Agenda item

a)    Wiltshire Council update on Covid 19 response and recovery work to date

 

b)    Community Policing – local issues and priorities, and update of Covid 19 response and recovery work in this area

 

c)     New Electoral Divisions for Southern Wiltshire

 

·       Area Board Boundary Review – Briefing paper attached:

A consultation will run from 10 September 2020 – 31 October 2020 on the Draft Recommendations of the Electoral Review Committee for Area Board boundaries to take effect for May 2021.

 

Wiltshire Council update on Covid 19 response and recovery work to date

 

16 voluntary community groups had been set up in the southern Wiltshire community area since the start of Covid. The local village response had been helping the overall council’s response, which was primarily through the Wiltshire Wellbeing hub, set up to aid access to goods, services and support where needed.

 

Out of the 352 businesses eligible for a grant within southern Wiltshire community area, a total of 237 were successful in applying and were paid out.

 

Downton library would be in a final phase of those to reopen. It was hoped to be partially open by November.

 

Work was ongoing on local outbreak management plans, led by Wiltshire’s Public Health team, which was also a key point of contact for any community groups that wish to set back up again.

 

Email: Publichealth@wiltshire.gov.uk

 

Cllr Clewer noted that as the council’s deputy leader he had also been heavily involved with the response and associated activities. Central Government had stepped in to provide some financial support. He thanked Karen for all she had done in the process.

 

The Chairman noted how impressed he was with the speed with which a new department had been created at Wiltshire council, to administer the government business loan scheme.

 

On a more local point, there was a worry that many community groups which had wound down as a response to Covid, may not restart. He urged all Board members and the town and parish councils to encourage the local community groups wherever possible.

 

Questions and comments included:

 

·       There was a big issue in obtaining prescriptions at the start are we now in more of a stable position with pharmacies delivering?

Answer: Yes, it has improved, however there were some areas where it was still patchy with room for improvement. As part of the recovery structure the council had its health colleagues including pharmacy colleagues working to improve such issues.

Cllr Clewer - There had been lessons learned. Procedures were now in place which would kick in very easily should they be needed.

 

·       I have worked with the Winterslow and Firsdown Covid response group and we have found on the whole the councils response to be very prompt. We have considered the national picture and are starting to gear back up again. Wonder if Wiltshire council may consider posting a reminder out that the support networks are there.

Community Policing – local issues and priorities

Inspector Pete Sparrow highlighted some of the things that have come in over the last 6 months was a new analytical tool which has helped us to look at statistics, to adapt and change the ways we are able to respond.

 

Crime was at a low level for this time of year. We have developed a new model called the 4 E’s: Engaging, Explaining and Encouraging people to follow the regulations produced by government and then when that has failed, to Enforce.

 

Staff were doing their best to set an example, wearing a mask where suitable and socially distancing.

 

Local priorities

Speeding, Antisocial Behaviour in Downton, Rural Crime, Flytipping and Hare coursing this time of year. Please report anything you see that shouldn’t be there to us.

 

In the Laverstock area there had been some issues with rogue trading.

The country park at Castle Hill had experienced antisocial behaviour with quad bikes and motorbikes being ridden around.

 

In Whiteparish there had been antisocial behaviour and additional patrols were being sought for the area.

 

There had been a double intake of PCs across the county, with five coming to the Salisbury area Policing team. 

 

Questions:

·       How long before new officers become qualified for independent patrol?

Answer: Within 10 weeks they should be independent, as the 10 weeks of tutorship gives them the confidence, then they were on probation for 2 years.

 

·       Pleased to see that Wiltshire constabulary had not going overboard with fining people for breaches of the Covid restrictions on gatherings and were advising people without issuing instant fines.

 

 

New Divisions for Southern Wiltshire Area Board

 

An Area Board Boundary Reviewbriefing paper was attached to the agenda. This detailed the consultation on the draft recommendations of the Electoral Review Committee, which would run from 10 September 2020 – 31 October 2020.

 

 If agreed the new Area Board boundaries would take effect from May 2021.

 

Cllr Clewer set out the process taken and the proposals for Southern Wiltshire Area Board, noting that in some parts of the county the process had been quite simple, however in this area it had been quite different.

 

Divisional changes:

 

·       Redlynch and Landford - remained the same

·       Downton and Ebble Valley – remained the same

·       Alderbury and Whiteparish – Pitton, Farley, West Dean and clarendon park added.

·       Laverstock - Bishopdown Farm and old settlement of Laverstock 

·       Old Sarum and Lower Bourne Valley – Old Sarum, Longhedge, Ford, Winterbournes and Gomeldon.

·       Winterslow and Upper Bourne Valley – Winterslow, Firsdown and Parishes running up the Bourne Valley, from remainder of Idminston to Cholderton.

 

 

This was what the Boundary commission had decided and we could not change it, which caused difficulty from an AB point of view.

 

When we discussed it we felt it was not good to split a parish between 2 boards, so we strongly considered what to do with Laverstock and Old Sarum division and some areas in the Amesbury area.

 

So we decided to recommend that those areas should remain together in one AB, and as the majority of it sits in Southern AB we felt it should remain there.

 

We proposed Southern AB would comprises of 6 divisions, which would bring an extra Councillor in that AB. Somewhere in the process, Officers had changed the name from Southern Wiltshire Area Board to South Eastern Area Board.

 

I am keen to know what the villages inside those three divisions felt about where they should sit?

 

The Chairman urged people to respond to the consultation, to submit thoughts on the proposals.

 

Questions and comments:

 

·       Chairman - The change to the title, I can see the argument, however we have lived for 11 years as Southern, we identify with being called Southern Wiltshire. 

 

·       Cllr Randall - we have always been Southern, you should never change a name like that without good reason as it would confuse everyone for no good reason.

 

·       Cllr McLennan - thanks to Cllr Clewer for conducting the operation. I am also a part of that Committee. We were able to get to every area of Wiltshire in online meetings. The process was done in an entirely practical way, looking at the facts, history and changes to each area as a result of the boundary review. Laverstock & Ford always felt it belonged in Southern AB community area. It could have ended up in Southern, Salisbury or Amesbury.

 

·       Cllr Devine - Firsdown was cut out from Winterslow, you didn’t do a good job. Why not call it South East. I have still not had official notification what the new division will be that incorporates Winterslow. The only place I can see it is on the Boundary Commission website. Answer: You were invited along with every other member involved, who all attended meetings to discuss the proposals. We are not able to get the updated boundary maps probably until December time.

 

·       Elaine Hartford – I am a creature of habit, it has been Southern Wiltshire AB since it first started. People will relate to that, not South Eastern, it would cause confusion.

 

·       Inspector Sparrow - I have overlapping AB boundaries with our policing boundaries. There may be scope to align the two. This could be taken forward to the Chief Constable for consideration.

 

·       Chairman - I am disappointed that we are not being asked to approve or discuss the proposed name change. Answer: This could be resolved quite easily.