Agenda item

To receive updates from any of the following partners:

Ø  Wiltshire Police

Ø  Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

Ø  BaNES, Swindon and Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)

Ø  Healthwatch

Ø  Warminster and Villages Community Partnership

Ø  Local Youth Network

Ø  Town and Parish Councils Nominated Representatives

Some written updates have been received and are included in this agenda.

Updates were received from the following partners:

·       Wiltshire Police

The Area Board received a verbal update from Inspector Al Lumley. An overview was provided of the performance over the last 12 months to July 2021, which included the following points:

• Comparative data was provided which saw Warminster aligned with the rest of the force, suggesting that there is not one specific issue affecting Warminster. A couple of areas were slightly higher, such as criminal damage.
• Stop and Search data was provided with 64.4% of searches having found nothing on the individual. This is average for what the Police achieves nationally.

An overview of the local priorities for Warminster was provided, which included the following areas:

·       Speed Enforcement – The Police are aware that this continues to be an issue especially following the easing of restrictions. Community Speedwatch teams are active, and the Police are trying to support them with a uniformed presence.

·       Drug Use Activity – The Police have been active on social media to share messages about a “bad batch” of Heroine. A well-known drug dealing group is frequenting hotels on outskirts of Warminster as a temporary business set up and the Police have visited to educate staff on what to look for.

·       E-Scooters – Due to the divisive nature of E-Scooters the Police are responding proportionally and are speaking to individuals to educatethem before escalating if needed. A staggered approach on how to deal with e-scooters is being implemented, for example educating unsuspecting people who are unaware whereas repeat offenders will face prosecution with their vehicles seized.

·       Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

The Area Board noted a written update attached to the agenda supplement. It was also acknowledged that the Fire Service is also supporting Gas Safety week with useful information available in the update provided.

·       BaNES, Swindon & Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (BSW CCG)

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

·       Healthwatch Wiltshire

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

·       Town and Parish Councils Nominated Representatives

The area board noted the following written updates that had been attached to the agenda from the following Parish Councils; Heytesbury, Imber and Knook,

Horningsham and Maiden Bradley.

Councillor Neil Carpenter provided an update on behalf of Corsley Parish Council. Key points included that there are a lot of outstanding planning applications, which have not had decisions yet and are repeatedly having their deadlines extended. Clarity was provided by Councillors Bill Parks and Pip Ridout that the Planning Department are regrettably 6 to 8 weeks behind on registering applications and also have 9 vacancies that they are looking to fill. If applicants were to go for non-determination, this would still amount to between 4 or 5 months so it would be worth waiting.

Councillor Bill Parks updated that he has a meeting planned with local MP Dr Andrew Murrison to discuss traffic through villages, as well as the recent Heytesbury accident, which took place at the A36 junction.