Agenda item

 To receive the following announcements through the Chairman:

·       Area Board Boundary Review Consultation

Due to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England boundary review of Wiltshire Council, some division boundaries will be changing and as a result Area Board boundaries are also subject to change. A consultation on the Area Board boundary changes will run from 10 September 2020 to 31 October 2020. Please see links in the agenda pack.

·       Connect 5

The Connect 5 training programme is about mental health and wellbeing. The programme is free of charge and available to community groups and individuals who have a role in supporting mental wellbeing. Contact kerri.lavendar@wiltshire.gov.uk for details.

·       Covid-19

Brief update on Covid-19 and staying safe.

·       Payphones Consultation

BT are consulting on the removal of some payphone kiosks, one of which is in the Marlborough Community Area. BT offers the opportunity for parish councils and registered charities to adopt a kiosk for just £1, thereby protecting the heritage of the community.

Details about this can be found at http://business.bt.com/phone-services/payphone-services/adopt-a-kiosk/.

The consultation period on the removal of payphones runs until 28 October 2020, please contact Mary.Moore@wiltshire.gov.uk for details.

The Chairman invited Cllr Richard Clewer to introduce the first Chairman’s announcement on the Area Board Boundary Review.

Cllr Clewer explained that following a Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) boundary review of Wiltshire Council, some division boundaries would be changing and as a result Area Board boundaries also needed to be updated. The Wiltshire Council constitution stated that each Member could only sit on one Area Board and each division had to be entirely within an Area Board, divisions could not be split across Area Boards.

For Marlborough this would mean that the number of Members sitting on the Area Board would reduce from four to three. This could create complications, as for an Area Board meeting to be quorate three Members had to be present. Therefore, if a Member could not attend a substitute would be needed. The working arrangements for Pewsey and Tidworth Area Boards were explained as these were three Member Area Boards. This worked by having a single Area Board, the Pewsey and Tidworth Area Board, which had two sub committees, the Pewsey Area Board and the Tidworth Area Board. The Members of these sub committees could substitute for each other as they were part of the overarching Area Board.

The cross-party Electoral Review Committee had proposed that the Marlborough Area Board be added to the above arrangement. There would be a Marlborough, Pewsey and Tidworth Area Board, with three sub committees; the Marlborough Area Board, Pewsey Area Board and the Tidworth Area Board. Each of the sub committee Area Boards would meet as three Member Area Boards as usual, however the three boards would meet once a year as the Marlborough, Pewsey and Tidworth Area Board to discuss wider issues and elect the Members of the sub committees. Members of these Area Boards could substitute for each other if required.

There was a consultation taking place on the Area Board boundary review, running until 31 October 2020. Parishes and the public were encouraged to respond online here or to email cgr@wiltshire.gov.uk.

Shelia Glass of Ramsbury Parish Council stated that she was concerned regarding the new Marlborough Area divisions, which were Aldbourne and Ramsbury, Marlborough West and Marlborough East, as she felt that the board was very Marlborough centric. A discussion regarding the new boundaries took place and Cllr Clewer explained that the LGBCE had determined the new division boundaries and that each division had to have roughly the same population.  

The Chairman referred the meeting to three announcement’s that were published in the agenda pack. These referred to:

·       Covid-19 and staying safe

·       Connect 5 – a mental health and wellbeing training programme, which was free of charge for community groups and individuals who had a role in supporting mental wellbeing. Those interested could contact kerri.lavendar@wiltshire.gov.uk for details.

·       Payphones Consultation – BT were considering removing some payphones in the Marlborough Community Area. More details could be found in the agenda pack or at http://business.bt.com/phone-services/payphone-services/adopt-a-kiosk/. A consultation was taking place until 28 October 2020. Residents could contact mary.moore@wiltshire.gov.uk for details.