The Pewsey Area Board met on Wednesday 18 March 2026 and approved funding for several community projects, including the Pewsey Shed, Wilcot Cricket Club, Pewsey Rugby Football Club, and the Blue Bus service. The board also noted the minutes from the Local Highways and Footpath Improvement Group (LHFIG) meeting and discussed concerns regarding the condition of local roads and the effectiveness of reporting highway issues.

Area Board Funding

The Area Board considered and approved several funding applications.

• Pewsey Shed received a £3,500 award towards its set-up costs. This initiative aims to establish a community shed at Pewsey Vale Campus, with significant setup costs estimated around £50,000 for design, planning, build, and equipping. A community group has been formed to manage the project, working in conjunction with Wiltshire Council officers.
• Wilcot Cricket Club was awarded £2,433.27 towards the capital costs of providing pitches and maintaining machinery. The club has seen significant growth, with a vibrant junior section including 119 members, 17 of whom are girls, fielding five junior teams.
• Pewsey Rugby Football Club Ltd received £500 towards the provision of outside seating for parents and spectators.
• Upavon Parish Council was awarded £2,000 for the Blue Bus Monthly Services. The Area Board suggested that Upavon Parish Council discuss the Connect 2 service with Paul Sanders, the Demand Responsive Transport Manager, regarding transporting youth from other local villages to Upavon.
• Wootton Rivers Village Hall received £1,796 for equipment replacement at Wootton Rivers Recreation Ground. This award was split between youth funding (£1,491) and capital funding (£305). The project aims to replace a disused shed and repair or replace damaged equipment at the recreation ground, which is overseen by the Village Hall Committee.

Local Highway and Footpath Improvement Group (LHFIG)

The Area Board noted the minutes from the LHFIG meeting held on 18 February 2026. They were informed of the current financial balance of -£114.87. Several issues were noted, including:

• Issue 10-22-9 (A345 Upavon): A footway link from Riverside Park to the village centre, opposite Grey Flags.
• Issue 10-24-11 (Pewsey Broomcroft Road): A request for Children's Crossing Warning Signs.
• Issue 10-24-23 (Rushall Elm Row Phase 4): A new footway continuing from Phase 3 to a newly built footpath from Whistledown Farm.
• Issue 10-24-06 (Beechingstoke): A speed limit review on Woodborough Road from Broad Street to Limberstone.
• Issue 10-24-24 (Pewsey Phoenix Square): Access protection markings to deter parking.

The following issues were closed:

• Issue 10-23-9 (Sunnyhill Lane Bus Stop Improvements).

Urgent Items

Two urgent items were raised and discussed:

1. Potholes and Road Conditions: Concerns were raised about the condition of highways in the north-east of the county, specifically mentioning the A345 at Manningford and the A342 between Upavon and Rushall near Whistledown. The Area Board noted the removal of traffic lights at A345 works but expressed concern over the lack of quality control, inadequate funding, and the road's condition post-works. It was suggested that Colin Gale might wish to escalate this issue by asking a question at a future Cabinet or Full Council meeting, directed to Cabinet Member Cllr Martin Smith.
2. Highway Issue Reporting: Rushall Parish Council expressed concern about the lack of response from Wiltshire Council's Highways Engineer regarding several issues, including the Devizes Road crossroads, which had damaged signs and fencing following a significant accident five months prior. This issue had been reported via the MyWilts app. The Chairman shared similar concerns about reporting highway issues through the MyWilts app and stated he would investigate the matter further.

The Area Board also noted that substantive bids for the recent LHFIG meetings had not yet been determined, with a report expected to be considered by Cabinet Liaison towards the end of April 2026.