This meeting included updates from the Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police, reports from a range of local partner organisations and the consideration of four applications for grant funding. The Area Board were also scheduled to receive updates about their progress towards delivering the priorities they had set in their Community Area Action Plan, and to note the minutes and recommendations of two recent sub-group meetings. Members of the public were also scheduled to have an opportunity to raise issues with the councillors.

Funding Applications

The Area Board was scheduled to consider three applications for Community Area Grant funding and one for an Older & Vulnerable Adult's Grant. They were also asked to note the details of an Area Board Initiative grant that had been approved since the last meeting.

Royal Wootton Bassett Memorial Hall Trust – replacement furniture

Royal Wootton Bassett Memorial Hall had requested £5,000 to help them buy new chairs and tables. The hall is run by the Royal Wootton Bassett Memorial Hall Trust and is used by a range of community groups.

In their application the Trust explained that they need to replace their existing plastic chairs, some of which are damaged, with more comfortable chairs that are better suited to the longer performances put on by the local drama groups. The new chairs will also help to prevent damage to the recently re-varnished floor. The Trust also plan to buy child-sized chairs and tables, as they do not currently have any, and round tables.

Cricklade Development Foundation – Old Police Station Garden

Cricklade Development Foundation (CDF) had requested £5,000 to help them landscape the garden behind The Old Police Station on the High Street in Cricklade.

The Old Police Station is a Grade II listed building that was bought by the CDF in 2021 with money raised from local residents. It has been converted into residential and commercial units, with the garden, which is a burgage plot, forming part of a shortcut between the High Street and Horse Fair Lane. The group want to create a multi-functional space that can be used for events, and hope to incorporate a timeline commemorating Queen Elizabeth II and the history of Cricklade as part of the development.

Jubilee Gardens 1978 Ltd. – horticultural activities

Jubilee Gardens 1978 Ltd had requested £4,347.50 to help them replace the covers on their polytunnels and to carry out repairs to their main building.

Jubilee Gardens is a day centre for adults with learning difficulties based near Purton Stoke. The centre uses the polytunnels to teach students horticultural skills and the produce they grow is sold by the students. The application also requested funding to repair a wall and part of the roof on the main building and to buy a new computer.

Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade Community Care Group – Techie Tea Parties

The Area Board were asked to note that they had awarded a grant of £500 to Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade Community Care Group for a project to provide mobile phone training to older and vulnerable adults.

The project, which has been named 'Techie Tea Parties', will provide one to one sessions at venues across the community area and will be supported by volunteers from the national charity AbilityNet.

Our Community Matters

The Area Board were scheduled to receive updates about their progress on three of the priority areas identified in their Community Area Action Plan.

Youth Forum

The Area Board were scheduled to discuss how to re-establish a youth forum for the community area. The forum would provide a way for young people to have a say in how local services are run and would work alongside groups providing youth activities.

RWB and Cricklade Environmental Forum

The Area Board were scheduled to discuss how to re-establish the Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade Environmental Forum. The forum would work with local environmental groups, such as Royal Wootton Bassett Environment Trust, to promote active travel and sustainability.

RWB&C Community Care Group

Councillor Mary Champion and Councillor David Bowler were scheduled to provide an update about the work of the Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade Community Care Group, focussing on their efforts to set up a community fridge in Royal Wootton Bassett.

Community fridges are communal refrigerators that are stocked with surplus food from local supermarkets and are available for anyone to use, free of charge.

Community Safety Forum

The Area Board were scheduled to receive an update about the recent meetings of the Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade Community Safety Forum, a group which brings together representatives from the local Town and Parish Councils and Wiltshire Police, along with the Area Board members.

The forum had recently held meetings to discuss child criminal exploitation and rural crime.

Local Highway and Footway Improvement Group (LHFIG)

The Area Board were scheduled to note the minutes of the latest meeting of the Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade Local Highway and Footway Improvement Group (LHFIG) and to consider their recommendations.

The LHFIG makes recommendations to the Area Board about how to allocate the highways funding they receive from Wiltshire Council each year.

The group had recommended the approval of six schemes for improvement, including:

Relocation of 30mph speed limit terminal point, village gates x 2, signs and road markings at Greenhill Crossroads, Lydiard Millicent

The group had recommended allocating £8,000 towards improving safety at Greenhill Crossroads in Lydiard Millicent. The work, which would include relocating the 30mph speed limit terminal point further north and installing new warning signs, would be paid for with £2,000 from the Area Board's highways budget and £2,000 from Lydiard Millicent Parish Council.

A3102 Calne Road / Preston Lane Mini RDBT

The group had recommended allocating £8,000 towards improving safety at the mini roundabout on the A3102 at Preston Lane in Lyneham. The work, which is being paid for with £6,000 from the Area Board's highways budget and £2,000 from Lyneham Parish Council, would include installing high friction surfacing and improving signs and road markings.

C414 Hook Street to Coped Hall RDBT - Topological survey for footway improvement work

The group had recommended allocating £6,960 to pay for a topographical survey of the footway on the C414 between Hook Street and Coped Hall.

A topographical survey, often called a 'topo survey', is a detailed survey of the levels and features of a site. It is normally used when designing new developments, but can also be used when upgrading existing infrastructure.

The survey was requested by Lydiard Tregoze Parish Council to help them develop plans to upgrade the footway, which is narrow, overgrown and uneven.

Kerbing and carriageway work with ‘road narrows’ warning signs (x 2) at Manor Hill (North of Manor Hill Farm) Purton

The group had recommended allocating £6,000 towards improving safety at the entrance to a field to the north of Manor Hill Farm on Manor Hill in Purton.

The work, which would be paid for with £4,500 from the Area Board's highways budget and £1,500 from Purton Parish Council, would include installing new kerbs and warning signs and repairing the carriageway.

Sign and road marking improvements on B4696 Braydon Road

The group had recommended allocating £5,500 towards improving safety on the B4696 Braydon Road between Lydiard Millicent and Purton.

The work, which is being paid for with £4,125 from the Area Board's highways budget, £687.50 from Purton Parish Council and £687.50 from Lydiard Millicent Parish Council, would include upgrading existing warning signs and refreshing road markings.

The LHFIG were also scheduled to report that they had received a large number of objections to the proposed 40mph speed limit on Church Street and Manor Hill in Purton and that the final decision about whether to implement the speed limit would be made by Councillor Nick Holder, the Cabinet Member for Highways, Street Scene and Flooding.

Chief Constable

The Area Board were scheduled to receive an update from Catherine Roper, the Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police. Members of the public were able to submit questions to the Chief Constable in advance of the meeting.

Spotlight on Parishes and Partners

The Area Board were scheduled to receive written reports from Wiltshire Police, the Wiltshire and Swindon Road Safety Partnership, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service and Cricklade and Royal Wootton Bassett Town Councils.

Networking

The meeting was scheduled to be preceded by an hour of networking, with a chance for members of the public to talk to the Area Board members and to representatives from local community groups.

It is important to note that this article is based solely on the information that was made publicly available by Wiltshire Council in advance of the meeting. It does not include any details of what was actually discussed at the meeting, or of any decisions that were made.