Non drop Christmas Trees are available from the old Silver Birch Cafe on the Upper Icknield Way in Pitstone.

Aylesbury Vale District Council’s Vale Lottery turns one on Monday 28 November and will be celebrating by giving away a guaranteed £1000 in its First Birthday Bonanza prize draw! And, of course, there’ll also be the chance of that £25,000 jackpot too. The additional draw will take place during the Vale Lottery First Birthday Bash, where AVDC will be inviting the local good causes to join them to celebrate. The £1000 additional prize draw will be available to anyone who has signed up to the online lottery by 8pm on Saturday 26 November.
Vale Lottery, the first online community lottery to be launched by a council in this country, currently supports 128 good causes, which all benefit the Aylesbury Vale community. These include local disability groups, animal charities, sports clubs, theatre groups and schools. Under the scheme, 60p in every pound goes directly to a good cause and the remaining costs go towards the running costs and prize fund – AVDC do not take a penny. You can chose to either support a favourite local cause or alternatively support the general good cause fund, which is administered by AVDC and provides vital support to a wide range local organisations.
To date, Vale Lottery has celebrated with numerous winners, including one lucky local who won £2000, after getting a five number match! Due to the lottery’s success the jackpot was increased back in June to a whopping £25,000, which has helped towards the causes being on track to receive a total of more than £66,000 by the end of its first year.
Cllr. Janet Blake, Cabinet Member for Transformation said: “It’s with great pleasure that we announce the £1000 prize draw to celebrate the Vale Lottery’s first birthday. We hope that even more of the community will get involved with the scheme, to help support the many worthwhile good causes across the Vale. This has been a fantastic project so far and it’s really encouraging to see other councils are already following our lead. Good luck everyone!”
For more information or for local causes who are wishing to apply, visit www.valelottery.co.uk

Joe Marling, the poppy man outside Masons, would like to thank residents for their generosity.  This year, he filled 16 collection tins with donations which amounted to £2,568.  This brings Joe’s total to over £10,000 since he started.

Our congratulations to Joe.

restoring-the-record-photo

On 1st January 2026 – not 10 years away – it will no longer be possible to use documentary evidence to claim ‘lost ways’. Any path, track, alleyway, bridleway, cut-through, etc. not registered on the definitive map could be in danger of being lost forever. Even old and still well-used, but officially unrecorded, paths and tracks may at risk. The ancient maxim on which many past claimants have relied: ‘once a highways always a highway’ will be history.
What does that actually mean to those of us who walk, cycle or horse ride along our local public footpaths and bridleways? Simply…if it isn’t registered, an owner could put a gate or fence across it and prohibit all entry to the public – quite legally – and think how that could hinder our access to the countryside. Here are just a few questions worth considering.
Just in your parish:
 Are there old lanes not currently used, but could potentially be useful in the future;
 Do you remember a route you walked as a child that is not currently accessible;
 Why does that footpath or bridleway suddenly end at the parish or county boundary or why does that bridleway suddenly end and become a footpath;
 Are all public footpaths and bridleways accurately mapped by the Ordnance Survey;
 Do routes you use join the metalled highway or is there a strip of gravel not marked as a footpath or bridleway on the map;
 Is that track or hollow way you use through your local wood actually a definitive path?
After 2026 historic map and documentary evidence will be inadmissible to claim ‘lost’ or existing routes not on the definitive map (though it will be possible to claim paths on the basis of 20 years, unopposed, use).

The basic message is starkly simple – the risk is that we take our access to the countryside for granted; we use routes for recreation and as a means of linking places together; but if we don’t check what we already have, or what has been used in the past, we could lose it. If we don’t research what we use now and have done in the past, we may never get another chance to register it in future.
Do you have any old maps, letters, books or photos which show that paths once existed? They could be very important – verbal memories also often provide worthwhile clues!
Fortunately, the Buckinghamshire Local Access Forum, Open Spaces Society, the Ramblers and British Horse Society, among others, and our parish council are taking an initiative to do what they can for the benefit of local parishes and our neighbours to secure unrecorded paths for future generations to enjoy. Will you help us, please?
We may need people to check maps, walk paths, do research and get new links approved – this is both a countywide and countrywide initiative.
If you are interested and are prepared to help, contact Ross Osborn (rossosborn41@gmail.com) who can either put you in contact you’re your local volunteer, or will send you all the information you need to know to start out on this potentially fascinating detective hunt.

