Congratulations to our local tea shop – Curiositea Rooms has won the award for Best Loved Community Cafe in the Chilterns. The official presentation of the certificate etc will take place in due course. They team would like to thank everyone who nominated and voted for them.
Curiositea is also in the final of the LBO Cafe of the Year Award so please keep voting for them.
BEN TREACHER JAZZ QUARTET
PITSTONE MEMORIAL HALL
19TH JULY 2014
I would like to say a huge ‘Thank You’ to all who supported this very successful event in the village last month.
We were able to raise a fantastic £560 for the Memorial Hall Fund, whilst enjoying an evening of Jazz from a young, up and coming London Jazz Quartet who have already appeared upstairs at Ronnie Scott’s and at the Vortex Jazz Club in London.
This is the second time that the Jazz Quartet have performed here to raise money for the Hall in memory of Ben’s Grandfather, Ron Treacher, former Chairman of Pitstone Parish Council, making a running total of very nearly £1000 donated so far to the Hall Committee.
Thanks need to go to Sue and Barry Gregory for all their hard work in helping to transform the Hall into our very own ‘Ronnie Scott’s’ for the evening and for running the bar. Thanks go also to those who made donations to the kitty!
The Quartet will be back next year in early July to perform once again, so if you missed it this year, do try to support these young musicians and this great village facility next time.
THANK YOU AND SEE YOU NEXT YEAR! BEN TREACHER
Now available on their web site:
Dear residents,
As the weather becomes warmer, it may be tempting to take a swim in open water but we would like to remind people it is not advisable to swim or play in any lakes or open water in Aylesbury Vale. We would like residents to be aware of the following dangers:
We would like the residents in Aylesbury Vale to enjoy the outdoors during the summer months. However, the only safe place to swim is in a swimming pool. The water is clean, clear and warm. There are life guards on hand if something goes wrong. If you witness people swimming in the lakes, ponds, the river or canal, call Thames Valley Police on 101. In an emergency call 999.
AVDC has led on the development of the plan, working closely with Aylesbury Town Centre and Buckinghamshire County Council.
The plan sets out a programme of improvements to build on the investment already made in Aylesbury and help make sure it continues to grow and develop as a town centre we can all be proud of.
You can see the full version of the plan at:
http://www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/about-aylesbury-vale/aylesbury
Depression: Asking the Right Questions (ARQ) project.
This is a national public survey on depression, which is seeking the views of anyone affected by depression, in order to inform future research.
Depression ARQ is a partnership of 27 national organisations, including charities, NHS Trusts and Royal Colleges. They want to know what questions people have about depression. They are collecting questions from those directly affected, their friends, family and carers, and they also are seeking input from health and social care professionals who work with people with depression.
Depression ARQ believe that research has the potential to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of depression. The top priority unanswered questions uncovered by the survey will be promoted to researchers and funders to help find answers that will make a real difference to people’s lives.
To take part visit www.depressionarq.org, and also share this with your friends and colleagues via Twitter or Facebook. You can follow the progress of the survey on Twitter at @depressionarq.
Sent on behalf of
Gregor Henderson
National Lead, Wellbeing and Mental Health
Public Health England
07769304075
| Message sent by |
| Naveenat Sahota (Police, Local Comms, Thames Valley) |
Thames Valley Police is appealing for witnesses after a burglary and two attempted burglaries in Ivinghoe and Slapton.
Between 11pm on Friday (11/7) at 11pm and 7:00am on Tuesday (15/7) offenders gained access to a property in Maud Janes Close, Ivinghoe through the front door.
Once, inside the offenders stole credit cards, jewellery and electrical items.
Yesterday, (15/7) at 10:11am offenders attempted to gain entry to a property in Maud Janes Close, Ivinghoe by jemmying the door. No entry was gained to the property and no items were stolen.
