Agenda item

To receive updates from the following partners:

·         Wiltshire Police

·         Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

·         Health Services

·         Schools Update

·         Town / Parish Councils

Written updates were available in the agenda pack from Wiltshire Police, Healthwatch Wiltshire and the Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group. A written update from the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service was available as an agenda supplement online and in hard copy at the meeting.

In addition to the written updates, the following verbal updates were given by partners present.

·         Wiltshire Police

Deputy Inspector Pete Foster stated that there had been some beauty spot thefts and thefts of lead from church roofs. Two closure orders had been issued on addresses in Devizes as well as two injunctions against individuals. Cllr Richard Gamble asked for an update regarding a rave that had taken place near Devizes. The Deputy Inspector stated that raves were difficult and contentious events to deal with. The police had not had prior knowledge of the event. The Superintendent for the area, following a risk assessment, decided that the best course of action was not to break up the rave, but to try to prevent further people from attending and to monitor the situation. Several arrests were made as people were leaving the event. The police appreciated that there was always a mess left after these types of events and that they concerned local people. They were willing to learn and to take feedback from the community. The Chairman asked for an update on another accident that had taken place at Prison Bridge. The Deputy Inspector stated that there was an ongoing investigation and therefore couldn’t comment on the matter. The previous accident there involved a fatality and was being thoroughly investigated. In response to questions from the Chair as to who pays for the damage caused, Cllr Whitehead confirmed that Wiltshire Council would always try to claim for damages from the drivers insurance. The police confirmed that they would always try to prosecute where appropriate in Road Traffic Accidents.     

·         Wiltshire Fire and Rescue

Station Manager Darren Masini gave a brief update to the meeting. Incident response was usual. The service was driving towards education and safe and well visits. Unfortunately the service could no longer afford to visit all properties and therefore were targeting high risk properties, the vulnerable and elderly. High risk at the moment were chimneys and wood burners. The service had also had to respond to a couple of incidents on canal boats where incorrectly installed log burners had led to carbon monoxide poisoning.

·         Health Services

The Chairman read a short written statement from the CCG on the progress of the Devizes Health Centre. Wiltshire CCG and NHS Property Services had appointed the client’s team that would support the delivery of the Devizes Integrated Care Centre. The design and construction team procurement was underway with an appointment expected before the end of the year. They were developing the design brief in consultation with local service providers, including GP practices and Wiltshire Health and Care in readiness for the design team starting work in January 2019.

·         Schools updates

Headmaster of Devizes School, Phil Bevan, gave an update to the meeting. Sarah Lowkis, Headteacher of Lavington School had sent her apologies. A consultation on the proposed Devizes School satellite sixth form at Lavington School was underway, and responses were welcome until 10 December 2018. The headmaster thanked those who attended the remembrance service. The school had become Stonewall champions for LGBT+ as they had changed their systems to be more progressive.

·         Town and Parish Councils

Devizes Town Council announced that the Devizes Christmas Lights switch on would be taking place on 30 November and there may be disruption in the town due to this. There had been some public comment regarding a remembrance day art installation. DTC advised that the paint used was temporary and would wear off.

The Chairman thanked all the partners for their updates.