This meeting was due to include a range of updates from Wiltshire Council officers and external partners, as well as grant applications for the board to consider. The meeting was also due to receive recommendations from the Tidworth Local Highways & Footways Improvement Group.

Grant applications

The meeting was scheduled to include consideration of three grant applications:

Ludgershall St James Church bells maintenance

St James Bellringers applied for a grant of £5,000 towards the repair and improvement of the bells in the tower of St James Church, Ludgershall.

Church bells are a traditional British sound and form the background to both secular and non-secular national and local events. In recent times, these bells have been rung to celebrate the platinum jubilee of Queen Elizabeth the 2nd and then in her memory at the death.

Dollys Carers Cafe

The Castle Practice applied for £2,100 towards funding for Dollys Carers Cafe.

We have set up a carers café in an existing café, (all health and safety/food preparation standards and governance are in place) this enables us to look after carers. Carers are part of our vulnerable groups in our population, this project helps tackle the health inequalities they encounter.

End of season winter bowls green project

Castledown Bowls Club applied for £1,200 towards an end-of-season winter bowls green project.

Local Highway and Footway Improvement Group

A report on the Local Highway and Footway Improvement Group (LHFIG) meeting that took place on 2 October 2024 was scheduled to be provided.

The following issues relating to the local highway network were scheduled to be discussed:

Andover Road, Ludgershall, safety railings

A request was made for safety railings outside 8b Andover Road, Ludgershall.

Resident requests for safety rail, barrier or post outside the exit and entrance to the property (8b Andover Road) to give safety and protection when leaving the home due to speed and size of vehicles passing.

A338 Collingbourne Ducis, A346 Church Street / High Street Junction Alteration

Concerns were raised about the safety of the junction of the A338 and A346 Church Street and High Street in Collingbourne Ducis.

The group were due to consider two possible designs: making the A338 the priority and Ludgershall Road a T-junction, or installing a raised roundabout.

Ludgershall, Mead Road, Waiting Restrictions

Ludgershall Town Council requested waiting restrictions for Meade Road in Ludgershall.

Parking on both sides of the street, causes traffic back up and the inability for emergency services to pass.

Ludgershall High Street, Request for Disabled Parking Bay

Ludgershall Town Council requested the installation of a disabled parking bay on Ludgershall High Street.

Disabled users of nearby businesses have been parking in dangerous location, correspondence has gone to the local business asking them to advise their clients not to park illegally and check the regulations or their badge.

Ludgershall, Empress Way, Road Marking replacement

Ludgershall Town Council requested the repainting of a pedestrian crossing on Empress Way in Ludgershall where the white lining had worn away.

White lining has worn away which is causing a safety issue for pedestrians.

Tidworth, Pennings Road, Request for Waiting Restrictions

Tidworth Town Council requested waiting restrictions for Pennings Road in Tidworth.

A recent collision occurred at this junction because visibility is so very poor coming up the hill, and indeed looking down the hill, coming out of the junction.

Tidworth, Wylye Road, Request for new footway link

Tidworth Town Council requested a new footway on Wylye Road between the Clarendon Nursery School gate and the road.

Ludgershall, A342 Butt Street / Castle Street, Request collision reduction measures

Ludgershall Town Council requested traffic calming measures on the A342 Butt Street and Castle Street, Ludgershall.

Cars crashing into bend including signage possibly due to speeding.

Tidworth, Meerut Road, Railings

Tidworth Town Council requested railings at the exit of the new skatepark on Meerut Road in Tidworth.

Absent railings. Exit from new skatepark is unsafe.

Upper Chute, Forest/Hookwood Lane, Road narrows sign relocation

Chute Parish Council requested the relocation of a road narrows sign on Forest Lane / Hookwood Lane, Upper Chute.

Forest Lane is unsuitable for HGVs and has advisory sign in place. Large vehicles continue to use the route.

Everleigh, A342, Signage review/replacement

Everleigh Parish Council requested signage improvements on the A342 at Everleigh.

A338 Tidworth, Pedestrian warning sign

Tidworth Town Council requested a pedestrian warning sign on the A338 at Tidworth.

Ludgershall, Not suitable for HGV signs

Ludgershall Town Council requested 'not suitable for HGV' signs at the junction of Aster Crescent and Astor Crescent / Empress Way in Ludgershall.

