Carer Awareness

As the amount of people who care for others increases, we want to make sure advice and support is easily available. The value and critical support carers add to their communities is unparalleled, so the more we can do to help the better.

There are many kinds of carers: from young children, to the elderly, to working people – and each particular group has specific needs. Our plan is to engage with as many as possible this autumn and agree what their priorities are. Then we can act on it to improve our offer.

 It’s important to encourage carers to tell their GP’s about their caring role. They can get extra time in appointments if needed and GP’s will be able to signpost them appropriately.

Similarly, younger carers should speak with teachers at their schools and colleges. This allows the school to help provide extra help and support.

 Message from Bucks County Council

Free NHS Health Checks

Everybody wants to enjoy an active and healthy life for as long as possible, but as we get older the risk of developing serious disease and illness increases. With early intervention and treatment however, this risk can be reduced.

This is what the NHS Health Checks are designed to identify.

We want ensure that all eligible* residents in Buckinghamshire take up the offer of a Free NHS Health Check.

The Health Check is a very straightforward 20 minute assessment where blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI and lifestyle are assessed by your GP or healthcare professional. Afterwards you’ll get an info/ results pack which includes advice and suggestions on what to do next should you need it.

How do I book one?

You may get a letter in the post from your GP in the next few weeks asking you to attend a Health Check at your surgery.

You can find out more here

*To be eligible for a Health Check, you must:

• Be aged between 40 and 74
• Be a Buckinghamshire resident or have a Bucks GP
• Not been diagnosed with heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, or had a stroke
• Not had an NHS Health Check in the last 5 years

Don’t forget, if you have an urgent medical problem and you’re not sure what to do, call NHS 111 or go to www.111.nhs.uk (for people aged 5 and over).

Notice of review for Boards (July 2019)

AVDC is conducting a review of all polling districts and polling places within the Aylesbury and Buckingham Parliametary Constituencies.

Submissions on any aspect of polling districts, polling places and polling stations will be welcomed from any elector or local council, any local constituency political party, any person/group having a particular interet and/or expertise in access to premises or facilities for persons who have different forms of disability.

More information, current polling arrangements and a submission form can be obtained from www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk or 01296585051

Submissions close on 2 August 2019.

Bucks County Council have now pubished the draft minutes of the Great Brickhill, Wing and Ivinghoe Local Area Forum held on 10 June 2019 including updates from Thames Valley Police and BCC.

https://democracy.buckscc.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?MId=12322&x=1

Planning applications CM/0017/19 and CM/0018/19

These planning applications are for additional industrial waste processing of 25,000 tonnes and 87,500 tonnes respectively per annum  on the Marsworth/Cheddington Airfield Industrial Estate and are currently open for comment from members of the public.

Should anyone wish to comment, simply use the link below, press the view application button, and input the application number you wish to comment on into the search bar.  There is then an option to upload the comment.

https://www.buckscc.gov.uk/services/environment/planning/viewing-planning-applications/

The applications are due to be considered at the forthcoming meeting of the Development Control committee on 1^st July, 2019.

Children’s Services Update

Buckinghamshire County Council is making ‘steady progress’ to improve children’s services, with most children “receiving helpful support when they are first referred to children’s social care”, according to Ofsted in its monitoring letter published on Monday, 17 June.

The letter outlines the results of a visit made to the council’s children’s services in May 2019. This was the third ‘monitoring visit’, following the outcome of the November 2017 inadequate judgement made by Ofsted.

Inspectors considered a range of evidence, including case records, discussions with social workers and managers, and reviewing other supporting documentation.

The report noted the senior leadership team is “steadfastly determined to improve the quality of services for children” and that “substantial improvements” have been made to areas of the service which had previously fallen short. It added that the multi-agency safeguarding hub (MASH) systems are “efficient, leading to timely and decisive action for most children”.

The report stated that management oversight of services had been strengthened and social work caseloads have reduced, leaving social workers better able to support children and families.

Areas needing further improvement were also highlighted – these included some inconsistencies in certain practices within the MASH and assessment teams. While responses to clients were deemed to be mostly effective, there can be unnecessary delays in some processes and some areas of work – while generally improving – can sometimes be of variable quality.

Warren Whyte, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services said: “This is another encouraging report and confirms that our work to improve children’s services in Buckinghamshire is proceeding well.

“There is no doubt we have more to do, however, to deliver the services that children in Buckinghamshire deserve. We are determined to continue our efforts to make the improvements highlighted in this report.

“We are grateful to all our staff for their hard work and dedication as we work to further strengthen our services.”

Fly Tipping in Bucks on Channel 5 Documentary

The exhaustive work carried out by County Council enforcement officers in the war against fly tippers in Buckinghamshire features in a brand new Channel 5 documentary series starting this week.

The six-part programme, ‘Grime and Punishment’ follows the hidden army of Council enforcement teams and inspectors up and down the country who work tirelessly to nail those who think nothing of blotting the country’s towns and countryside with their mess and rubbish.

As one of a number of local authorities featured, Buckinghamshire was selected because of its zero-tolerance approach to fly tipping and continuing success in bringing perpetrators to justice.

Film crews followed the work of two enforcement officers, David Rounding and Matt Shutter as they hunted for clues and interviewed witnesses to help bring fly tippers to justice. On average, one fly tipper is successfully prosecuted in Buckinghamshire every week, one of the highest rates in the country.

Buckinghamshire County Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Environment, Bill Chapple OBE, praised the programme for spotlighting the tireless work by council officials to combat those intent on destroying the country’s environment.

“As far as Buckinghamshire is concerned, our message is clear: fly tippers are not welcome and we will use the full force of the law to prosecute whenever possible. Through the hard work of people like David and Matt,  we are now seeing a reduction in fly tipping across the county for the first time in six years, which is great news.

“We also do a lot of awareness raising and education particularly around people’s legal responsibility to dispose of their waste correctly. The last thing we want to do is knock on someone’s door having found their waste dumped by an unscrupulous trader they might have used in good faith.

“Programmes like Grime and Punishment help get those important messages across and we were delighted to have taken part,” he added.

Commentating on their appearance, David and Matt said: “It’s all in a day’s work for us. Whether we’re visiting fly tips, giving advice to local residents or preparing cases for court, our single aim is to rid Buckinghamshire of fly tipping for good. Everything we do that helps towards achieving this means a better, cleaner  environment for our residents.”

