Local cafe & catering firm, CuriosiTea, has set up a new home delivery service for fresh, home cooked meals.  Whilst we don’t normally share commercial business information, we are are letting residents know about this new local service as it may be a valuable service for some of our residents.  With the bad winter weather coming, some of our more vulnerable or elderly residents may not be able to get to the shops as easily and may find this service particularly useful.

If you know someone local who may benefit from a home cooked meal and a local person to check that they are ok, you might like to consider passing the information along to them or getting in touch with Hayley at CuriosiTea.

🚨 APPEAL 🚨

Officers are appealing for witnesses following a serious injury collision in Slapton, Aylesbury Vale.

At 8am on Wednesday a black Hyundai Coupe was travelling on the B488 Horton Road when it was involved with a collision with a pedestrian near Willow Park.

Footpath 2 Jan 19 Closure

We understand from Bucks County Council that BOAT (Byway Open to All Traffic) number 2 (which runs alongside the brook next to Brookmead school) and part of public footpath number 2 (the section through the new houses) will be closed from 7 January 2019 to allow for the surface to be upgraded.  Works are estimated to be complete by mid-February.

Alternative access will be available via the normal path on Williamson Way, Rushendon Furlong and then B489/Marsworth Road.

Any queries should be directed to alempkowski@buckscc.gov.uk.

Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC) is encouraging residents to make the most of their recycling bins this Christmas and to be aware that over the festive period all Aylesbury Vale households will be affected by revised waste collection dates.

Over the festive season households generate around 30% more waste, so it’s even more important to reduce, reuse and recycle. As most of the extra waste created at Christmas can be recycled, AVDC will collect extra recycling if it is presented in a clear bag or cardboard box next to your recycling bin on collection day.

So at a time when your home is overflowing with wrapping paper, boxes and empty bottles of festive fizz, please help us by filling your blue-lidded recycling bin with; Christmas cards and crackers (without the snap), paper hats, non-glittery wrapping paper, chocolate boxes, gift packaging and all the usual items you regularly recycle. If in any doubt over which items can and cannot be recycled, check out the online Waste Wizard: https://www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/section/recycling-and-waste

Residents who have subscribed to AVDC’s garden waste collection service can put natural Christmas trees, wreaths, holly and mistletoe in their brown garden waste bin. Remember to remove any decorations and cut the tree down to smaller, manageable pieces first. Garden waste collections will recommence from Monday 28 January 2019. If you are not subscribed to AVDC’s garden waste collection service you can still recycle your Christmas tree by taking it to a local recycling and waste centre. Find your nearest centre and its opening times here: https://www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/section/recycling-and-waste

Your revised Christmas bin collection dates can be seen here:

The latest news on any further changes to bin collections due to unforeseen circumstances, such as inclement weather, can be found on the AVDC website or on its Facebook page and on Twitter.

AVDC is making progress towards a final version of the Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan, after the independent Planning Inspector who assessed it during the summer gave his response to the council’s comments on his Interim Findings.

Following the issuing of his Interim Findings in August, which set out areas where further work was needed to make the plan ‘sound’, the Inspector agreed to consider a number of comments from the council about the issues he’d raised; he has now supplied his response to these comments.

Amongst the content in this document is an acceptance from the Planning Inspector that the Oxford-Cambridge Corridor should not affect the housing figure used in the VALP, as AVDC had suggested. The Inspector has also asked the council to suggest what adjustments should be made to matters such as migration and housing affordability which affect the calculation of housing need in the Aylesbury Vale.

The council will now take these matters into account in producing modifications to the plan, and it will be offering the public a chance to give their views on these latest changes. The timetable for this further work, the consultation and the next phases of the work to progress VALP to adoption will be published as soon as it has been confirmed.

Cllr Carole Paternoster, AVDC’s Cabinet Member for Growth Strategy, said: “VALP will be crucial in shaping the future development of the Aylesbury Vale and ensuring its ability to respond to future needs of residents, communities and businesses alike. We are pleased to receive the Inspector’s latest response and to see that he has agreed with our assessment of the impact of the Oxford-Cambridge Corridor on housing numbers. We are investigating the issues he has raised, so we can continue to progress the plan.”

Anyone interested in reading the Planning Inspector’s latest response in full will find the document (called Discussion Document D5 – Acting on Interim Findings) on the council’s website at www.avylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/discussion-documents-main-modifications. The Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan and other related documents can also be found on the website.

