Main Aim / To enhance democratic representation to promote Houghton Regis in the locality and to support local community groups and organisations.
Objective / To continue to support the Town Mayor in his civic functions and fund raising events, and as a representative at outside organisations.
How /
  1. Continue to provide Mayors Secretarial support.
  2. To promote the availability of the Mayor to attend local community events
  3. To publicise events that the mayor has attended
  4. Investigate new / altered Chain of Office & report to Council for approval

Timescale /
  1. Secretary support ongoing
  2. June 2013
  3. June 2013
  4. Investigate options by 2015

Budget Total / Officer time.
Chain £4500
Annual Budget / Annual provision £1500 to EMR
Update on Progress /
  1. Ongoing Mayors Secretarial support provided
  2. To include as standard item in Town Crier and advise on website
  3. To include in Town Crier and advise on website
  4. Annual budget provision made

Current Status / Ongoing progression of actions.
Main Aim / To enhance democratic representation to promote Houghton Regis in the locality and to support local community groups and organisations
Objective / To enhance public participation in the Town Council’s decision making processes
How / Promotion of public participation at Council meetings through website, town crier, town guide, noticeboards/ Network group
Timescale / Ongoing
Budget Total / None required
Annual Budget / None required
Update on Progress / Town Crier and website include information of forthcoming meetings and how members of the public can be involved;
Office notice board includes calendar of meetings, arrangements for public participation and following weeksagenda.
Insufficient space available on notice boards within the community to display agendas, include 2 month calendar of meetings and advice on community involvement and where agendas can be seen;
New town guide to be produced summer / autumn 2013, will include info on public participation and details of where agendas and calendar of meetings can be found.
Network group has been set up and is being facilitated by Community worker. Council agendas to be included on weekly email from May 2013.
Current Status / Ongoing progression of actions.
Main Aim / To enhance democratic representation to promote Houghton Regis in the locality and to support local community groups and organisations
Objective / To enhance public participation in the Town Council’s decision making processes
How / Use of communication lines to consult with residents i.e. website, town crier, noticeboards
Timescale / Ongoing
Budget Total / None required
Annual Budget / None required
Update on Progress / Website used to promote CBC’s Health & Wellbeing Strategy, Contents for Gypsy & Traveller Local Plan, Woodside Connection Scoping Report.
Current Status / Ongoing progression of actions.
Main Aim / To enhance democratic representation to promote Houghton Regis in the locality and to support local community groups and organisations
Objective / To enhance public participation in the Town Council’s decision making processes
How / Use of ‘survey monkey’ type consultations
Timescale / On going
Budget Total / Officer time.
Annual Budget / Officer time.
Update on Progress / To date no such surveys required. Possibility may be used for Houghton Hall project.
Current Status / Monitor.
Main Aim / To enhance democratic representation to promote Houghton Regis in the locality and to support local community groups and organisations
Objective / To enhance public participation in the Town Council’s decision making processes
How / Active engagement of young people through Youth Service Provider & Community groups in the decision making processes.
Timescale / On going
Budget Total / Officer time.
Annual Budget / Officer time.
Update on Progress / Working with Youth Service Provider young people have been seen participating in Pride in Houghton Event, Queens Jubilee Celebrations. Suggestions have been made to Princes Trust for community projects. Whitbread have run a team building day at The Quarry. HRLCAG have attended several town council meetings and have tabled questions to The Town Council. Houghton Regis Helpers provide quarterly reports for the group. The newly formed Heritage Group are being involved in the Lottery Funding application for Houghton Hall.
Current Status / Ongoing progression of actions.
Main Aim / To enhance democratic representation to promote Houghton Regis in the locality and to support local community groups and organisations
Objective / To enhance public participation in the Town Council’s decision making processes
How / To qualify and subsequently promote the Disability Symbol to support disabled people in the Town Council workplace
Timescale / Nov/Dec 2011
Budget Total / Officer time.
Annual Budget / Officer time.
Update on Progress / Council agreed to change recruitment pack to incorporate disability symbol.
Prepare & develop paper work & procedures.
Current Status / Ongoing progression of actions.
Main Aim / To enhance communication between the Town Council, residents, community groups and businesses.
Objective / To monitor, maintain and enhance the Town Council’s website through information sharing to ensure that it is up to date and informative
How / Incorporate website updates into weekly work programme
Communicate usage figures
Investigate options for new website
Timescale / Ongoing
Budget Total / Officer time.
Estimated up to £10,000 for new website
Annual Budget / Officer time.
Web hosting costs.
Update on Progress / Website updates completed weekly
Usage figures to be presented to Corporate Services Committee bi annually
Investigate options for new website
Current Status / Ongoing progression of actions.
Main Aim / To enhance communication between the Town Council, residents, community groups and businesses.
Objective / To develop the quarterly Town Council’s newsletter so that it provides a broad spectrum of information to local residents
How / Increase budget for publication to have 2 additions of 4 pages & 2 additions of 8 pages
Promote facility to community groups to enable / encourage them to include articles
Timescale / Ongoing
Budget Total
Annual Budget / £6,600
Update on Progress / Budget increased from 2012/13
Publication size increased
Articles for inclusion increased from community groups
Current Status / Ongoing progression of actions.
Main Aim / To enhance communication between the Town Council, residents, community groups and businesses.
Objective / To welcome new residents to the Town
How / Develop a welcome pack for local estate agents to provide to new residents which includes a copy of the Town Guide & most recent Town Crier as a source of local information.
to contact:
  • Aldwick Housing
  • Rodger Marsh Estate agent
  • SCOPE
  • Habinteg

