Agenda and minutes

Chairman’s Announcements:

 

·         National Restrictions

 

·         Melksham Community Response Hub

 

 

 

 

 

The Chairman welcomed everybody to the Melksham Area Board meeting.

 

The Melksham Area Board members were introduced.

 

The following Chairman’s Announcements contained in the agenda pack were noted:

 

·         National Restrictions – The Chairman gave details of Council services which remained operational and those which were again suspended due to the deteriorating public health situation.  

 

·         Melksham Community Response Hub - Cllr Hubbard reported that the response hub remained operational.  Thanks were given to Melksham Without Parish Council for loaning staff and to other volunteers for getting involved and donating their time and effort.

 

 

There were no apologies for absence

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 8 September 2020

 

Decision

 

·         That the minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 8 September 2020 were confirmed as the correct record

 

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

 

Cllr Hubbard declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 12. (Atworth Youth Club requesting £5,000 towards replacement of toilets and construction of disabled access).

 

Young Melksham had been carrying out some partnership working with Atworth youth club.

 

Even though the interest was non-pecuniary, in this instance he declared that he would not vote on that application.

 

Angus Macpherson – Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner

Angus Macpherson – Police & Crime Commissioner gave a brief presentation.

 

Points made included:

 

·         That both the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner had remained in post for a further 12 months due to the pandemic.

 

·         That an updated police & crime plan and annual report had now been produced.

 

·         Operation Uplift - the national announcement of a further 20,000 police officers to be achieved by March 2023. The police service had been asked to introduce 2,000 extra officers by March 2020, rising to 6,000 extra officers by March 2021.

 

·         Policing during the pandemic - The Government had provided the police service with additional powers to police regulations issued because of the pandemic. The detail of these powers had changed on a number of occasions, Wiltshire Police followed the College of Policing guidance to Engage, Explain and Encourage, only Enforcing as a last resort.

 

All Fixed Penalty Notices issued were scrutinised both for correct use of the legal powers and for proportionality. Wiltshire had led the way in the latter, and in the transparency it demonstrated in reporting this. Only a small proportion of the FPNs had been rescinded

 

The Chairman thanked the Commissioner for his update.

 

Steve Wilson – Major Highways Project Engineer, Wiltshire Council

Steve Wilson – Major Highways Project Engineer, Wiltshire Council gave a general overview of the A350 Melksham Bypass Public Consultation. (The power point presentation is attached to these minutes).

 

The full range of options were briefly outlined

 

This consultation provided the opportunity to gather additional information on the scheme and its potential effects and help identify mitigation measures where required.

 

It should be noted that the consultation was not a public ‘vote’ for the most popular route or option. A wide range of factors had to be taken into account in determining a preferred option.

 

That there would be other formal consultation stages in the future, including at the planning application and in connection with the statutory orders, but it was considered that early consultation was a vital stage in developing major projects.

 

Views were requested by Monday 30 November 2020.

 

Further information could be found at:

 

https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/highways-a350-melksham-bypass

 

Points made included:

 

·         That the importance of the A350 to the local economy had long been recognised by Wiltshire Council

 

·         That this was the primary north-south route between M4 & Dorset Coast

 

·         That the route was one of Busiest Routes in Wiltshire connecting principle settlements

 

·         That sections of the A350 were subject to high traffic volumes, congestion and delays

 

·         That funding from DfT to prepare Outline Business Case (OBC) was available

 

·         That the scheme was currently at an early stage. It had many stages and statutory consultations to go through before construction could start.

 

 

That the aims of this non-statutory consultation were to:

 

·         Engage with stakeholders & potentially affected land owners

 

·         Encourage involvement

 

·         Build strong open relationships

 

·         Raise awareness

 

·         Inform about the option assessment process

 

·         Understand concerns, issues and suggestions

 

·         Receive feedback on the options to allow us to develop the scheme further

 

·       Prepare for the statutory consultation phases

 

 

Next Steps

 

·         Ongoing technical investigation and review works, Ecology / environment walk over surveys

 

·         Consultation to be launched at Melksham Area Board Meeting (4thNov 7pm) Runs to the end November 2020

 

·         All suggestions and comments would be welcomed and would be considered

 

·         Responses would feed into option consideration process

 

·         Sifting of options to progress from long list to short list

 

·         Further consultation mid 2021

 

·         Adoption of preferred route & submission of Outline Business Case

 

 

The Chairman thanked Steve Wilson for his informative presentation.