Between 10pm on Monday (14/7) and 2:30pm on Tuesday (15/7), offenders attempted to gain access to a property in Church Road, Slapton by jemmying the door. No entry was gained and no items were stolen.
Det Con Bruce Wilson, said: “I am keen to speak to anyone that may have been in the area during the dates and times of these offences and may have seen any suspicious persons and/or vehicles to please contact me via the 101 number.
“We believe the burglary and these attempted break-ins are linked and we are actively pursuing all lines on enquiries.”
Anyone with information should contact Det Con Bruce Wilson from Aylesbury Vale Police station via the non-emergency 101 enquiry centre.
If you don’t want to speak directly to the police, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.
County Councillors news report July 2014
Prevention Matters – a little bit of help to stay independent and active. This is a Bucks county Council service for all adults, but mainly older people, who may be wondering how long they can maintain their independence, maybe after an illness or longer term, are feeling anxious, lonely or isolated, or find it difficult to get out and about. For more information call 0300 666 0159 or email admin@preventionmatters.org.uk. I have left some leaflets in the Beacon Villages Community Library.
Ringshall Road closed by badgers at Trust cottages. The road has been closed since mid June and is due to re-open mid July as the carriageway outside Trust Cottages collapsed into a badger sett! (Not sink holes as some might think)! A license to repair the subsidence is needed from Natural England and an expert will be on site for the repairs. Is this another first for Ivinghoe Division?!
More change at Bucks CC – new cabinet member for Transportation Ruth Vigor-Hedderly has instigated a thorough overhaul of the way Transport for Bucks delivers it’s services, particularly maintenance and grass cutting, by returning to area depots and local responsibility. She is trying very hard, right down to retraining all operatives on quality pothole filling, and we hope she will be successful. This is against a background of continuing change at senior management level. Meanwhile we must continue to place our trust in Clifford Marshall and Rob Anderson as the first port of call. I have asked her to consider adopting the Plantlife verge cutting regime as campaigned for by Alan Tichmarsh http://www.plantlife.org.uk/roadvergecampaign which she will be investigating as I think this could be a winner all round for the rural cuts and junction safety.
Planning – The AVDC planning committee on 18th June agreed by 5 votes to 4 that they were minded to approve an outline application for 40 houses behind Rushendon Furlong subject to conditions to be agreed by officers, despite Pitstone Parish Council and local residents making a strong case with high quality presentations to the committee, to uphold the policies still relevant from the old local plan, followed by a long debate on the value of those policies, the footpath, drainage, and landscape. The committee resolved ‘ that the application be delegated to the Development Management Manager to determine, subject to the satisfactory completion of a Planning Obligation Agreement to secure on site provision of affordable housing, financial contributions towards off site leisure, education and public transport provision, the provision and maintenance of an on site open space and a suitable SuDS scheme (drainage) and to secure a travel plan. Any approval to be subject to such conditions as the Development Control Manager considers appropriate or, if this cannot be achieved, refused for such reasons as considered appropriate’. At the same meeting a controversial application in Aston Clinton was also approved by 5 votes to 4 and I have since learned that since that meeting applicants have won an appeal for 40 houses at Stoke Hammond. Several other planning applications have been received – 40 houses on the edge of Edlesborough and 40 on the edge of Great Horwood, and a further application for 90 houses has been submitted in Aston Clinton. Ivinghoe is anticipating an application for about 80 houses.
Avril Davies
County and District Councillor
|
|
Up to £5,000 is available for businesses that want to increase profits, expand, recruit and grow their reputation.
This funding is available through the Velocity Growth Grants scheme; a great way for businesses that are inspired to grow to access the funding they require.
Velocity Growth Grants can help businesses create and safeguard jobs, increase sales and boost productivity and profitability. This could be through:
•Improved sales and marketing efficiency
•Improved back room systems and recruitment
•Help purchasing computers and other equipment.
Only businesses based in Aylesbury Vale are eligible.
