Archives: Local News

TfB work will continue on the Horton Road, Horton scheme during w/c 16/10/17. We have identified a requirement for remedial works further along the closed road, and rather than have to return early next year to carry out these works we are looking to minimise disruption to residents by carrying out this work  in the current scheme.

This additional work will be undertaken using a night time road closure between 19:00hrs and 06:00hrs until the 21^st October 2017.

The 24 hour closure currently in place will be lifted from this Saturday morning with the road open to traffic over the weekend,  and the night time closure will begin at 19:00hrs on the 16^th October 2017.

The diversion route will remain in place for an additional week, with the intention to route overnight traffic away from the villages.

Remembrance Day Service

Pitstone Memorial Hall

12pm Sunday, 12^th November 2017

On Sunday 12^th November 2017 at 12pm, following the service at Ivinghoe Church, the first Service of Remembrance for Pitstone will take place in the foyer at Pitstone Memorial Hall.  The Reverend Adrian Manning will conduct the service.

Wreaths shall be laid by: a member of the Royal British Legion, representatives of the Parish and County Councils and the Memorial Hall Board of Trustees.

All members of the community are invited to attend and remember those from Pitstone who have given their lives in the service of this country.  The flowerbed outside the Hall will be available to plant a cross to remember friends or relatives.

The Memorial Bar will be open immediately after the service for a reception and all members of the community are welcome.

Residents across Bucks are able to give their views on the Household Recycling Centres as the annual customer satisfaction survey is launched. The survey has is run annually in October to find out what works well, what could be improved, and how residents are using the Household Recycling Centres in Bucks.

Survey staff are on sites during October and talking to residents who use the sites, which gives Buckinghamshire County Council a snapshot of the service. Over 2,000 responses are sought across the ten sites asking residents questions which include which site they prefer, how often they visit, and whether they are familiar with the permit scheme.

For the first time ever, residents will also be able to complete the survey from the comfort of their own home. An online version has been created this year, to increase the number of responses, and capture the thoughts of those people who maybe do not visit the site as much. The survey is open until Tuesday 31 October and can be completed by any Buckinghamshire resident.

Once completed, the survey responses will be collated and reviewed to help the Council make the services offered at all ten Household Recycling Centres the best they can be, whilst keeping costs down.

County Council Cabinet Member for Planning & Environment Cllr Bill Chapple OBE said “The annual survey is a great chance for residents to have their say, and tell us what they like about the service. Last year 99% of those who responded to the survey were satisfied with the service, and we’d like to get to 100%. Millions of visits are made to our Household Recycling Centres each year, so we want to know where we can improve and how our residents are using the sites. Having an online option is a great chance to listen to more of our residents’ views.”

Link to online survey – https://goo.gl/AQ6zex. Closing date Tuesday 31 October.

Santa’s Parade set to bring festive cheer to Aylesbury

Aylesbury town centre’s hugely popular Santa’s Parade is back this year, taking place on Sunday 26 November.

Last year’s spectacular parade reached record numbers, with over 300 people taking part. The festive parade welcomes local dance groups, professional entertainers, bands, local businesses and organisations to escort Santa to Friars Square Shopping Centre. The parade gathers from 10am, and will make a start from 10.45am at Upper High Street. It will then travel through Market Square and onto the Friars Square Shopping Centre, bringing festive cheer to the town centre. The parade finishes by 11.30am, but the fun will continue with activities throughout the town until 3pm. These include go-karts, a small fun fair, a bouncy castle and donkey rides.

The Town Centre Team is now calling for local businesses and non-profit groups to join the parade.

Participants are encouraged to bring along balloons or goodies to hand out, and all attendees must wear Christmas fancy dress. (However, there can only be one Santa at the parade – so no Santa costumes are allowed.) Local business and non-profit groups can participate in various ways, such as putting on dance shows, handing out tasters, or running activity stalls. Non-profit groups can also participate in the parade for free.

Aylesbury Town Centre Manager Diana Fawcett said: “The Christmas parade is one of the most popular events in the town, and we are delighted to be hosting it again this year. We have lots of exciting professional acts lined up and we urge the local community to get dressed up and have some fun!”

Local organisations wishing to get involved in the parade should email Diana Fawcett: dfawcett@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk

Please find below a link to the new publication from the Police and Crime Commissioner outlining the five strategic priorities for policing and crime for the next five years in Thames Valley.

PCC_Plan_SUMMARY_2017_final

Aylesbury Vale District Council has launched an affordable, efficient skip hire service with 12 and 6 yard skip options.  They can collect recyclables, residential, industrial, gardening and building waste.

To celebrate the new service the first five customers to hire a skip in October will receive a £20 high street shopping voucher.

For more information or to book your skip call 01296 585353 or visit the website via this link:

https://www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/avdc-skip-hire

The arrival of October means that Buckinghamshire County Council’s Household Recycling Centre services are moving to their winter opening hours of 9am-4pm, seven days a week.

All the Household Recycling Centre services usually on offer are still available seven days a week, which means residents can still drop off unwanted items to be re-used by the South Bucks Hospice Shops, or dispose of their garden waste and other items. All ten sites will see the opening hours change on Sunday 1st October and the sites will close at 4pm until April 1st when they go back to the summer opening times of 9am-6pm

A burglary has been reported on Windsor Road, Pitstone, between Wednesday morning (27/9) and Friday evening (29/9).

Offender(s) entered the rear garden, either by a side or rear gate and broke the glass in a rear door. They then unlocked the door, using the key that had been left in the lock.

A search was made of the upstairs of the residence. It is not yet confirmed what has been stolen, but is likely that jewellery is among the property taken.

DC Bruce Wilson from Aylesbury, is investigating this burglary. He would like to hear from anyone that might have seen or heard anything suspicious in the area between these dates.

If you have any information please call DC Wilson on the 24 hour number 101.

If you don’t want to speak to the police or give your details you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or report it online.

