Community Trust Fund Available for Parishes Impacted by Luton Airport
A Community Trust Fund is available for Parishes impacted by London Luton airport which can provide funding for Community projects. Grants range from £250 to £3,000. Some grants may be paid in stages over the life of the project as it reaches set goals.
For more information please see the following website: https://www.london-luton.co.uk/corporate/community/community-trust-fund
New Homes Bonus
New Homes Bonus Micro Grants of up to £1,000 are now available. These easily accessible grants are assessed on a monthly basis and are open to voluntary and community sector organisations as well as Parish and Town Councils
Contact officer: Jan Roffe jroffe@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk
New Council Tax Bills
It’s that time of year again where we are in the process of sending out around 80,000 council tax bills. Customers who have signed-up for MyAccount can access their bill through MyAccount and will not receive a bill through the post.
As you can appreciate, these bills generate a high volume of contact from our residents. Although this is normal at this time of year, it can mean longer wait times on the phone lines for customers who are calling with enquiries.
To save the wait on the phone, we would advise customers to contact us through our website and on webchat and, if possible, to wait a week or so before contacting us with non-urgent enquiries.
Contact officer: Lynda Tomlins ltomlins@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk
Garden Waste Collection Service
The cost of the garden waste collection service is changing. The annual cost for the service will rise to £45 on the 1 April 2018, around £2 per collection. The service runs from February to November and is a cost effective way for residents to dispose of their garden waste.
This is the first rise in the cost of this discretionary service for three years and is needed to cover our increased costs as a result of inflation, rising fuel costs and government funding cuts. All garden waste collected by AVDC is turned into compost to be used on farmland as a soil improver.
We will be running a radio campaign for three weeks during March to encourage new residents to sign up to the before the price increase on 1 April.
Contact officer: Amy Bridgford abridgford@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk 01296 585233
Investment in New Recycling and Waste Vehicles
Residents and businesses across the Vale can look forward to improved waste collection and recycling services following a £3.6m investment in a new fleet of 17 Mercedes-Benz Econics state-of-the-art refuse vehicles. The new vehicles offer enhanced performance, improved fuel economy and greater safety, compared to the leased vehicles they are replacing. As well as providing an opportunity to increase recycling rates the new fleet are also best-placed to cope with the increase in demand which will inevitably result from the increase in new homes across the Vale.
Contact officer: Amy Bridgford abridgford@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk 01296 585233
Trees and Your Property
Trees add immeasurably to our quality of life and contribute multiple benefits to the urban environment where so many of us live and work. However, they may have some characteristics that can often be viewed as an inconvenient. Such circumstances can give rise to disputes where the tree concerned is not in the ownership or control of the person affected, for advice please visit the website or contact:
Contact officer: Jim MacNewman jmacnewman@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk
Safe Place Scheme
The Safe Places Scheme has been rolled out across Aylesbury Vale through the AVDC Community Safety Team with Thames Valley Police also supporting this initiative. The scheme provides safe havens, such as shops and restaurants, for vulnerable people if they need help when out and about. If they spot the sticker, they can approach the business for help or guidance whether this be for directions, a sit down and glass of water or to have a taxi phoned on their behalf.
A list of the current Safe Places can be found here: https://www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/safe-places-scheme
If you are a business owner or know any businesses that would like to help, please forward this item to them or email communitysafety@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk for more information.
Contact officer: Rachel Robinson rrobinson@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk
Ask for Angela
Ask For Angela is a sexual violence campaign, supported by Thames Valley Police which aims to help individuals feel safe when they are on a night out. An individual can get help by asking a member of staff for Angela at the bar if they are feeling uncomfortable on a date or in a dangerous situation. The bar staff can then defuse the situation or arrange a safe way of getting home.
Each pub or bar will display posters in their public toilets so that people are aware that they are supporters of the campaign.
There are numerous supporters of Ask For Angela within Aylesbury – these can be found here: https://www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/ask-angela
If you are a business owner or know any businesses that would like to support the scheme, please forward this item to them or email communitysafety@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk for more information.
Contact officer: Rachel Robinson rrobinson@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk
Hotel Watch
Hotels across all districts in Buckinghamshire are being encouraged by AVDC and partners to support a scheme aimed at preventing child sexual exploitation and domestic violence. Called Hotel Watch, the scheme has been going for some time, but a relaunch is focusing on raising awareness of the signs that may point towards abuse taking place with the ‘SAY something if you SEE something’ catchline.
All districts within the county (Aylesbury Vale, Chiltern, South Bucks and Wycombe) are involved in the scheme in partnership with Thames Valley Police.
Aylesbury Vale has a strong Hotel Watch membership, comprising of local hoteliers and proprietors that want to play their part in keeping a safe environment. Hotels and guest houses participating in the scheme display the distinctive Hotel Watch stickers.
If your Hotel are interested in becoming a member of Hotel Watch please email communitysafety@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk.
Contact officer: Rachel Robinson rrobinson@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk
WhizzFizzFest 2018 Tickets Are Now Available
Tickets for selected events at Aylesbury’s annual WhizzFizzFest, the all-day festival celebrating children’s art and literature, are now on sale.
Taking place on Saturday 30 June in Aylesbury’s town centre and organised by Aylesbury Vale District Council, this year’s festival is already proving to be bigger and better than ever, with celebrity guests Dame Darcey Bussell and Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill headlining the events.
For more information and to buy tickets, visit www.whizzfizzfest.org.uk
For all the latest announcements and updates on the festival, follow @WhizzFizzFest on Facebook and Twitter and use the hashtag #WhizzFizzFest
Contact officer: Sarah Owen sowen@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk
Vale Lottery Special Spring Prize Draw
Vale Lottery will be hatching a new special spring prize draw over the Easter holidays; offering players who are signed up before 8pm on Saturday 5 May the chance to win an ‘all inclusive’ family ticket to Legoland Windsor. To date, Vale Lottery has raised over £140,000 for more than 180 local good causes in Aylesbury Vale and we would greatly appreciate your help in encouraging even more local residents to sign up and support a good cause on their doorstep.
Contact officer: Megan Williams mwilliams@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk