A “turning point” vision aimed at making High Wycombe “greater” has been outlined by the chairman of the High Wycombe Town Committee.

Cllr Ed Gemmell presented an update on the vision and strategy for the town at the latest High Wycombe Town Committee meeting.

The vision focuses on improving the night time economy, environment, youth opportunities and visitor numbers across the town.

Speaking during the meeting, Cllr Gemmell acknowledged there had initially been difficulties getting the project moving.

He said: “You’ll all know that we, to some extent, struggled to get a vision going forward to begin with. Not from in here — collaboration was fantastic.”

However, he said the strategy had now received a “warm reception” from Buckinghamshire Council’s leadership and had been shaped through discussions with councillors and residents.

RECOMMENDED READ:

Cllr Gemmell said: “What we’re trying to achieve is something much bigger. So it’s hope.

“We want people to be hopeful for the future because we’re driving it, because we’re all on the same page trying to make Wycombe greater.”

Youth issues emerged as one of the strongest themes within the discussion.

“Youth rose up to the top of the town meeting as one of the main things because the residents graded it up,” he said.

“There was a particular push at the town meeting to say youth clubs. They seem to have been disappearing.

“Some people have mentioned this when we met. They don't seem to be as prevalent now and all the community centres, can we start getting those going again?”

The meeting also heard concerns about deprivation and opportunities for children in some parts of the town.

Cllr Gemmell said there were a number of deprived areas where some children faced ‘difficulty of access and hope’.

He added: “We have a difficulty of access and hope among some of the children in some of our state schools here, particularly in relation to their access to the grammar schools.”

The wider plans also include proposals linked to the night time economy, tree planting, green spaces and health in High Wycombe.

Speaking about the long-term ambition for the town, Cllr Gemmell said the aim was to create “a turning point” in Wycombe’s future.

“Where we now push it on the up,” he said. “And we keep it going up and it never comes down again.”

During the discussion, Cllr Hazel Arthur-Hewitt said Cllr Gemmell had done an “amazing job” developing the vision, but raised concerns over one proposal linked to grammar school access.

She said: “I think the whole idea of suggesting that it’s a pinnacle of success to get to grammar school is not fair.”