This week has highlighted just what can be achieved by working in partnership. A new South Wiltshire University Technical College (UTC) will open in Salisbury, providing new education and training opportunities for young people (aged 13 -18 years). The UTC approached us, as the local education authority, regarding a possible site for a new college. We were aware that Wiltshire Police were looking to vacate their current police station site on Wilton Road in the next two years, which would tie in with the timing for the new community campus, and this presented an opportunity for a new college that would meet the needs for education for young people in the area.
All partners agreed that this was a good and pragmatic solution that would make best use of a public building, deliver opportunities for young people to gain skills for the workplace and re-provide police services in the city centre. The bid for a UTC was made to central government with a planned opening date for next September (2014). This meant a tight time frame for the police to relocate services and having had the opportunity to review the final arrangements the chief constable raised concern that they would not be able to continue to provide the level of police service that the public in Salisbury currently receive and asked all the partners to discuss the possibility of delaying the move out of Wilton Road Police Station.
Working with Salisbury MP John Glen, we have agreement from the government to open the UTC in September 2015. The revised date will allow extra time for Wiltshire Police to ensure robust plans are in place for future police services in the area. This will include a fully agreed plan for police custody arrangements to be in place before the police vacate the Wilton Road Police Station in autumn 2014. Whilst the delay will disappoint some of the students who were hoping to join the UTC in 2014, the UTC will work with them and their parents to ensure that their long-term ambitions can be supported. The partners all supported the chief constable recognising that public safety is a top priority and we are all pleased that the UTC will go ahead and provide vital training for young people in the field of science and engineering.
Today, I am pleased to announce that our child protection services have been rated as ‘adequate’ by Ofsted. This as a significant step on our journey of improvement after a similar inspection early last year rated our services as ‘inadequate’, but we are not, and will never be, complacent. We will continue to ensure that we improve so children in Wiltshire are as safe as they possibly can be. We would like to thank all staff involved in these services for their hard work; it’s your dedication that will continue to help us improve. To view the report visit the Ofsted website.
On Thursday I was pleased to launch a business sporting dinner that will take place in the atrium on 25 October. This unique event will link sport and businesses, which is part of our ‘A Legacy for Wiltshire’ programme. We were treated to a visit and demonstration from some of the county’s most successful athletes – Pole Vault 2012 South West Champion Hannah Grubb, Fencing former Junior World Champion Phillip Marsh and Judo British U20 Champion, Jemima Duxberry – who helped us launch the dinner. This event, which will host 250 business representatives and sports stars, will secure funding to support our Wiltshire athletes on their journey to Rio in 2016. Even a small amount of funding can make a huge difference.
The event itself is a Gala Dinner and will be hosted by former England Rugby Captain, Phil de Glanville and the special celebrity guest speaker is TV presenter, adventurer, journalist and double Olympic gold medallist and seven time world champion, James Cracknell OBE. I am so pleased that James has agreed to join us for the evening as he is a charismatic character with great stories from his time as an elite athlete as well as from his adventures since his retirement. I really am looking forward to hearing him speak.
I must just extend our congratulations to Stephanie Millward and Aaron Moore on their medal wins at the IPC World Swimming Championships this week.
Lastly, I’d like to say huge congratulations to all of Wiltshire’s young people who picked up their A Level results yesterday. More Wiltshire students have achieved the top grades of A* to B and 5 percent more students are achieving three or more A levels than in 2012. I know many of you will have been involved in supporting young people through these challenging times in your role as a parent or in your professional capacity and I’d like to congratulate you too for this great achievement.
Jane
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