Meeting documents

The PAG received an update report from the Head of Healthy Communities, which detailed the current work ongoing within the service area. The following points were highlighted to the PAG:

• There had been in a slight upturn in nightly booked B&B temporary accommodation, although there remained a substantial decrease over the course of the year.  Were the increase to continue, the Council could offer new units at Bath Road to those households in nightly booked accommodation. The Bath Road development was planned for completion at the end of June 2019, following contractor delays. The final budget closedown figures showed a £32k saving against budget.
• The introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act in April 2018 had, to date little impact on homelessness applications which remained at a similar level to the previous year. The time spent waiting for properties via the Bucks Home Choice Scheme ranged from 3 months to 31 months. The supply of properties from developments at Denham Film Studios and Mill Lane, Taplow should help get people in to tenancies.
• Officer meetings have been held and a draft action plan created in relation to air quality in Iver. The main focus was to reduce HGV numbers travelling through Iver and to remove parked cars from the High Street. A range of solutions were being explored such as introducing parking restrictions and 20 mph speed limits through the town centre. A ‘lot 2 – sensor trial’ air quality grant of £130,000 had been awarded to the Council, in a joint application with Slough, Heathrow and Ricardo E&E. The plan was to monitor air pollution on transects from the perimeter of the airport out toward the villages.
• In Environmental Health, the Freemantle Trust had been fined £33k with costs of £8,900 and a victim surcharge of £125 for poor hygiene standards at Lent Rise House. Chilli and Grill mobile, Beaconsfield had been prohibited from trading due to poor food hygiene standards. It was understood that the owner had since taken over another food premises which would be monitored.
• Round Coppice Farm was currently closed following the fire and a police investigation was ongoing.
• In Community Safety, burglary dwelling had increased by 4.4% and the community safety team were working closely with the Thames Valley Police Neighbourhood team offering crime reduction advice through various outlets. Operation Gauntlet had launched in partnership with TVP to tackle phone scams and frauds.
• Community and Leisure activities were outlined in the report and included the GLL community engagement programme, Beaconsfield community bus, Holtspur Youth Club, dementia friendly golf and Chairman’s Volunteer Awards. GLL held their sports awards for which the Chairman had to send apologies, it would be explored as to which other Members had then been invited in the Chairman’s place as the immediate past Chairman reported that she had not received an invite. Post meeting note: Cllrs P Hogan (Portfolio Holder) and T Egleton (Vice-Chairman) had been invited, although were not able to attend and Cllr W Mathews (immediate Past Chairman) was inadvertently missed off the invite by GLL.