Agenda and minutes

The Chairman will welcome those present to the meeting.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting of the Warminster Area Board and invited members of the board to introduce themselves.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Sarah Jeffries, Maiden Bradley Parish Council.

It was noted that Councillor Christopher Newbury joined the meeting late due to technological issues.

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 12 November 2020.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 12 November 2020 were considered. After which, it was:

Resolved

The minutes of the meeting held on 12 November 2020were agreed as a correct record and would be signed by the Chairman at a later date.

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

Councillor Tony Jackson declared a pecuniary interest in the Warminster Athenaeum Trust Community Grant application. It was stated that Cllr Jackson would not vote on the item.

To receive the following announcements through the Chair:

Ø Local Plan Review

Ø Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan Consultations

Ø Covid-19

Ø OPCC Consultations

The Chairman made the following announcements:

·       Local Plan Review

·       Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan Consultations

·       Covid-19

·       OPCC Consultation – This was discussed by the Police and Crime Commissioner, Angus Macpherson under agenda Item 6.

To receive updates from any of the following partners:

6.a. Wiltshire Police

6.b. Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

6.c. CCG

6.d. Health Watch

6.e. Warminster and Villages Community Partnership

6.f. Town and Parish Councils Nominated Representatives

Some written updates were received before the meeting and are included in the agenda pack.

The Area Board received and noted updates from the following partners:

          6a. Wiltshire Police

The Area Board received an update from Sergeant Kevin Harmsworth and Inspector Simon Cowdrey on behalf of Wiltshire Police. Sergeant Harmsworth reported the following matters:

·       Operation Elf ran over Christmas to combat a rise in shoplifting, this led to an 11% reduction in shoplifting offences from 2019.

·       Wiltshire Police continue to respond to all Covid-19 legislation breaches. Now in lockdown 3, the police stance has now moved towards enforcement.

·       Patrols have taken place at vaccine distribution hubs including in the Avenue Surgery.

·       Online crime prevention advice is available for schools along with online lessons which are available through email.

·       In January there were 7 community speed watch checks and a breakdown is available upon request through email.

·       An arrest was made recently for intention to supply drugs and in December a Misuse of Drugs Act warrant was issued in Chitterne after a small Cannabis growth was found.

·       The police have been working with the Town Council around the skatepark and had previously received significant numbers of calls regarding youth gatherings. These have since stopped.

·       Attention was drawn to the Police and Crime plan 2017-2022 which sets out four local priorities for policing.

·       A digital investigation unit has been set up within the last year to combat cybercrime and aid safeguarding.

·       Sergeant Harmsworth clarified the area that police officers cover within the local Warminster Area.

          6a.a. OPCC Precept and Police Premises

The Board received an update from the Police and Crime Commissioner, Angus Macpherson. The update covered the following matters:

·       The precept consultation period has now ended and there was a proposal that the Band E precept should be increased by £15 a year. The January survey showed that 64% of respondents were in favour of this increase.

·       The extra money will be used to fund an extra 46 officers and all those recruited will join neighbourhood policing teams, which is being rebuilt to get back to neighbourhood task groups.

·       The new police station located on the former Wiltshire College site is heading towards completion with staff set to move into the building in April.

Following the update, the following questions were addressed by the Police and Crime Commissioner:

·       Information was sought regarding officer recruitment and applications. It was clarified that there hasn’t been a struggle for applicant numbers, however, there has been a struggle for these applicants to reflect the society of Wiltshire and the minority groups in proportion to the population as a whole. A number of PCSOs have been lost to regular police officers. Specials have been lost however more will be recruited.

·       The old police housing between central carpark and central road, will be disposed of once the new station is established in the town centre and this process will look for the best value of money.

• When asked about recruitment for the community speed watch, it was clarified that a support officer will be recruited so that a camera can operate at  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To receive an update from Graeme Morrison, Community Engagement Manager.

Ø  Local Area Status Report

Graeme Morrison, Community Engagement Manager (CEM), provided an update on the Local Area Status Report. A written copy of the report can be found within the agenda pack. The presentation covered the following matters:

• The aim of the report was to establish emerging themes from Covid19 in order to act as a starting point for a recovery plan. There is a focus on impacts and ensuring community voice is included in the recovery plan process.
• Themed public meetings took place in December 2020, with a focus on the impacts on young people, older people, working age people and families as well as local businesses. Information was collected through an online survey which ran until January 2021.
• The information collected allowed headline findings of impacts to be produced for each of the four themes. Themes included an increase in mental health issues, a difficulty in assessing military families, deterioration of physical health and an increase in isolation and loneliness.
• Next steps included establishing a Local Covid Recovery Group, with meetings to shape the recovery plan, which will be a live document. It is aimed that the recovery plan will be produced and then presented at the next Area Board.
• The CEM noted that all unitary members would be included in the Local Covid Recovery Group and that people could get in touch to request an invitation.

