Agenda item

To note the written updates and receive updates from any partners who wish to contribute:

a.    Parishes

b.    Wiltshire Police

c.    Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

d.    NHS Wiltshire

e.    Chippenham Area Partnership

f.     Chippenham Vision

g.    Community Area Young People’s Issues Group

h.    Children’s Parliament

i.      Westlea Housing Association.

The following updates were received:

a.    Parish Councils - the written reports were noted.

·      Grittleton Parish Council – there was a need to consider speeding issues collectively between parish councils.

·      Kington St Michael – speeding and the condition of the pavements continued to be an issue.  The area board were thanked for the grant that had enabled upgrades at the village shop.

b.    Wiltshire Police – the written report was noted.  Sergeant Allan George gave an update on the current policing priorities in the Chippenham community area:

·      the town centre

·      anti-social behaviour in Little Englands

·      north east Hardenhuish – sports fields and environs

·      Greenway Court – drug warrants had been executed for lower level misuse - the police were working with Westlea

·      Kinglsey Park

·      the use of mini motos in the southern parts of the town

·      the rural north had adopted speeding issues and Sergeant Reid was to take this issue forward.

Performance: the County Division was compared with 15 similar divisions in other police forces.  Currently, the County Division was performing very well and was ranked 3rd of 15 for our overall detection rate and 2nd of 15 for our overall crime levels.

The following points were made by members of the meeting:

There were complaints of vandalism and anti-social behaviour in Pewsham.  Sergeant George responded detailing the recent action taken regarding drugs intelligence and executed warrants.

Councillor Bill Douglas congratulated the police on their successes in targeted areas, particularly with respect to drugs-related incidents.

c.    Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service – the written report was noted.

d.    NHS Wiltshire - the written report was noted.

e.    Chippenham and Villages Area Partnership – the written report (supplementary pack) was noted.  Jane Clark gave an update that included the following points:

·      empty town centre shops were being put to community use

·      community equipment was being well-used and included lighting, staging, tables, chairs, scaffolding, bunting (all free of charge but donations were welcomed).

f.     Chippenham Vision – the written report was noted.  Tim Martienssen, Vision Director – Chippenham, gave an updated on the Vision’s recent work:

·      work was on-going with local developers to build a picture of development opportunities in the community area

·      the Chippenham Transport Model was being used to consider traffic flow, density and jams to improve the passage of traffic in the centre.

g.    Community Area Young People’s Issues Group (CAYPIG) – the written report was noted.  Richard Williams, Senior Youth Development Worker, gave an update on the following:

·      dirt jumps project was due to be completed next week

·      skate-park initiative had restarted

·      work was on-going in the wider neighbourhood

·      the next meeting was scheduled for 14 July 2010

Councillor Lesley Palmer (Grittleton Parish Council) thanked Alex Muse, Sports Officer, for his work in the nearby parishes.

h.    Children’s Parliament – the written report (supplementary pack) was noted.

i.      Westlea Housing Association – Helen Barbrook gave an update that included the following points:

·      pleased to have now let their 7000th affordable home – Westlea had 6000 homes on transfer

·      Homes for Wiltshire - problems with the scheme have improved but there were still difficulties for non-IT users, particularly the elderly.  Westlea hoped to help this by advertising through Parish & Town Council magazines

·      the regional conference in partnership with Barnados was scheduled for 8 September 2010, at the Self Build Centre, Swindon

·      the Association continued to support the Youth Task and Finish Group

·      young people from Westlea requested an item on the next area board agenda to give a short presentation.