Agenda and minutes

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

The Board then gave a minutes silence for the people of Brussels, following the recent terrorist attacks there.

Chief Fire Officer, Darran Gunter and Associate Director assigned to the Board, Robin Townsend were introduced.

Apologies for absence were received from:

·       Cllr Jose Green

·       Jerry Purdue – Sedgehill and Semley Parish Council

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 3 February 2016.

Decision

The minutes of the previous meeting, held on Wednesday 3 February 2016, were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Chairman made the following announcement:

Child Poverty

There had been interest from two schools to get involved with a workshop to take this topic forward. A further update would be brought to the Board following that event.

An update on the combined Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service, from Chief Fire Officer Darran Gunter.

The Chief Fire Officer for Wiltshire & Dorset gave a presentation, outlining the new Service from 1 April 2016, when Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service would replace the two existing services. Key to the future direction would be a new vision, which puts the community at the heart of the work they do.

Both services already did more than just put fires out, they undertake a range of preventative activities. As a new service it was the belief that they could do even more. Work in some key areas would include:

·        Identify those who may be cold in their homes during winter and support and signpost them to other agencies to take action.

·        Work with public health and partners to reduce avoidable illness.

·        Work with families and individual young people to support them in making safer and healthier choices.

This work was reflected in the four new priorities, which were:

1.     Help you to make healthier choices

2.     Protect you and the environment form harm

3.     Be there when you need us

4.     Make every penny count

The control room had moved to Devizes, this would see savings of £700,000 per year. The new Head quarters had been located in the new Five Rivers Health and Wellbeing centre in Salisbury.

A £5.5 million Fire Transformation Fund had been secured, the majority of which would be used to provide a new Safety Centre on the Dorset/Swindon border. The centre would have the capacity to educate 15,000 young people per year.

Questions and comments included:

·       The fire service offers a first responder service from many of its stations, was this more expensive method than using the ambulance service? Answer: We have co-responder units in Dorset, which when needed leave the station in a small vehicle, costing approximately £25 per time. By offering the co-responders we get more interest in the retained post.

·       Why was the retained test so intense? Answer: There was no academic qualification required to apply for a retained post. The test included verbal and numerical reasoning. The more functional tests were more difficult to pass, with extended ladder and crawl way training required. Once that stage was complete there was also a medical to ensure that each candidate was fit for the demands of the work.

A copy of the slides form the presentation are attached.

Health & Wellbeing Groups

Information on the Council’s proposal that each Area Board establishes a Health and Well Being Group.

Housing

An update on the delivery of new housing to meet local needs.

Officer: James Cawley, Associate Director for Adult Care Commissioning and Housing

James Cawley, Associate Director for Adult Care Commissioning and Housing presented two updates to the Board.

Health & Wellbeing Groups

The Council proposed that each Area Board would establish a Health and Wellbeing Group (HWBG) to provide a community led local forum to facilitate the coordination of joined up services for older people living within a community area; gathering the views of older people and ensuring that these views were represented at the local Area Board. The HWBG would focus on identifying the needs of a local population and supporting the development of services that would meet these needs.

The HWBG would:

•        Discuss and advise on support for older people in their area and make best use of the existing community capacity.

•        Reflect the needs of its local community and will ensure wellbeing and community resilience is a key priority for Area Boards.

•        Draw on local resources and assets in order to generate support for local initiatives.

Membership would be decided by each Area Board, some suggestions could include - the Community Engagement Manager, the Older Peoples’ Champion, Unitary and Parish Councillors, CCG Care Coordinators, Healthwatch and Representatives from the Voluntary Sector.

Comments and questions were then taken, these included:

·       The South West Wiltshire Area should receive a larger division of the money, as it has 3 community areas, covering a vast area, so having one equivalent of the former Good Neighbour post was not adequate when there were previously two. It was considered easier for people in Salisbury as most of the charities were located there; in the rural locations it was far more difficult to access services. Answer: However we divided the money we would have been asked for more. The decision by Cabinet was to divide the funding equally by 18 Area Boards.

·       Ever since the formation of the Area Boards in 2009, we have had to  fight to have more money, as we are the only Area Board to have 3 community areas, the others all have one. Please take the message back that the Board wants more funding.

Decision

The South West Wiltshire Area Board agreed that as the three community areas of Mere, Tisbury and Wilton spanned across a very large geographical area, of which the Good Neighbour scheme was originally set up to cover the rural areas where older people are isolated and not close to many services which tend to be based in the larger towns.

In order to continue to provide a good service to older, vulnerable people in the area, the SWWAB wish to see 3 paid Older People's Champions appointed in the area, one in each community area, to provide 10 hours paid employment per week, and that this service was properly funded by Adult Services/Health & Wellbeing.

Reason:

The current WC offer was unsatisfactory and would not provide sufficient man hours to cover the area.

