Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting of the Royal Wootton Bassett & Cricklade Area Board and introduced the councillors and officers present.

The Chairman also welcomed and introduced two of the guest speakers for the evening; Captain John Sunderland RN and Stephen Harness, Defence Infrastructure Organisation.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor John Thomson (Deputy Leader, Wiltshire Council), Councillor Carol Soden (Malmesbury Area Board, Wiltshire Council), James Gray MP, Mike Leighfield (Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council), Thomas Woodhouse (Royal Wootton Bassett Shadow Community Operations Board) and Ruth Szybiak (Cricklade Shadow Community Operations Board).

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 30 November 2011.

Decision

The minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 30 November 2011 were agreed a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

There were no declarations of interest.

To include the following:

      i.        2012: A Year of Celebrations – Funding for Community Events

    ii.        Draft Wiltshire Core Strategy Submission Document

   iii.        Do You Have The X Factor?

   iv.        New Waste & Recycling Collection Service

    v.        Help to Live at Home Update

   vi.        The Localism Act 2011

  vii.        Royal Wootton Bassett Signs Auction

viii.        Armed Forces Covenant Scheme.

The following announcements were made (full details of which were contained within the agenda pack):

      i.        2012: A Year of Celebrations – Funding for Community Events

The Area Board had set aside a sum of money to assist with celebrations and community events associated with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and/or the Olympics. The application form was available at:

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/council/areaboards/woottonbassettandcrickladeareaboard.htm and further information was available from Alison Sullivan, Community Area Manager.

    ii.        Draft Wiltshire Core Strategy Submission Document

On 17 January 2012, Cabinet considered a pre-submission draft Wiltshire Core Strategy, and Full Council would be asked to approve the draft for consultation at its meeting on 7 February 2012. Consultation would last for six weeks commencing on 20 February 2012.

   iii.        Do You Have The X Factor?

A short film promoting the 2013 elections had been made and could be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y_CvgVAgvY

   iv.        New Waste & Recycling Collection Service

The Council had reviewed its waste and recycling services in order to bring all services in line across the county and to offer an enhanced service. From March, the Council would be operating an optional fortnightly garden waste collection service, along with a fortnightly collection of plastic and cardboard and a fortnightly collection of general waste. Further information would be sent to all households in February, and more information was available by telephoning 0300 456 0105, or by visiting www.wiltshire.gov.uk/waste .

    v.        Help to Live at Home Update

A briefing note was provided which updated on the new Help to Live at Home service that the Council was delivering in partnership with the NHS and selected providers.

   vi.        The Localism Act 2011

A briefing note was provided which updated on the implications of the Localism Act. Further information would be provided as it emerged, and a Plain English Guide to the Localism Act was available at:

http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/localismplainenglishupdate .

 vii.        Royal Wootton Bassett Signs Auction

The Chairman was pleased to announce that a total of £3,320 had been raised when two large Wootton Bassett town signs and two template Royal Wootton Bassett signs were auctioned on eBay. The money raised would be donated to the charity Help for Heroes.

viii.        Armed Forces Covenant Scheme

In August 2011 the Ministry of Defence published information about £30million funding for a new Community Covenant Grant Scheme, intended to provide financial support to projects at a local level. Wiltshire Council was encouraging groups and organisations to apply, and more information about the criteria and application process was available at:

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/WhatWeDo/Personnel/Welfare/ArmedForcesCovenant/ArmedForcesCommunityCovenant.htm  .

To consider a proposal to set up a working group to develop plans for a 40-unit extra care scheme in the Cricklade Area.

In January 2011, Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet approved the Older People Accommodation Development Strategy, which identified a need for a 40 unit extra care scheme within the Cricklade area.  In order to progress this, it was proposed to establish a working group with representatives of the local community to identify a suitable site for this development and to work together to deliver this facility through the agreement of the design and specification. 

Representations would be invited from the Town Council and other partners together with interested members of the local community to be part of the process.  The recommendation was that this group would become a sub-group to the Cricklade Shadow Community Operations Board which reported to the Area Board.  The terms of reference would be produced in due course.

Decision

The Area Board agreed that the proposed working group to be formed to look at the feasibility of this initiative would be assigned to the Cricklade Shadow Community Operations Board as a sub group, and would report on progress to the Area Board via this medium.

In order to progress this, Councillor Peter Colmer agreed, at the request of Councillor Jacqui Lay, to include representation on the group from Purton/Lydiard when developing the group’s Terms of Reference.

