The Buckinghamshire Council Cabinet meeting on 12 May 2026 saw a range of important decisions made, including the approval of new Best Start Family Hubs in High Wycombe and Burnham, and the adoption of the Buckinghamshire Shareholder and Trust Committee Annual Report. The Cabinet also discussed significant updates on road repairs, financial insecurity support, and the future of waste collection services.

Road Repairs and Infrastructure

Councillor Thomas Broom, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Transport, reported significant progress on road repairs, with over 2,000 defects being addressed monthly. He anticipated that the backlog caused by adverse weather would be cleared by the end of the month. The council has invested £120 million in Buckinghamshire's roads, enabling an increase in capital resurfacing projects from 220 to 270 this year. Seasonal work, including litter picking and grass cutting, is also underway across the county. Residents experiencing issues with overgrown grass affecting sightlines are encouraged to report them via FixMyStreet .

Planning Policy Changes

Councillor Peter Strachan, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning, highlighted potential significant changes to planning policy emerging from central government. These include proposals for applications involving more than 150 houses to be automatically referred to the Secretary of State, limitations on the size of planning committees, and the delegation of decisions for smaller applications.

Outsourcing of Parking Enforcement

Councillor Steve Bowles, Cabinet Member for Communities, provided an update on the outsourcing of parking enforcement. He confirmed that all current enforcement staff would transfer to ACPOA under TUPE regulations, protecting their employment and pension rights. ACPOA has recruited additional staff and is on track for full deployment by the go-live date of 1 June.

Financial Insecurity and Community Fund

Councillor Bowles also announced the launch of the financial wellbeing community fund, a partnership between Buckinghamshire Council and Heart of Bucks. This fund, utilising £800,000 from the crisis and resilience fund, aims to support voluntary and community organisations working to improve the financial wellbeing of residents and families in Buckinghamshire. The fund has two key objectives: to enhance individual financial resilience and to boost local support networks.

Library FLEX Service Enhancements

Councillor Peter Brazier, Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, reported on improvements to the Library FLEX service. The opening hours have been extended to 8 am to 8 pm, and a trial at Chesham library has enabled the booking of meeting rooms during unstaffed hours. This service will now be available at FLEX libraries in Aylesbury, Beaconsfield, Buckingham, Chesham, and Princes Risborough. Marlowe library will be added once its meeting rooms are reconfigured.

New Council Offices in High Wycombe

Councillor Broadbent and Councillor Brazier visited the Denmark Street site in High Wycombe, which is being developed into new council offices and will house the county archives. They reported that the project, managed by Wilmot Dixon, is progressing well and remains on track for completion in spring 2027.

Tobacco and Vape Legislation

Councillor Isobel Darby, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, noted that the Tobacco and Vape Bill had received Royal Assent. She highlighted that smoking rates in Buckinghamshire are already low, with 3% of women smoking during pregnancy and 8% in the general population. The new legislation aims to further reduce tobacco-related harm and protect vulnerable individuals.

Foster Care Fortnight

Councillor Carl Jackson, Cabinet Member for Education and Children's Services, marked Foster Care Fortnight by thanking the county's foster carers for their vital work in providing stable homes for children and young people. He highlighted a successful foster carers conference hosted by the council.

Buckinghamshire Tree Mission and Biodiversity Net Gain

Councillor Adekunle Osibogun, Cabinet Member for Environment, Climate Change and Waste, provided an update on the Buckinghamshire Tree Mission, which has already planted 257,000 trees. He also announced significant progress in biodiversity net gain projects, with the council leading nationally in the development of the off-site BNG market. Seven section 106 agreements have been signed, covering over 101 hectares of land for habitat creation.

Simpler Recycling Programme

Councillor Osibogun also reported on the Simpler Recycling Programme, which has achieved over 99% delivery to domestic households across the county. He noted encouraging early monitoring data, with collection crews reporting an average of nearly one ton of food waste collected per round daily.

Crematoria and Cemetery Service Award

Councillor Mark Winn, Cabinet Member for Housing and Regulatory Services, announced that Buckinghamshire Council's Crematoria and Cemetery Service had received the APSE Innovation Award. This national recognition celebrates the service's commitment to efficiency, high-quality service delivery, and innovation, particularly highlighting the performance monitoring dashboard introduced in 2023.

Water Supply and Canal Proposals

Councillor Robin Stuchbury asked a question regarding the council's role in supporting strategic water-supply and canal-related proposals affecting North Buckinghamshire, particularly concerning water supply, sewage capacity, and flood management within the MK18 postcode. Councillor Adekunle Osibogun, in a joint response with Councillor Peter Strachan, explained that the Grand Union Canal transfer project would not directly affect water supplies in the MK18 postcode, as it serves different water regions. The council is working with Anglian Water on a water cycle strategy to ensure sustainable water supplies. The Environment Agency is also conducting an appraisal into flood risk management options for Buckingham.

Best Start Programme and Family Hubs

The Cabinet endorsed the Best Start in Life Programme and agreed to designate two new Best Start Family Hubs (BSFHs) in High Wycombe and Burnham, in addition to the already designated Elmhurst Family Centre in Aylesbury. A capital budget of £678,000 has been agreed for these hubs, funded by a combination of the Best Start Grant and corporate capital funding. The former Day Opportunities Centre in Burnham will be repurposed as a BSFH, with the aim of opening by January 2027. The Cabinet Member for Education and Children's Services, Councillor Carl Jackson, was delegated the decision on the specific site location for the High Wycombe hub.

Buckinghamshire Shareholder and Trust Committee Annual Report

The Cabinet noted the Buckinghamshire Shareholder and Trust Committee Annual Report for 2025/26. Councillor Robert Carington, Chairman of the committee, presented the report, highlighting the committee's role in overseeing the governance of the council's companies, limited liability partnerships, and trusts. Key work undertaken included recommending the winding up of Consilio Property Limited, progressing the Woodlands project with Buckinghamshire Advantage, and expanding the committee's remit to include oversight of trusts.

Waste Collections and Street Scene Services

The Cabinet resolved to implement a single, outsourced model for Waste Collection and Street Scene Services across Buckinghamshire, with a staggered start date of October 2029 for the northern services and September 2030 for the southern services. The procurement process for this county-wide contract will commence in April 2026. This decision follows an options appraisal that indicated a single outsourced model would enhance value for money and provide year-on-year savings.

The next Cabinet meeting is scheduled for 9 June 2026.