Householders in Aylesbury Vale are doing a great job recycling – and are being encouraged to do even better over national Recycle Week (Monday 25 September to Sunday 1 October).
Aylesbury Vale District Council residents recycle on average 52% of their waste each year – well above the national average of 44%.
Cllr Sir Beville Stanier, Cabinet Member for Environment and Waste, said: “I would like to say thank you to all of our residents who put in the effort and recycle regularly.
“For Recycle Week it would be great to see an even bigger effort, especially from those who haven’t really gotten into the recycling habit yet. Everyone doing their bit will help England reach its target of 65% by 2030.”
There are some handy hints about what (and what not) to recycle at www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/section/recycling-and-waste

You said, we’re listening

We are now mid-way through our consultation on improving early help services for children and families. Thank you to those of you who have already replied. Feedback so far shows that more detail about the proposal would be useful. We have added further information about the current services and how these would change with the proposed new service.

If you have already responded but now wish to add more, please complete the survey again. Responses already sent in will still be included. The consultation will now close on 16 October to allow as much time as possible for responses.

We want your views on changes to services for children and young people aged 0 – 19, and their families in Buckinghamshire

We need to make changes so we can support the families who need it the most and build a service fit for the future. We want to hear from you to help us make the right decisions for the future of early help services for children, young people and families in Buckinghamshire.

To save the council money we would encourage you to give your feedback online. You can also complete the survey online in one of our libraries. However, if you do require a version of the consultation in an alternative format please contact communications@buckscc.gov.uk.

Complete online survey

The consultation closes on 16 October 2017

For full details, please click the link to the BCC website: http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/services/care-for-children-and-families/improving-early-help-services-for-children-young-people-and-families/

Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC) will be sending out annual voter registration reminder forms today and is asking residents to respond as quickly as possible in order to help save money.
All properties in Aylesbury Vale received a ‘Household Enquiry Form’ in early August, but so far over 27,000 households have yet to respond. Residents are required by law to confirm or update the details of anyone at their address who is eligible to vote in the UK.
The forms are pre-printed with the names of the occupants currently registered to vote at each address. A response is required, either to update their details if there are any changes, or to confirm that the information is still the same. Even residents who voted in the General Election will need to respond.
Peter Brown, AVDC Electoral Services Manager, said: “Although the canvass response rate to date has been encouraging, over 30 per cent of homes in the Vale have yet to respond. We have to undertake a number of prescribed steps to follow up on non-responding properties. Those households who do not respond to the reminder have to be personally visited, which is an expensive exercise. We are urging residents to help us save money wherever possible by responding to their reminder form promptly.”
Residents can respond online using a unique 14 digit reference number which is printed on the form. The online process also allows people to add the names of any new occupants as well as remove names of those who no longer live at the address, or request a postal application.
For further information, visit www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/canvass or call 01296 585701

This is the first of a series of quarterly bulletins that I intend to write as the local police area commander for Aylesbury Vale. I hope that these messages will offer a flavour of what Thames Valley Police has been doing, together with partners and often with the help of the community, to keep the district safe. I won’t be able to cover everything, but will focus on what I see as highlights and issues of interest.  I may sometimes focus on particular crime theme or to highlight a particular piece of work that we have been doing with our partners, and which they often lead on. I’m always open to feedback, so do let me know if you’d like me to change the focus, or include different things.

Key current issues can be summarised as follows:

• Drugs:

The pernicious impact of illegal drugs on society is well documented. Apart from the harm that drugs can cause people, and the associated health costs, a significant proportion of other crime is committed by people either to fund their habit or because of the chaotic lifestyles they lead as a consequence of addiction. Drug users are vulnerable to exploitation and are often the victims of crime, because of the positions they find themselves in and the people they come into contact with. This enduring challenge is a priority for my team and we are working hard with partner organisations to address this issue.

Drug dealers from outside the district persist in trying to develop and take over the local ‘drugs market’. This phenomenon is common to a number of other parts of the country and has come to be referred to nationally as ‘County Lines’ activity.  I’ve put additional resources into targeting this type of drug dealing, and we have arrested and convicted a growing number of dealers. We will continue to focus on that problem, and are particularly concerned by the fact that children have been approached to get involved in dealing on behalf of the groups, and that vulnerable adults have had their homes taken over so that drugs can be dealt from the premises. We have been very proactive in dealing with these issues as they arise, but I would ask for you to contact the police, either on 101 or direct to your neighbourhood policing team, if you have concerns about any individuals or families who you think may be being exploited (because that’s what it is) by drug dealers. We need to keep things in perspective and remember that Aylesbury and the Vale continue to be safe places to live, but we can never take it for granted, and must continue to work together to protect our most vulnerable people.

• Modern Day slavery

Modern day slavery is an insidious form of criminality that involves people from the UK and abroad being forced to live and work in squalid conditions and for very little, and sometimes no pay. This can involve incredibly long hours and can include a range of activities from car washes, fruit picking to prostitution. Many victims believe that they are being made legitimate offers of employment or accommodation only to find that they are forced to live and work in these dreadful conditions. Thames Valley Police and partners are committed to identifying and taking action against those involved in this criminality and safeguarding victims. Whilst we have not really seen this form criminality in Aylesbury Vale it is something that is very much a priority not only for the Force but also central Government. As such we regularly take part in initiatives to identify modem slavery, investigate and safeguard. If you suspect that this is taking place please do call us on 101, or in an emergency 999 as every piece of information is analysed to see if we can take action.

• Burglary

As most people will know, burglary remains a priority for Thames Valley Police. We have focused our staff and resources on preventing and deterring this type of criminality and have recently seen a number of successful outcomes. As a consequence, we anticipate a number of lengthy prison terms following a series of arrests. Whilst we acknowledge this good work we also recognise that burglary has slightly increased across Aylesbury Vale this year and we cannot become complacent. To this end, we ensure all of our teams, being emergency response, neighbourhood and investigation are well briefed and tasking to patrol in the right areas. I meet with my team daily to discuss burglaries and with senior officers from across the police area and partner organisations every fortnight to ensure we stay on top of this issue.

