Agenda and minutes

To be presented by Howard Mordue, Buckingham & Villages Community Board Chairman.

The Buckingham & Villages Community Board Chairman, Howard Mordue, welcomed everyone to the meeting.

To be noted by Alice Williams, Buckingham & Villages Community Board Manager.

Apologies were received by Gawcott Parish Council, Michael Rand and Patrick Fealey.

Declarations of interest related to items on the agenda to be noted by Alice Williams, Buckingham & Villages Community Board Manager.

None.

Updates on actions to be noted by Alice Williams, Buckingham & Villages Community Board Manager.

Notes of the previous meeting to be AGREED by the board.

Alice Williams, Community Board Manager highlighted the actions of the previous meeting on 6 July 2023, each had been completed.

RESOLVED:  The notes of the previous meeting were AGREED as an accurate record.

To be presented by Sara Turnbull, Service Director for Adult Social Care Operations, Buckinghamshire Council.

Sara Turnbull, Service Director for Adult Social Care Operations noted the corporate update circulated with the agenda and highlighted the following key points:

·     Community Safety Survey – asking for residents views on crime and anti social behaviour in the local community.

·     Cost of Living – A lot of work happening about Community Food Chain Campaign and lots of info about how people can get involved in their community such as Community Fridges. Welcoming Spaces – continuing this year, further information available in the update.

·     Better Points Buckinghamshire – an app with the aim to get people more active in return for points that can spent or donated.

ACTION: Alice Williams to circulate link to the Better Points Bucks website in action notes.

BetterPoints Bucks

Proposal to move Furzedown School Sixth Form to the Buckingham Opportunity Centre:

The next step is a formal consultation and a public notice has been published in the local newspaper with a four week period.  Before the end of the year there will be a formal decision taken by Buckinghamshire Council on the approach, with the aim of changes implemented by September 2024.

Statutory notice for the proposal to move Furze Down School sixth form - Your Voice Bucks - Citizen Space

ACTION: Alice Williams to liaise with Buckinghamshire Council’s Communications Team regarding the.

Jon Harvey, Buckingham Town Council highlighted the planning proposal for a solar farm to be installed on the Claydons Estate.  It was confirmed by the Chairman that this was a planning application and therefore was outside the remit of the community board, however the community board manager can ensure that any public consultations or information is shared with the wider board.  

Update on National Trust community initiatives and local venues.

Christopher Drake, Senior Volunteering and Community Officer, National Trust, delivered an update for the community board and highlighted the following key points:

• The National Trust had agreed to partner with the community board on the Buckingham Youth Café project and offer Chantry Chappel as a venue free of charge.  It is currently being used as a book shop and they have plans to implement café facilities in the next few months.  It was also emphasised that this venue is available for use from community groups and they would like Chantry Chappel to be utilised as a community space.
• The National Trust are wanting to provide further opportunities for young people specifically to develop their skills through a range of volunteering positions.  The most suitable for young people would be gardening.  It was confirmed that they would be interested in working with young people with additional needs.
• Stowe House were opening a themed art exhibition in the gardens for Remembrance Day, to commemorate those who were lost in the Normandy Landings.  Christopher invited members of the community board to attend the installation and encouraged veterans or serving military who would like to attend for a private visit.  Christopher had already been in touch with the Royal British Legion to promote the exhibition.

ACTION: Alice Williams to provide contact details for Jack Pearce, Senior External Affairs Officer to make connections with the Buckinghamshire Civilian Military Partnership Board members.

Talk from Westbury Parish Council on Silver Sunday event.

Cathy Knott, Clerk, Westbury Parish Council gave the community board an overview of the event that they held in Westbury Village Hall on Sunday 1^st October as part of “Silver Sunday.”  Silver Sunday | The National Day for Older People, 1st October 2023

• Westbury Parish Council had been made aware of the national initiative by the community board manager, who advised that local groups and organisations could organise their own events supported by the community board under the “Health & Wellbeing” priority.
• The event was held in Westbury Village Hall, who provided the space for the event for free.
• Refreshments were supplied by the village coffee shop and  Beachborough School.
• Entertainment was provided by a local Tai-Chi group who held a 20 minute demonstration / workshop and the local primary school choir who held a 45 minute singing class / performance.
• The only costs incurred for the event were the raffle prizes which came to £11.50.
• Local residents provided transport to their neighbours who couldn’t travel and helped the event team with the set up and clean up for the event.

