Agenda item

Lucy Murray-Brown - Campus & Operational Estate Management Lead, Wiltshire Council outlined to the meeting the proposals for the development of community campuses across the county and the plans for the local area.

Points made included:

• A campus is a building, or buildings, in a community area that will provide the services the local community needs in an accessible location.

• Local community involvement critical to the success.

• Reduces the long term financial, environmental and operational pressures on operating aging, low quality buildings.

• Potential to co-locate with partner and voluntary organisations.

• Encourages the council to explore wide ranging innovative management and operational arrangements.

• Core criteria to all campus buildings include shared reception, community space, accessible IT provision, personal care facilities and catering facilities.

• Wiltshire Council was proposing to build twenty campuses across the county.

Developing a campus in Tidworth - Indicative generic sequence of events

• Initial Area Board meeting – September 2011.

• Audit and research work – Winter 2011.

• Community consultation phase one – Spring 2012.

• Community consultation phase two – Summer 2012.

• Area Board consideration – Autumn 2012.

• Wiltshire Council Cabinet consideration – Winter 2012.

• Campus development – 2013/14.

• Community Campus in place – 2014/15.

Shadow Community Operations Board – (SCOB) would need to be set up to oversee and take decisions on the direction of any proposed Tidworth community area campus, the SCOB would have eight members comprising Area board members, key partners, town, parish and community representatives.

Questions raised from the floor included:

• Funds for a new ludgershall library were ring fenced by the old Kennet District Council, are these funds still available for this project?

a. Funds for this were tied into the construction of a new village hall, in the mean time Wiltshire Council came into being, the village hall construction had not begun and so the ring fenced funds for the library were withdrawn.

• Could the Tidworth community area have a campus in Tidworth and Ludgershall?

a.      No, the campus would be based in one town, but with multiple buildings across the community area.

• There are concerns that residents with no transport, who live in the parishes would struggle to get to the campus.

a.      Wiltshire Council is looking at this issue and how it would affect residents in rural areas.

• Community input is vital if the campus is to be successful.

a.      Good community is input is needed, residents are encouraged to get involved and give their input into the consultation.

Decision

• That the Tidworth Area Board agrees to set up a Shadow Community Operations Board – (SCOB) to oversee and take decisions on the direction of any proposed Tidworth community area campus.

• That Cllr Chris Williams would act as the interim Area Board representative on the SCOB, the remaining membership to be decided.

The Chairman invited expressions of interest from the attendees to joint the SCOB and thanked Lucy Murray-Brown for her presentation.

Application forms were available at the back of the room, further copies can be obtained from the Community Area Manager, Mary Cullen on 01722 434260