Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence had been received from:

• Andrew Jack – Strategic Engagement and Partnerships Manager
• Avebury Parish Council
• Miss Andria Tidmarsh-Hackett (Legacy Law Foundation)

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 1 October 2024 as a true and correct record.

On the proposal of the Chairman, seconded by the Vice-Chairman, it was:

Resolved

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting, held on 1 October 2024, as a true and correct record.

To receive any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

Cllr Caroline Thomas noted that she had received a dispensation from the Standards Committee in relation to an Other Registerable Interest by virtue of being Chair of Trustees of Marlborough Youth Forum. The dispensation allowed Cllr Thomas to remain in the room and to take part in the discussion, but not vote on the item.

The Chairman will give an update on outcomes and actions arising from previous meetings of the Area Board.

The Board will be asked to note the following written information items and updates from partners:

·       Marlborough Health and Wellbeing Group

·       Community First

·       Update from BSW Together (Integrated Care System)

·       Wiltshire Police – Spot the Signs Campaign

·       Wiltshire Police – Violence Against Women and Girls

·       Wiltshire Road Safety Partnership

·       Wiltshire Council Consultation Portal

·       Wiltshire Council Information Items:

o   Cost of Living Update

o   Electric Vehicle Charging Community Survey

Please note that we will not be taking verbal updates at this meeting to allow sufficient time for the All Things Policing event. 

The Area Board noted the information items and partner updates set out in the agenda pack; these were:

·       Marlborough Health and Wellbeing Group, pg. 13 - 16

·       Community First, pg. 17 - 19

·       Update from BSW Together (Integrated Care System), pg. 21 - 23

·       Wiltshire Police – Spot the Signs Campaign, pg. 25

·       Wiltshire Police – Violence Against Women and Girls, pg. 27 - 28

·       Wiltshire Road Safety Partnership, pg. 29 - 37

·       Wiltshire Council Consultation Portal

·       Wiltshire Council Information Items (Agenda Supplement 1)

Ø  Electric Vehicle Charging Community Survey, pg. 1 - 2

Ø  Cost of Living Update, pg. 3 - 4

Ø  Local Transport Plan Consultation, pg. 5

To note the remaining budgets and to consider any applications for funding, as detailed in the attached report and summarised below:

Remaining Budgets:

Community Area Grants:

Young People’s Grants:

Further information on the Area Board Grant system can be found here.

The Area Board noted the budgets remaining for allocation at the meeting and heard from representatives in attendance who gave a brief overview of, and answered questions about, their projects.

Community Area Grant:

Marlborough Rugby Club Requesting £2,200 Towards Goal Posts

Richard Purchase, Vice-Chairman of Marlborough Rugby Club, spoke in support of their project.

On the proposal of the Area Board’s Vice-Chairman, seconded by the Chairman, it was resolved to make the:

Decision

To award Marlborough Rugby Club £2,200 towards goal posts.

Reason – The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria 2024/25.

Young People’s Grant:

Marlborough Area Youth Forum Requesting £500 Towards Kitchen Equipment

Lisa Farrell from Marlborough Area Youth Forum spoke in support of the project.

On the proposal of the Vice-Chairman, seconded by the Chairman, it was resolved to make the:

Decision

To award Marlborough Area Youth Forum £500 towards kitchen equipment.

Reason – The application met the Young People’s Grant Criteria 2024/25.

Cllr Caroline Thomas did not vote on the application, having declared an Other Registerable Interest, that she was Chair of Trustees at Marlborough Youth Forum.

Information links: Area Board Grants and Grants Criteria

To ratify the funding recommendations from the Local Highway and Footway Improvement Group on 17 October 2024, as set out in the attached report.

Further information about the LHFIG process can be found here.

The Vice-Chairman gave an overview of the discussions that had taken place at the latest meeting of the Local Highway and Footway Improvement Group (LHFIG) on 17 October 2024.

Cllr Caroline Thomas encouraged councils to submit requests for parking improvement schemes. She noted that a recent survey in York Place had found that 98 percent of the parking capacity was taken up.

On the proposal of the Chairman, seconded by Cllr Thomas, it was resolved to make the:

Decision

To progress and/or allocate funding towards the following issues:

·       8-23-2 - Mildenhall Proposed Footway – to agree up to £5,000 for ecological surveys (subject to a 25 percent contribution from Mildenhall Parish Council)

·       8-23-1 – Marlborough 20mph review - to progress a TRO of up to £3,000 (with £2,250 from the LHFIG and £750 from Marlborough Town Council)

·       Marlborough Town Council to fund approximately £15,000 for the following schemes:

Ø  8-24-03 - Marlborough Town Boundary A4 Manton

Ø  8-24-04 - A346 Postern Hill

Ø  8-24-05 - A346 Port Hill

Ø  8-24-06 - A345 Granham Hill

·       8-24-11 - Savernake Hospital/ Maurice Way – to allocate up to £1,000 to cover additional costs to the £4,000 scheme which was being funded by Savernake.

