Agenda and minutes

The Chairman greeted everyone to the meeting of the Wootton Bassett & Cricklade Area Board and introduced the councillors and officers present. He formally welcomed Penny Bell, in her new role as Community Area Manager, and Alexa Smith, as Democratic Services Officer.

Apologies for absence were received from Mike Bell (Purton Parish Council), Johnathan Bourne (Town Clerk at Wootton Bassett Town Council), Michael Leighfield, Dr Gary Mantle (Wiltshire Wildlife Trust), Matthew Millet (Cotswold Water Park Trust), Veronica Stubbings (Broad Town Parish Council), Ray Thomas (Purton Parish Council), Inspector Mark Thomson (Wiltshire Police) and Chris Wannell (Wootton Bassett Town Council).

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 26 September 2012.

Decision

The minutes of the meeting held on 26 September 2012 were agreed a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Councillors are requested to declare any pecuniary or non-pecuniary interests, or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

There were no declarations of interest.

News and information on what’s going on in your local community, and across the county:

      i.        Informal Adult Education – an update

    ii.        Victim Support

   iii.        Community-Led Planning

   iv.        Neighbourhood Planning – an update

    v.        Youth Funding.

The Chairman explained that this item had been called Chairman’s Announcements at previous meetings. The information provided about Informal Adult Education, Victim Support, Community-Led Planning, Neighbourhood Planning and Youth Funding was available in the agenda pack.

New information was provided about development plans for the Lyneham site consultation. The proposals to create a Defence Technical Training College at Lyneham were currently in development by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), supported by technical advisors AMEC.

The Defence Technical Training Change Programme (DTTCP) represented the MOD’s plan for delivering cost effective technical training for military personnel. As part of this, the existing technical training given at Bordon and Arborfield would be transferred to the Lyneham site by the end of 2015, following its planned closure as an RAF unit at the end of 2012.

The long term goal was to move more MOD Technical Training Units into Lyneham, in a series of tranches that stretched beyond 2015.

A questionnaire had been prepared to gain initial feedback on the proposal from local residents and other interested parties. This would be available until December 21 2012. Please see the webpage via the following link to complete the survey: http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/ConsultationsandCommunications/PublicConsultations/DevelopmentPlansForTheLynehamSiteConsultation.htm. Hard copies of the questionnaire were also available at Lyneham Library and could be obtained from Lyneham & Bradenstoke Parish Council. Please contact the Clerk on 07801 440076.

Public exhibitions would be held in Spring 2013 when draft plans for the redevelopment of Lyneham would be presented at a series of Defence Infrastructure Organisation drop in sessions. Further details of these events would be provided as they became available.

To receive updates from our key partners, including:

      i.        Wiltshire Police

    ii.        Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

   iii.        Military Civilian Integration Programme

   iv.        Defence Technical Training

    v.        NHS Wiltshire

   vi.        Parish and Town Councils

  vii.        Youth Services

viii.        Neighbourhood Planning – updates from NEWV, Cricklade and Royal Wootton Bassett

   ix.        Community-Led Planning Steering Groups

    x.        Chambers of Commerce/Business Associations

   xi.        Community Groups

  xii.        Housing Associations.

The Chairman explained that this item had been called Partner Updates at previous meetings. Updates from partners were received as follows:

       i.          Wiltshire Police

The written update was noted. Sergeant Martin Alvis reported that a Facebook site had been launched for Royal Wootton Bassett & Cricklade Area Board. Please ‘like’ the page if you would like to receive regular updates. Inspector Chris Martin had left the community area and his replacement would be Inspector Mark Thomson. The Chairman thanked Inspector Martin for his hard work in the community area and extended a warm welcome to Inspector Thomson.  

      ii.          Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

The written update was noted. Mike Franklin added that Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service also had a Facebook page. There had been a local incident in which five members of a family had been treated for carbon monoxide poisoning; this highlighted the importance of having a carbon monoxide detector fitted. Please get your chimney swept if you intend to burn fossil fuels over the winter and visit the Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service website if you would like further information on having your Christmas decorations tested for fire safety purposes: http://www.wiltsfire.gov.uk/.

    iii.          Military Civilian Integration Partnership

The written update was noted. 

    iv.          Defence Technical Training

The written update was noted.

     v.          NHS Wiltshire

The written update was noted.

    vi.          Parish and Town Councils

The written update from Cricklade Town Council was noted.

  vii.          Youth Services

The Chairman of the area board welcomed the young people present at the meeting and representatives from the local schools.

 viii.          Neighbourhood Planning

Please find the update provided as a Chairman’s announcement.

    ix.          Community-Led Planning Steering Groups

Please find the update provided as a Chairman’s announcement.

     x.          Chambers of Commerce/Business Associations

The written update from Royal Wootton Bassett Chamber of Commerce was noted.

    xi.          Community Groups

The written updates from Wootton Bassett Sports Association and Wiltshire Involvement Network were noted.

  xii.          Housing Associations.

