The Wiltshire Council cabinet met to discuss a range of issues, including waste management, adoption services, and budget adjustments, and agreed to increase council tax on second homes and long-term empty properties. They also approved a plan to create a special school satellite campus at the Northwood Centre, and to award a contract for bus shelter maintenance.

Here is a summary of the key discussion points:

• Novichok Poisoning
• Smoke-Free Wiltshire
• CCP Consultancy Role of Councillor Ian Thorne
• St Stephen's Place Arrangements
• Bollard Installation
• Shopping Centre Owner's Business Ethics
• Climate Emergency Briefing
• Property Development Classification
• Waste Management Transformation
• Adoption West Future Options
• Northwood Centre Special School Satellite Campus
• Performance Monitoring 2025/26 Q2
• Fees and Charges Framework
• Council Tax on Second Homes and Empty Properties
• Enhanced Biodiversity Duty Report
• Bus Shelter Contract

Novichok Poisoning

Councillor Ian Thorne, Leader of the Council, addressed the Dawn Sturgis Inquiry report regarding her death in Salisbury after being poisoned with Novichok¹. He extended his thoughts to her family and friends and welcomed the report, noting the resilience of Salisbury and Amesbury communities since the 2018 incident.

Smoke-Free Wiltshire

Councillor Clare Cape, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Co-ordination with the NHS, shared positive feedback received by the Smoke-Free Wiltshire team, highlighting the impact of their health coach scheme on helping people quit smoking. She read an anonymised testimonial from a participant who successfully quit smoking after decades of addiction, attributing their success to the scheme and their health coach's support.

CCP Consultancy Role of Councillor Ian Thorne

Councillor Annabelle Sanderson submitted questions regarding Councillor Ian Thorne's involvement with CCP, a planning-related consultancy. Councillor Thorne responded that he works approximately two hours a week for CCP and has had no conversations with planning officers regarding the local plan in Salisbury or any development sites in the south of the county since becoming Leader of the Council.

St Stephen's Place Arrangements

Councillor Dominic Munns raised concerns about the confidentiality surrounding arrangements for St Stephen's Place and asked if the January meeting regarding the St Stephen's Place car park could be fully open to the public. Councillor Thorne explained that the council is bound by a non-disclosure agreement² and will disclose as much information as possible while adhering to the agreement. He also stated that the council would pursue any businesses delinquent in paying their business rates³. Councillor Gavin Grant, Cabinet Member for Finance, resisted the idea of disclosing part 2 information simply because it had become public knowledge.

Bollard Installation

Councillor Munns questioned the process behind the installation of a bollard, which had been rejected through the LHFIG process⁴, and sought assurance that LHFIG would remain in place. Councillor Martin Smith, Cabinet Member for Highways, Street Scene and Flooding, clarified that LHFIG is just one mechanism for implementing highway changes and that highways are ultimately responsible for such decisions. He confirmed the bollard would be removed and that the council would review how to improve the LHFIG process.

Shopping Centre Owner's Business Ethics

Councillor Chris Vaughan, asked about the Cabinet and Wiltshire Council officers' confidence in the integrity and business ethics of a shopping centre owner the council was dealing with. Councillor Helen Belcher OBE, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Regeneration and Assets, stated that the assets and finance teams follow policies to assess organisations the council does business with, and these policies have been and are being followed. Councillor Grant added that anyone owing money to the council would be pursued.

Climate Emergency Briefing

Matthew Innes, representing Bram Hill, urged the council to engage with local media and run a public engagement campaign to raise awareness of the climate emergency. Councillor Paul Sample JP, Cabinet Member for Environment, Climate and Waste, responded that he had watched the national emergency briefing and that the council takes the issue seriously. Councillor Thorne added that the council had a robust debate on renewing the climate emergency declaration and would discuss the matter with the communications team.

Property Development Classification

Toby Robson, a constituent of Councillor Munns, raised concerns about a property development classified as C3 (ordinary dwelling house) despite modifications suggesting it should be C2 (care home). He requested clarification on whether planning officers were fully informed about the intended use and the needs of the future resident. Councillor Thorne suggested a meeting with cabinet members and officers to discuss the issue.

Waste Management Transformation

The cabinet discussed the future of waste management services in Wiltshire, aiming to increase recycling rates and reduce waste. Councillor Sample presented proposals to maintain the current recycling collection system, introduce curbside collections of flexible plastics, and implement weekly food waste collections. The cabinet also considered reducing black bin waste collections to three-weekly and closing two recycling centres in Purton and Lower Compton. A local authority trading company (LATCO) model for curbside collections and recycling sorting operations was also proposed.

Several members of the public and councillors raised concerns about the closure of the household recycling centres, the potential for increased fly-tipping, and the environmental impact of the Westbury incinerator. The cabinet ultimately voted to close the household recycling centres, but Councillor Belcher committed to finding a replacement site in the northeast of the county as quickly as possible.

The cabinet also discussed the possibility of retrofitting the existing diesel lorry fleet with electric engines. While supportive of the idea in principle, Councillor Grant expressed concerns about the upfront costs and the financial implications for the council.

The cabinet approved the waste management transformation proposals, including the formation of LATCOs, contract extensions, and the implementation of new recycling services.

Adoption West Future Options

Councillor Hubbard presented a report on the future options for Adoption West, a regional adoption agency. The report recommended continuing with Adoption West beyond February 2027, citing its good performance and positive service user feedback. The cabinet agreed to continue with Adoption West and delegated authority to the Corporate Director for Children and Education to further develop the agency.

Northwood Centre Special School Satellite Campus

Councillor Hubbard presented a proposal to create a special school satellite campus at the Northwood Centre in Colerne, aiming to provide additional specialist education places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The cabinet approved the proposal and delegated authority to the Director for Education and Skills to take the necessary steps to establish the campus.

Performance Monitoring 2025/26 Q2

Councillor Jacob presented the performance monitoring report for the second quarter of 2025/26, highlighting key performance indicators and areas for improvement. Councillor Hubbard provided additional context on the children's services indicators, noting challenges related to the number of children looked after and early years development outcomes for disadvantaged learners.

Fees and Charges Framework

Councillor Grant presented the fees and charges framework, outlining the principles and methodology for setting fees and charges for council services. The cabinet approved the framework and noted the proposed increases in fees and charges for 2026/27.

Council Tax on Second Homes and Empty Properties

Councillor Grant presented proposals to introduce a 100% council tax premium on second homes and to increase the long-term empty homes premium to the maximum permissible levels. Several councillors raised concerns about the impact of these measures on property owners and the potential for unintended consequences. The cabinet approved the proposals, which will now go to full council for a final decision.

Enhanced Biodiversity Duty Report

Councillor Sample presented the enhanced biodiversity duty report, outlining the council's actions to conserve and enhance biodiversity. Adrian Temple-Brown raised concerns about the impact of development on biodiversity and the use of anaerobic digestion for food waste processing. The cabinet approved the report and endorsed the five-year plan for biodiversity improvements.

Bus Shelter Contract

Councillor Smith presented a report on the award of a contract for the design, supply, installation, and maintenance of bus shelters and bus stop infrastructure. The cabinet delegated authority to the Director responsible for Highways and Transport to award the contract.