Wiltshire PCC launches second phase of his new police and crime plan

Wiltshire PCC Philip Wilkinson has launched the second phase of the ‘Making Wiltshire Safer’ consultation which he will use to inform his new police and crime plan.

The plan, which will be finalised in March 2022, sets out the PCC’s pledges and priorities for Wiltshire as well as being the blueprint for Wiltshire Police’s strategic policing and crime priorities until mid 2025.

PCC Philip Wilkinson said, “My new plan should directly reflect the needs and priorities of all communities and it is very much my vision to make Wiltshire a safer place to live and work.

“Now I want to hear from residents to see if they think we’re moving in the right direction.

“In developing my plan, I have used information and strategic advice drawn from Wiltshire Police’s leadership team, national policing direction, as well as from justice and community safety sectors alongside results from my survey.

“My guiding principles during this process has always been dependent on a need for us to excel at the basics, for our communities to have trust in policing and justice and that communities are part of the decisions and assessment of the success of the services they receive.”

Residents are able to download a copy of the PCC’s draft police and crime plan from his website and feed back their thoughts on the proposals ahead of the final drafting process in February.

Mr Wilkinson’s draft plan was also informed by responses from public and victim confidence surveys, his election pledges, the UseYourVoice survey, which saw nearly 3,000 individual responses, as well as responses from more than 1,000 young people surveyed by his Youth Commission.

The new priorities detailed in the plan are as follows:

Priority 1 – A police service that meets the needs of its communities
Priority 2 – Reduce violence and serious harm
Priority 3 – Tackle crimes that matter to local communities
Priority 4 – Improve the experience of victims and deliver justice

During January, Mr Wilkinson will hold a series of Focus Group sessions for invited stakeholders to comment on his proposed priorities and what that may mean in real life.

Representatives from Wiltshire Police, key partners and commissioned services, as well as from local authorities across Wiltshire and Swindon, MPs, from faith groups, charities and foundations, from the criminal justice system and from the rural and business communities are being invited to the sessions.

Alongside being able to download a copy of the draft plan and comment, the public can also attend one of four virtual public sessions where Mr Wilkinson will present his draft plan and ask for feedback.

Sessions, held on Facebook Live, are scheduled for the 6th, 13th, 17th and 26th of January from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.

More information on how to join the virtual public sessions will be promoted across the commissioner’s digital channels. If you can’t be there in person, you can submit a question beforehand via the PCC’s website.

He added, “I had hoped to hold these public events in person but, due to the increase in covid cases, we have taken the decision to hold these events online.

“That way our residents can still use their voice to influence the process but in a safe environment. I do hope that as many people as possible will be able to join me to feed back their thoughts.

“The priorities and direction the draft plan will be setting for Wiltshire Police has been directly informed by the responses I have received from residents, councillors, MPs, and organisations like the National Farmers’ Union and Neighbourhood Watch.”

All feedback received will be considered and will directly influence the final police and crime plan, which will be before the police and crime panel on the 10th March for final approval.

You can download a copy of the draft plan, register your feedback here, or submit a question to be asked at one of the virtual public sessions here.