Agenda and minutes

Venue: Winslow Bowls Club Elm Fields Gate, Winslow MK18 3JG

Contact: Sophia Comer (Community Board Co-ordinator)  Harry Thomas (Democratic Services, Meeting Support)

Items
No. Item

1.

Chairman's Welcome

Minutes:

The Chairman, Councillor David Goss, welcomed the Community Board to the meeting.

2.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies had been received from Keith Higgins (Stewkley Parish Council), Suzanne Lindsey (Whaddon Parish Council), Ian Whipp (Newton Longville Parish Council) and Caroline Cousin (Great Horwood Parish Council).

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 180 KB

To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 28th July 2022.

Minutes:

The Chairman updated the Community Board on the actions from the previous meeting, which was held on 28 July 2022:

  • In relation to item 7 ‘Ukraine Update’ and the action regarding financial support for sponsors, Beth Dormer would be updating the Community Board on this issue as part of the ‘Ukraine Update’ at today’s meeting. 
  • With regards to the action under ‘Community Matters’, Sophia Comer (Community Board Manager Winslow and Villages) had sent an email to Members of the Community Board which explained the community board funding process in detail. If anyone had not received the email, they were asked to contact Sophia so that she could resend it to them.
  • In relation to item 9 ‘topics for future consideration’, it was noted that East-West Rail had been holding their own events to update members of the public.  Sophia Comer was investigating whether they would be willing to hold a drop in session prior to the start of a community board meeting.
  • Following a suggestion that a ‘hot topics’ item be considered for inclusion as a standing item at future meetings, the Community Board were advised that ‘Any Other Business’ had been added as a standing item to the agenda to cover this.  A comment was made, that it might be useful to have this item earlier on the agenda.  

 

It was resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 28 July 2022 be approved as a correct record.

 

4.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

There were none.

5.

Fire Service pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Jo Cook

Minutes:

Joanne Cook from the Bucks Fire & Rescue Service gave a presentation to the Community Board on Community Safety.  It was noted that the slides from the presentation would be included with the minutes.  The following key points were made in the presentation:

·         There were 18 fire stations in Buckinghamshire on various crewing models including whole time, day crewed and on call.

·         There were 3 fire safety teams: Aylesbury, Marlow and Milton Keynes. They had responsibility for fire safety in commercial buildings and in the ‘common parts’ of others, such as high-rise, retirement villages etc. that were legislated by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety Order). They were consulted with on large scale events when a Safety Advisory Group was convened and also on licensing applications. Furthermore, they addressed fire safety complaints.

·         In terms of prevention, fire safety advice was provided to people in ‘single private dwellings’, such as houses and flats including flats within retirement complexes. Engagement with the community and partners takes place to reduce risk:

o   where a number of deliberate fires in the open had occurred

o   to provide reassurance when a significant fire had occurred

o   to people being targeted due to age, medical issues or other factors which increase their risk of fire.

·         A Home Fire Safety Visit was a service offered to people who might be at increased risk of, or from, fire. A Home Fire Safety Visit covered: Home Fire Detection (smoke and heat) incorporating Assistive Technology, Fire Safety in the Home (kitchen, candles and escape planning), Fires and Heaters (safer heating), Clutter and Hoarding, Arson/Deliberate Fires, Smoking-Related Fires, Medicines and Medical Devices and Electrical Safety.

·         The Person Centred Framework was a national approach used for delivering an evidence based visit to people with dignity and compassion.

·         Some people were at greater risk from fire due to having a combination of risk factors. The service was therefore working on a three-year program to engage with those aged 80 or above.  To be most effective, the service needs the help of others to recognise where residents, who are 80 or above, have additional risk and with their consent refer them to the service.  Risk could be no smoke detection, a sensory loss (sight or hearing), mobility issues, dementia or other diagnoses that could affect their ability to respond.

