Agenda item

Verbal Updates

To receive any verbal updates from representatives, including:

·       Street Lighting Audits – Liz Batten

·       Underpasses working group update – Cllr Hocking

·       Environment Action Group –Cllr Hocking

Note: Speakers are reminded that they each have a 3 minute slot, unless they have previously discussed alternative arrangements with the Chairman

Written Updates

The Board is asked to note the following written and online updates attached to the agenda:

·       Neighbourhood Policing Team

·       Wiltshire Police - Spot the signs campaign & the VAWG Quarterly Update

·       Fire & Rescue – Update

·       Salisbury BID – website link

The Board noted the written updates attached to the agenda and received the following verbal updates:

Street Lighting Audits – Liz Batten (Salisbury Soroptimists)

Liz drew attention to the report which had been published as supplement 1 to the agenda. Thanks were given to all of the volunteers who took part in the street light audits in January which highlighted which of the cities streetlights were in need of attention.

The Chairman thanked Liz and all of the volunteers for their continued efforts on this initiative, which was raising awareness to the community.

The Board noted that the next stage in the mechanism for progress in repair works after the audit would be for consideration by the Highways Engineer.

Karlene agreed to liaise with the relevant officer to move the work along and update at a future meeting.

Following some recent graffiti on the underpass artwork, Cllr Hocking had met with the lead local artist for the project to arranged some touching up and more research around preventative cleaning agents that works with the anti-graffiti coat.

In relation to the Art Centre Lights which were not working, conversations with Wiltshire Creative and Wiltshire Council to establish responsibility.

Marc Read of SCC agreed to establish what was possible in terms of conservation restrictions and assist with improvements where he could.

Liz was asked whether the work of the group would expand slightly beyond the city, possibly to Bemerton Heath. Liz agreed to take the request back to the Salisbury Soroptimists for consideration.  

Underpasses working group update – Cllr Hocking

·       The Group met on 30 January 2025.

·       Since the 3 years the group had been established, it had been the intention that a reference document would be produced, which would contain useful contacts to use in cases of emergency.  Discussions with National Highways on their input continued with little progress.

·       COGGS was considering a further art project in another underpass; however the project was delayed due to the need for substrate works.

Environment Action Group –Cllr Hocking

·       The Group met on 15 January 2025.

·       Air quality monitoring work continued.

·       Elaine from Salisbury Transition City provided some context to the data from the readings over the years for the WC diffusion tubes that were in the city’s air quality monitoring areas.

·       The Group was also discussing the Local Cycling and Infrastructure Plan, which it was hoped would be available online as a live document in the next few weeks.

·       Flooding – still working on the Food Plan, with a focus on Cathedral Close and downstream from there. Negotiating with the Environment Agency on consultations they had requested, with a preference to work more towards landscaping.

·       Work to understand the water movement and rainfall was underway, in regard to areas of flooding on the floodplain at the bottom end of the city. There were a series of hatches and sluices which the Group was hoping to find a way to manage better to improve capacity of the flood plain.

·       The Group would approach the Harnham Water meadows trust to gain information from their work.