Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chairman for the Amesbury Area Board for the forthcoming year 2014/15.

Councillor Hewitt called for nominations of Chairman and it was;

Resolved

Cllr Smale was elected Chairman for the following year.

Cllr Smale in the Chair

To elect a Vice-Chairman for Amesbury Area Board for the forthcoming year 2014/15.

The Chairman called for nominations of Vice-Chairman and it was;

Resolved

To elect Cllr Hewitt as Vice-Chairman.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting of the Amesbury Area Board and thanked Figheldean Village for hosting the meeting.

At the Chairman’s invitation, the Councillors introduced themselves.

Apologies for absence had been received from:

·         Cllr Ian West

·         Inspector Lange

·         Janet Tidd

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on

27 March 2014.

Decision

The minutes of the meeting held on 27 March 2014 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.

Councillor Wright declared a personal interest in item 18 – Grant for Durrington Parish Council, as he was a member of the Durrington Parish Council.  Councillor Wright confirmed that he would not vote or join the debate during consideration of the item.

·       Recycling Success

·       Idmiston Neighbourhood Area

The Chairman drew attention to the Chairman’s announcements within the agenda.

Recycling Success

The Chairman noted that the removal of the mini sites may cause problems for people in the Amesbury area due to the distances involved and that the Chairman would take the issue further and ask Wiltshire Council to look into the issue.

Idmiston Neighbourhood Area

The Chairman mentioned Idmiston’s Parish Neighbourhood Plan Area and that it was good to see the communities putting these plans together.

To receive a verbal update from the Community Area Manager on local issues.

Karen Linaker, Amesbury Community Area Manager, gave a verbal update on the issues. Particular attention was given to the funds for community speed watch signs and the Chairman announced that he had spoken with the Police and Crime Commissioner as this issue now rested with the police.

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

Army Re-basing

The Chairman gave an update on the Army re-basing programme noting there had been a meeting in Tidworth on the 28 May. The meeting had discussed the location of the new housing and that a topographical survey had been done to assess the impact of the development on the World Heritage Site.

The Chairman also discussed options for a new road to divert military vehicles and traffic away from the villages by a road from the Countess bridge at Folly Bottom to Bulford Camp and it was agreed that the Area Board would write a letter to show support for the new road.

Fire and Rescue

Mike Franklin of the Wiltshire Fire & Rescue, explained that the Wiltshire and Dorset Fire & Rescue teams had been working closely and he read a script which explained that there had been a budget shortfall which was threatening the service and the separate Fire Authorities of Wiltshire and Dorset have been looking at the business case for combining into a single Wiltshire and Dorset Fire Authority. A decision would be made in December and a public consultation would take place between 16 June and 24 August. Documents would be on the Wiltshire fire and rescue website and a helpline set up.

Mr Franklin welcomed questions and comments but announced that he would not be able to give an answer at that meeting; instead he would take the questions away to be answered.

Amesbury

An update was given to inform the Area Board that Amesbury was now officially the oldest settlement in England and hoped this would raise the profile of the area and encourage tourism.

It was also noted that the Amesbury museum’s opening hours were from Tuesday – Saturday 11am to 4pm and by appointment outside of those hours.

To update members on the outcome of the ‘What matters to you?’ conference held on the 20 February 2014 and to recommend that the Area Board uses the outcomes from the event to stimulate local action and to inform its priorities for the next two years.

The Community Area Manager (CAM) introduced the item giving background on the JSA priorities list which was included in the agenda.

The CAM presented two pledges for the Area Board to use. The first was to tackle litter in the Amesbury area and the second was to hold two intergenerational events.

It was mentioned that not all of the priorities would be achievable by the Area Board alone, but the Area Board would be able to put pressure and influence some areas.

Litter was discussed and an update was given on the recent work carried out by Wiltshire Council’s Highways and Streetscene Team, Women’s Institute and Balfour Beatty. Durrington Parish Council gave an example of how litter was managed within their community.

The Community Area Manager gave details on which Area Board Councillor would be responsible for the different service areas.

The Community Area Manager was thanked for her hard work.

To receive an update regarding Community Football Pitches & Facilities

·       Over 300 young people, 50% are army kids, are members of Local football Clubs; Porton-Amesbury-Durrington, this number has been steadily rising over the past years and has become a Team Club group with all the positives that this type of activity brings.

·       They used to use the quality all weather floodlit pitches at the MoD facilities in Larkhill, Bulford and Tidworth. Aspire have raised the charges to a point where it is not viable for the clubs to use them they are over a £100 a session. They just can’t raise the sort of monies required £25 to £30 a session would be more realistic.