I urge everyone in Aylesbury Vale to ensure they make our area as hostile to criminals as possible by ensuring windows and doors are locked when houses are empty. It is also important to remain vigilant at all time both in terms of your property but also that of your neighbours. If you see anything suspicious then please call us on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

The prevention of crime is most effectively achieved through activity that involves residents, our local authority, local businesses and the police. Our neighbourhood teams will soon be starting a burglary prevention campaign to coincide with the darker nights so I would ask that you look out for this and consider any advice to help us all keep our property safe.

Lastly, if you want to take a more active part in crime prevention then please think about joining, or even forming a Neighbourhood Watch. If you need to contact your local neighbourhood policing team you can do this by visiting our website page: http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/yournh.htm

• Theft from vehicles

Unfortunately we continue to see a number of thefts from motor vehicles. These include property left inside vehicles, tool and sometimes number plates. I have recently commissioned some intelligence work to be done around this as I do not underestimate the impact this has on victims. This is an area of criminality that I will be asking your local neighbourhood team to focus on through high visibility intelligence led patrols and some less visible police operations.

Again however would like to take the opportunity to remind everyone to not leave personal items out on display. We will off course do what we can to prevent crime and catch those responsible however I would appeal to you to either secure personal items in your vehicles out of sight or to take them with you, we believe most of this crime is opportunist meaning those involved in car crime will target vehicles based on what they see when they walk past so please take a moment to move things out of sight or better still, remove them from the vehicle. It is of note that many of the thefts occur overnight from unlocked cars.

• Anti-social behaviour

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) continues to be of high importance to both myself and my staff. I am fully aware of the blight that persistent ASB, caused by the few, can bring to a community. I am fully committed to ensuring that my locally based neighbourhood police teams continue to use their problem solving skills to address your concerns in these areas. I have an experienced and dedicated ASB police officer who is co-located with colleagues at Aylesbury Vale District Council who effectively employs the powers conferred to us under the Anti-social Behavior, Crime and Policing Act. This officer forms part of a wider Problem Solving Team whose work goes in hand with the local neighborhood officers and PCSOs. These local teams are committed to engage with and make themselves visible to local communities in an effort to develop the type of resilience that builds lasting foundations we can all feel really proud of.

To finish I would just like to say how happy I am to have been posted to Aylesbury Vale as the Local Police Area Commander. My priorities as your police commander will largely continue on from my predecessor, Superintendent Olly Wright, which are to safeguard the vulnerable, to prevent and reduce crime and to provide the best possible service to victims. I am passionate about policing which to me means keeping people as safe as we can.

Whilst there is always work to be done, I am reassured that whenever I look at our crime data or review the incidents that we deal with, I can see that Aylesbury Vale is a safe place to live, work and visit. And when crime does occur, we have teams of police officers and staff who work together to deliver the best possible service to victims of crime and do all they can to identify and then bring offenders to justice.

I look forward to the coming months and the challenges that policing the Christmas and New Year period will bring. Since arriving I have set time aside to meet not only those who work inside our police station but also partners who play their part in preventing crime keeping us all safe. In the coming months I’m hoping to be able to spend some time out on patrol with our teams and perhaps meet some of you in person.

Superintendent Tim Metcalfe

Aylesbury Vale Local Police Area Commander

Thames Valley Police

Chilterns Walking Festival Programme Autumn 2017 – low res

Please click the link above for full details of the program.  There is also an interactive map on the Walking Festival website where you can search for walks and events happening in your patch.

The festival invites experienced and novice walkers alike to explore the landscapes, locations and legends of The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There is a fantastic selection of 70 walks and events which are now live and bookable on-line.

Highlights include:

• A fascinating walk taking in Chequers and The Ridgeway National Trail, combined with meeting the local farmer, refreshments and a visit to Buckmoorend Farm Shop.
• A private tour of the Lacey Green windmill restored by the Chiltern Society, followed by a beautiful circular walk around the Lacey Green area with stunning views, passing through quiet valleys.
• Brakspear beer, beechwoods and brewing walk through classic beech woodlands and along ancient drovers routes followed by a free tour of the micro-brewery at the end of the walk
• Meander through the Chiltern Open Air Museum’s woodland landscape, learning more about the Museum’s hidden meadow, and exploring the Museum and its rescued historic buildings.
• A series of three HS2 walks – in Wendover, Misbourne and Denham – offering walkers the opportunity to view this part of the Central Chilterns landscape before it changes forever.
• Sketching walks led by a wildlife artist and Countryside Officer

Click here for more information and to book walks or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ChilternsWalkingFestival

The 30 hours free childcare scheme will be available for 3 and 4 year olds from September 2017 in Buckinghamshire. The scheme aims to help eligible families to get back into work or extend their working pattern by offering an additional 15 hours free childcare per week.  We have put together a guide to help parents, carers, childcare providers and professionals understand the eligibility criteria and sign up process which we hope you find useful.

Further information can be found on our website at www.bucksfamilyinfo.org/30hours.

