Agenda item

The Westbury Community Campus Team will present a summary of its working proposal for a local campus based on its engagement and consultation with local people. The Area Board will consider the proposal before deciding whether to endorse it and forward it to Wiltshire Council for further consideration.  A report setting out details of the proposal is attached.

The Westbury Community Campus Team presented a report which set out details of the Team’s working proposal for a local campus based on its engagement and consultation with local people, a copy of which was circulated with the agenda papers.

The meeting noted that a full and comprehensive consultation had taken place within the Community Area and this had included two separate surveys in which questionnaires had been very widely distributed to households and were also made available at key venues including the Library, street fairs and clubs.   It was recognised that the campus was about people and the community as well as buildings and the overwhelming desire of the community was that the campus should be split and developed around the Library, the Swimming Pool and the Leighton Recreation Centre.

The report recommended: that:

1.   the Swimming Pool should be renovated and improved to provide:

•      an attractive and welcoming entrance/meeting area

•      updated changing and shower facilities

•      Accessibility for all

2.     The Library should be renovated, extended and improved providing:

•      A community hub for the campus

•      a statement building delivering a new focal point for regeneration in the town

•      a piazza setting at street level to increase the impact

•      a wide range of services for the community,

•      Flexible space for public and private services to be delivered, including the library, local police services, heritage and visitor centre

3.     The Leighton Recreation Centre should be renovated, extended and improved to include:

Inside

·      significantly increased sports hall area

·      flexible community rooms

·      increased and modernised fitness suite

·      enhanced café facilities

·      Improved changing facilities

·      accessibility for all

Outside

·      All weather pitches

·      Covered courts/playing areas

·      Improved access to all areas

·      External changing rooms

·      Improved access to and from the site

It was explained that the Area Board was now being requested to support the proposals and recommendations set out in the report which would then be forwarded to the Council’s Cabinet for consideration.  Subject to the endorsement of Cabinet, a feasibility study and business plan would need to be developed prior to Cabinet making a final decision.

Cllr Jonathon Seed, Cabinet Member for Communities, Campuses, Area Boards, Leisure, Libraries and Flooding congratulated the Campus Team on the production of such a good and comprehensive set of proposals and he also stated that he was very impressed with the level of consultation that had taken place within the Westbury Area Community.   Subject to the approval of the Area Board, he would be pleased to present the report and recommendations to Cabinet which would consider the practicality and feasibility of the proposals. However, he went on to explain that the Council was likely to face significant financial challenges over the next five years and there was no guarantee that Cabinet would be able to providing financial assistance for all proposals.  Nevertheless, he would be pleased to support parts of proposals which could be funded.

Mr Gary Davies, a local trader, expressed concern that the provision of a piazza at the entrance to the Library would have a detrimental effect on his business which was situated in close proximity.  He stated that this development would result in the closure of that section of road to traffic which would cause a major threat to the viability of his business.     The meeting expressed some sympathy with these views but considered that Mr Davies would be able to register his concern and express his opposition to that part of the proposal at the planning application stage.

After further discussion

DECISION

To approve the proposals for the provision of a three site campus in Westbury based on the Library, Swimming Pool and Leighton Recreation Centre and to forward the report prepared by the Westbury Campus Community Team, together with its recommendations to Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet for consideration.