The first episode of Crime and Punishment starts at 8pm this Thursday, (June 13) on Channel 5. David and Matt’s work in Buckinghamshire features in episode five, scheduled to air at 8pm on Thursday, July 11. The series was filmed by multi-award winning Lambent Productions Ltd, based in Brighton.

For further information about preventing fly tipping in Buckinghamshire, please visit
https://www.recycleforbuckinghamshire.co.uk/scrap-fly-tipping/

Illegal dumping can be reported at www.fixmystreet.buckscc.gov.uk

Heathrow Expansion Consultation

The Airport Expansion Consultation runs from 18th June until 13th September 2019 and gives residents the opportunity to provide feedback on Heathrow’s proposals for the future layout of the airport, including the new runway and other airport infrastructure such as terminals and road access.

Residents will also be able to have a say on plans to manage the environmental impacts of expansion, including a proposed Heathrow Ultra Low Emissions Zone, Heathrow Vehicle Access Charge and a proposed 6.5-hour ban on scheduled night flights.

The expansion at Heathrow may have knock-on effects for air traffic in our area coming into Luton airport, so please do have a look at the plans if you wish to express a view.

https://www.heathrowconsultation.com

Please note that Safran is hosting an event at their site on 13 July 2019 which will involve extra traffic and parking in the area between 11-13 July 2019.

The parish council is supporting the event and making available the car park at the pavilion, but please be aware that there may also be extra cars parked along Westfield Road etc and take extra care.

You will be aware that there has been an issue with grass cutting in the above two roads this year.  This was historically undertaken by Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust but is apparently now being passed to Bucks County Council.  The 2 bodies are discussing this issue and determining handover procedures.  We understand that VAHT will be undertaking one further cut in July and then BCC will be maintaining for the rest of the season, but that BCC cut significantly less frequently than VAHT.

We understand that BCC may consider devolving power to the parish council for these 2 roads in subsequent years (they have not devolved power to PPC for the current year) but this will be a decision for the new unitary Buckinghamshire County once it is in place.

I am writing to confirm that the next Great Brickhill, Wing and Ivinghoe Police community forum will be held at 19:00 hours on Thursday 1^st August 2019 in Cheddington Village Hall (Church Lane).

Please spread the word to your communities who live in this area.

I will give you a breakdown of the Police crime figures for your area, with explanations on what this means going forward and provide updates on work your neighbourhood team has carried out in the last 3 months.

It is for all sections of the community. I would be particularly keen to hear from any youths (if any of you are part of youth clubs/groups) a representative from them would be great.

More importantly, it is your opportunity to raise any concerns, so we can see how we can work with you and other agencies to resolve these issues. We can then pick two priorities to focus our efforts. Currently, these are:-

• To prevent and reduce rural crime
• To prevent and reduce theft from motor vehicles.

Hopefully see you all then

Regards

PC 5688 Matt Craker

PC 5688 Matt Craker

Neighbourhood Supervisor

Great Brickhill, Wing and Ivinghoe District NHPT

Pitstone Church

Our next event will be a concert by the Icknield Sixteen  on the 13^th July at 7.30pm. This event is always popular.  Entrance is free and there is a retiring collection

On Thursday 22^nd August at 3pm there will be a performance of Wind in the Willows by the This is My Theatre company who specialise in performing  in old buildings

Tickets and information are available from WWW.THISISMYTHEATRE.COM  , tel. 07732 253311.  All the ticket information is on the web site, but briefly, tickets are £10 each , £8 for concessions (over 65 and under 16). Family tickets are available.

Please find below an appeal for volunteers to help at Armed Forces Day on 29 June:

Armed Forces Day 2019 Volunteers Poster

Please be aware that the quarry at the end of Westfield Road is within private ownership and is not open to the public.  Anyone accessing the quarry lake (which is not suitable for swimming due to contamination and submerged equipment etc) without the express permission of the landowner is committing trespass and may be subject to prosecution.

Repeat of a previous message from Thames Valley Police:

“Thames Valley Police is appealing for people to be sensible and stay safe near open water, especially during the summer holidays when warmer weather might make it tempting to take a dip in a lake, quarry, river or canal. Aylesbury Vale has plenty of excellent swimming pools and leisure centres; these provide the cleanest and safest environment for swimming.

We are reminding members of the public to be aware of the following:

• 60% of all drownings occur in canals, lakes and rivers.
• You can drown in just a few centimetres of water.
• If you fall or jump into the water, the cold will shock your body, making your muscles seize up so you can’t move.
• You could easily cut yourself on rubbish or rocks and you may become ill due to bacteria in the water.

Summer is a fantastic time and we want everyone to enjoy the weather, but more importantly, please take this safety advice seriously. If you want to go swimming please go to a swimming pool or your local leisure centre – don’t put yourself or your friends in danger by swimming in a lake, quarry, pond or canal.”

Thames Valley Police/Hertfordshire Constabulary are able to take action against those who park dangerously, drink drive, drug use/driving, dangerous driving or anti-social behaviour.  Please report all instances of such behaviour via 101 or 999 accordingly.  Your reports will help to identify repeat offenders, catch offenders and potentially save a life.  Police resources are also allocated based on volume of reported crimes/instances so your reports will also help ensure a greater number of patrols.  TVP will also patrol this area on hot days/evenings when possible.

Bucks County Council owns the grass verge.  Following investigation in previous years they have declined to erect bollards to prevent parking.  You can report any problems with the verge to BCC via this link:  https://www.fixmystreet.buckscc.gov.uk/

Whilst outside our remit, the parish council does employ a litter picker to visit the verge after sunny weekends, however we can not trespass onto private property.  Any litter within the private land is the responsibility of the landowner, along with any queries regarding access/fencing/signage.

Anglian Water advise that some customers in Pitstone and surrounding areas may have very low water pressure or no water at all this morning.  They’ve identified a burst waster main in the area that they are working hard to get fixed, so that they can get supply back to normal as soon as possible.

They hope normal service will be resumed by 1pm.

After any interruption to the water supply it may look a little cloudy or discoloured when it’s back on.  Just run your tap for a few minutes and it should clear.  More info on the Anglian Water website.

They apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

You can sign up for alerts from Anglian Water and they’ll keep you posted with updates to existing faults and notify you of any new faults.  Just follow this link and put in your postcode and a box will pop-up asking if you want any alerts created.  https://inyourarea.digdat.co.uk/anglianwater

Did you also know that Anglian Water can provide Priority Services which offer additional practical support during an interruption to supply if you have a baby under 12 months, are a home dialysis patient or have a disability.  Please contact Anglian Water for further information.

