The Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade Area Board met to discuss a range of issues including community governance, local highway improvements, and funding applications. Updates from partner organisations such as Wiltshire Police and Age UK were also on the agenda. The meeting was also scheduled to include a verbal update from Councillor Mel Jacob, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Communities, Engagement, and Corporate Services, regarding the future of Area Boards.

Community Governance Review

The board was scheduled to discuss a Community Governance Review, which is a process undertaken by principal councils to review and make changes to governance arrangements for town and parish councils.

The briefing note stated that Wiltshire Council had established an Electoral Review Committee to oversee Community Governance Reviews, with the aim of ensuring that these councils:

continue to be reflective of the identity and interest of local communities, and that they are as efficient and effective in their governance as possible.

The review was scheduled to begin on 19 November 2025 and include the parishes within the Devizes, Marlborough, and Royal Wootton Bassett & Cricklade Area Boards. The terms of reference for the review were due to be available on the council website.

The changes that a Community Governance Review can make include:

• altering, merging, creating or abolishing parishes
• changing the names of parishes
• altering parish council size and warding arrangements

Local Highway and Footway Improvement Group (LHFIG)

The Area Board was scheduled to note the minutes and consider recommendations from the latest LHFIG meeting held on 12 November 2025.

A recommendation was made to allocate £10,000 for a substantive bid for a footway/shared use path on the B4042 between RWB Rugby Club and RWB sports club, with an additional £10,000 to be sought from both Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council and Lydiard Tregoze Parish Council, subject to agreement.

The LHFIG Meeting Notes - November 2025 also provided updates on a number of priority schemes, including:

• C34 Purton, Manor Hill Speed Limit
• Lydiard Millicent Common Platt safety
• B4533 Purton Stoke, speed reduction
• Greatfield near Lydiard Millicent
• C415 Broad Town Road
• A4361 Broad Hinton
• Greenhill Crossroads, Lydiard Millicent
• B3553 Purton Road Cricklade
• Noremarsh Primary School & St Bartholomew's Primary School (The Rosary)
• Manor Hill (North of Manor Hill Farm) Purton
• Cricklade Road / Widham bridge, Purton
• B4696 Braydon Road
• C114 Water Eaton
• Tockenham village
• High Street – Royal Wootton Bassett
• B4042 between RWB Rugby Club and RWB sports club
• Chelworth Upper Green, Cricklade
• Pavenhill – Outside One Stop Shop
• Manor Hill, (Lydiard Millicent end)
• Preston Lane, Primary school, Lyneham

Funding Applications

The Area Board was scheduled to consider a grant application for funding from the Older & Vulnerable Grant stream:

• Cricklade Memory Cafe - £330 requested for a Christmas party for members and carers.

The remaining budgets for grant funding were noted as:

• Community Area Grant: £226
• Older & Vulnerable: £5,500
• Young People: £19,467.67

Spotlight on Parishes and Partners

The meeting was scheduled to include updates from key partners, including verbal updates from Wiltshire Police and parish and town councils. Written updates were also included in the agenda pack from:

• Wiltshire Police Neighbourhood Team
• Wiltshire and Swindon Road Safety Partnership
• Age UK
• Beyond Dementia, the new name for Alzheimer's Support
• Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service - online
• Cricklade Town Council
• Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council

Other Items

Other items scheduled for discussion included:

• Updates on neighbourhood plans, including the Broad Hinton and Winterbourne Bassett Reg 15 Neighbourhood Plan.
• Updates from Area Board members on the Local Area Action Plan, and consideration of the findings of the Area Board Grant Survey.
• An update from the Community Care Group, including details of a recent cost of living workshop and carers' event.
• Information items including the Family and Community Learning Impact Report, the Wiltshire Children and Young People Health and Wellbeing Survey, and Youth Council Elections.

Chairman's Updates

Councillor Andrew Matthews, Royal Wootton Bassett East (Chairman), was scheduled to make announcements including information on:

• reporting bonfires at home via the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service website
• the winter FUEL Programme
• the Community Governance Review

The FUEL Winter Programme is funded by the Department for Education, and is primarily intended to benefit children who are eligible for benefit related Free School Meals¹. Places can also be requested for children who are refugees, are in care, are young carers or who may be vulnerable during the school holidays.