Aylesbury Vale Community Partnership issues warning to off-road motorbike and mini-moto users Aylesbury Vale Community Safety Partnership is warning people not to risk injuring themselves and members of the community or falling foul of the law when using off-road motorbikes or mini-motos.
Aylesbury Vale local policing area is receiving regular calls from concerned members of the public about these vehicles being used with no regard for other people.
The public is reminded that it is only legal to ride an off road motorbike on private land with the land owner’s permission. Areas owned by the council, such as parks, play areas and pavements, are not classed as private land.
An off-road motor bike was seized under Section 59 Police Reform Act 2002 on Edinburgh Playing Fields, Aylesbury on Saturday (29/7).
Aylesbury Vale Neighbourhood Policing Inspector, James Davies said: “When off-road motorbikes and mini-motos are used in a public place they often create danger for both the rider of the bike and the people around. We often get reports of people riding bikes at high speed on narrow tracks causing problems for children playing and people walking their dogs or just generally enjoying the area.
“We are regularly patrolling areas that are most affected to stop and deal with those illegally using off road bikes and mini- motos and where appropriate seizing vehicles and prosecuting those involved.
“We urge parents of those young people who own off-road motorbikes or mini-motos to ensure their children are using the machines appropriately and in the right areas. Failure to do so could result in the expensive machines being seized, risk huge fines or even a court appearance – but more importantly your loved one being seriously injured.”
AVDC Cabinet Member for Communities, Cllr Angela Macpherson, said: “It is not acceptable for riders to put themselves or other people at risk by riding motorbikes or minimotos in our parks and play areas, or on pavements. Our message is clear – if you ignore the law you should be prepared to have your bike seized by the police.”
Aylesbury Vale Community Safety Partnership is urging the public to report any information about off-road motorbikes causing a nuisance or being used unsafely (including who is riding the bike, what type of bike it is and where the bike is being ridden) by calling 101. Alternatively you can call the independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

This month Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC) will be sending out annual voter registration forms and is asking residents to respond as quickly as possible in order to help save money.
From 8 August, around 80,000 properties in Aylesbury Vale will receive a ‘Household Enquiry Form’. Residents are required by law to confirm or update the details of anyone at their address who is eligible to vote in the UK.
The forms are pre-printed with the names of the occupants currently registered to vote at each address. A response is required; either to update their details if there are any changes or to confirm that the information is still the same. Even residents who voted in the General Election, will need to respond.
Peter Brown, AVDC Electoral Services Manager, said: “Aylesbury Vale residents have always been excellent at using the automated systems to confirm their details and this year we hope to receive even more responses by text, phone or through the dedicated website. Canvassing every property in Aylesbury Vale is a legal necessity, however, it is costly, and so we are urging residents to help us save money wherever possible by responding to their Household Enquiry Form promptly. This will reduce the need to send unnecessary reminder letters and forms, which would be a waste of taxpayers’ money.”
Residents can respond online using a unique 14 digit reference number which is printed on the form. The online process also allows people to add the names of any new occupants as well as remove names of those who no longer live at the address, or request a postal application.
For further information, residents can webchat at www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/webchat or call 01296 585701

From september the 1st Ivinghoe & Pitstone Scouts are re-opening a beaver coloney, so below is the up to date information Beaver, Cub and Scout information along with details of how you can add a child to the waiting list.

1st Ivinghoe and Pitstone Beavers (5 3/4 -8 year olds)
Monday 6-7pm with Tom as Watermill Coloney leader
Tuesday 6-7pm with Jakki as Windmill Coloney leader

1st Ivinghoe and Pitstone Cubs (8-10 year olds)
Wednesday 7-8:30pm (Dan) Akela as Windmill Pack leader
Thursday 6:30-8pm (Rob) Shere Khan as Watermill Pack leader

1st Ivinghoe and Pitstone Scouts (10 1/2 -14 1/2 year olds)
Friday 7:30-9pm Andrew as Troop Leader

For any enquiries or to join the waiting list please contact us on ivinghoe.pitstone.scouts@gmail.com
Or our Group Scout Leader, Keith Steers on Keithsteers@gmail.com or 07899 696722

The Scouts are also raising money to rebuild the village a purpose built scout hut and are selling bricks to supporters for £10 each. Please email the above address for details.

THE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL (Vicarage Road, Pitstone) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF THROUGH TRAFFIC) ORDER, 2017 BUCKINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has made an Order, which will temporarily prohibit any vehicle from proceeding, except for access, in that length of Vicarage Road, Pitstone, which commences outside Moat Farm The alternative route for vehicles affected by the closure will be via Upper Icknield Way, Tring Road, Church Road, High Street, Marsworth Road, Vicarage Road and vice versa. The closure is required whilst BT Openreach works take place and it is anticipated that the works will commence on 24 August 2017 and will take approximately 2 days between 0930 and 1530 each day to complete. The Order will come into operation on 24 August 2017 when the appropriate signs are lawfully displayed and will continue for a period not exceeding eighteen months or until the said works have been completed whichever is the earlier. Penalties for not observing these restrictions will be as prescribed by the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and the Road Traffic Act 1991. Dated 2 August 2017

The Great Brickhill, Wing and Ivinghoe Neighbourhood Policing Team (NHPT) would like to hear from any local residents in the area,that might be interested in being part of a new Community Forum.

The Community Forum, which will be independently chaired, will look at setting priorities for the area and work on how to solve any issues identified.

The Community Forum will represent the local community and will actively involve the community.

The first Community Forum is being held at Wing Library, on Wednesday 2^nd August, between 7pm and 9pm

If you are interested in finding out more, or would like to be involved in this new forum please email the Great Brickhill, Wing & Ivinghoe NHPT or contact them on the 24 hour Police Enquiry Centre number 101.

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/events/2017-07-30-free-guided-canal-walks

Play in the Park returns to Aylesbury’s Vale Park on Wednesday 2 August for a family play day extravaganza from 11.00am – 4.00pm! The event is suitable for all children up to the age of 12 and has a fantastic variety of activities on offer.
Organised by Aylesbury Vale District Council to celebrate National Play Day, Play in the Park is the perfect event to help keep the kids entertained this summer.
See them scale the climbing wall, race on motorised go karts, hone their skills on the Umbanda drums and tackle the bouncy castles. Let their creative side run free in the arts and crafts tent and watch them learn a trick or two in the skate park.
The ever-popular Colonel Custard will wow the crowds with his circus skills plus Bucks Fire and Rescue will be attending with a fire engine in tow!
If that’s all too much, why not try the great food on offer at the event’s BBQ and refreshment stalls then relax in the park and soak up the atmosphere.
Cllr Angela Macpherson, Cabinet Member for Communities, said: “Play in the Park is all about giving children across Aylesbury Vale the opportunity to enjoy a fun day out with their friends and families. This event encourages children and their families to keep fit and active whilst having fun. We’ve a great range of activities lined up and hope to see you there!”
Entry is free along with some activities, whilst other activities cost between £1 – £3. Tokens can be bought on the day from the designated token booths.
Find out more at www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/playinthepark

AVDC are responsible for street cleansing throughout the district (adopted highway only) and the grounds maintenance of AVDC land.

