Agenda item

Written Updates attached are:

·         Wiltshire Council – Helping People to live safely in their own home

·         Wiltshire Council – 11-19 Commissioning Strategy Update

·         Wiltshire Council – Informal Adult Education

·         Wiltshire Council – New Standards Framework

·         Youth Service Update

·         NHS

·         Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT)

·         Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

·         Area Board Issues System

·         Any other comments or reports

The Board noted the written updates attached to the agenda, in addition the following updates and comments were received:

Wiltshire Council (WC)

A new Standards Framework and Code of Conduct for Councillors had been adopted by WC, as a result of this it was hoped that parish councils would follow suit and adopt the same. A briefing session for clerks, parish, town and city councillors on the new standards regime would take place on 14 June 2012, at Salisbury City Hall at 6.00pm for a 6.30pm start, to 8.00pm. Details of how to book a place were available on the briefing paper attached to the agenda.

Informal Adult Education - Councillor McLennan noted that the paper indicated that a view on the preferred option could be submitted by the Board. Tracy Carter, Service Director added that an online survey was available for anyone wishing to submit their comments, this was open until 27 June 2012. Paper copies were also available from libraries, the deadline for those was 15 June 2012.

Councillor Britton asked those present if they wished for a speaker to attend the next meeting to provide further information, the offer was declined.

Youth Service

The Community Area Youth Coordinator (Tony Nye) had recently moved post to a secondment within the council. The vacant post was currently being covered by existing team members until a replacement was secured, interviews would take place at the end of June 2012. Parishes were asked to contact Jaki Farrell – Youth Development Coordinator - if they had any questions or youth related issues.

Jaki.farrell@wiltshire.gov.uk  or Tel: 01747 861400

Police

Sergeant Dean Garvin gave an update informing the Board that PCSO Stephanie Dutton had recently joined the Southern Wiltshire NPT. This meant that for the first time in four years there was a full team in the community area.

Some positive points for the area included reports that both the Downton Cuckoo Fair and the Jubilee Celebrations had both gone smoothly, as had the Laverstock mini marathon.

There had been some burglaries in Downton and Redlynch, the policing teams were working on this and hoped to be able to provide a more detailed update at the next Board meeting.

Comments and questions to Sergeant Garvin included:

Councillor McLennan noted that the placement of cones in streets around the Hudsons Field event meant that vehicles parked along Roman Road at its junction with Old Castle Road, extending as far as the pig farm (Old Sarum Farm) entrance. Local residents felt this caused safety issues.

Councillor McLennan asked if the procedure could be revised for any forthcoming events such as the Olympic Torch event on 11 July 2012.

Answer: Sgt Garvin was unsure whether the police had placed the cones or Salisbury City Council, he agreed to find out and to provide a response at the next meeting.

Action: Sergeant Garvin

Information on Neighbourhood Watch and who to contact regarding new schemes was requested.

Answer: The Chairman noted that item 12 on the agenda included proposals for future work which would include neighbourhood watch.

A Firsdown Parish Councillor asked how he should go about obtaining cones for a forthcoming Fair in the parish.

Answer: Issuing of cones for local events had been reduced, Sergeant Garvin agreed to communicate with parish councils on individual cases.

Action: Sergeant Garvin

A request for information on ‘Violence against the Person’ which was a category included in the Crime and Community Safety briefing paper attached to the agenda.

Answer: It was exceptionally rare in the Southern Wiltshire Community Area that someone was assaulted by a person that they did not know, the figure report usually related to domestic violence.

There was a  request for an update on metal theft.

Answer: Police were working with scrap metal dealers to implement smart water which could be put on to metal items to aid police in tracing stolen metal back to its owner. Recent changes to the law meant that scrap metal dealers were now not permitted to pay cash for scrap metal.

Is the government doing anything to have a punishment that fits the crime?

Answer: It is for the courts to make decisions on that.

Councillor Britton added that within the Criminal Justice System in Wiltshire, for a variety of administrative reasons over 40% of cases going to court are deferred or thrown out altogether.

Wiltshire Fire Authority

Councillor Devine gave his opinion of the situation following a recent public consultation on proposed changes to the operational side of Wiltshire Fire Service.

A question came from the floor to ask if a balanced view could be sought from the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). The Chairman asked Tom Bray to ask the FBU they wished to attend a future meeting to give their view on the situation.

Action: Tom Bray

Issue System

In addition to the progress report attached to the Agenda, the following comments were made:

·         Following the recent resurfacing of Odstock Road, the parish had been disappointed that repairs to the road surface were not made before the new surface was laid. They asked if holes could  be fixed prior to the next batch of resurfacing was carried out.

Answer: The parish were advised to log the matter with CLARENCE and to contact the local Highways Manager Sally Barnett.

·         The names and addresses of people objecting to planning applications were currently published online. An issue was raised by a parish councillor who asked that anonymous submissions could be uploaded ti the web and given the same weight as others.

Answer: The Board agreed to contact the Head of Planning for southern Wiltshire to ask whether personal details could be removed from submissions prior to publication if so requested.

Action: Tom Bray