Agenda item

o   Dementia Friendly Community – Cllr David Johncock

o   Covid Recovery & Regeneration – Cllr David Watson

o   Highways & Traffic – Cllr David Johncock

o   Community & Open Spaces – Cllr Jonathan Waters

                            Hazlemere Scout Hut – Malcolm Waters

                            Nest Swings – Cllr Kate Dicker, Penn P.C

                            Beaconsfield Community Garden – Alexa Collins, Beaconsfield T.C

o    

Video 30m

Covid Recovery & Regeneration – Cllr D Watson

• The group wanted to support residents looking for new employment opportunities to start their own business. They would be working with Bucks Business First (BBF) and 6 other Community Boards to provide Be Your Own Boss training. £3k had been awarded to provide 12 support places. The initial communication plan had not been effective in reaching the target audience affecting take up. BBF had rearranged dates and new details would be publicised on the Board’s Facebook page.
• There had been discussion around how to support High Streets across the area. Ideas had included:
  • Free parking.
  • Promoting local connections for business.
  • Space for pop-ups.
  • Considering challenges created by businesses who had restructured under Covid and may not return to the High Street.

Highways & Traffic – Cllr D Johncock

• The group had met once and had  submitted 10 proposals for Transport for Bucks (TfB) to provide costs and assessments. Once costings were received the group would discuss match funding opportunities with town and parish councils before confirming which schemes to proceeded with.
• Two petitions had been received (also see video 1h 15m):
  • Lakes Lane Parking Restrictions – The petition had formed one of the applications made to TfB. This would be discussed at the next Highways and Traffic working group.
  • A455 30mph speed limit - Feedback would be sought from TfB regarding whether the area had already been identified as a safety need.  It was agreed this would be discussed at the next meeting of the Highways & Traffic working group, 15 March 2021.
• Many applications received had been regarding parking and the need for double yellow lines. It was hoped that the costs of the Transport Regulation Order (TRO) needed to install yellow lines could be shared across several Community Boards.

Community & Open Spaces – Cllr J Waters

• A Climate Change working group lead by Cllr C Oliver would be created to support positive change locally. Interested parties should contact Mr Chapman to join the group.
• Mental health in schools had been identified as an area of concern. Mr Chapman was in discussion with Bucks Mind to provide Mental Health First Aid training to school staff. Other Community Boards had shown an interest in sharing costs.
• The Dementia Friendly Community project, chaired by Cllr Johncock, in collaboration with Chepping Wycombe PC had been raising awareness locally, including with leaflets and a new webpage.  Local businesses had attended the first round of training in December. It was hoped the model could be shared with other Community Boards.
• Working with parish and town councils to improve accessibility to outdoor spaces and facilities across all abilities and ages.

Funding applications

Where a vote is required (where there is not consensus) then this will be by a show of hands of formal board members present. Prior to such a vote, the Chairman may upon his/her discretion take an indicative vote of representatives from local organisations, including town and parish councils, who are present. Each organisation will have one indicative vote. It was confirmed that Councillors who also had a personal interest, i.e. who were also parish councillors, did not need to excuse themselves from discussions or voting. Please see declarations of interest.

Mr Chapman introduced the following new applications for the Board’s consideration:

Hazlemere Scout Hut,  11^th Wycombe (Hazlemere) Scouts

Video 48m

Requested: £5,000 (with funding contribution already agreed from Hazlemere Parish Council (HPC))

Description: The group had previously raised funds for repairs following an arson attack only to lose out when their contractor went into liquidation. Following further fund raising they now wished to install a new heating system, with green considerations such as remote-control access, to enable them to reopen the building post lockdown.

Discussion: There were currently restrictions on the lease that prohibited use by outside bodies. This was under discussion with the leaseholder, Buckinghamshire Council. Mr Chapman confirmed it was not a grant requirement that the building have a wider community purpose, but the Scouts were willing to consider shared access.

RESOLVED

The request £5000 for funding to Hazlemere Scouts was AGREED.

Nest Swings, Penn Parish Council (PPC)

Requested: £4,647.30 with match funding.

Description: To install inclusive, disability friendly nest swings at the Knotty Green and Chancellors, Penn Street recreation areas. This supported the PPC goal to include one piece of inclusive equipment in each of their play areas.

RESOLVED

The request for £4,647.30 funding for Penn Parish Council was AGREED.

Beaconsfield Community Garden, Beaconsfield Town Council (BTC)

Requested: £9,775 with matched funding

Description: To create a multigenerational,  accessible community space at the Ivins Road allotments for individual users and to support organisations providing services locally.

Discussion:

• The BTC acknowledged a need for mental health support locally and felt this was best supported by outside organisations who had the relevant expertise. It was confirmed the space was expected to support future provision from organisations, such as Chiltern Rangers, rather than duplicate support already on offer.
• The increased need for allotments locally was raised. BTC were aware the loss of 58 private allotments at Wilton Park but would not be able to offer that level of alternative provision. The garden would take up the space of two allotments plots and BTC had received permission for additional allotment space at Ivins Road resulting in no net loss to BTC availability as a result of this project.
• There was a suggestion that the garden may be in the wrong place both in terms of its place in town and location on the green belt.
• Ms Collins confirmed that the project had gone through the relevant Town Council process.
• The garden had been designed by a local resident, who was a landscape architect student and keen allotment holder, to need minimal maintenance, BTC proposed no additional budget for the maintenance of the garden.

RESOLVED

The request for £8,775 funding for Beaconsfield Town Council was AGREED.