Agenda item

To receive any written and verbal updates from representatives, including:

·       Wiltshire Police.

·       Town and Parish Councils Nominated Representatives.

Updates were received from the following partners:

·       Wiltshire Police

The Area Board noted written updates attached to the agenda. In addition, Inspector Lou Oakley provided a verbal update which covered the following points:

·       An overview of the Neighbourhood Team was provided as well as how staffing was split across the geographical area.

·       The Neighbourhood Policing Pillars set by the Chief Constable were outlined as follows: Engaging Communities, Solving Problems, Targeting Activity.

·       Detail was provided regarding the following local priorities:

o   Retail Crime – Following a national increase since 2023 there was now a delivery plan in place from the Chief Constable and PCC. At a local level the Police were looking to improve engagement, with it noted that the two local Tesco stores had experienced £100k of thefts which had gone unreported. A county wide offender intervention panel had also been set up to attempt to tackle the root causes of problems. Improvements had also been made to CCTV submission processes.

o   Rural Crime – PCSOs and PCs have been reaching out to build rapports with farmers and landowners in harder to reach areas with a push on reporting hare coursing and poaching. It is hope that some operations would run in March.

·       It was noted that the PCC had granted funding for Westbury and Warminster to run a five-day Synergy Course (similar to Salamander) working with 8 prolific local youths to combat low level anti-social behaviour. This would take place in conjunction with partner organisations.

·       A community drop in was set to take place in Morrisons Carpark, Westbury and that the mobile Police van would be present in rural locations (to be confirmed) in early March.

After the update, there was time for the following questions and points to be raised:

·       Cllr Dean suggested that he had not seen PCSOs Moore and Revers patrolling in Westbury for an extended period of time, to which assurance was provided that PSCO Moore covered rural areas and that PCSO Revers had been partaking in Pub watch and was often out patrolling central Westbury with PC Hamel. It was suggested that officers would be happy to visit Cllr Dean and patrol in central Westbury.

·       Town and Parish Council Nominated Representatives

The Area Board received the following verbal update from Cllr Jeff Ligo on behalf of Bratton Parish Council. The update covered the following matters:

·       The Parish Council recently submitted their Neighbourhood Plan which had been a huge amount of work for a small parish to have done.

·       A major development is set to take place in the area with the Parish Council considering what to do with the CIL.

The Area Board received the following verbal update from Cllr Sheila Kimmins on behalf of Westbury town council. The update covered the following matters:

·       The Town Council had been busy over the past year with delegated services from Wiltshire Council with it hoped that everything would be up and running in April.

·       Reference was made to the elections taking place in May.

The Area Board received the following verbal update from Cllrs Penny Williams and Jenny Jones on behalf of Dilton Marsh Parish Council. The update covered the following matters:

·       Work was taking place with an asset transfer with things moving forward with a community orchard.

·       The Local Plan was submitted in December and news had been received on 12 February that a large development planned in the area had been refused.

The Area Board received the following verbal update from Cllr Helen O’Donoghue on behalf of Edington Parish Council. The update included the following matters:

·       The Neighbourhood Plan had stalled due to only having aspirational sites as well as Wiltshire Council requesting ecological and other statements.

·       Spurgeon’s

The Area Board noted a written update attached to the agenda supplement.

·       Community Conversations

The Area Board received and update from Chris Boyes (Community Conversations Lead) on behalf of the Community Conversations team. The update covered the following matters:

·       An overview of Community Conversations was provided, with it noted that it was an initiative of Wiltshire Council focused on the areas of greatest deprivation within the county. Specifically, to Westbury, Oldfield and Penleigh Park.

·       The aims of the initiative were outlined, with it noted that this was a long-term approach through having conversations in order to understand issues in respective areas and then provide support to address such issues via a community led approach.

·       The methodology of the initiative was outlined, with emphasis placed on being present and aiming to be as available to residents as possible whilst connecting with other partner groups and organisations.

·       Key themes have been identified from the initiative including but not limited to that there needs to be more for young people to do, social isolation, poor parking and the struggles of parents with SEND.

·       Planned and underway actions were outlined including but not limited to supporting the planning of physical activities for women, investigating further ways to support parents and linking individual community members to events and activities.

After the update, there was time for the following questions and points to be raised:

·       Gratitude was placed towards the Community Conversations team for their work in engaging with Sovereign Housing.

·       Reference was made to congestion on Oldfield Road, with it noted that the LHFIG was looking at this seriously in conjunction with the Town Council and was surveying residents about solutions.