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

      i.        Community Area Transport Group

    ii.        Cricklade Shadow Community Operations Board

   iii.        Royal Wootton Bassett Shadow Community Operations Board

   iv.        Dog Fouling Task Group.

Updates were received as follows:

       i.          Community Area Transport Group

The next meeting would be held on 10 January and invitations for this would be sent shortly.

     ii.          Cricklade Shadow Community Operations Board (COB)

Cricklade COB were pleased to report that funding from Cabinet had been received and the group were now working on a design brief.

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

   iv.          Dog Fouling Task Group

A meeting was scheduled for 4 December and feedback would be provided on this at the next area board meeting.  

To ask Councillors to consider officer recommendations in respect of 2 applications seeking 2012/13 Community Area Grant Funding:

      i.        Thames Pre School – award £395 for the provision of 6 outdoor waterproof coats for staff.

    ii.        Cricklade United Church/Community Hall – award £600 towards the provision of fixed emergency lighting for the hall.

The area board considered the following applications to the Community Area Grant Scheme:

         i.          Thames Pre School

The sum of £395 was requested for the provision of six outdoor waterproof coats for staff.

Decision

The area board awarded the sum of £395 to Thames Pre School.

Reason: The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria 2012/13 and the application would enable the staff to be suitably clothed to encourage the children’s play during wet weather.

       ii.          Cricklade United Church/Community Hall

The sum of £600 was requested towards the provision of fixed emergency lighting for the hall.  

Decision

The area board awarded the sum of £600 to Cricklade United Church/Community Hall.

Reason: The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria 2012/13 and the installation of fixed emergency lighting would bring the hall up to date on health and safety responsibilities providing a safe environment for hall users.

A short interval will be held for refreshments and networking opportunities.

A short break was held for refreshments and networking opportunities.

To include presentations from:

·         Wiltshire Wildlife Trust – Stephen Davis, Head of Conservation Policy

·         Cotswold Water Park Trust – Matthew Millett, Managing Director

·         Wessex AONB – Andrew Lord, Planning Advisor

To be followed by a Question & Answer panel session with the presenters, and also including:

·         Richard Broadhead – Rights of Way and Countryside Manager, Wiltshire Council

·         Councillor Dick Tonge, Wiltshire Council Cabinet member for Highways & Transport.

The Chairman introduced the second part of the meeting and explained this had an environmental theme.

A presentation was given by Stephen Davis, Head of Conservation Policy at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. This covered the following main points:

·       The State of the Environment report – the first of a series of annual reports was published in May 2012 to give an overview and analysis of a range of environmental data and issues.

·       Wiltshire Intelligence Network – this website draws together a wide range of online sources and gives easy access to current information: www.intelligencenetwork.org.uk.

·       Good news overall about the community area – with over 90% green space and extensive Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

·       Some bad news about the community area – for example water levels and quality were of great concern.

·       Local issues – such as air pollution from road traffic, the area of wildlife-rich sites, water quality due to diffuse pollution from farming, low river flows, management of flood risk and access to public green space.

Given that Matthew Millett had provided his apologies for the meeting, Councillor Colmer stepped in to provide information about the Cotswold Water Park Trust, which the Chairman thanked him for doing. This included:

·       A map and aerial photograph of the Cotswold Water Park today – including farmland, quarries, lakes, development and local communities.

·       Why the area was of international and national importance – for one reason because of its wintering waterbirds.

·       How the Cotswold Water Park provided for the public, and in particular the inhabitants of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, facilities for education, conservation, recreation and leisure.

·       Cotswold Water Park activities – including the Biodiversity Action Plan, research and monitoring, information and visitor facilities, new foot/cycle paths, production of leisure guides and maps, education programmes and community events.

·       Mineral extraction in the local area – currently 8 mineral companies were extracting at 10 quarries, covering approximately 400 hectares. There was planning permission for a further 310 hectares and a further 550 hectares in ‘preferred areas’ in county mineral plans.