Do you have clients in Aylesbury Vale who may be able to benefit? If so, please pass on this information. Alternatively, if you would like to discuss how the grant could benefit your business and how you can apply, please call Heather Martin on 01494 568941 or email heatherm@bbf.uk.com
Also
Do you know that there is a free funding search for businesses?
j4bGrants can help you find funding to start and grow your business.
Register now for free to: search for funding by sector and location; create email grant alerts that tell you when new funds are launched; read the latest funding news; and view approaching deadlines.
http://www.j4bgrants.co.uk/Logon.aspx?WCI=htmRegister&WCU=URI%3dsearch.aspx
1 South Central Ambulance Trust – Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire
The Care Quality Commission will be inspecting this service from 8 September 2014. The inspection will look at:
The inspection team is interested in the experiences of people who have had to use an ambulance in an emergency as well as people who use an ambulance to get to a clinic etc, and may do so regularly. For an ambulance trust this includes the experience from:
People’s experiences of whether the ambulance services are ‘joined up’ with other services (particularly hospitals) is also important to the inspection team. The inspection team is also keen to hear evidence from local voluntary and community groups about the quality and safety of care that their members and service users have experienced.
You can send reports, peoples stories of care or other evidence your group holds about people’s care to hospitalinspections@cqc.org.uk or you can ring CQC on 03000 616161. Please put the name of the trust you are sending information about in the title of the email to ensure it is passed to the right inspection team.
2 Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust PLACE assessments 2014
Each year hospitals must carry out Patient Led Assessment of the Clinical Environment (PLACE) ad these take place in April/May. This is a national initiative resulting in a formal publication of the results. To do this, volunteers are required to carry out the assessment alongside NHS staff Some training is required which takes a couple of hours and this is run in various locations across the county. Once trained, volunteers are notified of the assessment dates for each of the county’s hospitals and you can then volunteer to take part if the dates are not convenient. If you would like to find out more please contact Tracey Underhill directly on 01494 734405 to register your interest
Now available on their website:
http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/pub-pg-nh-upds-N416?id=285224
A new online virtual neighbourhood tool has been launched on the Thames Valley Police website to further enhance the advice available on crime prevention.
The interactive street illustration, sited in the Home and Garden Security page,
offers advice on how to improve security in six different property locations to prevent burglaries.
The virtual neighbourhood also provides pop-up tips to highlight typical external areas around a property where security can be improved.
Users can zoom in or out on the neighbourhood, and scroll up or down, to access the different areas.
The new tool completes a revamped Crime Prevention section on the website which, as well as Home and Garden Security, also offers advice on a host of topics including Keeping Safe, Identity Fraud, Business Security, Watch Schemes, Vehicle Security, Fire Safety and Rural Security.
Sgt Bryan Percival, Force Crime Prevention Manager, said: “The virtual neighbourhood is the new and welcome addition to our crime prevention tools.
“Many of us prefer images and interactivity, we can better relate to them, we learn from them and they can be fun too.
“Here, our virtual homes, gardens and streets can show you some of the key areas in and around your home which you might want to consider changing or updating in order to make you, your family and your hard-earned possessions safer.”
To use the virtual neighbourhood tool, visit the Crime Prevention section pages on the Force website.
LIGHTS OUT 10-11PM, 4TH AUGUST 2014
“The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time” Words spoken by Sir Edward Grey, Foreign Secretary in August 1914, as Britain’s ultimatum to Germany was about to expire
What is LIGHTS OUT? LIGHTS OUT is an invitation to everyone in the UK to turn off their lights from 10pm until 11pm, leaving on a single light or candle for this shared moment of reflection. In a dramatic nationwide event, the UK will plunge into darkness between 10pm and 11pm on 4th August 2014: upon this darkened canvas single lights will appear across the four nations, marking the hour that Britain entered World War 1 one hundred years ago.