The Ivinghoe Neighbourhood Plan Referendum took place on the 6 December 2018. The result of the referendum was 137 votes ‘yes’ out of 186 Votes cast (73.6% ‘Yes’). The Turnout was 24.5% of the electorate. The plan will in due course be ‘made’ by AVDC.

If you click the word “result” above, it will take you to the AVDC page with the breakdown of the voting.

The policy that guides the allocation of social housing in Bucks is changing due to alterations in government legislation and increasing demand for social and affordable properties to rent – and Bucks Home Choice is asking people for their views on the plans.

Bucks Home Choice is a partnership of Aylesbury Vale, Chiltern, South Bucks and Wycombe District Councils. Officers manage the Housing Register through Bucks Home Choice, where applicants are prioritised according to their needs and circumstances and placed in different housing ‘bands’. In addition, Vale of Aylesbury Housing also works closely with AVDC to manage applications in the Aylesbury Vale.

The proposed changes are designed to prioritise accommodation to those who need it most and make the best possible use of the housing stock available. The partnership wants to prevent people and families at the highest risk from becoming homeless. Some groups will now have greater priority than before and others will be classified as lower priority.

Cllr Mark Winn, AVDC’s Cabinet Member for Communities, said: “Faced with the huge demand for social and affordable housing in Bucks, we have decided to look again at how we identify those in greatest need. We have worked hard to create what we think are simple, fair and transparent rules, ones which should help anyone applying to the Housing Register to understand their realistic prospects. By making more efficient use of the housing stock we plan to cut down on the use of emergency or temporary accommodation for applicants who are actually homeless.

“I’m urging you to have a look at what we are suggesting and give your comments, so we can do the best job possible with the available housing, in a very challenging situation where demand is increasing all the time.”

Bucks Home Choice wants to hear from residents, those on or applying to the Housing Register, Registered Providers of social housing, community groups, those providing support and those with an interest in how housing is allocated across Buckinghamshire. The consultation can be found at www.buckshomechoice.org.uk and runs until 5.15pm on Monday 7 January 2019.

Thank you to all the residents that volunteered to help Santa this year.  Rennie Grove Hospice are pleased to confirm that they are able to visit on 17th December (around Castlemead) and 18th December (around the rest of the village).  Below you will find the route maps for each date.   Please be aware that Santa’s sleigh needs lots of space to turn around and we have many cul-de-sacs and tight roads in Pitstone, so whilst Santa will try his best, he may not be able to pass right by your door.  Santa hopes to set off at about 5.45pm and won’t be out later than 8.15pm as he needs his rest before Christmas Eve.

Santa Float Pitstone Village 181218

Santa Float Pitstone-Castlemead 171218

If you would like to find out more about the amazing work of Rennie Grove, please visit the website:  https://www.renniegrove.org/

Please provide a donation when Santa visits, if you are able, to help fund their vital work.

unitary Statement from the four Bucks district councils re the new unit…

County councillors have today launched their annual Christmas present appeal to help Buckinghamshire’s vulnerable children and young people.

The annual appeal, now in its fourth year, is being led by Paul Irwin, Deputy Cabinet Member for Transportation and Mark Shaw, Deputy Council Leader & Cabinet Member for Transportation.

Residents, staff from across the County Council and county councillors are invited to donate Christmas presents throughout December for disadvantaged and vulnerable children across the county. The donated presents will then be wrapped and handed over to deserving children and young people by members of the Council’s Children’s Services teams in time for Christmas.

Supporting the Council’s appeal this year is the congregation of Aylesbury’s Salvation Army Church as well as a number of other local organisations and businesses.

Paul Irwin said: “I’m so thrilled that we are running the Christmas present appeal again – it’s honestly one of the best things I get to do all year! I know how much everyone at the Council wants to help local vulnerable children and young people, and I’ve seen for myself what a difference it makes to so many families.

“The response from local organisations and businesses has been overwhelming and we would like to thank them all for the help and support they have given us.”

Warren Whyte, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “It’s fantastic to know that at such a hectic time of year, our staff and councillors pull together to help make other families’ Christmas that little bit better. Thank you in advance to everyone who brings in a present; it will really make a big difference to the children and young people we work with.”

Please drop off your gift, unwrapped, to County Hall Reception in Aylesbury before the 13th of December, to allow staff time to check and wrap them.  You are welcome to donate anything suitable for girls or boys from babies to 18 years.

Local Government Reorganisation

The Secretary of State, James Brokenshire, has decided that a brand new county-wide unitary council will be established in Buckinghamshire.The announcement by Secretary of State James Brokenshire has been hailed as a ‘truly historic day’ by County Council leader Martin Tett.