Should you have an enquiry regarding please report these through our website. There are a number of online forms available with a map that allows you to pin-point the exact location of the incident.

https://www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/section/report-it

This can be done by clicking on the “Report It” link as shown below.

If your query does not fit one of the categories, please contract us via our mailbox: streetscene@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk

However, should it turn out that a different organisation is responsible for resolving your query, for example; VAHT or Bucks County Council, we will advise you of how best to contact them.

NEW for 2017/18!

NHB Micro Grants up to £1,000 are now available for voluntary and community sector organisations as well as parish and town councils!

An exciting development sees the introduction of a new NHB Micro Grant Funding Scheme which is open to voluntary and community sector organisations operating within a parish, as well as parish and town councils.

Easily accessible micro grants up to £1,000 are available for a variety of purposes such as the refurbishment of village halls, buying new equipment, running costs, rent etc. and will be assessed on a monthly basis.

It is not necessary for the project to link to growth, although those that do may score more highly. Projects to be put forward for funding must evidence consultation at parish level and the application form must be endorsed by the relevant town or parish council prior to submission.

The closing date for applications is the 15th of each month and the first round closes on 15th September 2017.

For more information and how to apply, please read the Information, Criteria and Guidance Notes available on visit the AVDC website at:

https://www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/new-homes-bonus-funding-scheme

Or contact the Grants Officer, Jan Roffe: jroffe@ayelsburyvaledc.gov.uk

Alliance led by South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust awarded the contract for new Thames Valley 111 Integrated Urgent Care Service   ‘The new front door to urgent care’

Patients across the Thames Valley will be opening a new front door to urgent care services from September 2017.

South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) has been awarded the contract for the new Thames Valley 111 telephone service by the 10 Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) across the Thames Valley. SCAS leads an alliance set up to deliver the service, which also includes Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

The alliance brings together the relevant skills and expertise from local NHS providers needed for patients to access a wide range of medical disciplines.

Thames Valley 111 will now offer patients a seamless 24/7 urgent clinical assessment and treatment service – bringing together NHS 111, GP out of hours and other clinical advice, such as dental, medicines and mental health.

A team of clinicians will be available on the phone when needed, and will be linked into a new NHS Clinical Hub – a group of healthcare professionals who can help get patients the right care, at the right time, in the right location.

A thorough and rigorous procurement process took place involving clinicians, specialists and NHS managers from across the Thames Valley in the decision-making.

The focus was on selecting a provider which will work across all CCGs to support the development of an integrated 24/7 care service on a local basis.

Sam Burrows, the senior responsible officer for the procurement process, said: “We are pleased to announce that the Thames Valley 111 Partnership, led by SCAS, has been awarded the contract. This is an exciting time and one which is going to improve patients’ experience by getting people to appropriate care more efficiently by this integration of urgent care services.

“We undertook a comprehensive procurement process, which included engaging with clinicians, patients and members of the public to identify issues, address them and design a new integrated urgent care service which will revolutionise the experience for those calling 111. The Thames Valley region will be an early adopter of this new approach which will be rolled out throughout England by 2020.

“During the summer of 2015 the 10 CCGs in the Thames Valley undertook widespread public engagement with key stakeholders, as well as a review of feedback from existing users of the current 111. This gave us a picture of patient experiences and desired improvements to NHS 111, as well as gaining an understanding of public knowledge of urgent care services.

“I would like to thank all those local residents, stakeholders and clinicians who took the time to give their views and feedback during the engagement process. Your valuable contribution will help shape this integrated service and confirms our commitment to ensuring that patients are at the heart of the services we commission.”

Philip Astle, Chief Operating Officer at SCAS, said “We are delighted to be at the heart of these exciting developments of the NHS 111 in the Thames Valley. SCAS has a strong track record of working with healthcare partners to deliver outstanding care to the people of the Thames Valley, and this transformation of NHS 111 will enable us to build on that record.”

A detailed mobilisation plan is now being implemented; working towards the launch in September 2017.
The national Commissioning Standards for Integrated Urgent Care published in 2015, describe an ambitious model of care for the future in support of the Urgent and Emergency Care Review. Commissioners across Thames Valley are committed to delivering a regional service that meets the full potential of these standards.

I am delighted to share with you our June issue of Inform.

Inform is released every other month to help keep our local communities up-to-date with the work that the Flight Operations team are conducting. Our aim is always to work constructively with the local community and all of our partners to strike the right balance between minimising the impact of aircraft noise while maximising the positive social and economic benefits of a successful airport.

Please feel free to share this with friends, family and neighbours..

Yours Sincerely,

Nicole Morris
Community Noise Officer

Inform June 2017

Help us plan for tomorrow’s lorry traffic

Residents and businesses are being invited to help plan how to handle tomorrow’s rail and road freight in Buckinghamshire.

Heavy lorries make up between 10% and 20% of traffic on main routes through the county, and with a steady increase in freight forecast over the next decade, County Council transport planners want to prepare for the future.

They’re asking people to help them identify local problem areas, explore untapped opportunities, and pinpoint solutions. A ten-minute online snapshot survey will run for the next fortnight at www.buckscc.gov.uk/freight to allow residents and businesses to feed into their thinking. The results will inform a draft strategy for full consultation later in the year.

