Agenda item

·       Buckinghamshire Council Update – to be presented by Sophie Payne, Service Director, Culture, Sport and Leisure, Buckinghamshire Council (included in the agenda pack)

·       Question Time – to respond to questions received.  To be presented by the Chairman.

Sophie Payne (SP) presented the Corporate update – see information attached. SP highlighted the following:

• Play Street scheme – which allowed residents to open up their streets for their children to play safely outside on their doorstep. Residents could apply for a Play Street session to temporarily close their road. SP advised that there were a number of benefits and case studies which can be found on the Play Streets website.
• Love Exploring App – this detailed local parks in the County and was interactive with dinosaurs and fairies to enable children to follow trials around a park.
• Summer Reading Challenge – now live in our libraries and was also linked to a theme for physical activities for children. Lot of activity cards and events and things going on in local libraries, a vast majority were free.
• Better Points App – which is about encouraging people to be active where rewards could be earnt with vouchers to spend in retail outlets. Great offers and competitions.
• Cost of Living – reminder on the Helping Hands team at Buckinghamshire Council and Holiday Activity and Food scheme which was currently running. Hughenden, Monks Risborough and West Wycombe schools all had schemes.
• Welcoming Spaces – our libraries had continued with this initiative. Although it is not cold, it has continued as spaces for all families and people to interact.
• Subsidised bus fares – more information can be found on Buckinghamshire Council’s website.
• New national fund to support local community organisations, to support people with cost of living issues.

Post meeting information:Councils are being asked to help spread the word about the government’s £76 million Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund to support communities most affected by the increased cost of living. The fund will distribute grants to frontline services that have been impacted by increased demand and support low-income households and individuals. Eligible organisations can apply for grants of £10,000 - £75,000.

The closing date for applications is noon on 16 October. Further information is available from the National Lottery Community Fund website.

• Ultrafast Broadband – this has been delivered in Radnage and Stokenchurch within the North West Chilterns.
• Bucks Rural Business Grant – which provides financial support and helps create opportunities for rural businesses in Buckinghamshire. The scheme would run until March 25 for organisations that employ fewer than 50 people. Funding was available for a variety of projects such as investment in net zero infrastructure projects, as well as financial support for farm businesses diversifying outside of agriculture.
• Film Office – the locations database had gone live and would be presented at the networking event in October.
• Open Weekend ((29/30 July) – venues offering lots of activities for all ages.  Hughenden Manor were doing crafts sessions for children.

·       Ward Boundary Consultation – Ward boundaries were due to be published. Councillors would reduce from 147 to 97. Wards would remain at 49, with new boundaries coming into effect at the local elections in May 2025.

Question Time – There were no questions to be answered.