Agenda item

Guest Speakers

-          Alex Beckett, Climate Change Programme and Partnership Manager, and Phoebe Rison, Climate Change Officer

-          Joanna Ward, Burnham Library Manager

-          Michael Mills, Chairman Farnham Common Community Library

 

Minutes:

Michael Mills, Chairman Farnham Common Community Library

 

The Community Board were informed of the following points:

 

·       The Farnham Common library had been a community library since 2011.

·       The library was run totally by 35-40 volunteers in two hour shifts and supported by the Council. The library was always looking for more volunteers.

·       There were 300 Friends of the Library who donated to it.

·       The cost of electricity was the major cost at present.

·       Part of the library was rented out to generate income.

·       There were plenty of events and fundraising that took place at the library.

·       The underfloor heating system needed to be replaced which would be a large capital expenditure.

 

The Chair asked to what extent the library was a social hub for residents and was informed that the library was used for many different things, events for children, lunches, coach trips, dinner clubs, other adult events and just a place to come and chat. Even though many resources could be accessed online, the library was still very popular with children, especially with the connections with the local schools. The library was always a busy social hub in bringing the community together.

 

The Board thanked all the volunteers for their hard work in keeping the community library a key asset in the ward.

 

Alex Beckett, Climate Change Programme and Partnership Manager and Phoebe Rison, Climate Change Officer

 

The Board received a presentation from Alex Beckett (attached to the minutes). The following points were covered in the presentation:

 

·       The progress reported in the presentation was from October 2022 onwards.

·       Half a million trees had been planted on council land and further work was being done to engage local communities to secure funds for further tree planting. The planting programme had been mainly in Bury Farm, Amersham and Grange Farm, Hazelmere. The tree planting season had been exceeded for 2021-22.

·       There was engagement with the Forestry England Woodland Partnership Scheme who were paying to use Council land.

·       Other funding was from Urban Tree Challenge Fund and Woodland Creation Planning grant.

·       The followings areas were presented to the Board:

o   The projected carbon

o   The Climate Change Team

o   Capacity and Capability Improvements

o   Emissions from domestic premises

o   Emissions from Transport

o   Community Support and Information

o   Emissions from Council buildings

 

To a question asked about whether climate change would always be seen as cost focussed or would there ever be cash returns, the answer was that the investment now would be a benefit for the future.

 

Joanna Ward, Burnham Library Manager

 

Joanna Ward informed all that it was the library’s 50th year. The half-term week had been very busy with the healthy food activity. The children had planted a seed to understand how food grows and designed a poster about healthy food. The healthy food activity would nicely lead into the summer reading challenge. Burnham Library is one of the libraries piloting a new Healthy Libraries scheme which will later be rolled out countywide.

 

The library hosted painting, board games, duplo, scrabble, arty crafts, bounce, rhyme and storytime, knitter knatter, trains, chess and crafts. The library was very busy and was always looking for more volunteers.

 

Joanna Ward was looking into making the library interesting for teenagers and it was suggested that a quiet safe space with a phone charging point was always an incentive for teenagers. Other areas that would be focussed on were sleep and dementia and members of the community board would be contacted to assist, if they could.

 

Joanna Ward highlighted one major issue, parking at the library. As a result of non-library users parking at the library, actual library customers were being discouraged to use the library. Could any solutions be suggested by members of the community board. Three suggestions were offered, to contact the Parish Clerk, to speak with Burnham Centre and the Director of Major Projects would take away and liaise with the Parking Team at the Council.

 

The Chair thanked all the Guest Speakers for attending and presenting to the Community Board.