Cllr Sam Blackwell

Children's Select Committee - Wednesday 3 September 2025 10.30 am

The Children's Select Committee met to discuss the Safety Valve programme, Ofsted judgements, short breaks for children with additional needs, and the Families First Partnership Programme. The committee expressed concerns about rising EHCPs[^2] and sought ways to assist with the issue. They also agreed to revisit the short breaks offer in 12 months.

Extraordinary meeting, Strategic Planning Committee - Tuesday 5 August 2025 10.30 am

The Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) met to discuss two planning applications. Outline permission for 300 homes south of Snarlton Farm in Melksham was refused due to conflict with the Wiltshire Core Strategy and the Joint Melksham Neighbourhood Plan. Outline permission was granted for 95 dwellings west of Marlborough Road in Royal Wootton Bassett, subject to a Section 106 agreement[^2] and planning conditions.

Strategic Planning Committee - Tuesday 29 July 2025 10.30 am

Council - Tuesday 22 July 2025 10.30 am

Wiltshire Council met on 22 July 2025, and among the topics discussed were youth services, treasury management, a bat mitigation strategy, and a motion to repudiate the council's climate emergency declaration. Councillors also debated and voted on motions regarding weight limits on roads and the Ask Angela scheme.

Children's Select Committee - Wednesday 16 July 2025 10.30 am

The Children's Select Committee met on 16 July 2025, to discuss Ofsted judgements, school attendance, the Schools Forum, the Corporate Parenting Panel, youth homelessness, educational performance, out of county education and the committee's forward work programme. The committee agreed to continue to receive the school Ofsted judgements as a regular report, and also agreed to receive a briefing on the new inspection framework. The committee also agreed to continue to receive the Working Together to Improve School Attendance report, and requested that longer term trends and a separate report on exclusions and trends be included.