·       Now the clubs are starting to lose momentum and may fragment and even disband.

·       The issue needs sorting before the autumn draws in just 5 months.

An update was given by Jeremy Grant on the communities sporting facilities. The presentation focused on the lack of all weather facilities resulting in local clubs closing and members joining clubs outside of the area. The facilities the local clubs had been using had recently increased their fees to an unaffordable rate resulting in the local children losing out. The Area Board was asked to support the youth.

A comment was made noting that the garrison understood the problem and in-order to find a short term solution a case should be made to the Commander at 43 (Wessex) Brigade, outlining the problems and stressing that the military children would also be losing out.

It was also noted that the Area Board needed more information on what facilities were already available in the area and who were using the spaces.

Cllr Wright asked the board to support this work as an additional Area Board Pledge.

The board is asked to note the plan and to thank the committee for its work, which will be heeded in all future community planning initiatives and in any future neighbourhood planning aspirations which the villages may have.

The Area Board was asked to note the plan. The Chairman thanked the Wylye Parish Plan Committee for their hard work. It was noted that the plan would be taken in to account in all future community planning initiatives and in any future neighbourhood planning aspirations which the village might have.

Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet decided on a new community led model for youth provision on the 15^th May.  This means that each area will have a well trained and named community youth officer to co-ordinate and facilitate youth services. Each area board will have a budget to spend on youth services that will be guided by a new body to be called a Local Youth Network in which young people will have a leading voice.  In addition to the community youth officers, a number of specialist youth workers will ensure that those who are vulnerable will also get the right help when they need it to enable them to tackle problems before they reach crisis point.

The Community Area Manager gave a verbal update on the Council’s decision concerning a new community led model for youth provision on 15 May 2014. It was noted that each area would have a community youth officer to co-ordinate and facilitate the youth services and each Area Board would be given a budget to spend on youth services and guided by a Local Youth network, in which young people would have the leading voice.

The Chairman thanked the Community Area Manager for the update.

To receive an update on the A303.

The Community Area Manager outlined the report included in the agenda, focusing on the multi-agency meeting held on the 24 March 2014.

A presentation was given by Paul Chase (Atkins), who was commissioned by Wiltshire Council to do a routeing study on the A303 corridor between March 2014 and October 2014. An update was given on the recent survey carried out to identify rat running in the area.

The presentation focused on the methods used, samples of the analyses and what Atkins would be doing next. 

It was identified that an additional camera was needed near Chitterne to identify if the route was causing rat running problems as well as the ones already being monitored.

So far the study had identified that: overall the westbound traffic was more likely to divert away from the A303.

The next survey would take place in August with a summary technical report, following, which a comparative assessment would take place.

The Chairman thanked Mr Chase and Atkins for their work.

The Area Board is asked to consider the list of proposed highway maintenance schemes in your area for 2014/15, and agree the final list for implementation.

The list of potential schemes for future years could also be reviewed, and consideration given to priorities for treatment in 2015/16. A draft list of sites will be prepared for comment later this year, but an early indication of local priorities would be helpful.

The Chairman welcomed Peter Binley who gave a presentation on the Local Highways Investment Fund 2014/2015.

Mr Binley expressed the importance of the highways network within Wiltshire and stated that the flooding had been a big setback on repairs. Wiltshire had 3000 miles of road and a budget of £21 million for the next six years and as such Wiltshire Council was taking a flexible approach and reviewing the priorities each year. The current list of priorities targeted the larger sites which needed work.

Mr Binley explained that the highways team wanted to set up a cycle of repairs with the agreement of the Area Board. Unfortunately this had been held up this year due to the flooding but would come back at the end of the year to seek the views of the community on a priority list for the following year; because of this the community had an opportunity to bring projects forward.

An amendment was put forward to alter some of the work plans in Durrington, which had previously been sent to highways. 

The Chairman asked the Area Board to approve the report recommendations and the amendment to the recommendations and it was;

Resolved

To support the report’s conclusions, as amended by a resolution from Durrington Town Council to alter the resurfacing programme of a number of routes in Durrington.

Cllr Hewitt drew attention to the report seen in the agenda and asked the Area Board to confirm support for the projects in table 1.

Table 1

The debate focused on the CATG minutes item 4 New Requests and Issues. The item for a new path to the cemetery in Durrington A345 was discussed and the decision was made to delegate the decision to the Chairman/ Vice Chairman once the final designs and clarifications have been received. This decision was made due to the deadlines involved with the funding.