LIGHTS OUT is a headline project of the cultural programme 14-18 NOW and was initiated by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport; 14-18 NOW is a curated programme of new art works across the UK that forms part of the official commemorations of the Centenary of the First World War, and is hosted within Imperial War Museums. LIGHTS OUT complements a candlelit vigil to be held at Westminster Abbey from 10pm-11pm on 4thAugust. Every member of every community in the UK is invited to respond to LIGHTS OUT, bringing their own personal thoughts and reflections to the occasion.
We understand many civic buildings, city landmarks, war memorials and other gathering places within local communities, are to become natural assembly points during the LIGHTS OUT hour
In Pitstone, our Polling Station is the Memorial Hall. The Memorial Hall Charity has invested heavily over the last few years to improve their disabled provision including access ramps to all external doors, lower viewing panels for doors, dedicated toilet provision and a microphone system in the main hall. If you have any comments regarding disabled provision at the hall, perhaps you could let us know. Some other places may not be as fortunate and BuDS is running a survey to try and identify problems so solutions can be found.
BuDS is helping to make sure that all disabled people in Buckinghamshire are able to vote as easily as everyone else, by conducting a short and anonymous survey about barriers faced by disabled people to voting. The survey is at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2KYXRTL. All results will be fed back to the appropriate District Council to help them improve how they run future elections in Bucks. BuDS will also follow up any complaints or comments about individual polling stations or officials highlighted in the survey.
Sent on behalf of
Andrew Clark | Chair of Trustees
Bucks Disability Service (BuDS)
The Clare Charity Centre, Wycombe Road, Saunderton, Bucks HP14 4BF
General Enquiries: 01494 568864 | Personal phone: 07811 142935
The latest edition of the e:newsletter from Thames Valley Police is now available:
http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/pub-pg-nh-upds-N416?id=282318
The Ivinghoe and Pitstone Summer Festival comes to a lively musical conclusion on Sunday, June 22nd with an afternoon performance by the Beacon Community Choir. The event, Music on the Lawn, will be held on Ivinghoe Lawn (in front of the church) outside the marquee, which is being used for the Comedy Night and the Ball during the course of the weekend. (If wet, in the marquee.) The Beacon Community Choir is made up of local amateur performers. There will be guest musician and singers – “folk, jazz, classical, pop and rock”. Times 1pm – 5pm. Suiggested donation £5. Children free.
Ivinghoe Entertainments is marking the start of its third decade by revamping its popular festival weekend.
This year the Ivinghoe and Pitstone-based organization moves its popular Ball on the Lawn to a Saturday night (June 21), to give guests more time to prepare and fully savour the smart dress-up occasion. And it has booked a big headlining band, The Collection.
The formal, black-tie ball has been a firm fixture, held in a marquee on the scenic Ivinghoe Lawn in front of the village church, since the early 1990s. This year the Friday night spot (June 20) will be given over to the Comedy Night, “Laughter on the Lawn”. Tickets are still available for both events.
“It will be a new night, new band, new caterers and hopefully new friends for the Ball”, said Ivinghoe Entertainments chairman Graham Hollands. “We want to make the 2014 Summer Festival the strongest yet. If you haven’t been before, this is the year to come.”
This year, for the first time, the committee has opted for a major headlining band. The Collection, fronted by Keavy Lynch from B*witched, has enjoyed success in Europe and North America. They released two albums and eight singles, all of which made the UK Top 20. “C’est la Vie”, “Rollercoaster”, “To You I Belong” and “Blame It on the Weatherman” all reached number one in the UK Singles Chart. B*witched enjoyed recent success on the “Reunion” TV programme and tour.
The committee has booked a new caterer, too, offering a choice of three starters and four main courses. “We’ve managed to peg the price at £60 a ticket, which represents very good value for a ball in this area,” said Mr Hollands. “After you have bought your ticket, the only expenses are photographs, and drinks.”