 VAHT and BCC Grass Cutting Discussions

As Pitstone Parish Council and some residents are already aware, the Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust (VAHT) had been cutting swathes of grass verges in and around the Aylesbury Vale area historically for quite some time.  However, it was recently decided that as some of the grass areas were found to belong to Bucks County Council, VAHT took the decision to cease cutting immediately and without having first informed BCC of this decision.

This has resulted in overgrown grass in many areas around the whole of Aylesbury Vale, as BCC has only recently been informed of this decision and therefore was unable to allocate budget to undertake any additional grass cutting.

Discussions are now ongoing between BCC and VAHT as to how to resolve this issue.  I have raised it with Cllrs Steven Lambert and Angela Macpherson, both on the board of the VAHT last week, both in email and in person on behalf of my Pitstone residents who are badly affected by this sudden and poorly communicated decision on the part of VAHT.  I have been told that some grass cutting would occur over the past weekend by VAHT, while discussions were ongoing between BCC and VAHT regarding the plan going forward.

I will keep Pitstone Parish Council informed as to the outcome of those discussions as soon as I have more information on that.

The Brownlow Bridge                 

The TTRO is now in place on the Brownlow Bridge in Ivinghoe which prohibits vehicles fover 18 tonnes rom using the bridge.  While this has been well publicized locally and parish councils are all informed of this, sadly some local hauliers are continuing to use the bridge despite the clear signage.

Ivinghoe Parish Council are monitoring this situation with cooperation from the residents of Horton as well and Thames Valley Police have been informed of the situation.  Where possible, photo evidence has been provided, particularly where repeat offending is occurring.

Anyone wishing to express a view on the long term outlook for the bridge is welcome to do so via email at the following email address:

freight@buckscc.gov.uk

Planning applications CM/0017/19 and CM/0018/19

These planning applications are for additional industrial waste processing of 25,000 tonnes and 87,500 tonnes respectively per annum  on the Marsworth/Cheddington Airfield Industrial Estate and are currently open for comment from members of the public.

Should anyone wish to comment, simply use the link below, press the view application button, and input the application number you wish to comment on into the search bar.  There is then an option to upload the comment.

https://www.buckscc.gov.uk/services/environment/planning/viewing-planning-applications/

Local Government Reorganisation

The final piece of legislation that seals the deal for a new unitary authority was passed by government on 24 May.  For the people and businesses of Buckinghamshire, this will mean one, brand new council from April 2020, delivering all local government services. The new council will replace the current five councils – Aylesbury Vale District Council, Buckinghamshire County Council, Chiltern District Council, South Bucks District Council and Wycombe District Council – which will cease to exist on 31 March 2020.

The legislation from government, known as the Buckinghamshire Structural Changes Order, sets out the details of the new council and how the current five councils will come together to create it over the next year. In summary:

• The new council will be known as Buckinghamshire Council
• It will have 147 elected members; elections to the new council will take place in May 2020
• A temporary Shadow Authority will be formed, with all current county and district councillors having a seat on this body
• Leadership will be provided by a 17 seat Shadow Executive of county and district members
• An implementation team, led by the County Council Chief Executive and with a district Chief Executive as deputy, will be established to manage the smooth transfer of services and staff to the new council

Now the Order has been approved, all county and district councillors from the five councils will come together to create a Shadow Authority that will oversee the move to the new council. The Shadow Authority comprises 236 seats, filled by 202 individuals taking into account those councillors who are both a county and district councillor. The date of the first meeting of the Shadow Authority will be confirmed on Friday 24 May.

At its first meeting, the Shadow Authority is consulted on the appointment of the statutory officers on an interim basis; the head of paid service, monitoring officer and chief finance officer. They will also appoint members to relevant committees and confirm the nominated county and district members to the Shadow Executive.

The Shadow Executive will oversee the implementation plan for the new council, and will consist of 17 county and district councillors; eight from the county council, eight from the four district councils, and the Leader of the County Council as the Leader of this group, supported by a district councillor as the Deputy Leader.

The Shadow Authority will also be responsible for setting the 2020/21 council tax and first budget of the new unitary council which will take place in the new year.

The Shadow Authority will run alongside the current five councils until April 2020, and it is the responsibility of the current councils to continue to deliver services as usual until they transfer to the new council on 1 April 2020.

The first meeting of the Shadow Authority will be held on 3^rd June in Wycombe and I will be attending.

More information on the Shadow Authority can be found on its new website below:

https://shadow.buckinghamshire.gov.uk

Resident Survey

Local people are being asked for their views on Buckinghamshire’s highways and transport services – from the condition of roads and footpaths to the quality of cycling facilities. Their answers will be compared with the views of other members of the public across England and Scotland, thanks to the National Highways and Transport Public Satisfaction Survey.

Buckinghamshire County Council is one of 111 local authorities to sign up to a standardised survey that will ask members of the public exactly the same questions, whether they live in Bedford, Bristol or Buckinghamshire.

The survey, which is being run for the tenth year is the largest collaboration between local authorities offering the opportunity to compare results, share in best practice and identify further opportunities to work together in the future.

The questionnaire will be sent to a minimum random sample of at least 3,300 of Buckinghamshire’s residents from 7 June, followed by a reminder, with local and national results to be published in late October 2019.  Since the survey is based on a sample, residents that receive a copy are being urged to take part.

Residents that receive the questionnaire can complete the survey on line if they prefer, a short URL link will be printed on the front of the questionnaire and they will be required to enter a code before completing the questionnaire.

The results will enable us to find out what local people think about these important services. This will provide one of several ways Buckinghamshire County Council can assess how it is performing. It gives the public an opportunity to say which services they think the Council should prioritise, and improve.

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Transport Member, Mark Shaw, said:

“There are a number of clear benefits to conducting a public survey in this way. As well as providing excellent value for money, it also enables everyone involved to identify areas of best practice and spot national, regional and local trends. This is not about producing a league table to champion one geographical area or local authority over another; it is about understanding customer views better and working together to deliver the most satisfactory yet efficient outcomes for local residents.

“Already this year, we have spent £4 million delivering our Plane and Patch scheme, covering over 150 roads. We have seen the successful launch of our road resurfacing programme, the implementation of RingGo payment for parking in Aylesbury and the completion of our LED replacement programme for our streetlights, with 3,295 of the old style lanterns being successfully converted with LED equipment. Looking ahead to the rest of the year, we will be spending £500,000 on weed spraying, carrying out four urban grass cuts across the county and working on a number of significant schemes, including drainage and traffic signals works within the next few weeks.