·         Friends and family could refer someone to the service by calling 01296 744477 or by emailing centraladmin@bucksfire.gov.uk.  There was also a referral form which partners could complete to refer someone to the service. Consent of the person being referred was required when making a referral. The referral form would be sent to Members of the Community Board after the meeting. (ACTION: Sophia Comer) 

·         An online home fire safety check was being launched in November and could be accessed via www.safelincs.co.uk/hfsc/

 

In the discussion which followed, suggestions were made that doctors’ surgeries and parish councils might be able to help identify those residents over 80 who were at additional risk. A further suggestion was that Winslow Big  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

Ukraine Update

Beth Dormer, Buckinghamshire Council.

Minutes:

Beth Dormer (Sponsor Liaison Area Lead Officer) gave an update to the Community Board detailing the work undertaken in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, particularly regarding the local support given to the Ukrainian refugees settling in the community board area. The following key points were made in the update:

  • Support for Ukrainian guests continued across the county.  There were 695 sponsors and 1433 guests across Buckinghamshire, with 35 sponsors and 82 guests in the community board area.
  • Guests were still arriving from Ukraine, but the numbers arriving had dropped significantly and therefore the majority of guests had now been in Buckinghamshire for a while.
  • A key area being tackled by the team was housing, as many of the guests were coming up to the end of the initial 6-month housing arrangements with sponsors.   Options being considered included:
    • Extend with sponsor - Sponsors could apply to extend the existing living arrangements for a further six-month period. Payments of £350 per month to the sponsor would continue to be made during this time.  The Council was still waiting to find out what financial support might be available after this period.  Sponsors could set up a rent a room scheme after their guests had been living with them for one year.

The Council had introduced a discretionary payment of £500 if sponsors agree to host their guests to the end of December.  

    • Rematch with a new sponsor - However, there was a short supply of sponsors in the area, so this would not be an option for every guest. Members of the Community Board were encouraged to let Beth know if they knew anyone who might be interested in becoming a sponsor.
    • Private rental - Guests could look to rent privately if they could afford this. Some guests might be eligible for a Local Housing Allowance to help meet rental costs. Guests who pass an affordability assessment carried out by the Private Rent Team would be eligible for one month’s rent upfront and a deposit guarantee.
    • Social housing – All guests were eligible to register with Bucks Home Choice for social housing. However, there was a high demand for social housing in Buckinghamshire so some guests might be on the waiting list for a long time.
  • Beth thanked Winslow and District Community Bus for all their help with setting up day trips for the guests.

 

In the discussion which followed, Beth advised that the Council was working hard to help guests access work, for example by helping them with their CVs.  The team also signposted guests to voluntary sector organisations who were able to help such as ‘Smart Works’, which was a charity that helps give women the confidence they need to secure employment.

 

In response to a question regarding whether there was any funding available for an ipad for a Ukrainian pupil, Beth advised that schools were eligible to receive funding for Ukrainian pupils and therefore it was important to make sure that the school were in receipt of this  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Buckinghamshire Council Update pdf icon PDF 190 KB

Martin Dickman, Buckinghamshire Council.

Minutes:

Martin Dickman (Service Director for Neighbourhood Services) updated the Community Board on the matters covered in the Buckinghamshire Council Update document, which had been circulated as part of the agenda reports pack. It was highlighted that the Council had a number of initiatives to help with the cost of living crisis including the helping hands scheme, welcoming spaces and information and advice.  

 

Support for Ukrainian guests continued across the county.  The Council continued to work hard to make sure families could access schooling, work, finance, practical items, English language lessons and emotional support through the Helping Hand for Ukraine Scheme.  The Council continued to also work with its voluntary sector colleagues and local community groups to support families. 

 

It was noted that Buckinghamshire Council would be starting new highways contracts in April 2023 and that these would impact on Community Board projects currently in the pipeline. Given the changes to the Highway Service, Community Boards should not accept any additional applications highway schemes in 2022/23 and no further projects should be submitted for consideration for 2023/24. Community Boards would be consulted on the development of a new protocol and process for Highway Schemes during the transition to the new contract ready for April 2023.  The new highways working arrangement would include a community based design delivery model for small schemes specifically for Community Boards to develop their local highway schemes.

