Agenda and minutes

Announcements:

·       NHS Health Checks.

·       Army Rebasing.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to Netheravon for the Tidworth Area Board.

Representatives of Surrey County Council who were in attendance were welcomed.

The Chairman advised that this would be Col James Denny’s last Area Board meeting before retiring from the British Army. Col Denny was thanked for his support of the Area Board and the good relations that he had fostered between the residents of the Tidworth community area and the MOD.

Col Steve Lawton was introduced as the new Tidworth Garrison Commander.

The following Chairman’s Announcements were noted:

·       School place planning.

·       Army Rebasing – update.

Apologies for absence were received from Michael Meade, Denis Bottomley – Everleigh Parish Council and Janet White - Ludgershall Town Council.

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

There were none.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on Monday 21 September 2015.

Decision

·       The minutes of the meeting held on Monday 21 September 2015 were confirmed as the correct record.

It was noted that the meeting ended at 8:50pm and not am.

Presentation from Justine Womack - Consultant in Public Health, Wiltshire Council, about its child poverty profile in order to support and consider any local action to prevent, reduce and mitigate its impact on children in the area.

Kate Blackburn – Public Health Registrar, Wiltshire Council and Justine Womack – Public Health Consultant, Wiltshire gave a presentation and discussion on child poverty, providing the Area Board with data about child poverty locally.

Points made included:

•        What is Child Poverty?

The proportion of children living in families within the UK that are either in receipt of out-of-work benefits or in receipt of tax credits with a reported income which is less than 60 per cent of national median income. This measure provides a broad proxy for relative low-income child poverty as set out in the Child Poverty Act 2010 and enables analysis at a local level.”

The Wiltshire Picture

·       In 2012 10.6% of children in Wiltshire in poverty.

·       Significant variation within Wiltshire -pockets of high deprivation found in particular localities and significant deprivation across some vulnerable groups.

·       Employment rate: Wiltshire 77% (men 84%, women 70%)                       

          National 72% (men 77%, women 67%)

·       Median gross annual earnings employed £20,657

          (Females £15,875, part-time £8,543)

·       Median weekly income: Wiltshire £503.60 National £520.70

·       Country Life: Tougher To Make Ends Meet report found people living in rural communities need to spend 10-20% more that those in urban areas to reach a minimum acceptable living standard while pay levels are frequently lower than urban areas.

The Wiltshire Child Poverty Strategy

•        Child Poverty Act commits this and future governments to eradicating child poverty by 2020. Tasks local areas to produce a child poverty needs assessment and strategy. 

•        New Life Chances legislation (incorporated into the Welfare Reform and Work Bill) proposes to remove a number of the legal duties and measures set out in the Child Poverty Act 2010 and to place a new duty on the Secretary of State to report annually on children in workless households and the educational attainment of children.

•        Wiltshire strategy has 5 objectives:

Objective 1 – Provide effective support to vulnerable families with 0-5  year olds.

Objective 2 – Narrowing the Educational Attainment Gap.

Objective 3 – Develop an inclusive economy that will enable equality of economic opportunity for all.

Objective 4 – Provide locally-focused support based on a thorough understanding of needs.

Objective 5 – Promote engagement with the Child Poverty Strategy and related implementation plan.

It was requested that figures could be provided for the Key Stage 4 free school meal attainment gap at the Wellington Academy. It was agreed that Cllr Charles Howard would report back on this at the January 2016 meeting.

The Chairman thanked Kate Blackburn and Justine Womack for a very interesting presentation. It was agreed that the Area Board would hold a future meeting to expand on this topic.

Presentation from Nick Cowen – Senior Rights of Way Warden, Wiltshire Council.

Nick Cowen – Senior Rights of Way Warden, Wiltshire Council gave a short presentation highlighting Wiltshire’s footpaths and how volunteers could help to keep them open and accessible to all.

Points made included:

·       The importance of good dialogue with the parishes to install kissing gates etc.

·       Good work being carried out across the county by members of the Ramblers Association.

·       Involving local people to highlight local issues.

·       That Wiltshire Council was rolling out a tool kit to help the parishes and local groups get out there and involved in maintaining footpaths in their local community areas.

