Agenda and minutes

Kevin Fielding - Democratic Services Officer.

Cllr Rosemary Brown was elected Chairman of the Area Board.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to Westwood Social Club, and introduced the Wiltshire councillors who made up the board, as well as the Community Area Manager and Democratic Services Officer.

 

All town, parish, partner and youth representatives in attendance were

welcomed by the Chairman.

 

Cllr Ian Thorn was elected Vice-Chairman of the Area Board.

Kevin Fielding, Democratic Services Officer.

 

The following Outside Body Representatives were appointed:

 

Bradford on Avon Community Area Network (BoACAN) - Cllr Ian Thorn.

 

Bradford on Avon Historic Core Zone Project Board – Cllr Ian Thorn.

 

Bradford on Avon Youth Advisory Group (YAG) – Cllr Rosemary Brown & Cllr Trevor Carbin.

 

Community Area Transport Group (CAT-G) – Chairman Cllr Rosemary Brown, all Area Board members to attend.

 

Bradford on Avon Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group – Cllr Ian Thorn.

 

Bradford on Avon Air Quality Alliance Steering Group – Cllr Rosemary Brown (Chairman) & Cllr Ian Thorn.

 

Shadow Campus Operations Board (SCOB) – Cllr Rosemary Brown.

 

Apologies were received from Gwen Allison – Bradford on Avon Town Council, Terry Biles – Westwood Parish Council, Andrew Pearce – Holt Parish Council, Mike Franklin – Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service and Shay Parsons – Climate Friendly Bradford on Avon.

 

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Bradford on Avon Area Board meeting held on 13 March 2013.

   

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Bradford on Avon Community Area Transport Group meeting held on 3 June 2013.   

 

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Bradford on Avon Air Quality Alliance meeting held on 13 June 2013.

 

 

 

Decision

 

• The minutes of the Bradford on Avon Area Board meeting held on 13 March 2013 were approved and signed as the correct record.

 

• The minutes of the Bradford on Avon Community Area Transport Group meeting held on 3 June 2013 were approved and signed as the correct record.

 

• The minutes of the Bradford on Avon Air Quality Alliance meeting held on 13 June 2013 were approved and signed as the correct record.

 

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

 

Agenda item 10ii Community Area Grants, Friends of the Strips – Cllr Rosemary Brown, local resident.

 

To delegate power to the Community Area Manager to take certain urgent decisions between meetings where necessary.

 

Decision

 

• That in respect of urgent matters that may arise from time to time between meetings of an Area Board, the Community Area Manager, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Bradford on Avon Area Board, be granted delegated authority to make decisions provided any expenditure does not exceed £1,000 from the budget delegated to the area board.  A report explaining the decision and the reasons why it was considered to be urgent shall be reported to the next ordinary meeting of the area board to ensure that such decisions are subject to public examination.

 

i)             Shadow Community Operations Board – update

ii)            Neighbourhood Plans – update

iii)           Safeguarding Thresholds

iv)           Community Area Grant Scheme 2013/14

v)            Poulton Recreation Ground and The Strips

 

 

Youth Advisory Group – consultation on skate ramps and BMX jumps 

Wiltshire Police

Wiltshire Fire and Rescue 

NHS Wiltshire

 

 

Shadow Community Operations Board update – the report contained in the agenda pack was noted.

 

 

Neighbourhood Plans update - the report contained in the agenda pack was noted.

 

 

Safeguarding Thresholds - the report contained in the agenda pack was noted.

 

 

Community Area Grant Scheme 2013/14 - the report tabled on the night was noted.

 

 

Poulton Recreation Ground and The Strips/Youth Advisory Group consultation on skate ramps and BMX jumps – the report contained in the agenda pack was noted.

 

YAG representatives were in attendance at the meeting and talked about the public consultation carried out regarding planned improvements to the skate ramps at Poulton and the BMX jumps at The Strips.   

 

 

Wiltshire Police - Insp Lisette Harvey gave a verbal presentation.

 

Points made included:

 

• That three town based Special Constables were soon to join her team.

 

• That there had been a number of shed burglaries in the Bradford on Avon and Holt areas, Wiltshire Police had launched Operation Magpie to combat these thefts.

 

• The public were being encouraged to follow the local Police teams on twitter.

 

 

Wiltshire Fire and Rescue - the report contained in the agenda pack was noted.

 

 

NHS Wiltshire - the report contained in the agenda pack was noted.

 

The Chairman thanked everybody for attending and presenting their reports.

 

Community Area Grants

 

      I.        Holt War Memorial Restoration Project requesting £1,750 towards therestoration of the village war memorial in time for the centenary of the First World War in 2014.