“We are committed to understanding and responding to the views of the public. The survey will aid us in doing just that.”

• The National Highways and Transport (NHT) Network is a unique collaboration between Local Authorities across England and parts of Scotland with a common agenda – service improvement.

The Network provides an environment in which members can measure their own performance, compare with their peers and identify areas for improvement.

• The NHT Network and the Public Satisfaction Survey are managed by performance management specialists, measure2improve, the NHT Network administrators

• The survey is being carried out on behalf of the participating Local Authorities by market research specialist, Ipsos MORI.
• Participation in the survey is voluntary.  It is believed to be the first survey of its kind to bring together so many separate highway authorities from all over England and parts of Scotland to carry out their surveys in a comparable format
• The survey questionnaire is a 12 pages long and covers all aspects of local highway and transport services (e.g. from the condition or roads and footways to Road Safety and Cycling).  The questionnaire should be completed in around 15 minutes.

• Residents that receive the questionnaire in the post may opt to complete the questionnaire on line if they prefer.

https://www.valelottery.co.uk/

Did you know that when you sign up for the Vale Lottery, you can select for 50% of the ticket sale value to go to 1st Ivinghoe and Pitstone Scouts?

Tickets cost just £1 each per week.

They really need your support to help raise funds for a new scout hut.

Click the link above for more info.

You can sign up to Thames Valley Alert via email, text, or even receive voice messages about what’s happening in your local area.

The service is completely tailored to you, so you can choose what sort of alerts to receive – whether you’d like:

• news on local incidents
• community news
• to be alerted to significant or high priority messages

When you sign up to Thames Valley Alert (a free service) you’ll be given login details that allow you to change your settings at any time. There’s also a business watch service and a country watch service.

If you’d like to sign up to Thames Valley Alert, you can:

• join via the Thames Valley Alert website, or
• download the free Thames Valley Alert app by visiting the Apple store or Google Play store

If you already have an Alerts account, you can sign into the app with the same login details.

https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/police-forces/thames-valley-police/areas/c/2018/thames-valley-alert/

You can also follow Thames Valley Police on Facebook for updates straight to your news feed:  https://www.facebook.com/TVPAylesburyVale/?__tn__=%2Cd%2CP-R&eid=ARDufVWXF_yj4YpUBK2dUbKFITxvORO1-KWPY3PZpnBcOKMWs-WOsfGJOtKF8GwYKAuxnCv_mWiCN6ye

Transport for Bucks is hosting Be A Better Biker again this year.  Assessments allow all bikers to take their skills to a level that helps improve safety and enjoyment.

The day covers the principles of advanced riding, including:

• Manoeuvring
• Overtaking
• Cornering Techniques
• On-road assessment with observers
• A review of the on-road sessions, discussing lessons learnt.

At the end of the sessions, each candidate will receive a copy of the book ‘How to Be a Better Rider’.

The workshops cost £20 per biker and are being held in Thame and Marlow.

To find out more, and to book your place, visit the web page here: www.buckscc.gov.uk/beabetterbiker

Thames Valley Police will be holding our next community forum on Wednesday 1st May 2019 at Wing Village Library between 18:30 – 20:30 hours.

This will be an opportunity to discuss any issues/concerns residents have in the Great Brickhill, Wing and Ivinghoe Neighbourhood area. We will use it as an opportunity to revise the area policing priorities which are currently:-

• Prevent and reduce rural crime
• Prevent and reduce Theft from Motor vehicles.

Regards

PC 5688 Matt Craker

Neighbourhood Supervisor

Great Brickhill, Wing and Ivinghoe District NHPT

Pitstone Windmill is the oldest post mill in the country – We need volunteers to tell the story of this ancient landmark and the part it played in its rural community – from the intricate way the mill worked, to the history of the people who worked there.

Pitstone Windmill will be open to the public on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays from

5 May – 26 August from 10am – 4pm.

We are looking for volunteers to work either 9.45am – 1pm or 12.45pm – 4pm.

Training will be provided for everyone who volunteers so you don’t need to be an expert! We don’t expect anyone to be word perfect, enthusiasm and approachability are far more important.

Volunteers who have made a significant contribution of time during the year (50 hours) will be eligible for a Volunteer Card. We understand that as volunteer shifts are short it may be a challenge to reach this 50 hours milestone at the Windmill alone. There are a number of other volunteering opportunities across the Ashridge Estate such as outdoor engagement, sharing the story of the Bridgewater Monument or event volunteering.  This card gives you free entry to National Trust, National Trust for Scotland properties. If you are already a member of the National Trust you can use the card to get free entry for a guest who is visiting with you. Additionally it gives you a discount in National Trust shops, restaurants and tearooms

If you are interested please contact: helping.ashridge@nationaltrust.org.uk

Aylesbury Vale District Council would like to hear from people who are available to work as a Poll Clerk at Polling Stations on Thursday 23 May 2019.  The fee payable is £135.

No previous experience is required.  Poll Clerks are required to work from 6.30am to 10pm.  The job primarily involves marking the Register of Electors to show that electors have presented themselves to vote, and to assist the Presiding Officer with other electoral tasks on the day.

Further information on working at elections is available on the Council’s website at https://aylesburyvale.moderngov.co.uk/mgGeneric.aspx?MD=mgworkatelections .  Please note, polling staff will not be required to complete an e-training session for these elections.

If you are able to work, please contact Craig Saunders at Aylesbury Vale District Council on 01296 585043 or csaunders@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk

Just a reminder that your bins (green lidded general waste plus food) will be collected on Thursday, not Wednesday, this week due to the bank holidays.

St Mary’s Church in Pitstone is open every Sunday and Bank Holiday from May to September.  They need more people to help them keep it open at these times. Please ring 01296 661745 if you think you can volunteer some time to help.   Thank you.

Party in the Park Donation to Pitstone Town Lands Charity

Richard Cato emailed Gill Lowe chair of the Pitstone Town Lands Charity on 01 January 2019, stating that the Party in the Park committee made a unanimous a decision to donate unspent funds no longer required, to Pitstone Town lands Charity, as the best place for the good of the community.

Due to the cessation of The Party in the Park’s further activities, the monies held in abeyance for 2017 & 2018 events which regrettably never came to fruition, have been kindly donated to Pitstone Town Lands Charity.