The second part of the summer festival, traditionally on Saturday, now becomes the first part, on the Friday night. The festival follows up the success of Laughter on the Lawn 2013 with a different line up of comedians. Tickets cost £15.
The event, associated with the Get Stuffed Tring Comedy Festival (Tringe), will be compered by Kevin Day. The lineup will be headlined by Mick Ferry, and feature John Maloney and Tammy Stone.
Kevin Day, stand-up comedian, comedy writer and sports presenter has hosted the comedy discussion programme Loose Talk on BBC Radio 1. He is a programme associate for Have I Got News for You. Since 2004 he has been a regular on Match of the Day 2.
Mick Ferry is described as “a master of the dark arts…no subject too solemn, no insight too mournful, no theory too surreal.” He was a finalist in Channel 4’s So You Think You’re Funny competition. Mick has performed with Johnny Vegas, Peter Kay, Al Murray and Steve Coogan. He is a regular at The Comedy Store in London and Manchester, and recently starred in BBC`s Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow. He made his cinema debut in 2009 in Ken Loach’s Looking For Eric.
John Moloney has headlined at top clubs such as the Comedy Store. He twice won Best Live Performer at the London Comedy Festival, and has been nominated as Best Live Stand Up at The British Comedy Awards. He is best known for his performances on BBC’s The Stand Up Show and the most recent series of Grumpy Old Men. He was included in Channel 4’s One Hundred Greatest Stand Ups in 2006.
Tammy Stone has contributed to ‘QI’ and ‘Never Mind The Buzzcocks’. Recently she brought her “skewed, sometimes risqué but undeniably funny” act to the Edinburgh Festival with a “teatime feast of standup, comedic songs and quirky humour.”
* Tickets
For tickets for both events, see http://ivinghoeentertainments.org.uk or contact Penny 01296 668017 (enquiries@ivinghoeentertainments.org.uk)
| Message sent by |
| Diane Brown (Police, NHW & Community Messaging Co-ordinator, Aylesbury Vale LPA) |
Appeal for witnesses after collision – Ivinghoe
Thames Valley Police is appealing for witnesses after a single vehicle collision in Ivinghoe.
At around 2.40am on Tuesday (3/6), a blue Renault Clio, which was travelling along the B489 from the direction of Ivinghoe Beacon, approached the junction with the B488 and left the road.
The vehicle collided with a telegraph pole before rolling down an embankment into a grass paddock where it landed on its roof.
One of the three men who were in the car was thrown from the vehicle.
The driver sustained extensive bruising and was treated at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
One of the passengers sustained back and hand injuries and was taken to Stoke Mandeville Hospital for treatment.
The other passenger sustained extensive facial injuries and was taken to the Luton and Dunstable Hospital for treatment. All three injured people remain in hospital.
Anyone with information about the collision is asked to contact PC Steve Leathersich from Milton Keynes Roads Policing via the Thames Valley Police Enquiry Centre on 101.
If you don’t want to speak directly to the police you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at the Crimestoppers website. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.
Forthcoming events in Aylesbury:
Roald Dahl Festival 2014
5 July, Aylesbury Town Centre, 11am – 3pm
Celebrating the internationally renowned author for the 12th year, the unique Roald Dahl Festival is commemorating the 50th anniversary of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Come along for a scrumdiddlyumptious day brimmed full of colour, noise, activities and entertainment for all the family to enjoy, whatever the weather!
Line the streets ready for the spectacular and colourful Roald Dahl Parade which starts at 11am! Larger than life puppets and colourful artwork made by children and young people in the local area will parade through the streets of Aylesbury, starting at St Mary’s Church, accompanied by boisterous samba and brass bands and street entertainers that are sure to get you in the festival mood.
A range of family entertainment will follow until 3pm across the town including crafts, inflatables, story telling and face painting. There will also be a Great Glass Elevator Golden Ticket Grab, starting with a trail through town for a chance to grab a winning golden ticket!