Cllr Hewitt was reappointed as the Chairman of CATG.

Resolved

To note the minutes of the CATG meeting 28 April 2014 and to support the schemes as in Table 1 above.

To also agree that for all future schemes to be funded by the CATG the relevant town and parish council be requested to also contribute.

To receive an update from the Chairman of the Amesbury Shadow Community Operations Board.

Cllr Westmoreland gave a presentation updating the Area Board on the Amesbury Shadow Campus Operations Board.

The presentation highlighted what was most important to those in the Amesbury area and the main themes were highlighted as: Disabled access, mobile services, improved IT access and the potential for new groups.

The next stage would involve developing a working proposal and planning and carrying out the second phase of the consultation.

A question was raised on the transport issues from Shrewton to Amesbury and it was noted that the Area Board was aware of the problems and would looking into solutions.

Resolved

To note the update and to agree the membership of the Shadow Campus Operations Board to include 3 new representatives for – MOD (John Le Feuvre), Town/Parish Council Representative (Andy Williams) Sport (Jeremy Grant).

At the Chairman’s invitation, Councillor John Noeken, Lead member for Grants, introduced the item.

It was noted that the Durnford Parish Council’s request had been withdrawn.

Decision

Durrington Walls Wind Band was awarded £1290 for the purchase of a tuba, conditional upon the balance of funding being in place.

Reason - The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria 2014/2015.

Decision

Brambles Pre-School was awarded £3000 towards the purchase of a mini-bus, conditional upon the balance of funding being in place.

Reason - The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria 2014/2015.

Decision

Neighbourhood Tasking Group was awarded up to £1000 for bicycle maintenance and security equipment.

Reason - The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria 2014/2015.

Decision

Durrington Town Council’s request for the creation of a path and avenue of trees was deferred pending the officer report and confirmation of the final costing of the scheme.

Decision

Supporters of the Amesbury Archer School were awarded £750 for the cost of school playground markings.

Reason - The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria 2014/2015.

Decision

Newton Tony Memorial Hall Committee WW1 Event was awarded £1000 for two commemorative plaques.

Reason - The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria 2014/2015.

Decision

Amesbury Community Plan Co-ordinator and administrator costs for £8240.

Reason – To support the administration of the Area Board.

Decision

Cllr Project (Cllr Noeken) was awarded £5000 for the Area Board Pledge to tackle litter in the area.

Reason - To support the Councillor Led Project “tackling litter”, designated an Area Board Pledge, as a consequence of the 2014 JSA event.

The Area Board noted the grants approved at the meeting held on 27 March 2014 which were to be paid from the 2014/2015 Amesbury Area Board budget.

(ACTION: Karen Linaker)

To consider the report of the Democratic Services Officer asking the Board to reappoint Councillor representatives to Outside Bodies, reconstitute and appoint to working groups and note terms of reference for the working groups.

The Area Board considered appointments to outside bodies and the reconstitution of its working groups

Decision

(1) To agree to make the following appointments to outside bodies:

Amesbury Youth Advisory Group (YAG)

Cllrs John Smale andMike Hewitt

Stonehenge World Heritage Site Steering Group

Cllrs Ian West and

Fred Westmoreland

Tenants Panel

Cllr Mike Hewitt

(2) To agree to reconstitute and appoint to the following working

groups:

Community Area Transport Group

·       Cllr Mike Hewitt

·       Cllr John Smale

·       Cllr Ian West

·       Cllr Fred Westmoreland

·       Chris Coates

·       Dave Goodman

·       Carole Slater

·       Margaret Strange

·       Bill Tomas

·       Jan Tidd

CATG Sub Group – Cycle Task Group

·       Cllrs Smale & Hewitt

Shadow Community Operations Board

·       Cllr Westmoreland

Community Planning Panel Lead Councillors

·       Environment – Mike Hewitt

·       Crime & Community – John Noeken & Graham Wright

·       Health & Wellbeing – Ian West

·       Sport, Culture & Leisure – Graham Wright

·       Housing, Economic Development, Planning & Tourism – Fred Westmoreland

Community Area Grants Process

·       TBD

(3) To note the terms of reference for the working groups as set out in

appendix C of the report.

The next meeting of the Amesbury Area Board will be held on:

Thursday 31 July 2014 at the Shrewton Village Hall, 7pm.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Amesbury Area Board would be held on 31 July 2014 in Shrewton Village Hall.

The Chairman thanked everyone for attending.