At the Pitstone Town Lands Charity meeting of the 21 January, treasurer, Kate Smethers, confirmed the donation of £4011.00 was received into the Pitstone Town Lands Charity bank account on 18 January 2019.

A letter of thanks to the party in the Park Committee, which also stated confirmation of receipt of monies, has been issued to the chair, Richard Cato.

The Trustees felt this kind gesture should be recognised, published and announced to the wider community of Pitstone.

THE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL (B489 High Street, Church Road, Station Road, Windmill Close junction, Ivinghoe)
(TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF THROUGH TRAFFIC) ORDER, 2019

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has made an Order, which will temporarily prohibit any vehicle from proceeding, except for access, in that length of B489 High Street, Chruch Road, Station Road, Windmill Close junction, Ivinghoe, continuing for a distance of approximately 45 metres.

The alternative route for vehicles affected by the closure will be via Tring Road, Upper Icknield Way, Vicarage Road, Marsworth Road, Cheddington Road, Pitstone Road, High Street, Mentmore Road, Station Road, Horton Road, Great Gap.

The closure is required whilst Anglian Water works take place and it is anticipated that the works will commence on 6 April 2019 and will take approximately 13 days between 00:00 and 23:59 each day to complete. The Order will come into operation on 6 April 2019 when the appropriate signs are lawfully displayed and will continue for a period not exceeding eighteen months or until the said works have been completed whichever is the earlier.

Penalties for not observing these restrictions will be as prescribed by the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and the Road Traffic Act 1991.

Dated 3 April 2019

Welcome to the spring update for Ivinghoe Division!

There is quite a lot going on at the moment, and I have tried to provide a summary of some of the key issues and changes around our division.

Local Government Reorganisation Update

As I am sure many of you know by now, on 1 November 2018 the Secretary of State announced that a brand new, single council for Buckinghamshire will be established on 1 April 2020. This is a great opportunity to improve services for residents, local communities and businesses. A single council will be simpler for residents to access the services they need, make better use of public money, and be more local to communities.

It is vital through the transition period to the new council that services continue as normal. The business critical transformational programmes and Medium Term Financial Planning savings must be delivered as planned and any decisions on new areas of work must be made with the new council in mind.

All service areas will be involved in the change programme although some will be much more directly affected than others. Services will need to be flexible in responding to the programme as it develops. Key for all of the five councils will be retention and engagement of employees who will be critical in ensuring that high quality services to residents and communities continue.

Over the next year all five councils will work together to support the effective and seamless transition to the new council.

Key Dates

• New Council 1 April 2020
• To minimise the impact on critical ‘business as usual’ activity.
• Election for members to the new council 7 May 2020
• To ensure there is continuity of service delivery to residents, communities, businesses and service users.

There will be an overarching programme of work to deliver this change and establish the new council. The programme will be overseen by county and district members. The priority is to establish a new council and deliver on the key commitments in the business case.

Early Help and Pitstone-Ivinghoe Children’s Centre Update      

On 4^th March, Buckinghamshire County Council’s Cabinet agreed changes to Children’s Services which will mean a new Family Support Service and Early Help strategy for the county.

The recommendations for change were prepared following a recent public consultation, conducted by independent consultation agency BMG Research. This asked residents and organisations for views on how to deliver early help services to support children and families. The changes will take effect from September 2019.

The new integrated Family Support Service will consist of three area-based family support teams working in partnership with other organisations, particularly schools and health, to improve access to services and provide more joined-up services.

The service will include a network of 16 family centres across the county, which were previously used as children’s centres. It will also ensure that a further 19 buildings, which will no longer be used as children’s centres, will continue to be used for early years services and community benefit. The cabinet also agreed an Early Help Strategy, setting out the ambition of the service and how the Council and its partner organisations will work together.

Other key elements of the changes include:

• A named key worker for each family who will create a team around that family to help them tackle the issues they face. This will help ensure they only need to tell their story once, to their key worker.
• Investment in the Buckinghamshire Family Information Service website to ensure there is effective promotion of community activities together with information and guidance for families.
• Open access to stay and play sessions for babies and toddlers at family centres.
• Each school will have a named link family support worker to co-ordinate family support.

Hopefully, the new approach will allow for even greater focus on helping vulnerable children and families and on avoiding the escalation of their problems.

Thanks to resident input during the consultation period, the views of our residents were taken into account and so now BCC will be opening 16 family centres – two more than previously proposed. This is so ensure that we get the right professional support to children and families when they need it the most. The changes should enable BCC to support the most vulnerable children and families. I will be providing more details of this and to the repurposing of the Ivinghoe-Pitstone Children’s Centre within the community, as these become available.

Brexit Update

For the latest government updates as to how residents and businesses can prepare for Brexit, the government has issued detailed information on their website below.  Pet passports, driving abroad on holiday, and preparing your business for Brexit is all covered in detail and updated regularly.

https://www.gov.uk/world/brexit

For local businesses wishing for more information as to how they may explore the opportunities Brexit presents, there is also the Buckinghamshire Business First website.  Bucks Business First is a business-led, business-focused community for new, established and growing businesses across Buckinghamshire.  They provide support and guidance to grow businesses through a service which can provide tailored support from their team of experienced business advisers. Through the following services, a dedicated adviser can assist with planning and implementation for business growth strategies:

• Face to face meetings, telephone and email backup
• Growth-focused workshops
• Investment readiness support
• Referrals to other specialist advice and services

In addition, business can benefit from their team’s expert knowledge of local and national support and funding opportunities, which will help Bucks businesses to access the existing support networks and programmes relevant to their business.

https://bbf.uk.com

There is also a BBF webpage dedicated solely to Brexit and how business can best prepare for the various negotiation outcomes, as well as get support and advice on these issues.  This can be accessed on the link below:

https://bbf.uk.com/brexit

EU Settlement Scheme

To make people aware, if you are an EU citizen, you and your family members will need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after 31 December 2020. Further details of the process are available using the following link

https://apply-for-eu-settled-status.homeoffice.gov.uk/start/eu-settlement

Transport for Bucks Update

Our Division’s new Local Area Technician, Matt Whincup, has definitely hit the ground running!  I was very pleased to welcome him at the Local Area Forum meeting on 28 February, which was held in Ivinghoe Town Hall.  Matt has a lot of ideas as to how we can improve road surfaces, gullies, and Transport for Buckinghamshire’s response times on some of these issues through better internal networking and an innovative and proactive approach.  I know that our parishes will join me in welcoming him to Ivinghoe Division and I am sure that residents will be seeing quite a bit of him around the area as he undertakes his new supervisory role as our key TfB liaison.

