Wiltshire Police Authority News

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A MEMBER OF THE WILTSHIRE POLICE AUTHORITY?

The chance to help make your community safer is being offered by Wiltshire Police Authority which is looking for three Independent Members to join the Authority from October 2008.

Wiltshire Police Authority is a publicly accountable, independent body. The area of the Authority covers the County of Wiltshire and the Borough of Swindon. The principal function of the Authority is to secure an efficient and effective police service for the people of Wiltshire and it holds the Chief Constable to account for delivering this service. The Authority is responsible for consulting local people about the delivery of policing services and ensuring that their views are taken into account.

The role involves:
• attending all Authority meetings and appropriate committees and panels;
• taking part in public consultation on local policing issues, including evening meetings;
• liaising with other public bodies; and
• keeping abreast of developments in both local and national policing.

Meetings are mainly held in the daytime at the Police Headquarters site in Devizes.

We are looking for people from all backgrounds and walks of life who:
• Are willing to seek out and listen to the views of local communities on policing issues
• Can challenge accepted views in a constructive way
• Have an understanding of the policing needs of the community and the pressures and challenges facing the police
• Can represent a wide range of people in the community and act on their behalf
• Have skills and experience in areas such as, performance management, IT, finance and community/race relations

In keeping with its commitment to valuing diversity, the Authority welcomes applicants from all sections of the local community who reside or work in Wiltshire (and have done so for at least 12 months prior to the appointment) and are 18 or over. Appointments are made for a term of 4 years and a basic allowance of £6,796 per annum is payable, plus travelling expenses.

The closing date for applications is Friday 30th May 2008.

To find out more information click here

or contact the Wiltshire Police Authority by:
Telephone Number: 01380 734022
Email: police.authority@wiltshire.pnn.police.uk

NEW ASSISTANT CHIEF CONSTABLE APPOINTED

Julie CLAYTON has been appointed as Assistant Chief Constable of the Wiltshire Police, following a successful 25 year career with the Cheshire Constabulary.

Following her appointment, Mr. Christopher HOARE, Chairman of the Police Authority said,

“I am delighted that we have recruited a first class addition to our Chief Officer team. Julie Clayton has outstanding experience as a Chief Superintendent in Cheshire, and has wide experience of both local and national issues, having been seconded to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and the Home Office. We are confident that she will make a similarly outstanding contribution to the policing service in Wiltshire in this additional Assistant Chief Constable position.”

Julie joined Cheshire in 1983, being stationed at Warrington, and after five years was promoted to Sergeant at Ellesmere Port. A further five years passed before she was promoted to Inspector, being posted to Chester. A secondment to the Audit Commission followed in 1998 as a temporary Chief Inspector, where she conducted a review of best value in local Government.

Returning to her home force in 2000 as a substantive Chief Inspector, she headed her Force’s ICT Department, and in 2002 Julie was promoted to Superintendent at Cheshire Police Headquarters, where she headed the Learning & Development department.

In 2004 she returned to Warrington as the BCU commander, and in 2005 she was seconded to Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary, conducting a National review of Protective Services, including Wiltshire.

An attachment to the Home Office, focusing on Police reform and restructuring followed, before returning to Cheshire as Chief Superintendent, focusing on operational matters, where she has been serving until the present time.

During her very varied career, Julie has had active interest in National portfolios involving diversity issues, and has also led a review of Police leadership. Whilst at the Home Office, she undertook the training of Human Rights consultants, and that role included a visit to Latvia. Additionally she had worked for the Council of Europe, conducting presentations on improving police performance, to European Union accession countries.

Educationally, Julie CLAYTON has gained a BA (Hons) degree in Economics and Social History, and a Masters degree in Economics, both being gained from Manchester University.

Following her appointment, Julie said,

“Wiltshire Police is at an exciting time in its history, and the new Chief Officer team intend to make Wiltshire the safest county in the Country. Policing is about people and the challenges set out by our new Chief Constable will deliver first class policing, with the best people, best partnerships, and best services for our public.”

Assistant Chief Constable Julie Clayton will take up her role at Wiltshire Police on Monday 28 April 2008.

NEW CHIEF CONSTABLE APPOINTED FROM ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S LEADING FORCES


Wiltshire Police Authority today announced that Brian Moore has been appointed as the new Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police.

Mr Moore, 48, is currently Deputy Chief Constable with Surrey Police. Joining the police service in 1975 he has served with Lancashire Constabulary and the Metropolitan Police Service as well as Surrey Police. It is expected that he will take up his new post in Wiltshire with effect from 1st January 2008.

Speaking shortly after his appointment, Brian Moore said:

“I am absolutely delighted to have been given the great opportunity of leading Wiltshire Police. I know that this Force has a tremendous history and I am determined to build on that. Like many police forces, Wiltshire has recently been through a major reorganisation and, as a result, it is recognised that in some important areas, this has had an impact on the quality of service to our public. I have been most impressed by those I have met so far in the Force and on the Police Authority and I can tell that everyone shares a determination to restore all aspects of our service to the levels the public has every right to expect.

