Agenda item

To receive updates from our key partners, including:

a.    Wiltshire Police

b.    Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

c.    Healthwatch Wiltshire

d.    Parish and Town Councils

e.    Community Groups

f.    The Rise Trust (Youth)

Written updates were available in the pack from:

• Wiltshire Police

• BaNES, Swindon and Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)

• Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue

• Cricklade Town Council

The Chairman referenced the update from the CCG and praised the work being carried out locally to roll out the vaccination programme, including in Lyneham Pharmacy and the Memorial Hall in Royal Wootton Bassett.

Verbal updates were also received from the following partners:

Wiltshire Police

Cllr Russell Holland, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Swindon and Wiltshire thanked the Chairman for drawing attention to the consultation on the PCC’s crime plan and informed the Area Board that the precept was also out for consultation. He then spoke about the PCC’s scheme for Young Commissioners, a group of 14–25-year-olds helping to support, challenge and inform the PCC.  The Deputy PCC explained that they ran up to four Youth Commission sessions per year to discuss priority issues. Young Commissioners also helped to raise awareness in schools. He then encouraged anyone who had any further queries to contact him, or the PCC, directly. 

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue

Dave Adamson, Group Manager for the area including Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade, referred the Area Board to the information included in the agenda pack. He reported that they were continuing to support their emergency response colleagues by driving ambulances. Incidents of note in the local area included fires relating to lithium batteries, but he was keen to reassure the public that lithium batteries were safe unless they are tampered with. On 29 November 2021 there had been a fire in Cricklade High Street, requiring a significant response with a number of fire engines involved.

He was pleased to announce that a new team member had been recruited in Royal Wootton Bassett. However, he explained that they were still looking for further staff, especially in Cricklade, so a three-week recruitment drive would be run from 31 January. Area Board members welcomed the recruitment drive in Cricklade noting that staff shortages had restricted the deployment of the local fire engine on 29 November.

In response to a question about the SPECTRA course, the group manager explained that it was a programme that used firefighting activities to develop life and work skills for participants. Further information was available on the dwfire website.

Royal Wootton Bassett Local Youth Network

Cllr Sue Hughes reported that the scheme to help families access school uniforms was progressing well. She also noted that there were a number of other schemes in the pipeline that she would be able to update the Area Board on at the next meeting.

The Rise Trust (Youth)

Danielle Blake, from the Rise Trust Youth, reported that activities were ongoing, and it was planned to deliver a safe space in Royal Wootton Bassett from February 2022. She explained that funding in Cricklade was due to expire in April 2022, so conversations were taking place about how to deliver a safe space in the town.