Paul Irwin, Deputy Cabinet Member for Transport said his team needs to chart how things have changed with the way freight is transported, as Buckinghamshire has developed in the past decade, and prepare a blueprint for freight for the future.

He said nearly a quarter of what comes into the county by lorry is what residents eat and drink. As the county grows, so will the volume of that essential goods traffic.

“Shopping on line has really taken off over the past decade and now accounts for 14% of what we buy,” said Paul. “In the next three or four years, that’s forecast to grow to around 22%, which will add to the number of delivery lorries driving around the county.

“We’re working with residents and businesses on this critical question now so they have an early opportunity to influence the development of a new strategy that will make freight work for Buckinghamshire without imposing inappropriate costs on them or our unique environment. We want to keep Buckinghamshire thriving and attractive.”

The survey is available in Buckinghamshire County Council’s website ‘have your say’ section at www.buckscc.gov.uk/freight

The survey closes on July 6^th and should take around 10 minutes to complete.

Across Aylesbury Vale and other districts, BT has been working in partnership with Buckinghamshire County Council to deploy fibre broadband infrastructure through the Connected Counties Programme.  There are some communities within Aylesbury Vale that don’t have access to fibre broadband from BT, either because there are other networks that are offering a fibre service, or because no provider is currently providing or planning to provide access.  We understand that many communities have been left concerned about getting access to the rollout of faster broadband to their area and would like to invite residents and businesses to meet us to understand how we can help through our Community Fibre Partnerships programme.

Our programme is a co-funded initiative where Openreach invests alongside the community in line with their commercial model, and the community self-funds the remaining ‘gap’.  By being connected to the national Openreach fibre network, communities have the widest choice of internet service providers to choose from to buy a fibre broadband service, giving competitive prices and new channels such as Sky Sports or BT Sport.

We’re holding two events where you can meet us and find out more information about our Community Fibre Partnerships programme.

The dates are:

Monday 10^th July 2017

7.00pm  at Little Horwood Village (Recreation) Hall. Church St, Little Horwood, Milton Keynes, MK17 0PF

And

Thursday 13^th July 2017

7.30pm at Chearsley Village Hall, Winchendon Road, Chearsley, Buckinghamshire, HP18 0DP

Please extend our invitation for these events to friends, neighbours and other residents in the parish. I do hope that you can join us, please do ask anyone wishing to attend to register their details in advance on a simple form on our website: https://www.communityfibre.bt.com/aylesbury

With best regards,

Giles Ellerton, Regional Partnership Director,  BT.

(CAA) is currently consulting on a new decision making process for all future airspace changes.

This consultation ends on June 30.

 The rules, regulations and technology that underpin the UK’s airspace and network of flight paths have remained largely unchanged despite the growing increase in demand for air travel in the UK.

As a result, London Luton’s ability to modify and improve flight paths is not only restricted by conflicts with routes from other London airports but also by a slow and inefficient airspace change process.

The guidance the CAA has drafted defines what will happen in the new process, including each stage a sponsor of an airspace change, such as LLA must complete; the stakeholders we must engage with at each stage and the expectations of that engagement; and how the CAA assesses proposed changes.

London Luton Airport is submitting a formal response to the consultation. However, we believe it is vital that everyone has the opportunity to contribute to the process of airspace modernisation.

Details of the consultation and how to respond can be found on the CAA’s website: https://consultations.caa.co.uk/policy-development/draft-airspace-design-guidance/

We would urge all interested parties to take part before the deadline.

Whilst we can never eliminate aircraft noise entirely, we always aim to work constructively with local communities and our partners to strike the right balance between minimising the impact of aircraft noise while maximising the positive social and economic benefits of a successful airport.

This is a message sent via Thames Valley Alert. This information has been sent on behalf of Neighbourhood & Home Watch Network
(Please do not reply or forward this email directly; please use the Reply, Share buttons at the bottom of this message)
Message sent by
Lisa Parker (NHWN, Register Administrator, England & Wales)

We’re Neighbourhood Watch – the largest grassroots crime prevention movement in England and Wales.

We’re celebrating National Neighbourhood Watch Week (June 17-25) with a bumper edition of our bi-monthly e-newsletter Our News.

Click here to read it and find out how Neighbourhood Watch is helping to connect and protect communities:

http://www.ourwatch.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/NNWW-Our-News-newsletter-JUNE17-online.pdf
Best wishes from the NHWN team

Neighbourhood Watch is proud to be supported by the Co-op Insurance and ERA Home Security

Police have been investigating reports received, of two men attending addresses in Aylesbury Vale purporting to be delivering leaflets.

Police have been investigating reports received during the month of May and early June, of two men attending addresses in the villages and towns to the north of Aylesbury Vale purporting to be delivering leaflets.

Residents have raised concerns that mail and other items have been stolen from their letter boxes following these visits. Of particular focus has been properties with letter boxes located on external walls or gateways.

Witnesses describe two men, both black and in their 20s wearing fluorescent jackets, driving a white, Vauxhall Corsa derived van. Investigating Officer Det Con Lucie Roberts from Aylesbury police station said, “We’re grateful to the residents of Aylesbury Vale who have contacted us with their concerns about these leaflet posters.

“I’d encourage anyone who may have seen them during the last few weeks, or has information about their activity, to please call us on 101.

“Personal details taken through mail box theft can be used for fraudulent activity. It is always advisory to check your accounts or credit sources to ensure all is in order.”