 

    II.        Friends of the Strips requesting £777 towards the restoration of the woodland.

 

   III.        Scouts requesting £500 towards maintenance equipment and a secure store at Scout Camp at Brokerswood.

 

  IV.        Friends of Woolley requesting £500 towards a community noticeboard outside the George Pub.

 

   V.        Winsley Parish Council requesting £4,000 towards a bus shelter at Dane Rise/ Bradford Road.

 

  VI.        Bradford on Avon Community Sports requesting £1,350 towards outdoor table tennis tables as an Olympic legacy project. 

 

 

Councillor Initiative Funding

 

      I.        Councillor Rosemary Brown requesting £1,500 towards the Bradford on Avon Campus Phase 1 Consultation starting September 2013.

 

    II.        Councillor Rosemary Brown requesting £300 towards the grand opening of the refurbished facilities at Barton Farm and Victory Field childrens’ play areas   

 

 

Core Funding

 

           BoACAN requesting £9,415 in 2013/14 towards community networking,  consultation and planning in support of the work of the Area Board - Jim Lynch, BoACAN Project Officer.

 

 

 

Community Area Grants

 

I. Holt War Memorial Restoration Project were awarded £1,750 capital funding

towards the restoration of the village war memorial in time for the centenary of the First World War in 2014.

Reason

The application demonstrates a link to the Bradford on Avon Community Plan and Wiltshire Local Area Agreement through it support to community facilities and to cultural life in the village. 

 

 

II. Friends of the Strips were awarded £777 capital funding towards the restoration of the woodland on the condition that no further applications from the applicant will be considered in the current financial year.

Reason

The application demonstrates a link to the Bradford on Avon Community Plan and Wiltshire Local Area Agreement through its support for community facilities and nature conservation. 

 

 

III. The Scouts were awarded £500 capital funding towards maintenance equipment and a secure store at Scout Camp at West Ashton, subject to contributions also being forthcoming from the Trowbridge and Melksham Area Boards.

Reason

The application demonstrates a link to the Bradford on Avon Community Plan and Wiltshire Local Area Agreement through it support for youth and community facilities. 

 

 

IV. Friends of Woolley were awarded £500 capital funding towards a community noticeboard outside the George Pub.

Reason

The application demonstrates a link to the Bradford on Avon Community Plan and Wiltshire Local Area Agreement through its support for essential community facilities and cultural life.

 

 

V. Winsley Parish Council requested £4,000 towards a bus shelter at Dane Rise/ Bradford Road. It was agreed that this application would be considered at the September Community Area Transport Group meeting.

 

 

VI. Bradford on Avon Community Sports were awarded £1,350 capital funding towards outdoor table tennis tables as an Olympic legacy

project.

Reason

The application demonstrates a link to the Bradford on Avon Community Plan and Wiltshire Local Area Agreement through its support for sport and culture.

 

 

 

 

 

Councillor Initiative Funding

 

I. Councillor Rosemary Brown was awarded £1,500 revenue funding on behalf of the Shadow Campus Operations Board towards the Bradford on Avon Campus Phase 1 Consultation starting September 2013.

Reason

The application demonstrates a link to the Bradford on Avon Community Plan and Wiltshire Local Area Agreement through its support for community facilities and access to services.

 

 

II. Councillor Rosemary Brown was awarded £200 revenue funding on behalf of the Friends of Barton Farm Group towards the grand opening of the refurbished facilities at Barton Farm and Victory Field childrens’ play areas.

Reason

The application demonstrates a link to the Bradford on Avon Community Plan and Wiltshire Local Area Agreement through its support for community facilities, parks and open spaces.  

 

 

Core Funding

 

BoACAN were awarded £9,415 revenue funding in 2013/14 towards community networking, consultation and planning in support of the work of the Area Board.

 

The Chairman commended BoACAN for its sterling community work.

 

Chris Clark, Area Manager - Local Highways and Streetscene, Wiltshire Council.

 

Chris Clark, Area Manager, introduced Jen Wilcox as the new Community Co-ordinator and Andy Cadwallader as the Area Engineer in the Local Highways & Street Scene team, with responsibility for Bradford on Avon. Jen’s role would be to act as a focus for information, consultation and problem solving regarding the delivery of local highways and street scene services, while Andy will continue to provide technical support on highways matters to the CATG as well as supporting the wider streetscene service. The team will monitor the services provided by the Council’s new contractor, Balfour Beatty Living Places. 

 

A direct dial contact number is coming but meanwhile the CLARENCE hotline is still operational. Occasional ‘sparkle days’ would be held to clean up local  communities, these can be requested by parish councils through Jen Hiscock.  

