Agenda item

Chairman’s Announcements can be discussed and members of the public can ask questions but they are not an item on the agenda open for debate;  officers / people with the knowledge on the subject are not usually present to answer questions or provide additional information.

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However members of the public do have an opportunity to ask for any further information to be included as an item for a future agenda.

(a)       Wiltshire & Swindon Local Nature Partnership

A Steering Group formed in January 2012 with representation from Wiltshire Council, Swindon Borough Council, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and the AONBs to guide the development of a Local Nature Partnership (LNP) in Wiltshire & Swindon.  As of July 2012 the Wiltshire & Swindon LNP has been officially recognised as a LNP by Government.

This information sheet provides a brief update on the progress that has been made and invites contributions from interested parties in relation to the strategic direction and future work of the LNP.

Further information is included in the agenda pack.

(b)       Barrier Busting Proposals

Volunteers, community groups and social enterprises of many kinds have great ideas about how they could make their neighbourhood a better place to live and would like to play a bigger role in local life but sometimes barriers get in the way. Red tape, rules and regulations stop people putting good ideas into action. Not only is this frustrating – it means that local people miss out.

The Government have a ‘Barrier Busting Team’ to help with this problem.

Further information is included in the agenda pack.

(c)          Minerals Sites in Wiltshire and Swindon

Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council jointly submitted the Proposed Submission draft Aggregate Minerals Site Allocations Local Plan to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on 20 July 2012 along with supporting evidence reports and proposed minor modifications to the Plan stemming from the final, pre-submission round of consultation held earlier this year.

Copies of all submission documents including copies of representations made and other supporting documents which, in the opinion of the councils, are relevant to the preparation of the Site Allocations Plan are available to view on the councils’ website and at Council Offices.

Further information is included in the agenda pack.

(d)      Informal Adult Education In Wiltshire – update

At its meeting held on 10^th September 2012, Cabinet received a report on the outcome of the consultation on adult education in Wiltshire which had been undertaken and invited the cabinet to determine the future role of Wiltshire Council in respect of the provision of informal adult education.  The full report can be found at http://cms.wiltshire.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=141&MId=6122&Ver=4

Further information is included in the agenda pack.

(e)       Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) for Wiltshire – Consultation

Wiltshire Council is in the process of preparing a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) charging schedule. CIL is a new charge that local authorities in England can place on new development in their area. The money generated through the levy will contribute to the funding of infrastructure to support growth.

Further information is included in the agenda pack.

(f)        Crosspoint and the Voluntary and Community Services Awards

(g)      Westbury and the Proposed Changes to Rail Services

Councillor Richard Gamble, Portfolio Holder for Public Transport, will speak on this item.

The Chairman made the following announcements:

(a)       Wiltshire & Swindon Local Nature Partnership

A Steering Group formed in January 2012 with representation from Wiltshire Council, Swindon Borough Council, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and the AONBs to guide the development of a Local Nature Partnership (LNP) in Wiltshire & Swindon.  As of July 2012 the Wiltshire & Swindon LNP had been officially recognised as a LNP by Government.

(b)       Barrier Busting Proposals

The Chairman reported that volunteers, community groups and social enterprises of many kinds had great ideas about how they could make their neighbourhood a better place to live and would like to play a bigger role in local life but sometimes barriers got in the way. Red tape, rules and regulations stopped people putting good ideas into action. Not only was this frustrating – it meant that local people missed out. However, the Government had a ‘Barrier Busting Team’ to help with this problem.

(c)       Minerals Sites in Wiltshire and Swindon

Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council had jointly submitted the Proposed Submission draft Aggregate Minerals Site Allocations Local Plan to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on 20 July 2012 along with supporting evidence reports and proposed minor modifications to the Plan stemming from the final, pre-submission round of consultation held earlier this year.

Copies of all submission documents including copies of representations made and other supporting documents which, in the opinion of the councils, are relevant to the preparation of the Site Allocations Plan were available to view on the Councils’ website and at Council Offices.

(d)      Informal Adult Education In Wiltshire – update

At its meeting held on 10 September 2012, Cabinet received a report on the outcome of the consultation on adult education in Wiltshire which had been undertaken and invited Cabinet to determine the future role of Wiltshire Council in respect of the provision of informal adult education.  The full report could be found at http://cms.wiltshire.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=141&MId=6122&Ver=4

Dr Peter Biggs enquired how this would be provided in Wiltshire.  Ms Julia Cramp, Service Director for Commissioning & Performance reminded the Board that all Area Boards were consulted on this during the Summer and this Board had considered the matter at its meeting on 14 June 2012 when it recommended the adoption of:

Option 3 – Wiltshire Council to facilitate the provision of informal adult education at a local level, and

Option 4 – Wiltshire Council to coordinate and promote informal adult learning opportunities offered across the county.

