The South West Wiltshire Area Board convened to discuss a range of topics, including community grants, updates from local partners such as the police, and the board's priorities and actions. The meeting was also scheduled to include a presentation on family hubs and a review of local highway and footpath improvements.

Area Board Funding

The Area Board was expected to consider several funding applications. The remaining budgets for Community Area Grants were £2,185, for Older & Vulnerable people £4,590, and for Young People £11,903.

The following applications were to be considered:

• Tisbury Parish Council, requested £1,000 towards StarFest 2026.
• Seeds4Success, requested £5,000 for open access youth work delivery in South West Wiltshire.
• Seeds4Success, requested £5,000 for S4S Youth Social Action Initiatives.
• Folio Theatre, requested £1,000 for creative writing workshops for over 65s in South West Wiltshire.
• Broad Chalke Village Hall, requested £2,100 for an electrical supply upgrade.

Further information on the Area Board Grant system could be found online.

Police and Community Safety Updates

The meeting was scheduled to include verbal updates from Philip Wilkinson OBE, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon, as well as from Inspector Lou Oakley of the Warminster Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) and Inspector Tina Osborn of the Salisbury NPT.

Attendees were also invited to note written updates from Wiltshire Police, including reports from the Warminster, Salisbury and Amesbury NPTs, a South West Wiltshire Road Safety Update, and a quarterly update on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).

The Warminster NPT update included information about the team, their priorities, and their work engaging with communities, solving problems, and targeting activity. Priorities for the Warminster NPT included retail crime, youth anti-social behaviour, concerns around the traveller community in Mere, rural crime, and speeding and road safety. The update also detailed how to report crimes and incidents, and how the NPT is working with rural communities and villages.

The Salisbury NPT update included information about the team, their local priorities, and updates on business crime, the Public Space Protection Order¹ (PSPO) relating to street drinkers, rural burglaries and crime, community speed watch, and vulnerable checks.

The Amesbury NPT update reported on hare coursing in the areas of Wylye, The Langfords and Fisherton De La Mere, and provided information on how to report incidents or intelligence to Wiltshire Police.

The Road Safety Update included information on the #FATAL5 education campaign, drink driving, the Community Road Safety Team, traffic surveys, and partnership working. It also provided data on traffic surveys conducted in South West Wiltshire between 1 January 2024 and August 2025, and on tickets issued to motorists by the Roads Policing Unit between July and September.

The Violence Against Women and Girls quarterly report provided updates on the Ending VAWG Coalition Wiltshire, stalking work and training, Project Vigilant, Swindon Safe Spaces, national awareness, and the Multi-Agency Tasking and Coordination (MATAC) process.

Family Hubs

Sam Lush, Community and Family Navigator, was scheduled to give a presentation on Spurgeons Family Hubs. Spurgeons is a children's charity that has been running services for families for over 150 years. Family hubs bring together services to support families with children of all ages, from birth to 19 (or up to 25 for young people with special educational needs and disabilities).

Area Board Priorities and Actions Update

The Area Board was scheduled to receive a presentation on its priority actions. Included with the agenda was a summary of discussions at the last youth partnership forum meeting, which offered additional context for the youth priority.

The Youth Partnership Forum Summary noted that the forum met in October to discuss how to continue working collaboratively to strengthen positive leisure time activities for young people in South West Wiltshire. Key points discussed included additions/amendments to the list of community groups, strengthening links with local schools, the Bishopstone, Broadchalke and Fovant Youth Collaboration Project, the need for funding, activities and engagement for year 5+ in particular, facilitating better transport support to/from village activities, exploring the mobile youth facility offered by Youth 4 Christ, and a new idea regarding movie nights.

Local Highways and Footpaths Improvements Group

The Area Board was to note the minutes from the last Local Highways and Footpaths Improvements Group (LHFIG) meeting held on 26 November 2025. There were no funding recommendations to approve.