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The following points were received in response to the presentation:

• It was queried how businesses would be contacted regarding the Local Covid Recovery Group. The CEM clarified that all those who participated in the themed meetings would be invited, additionally a distribution list of local businesses can be used to share messages as well as promotion through social media and the community newsletter.
• It could be valuable to add farmers to the Local Covid Recovery Group.
• Whilst it is possible to see the negative impacts of the pandemic on the community, the information gathering that has taken place could be useful with actions from the recovery plan potentially being used to inform Health and Wellbeing funding or the local youth network.

To receive an update on the Health & Wellbeing Management Group.

Cllr Pip Ridout provided an update on the Health & Wellbeing Management Group. The group has not met other than to look at the report from the steering group and forum, which are now both on hold.

To receive a brief verbal update on the Warminster Regeneration Working Group.

Cllr Fleur de Rhé-Philipe, provided an update on the Warminster Regeneration Working Group. The update covered the following matters:

·       Wiltshire Council have put aside one-million pounds in the budget for each of the next four years for all of the market towns to apply for funding.

·       Wiltshire Council officers have been redeployed to work as part of the response phase of the pandemic as a priority. Once back to the recovery phase then the officers will be in a position to review the economic regeneration of Warminster.

·       The Board agreed that Warminster needs a clear and united plan with what it would like to do with funding.

·       Warminster Central carpark was discussed and though the plan is very visual and would rely on software and officers, it would be useful to place an expression of interest for the plans and then provide details when the budget is passed at a later date.

To consider the notes and actions log of the previous meeting of the Community Area Transport Group held on 12 November 2020.

Cllr Andrew Davis updated and introduced the recommendations from the CATG meeting held on 12 November 2020. It was reported that the CATG has now identified 5 priorities and also a budget. Cllr Davis thanked Martin Rose and Bill Parks for their contributions towards the CATG.

Resolved:

To adopt the recommendations of the Community Area Transport Group meeting held on 12 November 2020.

Community Area Grant Funding:

To consider the following applications for Community Area Grant funding:

Ø  Warminster Athenaeum Trust, £4,500, towards the Athenaeum lighting box modernisation.

Ø  Bishopstrow Village Hall, £1,675, towards the repair and improvement of the playing field footpath.

Ø  Smallbrook Meadows Volunteer Group, £1,000, towards Smallbrook Meadows disabled access.

Ø  Longbridge Deverill Parish Council, £1,964, towards bus shelters.

Ø  Upton Scudamore Parish Council¸ £600, towards a parish council notice board.

Ø  Warminster Saddle Club, £3,000, towards a WSC quad bike.

Youth Grant Funding:

To consider the following Local Youth Network Grant Applications for funding:

Ø  Kingdown School, £2,500, towards improving mental health and wellbeing for Warminster children.

Ø  Wylye Coyotes Afterschool Club, £3,941, towards greenlight building improvements.

Ø  Army Welfare Service, £1,220, towards Easter holiday craft packs.

The Board considered the funding requests as detailed in the report attached to the agenda.

The Chair invited representatives for each of the applications to speak, to which the Area Board heard statements from Cllr Tony Nicklin for the Warminster Athenaeum Trust; Nigel Linge for the Smallbrook Meadows Volunteer Group; Nikki Spreadbury-Clews for Longbridge Deverill Parish Council; Ben Gunstone for Kingdown School; Kate Brayne for the Wylye Coyotes Afterschool Club; Jenni Bertram for the Army Welfare Service.

Area Board members decided that the Community Area Grant application for the Warminster Athenaeum Trust lighting box modernisation should be considered as both a Youth Grant application and Health and Wellbeing Application and funded as such.

Cllr Tony Jackson did not partake in voting for the application regarding Warminster Athenaeum Trust, due to his role as treasurer for the organisation.

Following which, it was:

Resolved

1.     To grant the Warminster Athenaeum Trust application, £4,500, towards the Athenaeum lighting box modernisation, and that this funding would be provided from the Youth Grant and Health and Wellbeing Grant budgets.

2.     To grant the Bishopstrow Village Hall application, £1,675, towards the improvement of the playing field footpath.

3.     To grant the Smallbrook Meadows Volunteer Group application, £1,000, towards Smallbrook Meadows disabled access, and that this would be funded from the Health and Wellbeing Grant budget.

4.     To grant the Longbridge Deverill Parish Council application, £1,964, towards bus shelters.

5.     To grant the Upton Scudamore Parish Council application, £600, towards a parish council notice board.

6.     To grant the Warminster Saddle Club application, £3,000, towards a WSC quad bike.

7.     To grant the Kingdown School application, £3,941, towards improving mental health and wellbeing for Warminster Children.

8.     To grant the Wylye Coyotes Afterschool Club application, £3,941, towards greenlight building improvements.

9.     To grant the Army Welfare Service application, £1,220, towards Easter holiday craft packs.

Any other items of business which the Chairman agrees to consider as a matter of urgency.

The Chairman, Area Board members and Graeme Morrison were thanked for their efforts on behalf of the community.

The Area Board thanked Cllr de Rhé-Philipe for her many years of service to the Warminster Area Board.