Minutes:
(a) Meeting Information
The Chairman explained the circumstances leading to holding this meeting away from the usual venue at County Hall. Comments would be sought from Councillors on the arrangements and facilities for the meeting via their respective Group Leaders.
(b) Official Opening of Bourne Hill Offices, Salisbury
The Chairman reported that on 30 March, the Council’s Bourne Hill offices in Salisbury were officially opened by Her Royal Highness the Countess of Wessex. He understood that Her Royal Highness was very impressed with the design elements of the building particularly the energy efficient features and the sympathetic way in which the extension combined with the listed building.
(c) Salisbury Civic Society Conservation Awards Scheme 2010 Bourne Hill Offices, Salisbury
The Chairman was pleased to announce that the Bourne Hill offices received an award under the Salisbury Civic Society Conservation Awards Scheme for 2010. He had received the award on behalf of the Council, which took the form of a Certificate, at an awards ceremony held at Godolphin School in Salisbury last month. Certificates were also presented to the architects, conservation architects, the main contractors, environmental engineers and the landscape architects involved in the scheme. The award was given “for the respectful care taken over the historic house, and the addition of an ambitious and carefully thought out modern building to the centre of the city”.
In addition to this award, Bourne Hill had also been shortlisted for three other awards with the British Council of Offices, Society of Chief Architects in local authorities and the Royal Institute of British Architects.
(d) Award in Leadership Management
The Chairman reported that earlier in the year, nine Councillors undertook and successfully completed the Award in Leadership and Management. The award was a nationally recognised qualification at foundation degree level.
The Chairman congratulated the following Councillors who had successfully completed the award and presented them with their certificates later in the meeting:
Cllrs Allison Bucknell, Jane Burton, Trevor Carbin, Richard Clewer, Howard Marshall, Helen Osborn, Shelia Parker Stephen Petty and Paul Sample.
(e) Wootton Basset on the BBC
The Chairman referred to the programme ‘Wootton Bassett: The Town That Remembers’ which was broadcast on BBC1 on 9 May. The programme followed the course of a day in Wootton Bassett as residents prepared to receive a repatriation of a soldier, Ranger Aaron McCormick.
The Chairman reiterated the sentiments of the programme in recognising the incredible respect and unerring commitment shown by local residents and veterans throughout the course of repatriations via RAF Lyneham and the Town. It was noted that the Town had been granted Royal title for the respect collectively shown to those killed in war as they are returned to Britain.
(f) Mobile Chemotherapy Unit
As previously advised to Councillors, a mobile chemotherapy unit was parked outside the meeting room. This was to enable councillors to visit the unit and receive a presentation to see firsthand the excellent facilities it provided in bringing chemotherapy treatment closer to patients. It was noted that ‘Hope for Tomorrow’ a registered charity had provided a mobile chemotherapy unit for use in Wiltshire.
(g) Former Councillor – Brian Atfield
The Chairman reported that sadly Brian Atfield was seriously ill in hospital. Mr Atfield represented the Cricklade Division of Wiltshire Council during 1993-2004.