The LHFIG Note Tracker included updates on various ongoing highways and footpaths issues in the area, such as:

• Works to provide 30mph signing amendments in Dinton.
• A request for measures to address traffic issues on the A30 at Lower Ludwell in Donhead St. Mary.
• An A350 speed limit assessment in Donhead St. Mary, East Knoyle and Sedgehill & Semley.
• Traffic calming in Stops Hill, Hindon.
• A kerb realignment in Fovant.
• A speed limit assessment along Shaftesbury Road in Mere.
• White lining amendments to control the speed of vehicles in Tollard Royal.
• A 20mph speed limit in Ansty.
• A pedestrian crossing facility in South Street, Wilton.
• A 7.5t weight limit on Steep Hollow and Sandhills Road in Dinton.
• A footway at the junction of High Street and Tisbury Road in Fovant.
• A speed limit assessment on the C12 in Bishopstone and Broad Chalke.
• A 20mph Speed Limit in the centre of Wilton.
• Measures to address road safety concerns at the junction of the A350 and Wincombe Lane in Donhead St. Mary.
• Waiting restrictions in Mere.
• Measures to address safety concerns at Edge Bridge in Mere.
• A centre line in Castle Street / The Square in Mere.
• Additional steps on SMAN9 where it joins Glasses Lane in Sutton Mandeville.
• A hard standing outside of The Haven in Barford St. Martin.
• Measures to address road safety concerns in the vicinity of the junction of Portfield Road and the C12 in Bishopstone.
• A reduction in the speed limit on the B3902 through Norton Ferris in Kilmington.
• A reduction in the speed limit on the A30 heading toward Shaftesbury in Donhead St. Mary.
• Measures the provision of additional parking spaces in Kent's Hill in Chilmark.
• Speeding concern on the B3089 in Chilmark.
• A reduction in the speed limit on the A30 through Ugford in Burcombe.
• A 7.5t weight limit on Dennis Lane in Ludwell in Donhead St. Mary.
• Measures to address safety concerns at a bend in the road in Sutton Mandeville and Sedgehill & Semley.

Information Items

The Area Board was asked to note several information items, including updates from Age UK, BSW Together (Integrated Care System), and Beyond Dementia, as well as Wiltshire Council information items.

Age UK

The October 2025 Newsletter from Age UK Wiltshire included information on arts groups, daytime discos, wellbeing checks with meals, arts and friendship clubs, community support services, the Surviving Winter Grant, coach trip destinations, Carers Together Wiltshire's trip to the seaside, the Big Knit, trustee recruitment, and supporting the charity through legacies, easyfundraising, and fundraising.

BSW Together

The September 2025 update from BSW Together (Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board) included information on the future of integrated care boards in England, the chair of the new integrated care board cluster, the ICB's Chief Executive Officer, the new Trowbridge Integrated Care Centre, and flu vaccinations for pregnant women and young children.

Beyond Dementia

Beyond Dementia, formerly known as Alzheimer's Support, is a Wiltshire charity that provides advice, support and care to people living with dementia and family carers.

Wiltshire Council Information Items

Wiltshire Council Consultation Portal

No information was provided about this item in the agenda.

Family and Community Learning Impact Report 2024-25

The Family and Community Learning Impact Report 2024-2025 highlighted the impact of adult learning across Wiltshire. The report showcased how inclusive, community-centred education delivered in partnership with local organisations has empowered residents to build confidence, develop essential skills, and take positive steps in their lives.

The report stated that Family and Community Learning is part of Wiltshire Council's Targeted Education Service and is funded through the Department for Education's Adult Skills Fund under a Tailored Learning contract. In 2024–2025, it supported 635 individual learners across a range of online and face-to-face courses throughout Wiltshire.

Wiltshire Children and Young People Health and Wellbeing Survey 2026

The Wiltshire Children and Young People Health and Wellbeing Survey 2026 is scheduled to run from 5 January to 6 February 2026. The survey is open to all educational settings in Wiltshire, including primary and secondary schools, special schools, further education colleges, independent schools, and alternative provision settings. The primary goal is to capture the voice of children and young people, enabling services and schools to better understand their needs and experiences.

Wiltshire Youth Council Elections – February 2026

The Wiltshire Youth Council Elections are scheduled to take place from 2 to 6 February 2026. The target group is schools educating 11–17-year-olds. The purpose of the elections is to elect Youth Councillors to represent young people and influence local decisions. The voting method is an online platform, and a survey on youth priorities will also be conducted.

Minutes

The minutes from the previous South West Wiltshire Area Board meeting on 17 September 2025 were included in the Public Reports Pack.