Agenda and draft minutes

The Chair, Cllr Elizabeth Threlfall, welcomed everyone to the meeting.

To note any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from:

Fiona Slevin-Brown

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 19 September 2023.

The minutes of the meeting held on 19 September 2023 were presented for consideration and it was:

Resolved:

To approve and sign as a true and correct record of the minutes of the meeting held on 19 September 2023.

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

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chairman will provide information about:

• Notes from the Highways Matters Event
• Additional funding for drains and potholes
• Local Nature Recovery Strategy Public Engagement
• Community Area Joint Strategic Needs Assessment

·       Cartmell Community Minibus

The Chairman provided information about:

·  Notes from the Highways Matters Event
·  Additional funding for drains and potholes
·  Local Nature Recovery Strategy Public Engagement
·  Community Area Joint Strategic Needs Assessment
·  Cartmell Community Minibus

More information on each of these items can be found in the PowerPoint presentation.

To note the following Information Items:

• AGE UK
• Healthwatch Wiltshire
• Community First
• BSW Together (ICB)
• FACT Family Help Programme
• Archaeology Annual Newsletter 2023
• Cost of Living Update
• Independent Visitor Scheme Update
• Police and Crime Commissioner Annual Report

The board noted the following Information Items:

· AGE UK
·  Healthwatch Wiltshire
·  Community First
·  BSW Together (ICB)
·  FACT Family Help Programme
·  Archaeology Annual Newsletter 2023
·  Cost of Living Update
·  Independent Visitor Scheme Update
·  Police and Crime Commissioner Annual Report

To receive verbal and written updates from the following partners:

a.    Wiltshire Police

b.    Healthwatch Wiltshire

c.     Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)

d.    Malmesbury and the Villages Community Area Partnership (MVCAP)

e.    Riverside Centre

f.      Health & Wellbeing Champion

g.    Highways Community Co-ordinator

h.    Town and Parish Councils

The board received updates from the following partners:

Wiltshire Police – Inspector Gareth Edwards

Inspector Gareth Edwards presented a Community and a Road Safety PowerPoint that was attached to the Agenda Supplement.

The Board thanked Inspector Edwards for all the work him and the force in general were doing for the area.

Perry Payne, from the Wiltshire and Swindon Road Safety Partnership, briefly introduced himself and his team, which monitor and analyse the data surrounding road safety in order to identify priorities for surrounding Police resources.

Health and Wellbeing Forum gave a brief update highlighting their work at the Riverside Centre with various groups including those suffering with Diabetes.

To receive an update on Sherston GP Surgery from Fiona Slevin-Brown.

This item was postponed as Fiona Slevin-Brown, who was due to speak on the issue, gave her apologies.

After attendees were invited to ask questions, the board offered the following clarifications:

• The lease of the building has 3 years remaining.

• Timeframes were impossible to set out due to ongoing discussions around building plans.

• The NHS was committing to paying for running costs. A developer would build the surgery and then “sell” to Wiltshire Council for almost nothing, typically £1, to then lease to the NHS.

It was stated that further questions could be submitted via email (areaboards@wiltshire.gov.uk).

To receive updates on the Area Boards Priority Areas:

· Positive activities for young people – Cllr Gavin Grant
· Green Issues – Cllr Martin Smith
· Reducing loneliness and social isolation – Cllr Chuck Berry
· Highway Safety – Cllr Elizabeth Threlfall
· Community resilience – Cllr Gavin Grant

·       Local Youth Network

·       Health and Wellbeing Group

The board received updates on the Area Boards Priority Areas:

Positive activities for young people – Cllr Gavin Grant

·       The Local Youth Network was up and running.

·       Supported Youth activities via Rise Trust and HEALS programme.

Green Issues – Cllr Martin Smith

·       A Networking event on Climate Action had been delayed to 11^th June in Sherston Village Hall ahead of the Area Board meeting

·       Public EV charging points had been installed in Sherston and would be switched on once a TRO was in place. Similar installations in Malmesbury were being designed

·       A signed cycle route between Sherston and Malmesbury officially ‘opened’ on 23^rd September 2023 with another route to link up the Camp (aka Whitewalls) business estate currently under consideration by LHFIG

·       Six months of river water quality testing in the Sherston Avon had been completed, with both nitrates and phosphates continuously present. The Board was engaging with the Bristol Avon River Trust and Wessex Water on next steps.

Reducing loneliness and social isolation – Cllr Chuck Berry

The Malmesbury Health and Wellbeing Forum had been especially busy:

·       Contacted Parishes to determine activities in our space for which support could be offered.

·       Worked extensively with our GP Practices

·       Met with Malmesbury Amateur Boxing, who had developed sessions for those with Parkinson’s.

·       The new Cartmell Minibus was ready for action.

Highway Safety – Cllr Elizabeth Threlfall

·       The local LHFIG had again completed several projects which were all aimed at improving road safety and had ranged from installing bollards to erecting signage to make footpaths more accessible.

