The Westbury Area Board met on Wednesday 11 March 2026, approving £11,241.66 in grant funding for various community projects and hearing updates on local policing and council priorities. Key decisions included the allocation of funds for digital literacy sessions, gymnastics facility support, hall roof repairs, a community garden, and a table tennis table for a village green.

Area Board Funding

The Area Board considered several applications for funding, with a total of £11,241.66 being awarded.

• Westbury Area Board - Digital Literacy Sessions: £400 was awarded to support digital literacy sessions aimed at helping older and vulnerable adults use digital devices.
• Gaia Gymnastics and Wellness CIC: £3,994.66 was granted towards the development of a new gymnastics, trampolining, and wellness facility.
• Dilton Memorial Hall: £3,994.66 was awarded for essential roof repairs to the hall.
• Leigh Park Community Centre: £3,252.34 was allocated towards the creation of a community garden and allotment space.
• Bratton Parish Council: £907 was awarded for an outdoor table tennis table for Bratton Village Green, with £877 coming from the Youth budget and £30 from the Older and Vulnerable budget.

Two applications were deferred:

• Westbury United Youth and Development FC: An application for £5,000 towards a changing facility was deferred to a future meeting at the applicant's agreement.
• The Laverton Institute Trust: An application for £2,991 for the refurbishment of the William Room was deferred, with the Board considering it not urgent and suitable for a subsequent financial year.

Wiltshire Police Update

Inspector Lou Oakley provided an update on Wiltshire Police's activities. Key points included:

• Staffing: Two Police Specials had completed their training and become regular Police Officers.
• Priorities: The current local policing priorities are Rural Crime, Retail Crime, and Road Safety, reviewed quarterly based on force objectives.
• Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB): A focus on ASB, in collaboration with detached youth workers, had led to significant improvements across the area.
• Retail Crime: Partnership working with local businesses was ongoing to reduce shoplifting and repeat offending.
• Rural Crime: Operations were planned to address a high number of poaching incidents.
• Road Safety: Speed checks were being conducted in areas of concern, such as The Mead/Rosefield Way.
• Community Engagement: Patrols and operations continued, with PCSO Roland Revers receiving an award for his work in Westbury.
• Stop and Search: Inspector Oakley had taken lead on tactical stop and search, with updated data to be provided in future reports.

Questions from the board included the process for setting up a Community Speedwatch (CSW) group, with Inspector Oakley agreeing to provide information for the next agenda pack. The effectiveness of detached youth work in reducing ASB was noted, and residents were encouraged to report incidents involving motorbikes and fireworks to the police.

Chief Constable's Strategic Update

Wiltshire Police Chief Constable, Catherine Roper, delivered a strategic update covering national policing reforms, the role of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), and upcoming HMICFRS inspection results.

• National Policing Framework: The government's White Paper proposed reforms to policing, potentially reducing the number of forces from 43 to around 10-15 regional forces.
• PCC Role: The PCC role is set to be abolished in May 2028, with Policing Boards introduced to provide accountability.
• HMICFRS Inspection: Chief Constable Roper expressed confidence in the upcoming inspection results, following a previous inspection that placed the force in special measures.
• Officer Visibility and Technology: In response to a question about officer visibility versus cameras, the Chief Constable stated that both would be utilised. The reinstatement of the dedicated Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) in 2024 had improved visibility, and the force was exploring ways to map officers' daily locations. Technology was also being enhanced to improve response times and online support.
• Organised Crime and County Lines: The force was careful not to make assumptions about businesses being linked to organised crime but would act on intelligence. The National Crime Agency (NCA) leads on tackling organised crime, with local forces collaborating. Concerns about County Lines and the targeting of vulnerable people were being addressed through arrests, drug seizures, and neighbourhood tasking teams.
• Child Sexual Exploitation: There remained a lack of intelligence on child sexual exploitation in the county, and work was ongoing with the hotel industry to improve practices.
• Police Station Closures: While the Chief Constable committed to not reducing officer numbers in the current financial year, staff numbers might be reduced to invest in technology.

Area Board Priority Updates

Updates were provided on the Westbury Area Board's local priorities:

• Digital Literacy Sessions: Plans were in place to relaunch techy tea-parties with Westbury Library and AbilityNet, with sessions expected in April/May.
• Harnessing Local Assets: Cllr Robert Smith was compiling a list of local assets and intended to collaborate with Westbury Town Council on their Assets of Community Value programme.
• Dyslexia Awareness Campaign: Cllr Boaz Barry was planning an event for National Dyslexia Awareness Month in October and was discussing engagement with Westbury Library and Matravers School.
• Sports Club Network: A meeting was scheduled for April to establish a network of local sports clubs to increase participation, with plans for a sports zone at a town council event.
• Youth Activities: The detached youth work project had successfully relaunched, contributing to a decrease in ASB. The Local Youth Network would next discuss replicating the Future Sounds of Trowbridge project in Westbury.

Local Highways and Footpath Improvement Group (LHFIG)

The minutes and recommendations from the LHFIG meeting held on 6 November 2025 were agreed. This included approving spending recommendations for various highway and footpath improvement projects across the area. A query was raised regarding the progress of parking restrictions at The Tynings in Westbury, with an explanation provided that grouped requests were undergoing investigation before a single Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) could be implemented.

The meeting concluded with the confirmation of future meeting dates: 3 June 2026 and 14 October 2026.