Agenda and minutes

Time to view displays, stands and information on the climate emergency.

Attendees viewed the displays, stands and information on climate change. Information was available from Wessex Water, Extinction Rebellion, The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, The Pantry Partnership and the Wiltshire Council Waste Team.

To welcome those present to the meeting.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the Climate Emergency special meeting of the Amesbury Area Board and thanked them for attending.

·         New Fly-Tipping Campaign – We’re Targeting Fly Tippers

The new We're Targeting Fly-tippers (WTF) campaign aims to combat the scourge of fly-tipping by offering residents a reward of up to £200 in high street vouchers if they report information that leads to the successful prosecution of an offender or the payment of a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN). Email peter.white@wiltshire.gov.uk with as many details as possible to report fly-tipping.

·         British Telecom Proposed Payphones Removal Consultation

The council has received notification from BT regarding consultation on its current programme of proposed public payphone removals. BT propose to remove payphones with low usage levels following a full consultation. Wiltshire Council will also carry out a consultation. Responses received by 14 January 2020 will be included in our return to BT. Please see the agenda report for full details and email Mary Moore, Economic Development and Planning, on mary.moore@wiltshire.gov.uk  to comment.

·         Community Governance Review

Wiltshire Council are undertaking a Community Governance Review, which is a process to provide the opportunity to review and make changes to governance arrangements to town and parish councils. For further information and to comment please go to http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/council-democracy-cgr.

·         Wiltshire Green Pledge

Earlier this year Wiltshire Council pledged to be carbon neutral by 2030, and its councillors have agreed to seek to make the county of Wiltshire carbon neutral by 2030.

To help with this, The Green Pledge has been launched which is asking people to commit to making small changes that can have a big positive impact on the environment.

Please go to http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/green-economy-climate-emergency to make a pledge.

The Chairman made the following announcements:

·       New Fly-Tipping Campaign – We’re Targeting Fly Tippers

The new We're Targeting Fly-tippers (WTF) campaign was announced. The campaign aimed to combat the scourge of fly-tipping by offering residents a reward of up to £200 in high street vouchers if they report information that leads to the successful prosecution of an offender or the payment of a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN). Email peter.white@wiltshire.gov.uk with as many details as possible to report fly-tipping.

·       British Telecom Proposed Payphones Removal Consultation

The council had received notification from BT regarding a consultation on a programme of proposed public payphone removals. BT proposed to remove payphones with low usage levels following a full consultation. Wiltshire Council would also carry out a consultation. Responses received by 14 January 2020 would be included in our return to BT. Please see the agenda report for full details and email Mary Moore, Economic Development and Planning, on mary.moore@wiltshire.gov.uk to comment. The Chairman noted that parish councils and registered charities could adopt a kiosk for £1.00. Uses for these kiosks could include mini libraries, or a space for a defibrillator. There were 3 telephone boxes that may be removed within the Amesbury Community Area.

·       Community Governance Review

Wiltshire Council were undertaking a Community Governance Review, which was a process to provide the opportunity to review and make changes to governance arrangements to town and parish councils. For further information and to comment please go to http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/council-democracy-cgr.

·       Wiltshire Green Pledge

Earlier this year Wiltshire Council pledged to be carbon neutral by 2030, and its councillors had agreed to seek to make the county of Wiltshire carbon neutral by 2030. To help with this, The Green Pledge had been launched which was asking people to commit to making small changes that could have a big positive impact on the environment. Please go to http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/green-economy-climate-emergency to make a pledge.

To receive a presentation from Cllr Richard Clewer on the Climate Emergency and Wiltshire Council.

The board received a presentation from Cllr Richard Clewer, Cabinet Member for Climate Change.

In February 2019 Wiltshire Council passed a motion declaring the Climate Emergency. The council resolved to seek to make the county of Wiltshire (excluding Swindon) carbon neutral by 2030 and to establish our carbon baseline and renewables baseline. The Cabinet had committed to making Wiltshire Council Carbon Neutral by 2030.

To help achieve this the council would update the local plan to include the carbon neutral plan, and green policies for any new builds. Consultations would begin on the local plan in 2020. The transport plan would also be updated; public transport, walking and cycling needed to be promoted. Moving forward all Wiltshire Council plans would need to be developed to include policies on reducing carbon.

In order to able to address the problems and reduce carbon emissions the council needed to establish carbon baselines. Baseline emissions refered to the production of carbon that had occurred in the past and which were being produced prior to the introduction of any strategies to reduce emissions. The baseline measurement would be determined over a set period, typically one year. This historical measurement would act as a benchmark to evaluate the success of subsequent efforts to reduce emissions. Without the knowledge of baseline emissions, it would be impossible to reliably judge the success of any remediation efforts. To do this Wiltshire Council were talking to local universities; the Anthesis Group (SCATTER); Swindon and Wiltshire Local Economic Partnership; the Local Government Association; and other local authorities to see what they do.

It was estimated that each Wiltshire Council resident was responsible for approximately 7 tonnes of carbon emissions a year.

Wiltshire Council had established a Global Warming and Climate Emergency task group, chaired by Cllr Graham Wright, to consider renewable energy generation, energy use and efficiency; planning; transport and air quality; waste; land use; business and industry; the carbon baseline and renewable energy baseline. The aim of the task group was to develop an effective strategy which would then be approved by council. The council wanted to get things right, so it was worth investigating all the options.

The council aimed to adapt housing stock and council buildings to make them more energy efficient. This included introducing solar arrays over park and ride sites and solar panels on all council housing. All street lights would be changed to LED’s which were far more efficient and decreased light pollution. Changes to waste collection would also help.

Friends of the Earth had found Wiltshire Council to be the best performing local authority in England and Wales, however there were still many improvements to be made.

The Chairman thanked Cllr Clewer for his presentation.

