The Southern Wiltshire Area Board met on Thursday 12 March 2026. The Board considered grant funding requests for various community projects, including play equipment, a swimming pool, and a community orchard, and approved several recommendations from the Local Highways and Footpath Improvement Group (LHFIG) for road safety and infrastructure improvements across the area.

Area Board Funding Decisions

The Southern Wiltshire Area Board allocated grant funding to several community projects, with some requests being partially funded due to budget constraints.

Community Area Grants:

• Farley Coronation Playing Field received £3,905.49 towards their play equipment project.
• Friends of Winterslow School were awarded £4,905.48 for their community swimming pool project.
• Pitton Nature Trust received the full requested amount of £873 for their Community Orchard and Nature Reserve 2026 Workplan.
• Old Sarum Community Centre was granted £600 for a replacement dishwasher.
• King George V Hall received £2,677.49 towards the creation of a storage room.

Youth Grants:

• Amberwood Learning CIC was awarded £294.54 for an outdoor self-build compost toilet.
• Salisbury Community Circus received the full requested £4,500 for their Circus Wessex World Tour of South Wiltshire project.
• Alderbury Parish Council was granted £5,000 for Year 2 of their Parish Collaboration Youth Project.
• Idmiston Parish Council also received £5,000 for Year 2 of their Parish Collaboration Youth Project.
• Hazel Hill Wood was awarded £3,000 for outdoor activity days for young people.

Older & Vulnerable Adults Grants:

• Laverstock & Ford Parish Council received £3,500 for their Older Residents Community Connector project.

Local Highways and Footpath Improvement Group (LHFIG) Recommendations

The Board resolved to approve the LHFIG funding recommendations for the following schemes:

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

Partner and Community Updates

Inspector Tina Osborn of Wiltshire Police provided an update on local policing priorities, including crime prevention initiatives such as 'No Cold Calling' stickers and leaflets, and ongoing efforts to tackle cross-border crime and rural crime, including hare coursing. She also highlighted recent successes in locating a stolen cashpoint machine and seizing power tools linked to crimes in Southampton.

Claire Francis, Head of Public Protection at Wiltshire Council, delivered a presentation on the wide range of services provided by her department, including Trading Standards, Licensing, Food Safety, Environmental Protection, and Community Safety.

Updates were also provided on the Area Board Review, which is considering changes to meeting frequency and budget allocation, and the Wiltshire Council Budget 2026/27, which includes changes to bin collections and parking fees.

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

Local Priorities Update

Lead members provided updates on the Area Board's local priorities:

• Adults & Vulnerable People (Cllr Lainey Barker) highlighted concerns about isolation in new housing estates and the importance of community networks.
• Environment (Cllr Nick Baker &Cllr Richard Clewer) discussed ongoing national work and the potential for exploring parish interest in environmental topics like air source heat pumps.
• Supporting Young People (Cllr Gregory Cooper &Cllr Rich Rogers) reported on the continued success of youth initiatives, with plans to expand the programme and seek additional volunteer support.
• Digital Inclusion (Cllr Zoë Clewer) noted the success of previous digital inclusion sessions and aimed to extend these into new areas.
• Community Engagement & Priorities (Karen Linaker) outlined the strategic priorities, with a continued focus on young people, volunteering, and developing a strong youth offer. The development of a youth volunteer awards scheme was also mentioned.