Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chairman for the forthcoming year, presided by the Democratic Services Officer.

Councillor Caroline Thomas nominated Councillor Jane Davies for the role of Chairman and was seconded by Councillor Stuart Wheeler.

Resolved:

To elect Councillor Jane Davies as Chairman for the year 2023/24.

To elect a Vice-Chairman for the forthcoming year.

The Chair nominated Councillor Thomas for the role of Vice-Chairman and was seconded by Councillor Wheeler.

Resolved:

To elect Councillor Caroline Thomas as Vice-Chairman for the year 2023/24.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor James Sheppard, who was substituted by Councillor Stuart Wheeler.

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 21 March 2023.

Resolved:

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 21 March 2023 as a true and correct record.

To receive any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

There were no declarations of interest.

To note the following items for information – written briefing notes are available in the full agenda pack, or online. 

a)    Cost of Living Crisis

b)    Wiltshire Libraries are supporting residents to stay online during the cost of living crisis

c)    Marlborough Library Closure – 12 June

d)    Changes to Kerbside Recycling

If you would like the Area Board to consider or discuss any of these items in more detail, please speak to the Strategic Engagement and Partnerships Manager, or the Democratic Services Officer.

The Chair drew attention to the briefing notes included in the agenda pack, which included information on the cost-of-living crisis, the temporary closure of Marlborough Library, the work being done by Wiltshire Libraries to keep residents online and changes to kerbside recycling.

To receive an update from Police & Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson and Chief Constable Catherine Roper.

The Chair welcomed the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Philip Wilkinson and Chief Constable Catherine Roper.

The PCC and CC Roper provided an update on the work being undertaken by Wiltshire Police. This included a focus on improved communications, a renewed emphasis on neighbourhood policing, more mobile police stations and more effective procedures for dealing with complaints about poor service and misconduct. The PCC spoke positively about Wiltshire Police’s approach to county lines offences and to rape and serious sexual offences, while also noting that speed enforcement had been an area of real attention, with community speed enforcement officers and the identification of speeding hotspots making sure the work of neighbourhood volunteers does not go to waste.

The Chief Constable spoke to the Area Board about Wiltshire Police’s approach to the Engage process following an assessment by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS). She explained that they had been identified as being inadequate in terms of victim support, investigation, and structural framework. As a result, CC Roper pointed to the Plan on a Page document (included in the agenda supplement) and briefly outlined the three main operational priorities to address those shortcomings: safer public spaces, violence, and burglary. She also listed steps being taken to improve communication and public trust and engagement, including a recruitment drive covering the Criminal Investigation Department, the control room and upper management posts.

The PCC and CC Roper fielded questions about drug misuse and online scammers, parking offences, mobile police stations and accessibility. CC Roper added that reaching all the parishes in the County was a challenge, and thus implored Parish Council representatives to attend their local Area Board meetings to maintain a link to Wiltshire Police. Councillor Thomas enquired about recent response times to 101 calls, to which CC Roper and the local neighbourhood policing team explained that calls would typically be triaged within about five minutes, but proper responses were taking closer to 45. 

To review the work of the Area Board over the previous two years and appoint lead Members to the Area Board’s priority themes.

Andrew Jack then presented on the work the Area Board had undertaken across the last two years, pointing to the significant investment the Area Board had put into community projects alongside contributions from the community itself.

The Area Board then discussed their priority goals for the forthcoming year. They agreed that rather than appoint one Councillor representative to address deprivation and climate change, they should all look to address them both in relation to their given priorities.

Resolved:

To note the achievements over the last two years and adopt the following three Members as Lead Representatives to the following three priorities:

·      Cllr Caroline Thomas to children and young people

·      Cllr Jane Davies to older and vulnerable people

·      Cllr James Sheppard to road safety.

The Area Board is requested to:

a.         Appoint Members as Lead representatives to Outside Bodies as set out at Appendix A;

b.         To note the Terms of Reference for the LHFIG as set out in Appendix B.

Resolved:

·  To appoint Members as Lead Representatives to the Outside Body and the LHFIG as set out in Appendix A

·       To note the Terms of Reference for the LHFIG as set out in Appendix B.

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

1. Wiltshire Police
2. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue
3. Healthwatch Wiltshire
4. BSW Together (Integrated Care System)
5. Community First
6. Kennet and Avon Medical Partnership
7. Jubilee Centre
8. Transition Marlborough
9. 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 Area Board then received updates from its partner organisations. Written updates were provided in the agenda pack from Wiltshire Police, Healthwatch Wiltshire, BSW Together (Integrated Care System) and Community First. In addition, the following organisations gave a brief verbal update:

·      Wiltshire Police

Inspector Benjamin Huggins took the Area Board through the slides detailing the work being undertaken at a local level by Wiltshire Police. (available in the agenda pack). Councillor Thomas asked about how many mental health incidents the Police were responding to, to which Inspector Huggins explained that a great proportion of police time is spent dealing with unwell people, with 20 to 30 officers a day spending whole shifts looking after unwell people and a lot of demand placed on the service from potential self-harm. Councillor Wheeler praised recent police efforts in nearby Burbage.

·      Kennet and Avon Medical Partnership

Suzy Deering updated the Area Board on KAMP’s work in the Spring 2023 Covid Booster Programme, and introduced Tim, one of KAMP’s paramedics, who gave an in-depth overview of the role of a paramedic and their uses outside of the Ambulance Service. 

·      Jubilee Centre

Sally Wolfenden delivered a brief but optimistic update from the Jubilee Centre, focusing on their new members. 

To receive an update from the Strategic Engagement and Partnerships Manager, Andrew Jack, on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation in the Marlborough Community Area.

Resolved:

To defer this item until the next meeting.

To receive an update on local youth provision.

Councillor Thomas delivered a brief update on the status of local youth provision in the community. She explained that hot meals were still being provided at the Youth Club, with the addition of badminton and table tennis facilities. She noted that other organisations were getting involved to the benefit of youth provision, but that a lack of funding and volunteers was proving to be the main challenge facing the Youth Club.

To receive an update on the Five to Thrive session on 12 June.

Resolved:

To defer an update on the recent Five to Thrive session until the next meeting.

The Area Board will be asked to ratify the funding recommendations from the Marlborough Local Highway and Footway Improvement Group (LHFIG) meeting of the 11 May 2023.

Councillor Thomas presented the Local Highway and Footway Improvement Group funding recommendations from their meeting on 11 May 2023, citing definite progress being made.

The Chair proposed that the Area Board approve the funding recommendations from the LHFIG and was seconded by Councillor Thomas.

Resolved:

To approve the funding recommendations from the LHFIG.

There were no other questions.

Any other items of business which the Chairman agrees to consider as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items.

To confirm that the date of the next meeting of the Marlborough Area Board will be the 10 October 2023 at 7:00 pm.

The date and time of the next meeting was confirmed as 10October 2023 at 7:00 pm.