To close the following completed issues:

·       8-20-4 - A4 Manton traffic calming – substantive scheme

·       8-23-4 - Marlborough, Kennet Place – resident parking

The following representatives will be present:

·       Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Philip Wilkinson

·       Assistant Chief Constable Mark Cooper

·       Wiltshire and Swindon Road Safety Partnership Manager Perry Payne

·       Inspector Simon Garrett’s Neighbourhood Police Team

The PCC and police will then give short introductions, and answer questions from the floor, about each of the following issues:

 If you would like to submit a question in advance of the meeting, please email areaboards@wiltshire.gov.uk by Thursday 28 November

The following members of the panel introduced themselves and were welcomed by the Area Board.

·       Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Philip Wilkinson, OBE, MPhil

·       Assistant Chief Constable Mark Cooper

·       Inspector Simon Garrett

·       Wiltshire and Swindon Road Safety Partnership Manager, Perry Payne

Inspector Garrett introduced himself as the new inspector for the local neighbourhood team. He explained that he had been in his new role for around two months but had been in the police for 24 years. He was keen to build upon the good policing work that was going on in the area and to continue the trajectory of improvement.

The PCC gave a strategic overview of the progress made by Wiltshire Police since he assumed the role in 2021 and provided details about his emerging Police and Crime Plan. Points included:

·       The PCC had been challenging and supporting Wiltshire Police to drive improvement.

·       Significant progress had been made in tackling all crime types since a disappointing Police Effectiveness, Efficiency and Legitimacy (PEEL) report in 2021, when Wiltshire Police had been placed into special measures.

·       Wiltshire was the safest county in England and Wales per head of population.

·       Although positive outcome rates had improved in all areas, the PCC emphasised the importance of avoiding complacency and continuing improvement.

·       The PCC’s new Crime Plan for 2025-29, due to be published in the new year, was more precise than his previous plan, due to his increased confidence about the delivery of the force.

·       The PCC felt that his 50-year experience of combatting terrorism gave him a unique perspective about how to challenge criminality in Wiltshire. He emphasised that many crimes in the county were symptoms of nationwide and international factors.

·       Wiltshire Police had outstanding strategic planning.

·       Improvements in performance were particularly impressive given the financial challenges facing the force. Wiltshire Police were the second worst funded force in England and Wales per capita after Lincolnshire. The funding formula for police forces took into account population density, which impacted negatively on Wiltshire. Wiltshire had a low population density overall, but the figure was distorted by Salisbury Plain, and other areas were more heavily populated.

·       Wiltshire Police’s response teams had been restructured, allowing each neighbourhood team to be led by an inspector.

When asked for the key to driving improvement, the PCC stressed the importance of providing support to frontline officers as well as aligning authority with responsibility. He reported that he had introduced a performance framework for the Chief Constable and her officers so that he could hold her to account to deliver the objectives in his Crime Plan.

Following the PCC’s strategic overview, a series of key topics were discussed in further detail.

Rural Crime

The PCC emphasised that Wiltshire Police were working with other forces in South West England to tackle rural crime, particularly in sharing intelligence. He also highlighted that theft of high value farm equipment was an important area of focus, as this had become a particular target for organised crime gangs given supply chain issues in Russia.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 66.

There will be an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions to the PCC and police that have not already been covered. The Chairman will then summarise the session and highlight actions arising from the meeting.

Attendees then had the opportunity to ask questions that had not been covered earlier during the All Things Policing Event.

In response to a question about call handling, Inspector Garrett explained that significant progress had been made in improving call times in recent months. There had been a big increase in recruitment to the call handling centre, which had led to a reduction in the number of people abandoning 101 calls. He stated that, as the newer staff gained experience, this would also help give flexibility to make further improvements.

Assistant Chief Constable Cooper noted that Wiltshire had gone from one of the worst performing of the 43 forces in England and Wales, in its response time to 999 calls, in March 2024, to now being mid-table. He highlighted that the improvement plan being implemented not only included increased staffing, but investment in new technology.

Once all of the questions had been asked, the Vice-Chairman thanked the PCC and the officers for attending. He observed that Wiltshire had a business like and motivated police force, so they were becoming a force that the county could be proud of.

Any other items of business which the Chairman agrees to consider as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items.

Future meeting dates (starting at 7.00pm):

·       18 March 2025 (likely to change to 11 February 2025)

·       20 May 2025 (extraordinary meeting to elect a chairman)

·       3 June 2025

·       30 September 2025

·       18 November 2025

·       10 February 2026

For information on applying for a grant or grant application deadlines for these meetings, contact andrew.jack@wiltshire.gov.uk or alexa.davies@wiltshire.gov.uk.

The Chairman explained that the Area Board’s next meeting, originally scheduled for 18 March 2025, had been bought forward to 11 February 2025 to avoid the pre-election period. Future meeting dates were confirmed as:

7:00 – 9:00pm with networking from 6.30pm

·       11 February 2025

·       20 May 2025 (extraordinary meeting to elect a chairman)

·       3 June 2025

·       30 September 2025

·       18 November 2025

·       10 February 2026

Meeting details, agendas and minutes can be viewed here.