Timescale / February 2012
Budget Total
Annual Budget / £700 per 1,000
Update on Progress / Packs delivered to Roger Marsh Estate Agents and to Aldwyck Housing Association.
Current Status / COMPLETED.
Main Aim / To enhance communication between the Town Council, residents, community groups and businesses.
Objective / To develop and promote a Town Council social website interface page
How / To consider the issues and report to Town Council for consideration
Timescale / Report to Policy & Resources January 2013
Budget Total / Officer time.
Annual Budget / Officer time.
Update on Progress / Research currently being undertaken. Report to Corporate Services Committee May / Sept 2013
Current Status / Ongoing progression of actions.
Main Aim / To enhance communication between the Town Council, residents, community groups and businesses.
Objective / To ensure that the Town Council responds to consultations which have an impact on Houghton Regis or the services which Houghton Regis residents benefit from and where possible that these consultations are promoted within the community
How / To respond to relevant consultations
To promote relevant consultations within the community
To sign up to CBC email notifications to ensure prompt notification
Timescale / Ongoing
Budget Total / None required.
Annual Budget / None required.
Update on Progress / Town Clerk signed up to CBC email notifications
HRTC responded to CBC’s Health & Wellbeing Strategy, Contents for Gypsy & Traveller Local Plan, Woodside Connection Scoping Report & Council Tax reform
Current Status / Ongoing progression of actions.
Main Aim / To enhance communication between the Town Council, residents, community groups and businesses.
Objective / To enhance and promote use of notice boards by community groups
How / Ensuring all notice boards in Houghton Regis have up to date information displayed.
Review notice board provision and identify gaps in provision or replacements required.
Review quality / suitability of noticeboards
Timescale / January 2013
Budget Total / Officer time.
New notice board approximately £1500
Annual Budget / Officer time.
Update on Progress / Use of noticeboards promoted within the community
Admin Asst included in the HR network loop to identify suitable notice board information
Weekly update of noticeboards incorporated into Admin Asst work schedule
Current Status / Ongoing progression of actions.
Main Aim / To enhance communication between the Town Council, residents, community groups and businesses.
Objective / To develop and support a Network group
How / 6 weekly meetings to be arranged to include CBC, HRTC, residents, voluntary groups and businesses
Timescale / April 2012
Budget Total / Officer time.
Annual Budget
Update on Progress / Membership of group is expanding. Regular meetings held. Weekly e-mail sent out promoting events, course etc. Groupdeveloped an online community diary.
Current Status / COMPLETED
Main Aim / To provide public events for all to enjoy
Objective / To continue to organise and fund the annual Carnival, Santa’s Grotto and Easter Egg Hunt
How / To continue to allocate staff time and annual budgets for these events
Timescale / Ongoing
Budget Total
Annual Budget / £8,000 carnival each year
£1,500 other events each year
Update on Progress / Events provided 2012 and in the process of planning for 2013
Current Status / COMPLETED
Main Aim / To provide public events for all to enjoy
Objective / To consider ways to provide additional community events, such as a heritage day or a classic car event in the autumn
How / Consider staff hours required
Establish an Events Sub Committee or Working Group to consider and progress ideas
Timescale / Report to be presented to Council 2013 to consider Events Sub Committee or Working Group
Budget Total
Annual Budget / £5500
Update on Progress / Classic car show held on 16th September 2012, arrangements in place for 2013
Events Working Group set up from May 2013
2013 diary of events to include Easter Egg Hunt, May Fayre, Carnival, Classic Car Show, Santas Grotto
Current Status / COMPLETED
Main Aim / To provide public events for all to enjoy
Objective / To celebrate the Queens Diamond Jubilee
How / Work with Community Groups, local agencies shops business.
  • 3 day Celebration based on the Queens activities:
  • Coach trip to London
  • Picnic on the Green
  • Local street parties

