The Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade Area Board met to discuss a range of community issues, including flood resilience, highway improvements, and grant funding for local organisations. The board approved funding for several community projects and discussed ongoing initiatives to support vulnerable adults and improve road safety. Councillor Nick Dye, Cricklade & Latton Division, was in the chair.

Community Grant Funding

The area board approved several community grant applications, allocating funds to local organisations for various projects:

• Longleaze Preschool and Nursery was awarded £5,000 for resurfacing their outside playground.
• Broad Hinton Village Hall received £5,000 towards a new air source heat pump.
• St Bartholomew's Church Croft was granted £5,000 for the refurbishment of heritage walls.
• Purton Tennis Club was awarded £2,212 for a pavilion roof.
• Cricklade Development Foundation received £750 for the paved frontage of the Old Police Station.
• Lydiard Millicent Preschool was granted £4,971 for outdoor enrichment upgrades.
• The Stay Safe Initiative CIC was awarded £2,400 towards the Boyz 2 Men and Digital Empowerment Programme (Youth Grant).

Local Highway and Footway Improvement Group (LHFIG)

The Area Board approved a number of financial recommendations from the LHFIG, including:

• £5,000 for ad hoc road markings in the Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade area.
• £3,500 for C415 Broad Town speed limit implementation, with a 25% contribution from Broad Town Parish Council.
• £3,500 for A4361 Broad Hinton speed limit implementation, with a 25% contribution from Broad Hinton and Winterbourne Bassett Parish Council.
• £3,100 for a Tockenham 20mph assessment, with a 25% contribution from Tockenham Parish Council.
• £1,800 for a topological survey from Royal Wootton Bassett Rugby Club to Royal Wootton Bassett Sports Club, with a 12.5% contribution from Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council and 12.5% contribution from Lydiard Tregoze Parish Council.
• £3,100 for a Purton Road Cricklade 20mph assessment, with a 25% contribution from Cricklade Town Council.
• £4,000 for signs and road markings in Chelworth Upper Green, Cricklade, with a 25% contribution from Cricklade Town Council.

The Area Board noted concerns about responsibility for works on the B4696 being given to the Area Board's LHFIG, and requested further discussion and clarity on the issue.

Flood Resilience

Renate Malton, Flood Resilience Officer, gave a presentation on flood resilience, highlighting that over 400 properties in Wiltshire were flooded internally in 2023/24. She emphasised the importance of Community Flood Plans, maintaining drainage assets, and reporting issues via the MyWilts App. She also noted that grants were available from SSE and Wessex Water for local communities to improve flood resilience.

Spotlight on Parishes and Partners

The Area Board received updates from various partners, including the Shared Lives Service and Wiltshire Police.

Shared Lives Service

A video was shown to raise awareness of the Shared Lives scheme, which enables vulnerable adults to live as part of a family within a carer's home. Nicky Harris from Shared Lives explained that carers receive financial remuneration and mandatory training.

Wiltshire Police

Inspector Scott Anger provided an update on policing in the area, including:

• A new officer joining the team supporting Royal Wootton Bassett.
• Tack marking at local stables to help identify stolen equine equipment.
• The identification of eight young suspects in connection with a burglary in Lyneham.
• A racially aggravated public order offence in Royal Wootton Bassett, with a suspect arrested within 48 hours.
• Ongoing issues with speeding in Purton, car meets at White Hill Industrial Estate, and off-road bikes in Cricklade.

Inspector Anger also referred to the Fatal 5 and reminded drivers that:

It's illegal to use a handheld mobile phone while driving a motor vehicle on the roads in the UK. Even using a hands-free option can incur penalties if your driving is deemed to be dangerous.

Other Business

The Area Board also:

• Noted information items, including updates on the Wiltshire Community Air Network, the Wiltshire Connect service¹, and the SEND Festival².
• Discussed the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector and Wiltshire Council framework, encouraging local organisations to participate in the survey.
• Received an update from the Community Care Group.
• Deferred the consideration of appointments to allow more time to get community feedback and discuss priorities.