https://bbf.uk.com/events/buckinghamshire-business-awards?utm_source=Buckinghamshire%20Business%20First&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=7752901_bba%20launch%20-%2017-11-16&dm_i=1TDC,4M66D,H659GZ,H662Z,1

The Aylesbury Town Centre Partnership is delighted to announce the return of Santa`s Parade, taking place on Sunday 27 November. A real family favourite, where this year Santa will be accompanied by his elves, three beautiful camels with very Wise Men, 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 the town at 10.45am, starting from the Upper High Street by Hale Leys Shopping Centre and making their way around Market Square. After the parade there is a range of entertainment, including go-karts, a small fun fair and donkey rides for the kids.
From 1pm, the Santa Dash family fun run will leave Kingsbury and make its way through town in aid of Florence Nightingale Hospice. If you want to join in with this worthwhile event, 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.
Friars Square Manager, Andy Margieson, said: “Friars Square is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Christmas lights and Santa’s Grotto. Santa will be welcomed to his festive residence outside the Pavilion, after the parade on Sunday 27 November, and will meet the town’s children in the run up to Christmas with his little helpers.”
Aylesbury Town Centre Manager, Diana Fawcett, said: “There are a wide range of Christmas activities in Aylesbury town across November and December, both for families and for shoppers, and the Aylesbury Town Centre Partnership is delighted to be hosting this enormously popular festive event.”

Shoppers will be able to park for free after 4.30pm on Thursdays in AVDC town centre car parks in Aylesbury between 17 November and 22 December. For more details about Aylesbury events over the festive period, please visit www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk

150176 – B488 Upper Icknield Way j/w Northfield Road, Pitstone (21/11/16 & 23/11/16)

Night time surfacing work using temporary traffic signals between 19:00 & 06:00hrs – 21/11/16

Night time reinstatement of road markings using Stop & Go traffic management between 19:00 & 06:00hrs – 23/11/16

Aldbury parish council is currently recruiting a village warden.  Job description attached.  £8ph.

If you would be interested in applying for this position, please contact the Aldbury parish clerk, Lucy Bancroft, on aldburyclerk@gmail.com

village-warden-jd1

We are delighted that once again the volunteers from Rennie Grove will be bringing Santa’s float to Pitstone.

Rennie Grove are still in need of extra elves to help each evening, knocking on doors and collecting contributions as Santa passes.   If you are able to support this event, please contact Louise Hewitt, Community Fundraiser at Rennie Grove on 01442 820721 or email Louise.Hewitt@renniegrove.org

On Thursday 15 December, Santa’s float will start from the roundabout and work it’s way up to Ivinghoe church, calling in at the side roads along the way (including Crispin Field, Yardley Ave, The Crescent, Old Farm, Queen Street, Albion Road, Glebe Close and Rushendon Furlong).

On Wednesday 14 December Santa will work his way through Castlemead, starting with the bottom of Windsor Road.

Do you ever wonder what happens to the things you put in your waste bin?

All of the residual (non-recyclable) household waste generated in Buckinghamshire is now processed at the Greatmoor Energy from Waste facility, at Woodham, near Aylesbury.  Greatmoor is operated by FCC Environment, in partnership with Buckinghamshire County Council.

Greatmoor has the capacity to treat up to 300,000 tonnes of waste a year (approximately 900 tonnes a day), waste which would otherwise have gone to landfill.   As a result, it generates a minimum of 22 megawatts of electricity to the national grid – meeting the energy needs of around 36,000 homes.

This alternative treatment of waste will result in a saving to Buckinghamshire County Council of approximately £150 million over the life of the contract.

Greatmoor houses a visitor centre, and guided tours are available by prior agreement, at no charge.  Tours are open to local organisations, clubs, schools (Key Stage 2 and above), colleges and universities. If you aren’t a member of a local group but would like a tour, why not organise a group of your friends for a visit, or come to one of our open days?