 

In the discussion which followed, a comment was made regarding how well the Council was doing with regards to the enforcement of fly-tipping. Martin advised that the Council had carried out a number of fly-tipping campaigns to help reduce the amount of rubbish that was fly-tipped. This included encouraging residents to not pay people in cash to get rid of their rubbish for them. Fly-tipping could be reported to the Council via ‘FixMyStreet’ on the Council’s website.

 

The Community Board thanked Martin for his update.

 

8.

Funding Update pdf icon PDF 3 MB

·       Priorities for 2023/24

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Sophia Comer provided a funding update. The following points were raised:

  • The budget for the Winslow and Villages Community Board for 2022-23 was £108,452. 
  • Funding agreed to date totalled £21,670.80
  • Projects funded since the last Community Board meeting in July were as follows:
    • Whaddon Yellow Lines -  £9635.65
    • Winslow & District Fish Club Lake Clearing & Water Quality Equipment - £915
    • Padbury Redevelopment of the Sports Pavilion - £15,000
    • North Marston History Club Document Scanner - £500
    • Granborough Glebe Meadow Pond - £953.24
  • Pictures of what the Community Board had been up over the last few months, including the Winslow and Villages Community Board Event that took place on 27 July 2022, would be included with the minutes.

 

Holly Meek (Youth Mentor Aylesbury Vale) from Action4Youth updated the Community Board on the success of the mentoring project, which the Community Board provided funding for last year.  The project involved the mentoring of young people through face to face sessions. The sessions were tailored to each individual young person and their goals. The aims of the project were as follows:

  • Improve educational attainment.
  • Provide strategies to young people experiencing low level mental health issues.
  • Provide a safe space for the young people to talk.
  • Help build self-esteem.
  • Encourage the young people to take part in outside interests/hobbies within the community.
  • Work as part of a multi-agency approach.

 

Holly advised that the expected caseload for the Winslow and Villages community board area was 4 young people, but that this had been exceeded as the actual caseload was 7. Out of the 7 young people, 5 had finished the programme and 2 were still being mentored. 

 

It was noted that the Outcomes Star framework was used to support and measure change in each young person throughout the intervention. The star allowed the young person to rate themselves on the six star points (aspiration, contribution, confidence, communication, learning, people and support). Holly explained that so far 100% of participants had made progress in at least two outcome areas and 74% of participants had made progress in at least three outcome areas. Holly provided the Community Board with a case study as an example of how the mentoring project was making a positive difference to young people’s lives. 

 

The Community Board thanked Holly for her update and was pleased to hear about the positive outcomes of the project and the difference it had made to the young people’s lives.  It was noted that the presentation slides for the update would be included with the minutes.

 

9.

Environment Action Group Update

Minutes:

Councillor John Chilver provided the Community Board with an Environment Action Group update. Cllr John Chilver and Councillor Jilly Jordan met with Hugh Ellerton, a Granborough Parish Councillor and wildlife enthusiast, on 15th October in the Glebe Meadow in Granborough. Glebe Meadow was a two acre south facing site, which the Diocese of Oxford had leased to the village. It was allotments until 1995 and since then had lain fallow. Local volunteers cleared much of the undergrowth last winter and two ponds were created in April through the generosity of a local farmer, but the lack of rain had hindered much of the progress on the site.  It was apparent that the larger of the two ponds was unlikely to hold water and would need a liner.  It was hoped that overflow water from the upper pond would flow into the lower pond through a land drain which had been installed in the meadow. Volunteers would continue to manage the site and it was hoped that selected trees would thrive and that wildflowers and pollinators could be planted for the benefit of wildlife. The site was very popular with villagers, as it adjoins the village playground, and had been met with widespread and grateful support.

