Agenda item

To receive updates from the following partners:

a.    Wiltshire Police

Police and crime Commissioner, Angus Macpherson will be in attendance to provided details on the precept consultation.

b.    Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

c.    Health Services

d.    Devizes Community Area Partnership (DCAP)

e.    Devizes Campus Team - (in agenda pack page 25)

f.     Youth Advisory Group

g.    Schools updates

h.    Town and Parish Councils

Partner Updates:

a)    Wiltshire Police

Angus Macpherson, Police and Crime Commissioner gave a presentation on the proposed increase to the precept. He explained that government grants were in decline and by 2017 will have been reduced by 23%. The precept had been frozen for the last 3 years, and this freeze was accepted to ensure that the precept did not rise.

Wiltshire had the lowest precept in the South West. The Wiltshire police force was very efficient and its expenditure per head of the population was the third lowest in the UK.

It was proposed that the precept should increase by £3.15 per household per annum. Although savings had been made through partnerships with Wiltshire Council and through the regional control of many items such as guns and dogs, an increase in the precept was needed to protect front-line, local policing. The increase would raise £740,000 for 2014-15 which would allow the police force to continue investing in preventing future crime, improve technology and IT infrastructure.

Members of the audience were encouraged to make comments at www.wiltshire.pcc.gov.uk.

A report was then given by the local police force. Attention was drawn to the report contained within the agenda, in addition to which the following verbal update was given:

·         The Area Board were reminded to remove valuables from their vehicles following the theft of a handbag from a car.

·         Police were collaborating with Erlestoke Prison to prevent the entry of drugs into the prison. An individual had been arrested for the possession of ‘spice’ in connection with this.

·         A vehicle’s diesel tank had been tampered with in Potterne.

·         There had been a decline in burglaries.

b)    Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

Darren Nixon, Hub Station Manager Devizes introduced himself to the Area Board. He highlighted the new style report contained within the agenda pack.

c)    Devizes Community Area Partnership (DCAP)

Chris Butler, the new Chairman of DCAP thanked former Chairman Tony Sedgewick for all his hard work.

DCAP were working on two new initiatives including the Devizes means business website and istreet, which sought to bring together local businesses.

The Devizes Tow Path scheme was ongoing and would be carried out in three stages. The tow path would cover 2.2 miles. DCAP had worked with a number of partners on this scheme including Sustrans and the Kennet and Avon Canal. The related CAIP consultation could be found on the following link

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/communityandliving/rightsofway/countrysideaccessimprovementplanconsultation.htm

Anyone interested in getting involved was encouraged to contact Kate Freeman.

d)    YAG

The group were working with the Canoe club to clean up the canal. The group were collaborating with local shops to address problems with intimidating security guards and local Sainsburys and Tescos stores had joined the scheme.

YAG hoped to build connections with elderly residents in the area. They had also collaborated with other groups nationwide with a view to lobbying Parliament. They had also taken the drug education project to local schools.

e)    Devizes Town Council

The Devizes skate park had been designed and costed within budget and a planning application had been submitted. The commencement of work had been delayed due to bad weather, and it is unlikely to be finished until after the Easter holidays.