The Buckinghamshire Council Transport, Environment, Communities & Climate Change Select Committee met to discuss a range of topics, including a six-month update on the Flooding Response Rapid Review, a progress report on electric vehicle infrastructure, and a six-month update on the Digital Exclusion Review. The committee also planned to review performance indicators and discuss the work programme for future meetings.

Flooding Response Rapid Review

The committee was scheduled to review the progress of recommendations made by the Flooding Response Working Group in its report submitted to the Cabinet in February 2025.

The report pack included a table detailing the recommendations, the Cabinet's response, and progress made in implementing the recommendations.

One recommendation was that the Strategic Flood Management Team and the Resilience Team should pursue a joint Medium Term Financial Plan bid to fund a communications post from the National Flooding Forum that can work closely with the council and at-risk communities. The Cabinet disagreed with this recommendation, but noted that the Climate Change and Flood Risk Team had secured a budget from the PGS Pipeline Development Fund to procure the services of an external provider to build flood resilience in communities in Buckinghamshire.

Another recommendation was that Anglian Water and Thames Water contribute towards the funding of this post. In response, Thames Water noted that they had invested in a Hyperlocal Communications Officer post and trialled a new model of engagement in Chalfont St Peter and Chalfont St Giles.

The committee was also scheduled to discuss a recommendation that the emerging Local Plan actively incorporates identified policies and measures to mitigate flooding, such as use of permeable paving. The council agreed with this recommendation, and noted that the draft Local Plan for Buckinghamshire for the Regulation 18 stage was due to go to Cabinet meeting on 9 September 2025.

Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Review

The committee was scheduled to consider a progress report on the delivery of the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure plan.

The report pack noted that following the External Auditor's Interim Annual Report for 2022/23, the Chairman of the Audit & Governance Committee recommended that the Transport, Environment, and Climate Change Select Committee receives detailed budget information on the Electric Vehicle Action Plan (EVAP), specifying how projects are being funded in the Council's capital programme.

The Buckinghamshire EVAP was published in June 2022 and represents the council's first 5-year Action Plan to support the transition to Electric Vehicles (EV). The aim of the Plan is to reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality as set out in the council's Climate Change and Air Quality Strategy¹.

The report pack included a table summarising the EVAP projects and funding allocations.

Digital Exclusion Review

The committee was scheduled to review the progress made in implementing the recommendations made by the Digital Exclusion Working Group in its report submitted to Cabinet in March 2025.

One recommendation was that all customer facing services in the council should review their online forms to ensure that they are user-friendly and accessible so that all customers can resolve their problem in a timely manner. The council agreed with this recommendation, and noted that the rollout of the new forms has been confirmed as fully compliant with Government Digital Service (GDS) accessibility standards.

Another recommendation was that the Communications team should share their expertise with Buckinghamshire Adult Learning to refresh their marketing strategy for Digital Courses, as they can't rely on social media promotion to reach their target audience. The council agreed with this recommendation, and noted that since mid-August, the Marketing and Communications Apprentice for Adult Learning has been joining the Corporate Communications team once a week.

The committee was also scheduled to discuss a recommendation that Cabinet should investigate the feasibility of establishing a countywide device recycling initiative whereby Buckinghamshire residents and businesses can donate their old devices to be recycled and offered to others in need. The council disagreed with this recommendation.

Performance Indicators

The committee was scheduled to discuss the Q4 performance report for the year 2024 to 2025 for the following portfolios:

• Transport
• Environment, Climate Change and Waste
• Communities

Transport Portfolio

One performance indicator that was scheduled to be discussed was the percentage of gullies cleaned against the cyclical gully programme. The target was 95%, but the outturn was 79%.

Another performance indicator that was scheduled to be discussed was the NHT public satisfaction on the condition of road surfaces (HMBI 01). The target was 14%, and the outturn was 13%.

The committee was also scheduled to discuss the number of publicly available electric vehicle charging units across Buckinghamshire. The target was 409, and the outturn was 367.

Communities Portfolio

One performance indicator that was scheduled to be discussed was the Household Support Fund (Helping Hands) percentage of projects spending against allocated use of funding. The target was 100%, and the outturn was 100%.

Another performance indicator that was scheduled to be discussed was the percentage of victims/survivors who say that they have had at least 2 positive outcomes on exit from/planned closure of Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) support. The target was 80%, and the outturn was 100%.

The committee was also scheduled to discuss the amount of Community Board funding supporting community organisation or community projects. The target was £1.00, and the outturn was £1.85.

Work Programme

The committee was scheduled to consider the work programme and agree the items for the next meeting which is taking place on Tuesday 4th November 2025.