“Wiltshire Police is a force that is already on the way back up. It is very interesting for me as Wiltshire has long vied with Surrey for the position of the safest county in England. It is the firm intent of my new colleagues and myself to have this Force back where it belongs as soon as we can. I am convinced that the plans and building blocks already put in place by the highly experienced Wiltshire team are placing the Force in a very strong position for the future. I feel privileged that I have been selected to serve all the people of Wiltshire through the leadership of their police force.”

Commenting on the new Chief Constable’s appointment, Chairman of Wiltshire Police Authority, Christopher Hoare said:

“Brian Moore’s appointment as Wiltshire’s new Chief Constable comes at an important time for our Force as it works to complete its recent reorganisation and so realise the benefits to the public which the changes were designed to deliver.

“In Brian Moore, Wiltshire is getting an outstanding senior police officer with a track record and depth of experience that is truly impressive. Surrey Police, where Brian has been Deputy Chief Constable, is consistently recognised as one of the country’s most successful police forces as measured in outright performance and public confidence. We firmly believe that his experience and aspirations closely match and complement those of the Force’s existing team who already have successfully laid the foundations for renewed progress.

“Wiltshire Police Authority is acutely aware that in the implementation of the Force’s agreed re-organisation there have, in recent months, been aspects of the service which have dropped below the normally high standards provided by Wiltshire Police - most particularly in telephone call handling and the general ease of contact with the police.

“Everyone within the Force is working hard to address these temporary service short falls, caused largely by changes to new technologies and systems, and the Authority is confident that the levels of service in those areas, which are so essential to the public, are already improving and will continue to do so. We are working closely with the Force to ensure that this is the case.

“In appointing Brian Moore as our new Chief Constable, the Authority is convinced that we have a leader capable of taking Wiltshire Police, already a strong force, to the next successful stage in its development. We are critically aware that the ultimate judges of our effectiveness will be the people of Wiltshire and we are determined to meet their expectations.”

NEW CRIMINAL JUSTICE GROUP HOLDS INAUGURAL MEETING

3rd September 2007

The inaugural meeting of the new Wiltshire Independent Advisory Group has taken place and Sharin Masih has been appointed Chair, with Michael Cronin Vice Chair.

The role of the Group, which comprises 15 members drawn from the community, is to act as a critical friend to each of the criminal justice agencies in Wiltshire, i.e. police, probation, prisons, crown prosecution service, courts services and youth offending teams. Members will provide independent advice, expertise and knowledge to assist in improving the delivery of services to the diverse communities in Wiltshire.

Independent Advisory Groups, or IAG’s as they are more commonly known, are well established throughout the country. Many have been set up to provide advice to the police service only but in Wiltshire, where all the agencies work together under the umbrella of the Wiltshire Criminal Justice Board, it was decided that all agencies would participate.

Following her appointment Sharin Masih, who works for Swindon Racial Equality Council, said “I am delighted to have been appointed Chair of the Group, we have a very busy time ahead of us and I am sure that in a year’s time we will have contributed to some genuine improvements for the diverse communities of Wiltshire”

26/07/07 - Wiltshire's Chief Constable Appointed as Chief Constable of Sussex

The Chief Constable of Wiltshire, Martin Richards, has been appointed as Chief Constable of Sussex Police.

The Chairman of Wiltshire Police Authority, Chris Hoare, said that he wished to “congratulate Martin on his appointment as Chief Constable of Sussex and to thank him for his valuable work in Wiltshire”.  He went on to say:

“We have begun the process to recruit a new Chief Constable. We expect to appoint by the end of October and have the new Chief Constable in post by the New Year.

The force has seen important changes for the better during the tenure of Martin and the next Chief Constable will take on an effective, modern force capable of yet further improvements in the service it delivers to the people of Wiltshire.

We have an experienced senior management team and the Police Authority has complete confidence in them running the force pending the arrival of the new Chief Constable.”

Martin will take up the post of Chief Constable of Sussex in October 2007.

10/05/2007 - Wiltshire Police Authority launches its Gender Equality Scheme

Wiltshire Police Authority published its Gender Equality Scheme on 30th April 2007.

The Gender Equality Duty came into force on 6th April 2007 and it requires the Authority to promote equality of opportunity between men and women and eliminate unlawful discrimination and harassment. There are also a series of specific duties which the Authority has to meet, the main one being the publication of a Gender Equality Scheme by 30th April 2007. Wiltshire Police is also required to meet these duties and they have published their own Gender Equality Scheme.

Malathy Sitaram, the Authority’s Lead Member for gender issues says “it is with great pleasure that I welcome the publication of the Gender Equality Scheme by the Wiltshire Police Authority. It has taken 30 years since the Sex Discrimination Act in 1976 to place a general duty plus specific duties on all public authorities which they must comply with. The Scheme that is now accessible on our website puts in place policies that will ensure that the stated objectives of our Scheme are met. Employees of the Wiltshire Police Authority and Wiltshire Constabulary can now look forward to an era of fairness and equality”.

The purpose of the Gender Equality Scheme is to place greater responsibility on the police service to think more strategically about gender inequality, rather than leaving it to individuals to challenge poor practice. The focus will be on outcomes delivering improvements rather than process. The Authority has produced an Action Plan covering those areas it feels is key to achieving gender equality. It will also have a role to play in the monitoring of the Force’s Scheme in particular the recruitment and retention of Police Officers and Police Staff.

The Authority’s Gender Equality Scheme can be found by clicking on this link.

