Agenda item

To note the attached information on the following current consultations:

Public Convenience Survey

Due to the reduction in the government funding for Wiltshire Council and the need to continue to challenge what and how services were provided. One of the services under review for 2015/16 was the public convenience service. Council's did not have a statutory duty to provide public conveniences. Many town and parish councils already provided the public convenience service in their area. In some areas supermarkets and shops were open to the public to use, often with longer opening hours.

The Public conveniences survey sought to identify the views of stakeholders on the future provision of the public convenience service. Please note that no decisions had yet been made as the Council wanted to hear from all stakeholders with their ideas and whether alternative operating arrangements could be found.

Comments:

Roger Yeates – Downton Parish Council

We know that it was not a requirement for Wiltshire Council to provide non statutory facilities, such as public toilets, but if we as a parish take these services on we would not only need to raise the precept, but we would need to have someone to unlock them in the morning, and lock them back up at night, as well as someone to clean them twice a day. This was quite a big commitment to take on. The parish council has gone out to consultation to seek community views.

Community Governance Review Survey

The Council was undertaking a Community Governance Review (CGR) at the request of a number of parish and town councils. This was essentially a review of parish boundaries and in some cases also the number of seats on a parish council. Unitary council areas and seats were not covered by this review.

A CGR must reflect the identities and interests of the communities in that area and also facilitate effective and convenient local government. Consequently, a CGR must take into account the impact of community governance arrangements on community cohesion, and the size, population and boundaries of a local community or parish. Find out more about the Community governance review 2015.

There were two areas with proposed schemes which affected the Southern Wiltshire Community Area, these were:

1. Nomansland (Redlynch and Landford)

Cllr Randall explained that Nomansland was currently in the parish of Redlynch, but that he had made the proposal that as it had more affinity with the neighbouring parish of Landford than it has with the rest of the parish of Redlynch, that the boundary should be moved.

This proposal had been supported and would be going ahead.

2. Properties within Hampton Park and Bishopdown farm

Cllr McLennan explained that two scheme suggestions had been received for the Hampton Park and Bishopdown Farm areas of Salisbury City and Laverstock and Ford Parish. The two schemes sought to move most properties into one parish or the other, hence the current consultation on the two proposals, which are being presented neutrally.

Salisbury’s scheme was to move properties in to Salisbury. Laverstock and Ford’s scheme was to move properties in to Laverstock and Ford.

The issue of moving Laverstock into Salisbury had not been on the list of changes considered by the Governance Review Working Group. However, two Wiltshire councillors representing Wards in the City had tabled a Motion that this should be considered. This was agreed by Full Council.

Cllr McLennan explained that if the Salisbury proposal went ahead, the Salisbury Area Board would gain a Cllr and Southern Wiltshire would be reduced to 4 Board Members, which did not leave it in a strong position.