The Calne Area Board met on Tuesday 16 June 2026, approving £23,000 in grant funding for various community projects and discussing key local issues including road safety and the future of waste services. The meeting also saw the election of the Area Board's Chairman and Vice-Chairman for the forthcoming year.

Area Board Funding

The Area Board awarded a total of £23,000 in grants to support a range of community initiatives.

• Calne Town Football Club received £5,000 towards replacement fencing for their grounds. The club is a valued community organisation providing sporting opportunities for all ages, and the fencing improvements were deemed essential for security and maintaining a safe environment.
• Derry Hill and Studley Heartbeat were granted £2,680.20 for the replacement of three aging defibrillators, ensuring continued access to life-saving equipment within the community.
• Calne Heritage Centre Trust was awarded £5,000 towards the installation of a new, more energy-efficient boiler. This will ensure the centre remains comfortable and usable throughout the year, supporting its role as a volunteer-led community facility.
• Calne District Girl Guiding Hall received £500 for heating improvements, including a new water boiler and frost heater, to address issues with their aging prefabricated building.
• Goatacre Village Hall was allocated £5,000 towards car park resurfacing. The current surface is uneven and poses safety concerns, particularly for older and less mobile residents.
• Derry Hill United Football Club received £890 towards sustainable water use measures, specifically rainwater harvesting and storage to support pitch irrigation.
• Beyond Dementia was awarded £880 towards dementia-friendly primary school activities, building on the success of a previous project with secondary school pupils. This initiative aims to educate young children about dementia and foster empathy.
• Calne Wordfest received £1,340 for their Santa's Summer Job project, which will provide free outdoor storytelling sessions for families during the summer holidays, encouraging reading and creativity.

Key Partners Update

Several partners provided updates on their activities and concerns:

• Neighbourhood Police Team: Sergeant Mike Tripp reported on increased collaboration between policing teams and highlighted ongoing work to address anti-social behaviour, particularly among young people, through education and positive role modelling. Concerns were raised about speed enforcement in rural areas, and the effectiveness of Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs) was noted.
• Diane Gooch, Calne's Older Person's Champion: Diane reported on her work supporting older residents and unpaid carers, highlighting transport as a significant issue for older residents in rural areas and expressing concern over the closure of the local Morrisons' post office.
• Cherhill Parish Council: Councillor Doug Price discussed efforts to address parking issues during school pick-ups and drop-offs and raised concerns about planning applications not aligning with the Cherhill Neighbourhood Plan's design principles.
• Carers Together Wiltshire: Kirsten Kerr presented on the partnership service supporting unpaid carers across Wiltshire, emphasising the importance of raising awareness and improving identification of carers to ensure they can access support.

Local Highway and Footway Improvement Group (LHFIG)

The Area Board considered recommendations from the LHFIG meeting. It was resolved to add several issues to the priority schemes list with funding, including the A4 Calstone Speed Limit Assessment (£2,225) and A342 Derry Hill Devizes Road Village Gates (£2,800). An issue regarding Compton Bassett Socket and Post for SID Deployment was added to the priority list without funding. Two issues were closed: Compton Bassett Village Gates and Signs, and Calne Anchor Road Unsuitable for HGVs signs.

Community Discussion

During the community discussion segment, updates were provided on roadworks on The Strand, which were nearing completion, and mitigation measures for the Calne Smell were detailed, including clay capping and odour mitigation devices. The potential for a future dedicated meeting on odour issues was discussed. A member of the public expressed interest in a session on upcoming planning system changes, and Councillor Ian Thorn, Leader of the Council, explained the implications of the new Local Plan, including increased housing targets and the potential removal of local councillors' ability to call in planning applications.

Appointments

The Area Board made appointments to outside bodies for the 2026/27 year, including Councillor Mike Sankey to the Calne Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group and Councillor Sam Pearce-Kearney to several groups including the Calne Local Youth Network and Calne Health and Social Care Forum.

Other Information Items

The Chairman drew attention to several information items, including governor recruitment, the Connect to Work programme, the Wiltshire Faith Communities Network, and the Wiltshire Community Lottery. Councillor Ian Thorn highlighted the lottery as a valuable fundraising opportunity for local organisations.