Timescale / June 2012
Budget Total / £2,500- Underspend of £1119.88
Annual Budget
Update on Progress / 3 day Celebration based on the Queens activities:
  • Coach trip to London
  • Picnic on the Green
  • Local street parties

Current Status / COMPLETED
Main Aim / To enhance formal and informal leisure & recreational facilities within the town
Objective / To use developer funding from the Trico site to enhance leisure and recreational facilities within the Town
How / HRTC to deliver as appropriate.
To prioritise list & set possible time lines – Environment & Leisure Committee
Options inc;
  • Fitness trail in Houghton Hall Park
  • Nature trail (HH Park or Plaiters Way / Baulk / Blue Waters),
  • Transfer of Windsor Drive recreation ground & development of a sports pavilion
  • Enhancement of Tithe Farm Pavilion & car park
  • Development of a MUGA on Parkside

Timescale / Ongoing although early stages estimated to take 2 to 3 years.
Budget Total / Each option has a cost implication.
Annual Budget
Update on Progress / MUGA installed November 2012/
Community worker added to the support team for HH to develop heritage outcomes and increase community involvement
Current Status / Ongoing progression of actions.
Main Aim / To enhance formal and informal leisure & recreational facilities within the town
Objective / To work with partners to enhance the open spaces at The Baulk, Plaiters Way & Blue Waters
How / To contact partners to investigate options
Timescale
Budget Total
Annual Budget
Update on Progress
Current Status / Ongoing progression of actions.
Main Aim / To enhance formal and informal leisure & recreational facilities within the town
Objective / To take on the management and upkeep of the former railway line on the edge of Dog Kennel Down
How / Land to be transferred on completion of Busway development
Timescale / Estimated autumn 2013
Budget Total / Commuted sum payable. No net cost to council.
Annual Budget
Update on Progress / Busway scheme progressing. Land to be transferred on completion of whole project. No action by HRTC until end of project.
Current Status / Ongoing progression of actions.
Main Aim / To enhance formal and informal leisure & recreational facilities within the town
Objective / To seek to maintain leisure centre provision within Houghton Regis
How / Work with CBC on the tendering process and have input in the CBC Leisure Strategy;
To promote use of the centre;
To work with the HRLCAG to consult with the community of leisure centre facilities and services.
Timescale / Ongoing
Budget Total / No budget requirement at present
Annual Budget
Update on Progress / Joint meetings continuing
HRTC consultee on Leisure Strategy
CBC confirmed commitment to local involvement in tender process
Help offered to HRLCAG to assist with consultation
Current Status / COMPLETED
Main Aim / To enhance formal and informal leisure & recreational facilities within the town
Objective / To seek to work with partners to developed a country park at The Quarry, Houghton Road
How / HRTC to work with the Wild Life Trust to establish a voluntary working group to help clear litter and develop the area so it becomes a natural wild life reserve.
Timescale / Ongoing
Budget Total / No budget requirement at present
Annual Budget
Update on Progress / The quarry to be officially open as a nature reserve whenBovis Homes is close to completing the adjacent housing estate (due sometime 2013). A summary of key events during spring and summer 2012 include:
  • Over 100 local people registered to volunteer at the reserve.
  • Two mass litter pick events to clear much of the fly-tipped rubbish from the quarry
  • Monthly volunteer work parties are held to better manage the habitats for wildlife
  • Two very well-attended guided walks for local people
  • Two school assemblies at the neighbouring All Saints Academy, talking to youngsters about the importance of caring for the quarry.
  • Rare wildlife has been reported at the site (including the very scarce turtle dove, hundreds of the rare chalkhill blue butterfly, great crested newts, thousands of Chiltern gentian wild flowers - to name just a few highlights)
  • Wildlife surveys have been conducted to discover which species are inhabiting the site and to find out what needs conserving.
  • A group project was undertaken by masters students of Cranfield University to study the quarry’s potential for wildlife and people.
Future action:
  • Information panels to be installed.
  • The Wildlife Trust to hold more events for local people.

