The Tidworth Area Board met to discuss community priorities, funding, and local highway improvements, agreeing to prioritise community safety and allocating funds to various community projects. The board also received updates from Age UK Wiltshire and the Family Hubs team, and discussed ongoing initiatives related to youth engagement, health and wellbeing, and support for low-income families.

Community Safety

The board agreed to adopt community safety as its third priority for the year, alongside improving engagement with young people, and improving the health and wellbeing of older and vulnerable adults. Councillor Dave Lumsden, Chairman of the Tidworth Area Board, will lead the effort to establish a Community Safety Group, inviting town and parish councils, as well as other local groups, to participate.

Area Board Funding

The board allocated funding to several local initiatives:

• Digital Inclusion for Older and Vulnerable Adults: £500 was awarded from the Older & Vulnerable budget to provide one-to-one support in partnership with AbilityNet¹ in both rural locations and main towns.
• Health & Wellbeing Engagement Event: £500 from the Older & Vulnerable budget was allocated to a series of workshops and information stalls planned for spring 2026, aimed at raising awareness and encouraging volunteer involvement in local health and wellbeing initiatives.
• St James Church Ludgershall - Our Community Churchyard Project: A part-award of £2,500 was granted from the Older & Vulnerable budget for the churchyard project. The board noted that the remaining funding available was not enough to award the application in full and advised the applicant that any award would need to be for work not covered under the £1600 maintenance schedule already paid to the church by Wiltshire Council.
• Age UK Wiltshire - Celebrating Age Wiltshire: £2,000 was awarded from the Older & Vulnerable budget to support a three-phase project delivering activities designed for older people during the day.
• Collingbourne Kingston Parish Council - Recreation Ground fence project: £3,500 was awarded from the Young People Budget for the recreation ground fence project, addressing a need identified in a health and safety inspection. The Parish Council will fund half of the total cost, and had applied for some funding from the local Francis Wilson trust.

The board also noted the delegated funding awards that had been made:

• ABG2561 – Area Board Initiative - SMASH² delivery of 2 x pop-up detached youth work sessions during the October half term break.

Councillor Dave Lumsden urged anyone with a project in mind to contact officers for assistance in submitting a funding application by the deadline for the last meeting on 2 February 2026, noting that there was still funding remaining.

Local Highway and Footway Improvement Group (LHFIG)

Councillor Keith Allen, Lead Member for LHFIG, presented the minutes from the LHFIG meeting held on 1 October 2025. The board approved the notes and funding recommendations, including £2,400 for signing and lining amendments on Church Street in Collingbourne Ducis.

Partner Updates

• Wiltshire Police: Acting Inspector Caroline Ralph reported on anti-social behaviour, rural crime, burglaries, and e-scooter enforcement. Chief Constable Catherine Roper provided a force overview, highlighting improvements and financial pressures.
• Collingbourne Ducis Parish Council: John Wood, Chair of Collingbourne Ducis Parish Council, noted that 20 members of the public attended a recent meeting regarding speculative development and that the council would await a formal application before discussion.
• Everleigh Parish Council: Dennis Bottomley, Chair of Everleigh Parish Council, announced a Bonfire Night event planned for Saturday at Everleigh Playground, with an expected attendance of approximately 500 people.
• Ludgershall Town Council: Joyce Bowyer, Chair of Ludgershall Town Council, reported on two new housing developments underway, issues with mud and lorry control, plans for a MUGA³ for older children, and successful Halloween event.
• MOD: Lt Col Whitlegge announced a Town Hall Briefing on the Afghan Relocation Programme scheduled for Thursday evening and a Remembrance Service at St Michael's followed by a March.

Age UK Wiltshire Update

Sarah Cardy, Chief Executive of Age UK Wiltshire, provided an overview of the organisation's work in the Tidworth area, focusing on supporting older people to live independently at home for longer. Key services include support services to improve mobility and reduce loneliness, community connectors, financial advice, fitness and friendship groups, daytime discos, arts and creativity sessions, support for carers, and exploring hot meals and visibility via local shops.

Family Hubs Update

Nicky Harris gave an overview of the Family Hub services and activities available locally for families in the Tidworth area. As of April 2024, the former Children's Centres had transitioned to the Family Hub model, supporting families with children aged 0–19, or up to 25 for those with SEND. Services are delivered by Spurgeons⁴, and include drop-in sessions at community locations, one-to-one support in homes, and early help advice.

Information Items

The board noted the written information and updates in the agenda pack, which included updates from Community First, the BSW Together (Integrated Care Board), the Family & Community Learning Impact Report, the Elections Update, the Area Board Carers Champions, and the Wiltshire Council Consultation Portal.