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Local Area Plan

August 2015

Amersham Local Area Forum

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Contents

The purpose of the Area Plan 2

Local Community Areas map 3

Map of The Amersham Local Area 4

The Amersham Local Area Forum 5

The Amersham Local Area Forum membership 6

Local Area Forum representatives 8

Service representatives and other contacts 9

The Local Area Profile 10

The Amersham Local Area Forum priorities 12

The purpose of the Amersham Area Plan

The purpose of the Amersham Area Plan is to

set out a clear list of local priorities that need to

be addressed in order to improve the social,

economic and environmental conditions within

the Amersham local area.

In some instances, the Amersham Local Area

Forum (LAF) will be able to directly impact on

actions to address one or more priority themes

through allocation of it’s delegated budgets. For

most of the projects, it is likely that the main

role of the LAF will be to act as a coordinating

body and catalyst for action, with the LAF taking

an investigative, supportive, developmental,

championing and monitoring role.

The Area Plan should be regarded as an initial

set of commitments, which can be added to in

the light of emerging opportunities, rather than

a fixed agenda that must be adhered to rigidly.

The LAF will work closely with partner

organisations to seek progress on the

priorities within the area plan.

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The Amersham Local Area Forum

The Amersham local area is covered by five

parishes (see page 7) which form the Local Area

Forum.

Local Area Forums are meetings where local

county, district and parish councillors, along

with representatives of the police, fire and

rescue, other public and voluntary/community

sector partners, meet to discuss local residents’

needs and priorities.

One of the first tasks for each Local Area Forum

was to determine priorities for the local area

plan. To this end, the Amersham LAF held a local

area planning workshop in November 2009. The

local priorities were then refreshed at work-

shops in June 2011, January 2013 and lastly in

December 2014.

Following the December 2014 workshop, five

top priorities were chosen to be taken forward

for action. These are::

Activities, facilities and support for young

people aged 11+

Traffic concerns including parking, road

safety and safer routes to schools

More accessible transport required

including community transport schemes

Reducing social isolation for older and

vulnerable people

Improvements to the environment and

green spaces.

Previous meetings have looked at: Changes to

Welfare Benefits; Improving the Health and

Wellbeing of the local community; ‘Access to

Stations’ project and the promotion of cycling;

young people’s employability skills.

Forthcoming meetings will be focussing on

addressing the identified local priorities for the

area. More information on this work can be

found on the following pages.

Meetings are held throughout the area. All

meetings are open to the public whose

attendance and questions are welcomed.

The Forum times and dates can be located at

www.buckscc.gov.uk. From the A-Z menu at

the bottom of the home page go to ‘C’ and then

committee membership. The LAF details are

towards the bottom of the page.

The LAF welcomes participation from

other partners/local groups and residents.

The Amersham local community area covers three divisions of the County Council. The role of

chairman is usually taken by a County Councillor

The Amersham Local Area Forum membership

County Councillors in the Amersham local area

Martin Phillips Amersham and Chesham Bois Tel: 01296 387699

Tel: 01494 433634

Email: [email protected]

Martin Tett Little Chalfont and Amersham

Common

Tel: 01296 382302


David Schofield Penn Wood and Old Amersham Tel: 01494 676440


Timothy Butcher Chalfont St Giles Tel: 01494 872070


Noel Brown Chess Valley Tel: 01494 783164


District Councillors in the Amersham local area

Davida Allen Amersham Town Phone: 01494 721085


Mark Flys Amersham Town Phone:


Caroline Jones Amersham Common Mobile: 07833 444740


Liz Walsh Amersham-on-the-Hill Phone: 01494 724833


Nigel Shepherd Amersham-on-the-Hill Phone: 01494 433340


Ashley Garth Ashley Green, Latimer & Chenies Mobile: 07980 462628


The local area falls within the Chiltern District. The Vice-Chairman for each meeting is taken from one

of the following district councillors:

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mailto:[email protected]











District Councillors in the Amersham local area

Mimi Harker Chesham Bois & Weedon Hill Mobile: 07798 892749

[email protected]

Keith Harris Chesham Bois & Weedon Hill Phone: 01494 433025


Alan Hardie Penn & Coleshill Mobile: 01494 681359


Julie Burton Penn & Coleshill Phone: 01494 726411


Parish council

Amersham Town

Council

Chenies CP

Chesham Bois CP

Coleshill CP

Penn CP

The LAF welcomes memberships from

other partners/local groups and resident

attendance. The following organisations

are members of the Local Area Forum:

Amersham Action Group

Old Amersham Community Revitalisation

Group

Local Neighbourhood Action Groups

Thames Valley Police

The Amersham LAF also comprises the following parishes. Each will have a nominated representative

(not shown) which, in addition to the County and District Councillors, are also voting members.

Contact details for the clerks are available by going to http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/about-your-council/

and reviewing the list of parish councils in ‘Councillors, meetings and decisions’.

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Representative Name Contact

Chairman

A local County Councillor agreed by the

LAF membership

Martin Phillips Tel: 01494 433634

Tel: 01296 387699


Vice-Chairman

A District Council nominated by the

District Council and agreed by the LAF

membership

Mimi Harker Mobile: 07798 892749


Lead Area Officer (County)

The Lead Area Officer is a County

Council senior manager who works with

the Locality Manager to provide senior

management support to the LAF.