I am pleased to say that this quarter in our division, TfB have improved road surfaces on the following roads, to name just a few!  Thanks to the milder winter and consequently fewer gritting runs, they were able to get an early seasonal start on filling in potholes and repairing road surfaces.

Albion Road, Glebe Close and Cheddington Road in Pitstone,

Church Road, Mill Road and Grove in Slapton,

Dunstable Road in Dagnall,  Slapton Lane and Eaton Bray Road in Northall,

Slicketts Lane and Leighton Road in Edlesborough,

Cheddington Road in Mentmore

Ledburn Road in Ledburn,

New Street and Church Lane in Cheddington,

Church Road, High Street and Ivinghoe Aston in Ivinghoe,

and Lower End, Lower Icknield Way and Long Marston Road in Marsworth to name a few!

In terms of the longer term plan, Cheddington High Street is my next designated large scale resurfacing project for the Capital Maintenance Programme.  I hope that this work can be done over the coming months, and I will provide more details of that once the schedule has been finalised.

The Brownlow Bridge

As I am sure most of you know by now, the Brownlow Bridge is likely to be subject to a Temporary Traffic Restriction Order (TTRO) weight limit of 18 tonnes from 23 April, 2019 for several months. This is due to the bridge having been damaged last spring and is the result of a Canal and River Trust recommendation as CART own the bridge and subsequently repaired it.

A diversion route for HGVs will be put in place in the short term, but in the longer term, it is uncertain as to whether the TTRO would become permanent or whether the bridge would be reinstated, among other possible options. For residents and businesses wishing to express a view on this, please get in touch via the email address below:

freight@buckscc.gov.uk

I will be keeping residents and parish councils informed as this issue develops.

Home to School Transport Update

Buckinghamshire County Council’s Cabinet recently agreed a series of changes to the way the county’s home to school transport service operates.  The recommendations for change were prepared following a recent public consultation which asked residents and organisations for views on how home to school transport services are delivered in Buckinghamshire. They were agreed by Cabinet on 4 March.

The changes aim to modernise services, making sure they remain high quality and are sustainable for the future. They will also address the unsustainable budget pressures which increasing demand on services has caused. Between April 2018 and November 2018, demand has increased budget pressure on this service from £1.4m to £1.9m.

Some of these changes will take effect at the start of the next academic year, in September 2019, while others are expected to be phased in over the next few years.

There will be no change to arrangements for more than 5,000 pupils who are eligible for free travel. The revisions only apply to children and young people who are not eligible for free statutory home to school transport.

The main changes are as follows:

• How we provide school transport– Many school and public bus services currently duplicate routes. Starting from September 2019 we will aim to reduce this. We will work with service providers to make routes more efficient and offer children and young people more flexibility in their travel options. We will be working to ensure that routes are reliable; that children’s safety is prioritised in any arrangements; and that children will be assured of places on any public routes.
• Phasing out two historic local transport arrangements- in Ivinghoe [relating to Cottesloe School and Tring School] and Evreham [relating to Chalfont Community College].

This means that parents in these two areas who choose a school which is not the nearest appropriate one for their child will be required to pay for transport. This brings these arrangements in line with the rest of the County meaning fair and consistent transport charges are applied to families. This will take effect from September 2020.

• Charging for transport for pupils with SEND aged over 16– A contribution to the cost of home to school transport for children with SEND (who are older than 16) will be introduced from September 2019. This will replace the free transport offer currently in place. Costs for SEND transport have increased by over £3m in the last five years (from around £6m to £9m). Students with SEND who attend college can apply for a bursary to assist with costs.

Eligible children with SEND aged between 14 and 19 years old will be offered an increase in provision of independent travel training, which we expect will enable us to reduce transport costs.

While many families will be unaffected by the changes, BCC wants to ensure anyone who is will be managed in as fair and considerate a way as possible.

Fostering and Adopting with BCC

For anyone who is thinking about fostering or adopting, Buckinghamshire County Council is very happy to assist you throughout the assessment process and throughout the journey.  While a lot of people wonder if they might qualify for fostering or adopting—and worry unnecessarily that they might not—there are a lot of myths around this that BCC is committed to clearing up.

BCC’s teams have a great record of finding foster carers and adoptors from many different backgrounds and no one will be discriminated against on the basis of ethnic origin, gender, gender orientation, sexual orientation, age or disability.  If you would be interested in learning more about how you might help to transform the life of a vulnerable child through the provision of a safe and secure environment, why not come along to one of our information events or get in touch with us?

Our fostering events are informal. You can come along and speak to our fostering recruitment team and current foster carers.

We know that deciding to become a foster carer is not a quick decision. You are likely to have many questions about what it involves, what you need to do, and how it all works.

Our fostering information events are the place to help you start your fostering experience!

We give a presentation explaining:

• what’s involved in the assessment process
• the training and support offered to approved foster carers

You can ask questions and take away all the information you need. There’s no pressure to make any decisions straightaway. We simply want to make sure you have the opportunity to find out everything you want to know.

If you are interested in fostering, please get in touch.

Online: fostering enquiry form
Email: fosterwithbucks@buckscc.gov.uk
Telephone: 0800 160 1900

The National Paralympic Heritage Trust Heritage Centre Opening

I was very privileged to have attended the recent opening of the NPHT Heritage Centre on the 29^th March at Stoke Mandeville Stadium, the birthplace of the Paralympic Movement. Over 180 guests were welcomed to the launch on Friday where Sir Philip Craven, Paralympian, spoke of his wheelchair basketball experiences in the 1960s and Eva Loeffler shared fond memories of her father, Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann, the founder of the Paralympic Movement.

On Saturday the 30^th March the centre was opened to the public. Diane Hands won the competition to cut the ribbon with guest Paralympian, John Harris. Visitors had guided tours around the centre; participated in ‘have a go’ Paralympic sport sessions; watched drama performances from ‘I Have a Voice Too’ theatre group; and listened to John Harris’s story of his gold medal win at the 1984 Paralympic Games.

The Paralympic Heritage Centre is open daily, admission is free and all are welcome. For more information about opening times, group tours and upcoming activities visit the website www.paralympicheritage.org.uk or contact the NPHT at admin@paralympicheritage.org.uk

NOTICE OF REVIEW OF POLLING DISTRICTS & POLLING PLACES

The Council is to conduct a review of existing Polling Stations in accordance with compulsory legislative requirements.

