At last night’s (Tuesday 13 June) meeting of the Marlborough Area Board on a warm, sunny evening in Marlborough’s Town Hall the Board and members of the public were introduced to Wiltshire Police new Chief Constable, Catherine Roper, as she said, ‘on her 107th day in the role’.
With her was Wiltshire & Swindon’s Police & Crime Commissioner, Philip Wilkinson. The Chief Constable explained her priorities, which in summary is ‘keeping Wiltshire safe’. Delivering the ‘Police and Crime Plan’ drawn up by PCC Philip Wilkinson where the operational priorities are making public spaces safer, addressing the issue of violence and dealing with burglaries.
As noted above this was her 107th day as Chief Constable and the Area Board chair, Cllr Jane Davies welcomed her to Marlborough and the area Board meeting and thanked her for attending and explaining the detail of her vision for the Wiltshire Police Force.
Last year Wiltshire Police were rated as ‘Inadequate’ in a PEEL (Police Efficiency, Effectiveness and Legitimacy) report and placed in ‘Special Measures’ as a result. Part of the negative findings of that report related to dealing with the public and Catherine Roper and Philip Wilkinson’s presence at the Area Board meeting was part of addressing that, making clear that they will be in touch with the communities that make up the Wiltshire Police Force area. A major bridge to cross, but the next PEEL inspection – scheduled for March next year – should hopefully yield significant improvements in the outcome.
Summer Solstice parking and access restrictions around Avebury