02/04/2007 - Appointment if Independent Members to Wiltshire Police Authority

Wiltshire Police Authority is pleased to announce the appointment of two new independent members to Wiltshire Police Authority, Ms Joy Hillyer and Mrs Gill Stafford. Their term of appointment started on 1st April 2007 and will run for a period of four years.

Joy Hillyer

Gill Stafford

Joy Hillyer qualified as a solicitor and held the position of Director of Research and associate professor with The College of Law. In 2003 she retrained as a garden designer and now has her own garden and landscape design business. Joy has an interest in the provision of affordable housing and is an Independent Member of the South West Area Board of Shaftesbury Housing Association.

Joy says she is:

"Looking forward to this opportunity to contribute to a vital aspect of life in Wiltshire."

Gill's background is in business and she has worked for blue chip companies such as Beechams and WHSmiths. In April 2002 she was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of the Kennet and North Wiltshire NHS Trust and has been a Parish Councillor for Biddestone since 1999. She is also a member of the Consumer Council for Water for the Wessex Region. Gill's interests include tennis, golf and skittles where she is captain of her local team.

Gill says:

"I am really looking forward to this new and exciting challenge and the contribution I can make to the work of the Authority."

19/03/2007 - New Chairman for Wiltshire Police Authority

The Wiltshire Police Authority has elected Christopher Hoare as its new chairman following the retirement of Bertie Woolnough. Following a career in business, Christopher Hoare was appointed as an independent member of the Police Authority in 1999. He has also been chair of the Wiltshire Probation Board. Married with two daughters, he lives in Potterne near Devizes. His family has a long association with Wiltshire.

Bertie Woolnough had served as a member of the Authority for 12 years and had been its chairman since 1996. He had also been a Deputy Chairman of the national Association of Police Authorities since 1999.

Paying tribute to his predecessor, Christopher Hoare said:

"Whether appointing Chief Officers, setting the budget, or holding the Force management to account, Bertie Woolnough has given his whole-hearted commitment to the work of the Police Authority. His focus, always, has been firmly on the needs and aspirations of the people of Wiltshire. Most recently, he took the lead in helping to fight off plans to submerge Wiltshire Constabulary within a 'regional super-force', a proposal strongly opposed by the great majority of Wiltshire people. With all Authority members, I share Bertie Woolnough's commitment to a strong local police service capable of responding to the particular needs of all our communities. As new Chairman, I am determined to work with colleagues and with our Force both to underpin the many achievements of Bertie Woolnough's excellent leadership and, on behalf of the people of Wiltshire, to ensure that we are equipped to meet the fresh policing challenges posed by today's environment."

23/02/2007 - New Assistant Chief Constable appointed

Wiltshire Police Authority announce the appointment of Mr. Andy MARSH as their new Assistant Chief Constable. Following this announcement, Bertie WOOLNOUGH, Chairman of the Wiltshire Police Authority said:

"We are delighted to have recruited a first class addition to our Chief Officer team. Andy Marsh was an outstanding Chief Superintendent in Avon & Somerset, and has wide experience of both urban and rural policing issues. We are confident that he will make a substantial contribution to the policing service in Wiltshire in his new position of Assistant Chief Constable."

Born in Liverpool Andy was raised in Cornwall returning to Liverpool to study a Geography BSc (Hons) Degree before joining Avon and Somerset Constabulary in 1987.

Andy spent his service up to the rank of Inspector in Bath, Bristol and Somerset split between uniform and detective work, and was selected for the Accelerated Promotion Course in 1996.

In 1998 he was appointed as Staff Officer to the Chief Constable Steve Pilkington before moving to Chief Inspector, Operations Manager on Somerset East District in 1999. In 2001, Andy was promoted to Detective Superintendent in the Professional Standards Department.

As head of Professional Standards, Andy was responsible for internal corruption investigations but also supported the transition from the Police Complaints Authority to Independent Police Complaints Commission by researching national recording practices and piloting the right of appeal against the refusal of a force to record a complaint. Recommendations from this pilot were incorporated into the new IPCC recording practices.

In 2002 he became BCU Commander for South Bristol, and in January 2004 Andy became BCU Commander for Somerset East. Performance in that area had just been highlighted as critical with detection rates ranking the 4th lowest in a national league of BCU's. Over the following two years this was turned around through cultural change and a focus on the creation of a working environment where staff could realise their vocation of public service. The BCU now sits in the top quartile for priority detection rates with volume crime having halved since 2004.

Andy merged two Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships to improve partnership working and is Chair of the Somerset Drugs and Alcohol Action Team. He has led the Somerset Strategic Partnership on Community Cohesion and engaged with Sheffield University (Gender and Local Labour Markets), and Somerset County Council to improve representation of minority groups in the police service locally.

He is married to Nikki, and they have 2 daughters, aged 6 and 3.

Following his appointment, Mr. Marsh said:

"The Wiltshire Police has a rich history of local policing which has helped in keeping the County a safe place in which to live and work. I am joining the Force at a time of significant change, which will make it even more effective, dynamic and locally engaged through neighbourhood policing."

"I'm thrilled to be part of this team and will listen carefully to the people and communities of Wiltshire as well as to my staff, to ensure we make a real difference and deliver a high quality of service."