To consider reports from the following task groups and make any necessary decisions:

      i.        Community Area Transport Group

    ii.        Neighbourhood Planning Forum

   iii.        Cricklade Shadow Community Operations Board

   iv.        Royal Wootton Bassett Shadow Community Operations Board

    v.        Voices Working Group.

Updates were received as follows:

      i.        Community Area Transport Group

The notes of the meeting held on 12 January 2012 were received and noted. The next meeting of the Community Area Transport Group would be held on 15 March 2012.

    ii.        Neighbourhood Planning Forum

A meeting had taken place on 14 December 2011 and it was agreed to support continued work towards the development of a Neighbourhood Plan for the Community Area. The next meeting would be held on 1 February 2012, when it was expected to formally endorse Terms of Reference and begin to draw up a programme of work.

Decision

Councillor Mollie Groom was appointed as the Area Board’s second representative to the Neighbourhood Planning Forum.

   iii.        Cricklade Shadow Community Operations Board (COB)

A report was provided which updated on the outcomes of the second round of consultation that had been carried out in December 2011. By the end of January, all group consultation would be complete and more work done on understanding the service provision for each location.

Before the Area Board meeting on 28 March 2012, it was anticipated that a firmer proposal would be available, based on desktop appraisal of options, and a brief would be drawn up for initial feasibility exercises to take place.

   iv.        Royal Wootton Bassett Shadow Community Operations Board (COB)

The Shadow COB had continued to meet since the last Area Board meeting. Of note was the presentation at the Wiltshire Council Cabinet meeting in December 2011, and the resulting support and encouragement of the Cabinet.  The Cabinet agreed a proposal from the leader of the Council that the Transformation Team formally sought partners to deliver the proposal, particularly with the MOD in relation to the Defence Training Centre at Lyneham. This dialogue was ongoing. 

An equalities workshop event was held by the Shadow COB at the beginning of December.  The Shadow COB had noted all of the discussion and feedback and would be reflecting on this through the next phase of work. 

The Shadow COB also noted that one of the weaknesses had been in the field of communications and as the project continued, it was seeking ways to address this. Officers from Wiltshire Council had offered additional support.

In response to a question regarding provision of a pool in the Royal Wootton Bassett area, Mark Stone, Transformation Director, reported that Wiltshire Council was currently entering into conversations with the MOD regarding funding for the wider campus proposal, as per the request from Cabinet. In the interim, various options were bring considered including a proposal for the provision for a temporary facility for a 12-week period, but further feasibility work was required before a decision could be made. The Council would work to ensure that a pool was available in line with the original timescale commitment from the Area Board.

    v.        Voices Working Group

Councillor Jacqui Lay reported that the Wiltshire Voices Project, which had been supported by the Area Board through a Performance Reward Grant, had been under way  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

a.    Community Area Grants Scheme 2011/12

To consider the following applications:

i.              Jenner Hall - £5,000 requested to assist with the repair of the roof.

ii.            Wootton Bassett and Cricklade Extended Services Network - £2,500 requested for play schemes.

Grant application packs for the Community Area Grants Scheme are available from the Community Area Manager or electronically at

www.wiltshire.gov.uk/areaboardscommunitygrantsscheme.htm

b.    Area Board Projects

To consider an application for the Area Board to award £5,000 for a project to help support the local business economy by increasing visitor numbers throughout the community area.

c.    2012 Community Projects & Events

St Bartholomew’s Flower Guild - £600 requested for a Jubilee weekend flower festival.

a)    Community Area Grant Scheme

The Area Board considered the following applications to the Community Area Grant Scheme:

       i.        Jenner Hall

The sum of £5,000 was requested to assist with the repair of the roof.

Decision

The Area Board awarded the sum of £5,000 to the Jenner Hall.

Reason: The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria 2011/12 and demonstrated a link to the Community Plan.

      ii.        Royal Wootton Bassett & Cricklade Extended Services

The sum of £2,500 was requested for Play Schemes.

Decision

The Area Board awarded the sum of £2,500 to Royal Wootton Bassett & Cricklade Extended Services.

Reason: The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria 2011/12 and demonstrated a link to the Community Plan.

Councillor Allison Bucknell took the opportunity to remind people of the Community Cinema project, which was starting with its first event on 2 March 2012 in Wootton Bassett School at 7pm. Tickets were £5 per person and the first screening was of ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’. More information would be distributed via the Community Area Network.

b)   Area Board Projects Scheme

The Area Board considered an application for £5,000 for a project to help support the local business and economy by increasing visitor numbers throughout the Community Area.