Mark Preston Tel: 01296 383107


Locality Manager

The Locality Manager progresses both the

Local Area Plan and issues raised. The

Locality Manager also works with local

parishes and a wide range of partners on

projects to benefit local communities.

Jackie Wesley Tel: 01296 383839


Lead Area Officer (District)

Paul Nanji Tel: 01494 732110


Democratic Services Officer

The Democratic Services Officer is

responsible for the meeting administration

and note taking.

James Batt Tel: 01296 387541


There are a number of representatives from the County and District Council at the Amersham Local

Area Forum. These are:

Local Area Forum representatives




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Service Contact

Adult Social Care

Karen Adamson Tel: 01296 383847


Prevention Matters Community Links Officer:

Natalie Judson

Tel: 01296 382140


Transportation

Transport for Buckinghamshire

Main number for reporting highways

issues, etc.:

Local area technicians for Little

Chalfont and Amersham Common

and Amersham and Chesham Bois:

Kathleen Wilmhurst

Local area technicians for Penn

Wood and Old Amersham

Wayne Fabian

Mike Raven

Area Manager:

Tel: 0845 230 2882

John Lowe

Tel: 0845 230 2882


The following County Council service areas have local representatives working in your local

community are:

Service representatives


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The priorities below were identified at a workshop held

in December 2014.

The priorities are split into those that the LAF can work

on locally and those that are more strategic and

therefore, the LAF has to influence through lobbying

different services and organisations.

The top actionable priorities will be worked on by

the LAF and also updated on a regular basis as they are

taken forward. LAF budgets will be allocated to the

actionable priorities.

The Amersham area priorities

Top actionable priorities: to be worked on locally by the LAF and community groups

Activities, facilities and support for young people aged 11+

Traffic concerns including parking, road safety and safer routes to schools

More accessible transport required, including community transport schemes

Reducing social isolation for older and vulnerable people

Improvements to the environment and green spaces

Strategic priorities: the LAF will monitor and lobby on behalf of these priorities

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Priority: Activities, facilities and support for young people aged 11+

Summary of current

situation

More facilities and activities are required for young people as well as improving

links in service provision and information to young people. The LAF is particular-

ly interested in outreach work and work in rural communities.

Chiltern Youth Projects run a number of activities at the youth centre and

during the holidays, many in conjunction with the youth work supported by the

Town Council/St Mary’s Church. Youth groups have recently been set up in

Coleshill/Winchmore Hill through St Mary’s Church.

Work being

taken forward and

achievements to

date

Since 2014, the LAF has supported a mentoring project at Chiltern Youth

Projects and is working with the group on funding a Mental Health First Aid

Training project for young people through the Amersham Decides community

budgeting project.

The Pop-Up Cinema has been supported through the LAF (Martin Phillips) and

it is hoped that this activity can be extended to the parishes through funding

provided by Amersham Decides. Other support is being sought for a film

project for young people.

Work has taken place in the local area to engage with young people in all the

parishes and encourage them to participate in the democratic process. Almost

half the votes received in the Amersham Decides 2014 project were from

young people and it is hoped to achieve this success with the 2015 project

being extended to more schools and youth groups in the area.

Priority: Traffic concerns including parking, road safety and safer routes to schools

Summary of current

situation

Parking and speeding is an issue in the area, with speeding concerns identified

in Coleshill and areas of Amersham in particular. Also, residents have raised

concerns about parking and traffic congestion in Amersham Town and also

Raans Road in Amersham-on-the Hill and Pineapple Road/Limetree Walk in

Amersham Common.

Work being

taken forward and

achievements to

date

A number of projects were funded in 2014/15 including Barracks Hill Triangle in

Coleshill and white lining on the A404 at Chenies to reduce the hazard for right-

turning vehicles.

Since then, projects have come forward to the LAF for support and funding in

2014/15. Currently (June 2014) work is ongoing with residents with regard to

parking and traffic issues identified in Raans Road and Pineapple Road (also

Limetree Walk).

The LAF is also involved in a Living Streets walking project in Chesham and

Amersham.

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Priority: More accessible transport required, including community transport schemes

Summary of current

situation

Work is taking place to investigate the accessible transport needs in the area.

Work being

taken forward and

achievements to

date

Priority: Reducing social isolation for older and vulnerable people

Summary of current

situation

There is a need for projects that allow older people to live in their own homes

as well as support in accessing services. Particular interest is in local community

projects that aim to address the issue of social isolation and outreach projects or

building community capacity / neighbourliness schemes particularly in the parishes.

Work being

taken forward and

achievements to

date

Currently work is ongoing to set up a Men in Sheds project in the Amersham

area with the aim of reducing social isolation for men to include those who have

been recently bereaved, retired or unemployed, etc.

A Health and Wellbeing event was held in Amersham-on-the-Hill in late May 2015

in conjunction with the LAF’s Amersham Decides project to promote health and

activity opportunities for older people.

Priority: Improvements to the environment and green spaces

Summary of current

situation

The rural and green nature of the town and villages needs to be maintained and

there is an interest in developing volunteering and community service projects.

Work being

taken forward and

achievements to

date

One of the projects participating in Amersham Decides 2015 is Chiltern Rangers

which offers volunteering opportunities and conservation for young and older

people.

The LAF funded footpaths in Chesham Bois conservation area in 2014 and work

on the footpaths around Widmer Pond and Common Wood in Penn and a

permissive footpath in Whielden Lane, Winchmore Hill.

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