A group visit to Greatmoor can be tailored to your requirements and will include a tour around the facility, which includes the control room (where you will be able to see the cranes loading the waste), a visit to the viewing hatch providing an exciting view into the heart of the fire, and perhaps the turbine hall and condenser fans too.

Due to health and safety considerations in an operational building, on non-school visits we are only able to offer places for visitors older than 12 years old.

For more information about Greatmoor please visit www.Greatmoor.co.uk (coming soon)

For more details please contact

To book a place, or to organise your own visit please contact:

Jez Elkin, Education Manager

jez.elkin@fccenvironment.co.uk

01296 323633

A major survey aimed at gathering Aylesbury Vale residents’ views on what they think about living in their local area and their views on how AVDC is changing, started today.

We want to make sure that the needs of our Aylesbury Vale residents remain at the heart of any changes we make, so over the next few weeks we’ll be consulting residents by phone.

We’ve commissioned external consultants to undertake this exercise for us, calling 1,000 residents across the district. The 10-minute calls will be taking place Monday – Saturday, 9am – 8pm. This ensures we don’t exclude working households; selecting the phone for this exercise ensures we also don’t exclude those without internet access. Calls should be completed by Wednesday 7 December.

Residents will be selected to take part randomly and results are completely confidential and anonymous, but to ensure the results are representative of the districts population, they will be asked a few questions about themselves, such as postcode, age and gender.

It has been four years since AVDC undertook any district-wide corporate consultation.

We do hope that residents will respond positively if they are asked to take part. However, should anyone contact you with concerns about this, please do reassure them it is a genuine call on behalf of AVDC. You can always direct enquiries to our website where they’ll find more information and a list of FAQ’s that may answer their queries, www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/consultation   Alternatively, they can email us communications@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk, or call AVDC’s Communications team on 01296 585007/8.

Thank you

Kind regards

Alison Kennedy

Snr Communications & Marketing Officer

Aylesbury Vale District Council

The Gateway  Gatehouse Road  Aylesbury  Bucks  HP19 8FF

Tel: 01296 585007

Visit our website: www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk

Residents urged to be vigilant – Burglary series Aylesbury Vale

Thames Valley Police is reminding residents to be vigilant following a series of burglaries in Aylesbury and the surrounding area.

Between the 26th and the 31st October there were eleven burglary-related incidents.

On the 26th October, an incident occurred in Church Street, Quainton. The following day (27/10) there was a burglary in High Street, Edlesborough.

On the 31st October, there were a further nine incidents. Two of these took place in High Street North, Stewkley. There were three burglaries in Aylesbury including properties in Henry Road, Meadowcroft and Weedon Road.

Other addresses affected on the 31st October include Wellcroft in Ivinghoe, Rosebery Road in Aston Clinton, Chequers Lane in Pitstone and Church Street in Wing.

Investigating officer PS Jim Forrest of Aylesbury Local CID said: “I am encouraging anyone who has any information about these incidents, or has seen anyone acting suspiciously around the Aylesbury area to get in touch by calling the Thames Valley Police non-emergency number 101.

If you do not want to speak directly to the police you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers (opens new window) anonymously on 0800 555 111. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

To reduce the risk of further burglaries, Thames Valley Police encourages the following:

• Leave lights on within the house or have lights on dusk to dawn timers in order to make it look as though the house is occupied.  As the dark winter months approach, burglars are targeting houses in darkness as it is clear nobody is inside
• Ensure all doors and windows are locked
• Lock and bolt any side gates
• Keep garden tools such as shovels and forks locked away in garages and sheds
• Do not leave jewellery, computer accessories and car keys in view of the windows
• Record serial numbers/model numbers of all electrical items
• Store jewellery in a safe place which is well hidden
• Report any suspicious vehicles, callers or door knockers to the Thames Valley Police non-emergency number 101

Link below:

http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/pub-pg-nh-upds-n416?id=344252

Pitstone Church Committee (Friends) are hoping you will brave the cold and visit our memory tree during the weekend of 10^th and 11^th December between 12.00 noon and 4.00 p.m.  The Churches Conservation Trust has provided a tree on which we hope you will hang you memories. They can be of the church or of people or of Christmases past. Anything that stands out for you.  Come and see the church dressed up for Christmas.

There will be refreshments.