Decision

The Area Board awarded the sum of £5,000 to this Area Board Project.

It was requested that, as part of this project, more comprehensive information on the heritage, history and attractions of each community should be incorporated into the Visit Wiltshire website.

It was also requested that regular updates on the progress of this project should be reported to the Area Board, and that the relevant contact details of members of the Chambers should be passed to the members of the Area Board.

c)    2012 Community Projects and Events

The Area Board considered an application for £600 from St Bartholomew’s Flower Guild for a Jubilee weekend flower festival.

Decision

The Area Board awarded the sum of £600 to St Bartholomew’s Flower Guild.

A 30-minute interval was held for refreshment and networking opportunities.

To note the written reports and receive any verbal updates from the following:

      i.        Wiltshire Police

    ii.        Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (attached)

   iii.        NHS Wiltshire (attached)

   iv.        Parish and Town Councils (attached)

    v.        Community Area Young People’s Issues Group (CAYPIG)

   vi.        Community-Led Planning Steering Groups

  vii.        Westlea Housing Association (attached)

viii.        Chambers of Commerce

   ix.        Community Groups.

Updates from partners were received as follows:

      i.        Wiltshire Police

The written update from Wiltshire Police was received and noted, and Inspector Chris Martin reported that Wiltshire was now the safest county in the country.

The number of thefts from motor vehicles had risen quite significantly in the period, so the Police were strongly advising people to secure their vehicles properly. The Police also advised that owners of quad bikes installed trackers to their bikes, as this significantly reduced the chances of locating them should they be stolen.

    ii.        Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

The written update was received and noted. There were no further updates.

   iii.        NHS Wiltshire

The written update was received and noted. There were no further updates.

   iv.        Parish and Town Councils

The written updates from Broad Town Parish Council, Cricklade Town Council, Purton Parish Council and Royal Wootton Bassett & Cricklade Town Council were received and noted.

Lyneham & Bradenstoke Parish Council reported that a budget of £3,000 was available to offer grants to communities for events that would celebrate the Diamond Jubilee. There was also the idea of holding a first ever fete for Lyneham, so anyone interested in getting involved should contact the Parish Council.

Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council was holding a ‘community breakfast’ at the Memorial Hall on Saturday 4 February from 10am until midday. Everyone was welcome to attend and would be encouraged to take part on a consultation exercise.

    v.        Chambers of Commerce

The Royal Wootton Bassett Chamber of Commerce had carried out a customer high street survey to get people’s opinions on what was good and bad about the high street.

The Chamber was also keen to hear from any groups or businesses looking to increase visitor numbers to their businesses or to the area.

   vi.        Westlea Housing Association

The written update was received and noted.

 vii.        Community Groups

Updates from the Wootton Bassett Sports Association and Rural North Partners were received and noted.

Defence Technical Training Centre at Lyneham

Capt John Sunderland RN (Chief of Staff, Defence Technical Training Change Programme) will present details about the establishment of a tri-service technical training centre at Lyneham.

Integration of the Lyneham Defence Technical Training Centre   with the Local Community

Support measures for the integration of the new military community with the local civilian community will be discussed with contributions from the MOD and Lyneham Steering Group.

Wiltshire Council Support for the Local Economy

Alistair Cunningham, Wiltshire Council Service Director for Economy and Enterprise will outline Wiltshire Council activities supporting the local economy.

The main theme for the evening was Economy and Enterprise, which included a presentation from the MOD on the future plans for the RAF Lyneham site.

Presentations were received as follows:

·         Capt John Sunderland RN, Chief of Staff, Defence Technical Training Change Programme.

·         Stephen Harness, Senior Town & Country Planner, Defence Infrastructure Organisation.

·         Ian Cambrook, Military Civilian Intervention (MCI) Programme Manager, Wiltshire Council.

·         Alistair Cunningham, Service Director Economy & Enterprise, Wiltshire Council.

Please see Appendix 1 to the minutes for summary details of the MOD presentations that were given.

Following the presentations, a question and answer session was held, which provided an opportunity for questions to be asked of any of the guest speakers. The following is a summary of the key points and issues that arose from this session:

·         There was some concern regarding the level of policing for the area with the RAF site being vacant, particularly considering the additional cuts to the number of Wiltshire Police Officers that would happen by the end of the financial year. This was acknowledged as an urgent issue and was currently being considered. Wiltshire Police reported that the Neighbourhood Policing Team would remain in place, but was keen for the MOD to replace the Police Officer as soon as possible.

