Agenda item

To receive any updates from partners. Some reports have been received and are included in the pack.

·         Wiltshire Police

·         Dorset and Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service

·         BA13+ Community Area Partnership

·         Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group

·         Healthwatch Wiltshire

·         Health & Wellbeing Group

·         Westbury Town Council

The Area Board received and noted the following updates from key partners:-

(a)      Wiltshire Police Deputy Sector Head, Sgt. Louis McCoy presented a report from which it was noted that during the last few months Wiltshire Police had rolled out its Community Policing Team model across Wiltshire and Swindon and so far the response had been positive.  He pointed out that work was taking place to improve the 101 system for non-emergency calls. Efforts were being made to ensure that the service was high quality and that the time taken to respond to these calls was being reduced.

Sgt McCoy explained that the crime statistics for December 2016 were encouraging in that the number of vehicle crime, public order, theft, violence and burglaries had all seen a slight decrease compared to the previous year. However, during the first half of January 2017 there had been an increase in the amount of reports received regarding damage and some breaking into disused commercial premises within the Westbury area.  Across the wider community area there was a slight increase in sheds and outbuildings being broken into and the public was being reminded to do all they could to their property safe and to report such incidents to the Police. 

Sgt McCoy then introduced PC Amy Hardman, who had recently taken over the role of Community Coordinator, who then explained her role in overseeing the Community Messaging initiative in which ways were being developed in keeping the public up to date with the latest policing information.

(b)      Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service  District Commander Andy Green presented his report from which it was noted that seasonal safety advice was available on the Service’s website at www.dwfire.org.uk and following the ‘your safety’ link to access this and other guidance.

Mr Green drew attention to the need to recruit further On Call Firefighters and informed the meeting that further information was available to view on the webpage www.dwfire.org.uk/working-for-us/

Attention was also drawn to the severe weather warnings and Mr Green stressed the need for motorists to be vigilant and not attempt to drive their vehicles in flooded roads. The Fire and Rescue Service did not recover vehicles in these circumstances.

(c)       BA13+ Community Area Partnership  The written report was received and noted.

(d)          Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group The written report was received and noted.  Dr Peter Biggs suggested that future reports should provide more detailed information about the work of the CCG, the problems being experienced and how they were being solved.

(e)          Healthwatch Wiltshire The written report was received and noted.

(f)           Health & Wellbeing Group    Consideration was given to two applications for funding as presented by the Community Engagement Manager.

Resolved:

(a)  To approve a grant of £1,000.00 to finance 2 x 2 hour workshops on Cooking with Confidence for adults with mental health needs.  

(b)  To approve a grant of £2,500.00 to develop a ‘wheel chair friendly’ workshop on land already allocated to the Westbury Shed.

(g)          Westbury Town Council  Cllr Stephen Andrews, Mayor of Westbury, presented his report. He informed the meeting that the main item to report was that the Town Council would be raising the precept for 2017 by 12%, which equated to approximately 23p per week increase for a Band D property. The main reason for the increase was that the Town Council had agreed to include in the budget the sum of £35,000 to cover the cost of re-instating two hours of free parking in the Town Centre. There would be a public consultation available on the Town Council website and the Town Council would take notice of the results of the vote on the proposal in due course. Information on costs of the parking and other costs were being sought from Wiltshire Council.