Agenda item

To note the written reports and receive any updates from the following:

Partners:

i.          Wiltshire Police

ii.         Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

iii.        Healthwatch

iv.        Wiltshire CCG

v.         Trowbridge Community Area Future (TCAF)

vi.        Town and Parish Councils

vii.       Local Youth Network

Outside Bodies:

vi.        Health and Wellbeing Centre Working Group

vii.       Trowbridge Health and Wellbeing Group

viii.      Safer Communities Group

Updates from partners were received as follows:

Wiltshire Police

Inspector Andy Fee introduced himself and his role and presented the written report. He explained that a weekly taskgroup met to identify the priorities in the area and then his team of a sergeant and 11 officers worked to target them. Focus had been put on high-risk perpetrators and there had been a visible reduction in crime levels in the area.

Anyone with an issue they’d like to raise could get in touch with PC Amy Hardman who was co-ordinating the areas for priority.

The Chairman thanked the Inspector for his report and congratulated his team for the work they continued to do.

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

Darren Nixon delivered a report on the rescues of groups of young people from the Box Mines over the summer. The mines covered an extensive network of underground tunnels. The three groups of young people had been unsuitably prepared and had got lost in the tunnels. The fire brigade had responded in all instances and a specialist rescue team had been called to find the groups and lead them back to safety. Work was ongoing to seal the entrances to prevent further incidences.

Guy Tadman presented the written update and reported that a new Fire Cadet scheme had been set up where 15 12-18 year old young people could learn new skills and gain a formal BTEC qualification. Prevention work would be targeted specifically at chimney fires and firework dangers, and new risk identification software was now in place to support with identifying key areas and people most at risk of harm from fire. Trowbridge fire station continued to be one of the busiest in the Dorset and Wiltshire partnership area.

Trowbridge Community Area Future (TCAF)

Lindsey Millen and Colin Kay gave a presentation on the work of TCAF and the youth projects the charity was running. Youth clubs were run on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights in three areas of relative high deprivation in Trowbridge, and engaged with around 60 young people a week. Their purpose was to provide safe spaces for young people to meet and get support and advice with the challenges or issues they were facing. With support from Greggs, they were also able to provide food for the young people which helped to address a growing concern around hunger among those attending.

Along with the youth projects, it was reported that TCAF worked with local partner organisations and co-ordinated a community hub in the Shire shopping centre where residents could meet local charities and get information on volunteering opportunities and services.

The focus of the charity now was on securing longer term core funding to provide stability for staff and services and to recruit more volunteers to support the running of the organisation and the projects it delivered.

Trowbridge Town Council

Lance Allan, Town Clerk, provided a verbal update. He highlighted an ongoing discussion with Wiltshire Council regarding the defined boundary between Trowbridge and West Ashton; the concerns about the placing of Personal Independence Payment centres, and work done to meet new data protection requirement. It was hoped that the asset transfer of play areas in the town from Wiltshire Council would be completed soon.

North Bradley Parish Council

Work on the neighbourhood plan was continuing

Hilperton Parish Council

A response to the drafting Housing Site Allocations consultation had been submitted, and work on the neighbourhood plan was ongoing.

The Chairman asked members to note the other written reports in the pack.