·       The Board had continued to work with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner to focus on speeding and encouraged more parish councils to install Speed Indicator Devices which both calm traffic and inform the Speed Enforcement Officers of 'hotspots'.

·       The next phase of major road repair schemes had been announced, but, in addition, Wiltshire Council had decided to allocate a further £1m into highway maintenance. Currently sites that are most prone to potholes were being identified for resurfacing and also some for protective surface treatment, including minor roads. Residents were encouraged to keep reporting local potholes.

·       Responding to interest in the subject, in November the Board held an evening specifically about Highway Matters. Officers and the relevant Cabinet Member from Wiltshire Council spoke about all aspects of roads, from potholes to local transport plans, from parish stewards to control of speeding. Many residents attended and questions were taken at the end. (the notes are attached in the agenda)

Community resilience – Cllr Gavin Grant

• The Wiltshire Towns Programme + Place Shaping seminar report back session took place on 19^th February 2024.

• HSF4 grants had been issued to Foodbanks and the Community Fridge

• Reference to the Cost of Living Update within the agenda and the positive impacts behind the scenes work has had on Cost of Living pressures in the community.

To receive an update from the Strategic Engagement & Partnership Manager (SEPM) Andrew Jack.

The board received an update from the Strategic Engagement & Partnerships
Manager (SEPM) Andrew Jack.

Andrew took the opportunity to inform attendees on what his role entails and how he assists Malmesbury and the county as a whole through his work with councillors and other organisations.

Within Malmesbury, work included developing the Local Youth Network with Councillors, assisting with the installation of skate and BMX facilities and contributing to the Health and Wellbeing Forum

Andrew’s similar work with other Area Boards in Marlborough and Royal Wootton Bassett & Cricklade was also mentioned, including how ideas can be shared to Malmesbury.

Andrew’s countywide work was also shared, including his leading position for Adult Social Care and Older People across the county.

To consider any grant applications made to the board.

The board considered the following grants for funding:

Older and Vulnerable Grants

Malmesbury Amateur Boxing Club requested £1,705 towards equipment for their Parkinsons Group.

Proposed by Cllr Elizabeth Threlfall and seconded by Cllr Gavin Grant.

It was:

Resolved

To award Malmesbury Amateur Boxing Club £1705 for equipment towards their Parkinsons Group.

Reason – The application met the Older and Vulnerable Adults Grants Criteria 2023/24.

Malmesbury Town Team CIC requested £1435.20 towards an Athelstan 1100 Commemoration and Celebration.

Proposed by Cllr Elizabeth Threlfall and seconded by Cllr Martin Smith

It was:

Resolved

To award Malmesbury Town Team CIC £1435.20 for an Athelstan 1100 Commemoration and Celebration.

Reason – The application met the Older and Vulnerable Adults Grants Criteria 2023/24.

Malmesbury Luncheon Club requested £1920 towards supporting older people.

Proposed by Cllr Chuck Berry and seconded by Cllr Gavin Grant

It was:

Resolved

To award Malmesbury Luncheon Club an increased amount of £2060 for supporting older people.

Reason – The application met the Older and Vulnerable Adults Grants Criteria 2023/24.

Friends of Riverside requested £435 towards their Saturday Friends Meet (The Devereux Regiment)

Proposed by Cllr Gavin Grant and seconded by Cllr Chuck Berry

It was:

Resolved

To award Friends of Riverside an increased amount of £500 for their Saturday Friends Meet

Reason – The application met the Older and Vulnerable Adults Grants Criteria 2023/24.

Youth Grants

The Last Baguette Theatre Company requested £800 towards a youth workshop project.

Proposed by Cllr Gavin Grant and seconded by Cllr Martin Smith

It was:

Resolved

To award The Last Baguette Theatre Company an increase amount of £814 for

Reason – The application met the Youth Grants Criteria 2023/24.

Community Area Grants

Malmesbury Health and Wellbeing Forum requested £500 towards a Networking and Engagement Event

Proposed by Cllr Martin Smith and seconded by Cllr Elizabeth Threlfall

It was:

Resolved

To award Malmesbury Health and Wellbeing Forum £500 for their Networking and Engagement Event

Reason – The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria 2023/24.

To consider and approve recommendations made at the recent meeting of the Local Highway and Footway Improvement Group held on 16 January 2024.

The Board considered the notes and recommendations from the recent meeting of the Local Highways and Footways Improvement Group (LHFIG) which took place on 16 January 2024.

Proposed by Cllr Martin Smith and seconded by Cllr Elizabeth Threlfall it was:

Resolved

To approve the recommendations from the meeting of the Local Highways and Footways Improvement Group on 16 January 2024.

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 Malmesbury Area Board will be held on 11 June 2024.

The next meeting of Malmesbury Area Board will take place on 11 June 2024.