“Put Your Cards on the Table” Climate Emergency Workshop with presentation from Cllr Graham Wright (Chair, Global Warming and Climate Emergency Task Group) and Bill Jarvis (Extinction Rebellion).

Cllr Graham Wright thanked all the people who had provided stands and exhibits for the meeting. He then introduced Bill Jarvis of Extinction Rebellion (XR).

Mr Jarvis introduced himself to the meeting, explaining that he was a retired engineer with grandchildren. Due to the climate emergency he was scared for their future. Wiltshire Council had started to address the climate emergency, although progress was slow and XR wanted to help Wiltshire Council achieve.

It was explained that Carbon Dioxide levels were continuing to rise, if no actions were taken the world could expect a 3m rise in sea level by the end of the century. Sea levels and extreme weather events were already having an effect. Venice had flooded recently, as had Doncaster in the UK. The Greenland ice sheet was melting at a rate 50 years ahead of forecast. The Arctic summer sea ice would disappear by 2028, Antarctic ice was also disappearing at an alarming rate. Many species were becoming extinct. Wildfires were increasing. The consequences of not acting were extremely dire.

The UK was rated 68^th for carbon reduction. The Climate Act was passed in 2008 however central government had failed on a lot of their goals. People needed to commit to action.

Cllr Wright thanked Mr Jarvis for his presentation. Cllr Wright urged communities to imagine; think and be informed; use their voice; start a climate conversation; work together and commit to change.

Wiltshire Council had established a Scrutiny Task Group which was working with the Cabinet to help produce a strategy that would enable Wiltshire Council to be Carbon Neutral by 2030.

Central government needed to act now. Technology and new processes were available, people were encouraged to keep the pressure on by lobbying through Wiltshire Council and directly with their MP.  

There were around half a million residents in Wiltshire. How could we help them to reduce their carbon footprint? The meeting was asked to consider actions that could be taken, and a workshop session was undertaken. The feedback from the session can be seen as an appendix to the minutes, in the Outcomes from Climate Change Workshop document.  

Most felt motivated to change their behaviour by the workshop session. Cllr Clewer assured the meeting that feedback would be listened to and the council would take steps to address the climate emergency.

To close the Climate Change workshop and open area board business as usual session.

The Chairman thanked all involved in the climate emergency presentations and opened the area board business as usual session.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence had been received from:

·       Cllr Darren Henry

·       Cllr Mike Hewitt

·       Wiltshire Police, Insp Liz Coles/Sgt Thorne/PC Wileman

·       Nicola Schneider, Lovell

·       Neill Page, DIO Army Basing Lead

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meetings held on 12 September 2019.

Resolved:

The minutes of the meeting held on 12 September 2019 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman, with one amendment to minute number 52, (page 7 of the minutes), where the roundabout referred to at the Toby Carvery was in Amesbury, not Bulford as stated.

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

There were no declarations of interest.

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

·         Communities Together/ Military Civilian Integration/Army Basing

·         Police

·         Fire and Rescue Service

·         Town and Parish Councils

·         Mark Verbinnen to update on the need for roof repairs at Amesbury’s St Mary and St Melor church

·         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.

·       Shrewton Parish Council

A verbal presentation was received which summarised the Shrewton Parish Council update published in agenda supplement 1. One of the main issues raised was large military vehicles driving through areas of Shrewton where they were prohibited. The deputy commander of Larkhill Garrison addressed the meeting, advising that their drivers were reminded regularly not to drive the back way. It seemed that the problems often occurred when drivers were civilian contractors from out of the county. The military were not allowed to put signage on the highway and requested Wiltshire Council’s help with this.

The Chairman thanked people for their contributions and advised Shrewton Parish Council to raise a CATG issue to look at the signage issue.

·       Roof Repairs to Amesbury’s St Mary and St Melor Church

Mark Verbinnen of Amesbury Town Council gave a presentation on the need for roof repairs at Amesbury’s St Mary and St Melor Church. The Church was over a thousand years old and serious damage to the roof had occurred over the last few years, there was water ingress and the lead had deteriorated. There was also death watch beetle decay throughout the roof. No funding was received from the Church of England or the government to maintain the building. Costs had spiralled and they needed to raise a further £250,000. Action needed to be taken now to save the building. Go to their website at https://www.maryandmelor.com/roof to find out more or for details on how to donate.

To consider any updates and recommendations from the Community Area Transport Group (CATG).

The minutes of the latest CATG meeting on Friday 18 October are attached for information.

The Chairman referred the meeting to the CATG minutes in the agenda pack.

To receive any updates from the HWBG and consider any applications for HWB funding.

·         HWB application, transport to Stonehenge event

The notes of the HWBG meeting on 11 November are attached for information.

Cllr Wright introduced the HWB grant for consideration and it was;

Resolved:

·       To grant the health and wellbeing group, £155.26, to run to buses from Amesbury to a Christmas event at the Stonehenge visitor centre.

To determine the applications for Community Area Grant funding.

·         Stonehenge Striders Running Group, £703.37, towards setting up a local running group.

·         Shrewton, £1535.00, towards the repair of St Marys steps.

Cllr Fred Westmoreland introduced the grants and representatives of each organisation spoke in support of their applications. It was;

Resolved;

·       To grant Stonehenge Striders Running Group, £703.37, towards setting up a local running group.

·       To grant Shrewton, £1535.00, towards the repair of St Marys steps.

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 16 January 2020, 7.00pm at Sharp Hall, 234 Watson Rd, Larkhill, Salisbury SP4 8RB.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Amesbury Area Board would be held on Thursday 16 January 2020, 7.00pm at Sharp Hall, 234 Watson Rd, Larkhill, Salisbury SP4 8RB.

The Chairman thanked everyone for attending.