The Southern Wiltshire Area Board met on Thursday 12 March 2026, approving a range of community grants and local highway improvement schemes. The meeting also covered updates on policing, licensing, local priorities, and the Wiltshire Council budget.

Area Board Funding

The Board considered numerous applications for grant funding across several categories.

Community Area Grants:

• Farley Coronation Playing Field was awarded £3,905.49 towards a play equipment project to replace rusted swings and install new play trail equipment.
• Friends of Winterslow School received £4,905.48 towards replacing the worn swimming pool liner at their community pool, ensuring its continued operation.
• Pitton Nature Trust was awarded £873 for their Community Orchard and Nature Reserve 2026 Workplan, which includes purchasing new benches and a battery for their strimmer.
• Old Sarum Community Centre received £600 towards the replacement of a faulty dishwasher.
• King George V Hall was awarded £2,677.49 towards the refurbishment of a storage room affected by damp.

Youth Grants:

• Amberwood Learning CIC was awarded £294.54 towards building an outdoor compost toilet for participants of their community outdoor learning programmes.
• Salisbury Community Circus received £4,500 towards their Circus Wessex World Tour of South Wiltshire project, which aims to provide outreach activities and bursaries for young people in rural areas.
• Alderbury Parish Council was awarded £5,000 towards Year 2 of their Parish Collaboration Youth Project, investing in youth worker resources.
• Idmiston Parish Council also received £5,000 for Year 2 of their Parish Collaboration Youth Project, aiming to provide consistent, trained youth worker presence.
• Hazel Hill Wood was awarded £3,000 towards outdoor activity days for young people at their nature reserve, focusing on wellbeing, conservation, and education.

Older & Vulnerable Adults Grants:

• Laverstock & Ford Parish Council received £3,500 towards their Older Residents Community Connector project, which will provide dedicated one-to-one support for isolated older residents in partnership with Age UK Wiltshire.

Local Highways and Footpath Improvement Group (LHFIG) Update

The Board approved several funding recommendations from the Local Highways and Footpath Improvement Group (LHFIG) meeting held on 3 February 2026. These included:

• Alderbury Parish Council received £750 for tractor signs.
• Laverstock & Ford Parish Council was allocated £2,400 for amendments to the Portway informal crossing point and £6,375 for waiting restrictions in Sherbourne Drive.
• Idmiston Parish Council received £8,475 for dropped kerbs and a footway link at The Limes.
• Firsdown/Winterslow Parish Councils were allocated £12,525 for safety improvements at Dunstable Crossroads.
• A Combined Street Name Plate Project for all parishes received £6,000.

The Board noted the provisional budget for highway repairs for 2026/27 and a schedule of major maintenance works, including carriageway surfacing, repairs, and micro asphalt applications across various locations.

Wiltshire Council Budget 2026/27

Councillor Richard Clewer, Conservative Group Leader, provided an update on the Wiltshire Council budget approved on 24 February 2026. Key changes include revised Sunday parking fees and extended hours, with opportunities for public consultation on parking changes via Traffic Regulation Orders. Bin collection schedules will change to three-weekly for black bins and weekly for food waste and soft plastics from 2027. The Parish Steward scheme will be funded differently, with half the funding coming from Transport.

Information Items

The Board noted several information items, including updates from Community First, Wiltshire Money, Youth Council Elections 2026, the Wiltshire Council Parking Plan 2026-2030, Alcoholics Anonymous, and the Wiltshire Council Consultation Portal.

• Community First provides support to youth clubs and village halls, offering guidance on governance, sound reduction systems, minibus driver training, and grant funding advice.
• The Wiltshire Council Parking Plan consultation was highlighted, with emphasis on how car park revenue supports rural bus services.

Partner and Community Updates

Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT), represented by Inspector Tina Osborn, provided an update on local initiatives. Preventative work includes No Cold Calling stickers and leaflets to combat burglaries. While overall crime is low, there have been instances of shed and car break-ins. Cross-border cooperation with Hampshire Police remains a priority. Residents were urged to report incidents through official channels rather than social media. The NPT also addressed concerns about illegal e-bike use and car repair businesses operating on the highway.

Claire Francis, Head of Public Protection, delivered a presentation on the Public Protection service, covering areas such as Trading Standards, Licensing, Food Safety, Environmental Protection, and Community Safety. Questions were raised about the legality of bonfires, the need for Temporary Event Notices (TENs) for donation-based events, and the registration requirements for dog boarding services.

Local Priorities Update:

• Adults & Vulnerable People, led by Councillor Lainey Barker, highlighted the ongoing focus on supporting older residents and the importance of community networks, especially in new housing estates.
• Environment, with updates from Councillor Nick Baker and Councillor Richard Clewer, noted progress on national environmental advice and suggested exploring parish interest in events on topics like air source heat pumps.
• Supporting Young People, led by Councillor Gregory Cooper and Councillor Rich Rogers, detailed the continued success of youth initiatives across several parishes, with plans to expand and seek future funding.
• Digital Inclusion, led by Councillor Zoë Clewer, aimed to extend successful digital support sessions into new areas, with parishes encouraged to host Techy Tea Parties.
• Community Engagement & Priorities, presented by Karen Linaker, Strategic Engagement & Partnerships Manager, emphasised the focus on young people and volunteering, with plans for new events and the development of a youth charity.

Spotlight on Licensing

Claire Francis, Head of Public Protection, provided a presentation on the work of the Public Protection service, which encompasses Consumer Protection, Community Protection, Food Safety, Environmental Protection, and Community Safety & ASB. Discussions included the legality of bonfires, the process for Temporary Event Notices (TENs), and the registration requirements for dog boarding.

Local Highways and Footpath Improvement Group (LHFIG) Update

The Board approved several funding recommendations from the LHFIG, totalling £31,525. These included tractor signs for Alderbury PC, amendments to an informal crossing point on Portway for Laverstock & Ford PC, dropped kerbs and a footway link for Idmiston PC, safety improvements at Dunstable Crossroads for Firsdown/Winterslow PC, waiting restrictions in Sherbourne Drive for Laverstock & Ford PC, and a Combined Street Name Plate Project. The Board also noted the budget impact for 2026/27 and a schedule of major maintenance works.

The Board expressed concern over proposed changes to the LHFIG funding model, which would see a reduction in local allocation and a shift towards a central bidding process, potentially impacting rural road and footpath improvements.

Other Matters

The Board noted information items including updates from Community First, Wiltshire Money, Youth Council Elections 2026, the Wiltshire Council Parking Plan 2026-2030, Alcoholics Anonymous, and the Wiltshire Council Consultation Portal.

Councillor Richard Clewer provided an update on the Wiltshire Council budget for 2026/27, highlighting changes to parking fees, bin collection schedules, and the Parish Steward scheme.

Inspector Tina Osborn of Wiltshire Police provided an update on local policing priorities, including crime prevention, cross-border cooperation, and responses to anti-social behaviour.

The meeting concluded with the Board approving a significant number of grant applications and highway improvement schemes, demonstrating a commitment to supporting community projects and local infrastructure.