Donations will be welcome towards the upkeep of our beautiful church.

pitstone-memory-tree-christmas-poster-2016

This Christmas why not support your local Scouts and save yourself some time posting Christmas cards around the villages by using the Scout Christmas post instead?

You can buy the special Scout stamps at 15p each from St Marys Christmas Market on Saturday 12 November and then at varius local venues from 25 November onwards.  Stick them on your cads and post them in one of our many special post boxes dotted around the villages.

The Scouts will ensure that all cards posted by the ‘last post’ (5pm on Friday 16 December) will be delivered across the weekend of 17 and 18 December.

Look out for the posters, check their facebook page (1st Ivinghoe & Pitstone Scout Group) and village web sites for more information.

1^st Ivinghoe & Pitstone Scout Christmas Post

2016 Delivery and Collection Information

All cards will be delivered 17^th/18^th December

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Information on changes to Bucks County Council’s household waste permits

I would like to inform you about changes to the way household waste permits are provided by Buckinghamshire County Council to residents that need them.

As you will be aware, the County Council has for many years operated a permit system at the county’s Household Recycling Centres. However, permits – which are free to Bucks residents – have always only been needed by a small proportion of people using the centres – namely, those in the following groups:

• anyone visiting the centre in a van or other commercial vehicle
• anyone towing a twin-axle or larger single-axle trailer
• anyone wishing to dispose of asbestos
• anyone arriving at the centre on foot

So anyone visiting the Recycling Centre with general waste or recycling in a car (including 4x4s and MPVs) will not need a waste permit – and these make up the vast majority of visitors. But for those that do need a permit, the process for obtaining it has changed.

Previously, permits were ordered by the resident either online or on the phone, and then the Council would send them the permit(s) in the post. The process has now changed and become fully digital, making it faster, more convenient for residents, and more cost-efficient for the Council.

Under the new system, a resident applies for the permit online at the County Council website, and the permit is available instantly along with  a digital QR code – similar to a barcode. The QR code can then be presented at the Household Recycling Centre, either directly on a smartphone or tablet, or as a print-out from a home computer. The QR code can be read by the devices carried by Recycling Centre staff, giving them the information they need to let the person go ahead with their visit.

Although this new system has many advantages, the Council does accept that there may be some individuals who need a waste permit who do not have access to a smartphone or home computer. In these instances, the person should visit their local library, where a member of staff will be happy to help them through the online permit application and then print out the permit for them on the spot. Alternatively, the person may prefer to ask a friend or family member to help them through the process.

To find out more, or to apply for a permit, please go to the following web page: http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/wastepermit

Warren Whyte

Cabinet Member for Planning & Environment

Buckinghamshire County Council

On and around Halloween Thames Valley Police will be carrying out patrols in the evenings to make sure that people who are trick-or-treating are doing so in a friendly manner and not causing a nuisance.

For some people, this time of the year can be a bother as your evenings are interrupted with people knocking on your doors for treats. Most of these children or teenagers are just getting involved in the Halloween celebrations and will be friendly.

If you feel unsafe:

• Don’t open your door if you’re unsure who is there. Use your spyhole, look out of a window, and use your door chain if you do decide to open your door.
• Have a contact number of a close relative or good neighbour to hand by your telephone, just in case you need to phone them.
• If you are part of a Neighbourhood Watch scheme, let your coordinator know that you will be on your own at Halloween. If you are a coordinator, please identity people in your scheme that may be vulnerable and offer them reassurance.

Thames Valley Police will not tolerate any anti-social behaviour at any time of the year.

To report anti-social behaviour, call 101, the 24-hour Thames Valley Police non-emergency number. If you feel threatened, if it’s an emergency, or if a crime is in progress, call 999.

For more information and to download a ‘no trick or treat’ poster / card please visit the Thames Valley Police website

Beacon Villages Community Library

Aylesbury town centre’s hugely popular Santa’s Parade is back this year, taking place on Sunday 27 November. Last year’s spectacular parade reached record numbers with over 250 people involved. The festive parade welcomes local dance groups, professional entertainers, bands, local businesses and organisations to escort Santa to Friars Square Shopping Centre once again.

