Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chairman for the forthcoming year.

The Democratic Services Officer sought nominations for the position of Chairman for the forthcoming year. On the nomination of Cllr Wayman seconded by Cllr Church, it was decided,

Decision

To elect Cllr Nabil Najjar as Chairman for the forthcoming year. 

To elect a Vice-Chairman for the forthcoming year.

On the nomination of the Chairman seconded by Cllr Church, it was decided,

Decision

To elect Cllr Bridget Wayman as Vice-Chairman for the forthcoming year.

To welcome those present to the meeting.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting of the South West Wiltshire Area Board. He thanked the Area Board for electing him and praised the work of Cllr Wayman for chairing the Area Board over the last year.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from:

Sandra Harry - Clerk from Tisbury PC

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

Declarations of interest were received from the following:

• Cllr Najjar noted that in his role as Portfolio Holder for Arts, Heritage and Tourism at Wiltshire Council, meant he led on the Council's engagement with Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs), so he would not vote on La Folia’s applications.

• Cllr Wayman declared a non-pecuniary interest that she was Chairman of the Chase and Chalke Landscape Partnership Board as well as a member of the Cranborne Chase AONB Partnership Panel. On this basis she decided not to vote on the proposals or participate in the discussions of La Folia’s applications.

To confirm as a correct record and sign the minutes of the previous meeting held on Wednesday 16 March 2022.

Decision

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting, held on 16 March 2022 as a true and correct record.

To receive announcements through the Chairman including:

·       The recruitment of Hackney Carriage drivers.

·       Fuel Programme Update – grant applications closing 20 June.

·       Positive Conduct Campaign – Webinar Featuring Jackie Weaver, 7 July

The Chairman explained that there was a campaign underway to recruit more taxi drivers in Wiltshire. As well as services to the wider community, regular hours were available through Wiltshire Council to support social care services and people with special educational needs.

It was mentioned that free activity camps would be running for eligible children in receipt of free school meals, as part of the FUEL programme. Local children would be able to benefit by attending community camps throughout the summer holidays in Mere and Codford.

The Area Board were informed that Wiltshire Council would be running a webinar on 7 July to promote positive conduct. The Chairman noted that Jackie Weaver, famous for a dispute about her authority at Handforth Parish Council, would be featuring at the meeting and encouraged representatives from interested councils to attend.

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

·          Youth – LYN

·          Police – Neighbourhood Teams

·          Fire & Rescue

·          Parish Councils

·          Healthwatch Wiltshire

·          Health and Wellbeing Group

Written updates were available in the agenda pack from the following partners:

• Wiltshire Police (pgs. 29 - 35)

• Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue (pgs. 37 - 43)

• BaNES, Swindon and Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (pgs. 45 - 47)

• Healthwatch Wiltshire (pg. 49)

• South West Wiltshire Heath and Wellbeing Group (pgs. 51-53)

Verbal updates were also available from the following partners:

Seeds4Success

Charity Director Jaki Farrell gave an overview of the projects that they were running in the local area, including a Health and Wellbeing session on Monday nights in Tisbury and drop-in sessions on alternative Thursdays in Wilton. They also ran targeted sessions, such as helping with the FUEL programme over the summer holidays. Another example was a bridging project to help 15–25-year-olds develop their confidence, personal and practical skills to enhance their readiness for work.

In response to questions about the provision of services in rural areas of the Area Board, such as Steeple Langford, the director spoke about the importance of transport and building local contacts. She also stressed that young people often wanted to spend time with friends that go to the same school.

Wiltshire Police

Inspector Tina Osbourn from Salisbury Community Police Team highlighted that there had been a spike in the number of reports of non-dwelling burglaries targeting items such as bikes and tools. The Vice-Chairman also noted that there had been a spate of burglaries in Broad Chalke. In response the inspector explained that they had increased their visibility in rural areas. They were also working hard to secure Closure Orders to target addresses responsible for anti-social behaviour. Cllr Church thanked the inspector for the increased patrols in the Wilton area. Cllr Jeans mentioned that additional support from the police would be welcomed in Mere to tackle issues related to traffic congestion. The inspector thanked members for their feedback and said she would pass it on to the relevant officers.

Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Swindon and Wiltshire

PCC Philip Wilkinson provided the Area Board with an update on his crime plan. He reminded attendees that he had undertaken a wide consultation on his plan and hoped it would help to improve the delivery of services and better align the police’s priorities to those of residents. He then went on to provide further information about the reforms that he had bought into place including:

• Taking a more proactive stance on anti-social behaviour.

• Implementing supervisor training to improve standards and address concerns about police culture.

• Purchasing three mobile speed cameras and restructuring community speed watch teams to better collate data and identify hotspots.

• An intensification of efforts against drug dealers.

Alluding to a recent inspection, the PCC stated that he expected that Wiltshire Police would be shown to require improvement. However, he reassured the Area Board that the chief constable and he had identified a number of reforms and that 50 percent had already been implemented to improve performance.

During the discussion points included:  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.

To receive a presentation from the Community Engagement Manager about updates to Area Board Arangements.

The Community Engagement Manager (CEM) explained that Wiltshire Council had undertaken a review of Area Boards to build upon the great work that they had been doing since 2009. Area Boards would review their priorities to focus on areas where they could have the greatest impact. Changes to the grant system had come into effect from 16 May to ensure greater consistency between Area Boards. Key changes included:

• Grant applications would need to be received four weeks before an Area Board.

• Parish and town councils would only be able to apply for revenue grants from the Older and Vulnerable People’s budget and Youth budget.

• The maximum amount an applicant could apply for without the requirement for match funding was now £500.

• The Area Board would be able to refer an application to a new Grant Assessment Panel where the applicant is:

Ø  Requesting over £5,000.

Ø  Not from a voluntary or community sector organisation.

Ø  Applying to more than three Area Boards.

Full details are included in the PowerPoint presentation attached to this agenda.

To review the progress made towards Area Board’s priorities and to agree priorities for the forthcoming year. Lead members will be appointed to each of the Area Board’s key priority areas.

The CEM summarised the progress that the Area Board had made towards its priority goals for 2021/22, including:

• Investing heavily in youth services through Seeds4Success and projects such as the Barford St Martin play area.

• Helping to ensure representation for local children on Wiltshire’s Youth Council despite the lack of a secondary school in the area.

• Supporting the Nadder Centre’s activity programme.

• Supporting events for older people such as Tisbury Memory Garden.

• Investing in Tisbury Bowls Club, recently reopened by tv presenter James May.

She explained that the Area Board’s priorities would be informed by daily conversations with residents as well as the joint strategic needs assessment. She then invited members to decide on their priorities for the forthcoming year and appoint lead members to their priority areas.

During the discussion Cllrs Wayman and Errington confirmed that they were happy to continue to lead the Health and Wellbeing and Community Safety groups respectively. The Chairman suggested including a reference to support the Cranborne Chase AONB to the Area Board’s environmental priority.

Decision

1)    To note the progress made towards the Area Board’s priorities for 2021/22.

2)    To appoint lead members to the Area Board’s priority Areas as follows:

·       Youth engagement and positive activity opportunities – Cllr Bridget Wayman.

·       Health & Wellbeing – Cllr Nick Errington.

·       Addressing climate change and supporting Cranborne Chase AONB – Cllr Nabil Najjar.

·       Supporting the economy – Cllr Pauline Church and Cllr George Jeans.

·       Community Safety – Cllr Bridget Wayman.

3)    To re-appoint the following working groups to help deliver the Area Board’s priorities:

·       Health and Wellbeing Group

·       Community Safety Group

To make appointments to the outside bodies and working groups as detailed in the attached report and appendices. The Area Board will also approve the terms of reference of its working groups.

The Area Board was invited to make appointments to and approve the terms of reference for the working groups not included in the priority list identified under the previous item. The Area Board was also asked to note the terms of reference of the new LHFIG.

During the discussion, it was noted that the Area Board did not have any outside bodies. Cllr Wayman and Cllr Errington confirmed that they were both happy to carry on in their respective roles as the lead members for the LHFIG and Nadder centre Steering Group respectively.

Decision

1)    To appoint and reconstitute the following working groups:

• The Local Highways and Footway Improvement Group (LHFIG) – with Cllr Bridget Wayman as lead member.

• The Nadder Centre Steering Group – with Cllr Nick Errington as lead member

2)    To note the terms of reference of the LHFIG as listed on page 75 of the agenda pack.

