Modernising Local Government
The District Councils’ report on modernising local government in Buckinghamshire was published on 11 October 2016. Aylesbury Vale, Chiltern, South Bucks and Wycombe District Councils commissioned Deloitte to undertake an open and independent review to find the best option for the future of local government to serve the population of Buckinghamshire.
The report has no pre-determined outcome and is looking at all possible options. It focuses on finding how best to strengthen local decision making, improve and protect the future of local services, save taxpayers’ money and keep our customers at the centre of everything we do.
Engagement with stakeholders is the next step and to take this forward the four district leaders have asked to meet with the Leader of Bucks County Council, Councillor Martin Tett, next week.
Councillor Neil Blake, Leader of Aylesbury Vale District Council said: “We welcome this report as a vital addition to the debate we need to have. Fundamental to good local government is delivering quality and consistent services to a diverse population, and it is the responsibility of all local councils and their elected members to do this as efficiently as possible.”
The report and summary documents can be found at http://www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/mlg
Electoral Canvassers out and about this autumn.
Electoral Registration staff will be visiting homes across the Vale during October and November. Any households who have not responded to the Annual Electoral Canvass by 13 October are likely to be called upon.
The Annual Electoral Canvass runs from August to November and is designed to ensure the electoral register is accurate and also to identify new electors who need to register. A completely revised electoral register is then published on 1 December.
Legislation requires that Local authorities send a Household Enquiry Form (HEF) to every household in their area and follow up with reminder forms and then a personal visit if required.
Residents can respond to the HEF online, by phone, text or by completing and returning the form (postage paid). A response is required even if nothing has changed.
For more information about the Annual Electoral Canvass, or supply of the fully revised register, contact Peter Brown, Electoral Services Manager (pbrown@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk)
VALP consultation has closed, so what’s next?
Consultation on the draft local plan for Aylesbury Vale closed on 5 September after over eight weeks of manning exhibitions, holding special briefings and handling hundreds of web, email and telephone queries.
Over 1,600 people submitted their comments during the consultation period – more than double the previous VALP Issues and Options consultation last year, including 46% of parishes in Aylesbury Vale. Attention focused on the amount of new housing proposed and the suggested locations for new housing and infrastructure.
What happens next?
Informed by the analysis of the responses and finalisation of evidence, the local plan team will draft the final version of the local plan. Discussions with neighbouring authorities on their unmet need are continuing, with further coordinated work on infrastructure. The final plan will be considered by councillors at:
- VALP Scrutiny Committee, 19 December
- VALP Pre-Submission Cabinet meeting, 21 December, and
- Council on 16 January.
All meetings are open to the public and will be held at AVDC offices on Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, starting at 6.30pm.
Subject to approval by councillors at the Council meeting in January, a statutory six week public consultation period will take place. Anyone who has taken part in any consultation throughout the local plan’s development, (and left their contact details), will automatically be notified when this takes place.
The plan should then be submitted to the government’s planning inspector in March 2017.
We anticipate that a public examination will be held on the plan soon after that, with adoption of the plan taking place in mid-2017. However after submission, the timetable will be in the hands of the government’s planning inspector.
To find out more go to www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/valp
During the consultation period there’s been:
- 1,628 returned consultation responses, most of which contained multiple comments
- 56% of responses were from residents living in Aylesbury Vale
- 48% of parishes in Aylesbury Vale submitted responses
- 4 neighbouring parishes also responded.
Brown bin collection dates
A reminder for our brown bin garden waste customers that final collections for 2016 will be at the end of November.
Following your own two-weekly collection schedule, last collection days this year will be:
- Monday 21 November
Or
- Monday 28 November
The service starts again next year on:
- Monday 30 January
- Monday 6 February
Check our website nearer the time to find out when your collection date will be.
If you put your real Christmas tree in the brown bin, please make sure that it is not wedged in, but chopped into pieces that will easily fall out when the bin is turned upside down for emptying.
Lynda Tomlins, Customer Contact Manager, Recycling and Waste – 01296 585510
New Homes Bonus
The New Homes Bonus Advisory Grants Panel met in early September to consider 8 applications from parish and town councils for funding. The Panel’s funding recommendations were considered by Cabinet on 11 October and a total of £684,295 will be allocated to help with the provision of community facilities associated with housing growth that have tangible benefits for the whole community. A list of projects awarded funding will be available on the AVDC website when the grant awards are confirmed.
The future of the New Homes Bonus Grants Programme is currently on hold until the Council knows the Government decision about its New Homes Bonus policy. The Grants Officer will keep parish and town councils informed about the process and timescales should funding be available for 2017/18.
Jan Roffe, Grants and Voluntary Sector Support Officer. Email: jroffe@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk
Community Chest final deadlines
Aylesbury Vale Community Chest – make sure your community don’t miss out.
Since 2007, the Community Chest has awarded 740 grants totalling over £4.5m.
Last chances to apply – remaining closing dates for microgrant applications (up to £1,000) are 15 October, 15 November and 15 December 2016.