The parade gathers from 10am and will make a start from 10.45am at Upper High Street. Travelling through Market Square and onto the Friars Square Shopping Centre, the town centre will be awash with festive cheer. The parade finishes by 11.30am, but the fun will not stop there! There will be fun activities throughout the town until 3pm, including go-karts, a small fun fair, a bouncy castle and free donkey rides.

The Town Centre Team are now calling for local businesses and non-profit groups to join the parade. Participants may bring along balloons or goodies to hand out and all attendees must  be dressed in Christmas fancy dress. Do remember though, there can only be one Santa at the parade – so please no Santa costumes. If you’re a non-profit organisation it’s free to join and if you would like to perform a dance show, hand out tasters, or have space for an activity stall you would be very welcome. To get involved please contact the Aylesbury Town Centre Manager at dfawcett@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk

For the first time this year, the Town Centre are also pleased to announce that following the parade, in the afternoon, will be Aylesbury’s Santa Dash. The Christmas family fun run will be taking place in Kingsbury in Aylesbury, where over 250 Santa’s are expected to run the streets to help raise money for Florence Nightingale Hospice. Registration opens at 11.30am with the race starting at 13.15pm – you’ll even be provided with a free Santa suit! For more information on the Santa Dash go to: www.deaduniversecomics.com/santadash

Aylesbury Town Centre Manager Diana Fawcett said: “We’re very excited to be combining our Santa Parade with the Santa Dash this year, forming one fabulous festive day out! We hope lots of our residents will join the fun run and encourage all local businesses and organisations to get in touch and take part in the parade.”

For more details about the Town Partnership Events over the Christmas period, please visit www.visitaylesbury.co.uk

Please find below further information relating to the temporary closure and diversions that will be in place relating to the section of footpath 2 behind Rushendon Furlong during construction works.

“Default Scenario 1: we will provide this route whenever possible, and only in unusual circumstances will we switch to temporary scenarios 2 or 3. This default scenario will provide a safe fenced off route for the public through the site.

Temporary Scenario 2: This will be required during the offsite path upgrades works which we must undertake before the site is occupied

Temporary Scenario 3: This would only be necessary in the unusual scenario where no safe route could be provided through the site. We will look to avoid this diversion route being required.”

rushendon-063-131-footpath-diversion

The closure notice includes the Byway Open to All Traffic alongside the brook which is being improved and upgraded as part of the development.  This will be shut as and when necessary for the works to be undertaken, the same as any other roadworks, at certain times during the permitted 6m period.

administrator-advert-oct-16-ji

THE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

(PUBLIC FOOTPATH NO.2/1 AND BYWAY OPEN TO ALL TRAFFIC NO.2/2 PITSTONE (TEMPORARY FOOTPATH CLOSURE) ORDER, 2016

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has made an Order, which will temporarily prohibit any person from proceeding, except for access, in approximately 230m of Public Footpath No.2/1 Pitstone and approximately 130m of Byway No.2/2 Pitstone.

The closures are required to allow construction works to take place on site and to allow off site footpath upgrades and it is anticipated that the works will commence on 1 November 2016 and will take approximately 6 months to complete.

The Order will come into operation on 1 November 2016 when the appropriate signs are lawfully displayed and will continue for a period not exceeding six months or until the said works have been completed whichever is the earlier.

Penalties for not observing these restrictions will be as prescribed in the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and the Road Traffic Act 1991.

Dated 26 October 2016.

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!

hall-agm-agenda-2016

Everyone is welcome, so do come along and support your local hall.

If you have a little spare time, we would love you to join our committee.   Please come along and have a chat with us.

http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/pub-pg-nh-upds-n416?id=342105

Appeal for information after a garage burglary – Pitstone

Thames Valley Police is appealing for information after a garage was broken into in Pitstone.

Sometime between 1pm on Friday 30 September and 5pm on Sunday 2 October offender(s) forced the up and over door of a garage on Campbell Lane. They then stole a number of power tools from inside.

PC George Turner from Aylesbury is investigating this crime. He would like to hear from anyone that might have noticed anything suspicious in the area during these times / dates.

