Representatives from the following agencies will be attending to provide an update on the recovery plan for Salisbury city centre. There will be an opportunity to ask questions:
Minutes:
A panel of speakers from agencies involved in the recovery presented updates before a general question and answer session with members of the public and media.
Panel:
• Chair of panel: Alistair Cunningham (Corporate director, Wiltshire Council, Chair of Recovery Coordinating Group)
• John Glen MP
• John Thomson (Deputy Leader, Wiltshire Council)
• Angus Macpherson (Police and Crime Commissioner)
• Paul Mills (Deputy Chief Constable, Wiltshire Police, Chair of Strategic Coordinating Group)
• Ben Ansell (Chief Fire Officer, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue)
• Tracy Daszkiewicz (Director of Public Health)
• Dr Jenny Harries (Deputy Medical Director, Public Health England)
• Cara Charles–Barks (CEO, Salisbury Foundation NHS Trust)
Around 75 people attended the community recovery update, which was held as an extraordinary agenda item as part of the Salisbury Area Board meeting.
The meeting was also attended by Chief Constable Kier Pritchard and Assistant Chief Constable Craig Holden, along with members of the community Area Board.
Key messages:
Police and crime commissioner
· Safety of whole community is the key priority for all agencies
Public Health
· Risk to public health is low
· Will be attending Saturday market
Police
· 26 different local and national agencies are involved in supporting the work of the Strategic Coordinating Group. The group has considered the real risk to emergency responders; decontamination; 46 people have attended Salisbury hospital – other than the three patients, nobody else has required inpatient treatment
· 131 people who could potentially have been infected have received daily calls – none have developed symptoms
· Officers from 15 different police forces have been involved with considerable support from other emergency services and the military
· Scale of investigation is unprecedented
· Hundreds of exhibits, hours of CCTV from across the city
· Repeated appeals for information
· Cordons may stay in place for some time
· Numbers of scenes and location may change over coming days – no cause for alarm
· Don’t be alarmed by police presence
· Sgt Nick Bailey is overwhelmed by support – one pensioner sent in a cheque for 10% of his weekly pension to him. PM and Home Secretary have visited him. Thanks to hospital for the care they have provided to him, and the two Russian patients
· Committed to restoring normality
· Salisbury is one of the safest places to live and work
Wiltshire Council
· Outline of recovery process provided – up to ministerial/COBRA level
· We are engaging with business community and environmental groups
· We will help community to recover
· Immediate action is taking place to help the economy
· We’ve visited 50 businesses to help them to apply for business rate relief
· Working with HMRC to ensure businesses are helped
· SWLEP has made their hardship fund available
· SWLEP/Council have put £20,000 into a fund to help businesses immediately
· Park and ride will be free until Easter Monday, when it will be reviewed
· We will communicate with the community, and want to hear from you
· We will produce online and printed material and will have face to face meetings
· We are setting up a web portal to help people access support
· We will be setting up a drop in centre
· We will send letters to all households
· We are lobbying to get National Armed Forces Day held in Salisbury next year
· We want a two-way conversation to help get Salisbury back on its feet
· Moving Cabinet on 27 March to Salisbury and there will be opportunity for questions then.
Questions to the Panel:
Q. Councillor Ricky Rogers - would you consider suspending car parking charges? A. John Thomson: No, because of congestion it would cause. We are introducing free park and ride parking and transport.
Q. From Michael Powell - could you explain how they came to be poisoned on streets of Salisbury? A. Paul Mills - that is part of the national investigation, which is ongoing. Can’t go into detail.
Q. I don’t accept what council member said about car parking. We need to do more about parking. A. Chair: we have captured that answer.
Q.
Daily Mirror reporter - Sealing off a parking
ticket machine nine days later, why were things like that
taking so long? This is what people are asking.
A. Paul Mills - This is a fast flowing, complex
investigation. Counter Terrorism Network are trying to piece
together what happened.
Q. John Glen MP – There needs to be clarity around health risks. Why do hazmat suits have to be used? A. Public Health England - Community should be assured. Risk to public is low. No cases of ill health to members of public.
Q. Daily Mirror journalist - When appealing for public help why not show a photo, eg of the BMW? We got one independently which we published today, why haven’t you got one? A. Paul Mills - Would encourage responsible reporting. Will appeal to anyone with information tocome forward.
Q.
Steve Godwin from Salisbury Business Improvement District - Some
independent businesses may not survive. They need immediate help.
The ones closed are still paying staff, the ones open are seeing
reduced footfall.
A. John Thomson/Alistair Cunningham: Please come to our meeting
to find out what help is available. We do need to know what is the
messag in other parts of the world
about Salisbury so we can target marketing.
John Glen: We recognise there has been a reduction in footfall. But
we have one of lowest shop vacancy rates. We have to compare the data from previous years and
have a conversation with the council. Only a very small number of
retailers are having to be shut. A large number nearby are
suffering. But the rest of Salisbury is open for business.
Tuesday/Saturday market is fantastic. There are real concerns but
we have to be true to the data and be
positive for the future.
Q. Jamie Hudson - Salisbury is a centre for the retired, and retired spies so it seems. Is there anyone else we should be looking after? A. John Glen – We cannot comment on measures being taken by the Government to protect people. Would imagine there is a lot of work being done to ensure protective measures are secure.
Q. Could national media seeing as they are here showcase rest of Salisbury not just a dreary little park? A. John Glen - Independent newspaper said we were a ghost town which is bizarre. I will be working to see that Visit Britain and Visit Wiltshire work to promote this city internationally.
Q. National journalist - Have the people of Salisbury got a message for Russia? A. John Glen - People are outraged that a silent assassin could attempt murder of our citizens and we have taken appropriate measures. The fact that Russia did not take the opportunity to explain what happened seeks volumes. The people of Russia are always welcome in Salisbury, our issue is with the Putin regime.
Q. We have opportunity when we open up Stonehenge/A303, could we upgrade bus service and paths to allow people to get from Stonehenge to Salisbury. A. Alistair Cunningham - we will look at the options as part of our environment group. Our plan will see the city return to being a vibrant centre. The Maltings will be redeveloped and we want to work with you to plan that.