The new council, which will replace the county council and four districts, will be simpler, better value and more local to Buckinghamshire communities than the current two-tier system, ultimately moving to a more sustainable future for the county.

Services which complement one another but are currently divided between the district and county councils such as bin collections, waste disposal, planning and roads, would be brought together under the single unitary council, resulting in more efficient, joined-up services for residents.

The Secretary of State said in his statement: “Having assessed both proposals against the criteria that we announced to the House on 28 February 2017 (PQ 65271), I have concluded that whilst both proposals meet the criterion for a “good deal of local support”, only the proposal for a single unitary council satisfies the criteria for “improving local government” and for “being a credible geography” and that in any event the proposal for a single unitary council is better able to meet the criteria overall.

“Accordingly, I am today announcing that I have decided to implement, subject to Parliamentary approval, the locally-led proposal to replace the existing five councils across Buckinghamshire – the two tier structure of Buckinghamshire County Council and the district councils of Aylesbury Vale, Chiltern, South Bucks and Wycombe – by one new single unitary district council, and that I have decided not to implement the proposal for two new unitary councils.”

The full statement of the Secretary of State can be found at this link:

https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-11-01/HCWS1058/

 Remembrance Day Services and Events

 I was very honoured to have been able to attend the Remembrance Day services at Ivinghoe and Pitstone this year, where I laid wreaths to remember all those who fell in the service of Buckinghamshire.   It was lovely to see such support for the events to commemorate the Centenary of the Armistice, both in Ivinghoe Division and throughout the entire nation.  I found the services poignant and moving, and I was especially grateful for lovely curry lunch which was provided by Royal British Legion in Pitstone after the services for all those who attended.

Brownlow Bridge Update

As you may know, the Brownlow Bridge in Ivinghoe was badly damaged last spring by a van and was subsequently repaired by the Canal and River Trust.  The C&RT stated it was their view that the bridge should have an 18 tonne weight limit put on it going forward, which would mean HGVs would be unable to use the bridge and would need to use alternate routes.   This would have the effect of mitigating some of the HGV traffic through Horton and Ivinghoe on the B488 and Pitstone coming down the B489.

After much discussion and bridge loading analyses, Transport for Bucks has agreed the C&RT weight limit for the bridge in the short term, and is in the process of issuing a TTRO to limit the maximum weight on the bridge to 18 tonnes.   However, they are also currently analyzing the traffic diversion effects for local businesses and residents, and so in the longer term it remains to be seen whether they will propose any alternative arrangements going forward.

Anglian Water Works in Ivinghoe

A road closure for the junction of the B488 and B489 by the church in Ivinghoe had been planned for the end of January.  These works are necessary to place a meter on the main water service for the village to monitor leaks in the future. However, due to concerns raised by an Ivinghoe parish councillor regarding timing of this work in conjunction with the current diversions in place in Pitstone, the works are now being moved to the school summer holidays, and planned to take place from the end of July for approximately ten working days.

Final confirmation of these works will follow in the coming months, at which time I can provide more information to PPC regarding diversion routes.

Bucks County Council Christmas Present Appeal

The BCC Christmas present appeal for children in care across the county is due to be launched next week.  Cllr Paul Irwin will be launching the appeal on behalf of all our children in care.  The appeal has been well supported in previous years and has made a real difference to our looked after children, for many of whom Christmas can otherwise be a very difficult time.  If you would like to help with present donations, the deadline is 17 December, to allow for staff to wrap them before Christmas.  I will send more information through after the official launch of the appeal next week.

The latest edition of the e:newsletter from London Luton Airport has been published:

Inform October 2018 NEW

As many of you will now be aware, there was a fire at the hay barn beyond Pitstone Green Farm at the weekend.

The fire service has now handed the site back to the National Trust.  The fire continues to smoulder and will remain hot for several days.  The barn has suffered substantial damage and there is a risk of a serious collapse.  The asbestos roofing on the barn has exploded as a result of the fire and there is debris covering a substantial area. Whilst the risk from the asbestos is low, it will require specialist clear up and removal.

National Trust have erected temporary fencing around the barn and padlocked the gate that leads from the Pitstone Green Farm into the Windmill fields.  There is no right of way between the farm and the fields. It is essential that people DO NOT try and go to look at the damage.

This incident is being treated as a crime.  If anyone has any information that may help  identify who is responsible for this act, we would be most grateful if they would call it in to the police on 101.  The crime reference number associated with this incident is 43180351690.

