Agenda item

·   Environment and Climate Change Action Group and Wycombe Environment - Cllr Sarfaraz Raja and Penelope Tollitt - 10 mins

·   Conservation project funded by High Wycombe Community Board - John Shaw, Chiltern Rangers - 10 mins

·   Improving the Environment projects and priorities – Ed Barlow, Buckinghamshire Council - 10 mins

 

Minutes:

Environment & Climate Change Action Group

 

Penelope Tollitt provided an insight into the Bee Squared project which the Wycombe Environment group and High Wycombe Community Board was working on in collaboration with Hazlemere Parish Council. The aim of the project was to increase wildflowers to support biodiversity and pollinating insects. Wildflower seed was purchased , packed by volunteers and distributed across the town. The help of schools was also enlisted and packets of seed handed out through the children.

 

Members were also informed of some other projects currently under consideration including Solar Streets, which encouraged people to put solar panels on their roofs https://solarstreets.co.uk/wycombe. High Wycombe Community Board would encourage and support local householders in accessing schemes, like those on offer from The Green Group / IDDEA, that created bulk discount benefits. Similar projects had been well supported in Frome, Henley, Thame, Marlow and St Albans. The Board supported initiatives such as Solar Streets as a way to promote solar power and renewables to Wycombe residents.

 

For further information about renewable energy schemes and alternative providers please visit the Energy Saving Trust or Simple Energy Advice websites for Government endorsed advice.  Please note that arrangements are with companies and householder directly.  Buckinghamshire Council does not endorse any specific commercial product or service mentioned or advised on by any private company. The Board was requested to help promote such schemes and details of a launch event through their networks and contacts:

 

Launch Presentation and Q&A session via Zoom: Thursday 22 July at 7.00 pm – 8.00 pm

Register for the Presentation and Q&A session by clicking on the date above.

After registering you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to join the meeting.

If you have any questions please contact Info@SolarStreets.co.uk

 

Members attention was also drawn to the possible opening of a repair cafe in High Wycombe. This was an idea based on taking along a broken object and receiving help in repairing it. This helped to prevent items going to waste when they were repairable.

 

Conservation Project – John Shaw

 

The Board received an update from Chiltern Rangers who received Community Board funding last financial year to deliver conservation work in the unparished area. Chiltern Rangers have been working with local community volunteers at the Wycombe Almshouses to transform the grass areas into a wildflower area to increase biodiversity and support pollinating insects. In collaboration with local community groups e.g. Men in Sheds nest boxes for swifts and blue tits had been constructed and put up. Working with local artist Dan Wilson and local students a painting has been erected on the side of the Almshouses to draw attention to the work and provide information on the nesting birds.  Cllr P Turner who managed the site at the Wycombe Almshouses expressed his thanks to the Community Board for funding the work, which not only benefitted the environment and biodiversity, but also contributed to the wellbeing of residents.

 

Environment Projects & Priorities

 

These priorities were highlighted by David Sutherland, including net zero carbon emissions by 2050, provision of electric vehicles, planting of half million trees and encouraging pollinators.