 

Questions raised included:

 

• Are the Parishes aware of the new system?

a.    A series of workshops had been run, which had been set up to give the Parishes all the necessary information on the new system, more workshops would be run later on in the year.

 

• Would the Co-ordinator be able to attend the occasional Parish Council Meeting.

a.    Yes and regular contact would be maintained with parish clerks.

 

• Councillor Carbin raised serious concerns regarding grass cutting failings, particularly in Staverton and Hilperton 

 

a.    Yes, there was a backlog of maintenance works but extra staff have been brought in to clear the backlog.

 

The Chairman thanked Chris Clark and his team for attending the meeting.

 

Ian White - Head of Passenger Transport, Wiltshire Council.

 

Ian White, Head of Passenger Transport at Wiltshire Council, gave a presentation to highlight proposals to review the most infrequently used bus services in Wiltshire with a view to reducing subsidies on some routes.

 

The key impact on the Bradford on Avon community area was a planned reduction in the Zig Zag service, affecting Bradford, Holt and Staverton, which is currently subject to public consultation, deadline 2 August.   

 

Points made included:

 

Part of ongoing process of bus service reviews

 

Context;

 

•         Pressure on public spending increasing year by year.

 

•         Financial Plan requirement to make savings.

 

•         Contract prices beginning to rise again.

 

•         Reviews looking for more financially sustainable ways of meeting needs.

 

 

Current Zig Zag Service

 

Created by combining several poorly used services to provide new links

Tries to meet a variety of different needs;

 

•         Only service for Holt and Broughton Gifford, and for Gastard.

 

•         Links to Corsham from Melksham and villages.

 

•         Links to Trowbridge and Bradford from Corsham and Atworth.

 

•         Two journeys from the villages to Chippenham.

 

 

Use and costs

 

Remains poorly used;

 

•         28500 single passenger trips / year.

 

•         Average of only 8 on whole length of each bus journey.

 

•         Use is particularly low north of Melksham.

 

 

Expensive to provide;

 

•         Costs £108,000 a year.

 

•         Subsidy for each single passenger trip around £3.70.

 

• Costs expected to rise when re-tendered.

 

 

Proposals

 

Proposed timetable;

 

•         Reduces cost by using fewer vehicles.

 

•         Retains similar service south of Melksham.

 

•         Fewer journeys north of Melksham, and none to Chippenham.

 

•         But should still meet the needs of many users.

 

 

Consultation and next steps

 

•         Letter and information sheet sent out via Area Board managers.

 

•         Questionnaire for bus users – available on the bus and on website.

 

•         Asks for specific information on needs that would not be met.

 

•          Information from consultation considered before decision made.

 

•         Invite tenders to operate.

 

• Implementation in January 2014.

 

 

Comments from the floor included:

 

• Bus services like the Zig Zag are vital for people in rural communities.

 

• Vulnerable and young people need safe public transport links.

 

 

Other Services

 

• The 264/265 service is planned to be re-instated as a Bath to Salisbury service, passing through Winsley. Consultation starts on 29 July.

 

• The 98 Town Bus service may be reduced to an hourly service 

 

• The 94 service may see a slight reduction in frequency.

 

• The 96 service is very poorly used.

 

The Chairman thanked Ian White for his presentation.

 

Ian Richardson - Westwood Parish Council.

 

It was agreed to defer this agenda item until the 18 September meeting, when Cllr John Thomson - Cabinet Member for Highways, Streetscene and Broadband would be in attendance.

 

Westwood Parish Council representatives expressed their frustrations at the length of time it was taking for Wiltshire Councillor to approve its 20MPH policy. The trial period had lasted over two years and has suffered from poor project management. Over this time there has been no Police enforcement of the 20mph zone in the village; the Community Speedwatch programme is also currently halted.

 

Decision

 

• It was agreed that a letter would be drafted to Cllr Thomson expressing the Bradford on Avon Area Board’s support of Westwood Parish Council and its frustrations in length of time it was taking for Wiltshire Councillor to approve its 20MPH policy.

 

 

• It was agreed that a letter would be drafted to Angus Macpherson – Wiltshire Police & Crime Commissioner requesting his support of Westwood Parish Council and its frustrations in length of time it was taking for Wiltshire Councillor to approve its 20MPH policy.

 

The Chairman thanked the representatives of Westwood Parish Council for attending the meeting.

 

Wednesday 18 September at St Laurence School.

Wednesday 20 November at Cereal Partners, Staverton.

 

Wednesday 18 September at St Laurence School.

 

Wednesday 20 November at Cereal Partners, Staverton.