Current Status / COMPLETED
Main Aim / To enhance formal and informal leisure & recreational facilities within the town
Objective / To develop an allotments scheme within the Town
How / Options include
Shared garden scheme (possible as part of Good Neighbour Scheme)
New site as part of Growth Agenda
Community garden / orchard (Kitchen Garden)
Investigate options regarding use of existing public open space with CBC Planning Team
Timescale / 2 to 3 year time
Budget Total / Dependent on scheme to be progressed
Annual Budget / None at present.
Update on Progress / Preliminary contact made with CBC. To present CBC advice to council.
Current Status / Ongoing progression of actions.
Main Aim / To enhance public places
Objective / To take on the management and maintenance of planting beds around Bedford Square
How / Co-ordinate the Probation service to undertake this task
Timescale / Autumn 2012
Budget Total / None required.
Annual Budget / None required.
Update on Progress / Included in Probation service work plan
Current Status / COMPLETED
Main Aim / To enhance public places
Objective / To extend planting within the town
How / To consider planters on the village green to commemorate the Queen diamond Jubilee with a floral display.
Timescale / June 2012
Budget Total / £500
Annual Budget
Update on Progress / Installed.
Current Status / COMPLETED
Main Aim / To enhance public places
Objective / To reduce litter within the community
To facilitate community bulb and tree planting
How / To facilitate groups to litter pick specified areas within the town;
To facilitate community bulb and tree planting;
Review litter bin provision and relocate or install new if needed.
Timescale / To programme in 6 litter picks per annum
Budget Total / £200 (gloves and black bags)
Annual Budget
Update on Progress / Councillor orgainsed a litter pick on Parkside supported by HRTC (litter pickers and black bags) and CBC Waste Services for waste removal.
Current Status / Ongoing progression of actions.
Main Aim / To enhance public places
Objective / To continue to enhance the Christmas lights display
How / To continue to make budget provision.
Aim to purchase 4 new lights per year
Consider extending display to Georgina petrol station and up Tithe Farm Road to Community Centre
Timescale / Annual enhancement
Budget Total / £16,000
Annual Budget / £4,000
Update on Progress / New LED lights purchased for 2013 as older rope lights no longer serviceable. New tree lights purchased.
Consider extension of scheme for 2014.
Current Status / Ongoing progression of actions.
Main Aim / To enhance public places
Objective / To continue to support and improve the Cemetery
How / Improved office / groundstaff communications
Council / user group to be established
Regular committee reports
Timescale / Ongoing
Budget Total / At present no additional budget requirements
Annual Budget
Update on Progress / Communications – groundstaff email system established
Improved office filing / booking system completed
Cemetery working party established and meeting regularly
Working group feeding back into Environment & Leisure Committee
Current Status / COMPLETED
Main Aim / To enhance public places
Objective / To improve and support the Pavilions and Public open spaces