BVCL 100 CLUB
Now in its 5th Year!
Come and join our many prizewinners and help to support your local Library. Three guaranteed cash prizes every month!
Why not pick up a pack at the Library in Ivinghoe? Or email treasurer@bvcl.org.uk for further details and an online application form.

Beacon Villages Community Library
Run by the community, for the community
www.bvcl.org.uk
General enquiries: info@bvcl.org.uk 01296 387890
Committee enquiries: secretary@bvcl.org.uk

Opening times:
Tuesday 2pm – 5pm
Wednesday 10am – 12pm
Thursday 2pm – 5pm
Friday 2pm – 7pm
Saturday 10am – 1pm

Every year, Rennie Grove Hospice Care bring their Santa Float to Pitstone, bringing seasonal cheer to our residents and raising vital funds for the hospice.

This year, the scheduled dates are:

Mon 17 Dec – Pitstone 1 (starts Westfield & Corfe Road)

Tues 18 Dec  – Pitstone 2 (starts Cheddington Road / Marsworth Rd)

As always, these lovely events can only take place if enough local volunteers are willing to walk around the village with the float, carrying out the door-to-door collections.

If you are willing to be a helper (elves) please email Alison Parker at Rennie Grove on : Alison.parker@renniegrove.org

Thank you.

This year the Friends of Pitstone Church will be holding their third Christmas Memory Tree event.

As both previous ones have been dogged by bad weather, the event will take place on two Sundays, the 2nd and 9th December, 12 to 4pm.

The choir will be singing at 3pm on 2nd.

Come and visit the church to include someone you like to remember on our tree, enjoy the decorated church and sample our mulled wine and mince pies.

A warm welcome is promised to all.

Donations will be welcome towards the upkeep of our beautiful church.

This Christmas why not support your local Scouts and save yourself some time posting Christmas cards around the villages by using the Scout Christmas post instead?

You can buy the special Scout stamps from St Marys Christmas Market on 17 November and then from local retailers.  Stick them on your cards and post them in one of our many special post boxes dotted around the villages.

The Scouts will ensure that all cards posted by the ‘last post’ (5pm on Friday 14 December) will be delivered across the weekend of 15 and 16 December 2018.

Look out for the posters, check their facebook page (1st Ivinghoe & Pitstone Scout Group) and village web sites for more information.

BCC have just advised that Stocks Road will be closed from 8-12/11/18 for carriageway repairs.

Please use Northfield Road to access Aldbury during this period.

More information from NHS on the flu vaccine is available here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/flu-influenza-vaccine/

Help protect yourself and your family.  Vaccines are available in the village via your GP or via the Windmill Pharmacy in Ivinghoe.  If you don’t qualify for a free vaccine, they are available at a cost of £10 from the pharmacy, where no appointment is necessary – just pop in.

I am writing with great enthusiasm to inform you that the new Draft AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) Management Plan is open for public consultation and we would welcome both you and your residents thoughts on how you think the AONB should best be cared for and looked after.

The new Plan covers a range of issues from biodiversity and wildlife conservation to looking after the special character of the Chilterns villages, managing access and recreation and helping local businesses to thrive.  You might be concerned about climate change or the loss of hedgerow trees, perhaps it’s the impact of housing and infrastructure development or the loss of wildlife due to poor condition of chalk streams. If you have particular concerns about the area or ideas for how best to protect it and use it, we want you to have your say.

• The draft Plan can be viewed, and any comments submitted at: https://www.chilternsaonb.org/management-plan-review
• The deadline for feedback is 31 December

It is also worth noting that if you only have a few minutes to spare, you don’t have to read the entire document. We’d particularly like to hear peoples thoughts on the Vision and General Policies set out on pages 15-18 of the Plan. Any feedback people are able to provide would be welcomed.

Bucks County Council announcement:

AVDC, and the other district councils, announcement:

We are disappointed that the Secretary of State, James Brokenshire, has announced he is supporting a new single unitary district council that will cover the whole of Buckinghamshire, excluding Milton Keynes.

The Secretary of State has previously stated there was a need to ensure broad consensus and we do not believe this has been achieved with the new single unitary district proposal.

All four district councils, as well as many key stakeholders, firmly believe that the two unitary authority approach, based on the two different economic geographies in Buckinghamshire, is the best option for protecting, delivering and transforming the services needed both now and in the future.

We will now be considering our position, seeking further advice and reviewing the options available to us.

Bucks CC have today announced a consultation on the future of School Bus Services within the County. One of the 3 proposals on the table for discussion directly affects the Ivinghoe Division, including Ivinghoe, Ivinghoe Aston, Pitstone, Cheddington and Edlesborough.

