Agenda and minutes

Councillor Collins (Chairman) welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Apologies were received from Councillor M Baldwin, and from Lesley Ronson and Tony Skeggs.  There were no declarations of interest.

To review and agree the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 May 2022

An update was provided regarding Ollie’s Scout Hall.  There had been contact with the relevant Cabinet Member (Councillor Chilver, the Cabinet Member for Accessible Housing and Resources).  Councillors Collins and Newcombe would be meeting with the Cabinet Member, further updates would be provided in due course.

RESOLVED –

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 May 2022 be approved as a correct record.

To be presented by Michelle Parker, Buckinghamshire Council.

Michelle Parker, Community Board Manager, updated the meeting on the matters covered in the Corporate Update attached to the agenda.  This included information on:

-                      Support for Ukrainian guests continues across the county – further help is still needed.

-                      Support with food, bills and finances – Helping Hand and Holiday Activity Fund.

-                      Community boards will be at the county show on 1 September.

-                      Update on the £150 council tax energy rebate.

-                      Bucks Online Directory.

-                      Current and upcoming consultations, although there were none that currently directly impacted on the Wendover and Villages Community Board.

The Chairman updated the meeting on a visit that morning to the Aylesbury Vineyard Church, where English language lessons had been organized for Ukrainian guests.  He also updated the meeting on other work being done to organise activities for Ukrainians including a day bus trip and a tour of the High Court, Aylesbury.

To be presented by Michelle Parker, Buckinghamshire Council.

No questions had been received from the public prior to the meeting.

To be presented Michelle Parker, Buckinghamshire Council.

The Community Board Manager submitted a report with an overview of the funding that had been awarded so far in 2022/23.  It also detailed the budget position to date and at Appendix 1 detailed those projects that were funded in previous years but were still in progress.  A copy of the funding information is attached to the Minutes.

The meeting was informed that applications over £1k would require contributory funding however this did not have to be a 50/50 split.  The small grants application process was now available at: Apply for Community Board small grant funding | Buckinghamshire Council .   Contributary funding was not required for small grants applications as they are under £1k.  The current budgetary position was:

The follows issues were discussed:

-                 That Councillors Collins, Newcombe and Bowles would be meeting next week to discuss how Ukrainian guests could be supported in the longer term.

-                 The CB Manager would talk to Bierton after the meeting on their small grants application on ‘Bierton Events Group’.

-                 James Ingall (Kingsbrook PC) stated that they could assist Halton PC with their Traffic Data Capture issue.

The report also included information on the future approach to funding.  The Board had been working previously on a first come first served basis.  It was now proposed to have deadlines and then subsequently meeting to discuss these applications, including the possibility of applicant(s) attend these meetings.  The suggested funding cycle was as follows:

2022/23 Funding application round 1

Deadline for applications:  Friday 19^th August 2022

Formal decision meeting:  W/C 26^th September 2022

2022/23 Funding application round 2

Deadline for applications:  Friday 18^th October 2022

Formal decision meeting:  W/C 28^th November 2022

2022/23 Funding application round 3

Deadline for applications:  Friday 25^th November 2022

Formal decision meeting:  W/C 9^th January 2023

This would not include the small grants process which would be done via email.  The meeting was informed that 1-2 other Boards were considering a similar approach to funding deadlines but this was unique to Wendover at the moment.  A discussion would be needed offline on whether the available funding was split evenly between the 3 rounds.  However, there was general agreement that having funding deadlines was helpful and that organisations/individuals should submit requests ASAP.

RESOLVED –

(1)               That the Funding Update and current budgetary position be NOTED.

(2)               That the future approach to funding be AGREED, as discussed at the meeting.

Open discussion to take place on the priorities for 2022/23.  The following have been suggested to date:

·                    Social Isolation

·                    Health & Wellbeing

·                    Environment and Climate change

·                    Community Safety

·                    Economic Recovery

The Board discussed the main priorities for 2022/23.  The following suggestions had already been received by the Community Board Manager and were considered:

-                      Social Isolation.

-                      Health and Wellbeing.

-                      Environment and Climate change.

-                      Community Safety.

-                      Economic Recovery.

During discussions the following points were raised:

-                      It was felt by some that the Council could improve communications and how they made the most vulnerable aware of the support they could access.  Information was provided to the meeting on the different means used by the Council to communicate with local people.

-                      That Health and Wellbeing could have a wide remit and include issues such as social inclusion, economic vulnerability/recovery, support for young people and the environment/climate change.

-                      That it was important to let people know what the Board would not provide funding for, as well as what would be funded.

-                      That Community Safety was an important issue and covered children travelling to/from school.

-                      That priorities needed to reflect what local people wanted, and possibly have short term and long term priorities.

-                      That irrespective of the priorities, all applications for funding would be assessed on their individual merits.

RESOLVED –

That the Board’s priority for 2022/23 would be Health and Wellbeing, with sub themes of social inclusion, economic vulnerability/recovery, support for young people and the environment/climate change.

To be presented by Kirsty Shanahan

The meeting was given an update and presentation from Kirsty Shanahan on the Leaky Homes – end of project.  A copy of the presentation is attached to the Minutes which included information on the project outcomes and photos of homes that had been visited.  The Community Board had provided a grant of £1,210 and Buckinghamshire Community Energy had contributed at least £500 of volunteer time.  £997 of the grant had been spend and it was proposed that the remaining £212 was put towards another Leaky Homes Roadshow in December.  An Aston Clinton resident had requested an event and further requests were received at the meeting.

The meeting was informed that an Energy Efficiency Home Fair would be held at the The Wades Centre, Princes on 24 September, early bird tickets were £6.50 until 1 August.  Details of the fair were at: https://buckscommunityenergy.org/energy-efficient-homes-fair/

RESOLVED –

(1)               That Kirsty Shanahan be thanked for attending and presenting to the Board.

(2)               That the Board were happy for the £212 remaining funding to be put towards another Leaky Homes Roadshow in December.

To be presented by Neil O’Leary

The Board received a report on an Epetition (signed by 27 people) received by the Buckinghamshire Council and requesting the introduction of “effective” traffic calming measures on London Road through Buckland Wharf.  Councillor Paternoster (Buckland Parish Council) and the Chairman both stated that they had not been notified or consulted on the e-petition and did not believe they were in a position to deal with it at the meeting.  It was requested that Neil O’Leary contact the Buckland Parish Council to that they could then consult with local residents and feed back to the Council.

RESOLVED –

That consideration of the e-petition be deferred to be discussed at the next meeting.

To be held on 6 October 2022 and 9 February 2023

The next meetings would be held on 6 October 2022 and 9 February 2023.