Some £200 million of reserves from Wycombe District Council (WDC) will be handed over to the new Buckinghamshire Council in Aylesbury – prompting major concerns from the High Wycombe Society.

In a letter sent to WDC leader Cllr Katrina Wood and seen by the Bucks Free Press, the trustees of the society have urged for reassurances that the money will continue to be spend on High Wycombe – and “not just lost within the larger budgets of the new council” once it gets going in April.

The group, which speaks out on issues concerning the town and its heritage has highlighted a string of projects in High Wycombe that could do with more funding.

They said: “While we are grateful for the good work that WDC has done over the years to improve the look and attractiveness of our town in many different ways, we would like to highlight projects which could well do with funding.

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“For example, in Frogmoor, once a garden with a fountain that today remains bleak and set in bland concrete.

“There is the repair or perhaps removal of the underpass linking Queen Victoria Road to The Rye which remains unusable following annual flooding.

“Then there are the 12th century ruins of the Hospital of St John the Baptist in Easton Street currently overgrown by trees and bushes undermining the walls. With a little landscaping and the removal of the trees, this could again form an attractive entrance to Wycombe from the east.

“There is also the 13th century South Porch of the Parish Church which has been closed since 2018. It is badly in need of restoration and makes an important visual impact in the centre of the town. Our list could go on.”

Those new councillors who will be elected to represent High Wycombe need to ensure these millions are spent on the town, they urged – saying it would be a serious “dereliction of responsibility and care” for the town if they do not.

They added: “For the first time in 700 years High Wycombe will no longer have a local executive council. Instead unlike any other town in the county the future of High Wycombe will be decided as part of the county plans in Aylesbury.

“We therefore look forward to receiving an assurance that when the new Buckinghamshire Council is finally in place these funds will be used to carry out the important work needed to maintain and enhance the largest town in Buckinghamshire, High Wycombe.”