If you have any information please call PC Turner on the 24 hour Police Enquiry Centre 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. No personal details will be taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not have to go to court.

youngentrepeneura4

In the week running up to International Older People’s Day on 1 October, a programme of local activities is helping to celebrate the contributions that older people make in the Aylesbury Vale district and offering the chance to try something new. Amongst the many different activities on offer in the ‘Holiday at Home’ programme is horticulture therapy, an increasingly popular way of using gardening to improve health and wellbeing, get more active and increase people’s confidence whatever their age. Wendover-based charity Lindengate is offering people the chance to try out one of its Memory Pathway sessions.
One of the regular attendees is David (not his real name), who is 69 and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2011. Although in generally good health, he does get tired easily and some days is very confused. At the sessions he works alongside a small group of other men, having a go at everything from watering to putting up bee houses and harvesting beans, while enjoying a chat over some refreshments. Although he was initially apprehensive, David is comfortable in the outdoor surroundings and enjoys his visits.
The Holiday at Home programme includes something for everyone, whatever their interests. Other activities include historic walks, gentle exercise, brewery and museum visits, computer skills training, crafts and volunteering opportunities. All the activities have been organised and provided by local people and organisations that offer year-round activities, so those who have enjoyed the taster sessions can continue with those activities.
Cllr Angela Macpherson, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Communities and Civic Amenities, said: “We applaud the contribution that so many older people make in the local community. Older People’s Day is a chance for us all to recognise and appreciate this. There are so many different activities in the programme, created and provided by local people and organisations, that I’d urge all older people to try out something new.”

For a free copy of the Holiday at Home activities programme, visit http://www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/upcoming-events-older-people Hard copies can also be picked up from any of the organisers of events in the programme, at your local library or AVDC offices on Gatehouse Road in Aylesbury.
For more information about the Memory Pathway sessions and Lindengate’s work visit http://www.lindengate.org.uk

Is fostering something you have ever considered? Maybe you would like to but feel that you just don’t know enough about what it involves and so haven’t pursued it any further.

Well now could be your chance to change that. We are running two new Fostering Information sessions in Aylesbury this month where anyone can go along to find out more about the process and ask any questions. Members of our fostering team will be on hand with information and you can also take the chance to speak with real-life foster carers to find out about their experiences.

The sessions take place on:

• Thursday 22 September, Multicultural Centre, Friarscroft Way, Aylesbury, HP20 2TE, 7pm to 9pm
• Thursday 29 September, Aylesbury Opportunities Centre, Thame Road South, Aylesbury, HP21 8TS, 7pm to 9pm

The sessions are open to anyone with an interest in finding out more about fostering a child or young person in Buckinghamshire but the session on 22 September will have a special focus on those from black and ethnic minority communities who may want to find out more.

Councillor Lin Hazell, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services explained the need for more foster carers in Buckinghamshire, she said: “There are currently more than 400 children and young people in our county in need of a foster home. We have many fantastic foster carers working with us already but we need more to come forward to ensure that these children and young people are able to stay close to their friends and families and the area they know which is so important to them.

“Fostering can be such a rewarding experience but also a daunting one at the start. These information sessions are a perfect way to dip your toe into the water to see if it is something you might want to do. You don’t have to commit to anything, it is simply a way to find out more and have your questions answered so don’t delay, register your interest today and find out if fostering is for you.”

If you would like to attend one of the information sessions please register on our website. Go to: www.buckscc.gov.uk/fostering and click on the Fostering Information Sessions link.

http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/pub-pg-nh-upds-n416?id=340434

News Letter 15^th August 2016

Issues that were raised at the last Full Council meeting regarding the draft VALP local plan and the matter of accommodating un-met needs from the southern Bucks districts in the housing market area under the duty to cooperate. Due to the concerns raised by district councillors about the size of this unmet housing need, as well as concerns raised by Vale residents at VALP public exhibitions, AVDC  engaged G L Hearn, planning consultants, to review the available land for development within Wycombe District, with reference to the draft Wycombe Local Plan, currently the only other draft plan available.

