Agenda item

To receive updates from the following partners:

a)    Wiltshire Police (attached)

b)    Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (attached)

c)    NHS Wiltshire (attached)

d)    Malmesbury and the Villages Community Area Partnership (attached)

e)    Town and Parish Councils

f)     Youth representative

g)    Malmesbury Chamber of Commerce (attached).

The Chairman noted the written updates from partners included in the agenda pack.

a.      Inspector Chris Martin added to the written update that theft of natural stone was an ongoing issue. Staddle-stones (mushroom shaped stones) were a particular target and he advised to mark your stones to distinguish them if you have them. It was confirmed that Wiltshire is the safest county in England and violent crime had fallen by 20% in the last year. The Chairman requested police presence at Easton Grey in order to monitor speeding traffic.

Decision

Wiltshire Police would monitor speeding traffic at Easton Grey at the T junction next to Forlorn Bridge on the road to Chippenham.

b.      Mike Franklin from Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service added to the written update that the fire service were working closely with Wiltshire Council to deliver the ‘Warm and Well’ scheme and home safety checks. He cautioned people to be very careful when using candles at home and for those with open fires, solid fuels or wood burning stoves to make arrangements for chimneys and flues to be cleaned.

c.      The written update from NHS Wiltshire was noted.

d.      The written update from Malmesbury and the Villages Community Area Partnership was noted. The Malmesbury area community hub project was progressing. The hub was now a charitable company limited by guarantee. Regular meetings were being held and a presentation to partner organisations was scheduled. The walks group had gained a lot of local support and the group were grateful for a recent grant from Malmesbury Carnival Committee of £1,000 towards the costs of launching various walks in Malmesbury and the surrounding area. The first of these was the White Walls Walk from Malmesbury to Luckington. Funding was being sourced for certain aspects of this walk, such as interpretation boards and booklet printing. The Partnership were also continuing to coordinate the reduced street lighting project with local town and parish councils. 

a.      Sherston Parish Council were pleased to report that their new Post Office and shop would be open from 26 November 2011 in the former village school. Sherston Old School Community Interest Company circulated a report about the project.  

An enquiry was made about the best mechanism for Parish Councils to buy bark in bulk for playground areas and the like.  

Decision

Malmesbury and the Villages Community Area Partnership would follow up the enquiry regarding Parish Councils working together to purchase bark.  

b.      Chloe Harris-Alba reported as youth representative that she had attended the House of Commons on behalf of the UK Youth Parliament to debate child poverty, transport, tuition fees and employment. She announced that £6,000 had been made available to young people aged between 8 and 19 years old in the Malmesbury area for projects which involved the wider community. Bids for funding could be up to £2,000 and the deadline for applications was 13 January 2012. Members of the public would again vote as to the project they favoured at the Area Board meeting in March. Please contact Miranda Gilmour, on 01672 515742 or miranda.gilmour@wiltshire.gov.uk if you have any enquiries or would like help with making an application.

c.      The written update from Malmesbury Chamber of Commerce was noted.