Although most activities will be free, some will have a small charge.
www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/dahl
Play around the parishes
28 July – 29 August, 10am – 4pm
Enjoy a series of open access play sessions during the Summer school holidays provided by Aylesbury Vale District Council in partnership with Sure Start Children’s Centre’s, parish representatives and Bucks Play Association. Sessions include play, sports and arts activities for children aged 1 – 11 years and are held at various locations across Aylesbury Vale, accessible to all residents in the local area. The project encourages families to play together using equipment not found at home, helps to form friendships and teach children new skills and develop self esteem.
Bring your friends and family along for some fun in the sun!
The full timetable of venues and times can be found at www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/play
Love Parks Week 2014
26 July – 3 August, 11am – 3pm
Spend time in your local park in Aylesbury or Buckingham this summer during the national initiative Love Parks Week. Aylesbury Vale District Council with partners is putting on a series of events suitable for children aged 0 – 10 years including geocaching, arts and crafts, bouncy castles, sports activities, orienteering, walks and nature treasure trails.
For full information about the individual events and locations go to www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/loveparksweek
Mix 96 Play in the Park
6 August, 11am – 4pm
Vale Park, Aylesbury HP20 1DX
Join in the summer fun on National Play Day. This fantastic day of entertainment will include:
Bouncy castles, laser game, bungee run, assault course, Climbing wall, Pedal go-karts, Under 5s area, Circus skills area, Umbanda Drumming, Giant sand pit and Arts & crafts activities.
All children must be accompanied by an adult. Why not bring a picnic and spend a day with us. Most activities will be free but there will be small charges for some activities. Ticket booths will be at entrance to the park where you can buy pay-as-you-go tokens to redeem on chargeable activities. Some activities may be limited if wet. Please use publics transport or park in the town centre car parks.
Butterfly themed craft activities, entertainment, live music from Backbeat & light refreshments. Shelter available if wet.
Family Butterfly Picnic
21st June 2014
Forget Me Not Baby Memorial Garden, Gadebridge Park, Hemel Hempstead (adjacent to Picotts End Road entrance)
11am to 3pm,
12pm commemoration in the Garden
Organised by West Hertfordshire & Buckinghamshire Sands
| Message sent by |
| Diane Brown (Police, NHW & Community Messaging Co-ordinator, Aylesbury Vale LPA) |
Appeal to trace relatives of First World War police officers
Thames Valley Police is trying to trace relatives of police officers who served in the forces that make up today’s Thames Valley Police area who were killed or served in the First World War.
The Force would also like to hear from anyone who has police-related photographs or other memorabilia for the area relating to the war.
The Force will commemorate the officers who were killed in the First World War at a ceremony and exhibition at this year’s Thames Valley Police Open Day, which will be held at the Force Training Centre at Sulhamstead on Saturday 2 August.
If anyone can help or would like more information, please contact the Communications Service Desk on 01865 846578.
The May update is now available, including useful advice about how to keep your teenagers safe, and how to protect your homes and belongings now the weather is getting warmer:
http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/pub-pg-nh-upds-N416?id=280709
| Message sent by |
| Rebecca Webber (Police, Communications Officer, Corporate Communications) |
Want to support your community by identifying people and help make your neighbourhood safer? Download the Facewatch App!
From today (12/5), Thames Valley Police will be using the Facewatch App to upload pictures of unidentified people they would like to speak to in connection with low-level crime.
The App works on any smartphone, is free to download and the images are searchable by postcode.
Ch Insp Colleen Lavery, from Neighbourhood Policing and Partnerships, said: “The Facewatch App gives members of the public the opportunity to see images of people police would like to speak to in their neighbourhood.
“If they recognise anyone they can choose to submit information, in confidence or openly, via their smartphone directly to the police by clicking ‘Identify’.
“The App is already used by a number of forces across the country, including the Metropolitan Police Service, West Midlands Police, City of London Police, Surrey Police, Northamptonshire Police and British Transport Police.