Cabinet had agreed at its September meeting:

a)               that the Council adopt the role to facilitate the provision of informal adult education at a local level;

b)               to approve the appointment of a 0.6 full-time equivalent part-time adult education officer to work with local community networks to develop a sustainable locally-based adult education provision including information on, and promotion of, opportunities and

c)               to allocate budget of £32,000 from the revenue savings accrued from the closure of Urchfont Manor College to meet the costs associated with the appointment.

(e)       Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) for Wiltshire – Consultation

The Chairman announced that Wiltshire Council was in the process of preparing a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) charging schedule. CIL was a new charge that local authorities in England could place on new development in their area. The money generated through the levy would contribute to the funding of infrastructure to support growth.

Dr Peter Biggs enquired as to whether the charging schedule had been set by Central Government or locally and, if the latter, how the schedule compared with other comparator local authorities.  The Chairman stated that this would be looked into and reported back to the Board. 

(f)        Crosspoint and the Voluntary and Community Services awards

The Chairman introduced a short film outlining the work carried out at Crosspoint and then presented a cheque for £250.00 to Mr Gordon King and Revd. Jonathan Burke to assist with the work undertaken.

(g)      Westbury and the proposed changes to rail services – Councillor Richard Gamble

Cllr Richard Gamble explained the importance of Westbury as a rail centre providing services on the lines between:

·         London, Exeter, Plymouth & Cornwall 

·         Cardiff, Bristol, Salisbury, Southampton & Portsmouth

·         Bristol & Weymouth

·         Westbury & Swindon

He reported that about 100 trains stopped at Westbury every day and about 3400 passengers used these trains at Westbury. Of these passengers using the station between one third and a half changed trains, thus they were starting and finishing their journeys somewhere other than Westbury.

Cllr Gamble went on to explain that there would be a change of franchise shortly and the franchise replacement invitation to tender dated 27 July 2012 no longer required a direct service between Westbury and Paddington.  This meant that, although this service was part of the current franchise, a new operator would not have to provide this service. It was vital to preserve this direct fast service between Westbury and Paddington for the use of commuters, businesses, residents and the economy of the area.

He also reported that there could well be a threat to rail services at Westbury following the electrification of certain routes out of Paddington. There were plans to electrify the main line between Paddington and Swansea sometime between 2016 and 2019 and also the route from Paddington as far as Newbury.  This could easily result in a diminished service from Westbury and certainly no direct service to Paddington.  Representations were being made to the Department for Transport (DfT) requesting that electrification be extended from Newbury to Westbury and beyond.

Cllr Gamble urged everyone to make representations to the DfT requesting that the rail services between Westbury and Paddington be safeguarded and that they sign the e-petition on Westbury Trainwatch’s website at www.westburytrainwatch.org.uk.   

(h)      Campaign for a Westbury Bypass

Cllr Julie Sawbey reported that at the Area Board held in April, during the debate about Westbury A350 Bypass, a statement from Campaign for a Better Trowbridge was read out by Mr Ken McCall. Mr McCall has asked for clarification on 2 points these being:

·         Their request that the resolution needs to mention both the A350 and the A361 roads need to be examined by Wiltshire Council in the context of a Westbury Bypass

·         Their claim that it is fact that an eastern route has been abandoned and this needs clear mention in the text of the resolution.

It was explained by Cllr Hawker at the meeting that he was not prepared to change his motion because he was asking Westbury Area Board to focus on Westbury Area issues and because the whole point of asking for a suitable route to be found was to allow all options to be looked at.  Clearly, the fact that an eastern route had been rejected for planning permission would speak for itself in any future analysis, though this would not necessarily mean that an eastern route is out of the question for ever.

Since the Area Board meeting in April, this board has decided to await the outcome of the shortlist of major schemes to be considered by the Local Transport Board covering Wiltshire and Swindon and any funding which may or may not be available.  Those schemes shortlisted will be notified in April 2013 for delivery after 2015.  It is agreed that this is the most sensible way forward.  Should the Westbury area traffic issues be selected as a priority then Wiltshire Council, working with the Local Enterprise Partnership would be expected to look very closely at every option for a suitable road improvement scheme.  The Core Strategy consultation documents  since last year have included the Westbury Eastern Bypass route that was in the district plan as a saved policy for the core strategy, though this was in a written list in the appendices rather than on a map because a map of old policies was not previously produced.  Now that the map has been produced, the old policies are shown on it.  So although the Secretary of State for Transport rejected the Eastern Bypass, it is still held as a “saved route” on council policy until the council decides whether to use it, amend it or proceed with another route altogether.  Until the shortlist of priority road improvement schemes in Wiltshire is announced in April 2013,  it is futile for Westbury Area Board to press for any further work to be carried out. In other words, no-one seriously expects any further work to be carried out on establishing a suitable  route for a Westbury A350 Bypass until it is clear that money is allocated to actually proceed with such a large project.