3)    To adopt the terms of reference of the Nadder Centre Steering Group as on page 80 of the agenda pack.

To find out about the project providing affordable housing to military veterans. Further information is available here.

Matthew Bell, CEO of Entrain Space, explained that they helped ex-military personnel transition into civilian life. They provided 44 self-contained flats in Wilton offering affordable accommodation to veterans. A planning application was also in place to build an innovation hub. The focus was on a preventative model with different agencies working together to provide joined up services in a single location. The programme helped veterans to gain work whilst also supporting them with a range of issues, from debt to mental health issues. The CEO noted that there were around 30,000 service military personnel in Wiltshire and 60,000 veterans.

A veteran helped by the scheme and now working for Entrain Space then shared his experiences, explaining how the scheme had heled him with PTSD and addiction issues to the point where he was now back in employment.

Members congratulated the veteran on his new job and thanked him for sharing his experiences. Cllr Church stated that she was proud to have the scheme in Wilton providing support to people who had served the country. Members then offered to act as a conduit between the project and the council.

To note a report from Housing Officers.

The CEM introduced a report written by housing officers at Wiltshire Council about energy efficiency of homes in the private rented sector. She explained that South West Wiltshire had the worst performing housing stock in the county in terms of energy efficiency due to a number of factors, including the proportion of older stone built properties and lack of gas main connection in certain areas.  She mentioned that local authorities are required to enforce the requirement for non-exempt properties to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of F or G.

In response to concerns about whether strict enforcement measures would create additional pressures on landlords and tenants, leading to fewer houses being made available in the private rented sector, the CEM highlighted that further details could be found in the report. The aim of the report was to balance the concerns of landlords with the need to ensure good quality accommodation for tenants.

Members spoke about the need to empower good landlords whilst also ensuring quality accommodation for tenants. It was important to ensure that action was taken to enforce minimum standards but that it needed to be done in a way that engaged with all parties and was not heavy handed.

To receive an update from the Nadder Centre Steering Group.

Cllr Errington reported that the steering group was due to meet in a couple of weeks and highlighted some of the forthcoming events at the centre, including a youth event on 29 July and local history event on 30 September. He also explained that extended conversations had taken place about the viability of reopening the café at the centre as well as work on the planned soft play area.

To receive an update about the Area Board’s Community Safety Group meeting held on 8 June 2022.

Cllr Wayman noted that the group had held their last meeting just prior to the inaugural meeting of the LHFG, so speeding was raised as a prominent issue. She noted that the PCC had provided the group with an update on the purchase of mobile speed cameras and additional officers to support their use. The PCC had also explained that Cllr John Derryman, from South Newton Parish Council, had been appointed to collate data from community speed watch teams and identify hotspots.

To note the actions and recommendations as set out in the report from the inaugural meeting held on 8 June 2022, as detailed in the attached papers. A summary of the items requiring a funding decision are:

·       4b - £13,885.50

·       5n - £13,685

·       6d - £1,875

·       6f - £937.50

·       6g - £1,237.50

·       6h - £1,342.50

·       6i - £2,086.50

Cllr Wayman reminded the Area Board about the new terms of reference for the LHFIG and spoke about the importance of parish councils attending the meetings to discuss projects.

Decision

To approve the recommendations of the LHFIG from their meeting of 8 June 2022.

• 4b - £13,885.50 - Stops Hill traffic calming (Hindon)

• 5n - £13,695 – Low Lane footpath (Broad Chalke)

• 6d - £1,875 – disabled parking bay (Tisbury)

• 6f - £937.50 – dropped kerb (Zeals)

• 6g - £1,237.50 – B3092/Coombe Barn Lane (Kilmington)

• 6h - £1,342.50 – rights of way (Kilmington)

• 6i - £2,086.50 – bus stop (Hindon)

The Area Board is asked to consider the funding applications as set out in the attached report and summarised below:

CA = Community Area

O&V = Older and Vulnerable Adults

YG = Youth Grant

The Area Board considered the funding applications as detailed in the agenda pack. Applicants were invited to speak in support of their projects and to answer

questions that arose.

Community Area Grants

Older and Vulnerable People Grants (formally known as Health and Wellbeing Grants)

The next meeting of the Area Board will be on Wednesday 14 September, at 6.30pm.

The date of the next meeting was confirmed as Wednesday 14 September at 6:30pm.