The Devizes Area Board met to discuss community asset transfers, local highway improvements, air quality, and grant funding, with a focus on enhancing community well-being and addressing local needs. The board considered a proposal for the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust Community Asset Transfer and reviewed funding applications for various community projects. Additionally, updates were provided on local policing, road safety, and initiatives for vulnerable groups.

Kennet and Avon Canal Trust Community Asset Transfer

The board considered an application from the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust for a community asset transfer of land adjacent to Couch Lane that the trust currently leases. The trust aims to restore the Canal Museum, maintain a base for their trip boat Kenavon Venture, reintroduce a cafe, provide information for boaters and walkers, create an archive, host meetings, and offer community hire spaces.

The Economic Regeneration Team at Wiltshire Council expressed support for the transfer, noting it would provide the trust with long-term certainty, though there could potentially be some loss of control for a 'wholescale regeneration' of the Wharf site.

The Estates and Development service noted that the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust's current lease dates back to 1982, having expired in 2002, and although terms for a lease renewal were agreed in 2012, the lease was never completed. The service also recognised the community benefit of the transfer, as the building provides an important canal-side heritage facility through its museum.

The Estates and Development service recommended that the Area Board support the transfer of the building, subject to several conditions:

• The matter is recommended to Cabinet.

• Agreement of Heads of Terms which Wiltshire Council Estates considers reasonable and largely in accordance with the standard CAT lease terms and subsequently completion of a lease. Terms will include:

  • A lease of 125 years.
  • The Tenant being fully responsible for repairing and insuring the building.
  • Some restrictions on alienation (subletting or assigning the lease).
  • A peppercorn rent.
  • The right for the Tenant to pass with or without vehicles along the roads and footways leading to the Property subject to the Landlord having the right to vary these routes from time to time.
  • No parking spaces or automatic rights to park on the Council land.
  • The lease can be ended by Wiltshire Council or the Tenant if the property ceases to be used for community purposes.
  • Each party being responsible for their own legal and other costs.

The board agreed to approve the transfer subject to these conditions.

Local Highways and Footpaths Improvements Group (LHFIG)

The board reviewed the minutes from the Local Highways and Footpaths Improvements Group (LHFIG) meetings held on 3 July 2025 and 4 September 2025. The board considered the following funding recommendations:

• £3,500 (£2,625 LHFIG / £875 Bishops Cannings Parish Council) for a Traffic Regulation Order¹ (TRO) consultation for a 40mph speed limit on West End, Bishops Cannings.
• £3,500 (£2,625 LHFIG / £875 Potterne Parish Council) for a TRO consultation for a 20mph speed limit on Whistley Road, Potterne.

Additionally, the LHFIG agreed in principle, subject to a confirmed contribution of 25% from Devizes Town Council, to a driven speed limit assessment for Dunkirk Hill, Devizes, with the aim of reducing the speed limit, at a cost of £3,250 (£2,437.50 LHFIG / £812.50 Devizes Town Council).

The board approved the funding recommendations.

Air Quality and Sustainable Transport (AQST) Group

The board received updates from the Devizes Air Quality and Sustainable Transport (AQST) Group. [Councillor Tamara Reay, Vice-Chairman] provided an update from the Air Quality and Sustainable Transport Group.

Richard Rogers, Strategic Engagement and Partnerships Manager, reported that advice from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in response to the council's Annual Status Report is that compliant Air Quality Management Areas² (AQMAs) need to be revoked. A briefing was submitted to the Environment Select Committee this week.

The council is emerging from its busiest time of year for complaint work, and will meet in the next few weeks to draw up a work plan for revoking AQMAs, starting with London Road, Salisbury, as this has been compliant the longest.

The decision to revoke an order is a key decision which will be taken to cabinet. The council is looking at the processes used by other councils and how they involve/ inform residents. A project plan and programme will then be developed.

DEFRA are asking why they are still there, so they are keen to remove them as soon as possible. However, Wiltshire Council is keen to get the balance between legally not having AQMA and public concern that air quality still needs to be improved. Hence it will go to Cabinet for discussion, and they will be looking at Salisbury and Marlborough first and then Devizes.

Public Protection are keen to keep air quality as a priority and continue to work with local groups such as this one. The good news is not only that NO2 has gone down but also that we will no longer be governed by DEFRA and told what we need to focus upon.

