Agenda item

To receive any verbal updates from Partners and Community Groups present, including:

·         Police – Neighbourhood Teams

·         Fire & Rescue

To note any written updates or online links attached to the agenda:

a)    Wilton Town Team minutes

b)    Healthwatch Wiltshire

c)    Consultations: http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/consultations.htm

Note: Speakers are reminded that they each have a 3 minute slot, unless they have previously discussed alternative arrangements with the Community Area Manager.

The Board noted the written updates attached to the agenda and circulated at the meeting.

Police

In addition to the written report circulated at the meeting, Joe Power, a Wiltshire Police staff volunteer, working at the Crime Prevention branch, was in attendance to speak about various Rural Policing initiatives going forward.

Due to the overwhelmingly rural nature of Wiltshire, the Rural Policing Support Unit (RPSU) had been created.  This would be enhanced in the short term with a further ten nationally accredited Wildlife Crime Officers, bringing the full complement available to Wiltshire Police to 15.  The intention is that these officers would remain embedded with their CPTs, continuing to work under current command arrangements.  In addition, 20 Special Constables had received additional training and would continue to deliver operational effects, also in direct support of CPTs, with targeted priorities identified by RPSU.

Joe also highlighted the recent (7 March 17) adjournment debate on rural crime in the House of Commons, initiated by John Glen, MP for Salisbury.  RPSU had worked closely with John Glen's office to assist him in preparing for the debate, and there had been widespread media coverage of this event.

Joe discussed several recent operations; notably Op ASTON, a very large multi-agency operation across Salisbury Plain, and Op DROGO, which saw 63 Special Constables working in direct support of CPTs in South Wiltshire.  This was the single largest Special Constabulary operation in the history of Wiltshire Police, and it effectively doubled the capacity of the police.

Joe highlighted the first-class work being conducted by Community Coordinators, and advertised Community Messaging as an excellent way of staying informed about policing activity generally.  He also discussed the perennial issue of 101 'wait times' but noted that work is ongoing in a number of areas and that early signs are very encouraging, and asked for a degree of patience as the police progress this issue.

Joe then discussed the Rural Crime Partnership and stated that he would expand on this at the Tisbury Community Safety Partnership meeting on 14 March 2017.  The key headlines were that this initiative was still in its first year; it met quarterly and active participation was welcomed from across rural communities in Wiltshire.  Andi Witcombe from the National Farmers' Union would also be attending the Tisbury CSP - she was a core member of the Rural Crime Partnership.

Joe highlighted the social media presence of the RPSU; notably @wiltsruralcrime on Twitter and the dedicated Facebook page @Wiltshire Rural Crime Team.  The previously existing Horse Watch and Farm Watch Twitter pages have been absorbed into the current @wiltsruralcrime on Twitter.

Joe concluded by drawing attention to the Chief Constable's open letter which identified Wiltshire Police as a 'force to be reckoned with' and that all the signs were immensely positive in terms of the Police's ability deal proactively with rural crime going forward.

Fire

In addition to the written update circulated at the meeting, Jason Moncrief was in attendance to give an update.

Incidents and highlights

·         There was still a good amount of co-responding calls for Tisbury and Mere.

·         There had been 5 RTC incidents in the district on the A303 in last two months.

·         The retained availability for was struggling during the day time in some areas, particularly in Tisbury. People were urged that if they knew of anyone available in the day that might be interested in this. Currently there were 2 applicants for Tisbury, one for Mere and a number for Wilton all going through at present.

·         A campaign was being run at the moment for people to turn up at set stations on a set night, to have a go at some of the tests and to speak to officers about what it was like to work as a retained Fire Fighter.

Questions

·         What was a special service? It was something that isn’t a fire.

·         Did you still carry out the electrical safety checks? – Answer: We carry out the Safe & Well visits, people can go online and apply for a visit.

Cllr Deane noted that the safe and well visits were really important, particularly for vulnerable people. If you know of people then identify them and pass them on to the fire service. Jason added that it was not just individuals who could have these checks and information, Officers could also deliver the safety messages to groups.

·         Support from digital champions could be accessed to enable elderly people to access information online.

Steve read out a H&WB update which had been sent earlier that day:

Val was organising a Sunday lunch in April as a trial run for the elderly and lonely, as it had been expressed how Sundays could be a lonely time. If it was successful we may try it out in other areas of theSouth West.

There was an active team also working on hosting Sunday teas for 6-8 people at a time in remote areas specifically for the socially isolated and lonely. Work continued in searching and adding to ‘Village Activities’ and mindful of the urgency for dementia actions and activitiesin light of dementia action. Anne Marie had attended the Dementia Action Forum and we both attended SouthWiltshire forum on ‘Alive Active Care’ this was an opportunity to meet with others who were working in the field of activity provision, to share ideas and find support in meeting the day to day challenges of keeping those which were cared for, engaged and active. 

There was also workshops looking at simple sensory activities which gave some ideas to take away. We both attended and had a stand at the opening of the Tisbury Campus, this was a great opportunity to Network and share experiences.

Wilton Update

The Wilton Town Team minutes attached to the agenda had detailed the Town Trail.

Cllr Edge also updated on the Wilton Parkway station, he had gone on the Trans Wilts destination train from Swindon to Salisbury, which had taken approximately 45 mins. The train had stopped at the potential Wilton Parkway location. The LEP had indicated verbal support for the Wilton Parkway. It was hoped that in 3 to 4 years the station would happen.