Agenda and minutes

The Meeting will be opened by the Democratic Services Officer before overseeing the election of a Chairman for the forthcoming year.

Max Hirst, Democratic Services Officer, opened the meeting and called for nominations to elect the Chairman for the forthcoming year. On the nomination of Cllr Mark Connolly, seconded by Cllr Tony Pickernell, it was,

Resolved:

To elect Cllr Christopher Williams as Chairman for Tidworth Area Board for the forthcoming year.

To elect a Vice-Chairman for the forthcoming year.

The Chairman called for nominations to elect the Vice-Chairman for the forthcoming year. On the nomination of Cllr Christopher Williams, seconded by Cllr Mark Connolly, it was,

Resolved:

To elect Cllr Tony Pickernell as Vice-Chairman for Tidworth Area Board for the forthcoming year.

To welcome attendees to the meeting.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to Tidworth Area Board and introduced the Councillors and Officers present.

To receive any apologies for absence.

No apologies were received.

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 20 March 2023.

On the proposal of Cllr Christopher Williams, seconded by Cllr Tony Pickernell, it was:

Resolved:

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 20 March 2023 as a true and correct record.

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

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chairman will provide information about: 

·       Cost of Living Update

·       Wiltshire Libraries – Online Support

·       Independent Visitor Scheme promotion for volunteers

·       Family Help Hubs

The Chairman drew attention to the following information included in the agenda pack:

•         Cost of Living Update

With inflation and energy costs still high, Wiltshire Council continues to provide support to people through the cost-of-living crisis. Wiltshire Council has a range of advice and support at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/cost-of-living.

The full report can be found in the Agenda Pack.

•         Wiltshire Libraries

Wiltshire Libraries are helping residents to have the skills and internet access they need to get and stay online during the cost of living crisis. Further support includes helping with learning computer skills and the National Databank providing free SIM cards to those who are struggling.

Further information about getting online at the library can be found at

https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/libraries-accessing-computers. Information about the National Databank appears on the cost of living support and advice pages at https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/cost-ofliving. An online referral form will soon be added.

The full report can be found in the Agenda Pack.

•         Independent Visitor Scheme

The Independent Visitor Scheme needs more volunteers! Independent Visitors are adult volunteers who are matched with young people in care to visit, advise and befriend them. We currently have nearly 70 approved and matched Independent Visitors but with over 400 young people in care in Wiltshire, we need more to provide this vital and life changing service.

Volunteers are asked to give a long-term commitment to visit a young person every 3-4 weeks, for a couple of hours, to have fun, try new things and build a strong and lasting relationship.

Training and ongoing support is provided, with all expenses covered. If anyone is interested, please could they get in contact with IVScheme@Wiltshire.gov.uk for more information on how to apply.

•         Family Help Hubs

Family hubs are part of the Government manifesto promise to support children and young people up to the age of 19, or 25 if they have SEND. In Wiltshire we will refer to them as part of our Family Help offer. This is to remove the implication of the support being purely building based.

We have a vision that all children, young people and families will be enabled and empowered to live their healthiest, most fulfilled lives by having easy and timely access to a locally integrated network of hubs, supported by an online offer. This will bring preventative and early help support and information services together from all sectors to ensure a county wide delivery that is seamless, relationship based, and trauma informed, empowering families to be resilient and live their healthiest, most fulfilled lives.

The full report can be found in the Agenda Pack.

To receive any updates from partner organisations:

-       Wiltshire Police – Insp Ricky Lee

-       Dorset and Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service – Station Manager Simon Todd

-       Healthwatch

-       Parish Councils

-       MOD

The Area Board noted the Police report and subsequent Road Safety Report which is contained in the Agenda Pack.

The Area Board noted written reports from:

Collingbourne Kingston PC

Everleigh PC

Ludgershall TC

Tidworth TC

MOD - Lt Colonel Whitelegge thanked the Board and its partner organisations for its ongoing support and emphasised ongoing cooperation.

To receive updates from the Area Board Delivery Officer and Lead Councillors about the progress made towards the Area Board’s priorities over the last year.

Graeme Morrison, Strategic Engagement Partnership Manager (SEPM) gave a presentation on Corsham Area Board’s achievements over the past year.

The full report can be found in the Agenda Pack.

To set the Area Board’s priority actions for the forthcoming year and appoint Lead Members to those priority areas.

The Board considered the Priority Areas and the Appointment of Priority Group Representatives for 2023/24.

It was:

Resolved:

To appoint the following Councillors as Priority Group Representatives for 2023/24:

Health and Wellbeing – Cllr Tony Pickernell

Youth Engagement – Cllr Christopher Williams

Environment – Mark Connolly

To appoint Lead Members to the Area Board’s Outside Bodies and any Working Groups not already covered under the previous item.

Outside Bodies

Tidworth Leisure Centre - Cllr Christopher Williams

To consider any recommendations arising from the LHFIG meeting held on 3 July 2023.

Report to follow.

The Board noted the minutes arising from the LHFIG Meeting held on 3^rd July 2023.

Community Area Grants

Ludgershall Memorial Hall - Ludgershall Memorial Hall health and safety

improvements

Proposed by Cllr Christopher Williams and Seconded by Cllr Tony Pickernell it was:

Resolved

To award Ludgershall Memorial Hall £1500 for their health and safety improvements.

Reason – The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria 2023/24

Sarum North PCN NHS – NHS Patients Gardening Project to support mental wellbeing.

Cllr Mark Connolly proposed an award of £1000, this was seconded by Cllr Christopher Williams.

It was:

Resolved

To award a reduced amount of £1000 to Sarum North PCN NHS for their NHS Patients Gardening Project.

Reason – The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria 2023/24

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

It was discussed and agreed that the Tidworth Area Board meeting taking place on March 2024 would be at the Tidworth Civic Centre.

The next meeting of the Tidworth Area Board will be on 4 September 2023

The next meeting of the Tidworth Area Board will be held on 4 September 2023.