Housing

The Board received an update on the delivery of new housing to meet local needs, including information on National policy  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

An update on the progress of the Nadder Centre.

Officer: Steve Harris, Community Engagement Manager

Steve Harris in his role of Community Engagement Manager gave an update on the progress at the Nadder Centre:

•        Work started - January 2015

•        Original build completion date for stage 1 of the Nadder Centre - July 2016 with a further few months before all services had moved in and were operational

•        Delay due to connecting the electricity to site, change to specification to improve the offer and complete the first floor area

•        Completion date  - July 2016

•        Additional health and wellbeing facilities will be located on first floor

•        Total investment £8.1m – increased by more than £500K

•        Demolition of pre-school and the  parking bays and other external areas – complete - autumn 2016

•        The swimming pool would also be having a revamp and due to open again in May

•        There would be 58 car parking spaces

•        8 individual start up units

Steve was already in discussion with various groups to establish what they would like from the centre; he urged other community groups to think about how they would like to use the site.

Cllr Tony Deane as Chairman of the Nadder Centre Board (NCB), noted that from the start the project had been billed as a community asset and had been developed with community input. The NCB was not only for Tisbury but included the wider community, he urged people to come forward if they were interested in joining the Board.

Comments and questions included:

·       Wiltshire Council had cut bus funding, so how did this help people to get to the Centre? Answer: The buses in this area had not been cut. Transport options for accessing the centre, with the aim of having a better community bus service to access the site.

·       Was there an update on the access road situation to the centre, as there had been concern regarding the traffic accessing the centre through Weaveland Road? Answer: There would be access via the Wyndham Estate, although at present there was a fence across it, this would be removed on 16 August. The barriers remained up at Weaveland Road entrance at present.

·       The pool was only open 1 May to 1 September; could it be opened for a longer period? Answer: WC did not run the facility; it goes through the maintenance team as a WC asset. Tisbury Swimming club who ran the pool did not wish to extend the opening hours.

Inspector Minty to present an update on the future of Local Policing for the area.

Inspector David Minty gave an overview of the new Police model in place from October 2016. A 2 year design project, with 18 months of research found that there was a great deal of duplication with the current model.

The 999 service was found to be good, however the 101 service was found to be bogged down. Each Sergeant would have a team of Police Officers, PCSO’s and local investigating teams. There would be five teams per hub, within the team there would be one allocated officer on a rota basis for the SWW area providing cover 24/7.

Community beat Officers would be able to attend lower level recourses and attend parish meetings when required.

Comments and Questions were taken:

·       Would the areas be changing as part of the new Model? Answer: No, Tisbury and Mere would be under the care of the inspector for Warminster and Wilton would be under the care of the Inspector for Salisbury.

·       How many PCSO’s would we have across the three areas? Answer: There would be 2 for Wilton, 1 for Mere and 1 for Tisbury, there Officers would be allocated and named. The details of that would be available nearer the time.

·       The Nadder Centre has a police facility, why did the PC have to attend Warminster? Answer: Once a shift, the Police Officer could attend the Nadder Centre, so that everyone would know that they could go in to pass their comments on. The PCSO can also visit the Centre.

·       There was a Mere Police Station, what would happen to this? Answer: The Police was rationalising its estate, evaluating options for alternative places for Police to go and dock in.

·       Could you provide some statistics on abstraction rates for the area compared to other areas? Answer: Yes, Inspector Minty agreed to take that request back and feed back the stats in due course.

·       How will information on the new Model be circulated to the public? Answer: After the purdah period was over the information would be circulated in the public.

The Board asked if the CEM would contact the Ambulance Service to get an answer on response times in the area.

Action: CEM to invite Ambulance Service to feedback.

To consider the list of proposed schemes for 2016/17 for approval, as detailed in the attached report.

The Board considered the list of major maintenance schemes, proposed for 2016/17 as attached to the agenda.

Councillor Dean noted that from 1 April 2016 the Council would have a new contractor, adding that once there was clarity over what was happening the Board would feedback updated information.

Comments and questions:

·       How did the lists get drawn up? Answer: Highways carry out an evaluation of the level of need once a year, skid resistance was a major factor in that process.

·       If Cllr Green was in attendance she would have mentioned Sutton Row, as it was in a terrible state. This busy road was a busy well used road, often used as a cut through. Answer: Unfortunately, there were roads like that in all areas. Concern for specific roads could be fed in to Steve Harris for logging.

The Board felt that they were unable to make a decision on the schedule at this meeting and agreed to bring it back for consideration at the next Area Board meeting in May.