04/12/2006 - Wiltshire Police Authority and Wiltshire Police
launch their Disability Equality Schemes

Today sees the publication of the Wiltshire Police Authority and the Wiltshire Police Disability Equality Scheme's.

As from December 2006, the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 will be amended to place a duty on public bodies to promote disability equality; this includes both the Authority and the Force who have to publish separate Disability Equality Schemes.

Frederick Palmer, the Authority's Lead Member for disability issues says "a Disability Equality Scheme should be precisely that – a scheme to ensure that disabled members of our community can enjoy the same standards of access to premises, services and jobs as the able-bodied. Barriers must be removed and discrimination should cease to exist".

The purpose of the Disability Equality Scheme is to show how people with disabilities have been consulted and involved in the decisions we have made, the barriers that disabled people face and what can be done to remove these barriers, what their needs are and which needs are most important to them. We also want to continue to consult with disabled people and work in partnership with disability organisations.

Any disabled person or disability organisation interested in becoming part of the continuing consultation process, or has comments to make on the current Disability Equality Schemes, is asked to contact either Sarah Kyte for the Authority's Scheme or Geoff Boyd for the Force Scheme.

The Authority's Disability Equality Scheme can be found here, and the Force's Scheme at http://www.wiltshire.police.uk/publications under the Equality and Diversity section.

19/06/2006 - Proposed Police mergers to not go ahead

On 19th June 2006, the Home Secretary announced that he did not intend to proceed with enforced police mergers and that where notices of intention to merge had been issued, these would be withdrawn. The South West region, which includes Avon and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, Dorset and Gloucestershire, as well as Wiltshire, had still to hear from the Home Secretary what his intentions would be for the region.

Wiltshire Police Authority and Wiltshire Police continue to work closely with the other Authorities and the Forces within the region to identify areas of collaboration wherever possible. It remains a top priority for Wiltshire Police Authority that work continues to close the protective services gap. £1.5 million additional investment over two years has been made available. Other funds will be allocated when savings from back office collaborations are realised.

12/06/2006 - Update on Police Restructuring

Many of the Police Authorities in England have now met with the Home Secretary to learn of his plans for the restructuring of police forces. However, those in the South West (Avon and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire) have still yet to meet with the new Home Secretary for him to inform Police Authorities of his proposals for the future structure of the region.

At the recent Association of Chief Police Officers and Association of Police Authorities Conference, the Home Secretary indicated that he believed the direction was right although the journey may be different. He also indicated the possible need for further consultation, particularly with regards to timing.

Once the Home Secretary meets with the South West Police Authorities it is anticipated that the Authority is likely to be given three weeks to make a determination in the light of his proposals. In the event of an amalgamation, the Home Secretary would state a formal intention to make an Order of amalgamation after that three week period. Should that be in July, a four month objection period would take until November with the Order confirmation procedure likely to follow at the end of the year.

A 'shadow' Police Authority could be in place in early 2007 with a new police force coming in to existence in April 2008. If all Police Authorities in the region agree to the Home Secretary's proposals, the four month objection period would not be required. However, it is unlikely that even with agreement, that a new force could be achieved earlier than April 2008.

10/11/2005 - Next stage in National police restructuring

The Home Secretary has now written to all police forces across the country with the preferred options that he would like each Region to pursue, based on the submissions from each Force on the 31st October.

The six options Wiltshire Constabulary submitted were:

For Wiltshire to remain as a stand alone force but to generate extra resources for fighting serious crime and terrorism through collaboration and partnership arrangements
To join with Avon and Somerset and Gloucestershire
To join with Avon and Somerset, Gloucestershire and Dorset
To join with Gloucestershire and Dorset
To 'federate' with Gloucestershire and Dorset which would lead to closer working arrangements and combine some operational and back office resources
A strategic amalgamation of the resources of the region's five forces
The Home Office have decided that the two options considered most suitable for progression at this stage are:

1. Two strategic forces: Devon and Cornwall as standalone strategic force, with Avon and Somerset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Dorset as the other strategic force within the Region.

2. A Regional strategic police force for the whole of the South West.

Martin Richards, Chief Constable of Wiltshire Constabulary commented:

"I welcome the letter from the Home Office which seeks to provide clarity with regard to the options that the Force and Region should pursue. The decisions on the future of Wiltshire Constabulary are far from over and we are very keen to hear the views from members of the public across the County. Next week sees a major phase of public consultation, and we would like as many people as possible to either attend one of the meetings, or email us with their views. In the meantime, I will be working closely with our Police Authority and with Chief Constables in the region, to closely examine these options."
The Chairman of Wiltshire Police Authority, Mr Bertie Woolnough, commented:

"Wiltshire Constabulary remains one of the highest performing Forces in the country, and benefits from having one of the lowest rates of crime across the country. Our round of public consultation events next week provide an ideal time for us to take the debate to the people of Wiltshire and to be better placed to provide up to date feedback to the Home Office."

The meetings are being held at:

Civic Offices, Swindon     Tuesday 15th November 2005          7.30pm

City Hall, Salisbury         Wednesday 16th November 2005     7.30pm

Town Hall, Chippenham   Thursday 17th November 2005         7.30pm

There is also a public meeting on police restructuring being held by Kennet District Council at Browfort, Devizes at 6.00pm on Monday the 21st of November 2005.

