Agenda item

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

·       Wiltshire Police

·       BaNES, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board

·       Jubilee Centre

·       Kennett and Avon Medical Partnership

·       Town / Parish Councils

Note: Speakers are reminded that they each have a 3-minute slot, unless they have previously discussed alternative arrangements with the Strategic Engagement and Partnerships Manager.

The Vice Chairman noted that written updates were available in the agenda pack from the following partners:

• Wiltshire Police

• BaNES, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board

• Kennett and Avon Medical Partnership

• The Jubilee Centre (Agenda Supplement 1)

The following partners also provided verbal updates:

Wiltshire Police

Inspector Al Lumley gave an overview of incidents that had taken place in the local area, as well as how the force was responding to a recent inspection by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS). Key points included:

• The inspector reassured residents that convoys of unmarked cars passing through the area were to escort VIPs. The police’s road training centre was based in Devizes, so they often ran practice convoys through the Marlborough area.

• Victims of residential burglaries would now be given SelectaDNA kits. The kits would allow people to mark individual items in their house so they could identify them in the event that they might be stolen.

• Wiltshire Police had had a disappointing inspection by HMICFRS and had been placed into special measures. However, the force had taken steps to address the issues identified and the Chief Constable and Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) were due to report to an oversight panel on 19 October. Details of the progress being made could also be found on the PCC’s website.

• The inspector stressed that all of his colleagues wanted to make a difference to the community and deliver a quality service.

During the discussion the following points were made:

• The Area Board thanked the inspector for the update and his honesty.

• The Vice Chairman noted that the Area Board was particularly interested in local concerns such as drug dealing and speeding. She also highlighted that there was a perception that a large portion of crime went unreported.

• The inspector stated that the police’s communications team were reviewing how updates were provided to Area Boards to ensure that they remained relevant. He also encouraged the public to come forward and report crime.

• It was confirmed that CRIB stood for Crime Recording Investigation Bureau.

• Cllr Sheppard noted that the PCC was asking police to deploy speed guns to tackle early morning commuters. The councillor then recommended that residents could contact the PCC directly to highlight issues.

• In response to concerns about anti-social behaviour in the Acres area, the inspector reported that significant action had taken place in July and August to tackle the issue and that this had led to a large reduction in the number of incidents. 

• When asked about a recent recruitment drive, the inspector noted that Wiltshire Police still had a number of vacancies for uniformed roles, but that the Marlborough area had fewer vacancies than most areas.

KAMP

The communications manager at Kennet and Avon Medical Partnership gave a presentation about the role of the partnership in delivering vaccination programmes as well as the availability of GP appointments. She explained that they were around 80 percent of the way through delivering the autumn flu vaccination programme and had already ordered their jabs for next year. The communications manager praised the work of LINK drivers in enabling vulnerable individuals to attend centres to get their jabs.

She explained that KAMP has also played a role in the Covid vaccination programme, focussing specifically on the most vulnerable residents, such as those that are house bound. She encouraged the public to book their jabs through the national booking service and not through their local GP.

Addressing concerns about access to GP appointments, the communications manager stressed that this was a nationwide issue, as the UK had fewer GPs per head of population than comparable European countries. She informed that Area Board that KAMP had been attempting to recruit a GP for 18 months but had not yet had any candidates to interview. She stressed that KAMP were doing all they could to ensure that patients were able to get appointments. She was pleased to report that 90 percent of KAMP patients that had responded to a recent survey had said that they had had a good or very good experience of their service.

Jubilee Centre

Sally Wolfenden from the Jubilee Centre provided an update about the work that the centre was doing to support vulnerable individuals, including details about some of their recent day trips and forthcoming events. She reported that they were still looking for staff, volunteers, and guests and that they sometimes got referrals from GPs. She noted that it was often easier for individuals to start attending the centre in the earlier stages of dementia, so they were able to familiarise themselves with the environment. Ensuring that their members were able to access social events was very important for their wellbeing and often allowed them to stay living at home for longer.

Recent trips for members included a canal boat trip and helping one of their members play darts in the local pool club, the first time he had played in 20 years. Sally highlighted that these trips were as rewarding for staff and volunteers as they were for the members themselves. She also thanked Marlborough’s Mayor, Lisa Farrell, for inviting their members as special guests at the late Queen’s jubilee celebrations, a recent highlight of their work. She then gave details about their AGM planned for 7pm on 26 October, as well as their regular board game sessions on Wednesday afternoons.

Marlborough and District LINK Scheme

Both the chairman and head of recruitment at Marlborough and District LINK Scheme provided an overview of the charity’s work. They explained that they were one of 45 LINK schemes in Wiltshire helping vulnerable people access a range of activities, including medical appointments and shopping. They reported that they helped around 100 individuals per month and completed between 2,500 and 3,000 trips per year. Demand for their services had increased since 2021 and they were taking on around 10 new clients each month.

Th representatives encouraged people to volunteer, highlighting that it was a great way to meet new people. They held a monthly meeting in the Jubilee Centre for their 40 active drivers. The group were keen to recruit younger drivers and would help vulnerable adults of all ages. They were also discussing a digital isolation project to be carried out in collaboration with young people.

During the discussion the Area Board praised the charity for the work they did in reducing social isolation. The Vice Chairman said that she was an occasional LINK driver and had met some interesting people, including a nurse awarded a medal of honour by the Dutch government. In response to a question about insurance, the LINK representatives stated that they would be able to assist in adding volunteering to insurance for free. They also noted that they welcomed new drivers, up to the age of 79, and driving coordinators.

Cllr Kunkler noted that Wiltshire Council had successfully bid to the Rural Mobility Fund to provide a demand-based minibus service and they were working on plans for a route running through Pewsey to Marlborough and Devizes. He suggested that there might be opportunities for coordination between the LINK scheme and the proposed new service.