Meeting documents

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs J Adey (Cabinet Member for Environment), Miss S Brown (Deputy Cabinet Member for Community), D Carroll (Cabinet Member for Youth and External Partnerships), T Green (Deputy Cabinet Member for Unitary Transition).

RESOLVED: That (i) the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 16 September 2019 be approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

There were no declarations of interest.

The report before Cabinet outlined the Regeneration Strategy setting out the Council’s regeneration vision, strategies and principles for High Wycombe, Princes Risborough and Marlow.

The following decision was made as the Strategy provided both principles and an outline programme showing how the main settlements within the district could contribute to economic growth within Buckinghamshire.

RESOLVED: That the Regeneration Strategy be approved and passed to the Shadow Executive to be considered and, in whole or part, become incorporated in a wider strategy for the new Buckinghamshire Council in due course.

The report before Cabinet detailed the Cabinet responses to each of the Improvement and Review Commission’s River Wye Task and Finish Group (TFG) recommendations. In December 2018, the recommendations of the Group’s review of the River Wye had been presented to Cabinet and it was agreed that the responses would be presented to a future Cabinet meeting

The Cabinet Member for Planning summarised the responses to each of the recommendations and Members noted that the reasons for changing or rejecting certain recommendations had been detailed in the report. He also expressed his thanks to the Task and Finish Group Members for all their hard work.

The Chairman of the Task and Finish Group, Councillor H McCarthy, gave a detailed verbal presentation of the findings of the review that had been undertaken by the TFG. Councillor McCarthy thanked the TFG Members and all those that had contributed or supported the proposals.

After due consideration, the following decisions were made to formally respond to the recommendations made by the River Wye Task and Finish Group.

RESOLVED: That (i)the proposed recommendations that had been contained in the River Wye Task and Finish Group report to Cabinet in December 2018 be noted; and

(ii)  the Cabinet responses set out in the report be agreed.

The report before Cabinet summarised the achievements that had been realised due to the High Wycombe Town Centre Masterplan, including public realm improvements and structural changes to the highway network.

 It was noted that in order to meet the strategic ambitions of the Masterplan, ensuring the public realm of the town was of a high quality, and a good place for pedestrians, was deemed essential.   Cabinet approval was therefore sought to delegate authority to release funds for a programme of work to provide improvements within the High Wycombe Town Centre.

As for the remaining High Wycombe Town Centre Masterplan  projects, Cabinet was informed that it would be for the new Buckinghamshire Council to prioritise schemes, and consider further funding priorities.

The following decisions were made to celebrate the achievement of the High Wycombe Town Centre Masterplan Programme, release funds for major works to the town centre as per the agreed approved budget, and to note the continued need and opportunities for future public realm improvements, including in the context of the Council’s bid for Future High Street Fund.

RESOLVED: That (i) delegated authority be granted to the Head of Planning and Sustainability, in consultation with the Head of Finance, for the release of £500,000 from the High Wycombe Town Centre Masterplan Future Phases/ Public Realm Improvements budget for a major works programme centred on the High Street;

(ii)    the opportunities to make use of the remaining £3.111m funds in the High Wycombe Town Centre Master Plan Future Phases/public realm budget, as set out in Appendix A of the report, be noted; and

(iii)  Cabinet recommend that Buckinghamshire Council undertake a review of High Wycombe Town Centre improvements, and set out an implementation plan.

RESOLVED: That pursuant to Regulation 4(2)(b) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of Minute No 39, because of its reference to matters which contain exempt information as defined as follows:

Minute 39 Green Spaces Contract

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) (Paragraph 3, Part 1 of Schedule 12A, Local Government Act 1972)

(The need to maintain the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure, because disclosure could prejudice the Council’s position in any future tender process or negotiations)

Cabinet was advised that the Council’s current Green Spaces Contract was due to terminate in December 2019. Cabinet’s approval was sought to enter into a two year contact with the current provider.

The following decision was made as the current Green Spaces contract was due to expire in December 2019.

RESOLVED: That delegated authority be granted to the Head of Housing, Environment and Community to negotiate a two year Green Spaces contract with the incumbent provider and to the same service specification as the existing, to run from January 2020 until December 2021.