Police have the following information for anyone concerned about unsolicited callers attending their property:

• make sure your back door is locked before answering the front door
• use a door chain when opening the door
• ask for identification and check it carefully before letting anyone in
• ask them to come back when someone else is at home with you 
• direct people asking for help to a nearby shop or other public place, don’t let them in
• keep all valuables and keys out of sight and out of reach of doors and windows
• don’t leave spare keys in obvious places such as under doormats or plant pots
• consider joining or forming a Neighbourhood Watch scheme

In the case of letter box security:

• don’t leave keys in mailbox locks
• allow letters to fall through the letter box and avoid collecting them in cages attached to the door.
• if you are away for a number of days, consider asking a neighbour to collect newspapers/letters from your mailbox during your absence

Please note that Safran have an event at their site on 24 June, which will cause disruption and vehicles parking along Westfield Road on 22-24 June 2017.

Please take extra care when utilising this road during this time.

Thank you.

#AylesburyThursdays children’s events busting summer holiday boredom
Aylesbury’s Market Square and Kingsbury will play host to an amazing array of different fun activities for the kids to enjoy over the summer holidays. Try exciting new activities each Thursday – from caving and tunnelling, bouncing to ball pits, laser quest to bungee runs, human football to obstacle courses, arts and crafts and so much more.
The events run every Thursday from 27 July until 31 August inclusive, between 11am and 3pm. Enjoy up to 4 hours of fun for just £2.50 (except on 3 August, where the amazing caving experience will test your skills for £2.50 per go). Each event will have a small ball pit for our younger visitors so that they can share in the fun.
Town Centre Manager Diana Fawcett said: “We are delighted to have such an amazing array of exciting activities on offer in Aylesbury this year. Whilst in town take the time to enjoy one of our many independent cafes and coffee shops and extend your day out with a visit the museum, cinema, theatre or Roald Dahl gallery.”
Thanks to contributions from town centre organisations and businesses, Aylesbury Town Centre Partnership has fantastic #AylesburyThursdays events planned every Thursday during the 2017 Bucks County Council school holidays. Watch out for details of these and other events and attractions including the Roald Dahl Gallery, Aylesbury Library, Aylesbury markets and Bucks County Museum in the new Aylesbury Live Guide or visit www.visitaylesbury.co.uk

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Residents are being urged to be on their guard against bogus officials offering council tax refunds as a number of people in the Vale have already been targeted.
People are being telephoned and told they may qualify for a refund and then asked for their bank account details so the payment can be made. In previous cases they have been asked for an administration fee too.
Jeff Membery, AVDC Assistant Director for Customer Fulfilment, said: “We have reported these incidents to Bucks Trading Standards but are concerned that other residents could fall for this scam and lose money. We urge everyone to be vigilant and not to give out any sensitive information to unknown callers, either on the phone or in person”.
Residents who receive any such approach should contact Thames Valley Police – www.thamesvalley.police.uk/contact-us/

Book a Free NHS Health Check now!

If you live in Buckinghamshire and are aged 40 – 74 and you could be entitled to a free NHS Health Check*. It only take 20 minutes and may keep you healthier for longer.

Contact your GP or go online here to book.

*see website for eligibility

Don’t miss out! Early bird tickets are now available for a range of exciting workshops, including some hosted by famous faces, at Aylesbury’s Whizzfizzing Festival, formerly known as the Roald Dahl Festival, taking place on 1 July.
With the theme of Fantastical Creatures, the workshops will be part of a spectacular day packed with amazing activities and including sessions hosted by Cbeebies’ Katy Ashworth who will be pitching up in her Concoction Kitchen to woo fans with her deliciously-crazy creations.
Comedian-turned-children’s author, Julian Clary, along with a host of other writers, will give fans an insight into what makes their characters tick and share the secrets of their success. Discounted early bird prices for these workshops range from £2 to £5 and are available for a limited time until 1 June.
The day itself will be a spectacular celebration of children’s literature and is free to attend. Activities will kick off at 11am with a dazzling giant puppet parade featuring more than 600 local school children. There will also be a Tiger Who Came to Tea-themed afternoon tea in the Bucks County Museum, Roald Dahl films showing in the old Court House, face-painting in a giant peach, fancy dress and crazy hair competitions, live music, arts and crafts, with much more still to be announced.

Will Rysdale, AVDC Assistant Director said: “Last year there were more than 20,000 visitors to Aylesbury during the festival and this year is shaping up to be the biggest and best event yet. We’ve a host of big name guests joining us including a return for CBeebies’ Katy Ashworth and her Concoction Kitchen, plus new, established and award-winning authors adding to the festivities. There’ll be more entertainment going on throughout the day to suit all the family, lots of it free. Some activities do require pre-booking so I’d urge people to get tickets online to make sure they don’t miss out!”

For more information, to buy tickets and see the range of activities on offer please visit www.whizzfizzfest.org For all the latest announcements and updates on the festival, follow @WhizzFizzFest on Facebook and Twitter and use the hashtag #WhizzFizzFest

Aylesbury Whizzfizzing Festival is organised by Aylesbury Vale District Council and is supported by Aylesbury Town Council and the Town Centre Partnership. The support of main sponsor Chancellors and a host of other local business is enabling the festival to offer extra fun and activities this year.

http://www.anglianwater.co.uk/household/water-recycling-services/report-a-private-pumping-station.aspx

The candidates for the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Aylesbury Vale have been announced.
Six candidates have been nominated to contest the Aylesbury constituency at the general election on Thursday 8 June. The Buckingham constituency has four candidates. The nominations for the parliamentary elections are (in alphabetical order):
Aylesbury: Mark Trevor Bateman (Labour Party); Steven Michael Lambert (Liberal Democrat); David Roy Lidington (Conservative); Kyle Arron Paul Michael (Independent); Coral Rose Kathleen Simpson (Green Party); Vijay Singh Srao (UKIP).
Buckingham: John Bercow (The Speaker seeking re-election); Brian James Mapletoft (UKIP); Scott Raven (Independent); Michael John Sheppard (Green Party).
The verification and count for the general election will be held on Thursday 8 June at the Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, starting at 10.30pm. The results will be declared by the Acting Returning Officer, Andrew Grant, Chief Executive of Aylesbury Vale District Council.
There is still time to register to vote; the last date for registrations is 22 May. The deadline for applying for a postal vote is 5pm on 23 May.
For more information about the elections, visit www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/election

We invite you, your friends and family to local charity, BucksVision, Meadowcroft, Aylesbury to hear a talk about our essential support work for blind and partially sighted people in Buckinghamshire.

