- Coronavirus Information
These are very challenging and distressing times. It has been very encouraging that our local communities have come together and our thanks to the volunteers for the work they are doing. We ask all residents to follow guidelines to ensure that you can all keep safe.
Buckinghamshire Council is now doing daily video updates, Monday to Friday, for residents about what is going on locally to protect, inform and support our communities. There will be a guest each day to talk about specific areas like working with the health services, public health and businesses. You can find these at –
We also encourage residents to go to the Community Support Hub pages on the Buckinghamshire Council website, a place which gives information for local people to sign up and help those who need it in our communities. More information is available on the website at https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/community-and-safety/coronavirus/
There is also a website for Service Updates on the Buckinghamshire Council website, so do keep checking here regularly for the latest:
https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/community-and-safety/changes-to-our-services-due-coronavirus/.
Things are changing quite quickly, but this information will keep you updated on specific services that are impacted.
- New Buckinghamshire Unitary Council outlines political arrangements following postponement of elections due to Coronavirus
Shadow Leader, Martin Tett said that although there were still many details to sort out, the new council’s leadership will follow guidance from the Government with the following arrangements in place:
- All Shadow Authority councillors become councillors of the new Buckinghamshire Council on 1st April until May 2021.
- The existing Shadow Executive members will form Buckinghamshire Council’s new Cabinet until the elections in May 2021
- The Council’s new constitution (its operating rules and procedures) will come into force on 1st April and new committees will be established. The Government is due to introduce emergency rules which will allow committees to hold virtual meetings for a temporary period.
Martin Tett said; “These are clearly challenging and unprecedented times on a truly global scale. However, we will still launch the new Buckinghamshire Council on 1st April as planned and will continue to provide services to residents with the minimum of disruption. A vast amount of planning and preparation is going on across all our services and we will be keeping people informed as decisions are made. It’s clear that the next few weeks and months will be difficult for all, but we will get through it.
“Buckinghamshire Council will remain in regular dialogue with Government and expect to confirm all legislative and other changes required as soon as possible.”
With AVDC and BCC ceasing as local authorities on April 1st and the local elections now postponed until May 2021 the existing councillors from either AVDC or BCC will be temporary members of the new authority until May 2021. These are:
Anne Wight, Chris Poll, Derek Town, Sandra Jenkins and Peter Cooper.
We are at present still working out exactly how this will operate but wanted to let you know that we are here for all residents within the new Ivinghoe ward which covers:
Cheddington, Mentmore, Marsworth, Pitstone, Slapton, Ivinghoe, Edlesborough, Dagnall and Northall.
All our contact details are on the Buckinghamshire Council website and please do not hesitate to contact us at any time.
The new Buckinghamshire Council encompasses four district councils plus Buckinghamshire County Council. As you can imagine this new Council covers a very large area and Councillors will be allocated seats on the new committees as soon as possible which will probably be ‘virtual’ in their operation for the near future.
- AVDC Cancels final Council meeting
In the light of the recent Government announcements relating to limiting large gatherings and encouraging social distancing to reduce the spread of coronavirus, the Leader of the Council, Cllr Angela Macpherson, in discussion with the Chairman of the Council, Cllr Judy Brandis, and the Buckinghamshire Director of Public Health, Dr Jane O’Grady, have concluded that the final meeting of Aylesbury Vale District Council, scheduled for Wednesday 25 March, should be cancelled.
Cllr Judy Brandis said: “It is incredibly disappointing to come to this decision, but these are unprecedented times and we are working hard to protect ourselves and others.
“We had invited a number of past Chairmen and Honorary Aldermen to attend the meeting but many are elderly and some have underlying health conditions – putting them in the high risk category if they contract coronavirus.”
Among those attending would have been the first ever AVDC Chairman, former Councillor Anthony Mogford, now 92.
Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC) formally came into being on 1 April 1974. AVDC was created as a result of local government restructuring that saw the merger of the boroughs of Aylesbury and Buckingham, Aylesbury Rural District, Buckingham Rural District, Wing Rural District and part of Winslow Rural District.
As with the current restructuring, that will see AVDC, the three other district councils in the county and Buckinghamshire County Council replaced by the new Buckinghamshire Council, there was a period prior to the establishment of the new Council when members met to plan their new future – and the first meeting of Aylesbury Vale District Council took place on 19 June 1973, following elections that had taken place on 7 June 1973.
Cllr Angela Macpherson said: “AVDC has a lot to be proud of and will leave a strong legacy for the new Buckinghamshire Council to inherit. I would like to pay tribute to councillors past and present and to the staff of the council who have worked so hard and diligently to deliver services to local residents”.
Cllr Judy Brandis had a special word of thanks for Bill Ashton, Democratic Services Manager, who will be retiring at the end of the month after 50 years in local government service and 46 years at AVDC. “Bill was here from the very start of the new district council and in recent years has provided members with highly professional insights – keeping us all on track and fully aware of what we can and can’t do as councillors,” said Cllr Brandis, “and he has provided me with excellent support and advice during my year as Chairman.”
- Buckinghamshire County Council held its last ever full Council meeting on Thursday (March 12) after 131 years of service.
County Councillors, Aldermen and distinguished guests including Lord Lieutenant, Sir Henry Aubrey-Fletcher Bt, KCVO and High Sheriff, Mrs Julia Upton MBE packed into the Oculus in Aylesbury to mark the historical occasion. The County Council and Buckinghamshire’s four district councils are being replaced by the new unitary Buckinghamshire Council on April 1.Alongside regular meeting business, councillors took the opportunity to look back over Council services spanning three centuries. Over this time, average life expectancy in the County has risen from just 46 in 1889 to over 81 currently, and population has nearly trebled to 540,000.
The last ever Chairman of Buckinghamshire County Council, Brian Roberts, said he was proud to be given the privilege of ending such a historic chapter. He said after the meeting, “This Council has been serving Buckinghamshire residents since 1889. During that time we’ve seen four Monarchs, 26 prime ministers and 32 County Chairman. The decisions made by both our current and predecessor councillors have shaped how Buckinghamshire has developed as a County and how services have contributed to making life better for residents, businesses and communities.
Brian added, “The County and the four districts councils now pass the baton on to Buckinghamshire Council and I wish the new authority every success going forward.
In closing may we wish all our residents the very best and keep safe at this difficult time. We hope to be able to attend Parish Council meetings in the not too distant future. In the meantime we will endeavour to continue to forward as much information as possible.