08/11/2005 - Policing Of Wiltshire And Swindon: The Future

Wiltshire Police Authority is holding three public meetings next week in conjunction with the current review of the structure of policing in England and Wales.

The Home Secretary has written to all Chief Constables and Police Authorities asking them to review the current structures and consider options for change. After discussion with neighbouring police authorities in the south-west region, the following list of options (in no order of preference) has been submitted to the Home Secretary;

• For Wiltshire to remain as a stand alone force but to generate extra resources for fighting serious crime and terrorism through collaboration and partnership arrangements
• To join with Avon and Somerset and Gloucestershire
• To join with Avon and Somerset, Gloucestershire and Dorset 
• To join with Gloucestershire and Dorset
• To 'federate' with Gloucestershire and Dorset which would lead to closer working arrangements and combine some operational and back office resources
• A strategic amalgamation of the resources of the region's five forces. 

By the end of November, the Home Secretary is expecting to receive a costed business plan for each of the preferred options. The views of partner agencies, local organisations and residents and businesses of Wiltshire are particularly important on issues such as local identity and governance. Three public meetings are being held next week to seek the views of the people in Swindon and Wiltshire. The details are:

Tuesday 15 November 2005 Civic Offices, Swindon
Wednesday 16 November 2005 City Hall, Salisbury
Thursday 17 November 2005 Town Hall, Chippenham
(all start at 7.30pm)

The meetings will be attended by the Chief Constable, Deputy Chief Constable or other senior officer, and the Chairman of the Police Authority, Vice Chairman or other senior member. An invitation is extended to all members of the local community

30/09/2005 - Have your say on local policing issues

Wiltshire Police Authority and Wiltshire Police are offering you the opportunity to have your say on local policing issues at a series of Police and Public Consultation Groups to be held over the next two weeks at venues around Swindon and Wiltshire!

The meetings are open to all, and free of charge, with opportunities to hear about local policing trends and developments, including local and divisional policing performance. There are opportunities for public questions and find out more about topics of particular interest.

The meetings are usually held regularly throughout the year, and the locations vary across the county. This range of meetings start off at Hilperton, near Trowbridge (Hilperton Village Hall on Monday 3rd October) followed by Winterslow Village Hall on Wednesday 5th October, for the Salisbury area. Residents in the Swindon area can attend on Wednesday 5th October at Swindon Borough Council Offices, Euclid Street, Swindon, and there are also events at Marston Meysey Village Hall on Wednesday 12th October, and the Town Hall at Devizes on Wednesday 12th. All meetings start at 7.30pm, and usually last about an hour and a half.

Members of the public can just come along on the night, if you have any specific questions, you are asked to contact the Police Authority on 01380 734022 or via the contact us section on this website or look up police information via this website.

Please telephone the Deputy Clerk on the telephone number above if you need directions to any venues.

If you cannot make any of the meetings, the website provides up to date news about policing in Wiltshire and also details of local stations.

21/09/2005 - Press Statement

"The Chairman of the Police Authority and I attended a meeting with the Home Secretary on Monday regarding the HMIC report 'Closing the Gap'.

There were legitimate findings in the report around the Police Service's capability and capacity to deal with level II protective services* that mean that examination of structures to deal with these vital areas of business is now necessary.

It is too early to speculate on any new structures at this time but Wiltshire Police will fully engage in this process during the next three months and report back to the Home Secretary before the end of the year.

Present and historical assessment has shown that Wiltshire Police consistently performs well and is currently in the top quartile of performance tables.

We know from consultation/engagement with our communities over time that the people of Wiltshire value greatly their local police force and local policing, locally delivered. The Neighbourhood Policing programme in Wiltshire aims to take this work to a higher level still.

Our priority is to ensure the maintenance of the highest quality of policing services for people who live and work in Wiltshire and to engage with staff throughout.
It is my intention to keep the media updated on developments as they unfold during this exciting and challenging period and I would hope that we could engage in a more in-depth discussion during my meet the media evening on 10 October."

Martin Richards
Chief Constable



*Level II Protective Services:

Major Crime (Homicide)
Serious, Organised and Cross Border Crime
Counter Terrorism and Extremism
Civil Contingencies
Critical Incidents
Public Order
Strategic Roads' Policing

20/09/2005 - Press Statement

"The Police Service first saw the report by HMIC Dennis O'Connor on Friday 16th September. The Chairman of the Authority and the Chief Constable were addressed by the Home Secretary yesterday on the police modernisation programme. The HMIC report on force capabilities was one aspect, others being neighbourhood policing and the make-up of the workforce. The HMIC report suggests that the present force structure is not sufficiently robust to cover areas of "protective services" such as major investigations and serious and organised crime. The Home Secretary stressed that he had no blueprint for force structures. More detail is expected from the Home Office by the end of the week.

The police service will be tasked to work up their proposals by the end of this year. The Chief Constable and the Police Authority in Wiltshire will work closely to analyse the business benefits of all the proposals floated by HMIC, and advocate the structure which best meets the needs of our communities. We are committed to providing the best possible policing services, protecting people from terrorism and major crime at one end of the scale, and dealing with anti-social behaviour at the other. We must deploy police resources in the most efficient and effective way to meet those challenges. We are confident that we can close the "gap" identified in HMIC's report, in a way that provides the right solutions for local people.

