Agenda and draft minutes

Chair, Cllr Peter Martin welcomed all to the Community Board Meeting. Councillor Martin explained that requests had been made to hold the Autumn / Winter Community Board meetings via MS Teams with the Spring / Summer ones being in person. 

Apologies received from:

Cllr Mike Johnstone

Cllr Jane MacBean

Cllr Anne Hewett

Caroline Elliott

Rob Shed

No declarations of interest received.

To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 1 August 2023.

Minutes from the meeting held on 1^st August 2023 were discussed and approved. 

·      Buckinghamshire Council Updates – Lindsey Vallis (5 minutes)

·      Consultations – Cllr Peter Martin (1 minute)

·      Missendens Speeding Event Update – Robert Gibson (5 minutes) 

·      Questions - (members of the public have been invited to submit questions in advance of the meeting to missendenscb@buckinghamshire.gov.uk)

Questions from members of the public to be submitted in advance of the meeting to missendenscb@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

Buckinghamshire Council Update – Lindsey Vallis, Service Director for Transport Services, Buckinghamshire Council. 

Update on Local Plan

700 responses received to engagement survey currently being considered.  Next public engagement taking place in 2024.

Cost of Living

Buckinghamshire Council has various measures in place and available to support our residents. Please see attached document for further information. The Energy Doctor services was highlighted. Link to be put on the Missendens Facebook Page.

Consultations

Cllr Martin referred attendees to two live consultations: the Housing Strategy and the Vaping Consultation. 

Missendens Community Speed Watch Feedback – Robert Gibson 

Very successful session was held on Tuesday 7^th November in the Great Missenden Memorial Hall, with the Police and Crime Commissioner in attendance. The main objective was to generate interest in volunteering with the Community Speed Watch programme.  The event was well attended.

Residents have been invited to comment on the Thames Valley Police budget consultation. 

It was noted that there have been some local burglaries so be vigilant. Councillor Martin suggested the Community Boards could look at organising a session on how to safeguard your home.. 

Darren Walsh from Thames Valley Police provided some numbers on burglaries in the Missenden area. There have been seventy three year to date compared to fifty one in total last year.  Additional PC’s are carrying out patrols in the area.  There is also an increase in other areas along the A40, for example the Chalfonts and Beaconsfield. They are doing a neighbourhood campaign shortly which will be distributed to all residents. Working on county drug lines. Darren advised a gentleman has been arrested for the attack on the woman in Angling Spring woods and the investigation is ongoing.

·      Hyde Heath Cricket Club (10 minutes)

·      Self Defence Classes (10 minutes)

·      Social Prescribers (10 minutes)

Hyde Heath Cricket Club

Emma Barrows updated the Board on the successful project funding application for Hyde Heath Cricket Club in Charlie Samuels absence. The Community Board provided contributory funding to assist with renovations to the pavilion which needed updating to make it more accessible and safe to more of the community. The funding is also going towards covers for the grounds. The cricket club is open to the whole community and the Board was happy to support this project. 

Peter said that Prestwood Colts are about to start work on their pavilion which the Board has also contributed to.  The work is due to start on 18^th December.

Self Defence Classes

Emma Barrows updated the Board. Delivering self defence classes was on the Community Board radar but due to the incident in Angling Spring Woods, Great Missenden, it was bought forward as a priority and delivered the first session two weeks after the incident happened. Thank you to the Misbourne School for allowing the training to be held there. We worked in partnership with Bucks Pro Mai, a local company who provided the training.  The second session took place on Saturday 25^th November at Little Kingshill Village Hall and altogether 54 women and teenage girls have been trained in self defence. Buckinghamshire Council’s Community Safety Team provided goodie bags for all those who attended, which included personal safety alarms amongst other safety tools. Looking to fund more sessions as there is a big demand locally.  

Social Prescribers

Sarah Hill, Social Prescriber covering the Missendens area. She explained this support is non clinical and they work in conjunction with the local GP surgeries. You can be referred by the GP or you can self refer. Examples of where they can support are bereavement, loneliness, social isolation and occupational therapy. Currently running two talking cafes – every Thursday in the Chiltern Lifestyle Centre in Amersham and Kingshill Kitchen, Little Kingshill on the third Wednesday morning of every month. They sign post people, connecting them to the community with services and activities in the area. Please share with the local community to say that this service is available. Just to note that everyone has to consent to the Social Prescribers contacting them.

Mike Etkind:  Where is your list of your local organisations held?

Sarah: The information is held on the Bucks Online Directory and is a very good tool. This information is also available at the Talking Café’s.  

Wendy Gray (Road Farm): Commented that this is an excellent service and building it’s ability to deliver. Currently in touch with the Social Prescribers to promote the services available at Road Farm. For example, some residents living with dementia attend the Farm through this service.

Sarah: Looking at implementing Community Connectors who are people who can represent the Social Prescriber service in the community  and give out the information. Always happy to attend events. Always interested to hear about new community groups also. It is noted that referees have  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To be presented by Kerry Rackstraw / Emma Barrows.

Kerry Rackstraw provided the following update:

We have been trying to reach as many community groups and partners as possible in the Missendens area. Recently, we have met with Thames Valley Police, Community Safety, the local PCSO and the Sensory Garden in Holmer Green.

Assisted Robert Gibson with the Community Speed Watch Meeting as previously mentioned.

30^th November – Men’s Mental Health being held at Road Farm. Details are on our Facebook page.

We attend the Talking Café at Kingshill Kitchen on the third Wednesday every month.

Holding a Counsellor / Community Board Surgery at The Pantry in Prestwood on Friday 8^th December from 9:30am to 11:30am.

Dementia Bus is a work in progress with information to follow.

If anyone knows of an organisation which may been community board funding for Cost of Living Projects, please do get in touch.

Kerry explained the funding we have allocated to date this year, with a list of the organisations we have supported to date. Also discussed figures we have in the pipeline.   

To be presented by Anita Cranmer

Officer support: John Macilwraith & Cate Duffy

Perks Lane HGV Traffic

Cllr Martin advised that a request has been received from a resident of Perks Lane in Prestwood who has complained of HGV traffic on the lane. This road is not suitable to heavy traffic. The resident has communicated with the Parish Council who have asked for more details regarding quantities and the companies involved. Cllr Wallce confirmed that some private residences on the lane have been having major work carried out which may have been the cause of these issues.   

It is noted that there was no MS Teams link on the agenda on the Modern Gov website. Cllr Martin and Kerry Rackstraw  will ensure the agenda includes a link in future. 

Change of Speed Limit on the Wycombe Road between the Lodge Lane area and Great Kingshill. Cllr Martin:  The speed limit goes from 30mph to 40mph. A serious accident occurred at the Peterley junction last year. The narrowness of the pavement and intimidating effect of vehicles driving at 40 mph has an impact on the residents walking in this area and Holy Trinity Church have particularly commented on this. They offer lots of groups and support to the local community but access is difficult for those who walk to the facility.

It has come to light that historically the former Bucks County Council had agreed in principal to reduce the speed limit down to 30mph. This didn’t happen due to lack of funds but agreed in principal. One of our community Boards in the South of the County has had a very similar set of circumstances and have had agreement from the Community Board to fund the change of speed limit and it has now been implemented. Cllr Martin has spoken to local stakeholders who have said they would be very keen to support this. 

Cllr Waters, Cllr Karen Pither, Cllr Heather Wallace all expressed their support of this initiative.