Agenda item

The following hot topics were reported:-

The Leader

The Leader encouraged those that would like to continue to receive regular communications from the Council on events, services, project and consultations in their area to sign up for newsletters at www.buckinghshire.gov.uk.signup.

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing

Cabinet were informed that Government’s announcement last week on adult social care reform was a welcome step in the right direction.  An Adult and Social Care White Paper would come forward in due course that the Council would ensure it responded to.  The Government needed to ensure it worked with councils, their partners and those with lived experience, in order to develop a care and support system that was fit for the future and had sustainability of funding.

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration

Cabinet were informed of two issues:

·                     Local Heritage List Campaign– the Council was one of 22 areas in the country participating in a MHCLG pilot scheme, which was now live, to identify non-designated local heritage assets (buildings, monuments, sites, places, areas or landscapes which had been identified as having a degree of significance meriting consideration in planning decisions, because of their heritage interest), but must include buildings.  Members of the public were encouraged to identify assets they believed should be added to the list.

·                     Design Code pilot – the Council was one of 14 local planning authorities in England selected by the MHCLG to apply the new National Model Design Code (NMDC) to their areas in a six-month testing programme.  The code would give local planning authorities a toolkit of design principles to consider for new developments, such as street character, building type and façade. It also features environmental, heritage and wellbeing factors.  It would also help place shape for the new Buckinghamshire Local Plan.

Cabinet Member for Transport

Cabinet were informed that the Council had been awarded £0.5m from the Department of Transport to enhance and maintain signalisation (i.e. traffic lights and sensors) around the Aylesbury gyratory.

Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure

Cabinet were informed that local theatres had recently opened, which had included a production of ‘Hairspray’ at the Aylesbury Waterside theatre.  Buckinghamshire had recently featured in coverage that it was the home of the Paralympics.  Finally, the return of Pub in the Park would be taking place in Marlow from 16-19 September 2021.

Cabinet Member for Communities

Cabinet were informed of two issues:

·                     Community Boards update – a successful meeting of Community Board Chairmen and Vice Chairmen had been held on 6 September looking at projects and activities being undertaken.  Some of the projects being worked up included some Boards joining up to work on tackling speeding, the environment and a community karting project at Silverstone.  3 project approval panels had been held and considered 26 projects valued at approximately £500K.  Projects approved included for highways projects with feasibility studies, super health and wellbeing projects including outdoor gyms in 2 Parishes, a new BMX park, 7 dementia projects to raise awareness in the community and a Community fridge.  To date, approximately £800K in projects had been approved.

·                     Community Safety funding – the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner had announced additional Community Safety funding for Buckinghamshire: £50K in 2023-24 and £51K in 2024-25.  This would bring the total funding to £537,585.

Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment

Cabinet were informed that the national shortage of HGV drivers continued to impact refuse collections, in particular in the Chiltern and Wycombe areas.  The contractors (Veolia) had reported on Friday that they only were able to put out 41 of the normal 61 rounds in these areas due to driver shortages.  While this situation continued it had been agreed to continue the practice of collecting food waste alongside recyclates.  Buckinghamshire Council had continued to collect green waste across the area, although this service had been suspended by some other nearby Councils due to driver shortages.