The corner stone of our philosophy is that policing must remain accountable to the local communities it serves. We will be consulting widely throughout Wiltshire and Swindon about these proposals, and will be working closely with other police authorities and forces in the South West. The history of structural change in other public services demonstrates that locally owned change, which has the support of local people, is most likely to deliver results.

Wiltshire Police service has delivered low crime and safe communities for many years. Maintaining that high quality service will be the key objective in our work."

Mr Bertie Woolnough, Chairman of Wiltshire Police Authority, on behalf of Wiltshire Police Authority.

29/06/2005 - Wiltshire launches new community safety and drugs strategy

Wiltshire's Community Safety and Drugs Partnerships, in co-operation with the Wiltshire Strategic Board, announced their new strategy at a celebratory launch on June 28 at The Corn Exchange in Devizes.

The Wiltshire Strategy for Reducing Crime and Combating Drugs Misuse 2005 - 2008 was received and agreed by the cabinets and boards of the partners earlier this year.

The latest strategy was put together with the help of the county council, the four district councils, the primary care trusts, Wiltshire police and the Fire and Police Authorities.

It sets out a framework for tackling problems of crime, anti-social behaviour and drug and alcohol misuse over the three year period.

It identifies which problems will receive particularly close attention over this time, and sets clear targets, which, if they are achieved, will make Wiltshire an even safer place to live, work and visit than it is now.

The areas that will be targeted include prolific offenders, protecting vulnerable groups, crime hotspots, encouraging domestic violence victims to report abuse, more effective alcohol and drug treatments and making residents understand that they live in a safe county.

Each of the four community safety partnership areas will be producing a strategy to complement the main one over the coming months to help deal with more local issues.

Keith Robinson, on behalf of Safer Wiltshire (the Drugs Partnership), Jane Scott as chairman of the Wiltshire Strategic Board, and local community safety staff for the districts' community safety partnerships addressed the audience with keynote speeches.

Jane Scott said: "Wiltshire has been recognised as one of the safest counties in which to live in England and Wales. This strategy will help to keep that status and improve it further.

"A great deal of hard work has gone into this document, and a lot of work will need to be done to implement it, but the framework set out will safeguard the future of crime reduction and prevention in the county," she added.

The report is a summary of the strategic priorities. The complete audit and strategy documents for crime, anti-social behaviour and drug misuse in Wiltshire, covering all four Wiltshire districts, can be found on the link below. 

 Wiltshire Strategy for Reducing Crime and Combating Drugs Misuse 2005 - 2008

10/02/2005 - Authority agrees budget to keep Wiltshire Safest County in the Country

At the full Police Authority on February 10th Wiltshire Police Authority agreed a revenue budget of £92.6m. The 2005-6 budget should allow Wiltshire Constabulary to further improve performance, and help to ensure that Wiltshire remains the safest county in England and Wales.

Difficult choices will have to be made, but the budget will provide additional training and development to police officers and police staff, considerable improvements and investment in our forensic science capabilities, and developments within IT to enhance the linking and sharing of information. All these investments will contribute towards Keeping Wiltshire Safe.

The budget includes efficiency savings of £1.58m to be gleaned via the exploitation of new technology and some additional civilianisation which will enable police officers to spend more time on frontline duties. To fund the new budget, the Force intends to use £0.43m from reserves, which is only possible for this financial year.

Some of the items covered within the 2005/6 budget include additional support to the Domestic Violence Partnership and investment in a new vulnerable persons suite at Salisbury.

In order to fund the budget of £92.6m, the 2005/6 council tax element for policing services will equate to £126.63 for Band D properties - an increase of 4.98% (£6) from the previous year.

Mr Bertie Woolnough, Chairman of the Police Authority commented:

'During recent months, crime levels in Wiltshire, including Swindon, have been the lowest of any county in England and Wales. This is excellent, and reflects our commitment to drive down crime even further. The Authority recognises that this level of performance, which we aim to improve still further, requires appropriate investment and rigorous monitoring. We feel this budget will help us to deliver a high quality service which is accessible, visible and provides reassurance to communities in Wiltshire.'

14/06/2004 - Wiltshire Police receive vote of confidence from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary

Wiltshire Constabulary is performing well across 12 out of 16 key areas of business with the remaining four areas ranked ‘fair’. This is the conclusion from the report for Wiltshire Constabulary which forms part of the new national Baseline Assessment of police force performance released on Monday 14 June 2004 by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC).

Detailed reports have been published for all 43 forces using, for the first time, a grading system to compare relative performance. HMIC has graded each force’s achievements across a range of activity in one of four bands, Excellent, Good, Fair and Poor.

Public reassurance in Wiltshire through the presence of officers on the street was seen as a considerable strength by HMIC, earning an ‘excellent’ evaluation. Measures to increase police numbers and introduce community support officers were complimented as was the work with partners and private sector sponsors to provide police points at more convenient locations for the public.

The Baseline Report also notes that that the people of Wiltshire are more confident about the safety of their communities than some areas of the country and have relatively high levels of satisfaction with policing services. This is confirmed by the annual British Crime Survey.

