Agenda and minutes

To welcome those present to the meeting.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting of the Amesbury Area Board and thanked the Stonehenge Visitor Centre for hosting the meeting.

At the Chairman’s invitation, Jacqui Abbott, the new Community Engagement Manager for Amesbury introduced herself.

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

Apologies for absence had been received from Cllr John Smale.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 22 November 2018.

Resolved

The minutes of the meeting held on 22 November 2018 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

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

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive the following announcements through the Chairman (written briefing notes are available in the full agenda pack, or online):

·         Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner - Priorities and precept proposals.

·         CCG – Maternity Services - a consultation on changes to Maternity Services is underway, ending on 24 February 2019. Go to www.transformingmaternity.org.uk for details and response forms.

·         Polling District and Polling Place Review – to ensure that all electors have reasonably practicable facilities for voting.

The Chairman referred the meeting to the written reports contained in the agenda pack regarding:

·         Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner – Priorities and precept proposals.

A video from the OPCC was shown to the meeting explaining the reasoning behind proposed increases to the PCC precept. This would mean that for an average household the precept would increase by around £2.00 per month. The extra funds raised were to be spent on increasing community policing and tackling cyber-crime. The consultation deadline was midday on 31 January 2019.

The Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, Jerry Herbert then invited questions. In response to questions it was stated that the PCC Angus Macpherson was not to his knowledge retiring. The PCC had reserves of around £13 million. Their costs ran to around £110 million per year. The reserves had been depleted by approximately £1 million per year for the last three years. By raising the precept it was hoped that they would not need to use reserves in the coming year. If the precept was increased the PCC planned to employ 41 new police officers and a number of further police staff. The vast majority of the new officers would contribute to community policing. In addition staff would be recruited to two cyber-crime teams, one focusing on child sexual exploitation and one focusing on fraud. There were no problems recruiting new police officers. As a result of a recruitment drive last year they believed they had identified people to fulfil the proposed new roles and there was in fact a waiting list to become a police officer. Training for these new police officers involved an intensive 12 week programme followed by a period of time on patrol with a tutor.

Not all funds had yet been recouped to cover the cost of the Salisbury and Amesbury major incident last year. They had received £9.1 million so far, with approximately £1 million still outstanding. This was mainly to cover overtime bills from other police forces and they were still waiting for some of these bills to come in. Once received they would be passed to Government for payment.

The Deputy PCC stated that they could not commit to officer numbers being increased every year. They had adjusted the balance of policing around the county to match evolving crime patterns and types, for example by replacing some police officers with police staff in some places. The Chief Constable advised what he thinks is needed to meet requirements. They were proposing to raise the precept by the maximum allowed by Government.

·         CCG – Maternity Services - a consultation on changes to Maternity  Services was underway, ending on 24 February 2019. Go to www.transformingmaternity.org.uk for details and response forms.

·         Polling District and Polling Place Review

To ensure that all electors have reasonably practicable facilities for voting.

·         Consultation on Special Schools

Wiltshire Council was asking for people’s views on proposals to expand its successful model of providing children’s centre services in local community venues. The consultation was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To receive updates from the Town and Parish Council Representatives, and from other partner organisations.

·         Wiltshire Police

·         Fire and Rescue Service

·         Town and Parish Councils

·         Lovells – SFA and Army Rebasing

·         MOD

·         NHS Wiltshire CCG

·         HealthWatch Wiltshire

The Chairman referred to the updates set out in the agenda and invited further updates from Town/Parish Councils and other Partners.

·         Wiltshire Police

Sector Deputy for South Wiltshire, John Hutchings referred the meeting to the written report and gave a brief update to the meeting. They had been working with Amesbury Town Council to address issues around the night time economy in Amesbury. After reports in the Woodford Valley of a particular individual persistently littering, the individual was caught and was also charged with drunk driving. Whilst waiting for the case to come to court the individual was again caught drunk driving following a police chase. They were remanded in custody and heavily sentenced. This was a good example of the community policing team working on information received by the local community. The meeting was advised that Lucy Wileman, the Amesbury PCSO would be off work for 4 weeks and therefore people should contact the community policing team with issues, rather than trying to contact Lucy direct. It had been mentioned at previous area boards that the police would try to attend any community events they were invited to, and they were pleased to report they had attended all the commitments they had been invited to so far. With regard to the PCC precept increase it was stated that the police were very proud of the work they do on the budgets they have and that Mr Hutchings would be happy to pay the increase. Woodford Parish Council thanked the police for their response to the littering report. The audience also thanked the police for Operation Artemis, which was a rural crime operation focusing on issues such as poaching and theft.

