Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors M Hussain and Mrs O Hayday

To approve the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 23 September 2021

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the last meeting of the High Wycombe Town Committee held on 23 September 2021 be confirmed as a true record, subject to the inclusion of M Smith in the list of attendees at the previous meeting.

To receive any declaration of interest

There were no declarations of interest

A report was considered which requested that Members agree to recommend the allocation of CIL monies towards the funding of a number of schemes, and that these be included within the medium term financial plan.

The report stated that the current level of funds presently held amounted to a total of £738,994. Outstanding commitments and funds available to allocate towards various projects were set out in tables 1 and 2 within the report. It was also highlighted that whilst funds secured varied, based on current information it was anticipated that around £300,000 of local allocation funding would be secured in the unparished area each year.

Members were also able to put forward other schemes/options to be funded from the Local Allocation of CIL, that they wished to be considered as part of the MTFP These would need support from the relevant service and would need to be endorsed by Cabinet and Council in due course.

In considering the report before them members also expressed the view that there was some disparity between the standard and quality of play areas and recreational grounds across the county whereby some were well resourced and others were not. It was felt that this needed to resolved.

Members also felt that there were various projects listed within table 3 which should not be financed from the Special Expense budget and therefore should not be funded from the Local Allocation of CIL. This included the Ropes on the Rye, the Rye under 8s play area and the Desborough Recreation ground play area. It was instead preferred that a parking review of the whole of the unparished area take place within Wycombe. It was requested that this should be combined with a map of open spaces in the unparished area of High Wycombe to show clarity around ownership responsibilities. (Parks in Wycombe ). There are three open spaces which the Committee were responsible for in Totteridge, Shelley and Booker.

Recommended to Cabinet that

(i)                  the remaining allocation of £368000 of CIL money be used to finance a review of parking areas within the unparished area of Wycombe.

(ii)                any residual funding, beyond that needed for the parking review, be used to fund play areas that have been the responsibility of High Wycombe Town Committee

A report was submitted which highlighted the Quarter 2 revenue forecast position for 2021/22 and the likely impact upon working balances for the current financial year for the High Wycombe Town Committee`s Special Expenses budget.

The net forecast outturn position for 2021/22 was £308k, a favourable variance of £58k against a total budget of £366k. The table set out in the report provided the detail for each activity area.

An update on the previous meeting of the Budget Sub Group held on 26 October 2021 was also provided. Members were informed that the paperwork for the next meeting to be held on 5 January would include any changes to costs relating to the grounds maintenance contract and the cemeteries.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

A report was considered which stated that the existing grounds maintenance contract for the Wycombe area awarded to Quadron who subsequently became Idverde had commenced in January 2013 and was now due for renewal. The green spaces contract was responsible for such services as grass cutting, litter clearance, and grave digging.

Members were informed that the contract had been awarded to Idverde, the current incumbent contractor. This procurement was on the basis of an initial three-year term contract for the Wycombe area, with the new contract starting from 1st January 2022 to 31st December 2024, with options of two separate extension periods of 12 months each, with a break clause between the initial term and the extensions. This would allow the Council greater flexibility for future opportunities in the future.

The routine costs associated with the services provided by the contract were detailed within the report.

Members expressed their thanks to officers for all the work they had undertaken in securing the contract

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

RESOLVED: That the work programme report be noted

18 January 2022

RESOLVED: That the net meeting take place on Tuesday 18 January 2022 at 7pm at QVR Offices.