Agenda and draft minutes

The Chairman, Councillor Richard Britton welcomed everyone to the meeting of the Southern Wiltshire Area Board.

Allison Bucknell, Cabinet Member for Communications, Communities, Leisure and Libraries, Jerry Herbert, the Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, Mike Wilmott, Head of Development Management and Rhys Schell, Manager of Community Engagement and Governance Team were in attendance.

There were none.

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting held on Thursday 11 July 2019.

Decision

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 11^th July 2019 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

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

In relation to the Update from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Cllr Richard Britton noted that he was the Chairman of the Police and Crime Panel.

To receive Chairman’s Announcements including:

·       CATG & Rights of Way – Special events

·       Community Safety Checklist

·       Eco Friendly Parishes

The Chairman made the following announcements:

CATG & Rights of Way special events

A special meeting had been scheduled for 25^th September 2019, where all current CATG submissions would be considered. The meeting would also incorporate examples of a range of CATG projects by Julie Watts, Principal Highways Engineer and a presentation from Dianne Ware, Principal Technical Highways Officer on major Highways projects for the area.

A Rights of Way workshop would be held on either 24^th October or 7^th November. The date to be confirmed. Richard Broadhead, Head of Rights of Way and Countryside would be expanding on his presentation at our last meeting.

Community Safety Checklist

The Board planned to produce a directory of Community Safety contacts and relevant people and was looking for volunteers to assist with this initiative.Merv Quick indicated his willingness to help with this project.

Eco Friendly Parishes

The next Area Board would focus on Eco Friendly parishes. The Grimstead PC had started working on some great projects which the Board hoped to share information on.

·       Fire & Rescue Service

·       Wiltshire Council Updates:

o   How Dementia Friendly is Wiltshire

·       Healthwatch Wiltshire

·       Current consultations online:

                                                    i.     Changes to Council Tax reduction scheme

                                                   ii.     Increase in capacity at Downland Special School 

                                                 iii.     Housing Land Availability report

The Board noted the following written papers and information portals, as detailed on the agenda:

·       Fire & Rescue Service – Station Manager Matthew Maggs for Salisbury, Amesbury and Wilton areas was in attendance and provided a verbal update in addition to the written paper attached to the agenda.

Matty promoted the wider service offered by the Fire and Rescue service available across the county and especially to the rural communities.

The Safe and Well service involved Officers making home visits to assess home safety, and offered free smoke alarms and carbon dioxide detectors to all over 65’s and to the over 85s there was also help with heating and safety wrist bands.

Information sessions on this service could be booked, and an Office was available to attend Parish council meetings or community group sessions.

Let us know if you are aware of individuals that could use some assistance or advice on how to live more safely at home.

·       Wiltshire Council Updates:

o   How Dementia Friendly is Wiltshire

o   An additional paper was circulated on Recycling week

·       Healthwatch Wiltshire

·       An additional paper from the NHS was circulated

·       Current consultations online:

a)    Changes to Council Tax reduction scheme

b)    Increase in capacity at Downland Special School

c)     Housing Land Availability report

a) Parish Councils and Community groups

·       Parish Showcase – Grimstead Circular Footpath

Speakers: Gill Sowerby, Chairman of Grimstead PC & Gwyn Doran, Vice Chairman of Grimstead PC

b) Community Policing – local issues and priorities

In attendance: Inspector Pete Sparrow or Inspector John Hutchings

c) Community Engagement Manager – Joint Strategic Assessment Update

a) Parish Councils and Community groups:

Parish Showcase – Grimstead Circular Footpath

Gill Sowerby, Chairman and Gwyn Doran, Vice Chairman of Grimstead PC gave a presentation on the Grimstead Circular Footpath project.

We are made up of two villages, East and West. We have worked to create a three-mile circular footpath.

This came about as we have a very successful walking group who walk 6 or 7 miles once a month. There were lots of other people who wanted to walk but that distance was too much.

When we looked in to it, we found that there were several other non-permissive paths through the village, so we decided to find another path of about 3 miles.

We were lucky to meet Tom Bray who assisted us in getting started. Nigel Walsh was in the process of setting up a circular path in Firsdown, so we went to speak with him and were keen to take the idea back to Grimstead.

We set up the footpaths group and had an inaugural meeting. We went out and walked two paths, and were disappointed by the overgrown footpaths, stiles that were wonky and dangerous. We worked with Tom Bray who advised us on all of the gates and signposts we could get hold of.

We then needed to get the support of the landowners. This was a tricky task as there were nine land owners in total to deal with.

Next we decided where signposts should be positioned and what types to use, as we wanted a balance of enough signage without being too intrusive.

We also made a list of all the gates and stiles that required improvement.

The landowners already had heavy machinery available to assist with the installation of new pieces, and so it was important to get them on side. We also had support from many people in the village, with the manual work required.

We were able to install three new kissing gates and repaired a further two gates.

We wanted to create a map which included local information on the villages, so we had this printed and made available at the start of the walk.

We held an opening event where lots of people attended.

Thanks to all of the people and organisations involved in bringing this project to completion. Special thanks to Wiltshire Rights of Way and the Area Board for its assistance.

b) Community Policing – local issues and priorities

Inspector Pete Sparrow & PC Matthew Holland

In addition to the written report provided in the agenda pack, Pete updated on the following points.

We had a welcome visit by John Glen MP, he saw what we get up to on a daily basis when he came out with us.

Two women from Southampton were convicted of stealing over £32k of fuel mostly across this community area. They were issued with an 18 month community order. This was as a result of good work by the Community Policing Team and the taskforce team, over  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61.

Liv McLennan will talk about her Ukulele music project, which received an Area Board Grant for £850 in February 2019.

