Agenda item

To note the attached Partner updates and receive any further information partners wish to share:

1. Wiltshire Police
2. Wiltshire Fire and Rescue
3. Wiltshire CCG
4. Healthwatch Wiltshire
5. MADT (Marlborough Area Development Trust)
6. Transition Marlborough
7. Town / Parish Councils

a)              Wiltshire Police

An update was included in the agenda pack.

b)              Wiltshire Fire and Rescue

There was no update.

c)              Healthwatch Wiltshire

An update was included in the agenda pack.

d)              Marlborough Area Development Trust (MADT)

A short update presentation was provided.

The MADT were looking for volunteers from village areas to assist in further rolling out the Community WiFi scheme. It was explained that the Community WiFi project wouldn’t have come about without help from communities hosting nodes.

Tourism support had launched a new website (www.visitmarlborough.org). Work was being done to populate the website with engaging content, such as a blue plaque walk.

The tourist information kiosk was now running at the Mustard Seed Book and Coffee Shop after problems with the initial version. Lower cost electronic tablets were being assessed to investigate the possibility of rolling out the kiosk to other locations.

e)              Transition Marlborough

There was no update.

f)                Town/Parish Councils

Marlborough Town Council -

Shelley Parker, Town Clerk, was in attendance to deliver an update. Marlborough won a silver gilt award for the South West in Bloom 2015 competition.

Town Council grants had been awarded to the Marlborough Garden Association (£300) and the Alzheimer’s Support Group (£500).

Nominations were being taken for Citizen of the Year 2015 and could be submitted through www.marlboroughtowncouncil.gov.uk or the Town Council offices.

The Christmas lights switch-on would take place on 20 November 2015 at 7.00pm. Road closure details would be available on the Marlborough Town Council website.

Long serving Town Crier, Alfie Johnson, retired earlier in 2015.  A workshop and a competition would be held and advertised online to recruit the new Town Crier.

The Marlborough Neighbourhood Plan was explained as almost ready to be sent for consultation.

A charity piano concert was held at St Peter’s in aid of the Mayor’s chosen charitable cause, the Brain Tumour Charity, and raised more than £3,000.

g)              Police and Crime Commissioner

Angus Macpherson, Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon, was in attendance to provide a presentation on the Police and Crime Plan 2015-17.

Crime had risen slightly across Wiltshire, whilst anti-social behaviour had fallen and was amongst the lowest levels in the country. More crime had been report around domestic and sexual offences. This was noted as being due to more women coming forward to report crimes that they previously would not have felt comfortable reporting in the past.

In April a new Horizon Victim and Witness Care Unit opened in Devizes. The unit would support victims and witnesses through everything they would face in the criminal justice system to provide help when they attend course as a witness.

Technological support would be offered to address previous problems with phones not being answered. It was noted that these incidents were now exceptionally rare.

The police had saved £5million through improved efficiency, with a total save of £17.5million since 2011. A further £10million would need to be saved over the next three years.

Police Cadets had been reintroduced to Wiltshire. Currently there was a total of three regiments, with more hoped to be introduced in the future.

Neighbourhood policing was the central focus of Wiltshire police and would be protected and reinforced with any funding that was received.

The four priorities for the Police and Crime Plan 2015-17 were noted as:

Priority 1: Prevent Crime and anti-social behaviour

Priority 2: Protecting the most vulnerable in society

Priority 3: Putting victims and witnesses at the heart of everything we do

Priority 4: Secure high quality, efficient and trusted services

Work was being performed on mobile technology to ensure that officers were able to work away from the office and get out into their communities.

The PCC’s role was described briefly as a 4-year elected position to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of police within the county. The PCC appoints the Chief Constable and holds him accountable to the residents.

It was asked if there was a point where further cuts and savings would mean that the police are unable to work productively. The Government were noted as taking 10% from each force, but that Wiltshire has demonstrated being extremely effective at getting value for money from each pound.