The Chairman thanked Nick Cowen for his presentation.

Presentation from Wendy Loades - Liaise Officer, England Illegal Money Lending Team.

Wendy Loades - Liaise Officer, England Illegal Money Lending Team gave a presentation that highlight the issue of Loan Sharks in the community area.

Points made included:

The Legal Definition, what is a loan shark?

•        Nothing to do with a high APR or interest rate.

•        Nothing to do with bullying or harassment.

•        It is to do with having the correct permission– or NOT…

•        The definition of a LOAN SHARK is someone who lends money in the course of trade or business without having the correct permission from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

Who is affected?

·       Estimated 310,000 UK households using illegal money lending.

·       This equates to 12% of households in the most deprived areas.

·       Convert households to people and that is about 732,000 men, women and children living in the shadow of loan sharks.

·       People repay £700 million per year to loan sharks.

The role of Liaise Officers

Raise awareness of illegal money lending

local communities.

voluntary and statutory organisations.

Build partnerships

appropriate sources of advice, credit, and support services.

involvement in local financial inclusion initiatives.

Gather information

On local communities targeted by illegal lenders.

 how/why victims borrow from loan sharks.

Education

deliver educational packages in the community to make people aware of the damage that loan sharks can do.

provide information on alternative means of credit.

 Victim / Witness Support…

The Chairman thanked Wendy Loades for a very informative presentation.

To receive an update and determine any applications for Youth funding.

 Wendy Higginson – Community Youth Officer.

Wendy Higginson advised that:

·       The former bus shelter would now be re-sited in the park, just waiting on the contractors now.

·       That Wendy was working with the Wiltshire Schools Isolation Officer on a strategy to try and keep pupils in school.

·       Plans were afoot to set up a youth club for young people with special needs in the St Andrews Hall.

·       That 30+ young people had been attending the dance project.

·       That the next Local Youth Network meeting would be held on Wednesday 2 December 2015.

The Chairman thanked Wendy Higginson for her update.

Cllr Mark Connolly.

CAT-G Funding

Decision

That the Tidworth Area Board agrees the following funding:

·       That up to £2,500 is awarded for a crossing on the Bulford Road.

·       That £2,000 is awarded for gateways and associated signage for the village of Fosbury.

Derek Booth, a resident of Collingbourne Ducis highlighted the issue that bus pass holders could no longer use their passes on the Swindon – Tidworth bus route before 10:30am due to Wiltshire Council cutting services. Many residents used this service to travel to Swindon for hospital appointments.

It was agreed that Cllr Mark Connolly would follow this issue up with Wiltshire Council officers and report back to Derek Booth the outcome.

The Chairman thanked Cllr Connolly for his update.

The Area Board members are asked to agree:

·       That in respect of urgent matters that may arise, the Community Youth Officer, following consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Area Board, may authorise expenditure to support youth projects from the youth budget of up to £5,000 in total between meetings of an Area Board. The decision and reasons why it was considered urgent will be reported to the next meeting of the Area Board.

·       That in respect of urgent matters that may arise, the Community Engagement Manager, following consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Area Board, may authorise expenditure to support community projects from the delegated budget of up to £5,000 in total between meetings of an Area Board. The decision and reasons why it was considered urgent will be reported to the next meeting of the Area Board.

Decision

•        That in respect of urgent matters that may arise, the Community Youth Officer, following consultation with at least two of the members of the Area Board, may authorise expenditure to support youth projects from the youth budget of up to £5,000 in total between meetings of an Area Board. The decision and reasons why it was considered urgent will be reported to the next meeting of the Area Board.

•        That in respect of urgent matters that may arise, the Community Engagement Manager, following consultation with at least two members of the Area Board, may authorise expenditure to support community projects from the delegated budget of up to £5,000 in total between meetings of an Area Board. The decision and reasons why it was considered urgent will be reported to the next meeting of the Area Board.

Marc Read – Community Engagement Manager

Marc Read – Community Engagement Manager advised that the Tidworth Area Board were looking to appoint an Older People and Carer’s Champion. Nominations would be sought at the next Area Board meeting on Monday 18 January 2016.