All parents are strongly advised to complete the online survey at the following web address

https://democracy.buckscc.gov.uk/mgConsultationDisplay.aspx?ID=8420

There are some background documents available as follows

1. Page 5 of this document explains the ‘Ivinghoe Promise’ and the effect of its removal, https://democracy.buckscc.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=123660
2. Further background information is also available at
   https://democracy.buckscc.gov.uk/mgConsultationDisplay.aspx?ID=8420

There was a series of public meetings and drop in events about this, the nearest was being held at Cheddington School, High St., Cheddington – Thursday 8th November 2018 at 7pm.

Subsequent update (20/11/18):

In Pitstone, the national statutory guidelines continue to apply, ie the child would qualify for free school transport to the NEAREST secondary school (ie Tring) if that school was more than 3 miles away/unsafe walking route.  If parents elect to send their child to an alternative school, they do not qualify for free transport.  If the nearest school does not have capacity to offer the child a place, the child will qualify for free transport to the second nearest eligible school (ie Cottesloe).

BCC are also consulting on the possibility of utilising public transport for some routes, rather than dedicated school buses.  Many Pitstone children attending the Aylesbury schools already utilise public transport, as this tends to be cheaper than purchasing a ‘paid for’ place on the school buses.  A number of residents have raised queries regarding this element of the consultation and Anne Wight, County Councillor, has clarified:

https://www.buckscc.gov.uk/services/council-and-democracy/finance/budget/budget-consultation-201920/

The major services we provide in Buckinghamshire play a part in most people’s lives, whether that’s through education and learning, roads and transport, health and social care, household waste recycling or just using our country parks.

Our Strategic Plan sets out our clear aims that we want to achieve for our 536,000 residents; these are:

• safeguarding our vulnerable children and adults
• creating opportunities for everyone and building self-reliance
• ensuring Buckinghamshire is a thriving and attractive place to live and work into the future

However, in working to accomplish these we are facing some very big challenges. Our population is growing rapidly including, for example, more young children needing school places, more elderly people as people live longer, and the type of services that people need from us is changing and demand is also growing. The increase in people we need to support means overall higher costs for us. Buckinghamshire is also growing in terms of housing developments with thousands more homes set to be built across the county. This brings additional pressure on us to provide new roads, schools and other infrastructure to serve these new and growing communities.

We are amongst the increasing number of councils who now no longer receive any central government funding for day to day services, which means that despite having made savings in our budget of £102 million over the last five years which has helped us manage our increasing costs so far, we will need to make further cost savings in order to balance the books next year.

We have statutory responsibilities – things we that we must legally do, like safeguarding vulnerable children and adults. There is also a long list of other work that, although not set by Government, we still want to do to ensure all our communities are safe, prosperous and healthy. The funding for the running of our schools is not set or controlled by the Council; this goes directly to schools from government.

We are now working to set our budget for the next financial year, 2019/20 and beyond. In doing this we will need to make some difficult decisions about the level of spending across the board – making changes in how we provide some services, in places reducing what was done previously, and in other areas working smarter and becoming more commercially-minded to maintain the level of service.

The next few weeks is your opportunity to help shape what we spend and where we spend it across all of the services we provide for you. Please give us your views; your input is important and will help decide spending on the services you receive next year.

The survey is open until 14 November and you can complete the short online survey here which will take less than 10 minutes. If you need it, you can get support to complete the online survey at one of our main libraries – these are Amersham, Aylesbury, Beaconsfield, Buckingham, Chesham, Hazlemere, High Wycombe, Marlow and Princes Risborough.

We are ready and waiting to hear your views.

Thank you.

Councillor Martin Tett

Leader of Buckinghamshire County Council

The Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity Tree of Light commemorations are open to anyone in our community who wishes to spend some time quietly remembering friends and family members who have died. The ceremonies are open to all, regardless of religion or spirituality, and it doesn’t matter whether your loved ones were cared for by Florence Nightingale Hospice or died at home or in hospital.

“The Tree of Light events are designed to give people a space where a part of the season is set aside to commemorate loved ones,” says Ann Kenny, the new Bereavement Support Team Lead at the Hospice. “Christmas can often be a time of conflicting emotions, or it can be so busy that those who are grieving can’t find a time to process feelings of sadness which may come to the fore at this time of year.”

