Agenda item

To receive updates from the following partners:

·       Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

·       Wiltshire Police

·       Healthwatch Wiltshire

·       Clinical Commissioning Group

·       Schools updates

·       Town and Parish Councils

·       Devizes Indies

·       Sustainable Devizes

·       Devizes Opendoors

In addition to the written partner updates in the agenda pack the following verbal updates were given:

·       Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS)

David Geddes of the DWFRS gave an update to the meeting stating that the continuing with Community Safety plans which included prevention activities and proactive safe and well visits. The service was being inspected by the HM Inspectorate of Fire and Police, in the last inspection they received a rating of ‘very good’ and hoped to get the same or improve. Regarding recruitment, there as a really good core on call team at Devizes, however some staff were looking to retrain or move on so the service was looking to recruit more staff. The representative requested that people should let them know of any local events that the community wanted them to attend. A reminder was given on the importance of having smoke alarms installed and to ensure that they were working. In a recent fire a lives were saved by their smoke alarm going off.  Devizes fire station had recieved 73 call outs in the last period.

·       Wiltshire Police

Inspector Allen Lumley gave an update to the meeting and highlighted points from his report in the agenda. There were no performance concerns, and there had been a 1.25% reduction in vehicle crime and a reduction in burglaries. Hate crime figures were now being reported and numbers were fairly low. There had been an uplift in shoplifting, mainly due to a prolific offender. The police we relooking at Anti-Social Behaviour in the area, which was a complicated issue which to tackle involved a multi-agency approach. The recent storms had taken a toll on residents with some 620 incidents logged in Wiltshire.

·       Sustainable Devizes

Graham Martin representing the sustainability working group highlighted a recent survey which had identified the top 3 community priorities as reducing waste, biodiversity and reducing traffic and improving active traffic infrastructure. The Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) was going through the government process to identify cycling and walking routes, the group wanted it to include the Devizes Gateway and the villages and were keen to consult with the public regarding this. A biodiversity group had been set up which incorporated several other groups, the aim was to develop a biodiversity policy and to optimise and harmonise efforts. A Plastic Free Devizes group was also being started which was looking to work with Devizes Indies to reduce plastic use. On Saturday 11 June a Sustainability Day was being held to help consult on the LCWIP and showcase sustainability efforts within the town.

·       Devizes Opendoors

Noel Woolrych of Devizes Opendoors gave an update on their work. They did not close during the pandemic but provided food that people could takeaway. They had moved to the Southbroom Centre at the end of Victoria Road and were now open 4 days a week (closed on Tuesdays) offering cooked meals which were produced from surplus food provided by local supermarkets. There was a new administrator and co-ordinator and a new storeroom where they could keep surplus equipment. The group were really pleased at now being able to deliver what they set out to do and provide support to homeless people and vulnerable adults. A lot of support and help had been received from the community and St James’s Church, Lloyds bank had also provided some funds.