Agenda item

Wiltshire Police – Insp Christian Lange

 

The written update distributed with the agenda was noted with the following points:

 

·       That Wiltshire would be losing its MOD Police presence throughout the area. Concerns were raised that Salisbury Plain could become like the “wild west”, with hare coursing and other illegal activities increasing because of the lack of policing that the MOD Police presence had previously given the area.

 

These concerns were being relayed to the Chief Constable of Wiltshire, who was in discussions with his counterpart in the MOD Police.

 

 

Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service

 

The written report was noted.

 

 

NHS Wiltshire

 

The written report was noted.

 

 

 

Tidworth Garrison - Col Paddy Tabor & Denis Bottomley

 

Points made included:

 

·       Almost all the news from the Garrison for this Area Board Meeting has to concern the Secretary of State’s recent announcement about Army 2020.  On 5^th March, the long awaited statement on which regiments were to go where was made in the House of Commons. As you will all know, in terms of the South West, most of the news involved Larkhill and Tidworth, Netheravon and Bulford Garrisons. 

 

The plan will evolve over the next 7 years and at its heart is the requirement to move all remaining elements of all 3 Services out of Germany by 2020. This will mean in general terms another 4000+ soldiers being posted to the South East corner of Salisbury Plain bringing the overall total here to about 15,000.  

 

To put it into context: the plan hinges around what can be done in Larkhill, which is the spiritual home of the Royal Artillery. Currently, Larkill houses 2 regiments, shortly to rise to 3 with the move from Thorney Island of 47 Regiment. Thereafter, the 2 RA regiments in Tidworth, 1 RHA and 19 Regt RA) will relocate to Larkhill, eventually to be joined by another from Germany not before 2017. To achieve this extensive barrack building and provision of married quarters needs to be undertaken.

 

In Bulford, there are currently 2 light role infantry battalions and a signals regiment. The future will see 3 WARRIOR equipped infantry battalions and a signals regiment plus the existing HQ 2 (UK) Division and 2 armoured infantry Brigade Headquarters. Bulford will therefore be the home of half of the armoured infantry on the Plain.

 

Tidworth will receive another CHALLENGER equipped tank regiment and a Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer battalion while Perham Down will get a third Engineer regiment.

 

All of this means a significant increase in soldiers locally, which means up to 1600 families between Larkhill and Perham Down. It is not clear yet where these houses will be built. This will require more Primary and Secondary school places and will demand more NHS health and dental support. All of this, of course, against the background of 700 new houses on the NE Quadrant and Zouch Farm estates. 

 

There has been considerable discussion about whether the MOD will seek to lease houses in these two developments or indeed elsewhere like Archer’s Gate in Amesbury. Jane Scott, Leader of Wiltshire Council, made it clear at the joint 43 Brigade and Wiltshire Council press conference on 5^th March that the Council would not support this but would wholly support the MOD building the houses it needs on its own land.

 

The Area Board should be aware that the Area 19 housing project has now seen a project officer appointed and indicative plans for up to 322 houses produced.  There is currently no funding for this.

 

Beyond what I have told you, much discussion is going on between DIO and the Council as to the implications of introducing so many new Servicemen and women and their families into the local communities. But most of these changes are not due until after 2017 so there is time to put plans in place.

 

1^st Mechanized Brigade deploys at the end of this month to Afghanistan. They will be returning in October/November time.   For most of the summer therefore large swathes of the Garrison will be away, but with the withdrawal of all combat units from Afghanistan by the end of next year, it is expected this will be the last major deployment from the Garrison for a while.

 

Corunna Barracks in Ludgershall will continue in operation until at least March 2014 due to larger numbers of soldiers because of the mergers of 2^nd Battalion Royal Welsh and having to house TA soldiers deploying to and recovering from Afghanistan this summer.

 

15^th June sees the joint Tidworth/Garrison Community Day in Tedworth Park.  The next planning meeting takes place tomorrow afternoon.  Plans are well advanced and we are clearly keen that as many people as possible come to the Park on that Saturday for an enjoyable Community day out.

 

The Tidworth Auditorium is coming on very well.  It is on track to open in September.  A time capsule will be buried there on 12^th April.  After due consideration, and not without opposition, it has been decided to name the building “Tidworth Garrison Theatre”, to mark a continuum from its illustrious predecessor. It is hoped it will play a major part in Community life.

 

It was noted that both Cllr Connolly and Tidworth Town Council disagreed with the word “Garrison” in the new Tidworth Garrison Theatre.

 

 

Tidworth Community Area Partnership – Tony Pickernell.

 

Points made included:

 

·       That nominations could still be made for the Area Awards.

 

·       TCAP were looking to hold a “Youth get together” with invitations to Parish Council Chairmen & Clerks to discuss Summer youth activities in the local area.

 

·       TCAP thematic groups would be looking at the impact of some three thousand houses which are to be built in the local area over the next 7/8 years.

 

 

Youth Service – Wendy Higginson

 

Points made included:

 

·       Currently recruiting assistant youth workers.

 

·       The Youth Advisory Group was now up and running, with the next meeting on the 11 April.

 

·       Currently working on this year’s Summer youth programme, which will cover Tidworth, Ludgershall and all the villages.

 

 

Tidworth Town Council

 

·       Tidworth had just held a Photography competition, the results were available on the Tidworth Town Council web site.

 

 

Ludgershall Town Council – Owen White

 

Points made included:

 

·       July/August – Ludgershall in Bloom competition.

 

·       September/October – Mr & Mrs competition.

 

 

Netheravon Parish Council – Ian Blair-Pilling

 

Points made included:

 

·       Another pedal car race was planned for Saturday 25 May 2013, entrance open to all villages with the pedal cars provided.

 

·       Concerns over the withdraw of the MOD Police.

 

 

Extended Services – Julie Tremlin.

 

·       Looking to put together a project to commemorate the centenary of World War I.

 

 

The Chairman thanked everybody for their updates.