Submissions on any aspect of the Polling Stations will be welcomed from:

 Any elector or Local Council.  Any local constituency political party.  Any person/group having a particular interest and/or expertise in access to premises or facilities for persons who have different forms of disability.

More information, current Polling arrangements and a submission form can be obtained from:

The Council’s website: www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/council-democracy or Electoral Services, The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury HP19 8FF (01296) 585701

First round of submissions close on Friday 26 April 2019

Dated: 1 April 2019 Published by the Electoral Registration Officer, The Gateway, Gatehouse Road Aylesbury HP19 8FF

National Paralympic Heritage Trust – Ride London

We have been asked by one of the Trustees of the NPHT to let residents know that WheelPower currently has 23 available places in the Ride London cycle event which takes place on Sunday 4^th August 2019. This unique fundraising event is over a 100 mile course on closed roads around London and Surrey.

The Closing Date is 30^th May 2019 and the Entry Fee is £25.  WheelPower set a minimum sponsorship (fundraising target) of £500 per place.  Riders also receive a specially designed WheelPower cycle jersey to wear for the event.

If you would like any more information please contact Joanne Hall, jo.hall@wheelpower.org.uk

Thank you in advance for helping us to raise funds which will enable WheelPower to transform the lives of young and newly disabled people through sport and physical activity.  Next month WheelPower will host our Inter Spinal Unit Games at Stoke Mandeville Stadium for around 120 newly paralysed men and women from around the UK and this is just one way we help disabled people to lead healthy active lives.  Sport has such a positive impact on the lives of newly paralysed people and builds confidence and improves both physical and mental wellbeing.  With your help we can Transform Lives Through Sport for even more disabled people.

Ivinghoe & Pitstone Cricket Club have their preparations for the coming season well underway.  It’s a big cricket year with the one day World Cup and the Ashes in England this summer and IPUCC are a cricket world cup focus club. There will be chances to take part in events see games and enjoy a game or two. Visit the club website to see what they have planned. https://ivinghoepitstone.play-cricket.com

Although winter nets have finished senior training will be getting underway on Thursday evenings starting on the 4th of April at Pitstone Recreation ground so if you fancy trying out please pop down. Colts training will be on Sunday mornings from early May and the  Allstars (5 to 8 year olds) gets going  on Friday evenings from the 10th of May (6-6.45pm). See the ECB website for details, it’s a great fun introduction to cricket for boys and girls and a chance for Mum and Dad to wind down with a glass of beer or wine at the end of the week. https://allstarscricket.co.uk/ivinghoepitstone

Take a look at the club website for upcoming events or if you want to find out about playing or volunteering in any way .

All_Stars_Cricket_Poster

Big Moments.  All Stars Cricket gives children a chance to play, learn great skills and meet new friends.  Ivinghoe & Pitstone United Cricket Club.  Pitstone Recreation Ground.  6-6.46pm Fridays (10 May – 28 June 2019).  Contact David.Frankum @ntlworld.com.  Register at AllStarsCricket.co.uk

Pitstone Film Club presents : A Star is Born (certificate 15)

Friday 12 April 2019.  Doors open 7pm.  Film starts 7.30pm.  Tickets on the door.  Adult £5.  Drinks and snacks available from the bar.

Thames Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following a burglary on Cheddington Road between 11am and 1pm on Thursday (14/3).

Offenders attempted to force the front door of a house but were unsuccesful. They then smashed the rear patio door to enter the house and stole jewellery.

If you have CCTV or dash-cam footage from the area between 11am and 1pm or if you saw or heard anything suspicious please get in touch.
You can contact us using the online form on our website or by calling 101, quoting reference number 43190078616. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

To reduce your risk of becoming a victim of burglary, follow these steps when leaving your home.
• close and lock all your doors and windows, even if you’re only going out for a few minutes
• double-lock any door
• make sure that any valuables are out of sight
• keep handbags away from the letterbox or cat flap and hide all keys including car keys, as a thief could hook keys or valuables through even a small opening
• never leave car documents or ID in obvious places such as kitchens or hallways
• in the evening, shut the curtains and leave lights on
• if you’re out all day, then it’s advisable to use a timer device to automatically turn lights and a radio on at night
• set your burglar alarm
• make sure the side gate is locked
• lock your shed or garage

Message Sent By
Mel Reedman (Police, Communications Officer, Thames Valley)

23 March, 7.30am-10am FREE entry to the gardens and New Inn visitor centre

Support our Head Gardener Barry Smith as he begins his 129 mile march at 9.30am on 23 March from the Palladian Bridge at Stowe to the one at Prior Park, Bath.

Arrive early to help us send him off in style and entry to the gardens will be free of charge if you arrive before 10am.

For centuries Stowe Gardens has inspired poets, artists, its owners and now our Head Gardener Barry Smith who has dedicated his life to Stowe Gardens. Barry will be walking 129 miles to the Bath Prior Park Palladian Bridge to help restore Stowe forever for everyone.

Celebrating The Start of the Palladian Way Walk:

Date:                     Saturday 23^rd March 2019

Timings:               Entrance to the gardens between 7:30am and 10am is free

Barry’s Charity Breakfast at New Inn 7:30 – 8:15am please book ahead by calling 01280 817156.

Wave Barry off at 9:30am from the Palladian Bridge at Stowe to Aynho

Venue:                 National Trust Stowe, New Inn Farm, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, MK18 5EQ

Car Parking:        Free all day

Stowe has been a visitor attraction for over 300 years offering fantastic walks along with amazing views across the gardens, temples and monuments.  National Trust Stowe looks forward to welcoming you or members of your community for an early dog walk, run or a family day out.

The funds raised will go a long way to ensuring everyone can enjoy this special place for years to come. We’re looking for people to dig deep and help Barry reach his £5,000 target.

To donate, please visit: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/BarrySmith38

A word from Barry:
“Those who know me understand how much Stowe means to me and so I wanted to step up to the plate, challenge myself and get fit all at the same time.”

Buckingham, MK18 5EQ | Telephone 01280 817156 Registered Charity: 205846

On Saturday 30^th March the new accessible National Paralympic Heritage Centre will be opened at Stoke Mandeville Stadium, the birthplace of the Paralympic Movement.

Telling the story of the Paralympic Movement, the Heritage Centre showcases objects, documents and memorabilia including tickets, medals, sports kit, photographs and programmes that were previously held in storage and not available to the general public. The Heritage Centre also incorporates interactive displays, videos and a handling collection, highlighting sports unique to the Paralympics such as goalball and boccia.