HMIC rank the performance in the management of emergency and non-emergency calls as good. The performance on answering 999 calls is the second best recorded nationally and response to 999 calls is ranked 3rd best in the Country.

The four areas with a Fair ranking are tackling cross border crime, forensic science work, performance management and human resource management.

HMIC draw particular attention to the Force’s good financial management:

"The Force has a good record of financial management and despite receiving the minimum increase in police grant in 2003/4 is in a sound financial position."

Mr Bertie Woolnough, Chairman of the Police Authority commented:

"Wiltshire Police Authority’s primary role is to ensure that there is an effective and efficient police service in Wiltshire and Swindon. The report shows a good solid performance by the Constabulary. It also indicates some areas where performance needs to be improved. I am pleased that measures are already being put in place to secure the necessary improvements in the areas identified.

"It is good to note that the investment placed in call handling, additional visible patrol, better radio communications and our nationally renowned E-Policing project has been recognised. The Constabulary is highly innovative in improving policing services, and in modernising the way that the service is delivered."

"When we consulted the public across the County earlier this year, 75% of respondents wanted to keep their local Wiltshire Constabulary. The Baseline Report justifies this high level of confidence. Both the Authority and the Force are committed to continuous improvement in the quality of service that the public get for their money. With this in mind, we will hold further meetings across the county in July giving the public access to their local police commanders and an opportunity to say what areas of the service they would like to see improved."

Information on these meetings can be found here.

Additional Information

1. The national Baseline Assessment process reflects changes in how policing is assessed and inspected, and includes views from other regulators and partners, with a process of self assessment which is backed by the production of appropriate evidence. The new approach is not an in-depth inspection of the Force, but does provide a platform for future inspection activity, and areas for development.

2. The full ‘Summary of Judgements’ for Wiltshire Constabulary is as follows:

Tackling Level 2 Criminality  Volume Crime Hate Crime Reassurance Call Handling Roads Policing Critical Incidents Forensic Management Leadership and Direction Strategic Management  Performance Management Human Resource Management Professional Standards Race and Diversity Crime and Disorder Reduction Criminal Justice

Fair Good Good  Excellent Good Good Good Fair Good Good Fair Fair Good Good Excellent Good

Related Links:
  HMIC - Baseline Assessment of Wiltshire Police, April 2004

13/05/2004 - Swindon Councillors to join Police Authority

The Wiltshire Joint Police Committee yesterday appointed two new members from Swindon Borough Council. As from 14th June, 2004 Councillor Derique Montaut will take the place of Swindon's Mayor, Councillor Derek Benfield. Mr. Benfield has served on the Wiltshire Police Authority since 1997 and is not standing for re-election to the Borough Council.

Councillor Doreen Dart will replace Carolyn Arkell on the same date. Mrs. Arkell, whose husband is the new High Sheriff of Wiltshire, will not be standing for re-election to the Borough Council.

Councillor Brian Ford, who serves as a Committee Chairman on the Authority, completes a four year term on 26th May, 2004. He has been reappointed for a further period of four years.

The Chairman of the Police Authority, Mr. Bertie Woolnough, said:

"We look forward to working with these new members and are delighted that Brian Ford will give another four years work to the Authority. It is very helpful that the two councils, Swindon Borough Council and Wiltshire County Council, have acted so promptly in the appointments so that there will be a seamless transition."

07/05/2004 - New Chief Constable for Wiltshire is announced

Martin Richards was appointed today (7 May 2004) to succeed Dame Elizabeth Neville as Wiltshire’s Chief Constable in September 2004. Dame Elizabeth will leave Wiltshire Constabulary in September after serving seven years with the Force.

Martin Richards, currently the Deputy Chief Constable at Avon and Somerset Constabulary, was the successful applicant from a strong field and was interviewed by the Police Authority in a comprehensive selection process over a two day period.

Mr Bertie Woolnough, Chairman of Wiltshire Police Authority, said:

"The applicants were all of a very high quality. Martin Richards has the right qualities to build on the significant contribution made by Dame Elizabeth and develop the strong performance and reputation for innovation and quality for which Wiltshire Constabulary is renowned, in the years to come".

Martin Richards said:

"Wiltshire Constabulary has a national reputation for consistently good performance, the maintenance of a very low rate of crime and a strong culture of service improvement. I am delighted that I will have the opportunity to build on the success to date and be instrumental in 'Keeping Wiltshire Safe'. I look forward to moving with my family to a very beautiful county, with an excellent quality of life".

Wiltshire Police Authority Chair Bertie Woolnough (left) with Martin Richards

12/02/2004 - Wiltshire Police Authority renew the pledge to
'Keep Wiltshire Safe'

On Thursday 12 February 2004 (today) Wiltshire Police Authority agreed the budget for 2004/5 which is targeted at driving up police performance and increasing the visibility and accessibility to the public of police officers and police staff. The budget, £88.5m, will enable further development and improvement of the policing service for those that live and work in Wiltshire and Swindon and shows the continued commitment to Keeping Wiltshire Safe.

The 2004/5 budget reflects and builds on the strong, positive progress against the priorities of 2003/4, particularly in the areas of police officer visibility and efficiency, and using technology to ensure that police officers spend as much time as possible outside the police station.

