North West Chilterns Working Groups

If you are interested in getting involved with one of our working groups or want to discuss an idea you have for a project, contact Jackie Binning, the Community Board Manager, by email at [email protected]

Chaired by Councillor Valerie McPherson.

Our action group aims are:

• to improve public health and wellbeing, mental health, social isolation, loneliness and deprivation for young and older people
• to consider areas of crime and anti-social behaviour to create safer and connected communities
• to consider any application in regards to community resilience

Chaired by Councillor Matthew Walsh.

Our action group aims are:

• to seek schemes and initiatives that support new and existing local businesses (urban and rural)
• to prioritise schemes and initiatives that help achieve the council’s Climate Change and Air Quality Strategy
• to consider any application in regards to economic regeneration

Chaired by Councillor Robert Carington.

Our action group aims are:

• to prioritise schemes and initiatives that help achieve and inform the Council's Climate Change and Air Quality Strategy
• to seek and support schemes that have a sustainable and lasting effect on the North West Chilterns area, improve the built or rural environment, reduce the impacts and increase awareness of climate change, and reverse environmental damage
• to consider any application in regards to the environment and climate change

Chaired by Councillor Carl Etholen.

Our action group aims are:

• to provide informed, local input into applications, consultations and petitions, in regard to transport and road issues, ensuring correct procedures are followed and an appropriate response obtained
• to improve road safety for all road users by pursuing appropriate improvements and changes to:
  • roads, footways, footpaths, bridleways and cycleways that are not up to the required standard, and hedges, verges and access points that are not maintained appropriately
  • speed limits, including enforcement and local monitoring
  • traffic and other road signs
  • on-street parking
• to improve the environment by promoting and encouraging:
  • active travel and new active travel routes
  • carbon emissions reduction
  • reduced car dependency and increased sustainable alternatives
• to continue to feed back the action group's work on delivering these objectives to Buckinghamshire Council to inform their decision makers and secure appropriate responses, remedies and actions

Projects that have been agreed include:

The Risborough Area Community Bus (RACB) has provided much needed transport to the elderly, particularly those without their own transport and brought footfall and income to the town centre.

Post-covid restrictions saw passenger numbers drop affecting the viability of the bus and also the town centre.

The North West Chilterns Community Board supported a social media campaign to increase awareness, attract younger passengers and encourage people to leave their car at home. As a result, RACB saw an increase in usage and new passengers and decided to extend the campaign for a further three months after project completion.

North West Chilterns and High Wycombe Community Boards funded the first Growing Hope High Wycombe clinic providing free therapy for children and young people with additional needs.

Parents of children with additional needs feel isolated and overwhelmed and Growing Hope provides Speech and Language and Occupational therapy. Children have come in completely non-verbal and by the end of their sessions have been able to start using words and communicating their needs.

We awarded funding to Active in the Community to run their 'Forever Cycling' sessions in 6 venues across the North West Chilterns.

The programme aims to get older adults physically, mentally and socially active by combining a cycling element, using floor pedals, with a virtual route projected onto a screen.

The project addresses social isolation and develops healthier lifestyles to improve mental wellbeing and strengthen a sense of community among participants, particularly among older residents.

The Chiltern Conservation Society applied for funding to deliver specific hedgerow projects across 3 farms. The project will deliver many environmental objectives, which include, a greater area of wildlife rich habitat, increase in biodiversity and more carbon will be stored and/or sequestered.

The project will also support farmers to encourage sustainable economic growth and to maximise opportunities, through helping them to access additional resources for longer-term funding such as Countryside Stewardship schemes and upskilling farmers in practical land management.

To ensure we meet our priority objectives the board has a developed the North West Chilterns Community Board Action Plan [PDF, 491 KB].

Contact the Community Board Manager for the programme.

Notes from previous meetings can be found within our committee details webpage.