Tidworth Garrison – Col James Denny

·       Army Rebasing – some delays now in the expected time frame, (around a year).

·       That building work was ongoing on the cycle/pedestrian footpath linking the Wellington Academy to Perham Down.

·       Thanks to everybody for your participation in this year’s Pageant.

·       That the Garrison Pantomime would be on Thursday 2 December 2015.

·       Col Denny thanked Tony Pickernell for his hard work with the Tidworth Community Area Partnership during tenure as Tidworth Garrison Commander.

Wiltshire Police – Inspector Christian Lange

The written update was noted.

Points also made by Inspector Lange included:

·       That a new Community Policing model was currently being trialled in the Trowbridge area.  It had been decided that this pilot would be rolled out county wide during the summer 2016. Exactly what this would mean had yet to be fully decided and was subject of current planning discussions.

·       The new Wiltshire Police Control Strategy, which was based around the cross cutting themes of High risk victims, High risk offender, Domestic abuse and Cyber crime.

Questions from the floor included:

That there were concerns that under the new policing model, local police knowledge could be lost.

a.Communities would still have local policing, but other officers would be available to help if required. PCSOs would not be lost.

How can a good level of policing be maintained with cuts having to be made?

a.There are indeed less resources, so Wiltshire Police has to do something different. The pilot in Trowbridge had proved to be very successful.

Would any police officers face redundancy?

a.No,any reduction would be through natural wastage or early retirement.

Would Special Constable numbers reduce?

a.No, Specials would continue to be recruited. PCSOs would see their role be given more responsibility.

Would Wiltshire Police still be supporting Community Speedwatch?

a.Wiltshire Police would continue to support Community Speedwatch.

How can officers spend more time in the community and less time in the office attending to admin etc?

a.New mobile devices were being rolled out, giving officers the freedom to access information and stay in touch whilst remaining on the beat.

Tidworth Community Area Partnership – Tony Pickernell

·       Primary Schools pantomime on Thursday 3 December at the Garrison Theatre.

·       That around 500 people had attended the recent proms concerts.

·       Thanks to Col Denny for his hard work and time spent with the Partnership.

Tidworth Town Council – Corby Kemp

·       That the Tidworth Memory Café would be opening in the new year.

Ludgershall Town Council – Owen White

·       That this year’s Remembrance wreath laying ceremony had been very well attended, thanks to all who had taken part or helped out.

·       That residents of Perham Down had issues with no 4G signal, for service personnel and their families this was a major issue. It was agreed that Cllr Mark Connolly would follow this matter up.

CollingbourneDucis Parish Council

·       That building work on the new play area should start on the 10 December.

·       Derek Booth –Collingbourne Ducis resident advised traffic continued to be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

The Wiltshire Councillors were asked toconsider four applications seeking

2015/16 Community Area Grantfunding and one Member Initiative.

Decision

Girl Guiding Wiltshire South Berwick Management Committee awarded    £5,000 for New Build for Berwick St James Guide HQ.

Reason

Theapplication meets grant criteria 2015/16.

Decision

 Collingbourne School awarded £1,000 for community netball club.

 Reason

Theapplication meets grant criteria 2015/16.

Decision

 Tidworth Mums awarded £910.80 for easy use child seating.

 Reason

Theapplication meets grant criteria 2015/16.

Decision

 Holy Trinity Church, Tidworth Toddler Group awarded £500 for Flat screen TV, dvds and  safety gate.

 Reason

Theapplication meets grant criteria 2015/16.

Member inititaive sponsored by Cllr Chris Williams, to be paid from the 2015/16 revenue budget.

Tidworth Community Area Partnership awarded £450 to provide two coaches to and from the School Christmas Concert at the Garrison Theatre for the Christmas School’s Concert.

The next meeting of the Tidworth Area Board will be on Monday 18 January 2016 at the Wellington Academy, Tidworth Rd, Tidworth, Wiltshire SP11 9RR.

The next meeting of the Tidworth Area Board will be held on Monday

18 January 2016 at the Wellington Academy, Tidworth Rd, Tidworth.