Your views on Buckinghamshire’s Roads
Buckinghamshire County Council (BCC) is seeking the opinions of residents on the county’s road system in a new online survey that will provide information that will inform the council’s strategic highways planning.
This online survey is open to all residents, and is in addition to the annual National Highways and Transportation (NHT) survey which was sent to 3,300 randomly selected households in Buckinghamshire during June.
Through this survey, BCC will be taking a deeper look at two of the key NHT questions which concern ‘Road Condition’ and ‘Road Congestion’. The opinions collected through this survey will be used to supplement the information obtained via the NHT.
Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Transportation Mark Shaw said: “when we look at the combined results of these two surveys, we can really start to build a picture of how the public views and rates our services. This will assist both Buckinghamshire County Council with transport planning and Transport for Buckinghamshire – the strategic highway maintenance arm of the organisation – with advising us on where the roads budget is best spent each year.
“We really value the views of our residents, and this additional questionnaire will give us a better understanding of any issues respondents are experiencing with road condition and road congestion.”
The survey will remain open to the residents of Buckinghamshire until 30 September 2019. It takes under five minutes to complete and is open to all residents even if they have responded to the initial NHT survey received last month. The results will be made available on the BCC website in the autumn this year.
Complete the survey here:
www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/BCCtransportsurvey2019
Heat Advice for Heatwaves
Whilst we welcome hot weather, if it is too hot for too long there are health risks.
The most vulnerable group of people are:
- Very young children
- Elderly
- Seriously Ill (hot weather can make heart and breathing problems worse)
The main risks are:
- dehydration(not having enough water)
- overheating, which can make symptoms worse for people who already have problems with their heart or breathing
- heat exhaustion
- heatstroke
Here are some top tips on to keep cool and comfortable:
- Shut windows and pull down the shades when it is hotter outside. If it’s safe, open them for ventilation when it is cooler.
- Avoid the heat: stay out of the sun and don’t go out between 11am and 3pm (the hottest part of the day) if you’re vulnerable to the effects of heat.
- Keep rooms cool by using shades or reflective material outside the windows. If this isn’t possible, use light-coloured curtains and keep them closed (metallic blinds and dark curtains can make the room hotter).
- Have cool baths or showers, and splash yourself with cool water.
- Drink cold drinks regularly, such as water and fruit juice. Avoid tea, coffee and alcohol.
- Stay tuned to the weather forecast on the radio or TV, or on theMet Office website.
- Plan ahead to make sure you have enough supplies, such as food, water and any medications you need.
- Identify the coolest room in the house so you know where to go to keep cool.
- Wear loose, cool clothing, and a hat if you go outdoors.
- Check up on friends, relatives and neighbours who may be less able to look after themselves.
Also, for anyone in the vulnerable groups above, remember to
- stay out of the sun when it is really hot
- wear loose clothes and if you go out, wear sun cream, sunglasses and a hat or a scarf
- do not do too much exercise
- have lots of cool drinks but not alcohol
- use plants and bowls of water to keep rooms cool, close curtains during the day and turn off lights you do not need. Open windows at night when it is safe to do so
The Health and Wellbeing pages on our website has more information on summer safety.
Update on the New Unitary Buckinghamshire Council
Rachael Shimmin has today been announced as the Chief Executive of the new Buckinghamshire Council, the unitary authority which on 1 April 2020 will replace the existing county and district councils.
Rachael will lead a brand new £1bn council, the second largest non-metropolitan unitary in England, providing all of the current county and district councils’ services across the county.
The appointment follows a national search to find the best candidate to lead the employees of the new council and a thorough recruitment process which started in early June and was overseen by the members of the Senior Appointment Sub Committee.
A team of more than 300 staff from the five current councils are working together to setup the new Buckinghamshire Council for April 2020 and Rachael who is the current interim head of paid service and implementation lead will continue to lead this work in creating the new council. All five councils are united in their commitment to delivering the best result for residents, partners and businesses, and making this the best new council for the future for Buckinghamshire.
In advance of the elections next year to the new council the new Chief Executive will also work with the 202 elected members who make up the Shadow Authority and the decision-making Shadow Executive to oversee the creation of the new council.
Rachael will now formally take up the position of Chief Executive almost three years since her arrival at Buckinghamshire County Council as the CEO. Rachael said: “Setting up the new Buckinghamshire Council is a once-in-a-career opportunity. The communities of Buckinghamshire deserve the best possible public services and I am excited to be heading up the organisation that will deliver them. While the task ahead of us shouldn’t be underestimated, the programme to create the new council is well established and has a clear focus on what is required. I am determined to create an organisation that will lead the way in providing excellent services.”
Leader of the Shadow Executive, Cllr Martin Tett, said: “Creating the new Buckinghamshire Council is a massive challenge but I know Rachael is the person who will ensure it happens and I look forward to working with them. We have the opportunity here to improve services and create simpler, more efficient and effective local government that will deliver for all of our communities.”
Deputy Leader of the Shadow Executive, Cllr Katrina Wood said: “This is an exciting step in the creation of the new unitary authority for Buckinghamshire and I’m confident that Rachael will lead employees to create a new council that brings together the best of the five councils to promote Buckinghamshire as a great place to live, work and do business.”
Under the new council, residents will access services in a way very similar to the current set up. Residents will not see any major changes on day 1 of the Buckinghamshire Council, as all the councils involved are committed to ensuring a smooth transition to the new council.
After the transition to the new Buckinghamshire Council is complete, the focus of the new council will be to improve services for communities by bringing functions together as one council to work more efficiently.
For more information about the new Buckinghamshire Council, and the Shadow Authority which has been set up to create it, visit shadow.buckinghamshire.gov.uk and follow us on twitter @DeliveringBucks.