There are a number of different ways to commemorate loved ones through the Hospice’s Tree of Light events. Sponsor a light in memory of them and write a dedication which will appear in the Books of Honour which can be viewed at the Hospice in December and early January, and at the two Tree of Light events. Or come along to one or both Tree of Light services which will take place at the Head Office of Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity at Walton Lodge, Walton Street, Aylesbury, at 5pm on Sunday 2nd December and at St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Buckingham at 4pm on Saturday 8th December.

To sponsor a light in memory of someone, please call our Fundraising Team on 01296 429 975 to request a Tree of Light Form or find out more at www.fnhospice.org.uk/tree-of-light

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) is seeking volunteers to join its Independent Custody Visiting Scheme in Aylesbury.

An Independent Custody Visitor (ICV) is a role performed by volunteers from the local community checking on the welfare and treatment of those being held in police custody.  ICV’s make unannounced visits to police stations to observe the conditions in which people are being held and, importantly, talk with willing detainees.

Volunteers typically make one custody visit a month ensuring that detainees have been offered food and drink, they are warm enough, cells are in a reasonable condition, that religious and cultural needs have been considered, have been informed of their rights and know the reason why they are in custody.  Any problems are brought to the attention of custody staff and the OPCC.

Police and Crime Commissioner, Anthony Stansfeld said ‘ICVs play a vital role in ensuring there is confidence in the way that detainees are being held and treated in police stations across the Thames Valley.  We currently have a number of vacancies in Aylesbury and I would encourage anyone who is looking for a rewarding role within their local community to apply.’

Applicants will be invited for interview and successful candidates will complete an induction programme before beginning the role.

ICVs must be 18 or over and should be independent of the police. Serving police officers or members of police or OPCC staff are not eligible to apply.

Anyone interested in applying can download an application form at www.thamesvalley-pcc.gov.uk/get-involved/independent-custody-visitors/

Closing date for applications is 31^st October 2018

Please find below a link to the above consultation on admission changes: http://waddesdonschool.com/admissions/statutory-consultation-on-proposed-changes-to-admission-arrangements/

Anglian Water will be installing a pumping station at the T-junction of Cheddington Road and Wellington Place, and installing pipework up Cheddington Road to join the mains sewer by Chequers Close.   These works will bring much needed first-time sewerage provision to the properties at Cooks Wharf and Cheddington Road.

Phase I & 2 – Cheddington Road road closure (between T-junction and Chequers Close), 24 hour, from 7/11/18 to 21/12/18 and then again from 2/1/19 to 10/1/19 (with works removed over Christmas).

Phase 3 – Wellington Place road closure from 11/1/19 to 25/2/19, 24 hour closure.

Please be patient during this period of works.  There will be no access (apart from for home owners) and diversions will be in place throughout so you will need to utilise alternative routes.

Both the school bus service and the public bus services have been informed by Bucks County Council – please contact them direct if you have any queries regarding timetable changes.

Love In The Countryside is back on and the hunt for rural singles who are looking for love but find it difficult to meet potential partners.

If this sounds like you, or someone you know, email the producers on loveinthecountryside@boundlessproductions.tv

Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC) is once again taking part in Recycle Now’s national Recycle Week campaign. The WRAP initiative will run for one week from Monday 24 September, tasking residents to go above and beyond to protect the environment, whilst also promoting the new do/does tagline: ‘Recycling. Aylesbury Vale does. Because it matters.’

With a greater motivation than ever before to reduce unnecessary plastics, the fifteenth annual Recycle Week is encouraging people all over the UK to further build on this momentum.

Aylesbury Vale is a district of recyclers, with a current recycling rate of 52%, that’s 2% higher than in 2016/17. However, there are some simple things that can make the Vale’s recycling even better. Remembering that items can be recycled from all over the household, and not just from the kitchen, is a great way to boost recycling in the home. Shampoo and body wash containers, perfume bottles, cleaning product bottles and toilet rolls are often forgotten about when it comes to recycling.

What and how we recycle really matters. Recycling an item rather than throwing it in the general rubbish bin means that it will be dealt with in the most environmentally-friendly way, keeping materials in use and out of the environment.

Councillor Sir Beville Stanier, Cabinet Member for Waste and Licensing, said: “I would like to say well done and thank you to the residents of Aylesbury Vale for their commitment to recycling. More and more of us are recycling, helping to build a cleaner and greener district.”

Craig Stephens, campaign manager for Recycle Now, said: “This year we’ve all taken more notice of our impact on the environment, and realised that recycling is part of reducing that impact. So come on Aylesbury Vale, keep up the great work and make the district’s recycling better than ever before!”