The Chairman and Community Board Manager had attended the event and gave testimony to the fact that it was a very well done event and had been enjoyed thoroughly by all who attended.  It was highlighted that events such as Silver Sunday could act as a catalyst for regular intergenerational interaction and activities based on social isolation prevention.

The Community Board Manager encouraged more organisations to come forwards to host an event in 2024.  The community board could provide support in the form of promotion and financial support through a small grant.  This would be picked up in the next financial year.

To be presented by Alice Williams, Buckingham & Villages Community Board Manager.

· Funding Update

· Community Board Activity / Projects Update

Alice Williams, Community Board Manager provided an update on the activity of the community board since the previous meeting.

Community Board Priorities

Youth

Youth Café

Alice had been working along side the Buckinghamshire Council Youth team to progress the Youth Café Project.  The National Trust had offered Chantry Chapel in Buckingham Town Centre free of charge. Buckinghamshire Council’s Youth team were in the process of reaching out to youth organisations that would be willing to take the project on, including Buckingham Youth Centre and Project Street Life.  A project group would be formed with pupils as the goal was for local young people to have a sense of ownership over the project. 

Cookery Courses

The board was in the early planning stages of collaborating with Jedediah to deliver some cookery courses to local young people. 

Economic Regeneration

Town Centre Regeneration

Buckingham Town Council had been allocated funding to contract a consultant to carry out Last year allocated Buckingham TC some funding to complete a survey which went out to residents and local businesses, which has had a great response rate which will help the consultant to make a plan. 

Repair Café

The board was in the early planning stages of supporting the set up of an ongoing monthly repair café.  The aim of the repair café would be to provide social / volunteering opportunities, reduce waste and encourage local residents to repair their items instead of buying new.  The Centre on Verney Close had agreed to act as a venue for the café and Alice was in the process of putting together a project group. 

Road Safety

The Buckinghamshire Highways community toolkit was live.  Members of the community board were encourage to read the toolkit to familiarise themselves with the new process and ways of working: Buckinghamshire Highways’ Community Board Guidance Document | Buckinghamshire Council

Health & Wellbeing

Following the completion of Silver Sunday, members of the board were encouraged to put ideas forward around community projects themed around health and wellbeing.  Alice would follow up with Christopher Drake around how the community board could support volunteering opportunities with the national trust.

General Community Board Activity

• Informal town and parish council drop ins had now been scheduled, with a view to making the community board more accessible/ inclusive and an opportunity for colleagues to share knowledge and best practise.
• Newsletter had been launched and this would be issued twice a year.  Any feedback or suggestions for items for the next newsletter was welcome.
• Alice works “on the patch” where possible – Molly’s Community Café, Steeple Claydon on Wednesday mornings and Buckingham Library on Thursday mornings.  Members of the board were encouraged to email / phone Alice if they wanted to drop in to ensure that she’s there and visit isn’t wasted.
• Members of the board were encouraged to reach out to Alice directly if they wanted to schedule a 1-1 visit.

ACTION:  Following a request from the member of the board, it was AGREED that going forwards the slides containing community  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Opportunities for members of the public and the board to raise questions and matters of interest to the local community.

The Buckinghamshire Council Archives Team had offered to provide support to any local groups who wanted to deliver events as part of Heritage Month in November 2023.  Any events or groups interested in holding events could contact archives directly:  archives@buckinghamshire.gov.uk 

It was raised that Buckingham Men in Sheds were experiencing difficulties in securing a new suitable venue.  The Chairman and Community Board Manager were in conversation with Men In Sheds to see if there was any support that the board could provide.

Questions were raised around the recent funding application allocated funding from the community board, 7RoadLight Youth Development Workshops.  Members of the board asked if due diligence had been done on the application / organisation and whether there was assurance that the work would be delivered locally.  It was clarified that there is a set due diligence process for the community board funding and that checks are carried out on each funding application in line with the process.  It was also clarified that the project had been developed in partnership with the Buckinghamshire Council Community Safety team and the Buckingham School, who had already identified the individuals who would receive the support.  

It was commented by a member of the board that the time window for local businesses to completed the town centre regeneration survey was short.  This was acknowledged, however the response rate for the survey had been high.

The Buckingham Canal Society had opened 100 metres of canal. The organisation had been working with highways to make further developments, with a fully costed solution awaiting a decision at the end of November 2024. 

The University of Buckingham offered a paid internship where students could work up to 40 hours a week for six weeks.  This could be utilised by local businesses and organisations.  The Buckingham Canal Society were using the scheme to recruit an intern to deliver a piece of work around engaging with people under the age of 50. 

8^th February 2024.

8^th February 2024