Agenda item

To receive updates from our key partners, including:

Verbal Updates

To receive any verbal updates from representatives, including:

a.    Wiltshire Police

b.    Parish and Town Councils

Written Updates

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

a.    Wiltshire Police

b.    Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service - video

c.     Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council

d.    Cricklade Town Council

The Area Board noted the written updates available in the agenda pack from:

·       Wiltshire Police, pg. 63-71

·       Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council, pg. 73-76

·       Cricklade Town Council, pg.77-79

The following partner also provided verbal updates:

Wiltshire Police – Neighbourhood Police Team

Inspecter Scott Anger and Seargent Kate Isaac gave an update on behalf of the neighbourhood team. Points included:

·       There had been a focus on speed awareness throughout January and February and efforts were underway to establish a Community Speed Watch (CSW) in Royal Wootton Bassett. 18 vehicles had been caught speeding on Cricklade High Street in January.

·       The police had worked closely with trading standards to complete enforcement activity on a premises selling tobacco and vapes on Royal Wootton Bassett High Street. 

·       The police were working with local taverns to reform the pub watch scheme.

·       A talk about knife crime had been give to Scouts in Lyneham.

·       Three suspects arrested in relation to vehicle thefts in Royal Wootton Bassett had been released on bail and the police were seeking prosecutions from the Crown Prosecution Service.

·       Chief Constable Catherine Roper had joined a patrol in the Purton and Cricklade areas on Christmas Eve.

·       A family had been served a Community Protection Notice in relation to antisocial behaviour in Cowleaze.

·       A series of community consultation events had taken place over the Christmas period and early part of 2025, including a recent consultation event in Latton. These events were opportunities to meet the neighbourhood team and to share priorities.

·       There had been no robberies over the latest quarter in the neighbourhood team’s area. Violence and burglary were also down on the previous quarter. 

·       Several reports had been made about mud being dumped on the B4696 by vehicles entering a construction site, in breach of planning permission. It had not been possible to identify the owner of the site as plots had been sold off individually to members of the traveller community. The issue had been raised with the Environment Agency and the police had made multiple visits to the site. They had also held discussions with the planning officers at Wiltshire Council

·       The police had met with Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council and local residents about car meets in Whitehill Industrial Estate.

During the discussion the following points were made:

·       The Area Board thanked Inspector Anger and Seargent Isaac for their updates and the work they did in helping to ensure that Wiltshire was one of the safest places to live in the country.

·       The Chairman explained that she would welcome a clear role description for a volunteer CSW coordinator in Lyneham.

·       Marion Sweet, from Royal Wootton Bassett, stated that she would welcome further detail about the number of offences and prosecution rates. In response, Inspector Anger explained that specific information could be provided if it was requested in advance and that data was available on Wiltshire Police’s website. He also highlighted that all data needed to be put in context, explaining that crime categorised as ‘violence against the person’ did not always mean that physical force had been used. For example, malicious communications, such as threatening text messages, could be categorised as violence. Most of this information is already available online.