·         Fire and Rescue Service

A short video on DWFRS was shown to the meeting. The Chair advised that there was a recruitment drive at Amesbury fire station.

·         Town and Parish Councils

The chair invited all town and parish councils to contact us with any questions, information or agenda items they would like discussed at the Area Board.

·         Lovells – SFA and Army Rebasing

·         A representative of Lovells gave a brief update to the meeting. Progress on accommodation across the three sites was going very well and they had an exemplary Health and Safety record so far. Bulford was the most advanced site with 35 houses handed over to the MOD so far. It was anticipated that the Bulford site would be completed in July. At the Lurgashall site the first handovers to the MOD were imminent. The Larkhill site would take until July 2020 to complete. The meeting was advised that there would be works on the Packway during spring and summer which would involve traffic lights so there may be delays as a result. In April/May they would be working on the junction upgrade in Bulford.

·         MOD

·         Neill Page, DIO Army Basing Programme Delivery Lead sent his apologies and a written report. The report would be published as an agenda supplement so people could view it online.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To receive an update from the HWBG.

·         Communities Together

An update from Cllr Graham Wright focusing on working as One Team and Army Rebasing -  especially the  implementation of the required infrastructure and community cohesion.

Update on the Tidworth Super Garrison.

·         Provision of Doctors in the Amesbury Community Area

To receive updates on the provision of Dr’s and Dentists in the Amesbury Area from:

o   NHS/Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)

o   Local Dr’s Surgeries - Shrewton Cross Plains Surgery

·         Solutions 4 Health Weight Loss Programme

To receive a presentation from Matt Bearne of Solutions4Health on their free Shape Up 4 Life weight loss programme.

·         The Bridge Youth Project

To receive an update on the Bridge Youth Project and their mentoring programme, following receipt of a grant from the Area Board.

Health and Wellbeing Group

Cllr Graham Wright gave an update from the Health and Wellbeing Group. There had been a wonderful event at Stone Henge on 12 December and Cllr Wight extended his thanks to Community Transport.

There had been a good HWBG meeting on 16 January 2019. Wiltshire Council were extending the use of existing buildings in Amesbury to create community spaces. Radian Housing Association, who own over 1000 properties in Amesbury and Salisbury would be running a social enterprise event for people who want to set up small businesses.

A new role of Local Area Coordinator had been created by Wiltshire Council, which would involve working in deprived areas, providing support, following a client through from the initial problem to a good outcome.

Cllr Wright wished farewell to the current CEM, Dave Roberts, who would be leaving at the end of January and thanked him for all his hard work. He welcomed the new CEM for the Amesbury Area – Jacqui Abbott, who would also be taking the lead on HWB groups for the whole of Wiltshire. 

Communities Together

Cllr Darren Henry gave an update. Details were given regarding the taxi bus service running in Shrewton. Cllr Henry wanted to promote use of the service so that it continued. The service was operated by Wiltshire Council and was known as a taxi bus as it was regulated by private hire regulations which made it cheaper to run. There was only one bus, with one driver. The bus usually did the school run and then followed a route. The service would collect users from their house, however you did need to book it. The service would be reviewed later in the year and was due to go out to tender again at the end of 2019.  Cllr Henry wanted connections between Shrewton, Winterbourne Stoke, Stonehenge and Larkhill to be improved. It was hoped that a working group could be established in order to facilitate improved connections in the area and the continuation of the taxi bus service.

Further updates were given by Cllr Graham Wright. A new website for Communities Together was to be created to signpost people to the right places. Upcoming events included an Easter Egg hunt in Larkhill on Easter Saturday with a walk to Stonehenge and back. A survey on Military Civilian Integration had been undertaken, showing that there was still a lot of work to do. 

Provision of Doctors in the Amesbury Community Area

Sarah MacLennan from Wiltshire CCG gave a brief update. The CCG saw the opening of the new Doctors Surgery at Larkhill as fantastic opportunity as it was rare to have a new, purpose built building. Work was still ongoing to finalise the services offered other than primary GP services. There was however a lack of Doctors. A new NHS 10 year plan had been announced and the model they were using was part of the new plan.

