Agenda item

Lucy Murray-Brown, Campus and Operational Estate Management Lead, gave a presentation on proposals for a community campus in Wootton Bassett and a community campus in Cricklade.

Lucy explained that a community campus was a building, or buildings, in a community area that would provide the services the local community needed in an accessible location.

Wiltshire Council had agreed to the development of a community campus in Wootton Bassett, due for completion in autumn 2012, and a separate community campus in Cricklade, due for completion in early 2013.

Following a wide ranging question and answer session it was proposed that the Area Board would develop an individual Shadow Community Operations Board for each community campus, in accordance with the specified Terms of Reference, and expressions of interest were welcomed from people wishing to sit on either of the Shadow Boards.

Following the presentation, a question arose as to the situation regarding insurance, and why the insurance money from Lime Kiln Leisure Centre was not being used to reinstate the swimming pool. Lucy stated that a response to this question would be prepared and circulated following the meeting.

NB since the meeting it has been confirmed by Wiltshire Council officers and the Area Board Chairman that the Lime Kiln building was and is insured, and that the insurance cover was more than adequate to provide full re-instatement.

The following additional information has also been provided since the meeting:

The fire at the Lime Kiln Leisure Centre on December 18 caused extensive damage to the swimming pool and the associated facilities.  Both Wiltshire Council and DC Leisure recognise the inconvenience the closure was having on the many frequent users of Lime Kiln and concerted efforts have been made to re-instate the key areas of the centre not directly damaged by the fire, onMarch28. 
 
At this stage, it would not be financially prudent to invest in the reinstatement of the damaged facilities, irrespective of where the money comes from, as the leisure complex is linked to the wider discussions which will assess opportunities to create a campus in Wootton Bassett.  This is a hugely positive project for Wootton Bassett and the surrounding area and if anything the unfortunate incident with the fire creates an opportunity to bring forward the timeline for developing a campus facility.
 
There is a need to avoid pre-empting the results of the community consultation that will take place in the coming weeks around the wider proposal to create  a campus in Wotton Bassett as the detail and options for a campus cannot be developed until the community have had an opportunity to influence the indicative specification of a campus.  This will be carried out through the initial consultation which the shadow community operations board are likely to consider in the coming weeks.  The Shadow Community Operations Board could also consider the various options for the reinstatement of the pool facilities and make recommendations to the Area Board.

In the interim, as a minimum, weather protection will be installed to protect the building from further damage, until the outcome of the community campus consultation is known, and a long term vision for facilities in the town is clearer. 

Decision

The Area Board agreed:

      i.        To establish two Shadow Board's, representative of stakeholder and community interests, to work with Wiltshire Council in developing a Wootton Bassett Campus and a separate Cricklade Campus. The role of the Shadow Board's will include communications, securing local engagement and influencing the design of the campus facilities to be recommended by the Area Board for implementation by Cabinet.   In line with the approval from Cabinet on 15^th February 2011, and the subsequent agreement of Councillor Jane Scott to include Cricklade within the preliminary management projects, both Shadow Boards will have an ongoing role in the indirect management and strategic planning of the resulting campus facilities.

    ii.        To invite expressions of interest for membership of the Shadow Board's so as to enable the Shadow Board's, representative of the community (comprising  no more than 8 Members), to be constituted by the Area Board and which will then operate in accordance with terms of reference agreed with Wiltshire Council.