The Wycombe expectation that AVDC would take 5000 homes as part of an ‘un-met needs arrangement’ as resulted in the G L Hearn review reporting the following – (extract from the full report) “Fundamentally this review demonstrates that a more thorough and rigorous assessment of land availability should be progressed by Wycombe District Council, against a context of unmet housing need”. The headline figures from this initial assessment indicates that there is an estimated additional development potential in your district of at least 2,800 dwellings, over and above that which has been identified in the draft Wycombe District local plan. There may also be the potential to raise the average density assumption to 35 dwellings per hectare to further increase capacity. We have also recently been copied into a submission made to the draft Wycombe district local plan by a developer, who has also identified that in their view there is more capacity that can be delivered in Wycombe district than the draft plan indicates.”

Clearly as suspected there is further work for Wycombe DC to do before it should ask for AVDC to add to its own requirement.

Meeting a housing requirement of 33,300 involves growing each of our strategic settlements by 50%, our larger villages by 22% and our medium villages by 19% as well as delivering a new settlement of 4,500 dwellings within the District and increasing densities. The housing proposals so far to meet this requirement is almost entirely proposed on greenfield land. This amount of growth is challenging in a number of ways, including providing infrastructure to meet this new demand and being able to accommodate a level of growth that local communities can see is justified and accept.

AVDC encourages residents of all ages to have their say on the future of the Vale

With three weeks to go until the end of the consultation process on the draft Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan, AVDC is continuing its drive to get people involved with an animated video on its social media channels.

The plan provides the framework for how the Vale will grow and develop in the coming years and allows for around 33,000 new homes between now and 2033. Residents, businesses and community groups are all being asked to give their views on future housing developments, employment opportunities and leisure and community facilities.

The video directs people to the AVDC website where they can submit their comments and make suggestions on what should be included.  It can be found at www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/localplanvideo

The VALP consultation runs until Monday 5 September.  More information can be found at www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk

See below for further details, Or visit:

http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/simplywalk

http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/pub-pg-nh-upds-n416?id=339037

http://www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/events?f[0]=field_event_aimed_at%3A46&f[1]=field_event_price%3A48

Pitstone and Ivinghoe Junior Football Club recruiting <14s:

U14s flyer

Cooks Wharf Canal Bridge – Letter Drops – 19-07-16

Changes to Redline Buses Service 164 from 29^th August 2016

The changes are designed to match the timetable with the amount of travel actually being made so that the bus company can develop the better-used sections of route and secure its long term future.

• New route will be Marsworth, Cheddington, Long Marston, Wilstone, Tring, Aston Clinton, Aylesbury.

• The biggest change is that the section of route between Cheddington & Leighton Buzzard is withdrawn.

An average of 5.2 passengers per day are using this part of the route which makes the additional operating cost unaffordable for Redline.

The Red Kite Tuesday (market day) 167 bus will still run to Leighton Buzzard as will the Monday – Friday Service 162.

• A new school timed journey is introduced which will give a direct service into the Aylesbury Schools Coach Park. This means that the 07:24 & 08:45 peak time arrivals in Aylesbury are combined into a new 08:17 arrival.

Surveys show only 2-3 passengers wouldn’t be able to catch the 61 journey that runs at a similar time through Ivinghoe & Pitstone.

• Redline will not be diverting via Brook End in Weston Turville (currently 3 – 4 journeys per day).

Very few passengers board here, Service 50 runs every 30 minutes through the western end of Weston Turville and frequent buses serve London Rd (for Weston Rd) in Aston Clinton.

• The 167 Tuesday market day bus to Leighton Buzzard will still be running

• Slapton will continue to be served by the Red Kite 162

• Arriva service 61 still operates through Ivinghoe & Pitstone

164_Sep16 timetable

Please find below the link to the above electronic newsletter:

http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/yournh-tvp-pol-area-n416

The web team have received the email below.  If you have found the bag or the knitting, please contact the parish clerk on parishclerk@pitstone.co.uk and we’ll try to reunite it with its owner.  Thank you.

Really random – but ever hopeful! We parked our car at the car park for Pitstone Windmill near Ivinghoe, and while we were away some darling smashed the window and took a home made red linen bag containing a half finished brightly colouredknitted blanket, a half finished knitted sock and a barely started scarf, plus all the knitting needles etc.
I am almost certain that the contents of the bag were not what they were after – unless it was a rabid National Trust member who loved knitting – so would think that the bag and contents would be thrown away somewhere nearby.
We had a look around but nothing found – if anyone local finds it – please let me know! We live  in Kent so can’t keep looking ourselves.