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

·         Youth – LYN

·         Community Engagement Manager

To note the following written updates attached to the agenda:

a) Police

b) Wiltshire Council Items for Information

c) Wilton Town Team minutes

To note the information on current consultations, to take part and for further information, visit the consultation portal:

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/council/consultations.htm

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

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

Youth – LYN

The Community Youth Officer (CYO) had been signed off on long term sick, as a result of that the last Local Youth Network meeting had been cancelled.

A briefing paper had been circulated earlier in the day which gave details of a reduction in the number of CYO’s for the county from 18 to 7.

Community Engagement Manager

Steve Harris gave an overview of upcoming events and initiatives for the area, these included:

•        Taste the Chase – Wed 20^th April, Larmer Tree Gardens

•        Community First Aid Scheme
Further sessions planned for May 2016 – more details soon

•        Sport Relief Challenge / Road to Rio

•        Community Litter Picking Initiative/Clean for the Queen:
19 parishes received equipment from the Area Board (plus 1 awaiting delivery)
Litter picks beginning to be held, including some during ‘Clean for the Queen’

Questions included:

·       Would there be any defibrillator classes in future? Answer: There was some funding remaining to run 3 first aid sessions, at the end of each of those there would be some defibrillator training, where anyone can attend.

Information on current consultations, to take part and for further information, visit the consultation portal:

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/council/consultations.htm

Community Area Grants

The Board members will consider 10 applications for funding from the Community Area Grants Scheme:

The South West Wiltshire Area Board considered 10 applications for funding from the Community Area Grant Scheme for 2015/16.

Decision

Tisbury Business Association was awarded £2,400 towards administrative support for the Business Association.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2015/16.

Decision

Wilton Town Council was awarded £274 towards Broadband provision at the Pavilion.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2015/16.

Decision

The Our Time Project was awarded £2,000 towards their ‘Our Time – Making a Difference’ project

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2015/16.

Decision

Donhead St Mary Parish Council was awarded £4,878 towards the upgrading works to the remembrance ground.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2015/16.

Decision

Wilton Bowls Club was awarded £5,000 towards the disabled toilet access works.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2015/16.

Decision

East Knoyle Community Shop Association was awarded £5,000 towards the refit.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2015/16.

Decision

Mere Flower Festival was awarded £500 towards the festival for 2016.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2015/16.

Decision

The Alzheimer’s Society was awarded £377.50 towards Forget-me-not lunches.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2015/16.

Decision

Donhead St Mary Remembrance Fund was awarded £374.20 towards the installation of electric hand dryers in the toilets at the hall.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2015/16.

Decision

Donhead St Mary Remembrance Fund was awarded £697.88 towards new lighting in the toilets.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2015/16.

To consider allocating funding to three Area Board projects for 2016/17, as listed below and detailed in the attached reports:

1.     Youth and Community Transport - £20,000

2.     Community Communications - £5,000

3.     Finger Posts - £5,000 (paper to be circulated at the meeting)

The Board considered three Area Board Projects for funding as detailed in the agenda, and one further project put forward by Cllr Deane at the meeting.

Youth and community Transport

Decision

The South West Wiltshire Area Board agreed to:

-        Ring fence £20,000 for the purchase of community transport vehicle(s) primarily to support the delivery of youth activities across South West Wiltshire. If any funding remained unspent, this would revert back to the Area Board general funding pot.

-        Individual awards to be decided by delegated powers given to the Community Engagement Manager in consultation with and approval by all Board members, with confirmation that the organisation had met the ownership criteria set out in section 1. Decisions to return to the next Area Board meeting for ratification.

-        An evaluation report to be brought back to the Board detailing the outcome of the spend following either a) all of the project funding being allocated or b) a period of one year from the funding being agreed.

Community Communications

Decision:

The South West Wiltshire Area Board agreed that:

-        £5,000 be ring fence for this project.

-        individual awards of up to a set amount will be approved out of the meeting, by delegated powers, given to the Community Engagement Manager in consultation with Board Members.

-        an evaluation report will be brought back to the Board detailing the outcome of the spend following either a) all of the project funding being allocated or b) the project ending in December 2016.

Finger Post Project

Decision

The South West Wiltshire Area Board awarded £400 to each of the listed Fingerpost schemes (a total amount of £2,000):

-        Mere

-        West Knoyle x 2 (exception required)

-        Zeals

-        West Tisbury

All of these will be on condition that a photograph of the existing finger post and a quote for the work to be done is provided to the Community Engagement Manager.

Events for the Queen

Decision

The South West Wiltshire Area Board agreed to ring-fence £1,500 for this project, to support community celebration events celebrating the Queen’s 90^th Birthday.

The next meeting of the Board is on Wednesday 25 May 2016, 6.30pm at The New Remembrance Hall, Charlton SP7 0PL

The Chairman thanked everyone for coming and closed the meeting.

The next meeting of the South west Wiltshire Area Board will be held on Wednesday 25 May 2016, 6.30pm at The New Remembrance Hall, Charlton.