 

The next site to be visited was along a public footpath opposite the Crown public house. The footpath rises up a slope to a new pond and the adjoining landowner was keen to plant native trees along the 500m of this footpath, which in the last half of the last century was lined with magnificent Elm trees. 500 native trees and 100 tree guards had been donated to the village and stakes had been obtained, but another 400 tree guards would be required as hungry deer were common in this area. An application had been made for a small grant to cover the costs of these guards.  Most of the saplings would arrive at the beginning of November and it was intended that the weekends of 19th/20th and 26th/27th November, weather permitting, would be set aside for volunteers to plant these trees. Implements such as spades and hammers had been lent by the National Trust and volunteers were welcome to come, particularly on the first day of tree planting which would be Saturday 19th at 10am.

 

The last site to be visited was at nearby Christmas Gorse and its adjoining wilded Meadow. The group was joined by the landowner, Andrew Mellow, and two volunteers, who had been instrumental in managing this exceptional woodland over the last two years. Andrew had explained to the Group how the woodland had evolved over the last century. Through neglect, the wood itself became impenetrable.  However, it nonetheless remained a fascinating site for wildlife. Under professional guidance, Andrew and his volunteers had managed to open up clearings in the woods in the hope that it would attract more insects and birds. Specifically, the plethora of mature oaks and goat willow would be ideal as a site for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

10.

Any Other Business

Requested items to be notified to the Chair Community Board Manager in advance of the meeting.

 

Suggestion Box

·       Future agenda items/guest speakers

·       Priorities for 2023-24 financial year

Minutes:

Former TSB building in Market Square, Winslow and Revitalising Winslow

 

The Chairman of the Community Board agreed that this item could be raised under Any Other Business and was presented by representatives of the Revitalising Winslow Group who were working to improve the vitality and viability of the Winslow Shopping Area as defined in the Winslow Neighbourhood Plan. 

 

They referred to a decision made by Buckinghamshire Council to give consent to an application for ‘prior approval’ in respect of the conversion of the ground floor of the former bank premises to two residential units. They explained that the Revitalising Winslow Group believed that in their opinion this loss of commercial space would have a severely negative affect on the vitality and viability of the commercial heart of the town and that further units might now be brought forward for conversion from retail to residential via the same planning process. It was stated by the Group that they were actively taking advice on the possibility of securing a Judicial Review of the decision.

 

It was explained that despite the decision on the former TSB premises, the Revitalising Winslow Group were actively working to support and enhance the retail offer in the town especially in the run up to Christmas and had been in touch with Winslow Town Council in the hope that the Town Council would be supportive of their immediate proposals. In the longer term, it was explained that the Group were seeking to secure support from Buckinghamshire Council through the Local Members and the Council’s Economic Development Team. The Group were therefore asking the following of the Community Board:

  1. ‘Will Bucks Council organise and fund a survey of residents within the Community Board area to establish the views of residents with regard to what types of retail and commercial services they would like to see in Winslow? This survey might also cover such matters as local transport issues and car parking.’
  2. ‘Will the Community Board support the group in seeking a meeting with Lisa Michelson, Director at Bucks Council for Economic Growth and Regeneration, with a view to establishing what other support Bucks Council can give to supporting the vitality and viability of Winslow as retail and commercial hub?’

 

The Chairman thanked the Members of the Revitalising Winslow Group for their update. 

 

In response to the request to organise and fund a survey, Sophia Comer (Community Board Manager Winslow and Villages) explained that as ‘economic recovery’ was one of the Community Board’s priorities, the Community Board might wish to set up an Action Group on this issue in order to take it forward. ACTION: Sophia Comer to support the setting up of a Task and Finish Action Group on this issue and to report back to next meeting.

 

The Chairman stated that he would contact Lisa Michelson or relevant officers and ask them to work with the Task and Finish Action Group with regards to the second request.

 

Suggestion Box

On the conclusion of the formal part of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

Date of Next Meeting

TBC

Minutes:

The Board noted the provisional date of Wednesday 1 February 2022 for the next meeting. Further details would be circulated once the date had been confirmed.