·         The presentation of the site, including features such as the Comet at the main entrance, would be considered along with the overall plans of the site and would need to take into account all of the services which would be based at the site.

·         Facilities for young people, such as the bowling alley, were acknowledged as urgent issues for the local community and were in the process of being considered.

·         Defence Technical Training services were being withdrawn from a number of stations around the country, but this should not necessarily be taken to assume that those stations would close altogether.

·         The Secretary of State’s announcement that Defence Technical Training would move to Lyneham should go some way to reassure the community that there was a commitment and intention to progress these plans, but there was a lot of work to be done to get there.

·         Concern was raised regarding the number of children anticipated to come to the area, and the mechanisms for preparing for their education. Unfortunately the MOD posting methods were complex and it was not always possible to provide schools with forewarning of new pupils, but this was recognised as an important issue and efforts would be made to minimise the impacts on the children and on the local schools.

·         Wiltshire Council was working hard to mitigate the impact of the changes that were happening at RAF Lyneham, such as support for local businesses, working with the Chambers of Commerce, developing an Incubation Centre in Royal Wootton Bassett to assist new businesses and the ‘Fredricks Wiltshire’ fund to provide funds for businesses that wanted to expand.

·         It was acknowledged that much of the MOD housing in Lyneham would remain occupied during the transition period which should minimise the impact  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

Councillor Toby Sturgis will talk about his responsibilities for Waste, Property, Environment & Development Control Services, and respond to any questions.

Questions may be submitted in advance. Please email penny.bell@wiltshire.gov.uk by 18 January.

Councillor Toby Sturgis, Cabinet member for Waste, Property, Environment and Development Control Services, provided an update on his portfolio responsibilities as follows:

Waste

The key priority with regards to waste was the rollout of the Council’s new services, which included a fortnightly collection of plastic bottles and cardboard, a fortnightly collection of black box recycling, an optional fortnightly collection of garden waste and fortnightly collection of general household waste. Landfill taxes were rising and Wiltshire Council was keen to exceed its target of achieving a recycling rate of 50%.

Property

When Wiltshire Council became a unitary authority, it inherited some 95 buildings from the four district councils. Plans were on course to dispose of these unwanted buildings and create four main Council hubs. This would reduce the Council of the burden of these inefficient buildings, and would also reduce the Council’s carbon footprint.

Environment

The Council was driving efficiencies through its Transformation Programme, and the County Hall refurbishments were on course to achieve energy cost savings of 40%. There were also initiatives to encourage households to have cavity wall and loft insulation installed to further improve efficiencies.

Development Control

The Draft Wiltshire Core Strategy would shortly go before Council for endorsement for public consultation, which would last for 6 weeks from 20 February 2012. This was a very comprehensive plan for Wiltshire would cover the period to 2026. Other developments included the implications of the Localism Bill, further details of which were expected to emerge soon, and the Council was also working to develop a new IT system to replace the systems that were inherited from the former authorities.

The following questions and comments arose:

·         Concessions were available for households or organisations with specific requirements, such as surgeries or large households. Any queries should be directed to the Waste Team.

·         Weighted woven plastic sacks were available upon request for any households that had difficulty storing the large recycling bins.

The Chairman thanked Councillor Sturgis for his update.

Laurie Bell, Director of Communications, Wiltshire Council, will provide an update on arrangements for local and county-wide celebrations for the 2012 Olympics and Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Laurie Bell, Director of Communications, reported that a 2012 Working Group had been formed following the decision at the previous Area Board meeting, and work was underway to bring ideas to life for 2012 events.

A report was circulated which outlined Wiltshire Council’s plans to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with a celebration event to be held in Salisbury. The precise date of the event could not be confirmed at this time but would be either 1 May or 2 May 2012.

Each Area Board was invited to have a ‘jousting tent’ at the event, to showcase the history and democracy of their local areas. Specific details regarding the size of tent and facilities required was now needed in order to progress the arrangements of the event.

Decision

The Area Board delegated the responsibility of determining the specific details of requirements for the Diamond Jubilee event to the 2012 Working Group.

The Chairman will invite any remaining questions from the floor.

The meeting is asked to note the future meeting dates below and is reminded to complete the evaluation forms in the packs.

The Forward Plan is attached for information.

The Chairman thanked everyone for attending the meeting and requested that people took a moment to complete the feedback forms.

Specific thanks were extended to the guest speakers who had all contributed throughout the meeting.

The next meeting of the Royal Wootton Bassett & Cricklade Area Board would be held on Wednesday 28 March 2012, 6pm at Cricklade Town Hall.