You may be partially sighted yourself and would like to learn more about how our services could help you, or perhaps you are thinking of becoming a fundraiser or volunteer for a local charity.  These talks will tell you all you need to know about BucksVision.

MASTER TALK INVITE – Copy

BucksVision Eye Health Week poster (2)

Inform April 2017

Nicole Morris

 Community Noise Officer

London Luton Airport

Navigation HouseAirport Way

Luton

Bedfordshire

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The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is blessed with over 2,000km of rights of way including many ancient tracks going back to prehistoric times, drovers routes and hillforts. To celebrate this abundance of walks through time, these will be an important part of the first ever Chilterns Walking Festival which is organised by the Chilterns Conservation Board and features over 90 different walks and activities.

There are several walks taking in stretches of the Ridgeway National Trail and the Icknield Way, Britain’s oldest road dating back to Neolithic times. Some of the events will take you back in time 2,800 years to the Iron Age, exploring the Chilterns hillforts, many of them tucked away in the rolling beechwoods. Your walking guides will bring these ancient and fascinating landscapes to life. Here are some of the highlights, spaces are limited and need to be pre-booked – they are filling up fast so to guarantee a place book now:

• Walk with Stone Age Woman (Sunday 21^st May) Ideal for families

Archaeologist-actress dressed as a Stone Age woman will take you on a leisurely 3 mile walk in lovely countryside around Ivinghoe Beacon. Discover how people in the area have lived and travelled since the last Ice Age, visiting features such as The Ridgeway National Trail, Grimm’s Ditch and Ivinghoe Beacon hillfort.

• Captain’s Wood Walk (Wed 17^th May)

Starting at the Black Horse Inn, Chesham Vale, this wonderful, varied 4 mile walk takes in ancient field patterns and hedges, old earthworks and the home of a famous author.

• Colonisation of the Chilterns (Tues 23^rd May)

A 3 mile walk starting at Coleshill, looking at the various Chiltern settlers throughout history and the marks they have left on the landscape.

• Supper Talk (Thursday 25^th May)

Join local author Hugh Thomson in the fantastic surroundings of St Katharine’s, Parmoor (near Marlow) for a 2 course dinner and a talk by Hugh on his book, ‘The Green Road Into The Trees’. The book tells of his journey along the Icknield Way where he takes the drover-paths and tracks, the paths and ditches half covered by bramble and tunnelled by alder, beech and oak.

• Ivinghoe Archaeological Walk (Friday 26^th May)

A fascinating 7 mile walk and talk featuring the archaeological and geological landscape around the Ivinghoe Beacon area, a region heavily influenced by the pre-historic peoples of the Bronze and Iron Ages.

For more information and to book on these walks go to www.visitchilterns.co.uk/walkingfest or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ChilternsWalkingFestival

Appeal for witnesses following fatal collision – Ivinghoe

Thames Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following a fatal road traffic collision in Ivinghoe.

At around 6.40am this yesterday morning (7/5) a collision occurred on the B488 Station Road.

A blue VW Golf and a white Mercedes Citan van were in a collision.

Sadly, as a result of the collision, a passenger in the VW Golf, sustained serious injuries and died at the scene. Her next of kin have been informed.

Investigating officer Sgt Mark Ashby, of the Roads Policing department based at Amersham police station said: “I would like to speak to anyone who may have seen a blue VW Golf driving from the direction of Bletchley and the Stoke Hammond by-

pass towards Ivinghoe prior to the collision.

“If you have any information please contact me via the Thames Valley Police non-enquiry centre 101 quoting reference number 43170131352. Alternatively, if you have information but wish to remain anonymous please contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Thames Valley, Anthony Stansfeld, has today launched his ‘Victims First’ brand and website.

Victims First is the new overarching title for the PCCs work in providing support, increasing accessibility and improving services for victims of crime across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

The first initiative under ‘Victims First’ is a new online resource which has advice on what to do and how to get help if you’ve been a victim of crime, including information on what you should expect from the police and other criminal justice agencies if you report the crime.

The focal point of the website is a directory which allows victims to find relevant support to help them cope and recover from the impact of the crime. Members of the public will be able to use the website to refer themselves directly to the PCCs own support services, using the online form, or find information and contact details for other organisations. This support is available regardless of whether or not the victim has reported the crime to the police.

The website has information and advice to help people to recognise hidden crimes such as modern slavery, domestic abuse, including coercive control, and hate crime. Victims First also provides a third party reporting mechanism for hate crime so that those who don’t want to report directly to the police can either complete a reporting form on the website or call 0300 1234 148.

The PCC has undertaken extensive work to improve support for victims of crime, including commissioning new services for young victims, victims of sexual violence, a victim-led restorative justice service and a local support service to assist other victims.

Victims First encompasses all of this work and will expand over the coming year, with the PCC reviewing his services to ensure that victims continue to have appropriate support in place, are able to easily access it and that agencies, including the police, are victim-focussed.

Anthony Stansfeld, Police and Crime Commissioner said: “I recently launched my new Police and Crime Plan which reaffirmed my commitment to making sure that victims have access to the support they need to cope and recover from the impact of crime. The launch of Victims First and the website is a key milestone in my work in this area and will allow victims to easily find information and support in one place.

“I believe it will be a valuable resource not just for victims but also for people and organisations that come into contact with victims of crime who can now use the website to find and refer people to an appropriate service.

“Victims First will continue to develop over the next year with plans to create a single referral doorway, a specialist counselling service and community signposting points with the aim of simplifying access and improving support for victims.”

The website is www.victims-first.org.uk