The Growth, Infrastructure & Housing Select Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday 17 March 2026 to review the progress of the Buckinghamshire Local Plan and evaluate the Library Flex project. The committee will also receive updates on Q3 performance indicators for various portfolios.

The Buckinghamshire Local Plan

A significant portion of the meeting is scheduled to be dedicated to monitoring and capturing the progress of the Buckinghamshire Local Plan. This discussion will follow the publication of information on potential housing and employment sites. Contributors to this item include Councillor Peter Strachan, Cabinet Member for Planning, Councillor Michael Bracken, Deputy Cabinet Member for Planning, and Steve Bambrick, Corporate Director for Planning, Growth & Sustainability. The report pack indicates that the council is currently at the Regulation 18 stage of the Local Plan process, having received 1,300 responses during public consultation. The aim is to reach Regulation 19 stage in July, with submission to the Planning Inspector by 31 December 2026. Concerns have been raised regarding the communication of the Local Plan to members and residents, as well as the delivery of infrastructure. The report pack notes that the planmaking process includes infrastructure delivery plans, and that a new town may be needed in Buckinghamshire. There is also an acknowledgement of the obligation to cooperate with neighbouring authorities if Buckinghamshire is unable to meet its housing needs.

Library Flex Project Evaluation

The committee is scheduled to evaluate the Library Flex project six months after its implementation. This initiative aims to increase library opening hours and deliver savings. Contributors for this agenda item include Councillor Peter Brazier, Cabinet Member for Culture & Leisure, Sophie Payne, Service Director for Culture, Sport and Leisure, David Jones, Head of Libraries, Laura Davies, Libraries Operations Manager, and Mark Bateman, Reading and Schools Manager. The report indicates that the Library Flex project has been delivered within budget and timeframe, exceeding targets for increased opening hours and achieving the required £555,000 Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP) savings. Over 5,270 customers have registered for Library Flex, with high customer satisfaction reported and no significant security or inclusion issues. Future plans include targeted engagement with underrepresented groups and a seasonal pilot with longer opening times, aiming for 10,000 registrations by April 2027.

Q3 Performance Indicators 2025 to 2026

The committee will evaluate the progress made on key performance indicators for the Planning, Housing & Regulatory Services, Culture & Leisure, and Leader portfolios.

Under the Planning portfolio, the report pack details performance for the percentage of major and non-major planning applications decided on time, as well as the percentage of such applications overturned on appeal. It also covers the percentage of planning enforcement notice appeals successfully defended and the number of uncommitted Section 106 contributions that must be used within two years. The percentage of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) liability notices issued within 12 weeks of planning permission being granted is also scheduled for review. Contributors for this section include Councillor Peter Strachan, Cabinet Member for Planning, and Steve Bambrick, Corporate Director for Planning, Growth & Sustainability.

For Housing & Regulatory Services, the performance indicators to be discussed include the percentage of households in substantive temporary accommodation, the financial impact on residents from scams intervention, the number of rough sleepers, the number of applicants with or expecting children in non-self-contained Bed & Breakfast accommodation for longer than six weeks, and the number of households on the Council's Housing Register (Bucks Home Choice). Councillor Mark Winn, Cabinet Member for Housing & Regulatory Services, is listed as a contributor.

The Culture & Leisure portfolio's performance indicators will cover engagement with Archives through social media and in-person visits, the number of visitors to Country Parks, visits to main cultural venues, and visits to leisure centres and pools. The percentage of library enquiries resolved at the first point of contact will also be reviewed. Councillor Peter Brazier, Cabinet Member for Culture & Leisure, is a contributor.

Finally, the Leader's Portfolio will see discussions on the amount of commercial floorspace generated on Enterprise Zones and the number of leading Buckinghamshire firms engaged with. Councillor Steven Broadbent, the Leader, is a contributor to this section.

The meeting will also include a Chairman's Update, public questions, and a review of the committee's work programme.