Agenda item

Public Question - The following question had been received from Dave Faulkner, Marlow Climate Action Network, and would be discussed by the relevant working group(s):

Levels of nitrogen dioxide in Marlow Town Centre have been in breach of air quality standards since 2010, and are showing only marginal improvement despite tighter emission standards for diesel vehicles. We think this situation is totally unacceptable, as well as illegal, and that more radical effective solutions need to be considered. We would suggest that an investigation and public consultation should be launched looking at both full or partial pedestrianisation of the High Street, options for making surrounding streets one way to optimize traffic flows, provision for cycle lanes which this would allow and local parking provision to either maintain or increase footfall in the High Street. Is this something that the Community Board is prepared to support?

A CB member queried whether ‘environment’ should be included under the Covid-19 recovery working group; the Chairman agreed to include an item on the number/composition of the working groups on the agenda for the next meeting.

ACTION:  Makyla Devlin

It was also noted that Marlow High Street was not a high pollution area; however, other roads such as Spittal Street and Chapel Street were of concern.  A number of groups were already discussing the air pollution/climate in Marlow; there was a downward trend and it was expected that the air quality would be below the limit by 2023.  Concern was raised over directing traffic into residential areas; it was a complex area and needed careful consideration.

Any Other Business - The Chairman advised he had been approached by Councillor Chris Whitehead who had proposed that some of the CB funds be deployed to the Buckinghamshire councillors.  The use of the funds would have to comply with the funding rules but would empower local members.  The Chairman proposed that £1,000, to be used by 31 December 2020, be deployed to each councillor, a total of £16,000.  If the money was not spent by the end of the year it would be returned to the central pot.  Councillor Whitehead seconded the proposal.

However, not all councillors were in agreement; an objection was raised as it was not a significant amount to be of use and would be better to stay in the main budget.  Another issue was that the funding criteria process was tedious but the Chairman emphasised that it was public money and the correct process needed to be followed.  If agreed, the deployed funding would need to be made known to the public.  A member of the CB queried whether the item was listed as a specific item under any other business as normal practice was that a board was unable to make a decision unless it was an agenda item.  The Chairman advised he had used his prerogative as Chairman and suggested having a vote and then seeking clarification.  However, another councillor stated it was an accurate comment under parish council regulations but was not included in the standing order of this board.

A roll call vote was carried out for all the Buckinghamshire and town and parish councillors present on the proposal to deploy £1,000 to each Buckinghamshire councillor for spend by 31 December 2020.  The result was as follows:

RESOLVED:  Members of the Community Board AGREED to the proposal to deploy £1,000 to each Buckinghamshire councillor on the SW Chilterns Community Board to be spent before 31 December 2020 or returned to the central budget.

Community Infrastructure Levy – It was suggested that the CB should be looking into how to bid for the Community Infrastructure Levy.

Financial Statement – it was requested that a financial statement be circulated before and included as an agenda item for the next meeting.

ACTION:  Makyla Devlin