.     High incidents of fly tipping

Comments and questions:

Commercial flytipping has increased along with paid clearances being flytipped instead of disposing of it properly.

Were the high hospital admissions statistics available for the area? – Answer: Karen would find out and feedback.  

For some reason the Wilton area and some outline villages seem to have high levels of hospital admissions.

Library users are not currently able to use Mere library.  Why are they still closed when the volunteers are willing to man them, it is affecting people’s mental health? This is a local issue that the Board should address.

It is a local issue in Tisbury also. The smaller libraries were due to open towards the end of November, but now in lockdown that’s gone out the window.

It is about making the smaller libraries secure and covid safe and was controlled by public health.

The Chairman asked that the CEM approach the Director to ask the question and highlight the issue and feedback that the Board would like to see the local libraries open in some form or other as quick and as safe as possible.

Action: Chair and CEM to make contact with the relevant Cabinet Member and Director to present the Boards views.

Karen advised that there would be more opportunity to go through the longer list and to slim it down. By the January or March AB there would be a list with the main priorities. The board would then be able to focus on a few of them and look towards local groups to take the others on.

Karen urged people to take the information out to parish councils and village groups with the aim of feeding back any comments tokaren.linaker@wiltshire.gov.uk

Fingerpost Funding Scheme

The Board is asked to agree a top up to the Finger Post Funding scheme (flyer attached) for 2020/21. There is currently £690 remaining in the pot. The recommendation is to set aside an additional £3310, to increase the balance available to a total of £4000.

Community Area Grants

The Board members will consider applications for funding from the Community Area Grants Scheme, as detailed in the report attached to the agenda, and listed below:

The Board considered the request to top up the Finger post funding scheme budget for 2020/21.

Decision

The South West Wiltshire Area Board allocated a further £3690 towards the Finger Post funding scheme for 2020/21.

The Board then considered funding bids as detailed in the report attached to the agenda. Applicants present were invited to speak briefly in support of their projects. Members were then able to ask questions and then vote on each application in turn.

Sedgehill Village Hall – Replacement Finger Post – requested £550

The applicant spoke on the application.

Decision

Sedgehill Village Hall was awarded £400 towards a replacement finger post.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grants criteria for 2020/21

Tisbury History Society – Website renewal – requested £600

No one was present to speak on the application.

Decision

Tisbury History Society was awarded £600 towards the website renewal project.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grants criteria for 2020/21

West Tisbury PC – Finger Post – requested £550

The applicant spoke on the application.

Decision

West Tisbury PC was awarded £400 towards a replacement finger post.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grants criteria for 2020/21

Cllr Dean noted that he had met with the Director of Communities and Neighbourhood Services and discussed the option of using the Nadder Centre in Tisbury for future hybrid style meetings.

He detailed how this may take place with a projection of the teams meeting on to a big screen. Cllr Deane then asked the Board to allocate £3,000 of funding to enable this to take off after further investigation.

The Chairman added that the board should wait and look to see what other boards were doing within the guidance of what was permitted in regard to public meetings.

Cllr Church also stated that Board’s would need to lead by example, as staff had been advised to continue to work from home where they can.

The next meeting of the Board is on Wednesday 13 January 2021, at 6.30pm

The next meeting of the South west Wiltshire Area Board will be held online, on 13 January 2021 at 6.30pm.