Agenda item

To receive updates from any of the following partners:

Ø  Wiltshire Police

Ø  Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

Ø  Warminster and Villages Community Partnership

Ø  Town and Parish Councils Nominated Representatives

Ø  Warminster Community Area Youth Action Group

Ø  Shadow Community Operations Board

Ø  Army Re-basing Updates

Some written updates have been received and are included in this agenda.

The written updates included in the agenda were noted.

Verbal updates were received from:

Wiltshire Police

Angus Macpherson made a comment that the speed watch was getting better.

Inspector Alan Webb referred to the written update on page 13 of the agenda, highlighting the areas of: The revised geographical policing model and flattening of management structure, the team would be giving particular focus to repeat callers, prolific offenders and repeat victims.

The focus in Warminster would be on domestic burglaries and he noted an increase in victim based crime and domestic burglaries in the area.

Questions were asked about the Neighbourhood Policing Teams resources and lack of presence in the rural areas. Inspector Webb noted the comment and said that the team had been under some pressure although there had been some recruitment and once the new recruits had finished their training there would be less pressure.

A question was asked about the crime figures increasing. Inspector Webb explained about the change in the reporting system and how crimes were detected and recorded which had affected the figures.

A presentation was then given on the Community Messaging System by Inspector Webb and Mr Mike Davis, which explained the system to develop neighbourhood support teams which would be in Warminster in the summer. The system would allow for the police to alert the local areas signed up on issues more quickly. The Neighbourhood Alert website provided information on other counties and how they used their system, Cumbria was given as a good example to look at. It was noted that the system could also be linked with other services such as the Fire and Rescue service in the future.

Wiltshire Fire & Rescue

Mike Franklyn apologised for not submitting a written update and explained that the service was having technical issues and hoped to be back in operation in June.

Mr Franklyn explained that the Wiltshire and Dorset Fire & Rescue teams had been working closely and he read a script which explained that there had been a budget shortfall which was threatening the service and the separate Fire Authorities of Wiltshire and Dorset. They had been looking at the business case for combining into a single Wiltshire and Dorset Fire Authority. A decision would be made in December and a public consultation would take place between 16 June and 24 August. Documents would be on the Wiltshire fire and rescue website and a helpline would be set up.

Warminster Community Area Youth Action Group (YAG)

The YAG secretary Megan Feist informed the Area Board that clubs within the area were seeing an increase in their numbers and becoming very successful. The street based youth workers had worked hard to engage with the skaters and get their opinions about the youth services. It was noted that the YAG would be having a celebration on the 13 May at the Westbury youth centre.

The Chairman thanked Miss Feist for the update.

Army Re-basing Update

It was noted that Wiltshire Council was waiting for the master plan. There was a need for transport, infrastructure and ecological assessments and a need to source money for schools, health services etc, although the Warminster area was unlikely to be affected by the army re-basing.