The budget will finance the following initiatives:

• New police radios will be provided for every police officer, together with mobile electronic equipment to enable them to work outside the station and spend longer in their community beat or sectors - impacting directly on the service provided to local communities.
• Improvements to the Force’s electronic systems will be made to enable more efficient and effective reporting of crime and managing the information flow from members of the public, partners and members of staff.
• A commitment to increasing the number of Special Constables on the Beat in Wiltshire and Swindon, and Police Community Support Officers, whose role includes providing reassurance and a local uniformed presence.
• An improvement in call handling so that the first response to non-emergency calls made by the public will give the caller a better overall service. The additional investment will be placed into people and IT to fully track contact from the public, the progress and outcome of that contact and enable the results to be audited.

The Authority noted with satisfaction the improvements in service delivered by the Force and that this progress had contributed once again to Wiltshire being the second safest county in which to live and work, and with high levels of public confidence. In particular:

• 37 additional police officers have been recruited, together with 25 police community support officers (PCSOs). The full benefit of these appointments will be seen in the current financial year, once training has been completed and they are undertaking patrol duties.
• Prisoner Handling Teams have been introduced across the County. This Wiltshire innovation is significantly increasing the amount of time police officers are able to spend outside the station. Across the county, police officer time spent dealing with prisoners has reduced by a third.
• Police Officers are spending more time outside the station, a countywide study has shown that an additional 96,000 hours of patrol activity occurred in 2003/4 compared to the previous year, the equivalent of an additional 93 police officers released to front line duties. This has been enabled by electronic support, new styles of working, and increased use of police staff (civilian support staff) in a variety of roles.
• Overall crime in Wiltshire is down by 3.5% (against last year) and increased visibility has contributed to that decline.

At the meeting, The Authority noted that £200,000 of the costs of the budget for 2004/5 will be funded from savings made elsewhere in the Force.

Mr Bertie Woolnough CBE, Chairman of the Police Authority commented:

“The performance and visibility of the Constabulary has improved over the last twelve months and it is expected there will be further improvements in future years, including the setting up of an Intelligence Unit which will work closely with other forces in the region to target serious crime. The recent British Crime Survey supports our view that the public in Wiltshire and Swindon have more confidence in their Force than the public in any other County in England and Wales.”

For further information contact the Clerk to the Police Authority, Kieran Kilgallen, or the deputy Clerk to the Police Authority, Mr Ron Flux, on 01380 734 022.

05/01/2004 - Contract for a new Swindon Divisional Headquarters signed

Kieren Kilgallen, the Clerk to the Police Authority signing the contract together with
from left to right; Mr Roy Denning, Director of Finance; Mr Clive Barker,
Chief Accountant; Inspector Alistair Parish, Project Manager; Mr Steve Freeborn, PFI Advisor.

*Aerial view	*Site layout
*Main entrance	Aerial perspective

Click for larger versions
(* denotes artists impression) 

The Wiltshire Police Authority are pleased to announce that on Friday 19 December a PFI contract was signed with Vinci PLC for the provision of a new Swindon Divisional Police Headquarters on a site adjacent to the A420 on the eastern side of Swindon. The Chief Constable, Dame Elizabeth Neville is delighted that this scheme is now well and truly launched and looks forward to the completion of what will be modern police facilities serving the public of Swindon.

The proposed new Divisional Headquarters forms part of the scheme announced by the Home Office in August 2001, designed to provide the Swindon Police Division with a new range of facilities. As previously announced, the scheme has been identified for financial assistance through Private Finance Initiative (PFI) credits.

The new Divisional Headquarters will house all of the Division’s core and specialist functions and will be supported by a range of smaller satellite stations, to be known as “Police Points”, sited in both the town centre and community areas of the Borough. Together, the new facilities will enable greater public accessibility than at present and crucially will provide closer contact with local officers, thereby supporting community-centred policing methods.

The first 2 Police Points located at the North West Swindon District Centre and the West Swindon District Centre opened in June of this year. Further Police Points will be secured within the town centre redevelopment area and on the Southern Development area.

The signing of this contract has firmly set the foundations for the delivery of a project designed to ensure that the policing needs of Swindon’s residents and businesses can be met as effectively as possible both now and for the next 30 years.

11/11/2003 - Wiltshire Police Authority appoints new Assistant Chief Constable

Wiltshire Police Authority is pleased to announce that a new
Assistant Chief Constable has been appointed to the force.

Peter James Vaughan, aged 41, joined South Wales Police in 1984, from university where he gained a BSc (Hons) First Class Degree in Management Science and Operational Research. He also holds a Diploma in Applied Criminology and Police Management.

Mr Vaughan has served with South Wales Police for 19 years, rising from the rank of Constable to Chief Superintendent.

He said of his new appointment:

"I am very pleased and excited to have been appointed as the Assistant Chief Constable for Wiltshire Constabulary. This is a challenging role in a very good county force. I aim to continue and develop the good work which is going on to ensure that Wiltshire remains one of the safest places in which to live and work. I look forward to joining the force within the next two months."

Wiltshire Police Authority Chairman, Bertie Woolnough, said:

"I am delighted that Peter Vaughan is joining Wiltshire Constabulary. He has an impressive operational background and I am confident that he will be an asset to our Chief Officer Team and will drive our performance to even higher levels."