Warminster’s CCTV Control Room looks set to move as part of an upgrade to the town’s camera system. The Hub, in the Central Car Park, has been identified as the preferred location for a new control room when the system goes digital over the coming years. Warminster Town Council held a lengthy debate at their meeting on Monday evening. Keeping the control room at Dewey House and moving it to the Civic Centre were also on the table for discussion. Tender documents are now to be put together to start the process of upgrading the system that was installed during the early 2000s. Warminster works in partnership with Westbury Town Council and the West Wilts Trading Estate to deliver CCTV services across the three locations.

A Wiltshire councillor has expressed his fears over the future of Warminster’s squash courts. Councillor Tony Jackson told a meeting of Warminster Town Council that he had heard informally about a potential review of leisure services in the county. He said that the squash courts, located within Warminster Sports Centre, could form part of the review. The squash courts, he explained, have been closed since the pandemic started in March 2020. Some maintenance has been undertaken, including to the roof. He hinted that further repairs may be needed to the courts. He asked Warminster Town Council to raise its concerns with Wiltshire Council in a bid to emphasise the need for the town’s courts to remain.

Warminster town councillors have voted to increase the council’s precept by 2.73%. At their meeting this evening, councillors split on party lines. Conservative councillors voted in favour of the recommended budget. Independent councillors Paul Macdonald and Stacie Allensby voted against the proposal.

Councillor Paul Macdonald proposed an amendment that would have seen the budget increase paid out of the council reserves. The proposal was defeated. In debating the budget, Councillor Bill Parks noted that Warminster Town Council needed to inform Wiltshire Council of its precept tomorrow (Tuesday). He added that this meant “there is little we can do about it” and described the late decision making as “regrettable”.

Warminster Town Council has appointed Judith Halls as Deputy Town Clerk. The Mayor of Warminster, Councillor Stephen Jeffries, announced the appointment at the start of this evening’s full council meeting. Judith has worked for the Town Council for many years, most recently as office manager. Councillor Jeffries says the search for a new office manager now begins following Judith Halls’ promotion.

Warminster Town Council has allocated funds of up to £15,000 to replace the cableway at Queensway play park. The Parks and Estates Committee has voted for the funds after receiving a report about the removal of the existing cableway. The piece of equipment was recently removed following a failed safety test. The council says the equipment will be funded as a capital project.

A female from the Trowbridge area was arrested and charged with theft, following a shoplifting incident in Warminster’s Market Place on Thursday afternoon. Staff at M&CO alerted Warminster Town CCTV operators to the offence taking place. The CCTV operators maintained observations on the suspect, guiding local police officers to intercept. The suspect was arrested shortly after the offence was reported. Sergeant Kevin Harmsworth of Wiltshire Police said: “Local businesses, CCTV operators and local policing continue to work in partnership, responding promptly to incidents and bringing offenders to justice.”

Warminster and District Foodbank trustee and volunteer Jean Colgrave said she was humbled to receive the 2021 Civic Award. Jean was presented with the award by the Mayor of Warminster, Cllr Stephen Jeffries, last week. This morning she told Warminster Community Radio’s Community Chest programme that the award was for all of the Foodbank’s volunteers who have worked hard to feed people in need over the last twelve years.

Wiltshire Council is proposing to spend £308m on capital projects as part of its budget proposals that were published yesterday. More than £3m would be spent for leisure services, more than £10m for Future High Street projects in Salisbury and Trowbridge and more than £46m in the education and skills budget. £27.8m has been allocated for improvements to the A350 junction of the M4 north of Chippenham. A debate and vote on the budget will take place at the full meeting of Wiltshire Council on 15th February. The BA12 Agenda will have more detailed coverage of the proposed budget in the coming days and weeks.

Warminster’s Mayor, Councillor Stephen Jeffries, will be available on Friday 4th February between 10am and 12 noon in the Civic Centre. The event has been postponed from today due to unforeseen circumstances. Warminster Town Council said: “If you would like to ask the Mayor anything in relation to or suggest anything about, the town of Warminster or the Town Council, then pop along to the Civic Centre in Warminster for a face to face short chat.”

A Warminster woman has been prosecuted for not having an identification tag on a collar or a microchip registered for her dog. Jenna Louise Williams of Beech Avenue was prosecuted under both the Control of Dogs Order 1992 and the Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulation 2015. Salisbury Magistrates Court heard on 7th December 2021 how a member of the public discovered a stray dog in November 2020. The dog was taken to the holding kennels and was collected after two days by the owner. She was served with a microchip improvement notice, that required the dog to be registered against the chip within 21 days.

Officers from the council’s Dog Warden team repeatedly tried to engage with the owner through letters and telephone calls, but when the dog’s microchip was checked again in January 2021, it still had not been correctly registered on a government approved website, so the decision was made to prosecute. The owner failed to attend the court hearing, so the case was held in their absence. Magistrates issued a fine of £220 for each offence, plus a victim surcharge of £44 and prosecution costs of £336.77, meaning a total fine of £820.77.

To report a stray dog people should call Wiltshire Council, 24 hrs a day, 0300 4560107.