 

Note: That the Consultation has now been extended until 23:59hrs on Sunday 17 January 2021

 

Questions raised at the end of the presentation

 

(Note – the information provided below is a synopsis of the questions asked and answers provided – this is not a word for word transcription)

 

Q1. Cllr Jonathan Seed – Can the slides from tonight’s presentation be made available as part of the consultation?

 

Response provided during the meeting:-

 

R1. The information pack on the website utilises a lot of information within presentation and expands upon it, however the slides will be provided as a standalone document as well.

 

Post meeting note – slides uploaded to web site Thursday 5^th November 2020.

 

 

Q2. Tom and Mandy Pearce  ...  view the full minutes text for item 143.

Louise Cary – Head of Community Development, Wiltshire Council

 

Suzanne Gough - Senior Project Manager Strategic Asset & FM, Wiltshire Council

 

 

A note regarding the construction arrangements will be circulated in advance of the meeting and after communications have been sent to local residents and clubs

 

Introduced Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling - Cabinet Member for ICT, Digitalisation, Operational Assets, Leisure and Libraries who advised that:

 

·         The Melksham community should focus on the prize, it will be worth the inevitable disruption caused during the construction phase. Good communication will be important between all parties

 

·         That the Melksham campus was the first Wiltshire Council campus being built from the ground up.

 

 

Louise Cary – Head of Community Development, Wiltshire Council

 

Project Update and Design Changes

 

·         That Pellikaan Construction, a leisure specialist contractor, were appointed as Principal Contractor via the UK Leisure Framework in early 2020

 

·         That the Project team had been developing the designs and construction plan.

 

·         That COVID-19 had significantly impacted the council’s human and financial resources. A review of the council-wide capital programme had taken place and spend re-profiled, which had slowed the pace of the project for a period.

 

·         The council reaffirmed its commitment to deliver this project.

 

·         Construction would commence early next year.

 

·         That Pellikaan has appointed a leisure specialist Architects, Roberts Limbrick Architects, to work with them on developing the building design.

 

·         That design changes had been made, but these were all considered improvements in terms of impact on adjacent residential properties; operational functionality; sustainable credentials and increased community spaces.

 

Suzanne Gough - Senior Project Manager Strategic Asset & FM, Wiltshire Council

 

Access Update – A350 Challenges

 

When the campus achieved planning, the intention was for construction access to enter the site via Western Way (A350).

 

As proposals have developed, concerns about safety, disruption and deliverability have emerged:

 

·         Safety and Disruption - Steps to make the access route safer have been considered, but would result in significant disruption to the A350 and its tributaries.

 

·         Programme - Creating an access road via the A350 has had a significant impact on the programme, increasing this by circa 6 months.

 

·         Deliverability -The A350 access point can only be utilised for 55% of the construction programme, due to the proposed location of the campus building.

 

·         For the remaining period the only way to deliver the project is through the Market Place.

 

Access Update

 

·         Following a series of positive meetings with the Area Board members, we are now intending bring all construction traffic into the site via the Market Place.

 

·         Construction vehicles would enter and exit the site from either Spa Road or King Street.

 

·         All Campus construction vehicles would avoid the town centre.

 

Next Steps

 

·         Design Changes - Non-Material Amendment submitted

 

·         Access Changes - Section 73 notice submitted to change the access to the site, with flexibility via Spa Road and King Street

Extend construction period by half an hour, Monday – Friday

Discharge of Construction conditions.

 

·         Construction - Detailed design work continued, contracts were being finalised.

 

·         A number of site surveys would be undertaken including archaeological works.

 

·         Construction was due to commence on-site in early 2021.

 

·         That the roof of the sports hall was now slightly lower than the initial plans.

 

 

Questions

 

Had there been any surveys of the impact on town car parks during  ...  view the full minutes text for item 144.

Cllr Richard Wood – Chair, Melksham Neighbourhood Plan Steering

Cllr Richard Wood – Chair, Melksham Neighbourhood Plan Steering gave a brief update.

