Agenda and draft minutes

Councillor Emily Culverhouse

Cllr Emily Culverhouse opened the meeting and thanked Cllr Jane MacBean for her serving as Deputy Chair of the Board. Cllr Culverhouse then welcomed Cllr Qaser Chaudhry as the new Deputy.

Cllr J MacBean, Cllr S Booth (Chesham Town Councl), K Goad (Corporate Director for the Community Board), Roy Evans (Thames Valley Police), Cllr G Williams, C McGregor-Pattison (Oasis Partnership).

No declarations of interest.

Approved.

·       Video update from Roy Evans at Thames Valley Police outlining the matters raised in the latest Community Policing Forum.  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OQIOSvLt1k3O_JUi0rqeXreafq9AFp1d/view?usp=sharing

·       Stacey Jackson from Bucks Adult Learning gave an update on the wide-range of courses available in Chesham. 

·       Jamie Neale from Project Groundwater gave an update on the progress of the project that seeks to make the community of Chesham more resilient when it comes to groundwater flooding. There is a new ‘alert system’ being trialled in Chesham for residents to receive updates about potential flooding. Questions were asked if the Parishes around Chesham would be included, and Jamie confirmed that at the moment the project is primarily focused on the town of Chesham.

·       There were no petitions.

·       Recent and Future Projects

·       Opportunity Bucks

·       Ross Tackley, Community Board Manager, gave an update on projects that the Board has been working on, including the recent events in Chesham such as the Cygnet Awards, Chesham Fringe Festival. Ross also mentioned the projects that the Board has in the pipeline such as the Poetry Anthology and the Health Awareness Day.

Ross also encouraged nominations for the Proud of Bucks Awards.

·       Kara Byrne gave an update for the Opportunity Bucks programme in the Chesham Ward. The Forest School at Ivingswood Academy is well on its way after receiving funding from the Opportunity Bucks Programme Board. Funding has also been agreed, along with the Community Board, to renovate the play area on Windsor Road in the Ward area. The Community Drop-In at Hope Church has been a success and is therefore being rolled out once a month.

·       Mark Rann from the Chesham Fringe Festival organising committee commented on the success of the inaugural festival that took place over the late May bank holiday. The event was supported by the Community Board both in terms of funding and ensuring the event could take place. 

There were local updates from the following:

·       Cholesbury Parish Council – Action: Cllr Jane MacBean or one of the Chiltern Ridges Councillors, to send an update offline to Chorlesbury Parish Council in regard to the traveller site.

·       The Lee Parish Council – there was a request for a future Community Board meeting to ask for an update from Bucks Council with regards to the Local Plan. Cllr Southworth provided a brief update.  Action: Ross to request an update regarding the Local Plan and share with board members.

·       Chesham Town Council – the Council has submitted their Neighbourhood Plan which is due to go to consultation. Chesham Town Council thanked the Community Board for the funding for Windsor Road play area.

·       Ashley Green Parish Council – The Parish Council thanked the Community Board for funding for the Ashley Green play area footpath.

·       Chenies Parish Council – no updates.

·       Kevin Goad, Corporate Director for the Chesham and Villages Community Board, was unable to attend and therefore the Buckinghamshire Council updates are to be included in the minutes.

Tuesday 8^th October – Proud of Bucks Awards

The next meeting is to take place on Tuesday 8^th October 2024 which will be the annual Proud of Bucks Awards.