Dr Celia Gromet from the Cross Plains Health Centre gave an  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To receive any updates from the Local Youth Network.

To consider any applications for youth grant funding.

Cllr Darren Henry gave a brief update.

Volunteering had been discussed at the last LYN meeting. It was hoped that an event could be set up in April covering anti-social behaviour. Adults from the local area who were involved in youth work would be invited to the event. Further updates would be given at future area boards.

There were no youth grants to consider.

Presentation on National Armed Forces Day 2019 by the Community Engagement Manager to generate discussion about how the community can become involved on the day and in legacy projects.

To note the following funding request awarded under the delegated authority of the Community Engagement Manager from the Community Event Budget:

·         NAFD projects, £1.600 towards the costs of the local element of the project. (Full details in agenda pack).

Jacqui Abbott, the new Amesbury Community Engagement Manager gave a presentation on National Armed Forces Day 2019.

National Armed Forces Day was to be held in Salisbury in 2019 and would in fact run over 3 days -  Friday 28 June to Sunday 20 June. It would be a national event likely to attract 250,000 people over the 3 days. The event would also be free to attend.

Friday 28 June was to be an Armed Forces Personnel and family event, with children’s activities and entertainment, a celebrity chef BBQ, live entertainment and a gala dinner. Saturday 29 June was to be themed a community day, where there would be VVIPs in attendance, armed forces parades, fly pasts, arenas and marquees as well as an evening concert and fireworks. Sunday 30 June was to be themed Veterans’ and youth day with more live entertainment, an afternoon tea for veterans, a world record breaking attempt to create the largest human poppy, a commemoration service, fly past and wartime singalong.

There would be the opportunity for all Wiltshire Community Areas to be involved via three creative projects: A social media and NAFD photograph competition; a commemorative tapestry and the human poppy world record attempt.

All Community Areas were being asked to award funds to local elements of NAFD projects.

The Board was asked to note the following funding request awarded under the delegated authority of the Community Engagement Manager from the Community Event Budget:

·         NAFD projects, £1.600 towards the costs of the local element of the project and transport for Amesbury area residents to attend NAFD. (Full details in agenda pack).

It was;

Resolved:

To note that £1,600 had been awarded to NAFD projects under the delegated authority of the Community Engagement Manager from the Community Event Budget.

To consider the following applications for grant funding from the Community Area Grant Scheme:

·         Village Hall Committee (Stephen's Charity), £4,329.20, towards a new feature window for Cholderton Village Hall.

·         Woodford Parish Council, £1,768.80 towards replacing dangerous play equipment.

·         1st Amesbury (St Mary & St Melor) Scout Group, £4,788.54 towards new flooring and lighting for the Scout Hut.

Cllr Fred Westmoreland, introduced the applications to the Community Area Grant Scheme as detailed in the agenda.

Representatives of the Cholderton Village Hall Committee, Woodford Parish Council and the 1st Amesbury (St Mary & St Melor) Scout Group spoke in support of their applications.

It was;

Resolved:

·         To award the Cholderton Village Hall Committee (Stephen's Charity), £4,329.20, towards a new feature window for Cholderton Village Hall.

·         To award Woodford Parish Council, £1,768.80 towards replacing dangerous play equipment.

·         To award the 1st Amesbury (St Mary & St Melor) Scout Group, £4,788.54 towards new flooring and lighting for the Scout Hut.

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

There were no urgent items.

The next meeting of the Amesbury Area Board will be held on Thursday 21 March 2019 at Berwick Guide Centre, Stapleford Road, Berwick St James, Salisbury, SP3 4TS.

The next meeting of the Amesbury Area Board will be held on Thursday 21 March 2019 at Berwick Guide Centre, Stapleford Road, Berwick St James, Salisbury, SP3 4TS.

The Chairman thanked everyone for attending the meeting and hoped that they liked the new venue.

The Chairman thanked Dave Roberts for his excellent work as the Amesbury Community Engagement Manager and wished him all the best for the future.

Dave Roberts thanked the Chair, the Board and everyone he had worked with over the last three and a half years. He had thoroughly enjoyed his role and wished everyone good luck for the future.