 

Points made included:

 

·         That the plan would shortly be entering the Regulation 16 process with Wiltshire Council, who would then examine the plan.

 

·         When the plan was approved by Wiltshire Council a referendum would be held.

 

·         That the plan was available on the Melksham Neighbourhood Plan website for all to view.

 

·         That some housing provision in Shaw & Whitley was included in the proposed plan.

 

·         Next development phase – so that local people could become involved in the process.

 

·         That the group were looking for new members to continue the work of the group.

 

The Chairman thanked Richard Wood for his update.

 

Cllr Nick Holder - Chairman

 

·         To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on Monday 12 October 2020

 

·         To agree recommendations for action 

 

Cllr Nick Holder – Chairman

 

The minutes of the meeting held on Monday 12 October 2020 were agreed and noted

 

That there were no recommendations for action

 

 

Cllr Jon Hubbard - Chairman

 

·         To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 24 September 2020

 

·         To agree recommendations for action 

 

Cllr Jon Hubbard – Chairman

 

The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 24 September 2020 were noted and agreed

 

The recommendations detailed below were agreed and noted

 

The following issues were now complete and can be closed:

 

·         Issue 4966 – Seend High Street - crossing facility Phase 2 – request for coloured surfacing and / or bollards to highlight the crossing point.

 

·         Issue 3340 - Melksham Coronation Road area – request for 20 mph limit.

 

·         Issue 6574 – Broughton Gifford, Mill Lane – request for measures to control freight movement.

 

·         Issue 6932 - Steeple Ashton – request for dropped kerbs at Holmeleaze and Newleaze.

 

·         Issue 7176 - Redstocks – request for village nameplate and single track road sign.

 

·         Issue 7080 - Melksham Bath Road / Bell Court – request for sign to deter HGVs entering / turning

 

·         Issue 9-19-3 – Melksham Snarlton Lane – request for “No access to Snarlton Farm” sign.

 

·         Issue 9-19-5 – Seend High Street – request for pedestrian crossing sign on eastern side of “new” crossing point.

 

·         Issue 9-19-2 – Melksham Snarlton Lane – Request for safety features at crossing point.

 

·         Issue 9-19-10 – Beanacre Westlands Lane rail bridge – Request for warning signs of road narrowing for westbound vehicles.

 

The following issues could now be added to the priority list:

 

·         Issue 9-20-4 - Keevil Towmead Lane – request for signs to deter use by motor vehicles. To recommend to the Area Board to add this to the Priority List and to allocate £400.

 

·         Issue 9-20-5 – Littleton, Stoggy Lane – request for no through road signs. To recommend to the Area Board to add this to the Priority List.

 

·         Issue 9-20-6 – Seend High Street – request for access protection markings. To recommend to the Area Board to add this to the Priority List and to allocate £100.

 

·         Melksham - Shurnhold and Dunch Lane. To recommend to the Area Board to add this to the Priority List.

 

 

To receive any written updates from the following partners:

 

·         Community Area Partnership

·         Wiltshire Police

·         Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

·         NHS Wiltshire/Clinical Commissioning Group

·         Healthwatch Wiltshire

·         Melksham Town Council

·         Parish Council Nominated Representatives

·         Melksham Chambers of Commerce

·         Melksham Senior People’s Forum

·         Older Persons Champion

·         Young Melksham

·         Trans Wilts CiC

·         Local Area Co-ordinator for Melksham - Matthew Billingham

 

 

The following written updates contained in the agenda pack were noted:

 

·         Wiltshire Police

 

·         Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

 

• Atworth Youth Club requesting £5,000 towards replacement of toilets and construction of disabled access

 

• Conigre Mead Volunteers requesting £590 to buy maintenance kit - an engine, brush cutter head and a strimmer lead

 

• 2385 (Melksham) Squadron ATC requesting £900 towards Duke of Edinburgh IT support

 

 Decision

Atworth Youth Club awarded £5,000 towards replacement of toilets and construction of disabled access

 (Note: Cllr Jon Hubbard did not take part or vote)

 

 

Decision

Conigre Mead Volunteers awarded £590 to buy maintenance kit - an engine, brush cutter head and a strimmer lead

 

 

Decision

2385 (Melksham) Squadron ATC awarded £900 towards Duke of Edinburgh IT support