Liv McLennan gave an update on her Ukulele music project, which

received an Area Board Grant for £850 in February 2019.

Liv explained that she was one of the directors of the Music for Wellbeing community interest company. They work with various groups of people, including those with learning difficulties and elderly people in care facilities. To incorporate music into their lives.

The Company had three main objectives for the particpants:

•        To experience a greater social connectedness with others in their community through taking part in regular structured music sessions

•        To increase their existing instrumental and musical skills

•        To develop an increased sense of wellbeing through participating in a community music project

There were challenges, as even with a generous lead-in time, it was still challenging to enter the care home environment as an external project. We saw participant attendance fluctuate, ranging from 8 to 17 people.

This was a completely new method of working as we were not aware of other models where there was intergenerational ukulele learning in a care home.

In five short sessions, we have worked with 23 participants over the sessions. An introductory, progressive scheme of work for intergenerational ukulele teaching as well as ideas that are adaptable for different age groups.

New connections between local groups, and further working together (launch event Sing and Breathe Salisbury); deeper connections between other community groups have been forged.

We saw 35 people come together to listen, sing and play at the event. This project will form part of a PhD researching intergenerational music in care homes.

This project was made possible by the funding from the Area Board.

A Planning Inspector recently ruled that WC does not have a five-year supply of development land in the southern housing market area.

Mike Wilmott, Head of Development Management will explain the background to this, the implications and the longer term remedial action.

A Planning Inspector recently ruled that Wiltshire Council did not have a five-year supply of development land in the southern housing market area.

Mike Wilmott, Head of Development Management explained the background to this, the implications and the longer term remedial action.

The current Government had set a target to build 300k new homes a year. To help achieve this aspiration they expect Local Housing Authorities to approve new houses in their areas.

For a site to be considered deliverable it must meet criteria. In Wiltshire our Housing Need was established in the Wiltshire Core Strategy, approved in back in January 2015.

For the ten year period of 2006 – 2026, just under 10.5k of the houses to be built were within the area of the Southern Wiltshire.

The Southern Wiltshire Strategy we have, sets out development along the idea that the majority would be built in the larger areas of Salisbury, Amesbury and Downton.

There was a slow start to house building from 2006 and during the earlier years of the period covered by the Core Strategy we were not delivering the amount of new housing required. We are now delivering over 500 a year due to the larger housing development sites that have come on stream in Salisbury and Amesbury in particular.

Some allocated sites in the Core Strategy simply haven’t come forward. The Engine Shed and Churchfields area in Salisbury, was expected to deliver 1100 houses, but unfortunately nothing has come forward to date. We are still waiting for the Inspectors report into the Wiltshire Housing Sites Plan to come forward and until that is available we are a bit short of our supply.

The latest Housing Land Supply statement the Council has published shows that we currently have around 4.45 years supply of the required 5 year supply in the Southern Wiltshire Housing Market Area.  That is a shortfall of 322 dwellings.

Before they can be taken into account in the land supply, there needs to be certainty of them coming forward. A planning application has been submitted, but the Inspector’s report into the Sites Plan will clarify whether the allocation is a sound one

We are also considering applications for housing on unallocated sites. A site at Longhenge was initially allocated for employment land, and we were now looking to see whether that should be for mixed use, to include some housing.

As the Wiltshire Core Strategy will be five years old next January 2020, we must look to produce a new plan, as the Government has made it a requirement that strategic policies need to be reviewed every five years to ensure that they are up to date.  We are already looking at new proposals as part of the new plan, which will be consulted on in due course.

Previously we looked at the Housing Needs in three areas of Wiltshire; North West, East, and one for the South, we have been looking for a five-year land supply for each of these housing market  ...  view the full minutes text for item 63.

To consider applications for funding to the Community Area Grant Scheme for 2019/20, as detailed in the attached report and shown below:

Note: There is currently £23,500 remaining in the 2019/20 Community Area Grant capital budget.

The Board considered two applications for funding from the Community Area Grant Scheme for 2019/20, as detailed in the report attached to the agenda.

The Board noted that there was £23,500 remaining in the 2019/20 Community Area Grant capital budget.

Alderbury Football Club – requested £5,000 towards the New Pavilion project

Martin – This project was part of a larger project we are working on. It has taken us 13 years to get to this stage. We have six new pitches and a carpark. We are nearly there now, and are just looking for a bit more funding to finish off.

About 300 people play at our facilities from 5 years to adults.

Questions

What proportion of your members come from Alderbury? Answer: Last year we had around 50 from Alderbury, and more from the surrounding villages. Probably 70 from Salisbury at the moment. We are also asking Salisbury AB for the same amount.

The clubhouse is a large building would it be a licensed premises? Answer: No, not that I am aware of, there is a social club next door to the Village Hall. There will be a kitchen for tea and coffee. The sale of alcohol is prohibited in the planning permission..

Cllr Britton as local Member supported this major project for the village and the community.

Decision

Alderbury Football club was awarded £5000 of Comminty Area Grant Funding towards the Clubhouse project (£4250 for the kitchen fittings and £750 for a fridge freezer).

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2019/20.

West Dean Parish Council – requested £3420 towards the Playground project

We are here to ask for funding towards the playground upgrade project. The ROSPA inspection is this month and we need to get this work done as the current surface has been worn out and does not meet safety standards. 

Questions

Is the bark compliant? Answer: Yes and that was the cheapest quote

The Board did not usually allow maintenance costs, and usually prefer bids for improvements. Answer: This is not maintenance it is an improvement.

Decision

West Dean PC was awarded £3,420 the safety improvements to the floor at the playground.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2019/20.

The Chairman thanked everyone for coming and closed the meeting.

The next meeting was scheduled for Thursday 28^th November 2019, 7.00pm at Alderbury Village Hall.