A 10-week consultation to capture the public’s views on proposed ways to deliver early help services to support vulnerable families and children in Buckinghamshire launches on Thursday, October 4.

Early help services should provide families experiencing difficulties with the right help at the right time in a proactive way, before their problems escalate and become harder to resolve. With targeted support, families are able to deal with the emerging difficulties they face, such as domestic abuse, poor mental health, neglect and substance misuse. A connected approach to early help, with the Council working closely with its partner organisations, means families are far more likely to avoid future social care intervention. Evidence indicates that an estimated 31% of 0-19 year olds in Buckinghamshire may benefit from early help support, and the current service is not reaching all of them. It is vital for the Council to focus its resources on helping them.

Early help is everybody’s business and local organisations such as schools, the health authority, voluntary organisations and district councils already contribute to it significantly. This consultation relates only to the proposed changes to the County Council’s early help services, not health services.

In 2017/18 only a small number (15%) of the families using the Council’s early help services had an identified need for support. An even smaller number (5%) of families, with children aged 0-5, who used children’s centres had an identified need for support in 2017/18.

With the County Council having to reduce costs across services because of public sector funding reductions, it wants your views to help decide how to reach and support children and families in need as effectively as possible.

The consultation proposes three options for the service, which have been informed by data on current service use and pre-consultation work done by talking to existing service users. There has also been learning from successful authorities up and down the country who have previously adopted similar plans to our favoured option. These authorities now have targeted, proactive and connected services which have seen dramatic improvements in their early help service delivery.

Warren Whyte, Buckinghamshire County Council Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “The research and evidence tells us we are not reaching enough of the children and families most in need with our existing Early Help service. This has to change. We know Children’s Centres are popular, yet a small percentage of people currently using them (5% in 2017/18) actually have an identified need for their support.

“To reach the people most in need and provide the best possible early help service, we must make services more connected, proactive and targeted. This way, the money spent on the service can go further to help the children and families who would most benefit. A new early help service can be about far more than physical buildings – it can ensure we give the right professional support to children and families at the right time. We need to help people before their problems escalate and become harder to resolve. With no central government funding, the Council has less money than ever before and must make every penny count toward helping those children and families most in need.

“Our preferred option (Option B) would retain the use of some existing children’s centre sites, expanding their offer of support as Family Centres, and strengthen all aspects of the Early Help service to deliver more targeted support to people in need. This would let us work with health providers, schools and others to ensure families get the right service at the right time.

“But we need to know what the public think – particularly those using early help services or who may benefit from them. The views we hear will matter in helping us decide on or even reshape our proposals.”

The consultation runs until midnight on Thursday, December 13 2018. Access to the online survey and supporting information, including more detail on the proposed options, will be available at www.buckscc.gov.uk/earlyhelp.  No changes will be made to early help services until September 2019.

Several public meetings are being planned during the consultation period to support people in understanding the options in filling out the survey. More information will be given about these soon

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On the 8th of October 2018 BCC/TfB plan to start work on the traffic signals at Brownlow Canal Bridge; this work is necessary to replace life expired equipment to refurbish the traffic signals and a road closure will be needed to provide safe working space.

The B488 will be closed between Station Road, Cheddington and High Street, Ivinghoe from 9.30am to 3pm Monday to Friday starting Monday 8th October to Tuesday 23rd October.

Access will be permitted to residents, businesses and visitors but only as far as the bridge, motor vehicles will not be allowed over the bridge.

The road will be open overnight and at weekends with temporary traffic lights.

The signed diversion route will use the A4146, B440 and B489 for both directions.

The closure end date may be subject to change if works are delayed, for example by bad weather.

During these works there may be some delays and we are sorry for any inconvenience caused, if you should have any problems during these works please contact us online at www.fixmystreet.buckscc.gov.uk or in an emergency call 01296 382416.

We want to help local residents like you to live long, happy and healthy lives. That’s why
we’re working with Active Bucks and other partners to encourage older residents across
Buckinghamshire to try a new physical activity or sport session.

Keeping active as we age is really important for our physical and mental health. It can help us keep up with the grandkids, provide a way to regularly see friends, ensure our minds stay sharp by learning new skills and ward off many preventable diseases.

Current guidelines recommend that people aged 65 and over should aim to be moderately active for 150 minutes each week, that means an activity which raises your heart rate and makes you breathe faster and feel warmer.  Government recommendations also include two sessions of activity each week which
strengthens the major muscles, like digging the garden, Pilates or carrying heavy shopping bags.