·       The Cotswold Water Park Biodiversity Action Plan – including 10 Habitat Action Plans and 15 Species Action Plans.

·       The vision for the local area – better opportunities to explore and appreciate what will become one of the largest man-made wetlands in Europe.

The final presentation for this part of the meeting was given by Andrew Lord, Planning Advisor for Wessex Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Management Plan for the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty was available to view on their website and comments on this would be appreciated as it would soon be under review: www.northwessexdowns.org.uk.

Andrew covered:

·       The North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Management Plan – intended to provide a vision for all groups and organisations who seek to contribute to the conservation and enjoyment of the Area.

·       Walking and cycling in the Area.

·       ‘Our Land – Experiences to Treasure’ project - £1 million was available to promote sustainable and responsible tourism across nine  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

To receive information from Jenny Wilcockson, Digital Literacy Coordinator, on the Council’s Digital Literacy Project, and to recruit local people to act as Digital Champion volunteers to support local people to get online.

Jenny Wilcockson, Digital Literacy Coordinator, gave a presentation on the ‘Wiltshire Online’ project, which aimed to improve access to broadband, ensure that local people could access free computer support and increase usage of online government services.

Jenny explained that an estimated 68,000 in Wiltshire had never been online.  The majority of these were older people but a high proportion were people with disabilities or families on low incomes. These were the target groups for the programme of delivering free computer support.

The benefits of helping people to get online include:

·       Avoiding loneliness and isolation by promoting free/cheap communication via email, Facebook and Skype

·       Helping people develop IT skills which could lead to better job prospects and higher earning potential

·       Helping people to save up to £560 per year by shopping online, using price comparison websites, using online auction websites or paying bills online.

As part of the programme, Wiltshire Council was seeking to recruit local volunteer coordinators and digital champion volunteers who could then provide the support in community venues such as libraries, or in someone’s own home.

Volunteers were now sought from the Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade Community Area and people were also invited to pre-register for support. Suggestions were also welcomed as to any WiFi hotspots in the area which might be suitable as venues under the scheme and could receive a ‘Wiltshire Online’ sticker. It was hoped that local computer groups would get in touch so that learners could be signposted to them. Lydiard Milicent Primary School was already set up and keen to become involved in the project and there were opportunities for Wootton Bassett Academy. Refurbished laptops would soon be available to those who met certain eligibility criteria.

An open, public question and answer session to raise issues with your local representative (please note that if answers cannot be provided on the night, written responses will be provided after the meeting).

There was the opportunity for members of the public to raise issues with their local representative. It was agreed that most issues had been covered over the course of the meeting; however Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service and Wiltshire Police were thanked for their services in relation to recent weather conditions.

To receive updates from members leading on the Area Board’s priorities, as follows:

      i.        HGV volume and routes – Councillor Jacqui Lay

    ii.        Affordable housing and making it attractive/modern – Councillor Allison Bucknell

   iii.        Urban Sprawl – Councillor Peter Colmer

   iv.        Lack of bus services in rural areas – Councillor Bill Roberts

    v.        Increasing traffic on A419/M4 creating rat-runs – Councillor Mollie Groom.

Updates were received from members leading on priorities, as follows:

i.                 HGV volume and routes – Councillor Lay reported that she was looking for one further member from Lyneham to complete the task group.

ii.                Affordable housing – Councillor Bucknell had nothing specific to report.

iii.              Urban sprawl – Councillor Colmer reported that he was disappointed in the Inspector’s decision to allow up to 700 dwellings to be built at Ridgeway Farm. He would be speaking to the Spatial Planning team at Wiltshire Council to discuss the potential impact on flooding.

iv.              Lack of rural bus services – Councillor Roberts reported that he had received a comment that a free bus service to ASDA in West Swindon would be useful.

v.               Increasing traffic on A419/M4 creating rat-runs – Councillor Groom reported that she had spoken to Swindon Borough Council and consultation would be running from 30 November 2012 until 8 January 2013.     

The Chairman will invite any remaining questions from the floor.

The meeting is asked to note the future meeting dates below and is asked to participate in the evaluation.

The Chairman thanked everyone for attending the meeting. The next meeting of the Wootton Bassett & Cricklade Area Board would be held on Wednesday 23 January 2013. He confirmed that the March meeting would not be taking place due to the run up to the elections, so the area board was hoping to approve as many grant applications as possible at the next meeting in January.