The council remains committed to continue to monitor air quality and the means used will change over time. It is pleased that nitrogen dioxide levels have fallen to existing target levels, although levels may be revised in the future. The World Health Organization (WHO) has published new objectives in 2021, and the council will have to see what the UK wants to do.

Focus has also pivoted as more health data has become available to PM2.5 which has significant health concerns attached to it. There was a slight uptick in levels this year. The council is responding to public concerns through the Wiltshire Community Air Network (WCAN) which will allow a picture of PM2.5 across the county to be built.

About 100 small monitors have been installed across the county including 4 in the community area and 1 outside the police station on London Road.

Area Board Funding

The board noted the remaining budgets for allocation and considered applications for funding.

The board discussed the available budgets and were minded to set a £3,000 maximum limit per Community Area Grant application to ensure funds were available throughout the financial year. However, it was emphasised that each application would be judged on its merits, so this would be a general principle rather than a hard rule.

The following applications were considered:

• Bishops Cannings Village Hall - £3,000 requested towards roof improvements.
• West Lavington Youth Club - £1,000 requested for extra storage space.
• Devizes Bowls Club - £3,000 requested for a replacement mower.
• Wiltshire Rural Music - £500 requested for Keep Music In Mind sessions for people living with dementia in Devizes.
• Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts (DOCA) - £4,800 requested for Young Urban Digital.
• Bromham Youth Club - £3,778.64 requested for Bromham Youth Club.

Partner and Community Updates

The board received written updates included in the Public reports pack Monday 06-Oct-2025 18.30 Devizes Area Board from:

• Wiltshire Police – Devizes Neighbourhood Policing Team
• Wiltshire Police – Road safety update
• Wiltshire Police – Violence Against Women and Girls quarterly update

A video update from Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service was also noted, available online.

Inspector Simon Garrett provided a detailed update on crime statistics and the recent activities of the neighbourhood team.

Elections Update

The board noted an Elections update which included information on postal vote renewals, the annual canvass of electors, and registering young electors.

Reinvigoration of Wiltshire Carers Champions

The board were briefed on the proposal for the reinvigoration of the Wiltshire Carers Champions initiative. The initiative aims to strengthen support for unpaid carers through improved visibility, engagement, and collaboration. Carers Champions will play a key role in helping Area Boards and Wiltshire Council identify and address the needs of unpaid carers within their communities.

Wiltshire Citizens Advice and Wiltshire Council Engagement and Partnerships Team Update

The board were informed that Wiltshire Citizens Advice and the Wiltshire Council Engagement and Partnerships team are working together to ensure that local advice and support services are accessible to those who need it most across Wiltshire.

Area Board Priorities and Action Plan

The board discussed and determined the Area Board Priorities and Action Plan, based on a presentation from Richard Rogers, Strategic Engagement and Partnerships Manager (SEPM).

The Area Board's primary purpose is to deliver the Council Plan at a local level through engaging with its communities and delivering agreed actions. The current priorities within the draft council plan are:

• Supporting people to have fulfilling lives
• Protecting our communities
• Making Wiltshire child-friendly and providing opportunities for all our young people
• Creating more accessible, safer and greener transport
• Promoting healthier lives
• Making culture for everyone
• Building for our communities
• Helping the economy work for everyone
• Empowering and working with our communities
• Enhancing and protecting our environment for future generations

The Engagement and Partnership Team's work will mainly focus on the core themes of cost-of-living support, the local youth offer, older and vulnerable adults and the local environment.

The following are some suggested actions that the councillors may wish to consider.

• To improve the emotional resilience and wellbeing in SEND³ Devizes community area young people, to set up sessions for young people with.
• To increase active travel within the Devizes community area.
• To enable the youth space to be vibrant hub for young people, to provide art workshops.
• Joint working with Parish Council work is increased, undertake 1 to 1 meetings with all parish councils to understand the opportunities and challenges for increased joint working.
• More people facing food poverty food poverty from relief to community resilience, to work with food providers and other partners to map provision and identify where more support should be given.
• More people with complex or special needs are assisted to gain employment, to work with the Wiltshire Council Adult Social Services to identify opportunities for possible employment, voluntary work, work experience or training.

London Road Active Travel Scheme

The board received an update on the London Road Active Travel Scheme from Martin Aldam, Senior Transport Planner.