The final closing date for project grants (up to £25,000) is 2 December 2016. If you’re planning to apply, do contact the grants officer soon, as the deadline for draft applications is 11 November, and we are expecting a high number of applicants for this concluding round. For projects costing over £10,000, we will fund up to 50% of project costs to a maximum of £25,000.
If you know of a project in your community that is under development or in need of an injection of funds, whether it’s a charity, club, society, parish council or social enterprise, encourage them to request an application form before it’s too late.
For more details visit www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/communitychest
Free Trees for Community Groups – Apply Now
“Last winter, I Dig Trees enabled OVO Energy and TCV to inspire and educate thousands of people about the benefits that planting trees would bring to their communities and communal green spaces… and planted 158,000 trees!
We’re delighted to again be running I Dig Trees in 2016/2017 with OVO Energy, on behalf of its Greener Energy customers.
This time we’re aiming to plant even more trees – 250,000 in over 1,250 green spaces across the UK, which will be achieved with approximately 62,000 hours of community volunteering.
If you’re a member of community group that would like some free trees to plant, (which come with spiral guards and canes), please apply now, by using our very simple, online form:
Free Trees for Community Groups”
Request to report sightings of the non-native Asian Hornet, Vespa Velutina
Please see below, a request from Marc Botham at the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology to keep a look out for the non-native Asian Hornet Vespa velutina and report sightings, preferably, with a photo if possible.
Earlier this week the first UK record of the non-native Asian Hornet, Vespa velutina, was confirmed in Tetbury, Gloucestershire. Since then a response team has been in the area carrying out further surveillance to locate and, if found destroy any Asian Hornet nests.
Please keep an eye out for this species and report any potential sightings by using the online form, preferably with the addition of an image, at:
http://www.brc.ac.uk/risc/alert.php?species=asian_hornet
It is worth pointing out that our native species, the European Hornet, Vespa crabro, seems to be having a good year and is currently very active. It is also expanding its range and becoming a much more common sight across southern and central England and northwards. Asian Hornets are slightly smaller than the European Hornet and have considerably less yellow in their markings as well as having contrasting dark upper and bright yellow lower coloration on their legs compared to the reddish brown legs of V. crabro. For more detailed information and help on identification of the Asian Hornet please also see the following factsheets:
https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/beebase/downloadDocument.cfm?id=698
Aylesbury Christmas Light Switch on
Thursday 17th November
Join in the fun in Aylesbury town centre to herald the start of Christmas. The ever popular Christmas lights switch on event is hosted by Mix 96 and the Aylesbury Town Centre Partnership. It will take place between 5.30pm and 7.30pm in Market Square, along with a funfair in Kingsbury until 8.30pm The lights will be switched on at 7pm and will be followed by a colourful fireworks display. There will also be a host of live acts performing throughout the event.
The cast from the panto, including Buckinghamshire’s own funny man and comic panto king Andy Collins, will be switching on the lights and will be joined by the winner of the Roald Dahl fancy dress competition.
Why not grab a bite to eat from the vast range of street food available, choosing from paella, hot cheese sandwiches, hot chestnuts, candy floss, kebabs or fresh donuts – or you can pick from one of the town’s many restaurants. There really is something for everyone!
If you fancy a spot of late night Christmas shopping, parking will be free from 4.30pm Thursday evenings in AVDC’s Aylesbury Town Centre car parks, from 17 November until 22 December.
Santa’s Parade & Santa Dash – Sunday 27th November 10.45am – 3pm
The Aylesbury Town Centre Partnership is delighted to host the return of Santa`s Parade – a real family favourite! This year Santa will be accompanied by his elves, larger than life penguins, winter foxes, Snow Princesses, a Happy Snowman, real donkeys, a samba band and a colourful array of music and dance groups.
The parade of characters and local groups will sing and dance their way through town at 10.45am, starting from the Upper High Street and making their way around Market Square.
After the parade, there is a range of entertainment including go-karts, a small fun fair, donkey rides and a bouncy castle. Why not start your Christmas shopping on the day too, with the town hosting an array of national and independent shops?
From 1pm the impressive family Santa Dash run will leave Kingsbury and run through town in aid of charity. If you want to join in this worthwhile fun run, email duevents@outlook.com. Alternatively, booking forms are available from Dead Universe Comics, Bourbon Street, Aylesbury or the Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity, Walton Street, Aylesbury.
Sunday 4 December Christmas Craft and Gift Fair 1am -3pm
Come and discover a wealth of unusual gifts for your loved ones this Christmas. Take a leisurely stroll around the Christmas Craft and Gift Fair based in the beautiful Market Square.
Discover personal, handcrafted and unique Christmas gifts whilst enjoying festive music from a live jazz band and local carol singers.
These events have been bought to you by the Aylesbury Town Centre Partnership – a team of local businesses, Councils and organisations working hard to improve Aylesbury.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Aylesbury town centre!