The Stonehenge Area Board meeting scheduled for Thursday 19 February 2026 was set to cover a range of community and local authority matters. Key discussions were expected to include updates from Wiltshire Police, partner organisations, and lead councillors on the board's priorities, alongside consideration of various grant applications and local highway improvement proposals.

Partner and Community Updates

Updates were scheduled from Wiltshire Police, with Inspector Gavin Brewster of the Amesbury Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) expected to provide information. Written updates were also anticipated from the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service. The board was also due to receive updates from Community First, detailing their ongoing work and initiatives, and from Wiltshire Money, outlining upcoming events and training opportunities. An update from BSW Together (Integrated Care Board) was also on the agenda, focusing on transforming health services.

Stonehenge Area Board Priorities and Actions Updates

The meeting was scheduled to review progress on the Area Board's priorities for the 2025/26 council year. These included actions related to Health and Wellbeing, with plans for a pilot workshop on Mental Health. Youth Engagement was a significant focus, with planned work involving schools to improve opportunities and accessibility of services, direct engagement with students and parents, and efforts to strengthen the Local Youth Network. There was also a plan to improve young people's insight into the military community in the Stonehenge Community Area through tours of military locations. Corporate actions included ongoing support for Operation Lazurite, which assists Afghan Entitled Persons, and initiatives to help people with complex or special needs gain employment. Efforts to move food poverty from relief to community resilience were also to be discussed, involving mapping provision and identifying areas for support.

Local Highways and Footpath Improvement Group (LHFIG)

The board was expected to note the minutes and consider recommendations from the Local Highways and Footpath Improvement Group (LHFIG) meeting held on 4 February 2026. Several recommendations for funding were listed, including:

• A 20mph speed limit implementation in Shrewton, with a total cost of £19,800.
• Amesbury village gates at Countess Road/Porton Road, with a cost of £6,500.
• Durrington Hackthorne Road virtual footway and Church Street road markings, costing £2,000.
• Durrington Birchwood Drive verge marker posts, costing £1,200.
• Woodford Church Bottom Advisory HGV signs, costing £700.

Further information on the LHFIG process was available.

Area Board Funding

The meeting was scheduled to review the remaining budgets for Area Board funding and consider applications. The current balances were noted as:

• Community Area Grant: £9,562.60
• Youth Grants: £6,049.00
• Older and Vulnerable Grants: £4,800.00

The report detailed several grant applications, including:

• Community Area Grants:
  • Wiltshire South Girlguiding County Headquarters requested £4,458 for fire doors.
  • 1st Larkhill Scouts requested £500 for a mobile Tomahawk Throwing Range.
  • Durrington Otters Amateur Swimming Club requested £4,400 for swimming diving blocks.
• Youth Grants:
  • Stonehenge Area Board Initiative requested £1,350 for Stonehenge Young Athletes Regional and National participation.
  • Mad Hatters Tea Party requested £350 for a VIP experience for children with life-limiting illnesses and their siblings.
  • God Unlimited Outdoor Therapy requested £5,000 for Get Outdoors with Gul activities.
  • Hazel Hill Wood requested £3,000 for outdoor activity days for young people.
  • Amesbury Youth Partnership requested £1,000 for the Amesbury Festival of Youth.
• Older and Vulnerable Grants:
  • Muse CIO requested £500 for a men's coffee morning in Amesbury.
  • Silver Salisbury Group requested £500 for a men's coffee morning in Amesbury.
  • Aspire Connections CIC requested £2,200 for their services.

The report also outlined the background to the Area Board funding streams and the criteria that applications must meet.

Call to Action: Support Governor Recruitment in Wiltshire Schools

The Wiltshire School Governance Service was seeking the Area Board's assistance in promoting school governor recruitment. The report highlighted the difficulties many governing boards face in securing sufficient governors, which can impact a school's ability to deliver effective education. Governors play a crucial role in reviewing progress, ensuring statutory responsibilities are met, and making key decisions. The service encouraged community partners to visit local school websites to learn more about the role and apply for available positions.

Wiltshire Police - Road Safety Update

A road safety update from Wiltshire Police was provided, focusing on the

FATAL5

education campaign, which addresses issues such as speeding, seatbelt use, mobile phone use, drink/drug driving, and careless driving. The update detailed penalties for speeding offences and the process for receiving notices. It also outlined the work of the Community Road Safety Team and provided data from traffic surveys in the Stonehenge area. The update highlighted common offences enforced by the Roads Policing Unit, including speeding, mobile phone use, and seatbelt offences.

Amesbury Neighbourhood Policing Team Update

An update from the Amesbury Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) was provided, detailing their work on local priorities. These included tackling Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) through patrols and closure orders, addressing Rural Crime and Burglaries with a focus on non-dwelling burglaries and hare coursing, and addressing Retail Crime through initiatives like Safer Business Action Week and targeted operations during the Christmas period. The update also provided useful links to Wiltshire Police performance information and social media channels.