Ludgershall, Additional dropped kerbs

Ludgershall Town Council requested two dropped kerbs at the entrance to the Bartlett House site entrance on Old Common Way in Ludgershall.

Collingbourne Kingston, Additional white lining

Collingbourne Kingston Parish Council requested that worn road markings in Collingbourne Kingston be refreshed.

Wiltshire Police

Spot The Signs Campaign

An update on the Spot The Signs campaign to combat child criminal exploitation was scheduled to be given.

Young people, their families and friends are being urged to ‘Spot the Signs’ of child criminal exploitation in a new campaign being launched today (11/11) by Wiltshire Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Violence Against Women and Girls

An update on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) was scheduled to be provided. In particular, updates on the following initiatives were expected:

• Ending VAWG Coalition Wiltshire
• Police Response to the 2022 Stalking Super Complaint by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust
• Angiolini Report Recommendations
• Operation Soteria
• Project Vigilant
• Domestic Abuse Scrutiny Panels

Road Safety

The Community Road Safety Team was scheduled to provide an update on road safety in the Tidworth area.

The following traffic surveys were previously undertaken and their outcomes were scheduled to be discussed:

• Collingbourne Ducis - A346 Lidgershall Road
• Ludgershall - A342 Drummond Park
• Ludgershall - Empress Way
• Ludgershall - Simonds Road
• Luggershall - A342 Andover Road
• Tidworth A3026 Windmill Drive
• Tidworth A338 Pennings Road
• Tidworth -C11 Bulford Road
• Tidworth C9 Perham Down Road

Information on the following activities was also expected:

• Drink driving
• Drug driving
• Community Speed Enforcement Officers activity

Chairman's Announcements

The chairman was scheduled to update the board on the following topics:

Local Transport Plan Consultation

A consultation on the Wiltshire Local Transport Plan 4 (LPT4) was taking place between 28 November 2024 and 24 January 2025.

LTP4 covers the period 2025-2038 and will set the strategic direction for all transport in Wiltshire, including roads, buses, rail, walking and wheeling, freight, electric vehicles, road safety, highway network management and enhancement, car parking and more.

Spot The Signs

Further information on the Spot The Signs child criminal exploitation campaign was scheduled to be given.

Information Items

Updates on the following topics were scheduled to be received:

BSW Together (Integrated Care System)

• Appointment of Cara Charles-Barks as the new Joint Chief Executive Officer for the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust.
• Launch of a ten-year plan for the NHS.
• The ICB being awarded the Armed Forces Covenant Silver Award
• The ICB's pledge of support to Wiltshire Council's new SEND strategy.
• Salisbury District Hospital being ranked in the top 10 most improved hospitals for adult inpatient experience.
• A summit for international healthcare leaders being held in Salisbury.

Community First

• Christmas Opening Hours.
• A consultation on homecare services in Wiltshire.
• A reminder about the Community Transport Directory.
• Dates for Carers Together Wiltshire support groups.
• Information about the Oxenwood 2025 School Holiday Clubs.

Wiltshire Police Quarterly Update on Violence Against Women and Girls

An update on the Wiltshire Police's work on tackling violence against women and girls.

Vaccine Confidence Training Sessions

An update on vaccine confidence training sessions.

EV Chargers

An update on the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) project, which aims to build a network of public on-street residential EV chargers throughout the county . The board were asked to share insights that will inform where electric vehicle chargers could be put in your community .

Cost of Living Update

An update on the cost of living, including:

• Warm spaces being available in Wiltshire's libraries
• The £2 bus fare cap being extended until the end of December 2024
• The Household Support Fund being extended until the end of April 2025.
• The Winter Fuel Payment
• The Holiday Activity and Food programme (FUEL).

Partner Updates

Updates were also expected from the following partners:

• Wiltshire Police
• Town and Parish Councils
• Ludgershall Town Hall
• MOD

Everleigh Parish Council

Everleigh Parish Council provided an update on their activities, including:

• A village litter pick that took place on Saturday 19 October 2024
• The Everleigh Bonfire Night that took place on 2 November 2024.

The Parish Council also reported that they had installed a new bench by the Crown bus shelter with scenic views of Sidbury Hill as part of the Everleigh Enhancement Project.