High Wycombe Town Committee

High Wycombe Town Committee serves as an advisory body to us and the Cabinet on matters affecting the unparished area of High Wycombe.

It provides guidance on local matters and projects. It represents the views of the unparished area of High Wycombe and its residents.

The members of the Committee are from different political parties. The Councillors work together for the benefit of the unparished area.

The Committee oversees a budget which includes allocations for:

• the cemeteries
• maintenance of recreation grounds and allotments
• some grounds maintenance
• footway lighting
• town twinning
• war memorials
• events in Wycombe

The Committee works closely with the Charter Trustees to preserve and promote civic traditions including the annual unique weighing in of the Mayor.

They work closely with High Wycombe Community Board on:

• community engagement and encouraging public participation
• our Opportunity Bucks programme, working with communities to:
  • deliver sustained improvements to their everyday lives
  • enhance long-term outcomes,
  • uplift the quality of the public realm and environment

The Committee is made up of 16 councillors elected across 11 wards in the unparished area.

The Committee is chaired by Councillor Ed Gemmell and supported by a Vice-Chairman.

View details of the wider Committee and meetings.

They hold formal meetings quarterly.

During the meetings, they:

• discuss town priorities
• review budgets
• oversee their priorities

Partners may be invited to attend the meetings to give an update on their own work and partnership working in the local area. This includes the Thames Valley Police, High Wycombe BidCo and other local organisations.

The meetings are streamed online and minutes are published online for transparency. Residents are welcome to attend the meetings in person at:

Queen Victoria Road
High Wycombe
Buckinghamshire
HP11 1BB

View the webcast streams, agendas and minutes online.

Residents are encouraged to contact their local councillor about their local area which will help inform and direct the Committee in their work.

Our Corporate Plan 2026 to 2031 sets out the direction and priorities. It provides the golden thread for activities and service delivery for residents. View the dropdowns below.

In supporting the delivery of the Corporate Plan, the Committee have set out their vision and strategy for Wycombe. This includes:

• growing the local economy
• improvements to infrastructure and public realm
• bringing culture and arts
• improving the night-time economy
• increasing visitors and tourism

To deliver the work of the Committee, 7 sub-groups have been established and are led by councillors:

• Infrastructure & Parking (inc cemeteries)
• Planning & Neighbourhood Plan
• Budget
• Education
• Health & Wellbeing
• Environmental Regeneration
• Economic Regeneration

Five themes been agreed for immediate focus:

1. Night Time Economy (increasing prosperity/strengthening our communities and Successful businesses and careers/Vibrant and connected places/Thriving culture, heritage and natural environment)
2. Youth (strengthening our communities /protecting the vulnerable and Vibrant and connected places/Thriving culture, heritage and natural environment)
3. Tree Planting, Retaining, Relocating (improving our environment/protecting the vulnerable and Thriving culture, heritage and natural environment)
4. Neighbourhood Plan (increasing prosperity/strengthening our communities/improving our environment/protecting the vulnerable and Successful businesses and careers/Vibrant and connected places/Thriving culture, heritage and natural environment)
5. Health (strengthening our communities/protecting the vulnerable)

To support the delivery of these, the Committee have approved 11 priorities which are currently being delivered:

1. High Wycombe Life magazine – a further year’s funding has been given for a further three editions of the magazine across 2026 and into early 2027.
2. Traffic calming and speeding – a project has been established to consider the use of speed cameras across the unparished area of High Wycombe, with the aim to have measures in all wards
3. Blub and wildflower planting – additional bulb and wildflower planting across the unparished area, for planting to commence in the autumn.
4. Wycombe Railway Station – provision of an information board about the history of High Wycombe at the entrance to the station
5. Gaia - supporting bringing Gaia to High Wycombe About – Gaia
6. Wycombe Arts Centre – supporting enhancement to the Arts Centre
7. Totteridge Community Centre – to support repairs to the perimeter fence and main entrance
8. Community Café at Millbrook School – to support the re-establishment of a community café
9. Neighbourhood Plan – to create a plan for High Wycombe to support the vision and strategy, and bring improvements across the town
10. Improve web pages – to improve information about HWTC and what it does on the Council’s web pages
11. Administrator – creation of a temporary administrative role to support the work of the Committee

The Committee offers grants to local voluntary and community organisations. There are 2 grants available, one each for:

• community support
• community assets

Grants are for organisations in the unparished area and must benefit residents in High Wycombe. Grants are awarded based on set criteria which in turn delivers our objectives.

View more about the High Wycombe Town Committee community grants.