The Paralympic Movement began in the late 1940s at Stoke Mandeville Hospital where Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann encouraged wounded veterans to play sport as an aid to rehabilitation from spinal injury. This led to local competitions, to the Stoke Mandeville Games and to the Paralympic Games which today attracts international support and a global broadcast audience of more than 4 billion.

The National Paralympic Heritage Centre will celebrate and explore this unique history. The displays illustrate the determination, sportsmanship and vision that gave the world the Paralympic Games including:

• The life and work of Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann.
• Key milestones in the journey from the 1948 Stoke Mandeville Games

to the present day Paralympic Games.

• The development of wheelchair sports and technical innovations.
• Paralympic ceremonies.

This inspirational project would not be possible without the support of the British Paralympic Association, WheelPower – British Wheelchair Sport, Aylesbury Vale District Council and Buckinghamshire County Council. With grant aid from the Heritage Lottery Fund, AIM Biffa Award ‘History Makers’ Programme, Rothschild Foundation, Aylesbury Vale Community Chest, Heart of Bucks and the Wellcome Trust. The local community, who played an integral part in the establishment of the Paralympic Movement, continue to help by sharing their stories and volunteering as Ambassadors at the National Paralympic Heritage Centre.

Sir Philip Craven, Honorary President of the NPHT, said: “My first recollection of Stoke Mandeville was from the 1967 National Games when as a 17-year-old I saw wheelchair basketball being played outdoors and thus dependent on the weather. Looking back, I recall a small area of not too attractive land sandwiched between the back of a large hospital and a railway embankment. To think that this is where the unique Paralympic sporting spirit was born fuelled by the human energy of the athletes, coaches and volunteers. To know now that this fiery furnace of positive human energy will be remembered forever makes me very happy”.

Nigel Purse, Chairman of the NPHT, said: “Sports heritage has a wide appeal to the British public and with the support of our funders and founding partners we are able to celebrate the story of Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann and the development of the Paralympic Movement where it all began at Stoke Mandeville.  As well as protecting the unique heritage that could so easily be lost, the real satisfaction will be to share the inspiration behind the Paralympic heritage sport stories which are ‘life changing’.”

At its meeting on 12 March, Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC) Cabinet recommended an increase in the maximum New Homes Bonus (NHB) micro grant from £1,000 to £2,000, effective from 1 April 2019.

Since the scheme launched in September 2017, 60 town and parish councils and community groups have benefitted from these micro grants, using the funds for a variety of purposes such as, village hall refurbishments or the purchase of sports equipment.

Micro grants are funded from the existing 20% NHB allocation set aside for town and parish councils, and in the last two financial years, this represented £80,000 per annum. The total amount available in 2019/20 will remain at £80,000.

Micro grants are open to applications from across the district, unlike larger project grants – which are only open to town and parish councils in areas affected by growth. All awarded grants are listed on AVDC’s website.

Speaking after the Cabinet decision, Cllr Angela Macpherson, Leader of AVDC, said:

“New Homes Bonus micro grants are clearly appreciated, especially by smaller parishes and voluntary organisations, and provide valuable benefits to local communities. We have kept the application process as simple as possible and by making awards on a monthly basis, groups can approach us throughout the year, as and when the need arises.”

Kaya Mallinder, Fundraising and Communications Officer at Buckinghamshire Mind, commented:

“We were awarded a £1,000 micro grant from AVDC in May 2018, which we used to purchase suitable chairs for our counselling rooms in Aylesbury. Given our experience with the scheme, I’d have no hesitation in recommending it to other local community groups – especially now that the amount been raised to a maximum of £2,000.”

To find out more about the scheme, town and parish councils or representatives of community organisations should go to www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/newhomesbonus or contact the Grants Officer, Jan Roffe, at jroffe@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk.

Applications from community organisations must be endorsed by their local town or parish council, and the closing date for applications is the 15th of each month.

This is to confirm that Hertfordshire County Council’s admission arrangements for 2020/21 were determined at Cabinet on 18 February 2019. The arrangements are now published on their website at the following link:

Hertfordshire County Council’s school admission arrangements for 2020/21

6 to 18 April

Due to works in Ivinghoe by Anglian Water, bus services will need to divert.

Passengers are advised that the nearest served stops are as follows:

Service 61 / 61A: After serving Pitstone ‘Playing Fields’ stop, buses will divert via Vicarage Road and vice versa.

167 (Tuesday only): Services will start / terminate at ‘Albion Road’ stop in Pitstone

164: 6:20am service will terminate at the Pitstone ‘Playing Fields’ stop

50 (Sunday only): After serving the ‘College Lake Nature Reserve’ stop in Marsworth, buses will divert via Vicarage Road and then serve the ‘Playing Fields’ stop in Marsworth.

Please note works are subject to change at short notice.

 Keep up to date on our Service Disruption page at: www.buckscc.gov.uk/travelinfo

BCC will be displaying notices at affected shops and asking bus operators to display notices in their buses.

School buses are not affected as these works are during the school easter holidays.

Buckinghamshire County Council’s Cabinet agreed a series of changes to the county’s Household Recycling Centre (HRCs) service in January 2019. A public consultation about possible changes ran in Autumn 2018 for 8 weeks and received over 6,000 responses. For more information you can see the full decision report and associated documents or view the cabinet meeting webcast.

Key changes which start on 1 April 2019, are:

• all sites will introduce charges for non-household waste
• Aylesbury (Rabans Lane), Burnham, and Chesham household recycling centres will close 2 days a week on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
• Bledlow Household Recycling Centre will permanently close

The changes will make important cost savings that the council’s budget requires. They will also make sure that Buckinghamshire residents, as a whole, experience as little change as possible when using their local recycling centre.

New charges for non-household waste

From 1 April 2019 you will be charged for disposing of non-household waste items such as, bags of rubble, kitchen units, fence panels etc.

Read about what constitutes chargeable waste and how much this will cost.

Weekday closures

Aylesbury (Rabans Lane), Burnham, and Chesham household recycling centres will close 2 days a week on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Read more about why they were chosen and alternative sites.

Bledlow household recycling centre closure

Bledlow Household Recycling centre will permanently close at 4pm on Sunday 31 March 2019.

Read about why this site is closing and alternative sites.

BefrienderPosterV4

Representatives from Luton Airport will be at the Local Area Forum being held at Ivinghoe Town Hall this Thursday from 7pm if any members of the public wish to attend and ask questions.