Agenda item

Verbal Updates

To receive any verbal updates from representatives, including:

a.    Wiltshire Police

b.    Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue

c.     Calne Community Safety Forum

d.    Calne Health and Social Care Forum and Older Person’s Champion (Diane Gooch)

e.    Town and Parish Councils

Written Updates

The Board is asked to note the following written and online updates attached to the agenda:

f.      Community First

g.    Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue

h.    Healthwatch Wiltshire

i.      Age UK

j.      The PCC’s Annual Report

k.     PCC News Feed

l.      Hilmarton Parish Council

m.   Calne Town Council

n.    Calne Without Parish Council (to follow)

o.    Calne Community Neighbourhood Plan (to follow)

p.    Wiltshire Police (to follow)

Written updates were available in the agenda pack from the following partners:

·       Community First, pg. 41-47

·       Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue, pg. 49-53

·       Healthwatch Wiltshire, pg. 55

·       Age UK, pg. 57-58

·       Hilmarton Parish Council, pg. 59

·       Calne Town Council, pg. 61

·       Calne Without Parish Council, Agenda Supplement pg. 1

·       Calne Community Neighbourhood Plan, Agenda Supplement 1 pg. 3-4

·       Wiltshire Police, Agenda Supplement 1 pg. 5-14

·       Wiltshire Police Road Safety, Agenda Supplement 1 pg. 15-26

A written update from Bremhill Parish Council is attached to these minutes.

The following partners also provided verbal updates:

Calne Community Safety Forum

Glenis Ansell reported that the group was planning to reinstate the Safe Spaces Scheme. Information was requested by Alan Hill from Calne Town Council about the involvement of Wiltshire Council in the Safe Spaces Scheme. The Strategic Engagement and Partnerships Manager, Ros Griffiths, noted that a response would be co-ordinated and provided to Cllr Hill and the Community Safety Forum directly.

Calne Health and Social Care Forum

Diane Gooch, the Area Board’s Older Person’s Champion, reported that they were running reconnecting sessions on Tuesday mornings which were attended by 50 people. She also noted that the Area Board had funded forthcoming Celebrating Age projects, including a pantomime in February and an opera in March 2024.

The Older Person’s Champion also highlighted that Calne Health and Social Care Forum had been contributing to Wiltshire Council’s dementia strategy and that Calne was the first dementia friendly town in Wiltshire. Alison Ingham, Practice Manager at Northlands Surgery, added that Christmas party for carers would be held in Calne Town Hall and that Calne Health and Social Care Forum wanted to hear local views about dementia service needs.

Calne Town Council

Alan Hill gave an overview of recent updates from Calne Town Council, including:

·       The town council had agreed its budget for 2024-25, including a five percent increase for a Band D property. He noted that although the precept would increase in the forthcoming financial year, the budget had not gone up for the previous seven years. Calne Town Council had previously had the highest Band D precept of any town in Wiltshire but, due to financial control in recent years, it was currently down to eleventh.

·       He was pleased to report that Calne had been approved to be the location of a new banking hub and that this step was supported by the town council.

·       It was important to have a footpath from Marden Farm to Kingsbury Green Academy to allow pupils to get safely to school.

·       He noted that he would welcome more information about newly painted survey markings in the town.

·       Concerns were raised about the closure of the A3102 in Royal Wootton Bassett on 25 November, as the diversion was through the A4 in Calne, which had been closed on 24 November.

The Chairman noted that he been assured by Wiltshire Council’s Highways Team that they would consider the timing of every set of road works when approving the schedule.

Wiltshire Police

Sergeant Mike Tripp gave the following update on activity in the Community Police Team’s area:

·       They had conducted a number of engagement activities including at Holy Trinity C of E Academy, where Police Constable Jon Bourke gave a presentation about County Lines.

·       The force had been undertaking immigration enforcement, modern slavery and anti-drug related activities.

·       An adult had recently been arrested for drink driving and another for assaulting an emergency worker.

·       A Community Protection Notice had been issued to the owner of an out-of-control dog.

·       An adult male had been charged with a serious offence but, as the suspect had been detained, they were no longer believed to be a threat to the public.

In response to a query about shoplifting by young people at a local supermarket Police Community Support Officer, Mark Cook, explained that the supermarket had attended a recent Community Safety Forum meeting to receive advice about how to tackle the issue.

Calne Without Parish Council

John Barnes provided an update on environmental and road safety issues, including:

·       The parish council had received 120 trees earlier that day that would be given away free to residents who had registered for the Plant a Tree Scheme.

·       They were offering a thermal imaging camera loan scheme.

·       A path was being reinstated where it crossed Millennium Bridge.

·       The parish council would like to see a weight limit imposed for vehicles travelling along Norley Lane in Studley.

·       The progress in clearing the footpath along the A4 was welcomed.

Cllr Ashley O’Neill noted that progress was being made on Wiltshire Council’s freight strategy and that he had been lobbying for a full-width pavement along the A4.

Cherhill Parish Council

Progress had been made on Cherhill Monument and White Horse.

Calne Community Neighbourhood Plan

John Barnes reported that the Calne Community Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group had recommended reducing the scope of the proposed housing allocation in the draft Wiltshire Local Plan in order to complete the review before Calne Without Parish Council was restructured to form six separate councils in May 2025.