Force is with you if you invest in speed watch

In December I attended the Wiltshire and Swindon Police and Crime Panel at the Swindon Borough Council Offices to hear the new PCC Philip Wilkinson present his draft Police and Crime Strategy.

Phil, as he likes to be called, put in a nutshell what he wants to see going forward: “that we have as safe a county as we can have, in the most cost effective manner possible.”

He also implied a certain level of complacency in the past, where the police system had been “efficient but not effective.”

He gave a number of examples of where this had been the case and started with the issue of the 115 community speed watch groups, which he said had not been adequately: acknowledged, resourced or appreciated.

He made the point that going forward the data that these groups collect when on patrol, with speed indicator devices, or with auto speed watch cameras, will be taken into account by the police to target dangerously speeding drivers.

The message is thus clear to community speed watch groups and parish councils across Wiltshire and Swindon.

If you invest in these devices then you will be listened to and action will be taken. In both of the communities in my ward speeds in excess of 90mph have been recorded near to pedestrian crossings and primary schools.

This behaviour cannot be tolerated any longer, and now with ‘auto speed watch’ cameras, communities that decide to invest in the equipment (around £600 plus a yearly fee of around £100) have the means to help identify the culprits and to see them taken off the road for good, so awake and take action!

The ‘Force’ is with you.

Dr Brian Mathew

Wiltshire Unitary Councillor

It's time to talk about our mental health

As we approach two years since the start of the pandemic, it’s never been more important to talk about our mental health.

The last two years have affected us all and we know that talking about it can help us feel less alone, more able to cope and encouraged to seek support if we need to.

We are running Time to Talk Day on February 3 and we want to see more communities than ever getting involved this year.

However you do it, have a conversation about mental health this Time to Talk Day.

Paul Farmer, Chief Executive, Mind

Mark Winstanley, Chief Executive of Rethink Mental Illness

Rebecca Birkbeck, Director of Community and Shared Value, Co-op Group

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