Agenda item

Updates will be provided on the work of the action groups listed below; the reports are included in the agenda pack:

·       Community Engagement

·       Highways and Transport

·       Environment and Climate Change

·       Economic Development and Regeneration

The following reports have been included for information:

·       The Funding Report

·       The Action Plan

·       The South West Chilterns Community Board profile

Community Engagement and Health and Wellbeing Action Group

Cllr Carol Heap, Chairman, provided an update since the last meeting in November.  Cllr Heap reported that attendance had grown steadily and the reach had been extended to include additional voluntary organisations and individuals.   Funding applications for a wide variety of events across the areas continued to be received and Cllr Heap stressed that it was not just about funding projects, it was also about building community resilience.   Community organisations were invited to the action group meetings to raise awareness of their work; the sessions were well received and sometimes resulted in a funding application but generally had great value.  Members of the Communities Team at Buckinghamshire Council occasionally attended to talk about Council initiatives and services that might be of interest to residents e.g., community safety, crime prevention.   The action group also promoted services such as the Helping Hands School holiday programme activities and vouchers for eligible children and other initiatives supported by the Council.  Cllr Heap highlighted that several of the organisations would be in attendance at the event in Higginson Park on 2 April 2022.

Highways and Transport Action Group

Cllr Mark Turner reported that a number of project initiation documents (PIDs) were awaited and would be discussed with the CB members to agree on what could be afforded and programmed into the 2023 Transport for Bucks schedule.  Several other projects had been discussed; the cycle path project had progressed and a quote was being obtained from Sustrans which would help formulate the cycle path route.  Cllr Turner added it would not work for school travel specifically but the group would consider more involvement with Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs).  Cllr Turner advised that the Trinity Road Quietway consultation had been extended to the end of May 2022.  The ‘park and stride’ project was not viable as it would cost approximately £52,000 for the Dean Street car park in Marlow and half that amount for the Wakeman Road car park and it might be better to engage with the PTAs.  The group had also debated verge parking, the Marlow Bridge weight restrictions, the petition on Terrington Hill and cycle gullies on the Volvo Bridge.  A meeting had been held with Cllr Steve Broadbent to discuss the Westhorpe inter-change project.  Progress had been made on the broadband application in Freith.  Unfortunately, Open Reach would be ceasing the gigabit voucher scheme on 31 May 2022.

The following key points were raised in discussion:

• Following a query on why the Trinity Road Quietway consultation had been extended, Cllr Turner explained that it was going to full consultation as there were a number of issues and it was important to get it right.  Makyla Devlin, Community Board Co-ordinator, confirmed that it had been agreed by Buckinghamshire Council (BC) cabinet members that the duration of the trial be extended until May 2022 in order to facilitate the undertaking of a formal statutory consultation.  The consultation had closed on 19 January 2022 and the consultation responses were being reviewed prior to any decision being undertaken on the future of the scheme and this would be communicated with the local community once the responses had been reviewed and the decision made.
• Cllr Turner explained that the cost of the park and stride scheme was the estimated loss of revenue for providing half an hour’s free parking at any time during the day.
• It was suggested that a sign be placed in GP surgeries encouraging people to walk or cycle in areas of high NO₂ levels.

Environment and Climate Change Action Group

Cllr Neil Marshall reported that the approval process for partial funding for solar panels at Spinfield School in Marlow was almost complete and should save approximately £10,500 over ten years and 7 tonnes of carbon.  Similar requests from other schools could be considered during 2022/2023.  BC had commissioned a study on the low emission zone for Marlow which had been disappointingly inconclusive.  Nick Rowcliffe, Sustainability Action Consultant to Marlow Town Council, had collected data post-covid and two charts were presented, appended to the minutes.  The first chart showed the timeline NO₂ levels in Marlow which had been measured at 15 different monitoring stations.  The level was above the legal limit until 2020.  However, there had been a surprisingly small increase in 2021 and there were two possibilities; 2021 was still affected by covid and traffic levels had not returned or it due to a step change in working patterns.  The second chart showed the raw data and the pre-pandemic lines were all higher, with particularly higher levels in the winter.  The average level for 2021 had not climbed back up which suggested a larger change and that there may not be a rapid return to pre-pandemic levels which were above the legal limit. 

The following key points were raised in discussion:

• The air pollution in Chapel Street, Marlow, has been exacerbated by the temporary traffic lights; it was noted that levels were high during peak time but were heading in the right direction.
• In response to whether the impact of electric car usage was being monitored: N Rowcliffe advised that the Marlow Environmental Performance Index data was being finalised and would show an increase in electric car ownership and would have contributed to the lower levels of pollution.
• Cllr N Marshall suggested requesting a scattergram which plotted the location of patients with respiratory illnesses to see if they collided with areas of high pollution.  Dr Macdonald advised that the Public Health team at BC could provide the information.  The Chairman recommended that this item be added to the topics to be discussed at a future meeting.

Action:  Makyla Devlin

• It was also suggested that the data on pollution levels from the Little Marlow Sewage Works should also be analysed and discussed at a future meeting.

Action:  Makyla Devlin

• Concern was also raised over the future levels of particulates in the atmosphere, particularly in the river valley, if more people were to switch to wood burning stoves.
• Cllr Michael Detsiny, Lane End Parish Council, highlighted that an improved bus service between Lane End and Marlow would result in enormous environmental advantages.  The Chairman agreed that this was a good suggestion and that it be discussed within the Transport Action Group.

Action: Cllr Turner 

Economic Development and Regeneration Action Group

Cllr Zahir Mohammed reported that the group had received a presentation on the business parks within the CB area; some of which were looking for new tenants. The Liston Court Garden project had been discussed and a revised design would be presented to group.  One of Bucks Business First’s applications had been declined but their application for a ‘Visit Bucks Plan for Tourism’ had been approved but needed to incorporate the villages as it was Marlow centric.  The application for a Hambleden Valley visitor guide had been approved.  Marlow Film Studio had provided their plans in terms of economy, infrastructure and the environment etc and an application was expected in March.  Some progress had been made on the rural economy side and work was being carried out with farmers and the NFU.  The Marlow Lights event was a success.  An application had been received from Transition Town Marlow for a bi-monthly market; this had been approved subject to review after six months.