Agenda and minutes

Venue: MS Teams Virtual Meeting

Contact: Elaine Hassall (Community Board Co-ordinator)  Rebecca Binstead (Democratic Services Support)

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Chairman's Welcome and introduction to the Community Board

Welcome from Cllr Ashley Waite, Chairman of the Haddenham and Waddesdon Community Board

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed the members and guests to the Haddenham and Waddesdon Community Board.

2.

Notes from the 30th June meeting pdf icon PDF 6 MB

To agree the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 30 June 2021 as an accurate record

Minutes:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 30th June, 2022 be approved as a correct record.

3.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

None

4.

The Queen's Green Canopy pdf icon PDF 6 MB

To be presented by the Hon Mrs Milly Soames, Deputy Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire

Minutes:

Hon Mrs Milly Soames, Deputy Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire informed the Community Board of the Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC), a tree planting initiative to honour Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022. Launched in May 2021, everyone was encouraged to plant trees during the planting season between October to March 2021 and in 2022. Members noted the planting of a tree on the roof of the YMCA in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire as part of a coordinated project with Bridgeman and Bridgeman. Hon Mrs Soames encouraged Members to share the project on social media.

 

The presentation slides referred to in this meeting would be appended to these minutes, with some key points below:

·       The QGC had partnered with a variety of organisations, including the Woodland Trust, Trees for Cities, and the Forest Canopy Foundation, who had significant tree planting experience.

·       Members noted the QGC Ambassadors, including Peter Rabbit to encourage younger people to get involved.

·       The Woodland Trust was providing free saplings to any school who applied for the QGC initiative.

·       Buckinghamshire Council were undertaking a project to map veteran trees.

·       The QGC had been working with Lindengate to explore the possibility of a long-term sapling nursery and incorporating wild meadow seeds in the planting for 2022.

·       The Hon Mrs Soames encouraged people to log their tree planting using the QGC interactive map.

·       Members noted the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Central Weekend in 2022, which would provide an opportunity for communities to come together to celebrate the Queen’s 70 years of service.

5.

Lets Get Active - how the Community Board is working with Public Health to support our physical and mental wellbeing

To be presented by Layla Ravey , Public Health Practitioner for Physical Activity

Minutes:

Ms Layla Ravey, Public Health Practitioner for Physical Activity, discussed how the community board was working with public health to support resident’s physical and mental well-being. As such, Public Health had developed health profiles individual to each Community Board alongside a set of recommendations. These can be viewed on the Health and Wellbeing Buckinghamshire Council website. The recommendations suggest ways in which the Community Board can support residents to lead healthier lives, such as develop and fund community programmes.

 

Ms Elaine Hassall, Community Board Coordinator, informed Members that the Environment and Health and Wellbeing action groups had met and identified the perception of conventional physical activity as an obstacle. Activities including litter picking and nature walks were suggested as ways to get residents out in the community and active.

 

Members noted some opportunities to get residents more active including:

·       Simply Walk, who were encouraging Parish Councils to start up level 1 walks up to 45 minutes. Each walk required 4 volunteers and training would be provided.

·       Public Health were meeting with Buckinghamshire Council archives to develop walks focused on topics such as photography and history.

·       Providing more allotment space

·       Train the Trainer to offer a 2-day intensive course for community members. This would provide the skills and equipment needed to deliver on a minimum of 3 different 5-week courses in the local community over a year to develop cooking skills.

·       Whole systems approach to obesity, to tackle obstacles across all areas including pavements and street lighting.

 

6.

Combatting Litter - ways in which the Community Board can help tackle litter

Community Board Coordinator interview with Berryfield Pickers and Waddesdon Wombles

Minutes:

Ms Hassall introduced the item and highlighted the detrimental effect of litter on wildlife as well as our own health and wellbeing. Councillor Phil Gomm, Chair of the Health and Wellbeing action group, brought forward the potential for litter picking groups to hold events once a month to bring the local community together.

 

The first guest speaker, Tracy Walker from the Waddesdon Wombles, explained that the group had been established 2 years ago and had been inspired by the Aylesbury Wombles. Ms Walker informed Members that the Waddesdon Wombles consists largely of families with children, but they were starting to see more elderly individuals get involved. The litter picking group would go out into the community once a month and during lockdown, they had about 30 individuals in attendance. The equipment was lent by the Aylesbury Wombles, who had supported the Waddesdon Wombles through their Aylesbury Wombles on Tour event up to Waddesdon. Roughly, the Waddesdon Wombles collect 10 bags a month. Moreover, the litter picking group had been approached by local pubs, which had been advantageous at improving community engagement and encouraging more elderly individuals to attend.

 

In response to the question: ‘How do you start a litter picking group’, Ms Walker explained that it can be useful to approach an established group to help with equipment. In addition, being visible to members of the public when on a litter picking walk, engaging in conversation, and a social media presence. It was later mentioned that groups on new estates could contact the developers for equipment such as high visibility jackets.

 

The Members then heard from Ms Carol Clifford from Berryfield Pickers. This litter picking group was based on the Berryfields estate and started in April 2021. The group consists of a range of individuals from families to retired people and collected 42 bags in the first week. The group had developed an award of ‘Litter Picker of the Week’ to encourage younger participants and had child-friendly equipment available. The response from schools had been positive, as the children’s litter picker equipment aided in dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and promotes responsibility. Members noted the issues faced by the Berryfield Pickers, as the land wasn’t adopted yet. Individuals were having difficulty with disposing of the rubbish and had to rely on it being placed in their personal waste bins.

 

Further to discussions on how the Community Board can support these groups, it was suggested the Buckinghamshire Waste Team could lend equipment for the short-term and the Board could explore small grants to enable groups to have their own equipment, subject to approval. Members also noted the possibility to help with a publicity campaign to discourage littering. This could include posters at strategic littering points and implementing more recycling bins for cans and bottles.

 

7.

Community Board and Funding update pdf icon PDF 506 KB

To be presented by Elaine Hassall, Community Board Coordinator

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Ms Hassall gave an update on the Community Board and project funding. Members noted the 3 key funding aims: volume, diversity, and geography. The presentation slides referred to in the meeting would be appended to these minutes. Members were encouraged to speak to the Chair and Ms Hassall regarding any project ideas.

 

In the discussion that followed, the following points were raised:

·       The Proud of Bucks Awards to celebrate and recognise community contribution by local individuals, groups, and organisations.

·       All projects put forward for Community Board funding must meet a set of requirements. More complex projects would be sent to a funding panel with the relevant service director and Cabinet Member to discuss. Projects would often take 4-6 weeks before they were circulated to Community Board Members to undergo scrutiny. Furthermore, Councillors were able to challenge projects.

 

8.

Community Matters

Opportunity for residents and members to raise pre-submitted issues and public questions

Minutes:

None

9.

Topics for future consideration

Minutes:

Councillor Waite, Chairman of the Community Board, informed Members of a potential project called the ‘Library of Things’. This would be a lending library with a collection of objects which residents can loan. Such objects include kitchen appliances, recreation equipment, and musical instruments. These items would be useful to residents in the area and could potentially be expanded to the loaning of larger items available to community groups such as tables, chairs, and gazebos.  Members noted the need to form a group of volunteers to help steer the project forward, a suitable venue, help building relationships with repair centres, and other grant providers to help steer the project to be self-sufficient in the future. Members were encouraged to contact the Chair and Coordinator for any queries.

 

The Community Board were also informed of future youth engagement projects and the launch of a pilot project to reach out to local schools and help them design and deliver projects into the community.

10.

Date of next meeting

TBC

Minutes:

Wednesday 9th February 2022 at 6.30pm