There are hundreds of activities taking place across the county to help you achieve these guidelines, and through Active Bucks, your first session is free. Try your hand at activities like nordic walking, gym, swimming, dance, martial arts, badminton, tennis, and yoga.

Ian 67, a retired graphic designer from Steeple Claydon tried Nordic Walking last year and has been hooked ever since.  “From the first session in the cold wind and pouring rain, I loved it! I knew it was doing me good. I feel fitter than I have done for years, I have less aches and pains and I have lost significant weight without any change to my diet. I am racing up hills and inclines where before I would be puffing and panting. It feels exhilarating to get the heart rate up.”  According to Ian, it’s the social which makes it enjoyable with feeling fitter and healthier an added bonus. However with only two other men in the group, Ian is keen to get more men involved.   “It was the social thing more than anything; we have grown together as a group of people.  We didn’t know each other before and now we all look forward to the session.  My wife Val will tell you that I get really annoyed if I have to miss a session of this. So the big message as far as I’m concerned is lets get more men doing it.”

Like Ian, you can feel the social and physical benefits of being more active. Sign up for an activity session today. www.activebucks.co.uk

Do you remember last year’s yarnbombing? That was the Ivinghoe and Pitstone WI celebrating their 100 year birthday.

We now want to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the end of the Great War, in a similar way but this time we’d like to invite community members to get involved as well.

We invite you to make poppies which we will use to decorate areas of both villages; they can be knitted, crochet, sewn, cut out of fabric, card whatever your inspiration creates, although they do need to stand up to the November weather!

Please click on link:

Within the last couple of weeks the Canals and Rivers Trust have undertaken a survey of Brownlow Bridge, Ivinghoe. Ivinghoe Parish Council have had the following response from the Canals and Rivers Trust with respect to the survey.

‘We have asked for a permanent 18 tonne limit to be introduced to prevent damage to the bridge, on the strength of the assessment we have undertaken’.  

Bucks CC have said they welcome the Parish Council to work with them regarding this matter. 

Thames Valley Police have received recent reports of a scam, where residents are told that there is a problem with their drains.

Victims are being contacted by people claiming to be either from Thames water or Dyno Rod, saying that their drains are blocking and require specialist equipment to clean them, costing around £500 to hire.

At one property in Wendover the money was handed over and we are aware of several other attempts in Aylesbury.

If you receive an unsolicited phone call, or someone comes to your property, don’t always believe what they are saying.

Scammer will try and get your confidence and may use technical information, to make it sound like they know what they are talking about.

Consider using a call-blocking service, which will stop calls that aren’t in your address book coming through, unless you authorise them.

You can find more advice and information by visiting the Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards or Action Fraud website.

You can also download a copy of the Little Book of Big Scams  (attached below).

Please look out for vulnerable friends, neighbours or family and make sure they know how to deal with unsolicited telephone calls.

If you have been a victim of this or another type of fraud you can contact Action Fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040

Press release information from AVDC:

Highways England has today announced that Corridor B is its preferred route for the proposed Cambridge – Milton Keynes – Oxford Expressway, following a programme of stakeholder engagement. This is the first of a number of key decisions that will be taken in respect of this locally and nationally important project. Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC) says today’s announcement is important in helping us to start to understand more about the government’s plan for the area and to continue to work with partners to understand the potential implications with its members, local communities and partners.

The expressway is just one of the components of the government’s strategy for the Cambridge – Milton Keynes – Oxford growth corridor and is of great relevance to our residents and businesses as approximately 70% of the new road will pass through Aylesbury Vale.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Angela Macpherson, said:

“Today’s announcement provides clarity on the government’s preferred corridor. Whilst this is a scheme of national importance, it is essential that Highways England engages with us and our communities in the critical next stage of this project that will be focused on determining the detailed route within the identified corridor.

“We now need to take time to properly assess and understand the corridor decision and discuss the implications with our local communities, members and partners, in particular, Buckinghamshire County Council. This cannot be another HS2, and we will press the government to understand the benefits this infrastructure can bring to the Vale.

“The government has identified that the expressway can help to unlock growth across the corridor and we want to work with government to help shape good growth and create successful and sustainable places with our local communities.”

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At times our 101 number has to taken a back seat to our ability to answer 999 calls. If you wish to report a non-urgent issue to the police then you can always consider using our online reporting tool – https://mymsg.eu/53hj

St Mary’s Church in Ivinghoe run the local food bank and are in need of donations, particularly tinned meat, cereal, tinned fruit, biscuits and cup-a-soup.

If you are able to help, the church is open during the daytime each day and donations can be left in the box just inside the door on the table.