July's WDC Cabinet - live blog (From Bucks Free Press)

8:59pm

Cabinet approved the proposed decision in front of them tonight, the points were:

"A) That commencement of the procurement of an operator for the proposed new Wycombe Sports & Leisure Centre (WS&LC), CGLC and Princes Risborough Fitness and Centre be approved;

B) the planned investment programme for the 3 Sports and Leisure Centres set out in the report at Appendix “A” be approved and approval be given to an additional £90,000 to top up the annual provision from the Repairs and Renewals fund to meet the funding gap; and

C) that additional funding of £100,000 be provided to enable an additional staff resource to be employed to provide client-side input to the procurement work and ongoing design work and an additional staff resource to manage building related aspects of the current contract up to its termination."

8:49pm

8:18pm

The Daws Hill Neighbourhood Forum and Area application as set out in the agenda has been approved subject to delegated powers - we'll chase this up tomorrow as we've been kicked out again!

8:09pm

Just to warn you, I only have 7% battery left!

8:02pm

8:00pm

So, readers, what do you think of our first council meeting live blog (minus the REALLY big ones of course - remember the stadium?) Good, bad, undecided!? Let us know your thoughts with the comments facility or #bfplive!

7:58pm

The Daws Hill Neighbourhood Forum and Area application is being discussed. I'm told we'll be let back in before the decision is taken!

7:56pm

Just to update you, press and public have been asked to leave the Council Chamber for a few minutes - but my laptop battery might die in that time!!

7:40pm

The council is also looking for the public's feedback over the existing leisure facilities.

7:25pm

As a result, councils have to draw up their own Council Tax schemes, but have to factor in a cut in their grant of more than 11 per cent in Government funding.

7:24pm

The Government is set to abolish the current system of Council Tax benefits from next April. 

7:07pm

What are your views of the Cabinet's decisions? Leave a comment below or tweet using the hashtag #bfplive

7:07pm

The cemetery regulations are to be changed and an independent trust is expected to be set up to manage Wycombe Museum. 

7:05pm

So, to recap, Bassetsbury Lane Allotments is to be closed permanently - unless the High Wycombe Town Committee elects to fund a final soil test, but even that might not be enough.

Tenants, what do you think of that?

6:51pm

A proposed multiple point decision about a programme being put in place for housing/temporary accomodation – including retaining Saunderton Lodge - is being put before Cabinet tonight and it has been approved.

To read all the points to that decision, click here .

6:46pm

Cllr David Carroll urged the cllrs to "be positive for a change" and said the council "has a duty" to put a programme in place.

6:44pm

Cllrs Snaith and Victoria Groulef expressing their concerns over the council's plan for temporary accomodation for the homeless and vulnerable.

6:41pm

A few details still to iron out but visit the BFP website on Thursday for a full story on that - I'm having a sit down chat with Cllr Katrina Wood tomorrow afternoon.

6:35pm

Thanks @gpn01, just to clarify you will be seeing a lot more of our live blogs for other things such as major breaking incidents and events. This is the first time we've used it and hopefully our readers will like them!

6:32pm

6:32pm

Still to come, as they say on TV, proposals to create a Trust to manage the Museum and Arts Development Service and the Daws Hill Neighbourhood Forum application .

6:22pm

Cllr Katrina Wood reiterates that the council cannot reuse graves after Cllr Mahboob Hussain said some areas of the community feared some graves would be disturbed after 50 years.

6:19pm

This new system is great but it is hard to search for tweets - so if you want to tweet me your views, use the hashtag #BFPLive - thanks!

6:18pm

Members now mulling over plans to change the exclusive right of burial from 99 years to 50 years with unlimited renewals. Click here for our story.

6:14pm

Councillors discussing a High Wycombe Town Committee working party proposal to address deficiencies in community facilities - but it is going back to the committee for further discussion.

6:02pm

Cllr Collingwood said he would rather spend the money on investigating whether a larger piece of land in Castlefield would be a better option to Bassetsbury - which is to be done.

5:58pm

Cllr Trevor Snaith urged the Cabinet to back the Detailed Quantitative Risk Assessment as it would give the council a final ruling either way.

5:52pm

WDC Leader Cllr Alex Collingwood does not want to fund the £20,000 final soil test. He said: "We already know it's contimated, this survey will only reveal how much. It appears the Town Committee aren't willing to put their money where their mouth is and pay for this themselves so why should the rest of the district fund it?" He is pulling for option four - full closure.

5:48pm

Cllr Tony Green puts High Wycombe Town Committee's plea for WDC to fund a final survey of the contamined allotments site before Cabinet.

5:46pm

Future of Bassetsbury Lane Allotments being debated at the moment in the first major agenda item.

5:46pm

This is a trial run by the Free Press to cover key council meetings live - so send us your views on Twitter @bucksfreepress or by leaving a comment.

5:45pm

Welcome to a live blog from Wycombe District Council's Cabinet meeting for July.