“We hope residents in the Thames Valley will also download the App to help us reduce crime and keep their communities safe.”
Do you have a message you would like over 2,000 local residents to see? The Party in the Park committee are offering local businesses the opportunity to provide a sign or poster to promote their business which will be displayed on the railings around the garden area outside the social club/hall on the day of the event. There is a flat fee of just £25 to secure your advertising space. All funds raised will be used to support the event and the charities that the event is raising funds for. The sign will be in a very busy area near the bar so there will be plenty of people seeing the advert. Last years event was attended by over 2,000 local people. If you are interested in taking up this offer, please contact either Linda Howarth by email on: howarthlinda4@gmail.com or pop in to see Barry Gregory at the social club on a Friday or Saturday night.
| On 14 May Aylesbury will celebrate the relaunch of the town centre market with a series of fantastic events, coinciding with the national ‘Love your Local Market Fortnight’ campaign. These will not only showcase a number of changes to the market: including brand new stalls, awnings and the introduction of the Tuesday Vintage & Craft Bazaar, but will also celebrate the Market’s sign up to the Real Deal initiative – a campaign that ensures markets are free of counterfeit and other illegal goods, so that consumers can shop, and legitimate dealers can trade, in safety and with confidence.
During the Love Your Local Market fortnight, a series of events will be taking place starting on Wednesday 14 May with the unveiling of the new look market stalls and the sign up to the Real Deal initiative with a cake cutting, live music and giveaways. The new Vintage & Craft bazaar opens on 20May, showcasing new stallholders selling jewellery, glassware, coins and handcrafted goods. People will also be able to bring their treasured items along to be valued by antiques expert John Bly. With vintage cars, bouncy castles, donkey rides and magicians, from 14 – 28 May, Aylesbury will be celebrating its rejuvenated Market in style, by providing fun for all the family. It is not just the look and feel of the Market that has undergone a major transformation. Working with the existing market traders, over the last 18 months, Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC) has introduced a number of fundamental changes to the way the Market operates. These have included; updated terms and conditions for traders, the introduction of cashless payment options for existing stallholders and discount incentives for new traders. A dedicated market team now works closely with the traders, holding monthly meetings to discuss any issues and to help plan the future of the Market, as well as working to raise the profile of the Market with events and offers to attract new customers. Councillor Brian Roberts, AVDC’s Cabinet Member for Civic Amenities commented: “For us, it is about demonstrating our ongoing commitment to the Market, not just by improving the look and feel, but also by investing in the infrastructure. “The Council’s commitment to the Market is unwavering, particularly in the current financial climate, we cannot afford to sit still – we need to ensure our market offers value for traders and consumers alike. The investment in our Market, combined with the recently revealed plans for the town centre, shows how dedicated we are to ensuring that the town continues to evolve enabling us to attract new businesses and investment to benefit traders, customers and the town as a whole.” Diana Fawcett, Aylesbury Town Centre Manager, added: “Here in Aylesbury we have a long tradition of holding a successful town market but we don’t rest on our laurels. We continually review the way our market operates and work with the current traders to ensure the Market can continue to grow. It has been wonderful to see how everyone involved with the Market has worked together to help implement these changes as smoothly as possible. “The Love Your Local Market Campaign has provided us with the perfect opportunity to showcase the changes we have made. We hope local residents who use the market and those who may not have visited for a while, will take the opportunity over this fortnight to visit the Market and see for themselves what a bustling, vibrant and modern market their town has to offer.“ |
Inclusive Angling in Marsworth
Although not free, this subsidised course is only £10 for 5 lessons of inclusive “Learning to Fish” courses where young people with physical or learning disabilities and their parents and carers can learn to fish!
For ages 11 to 25, starting on 5 June, the course will be every Thursday 6.30pm to 8.30pm from 5 June ending in a short competition on 10 July.
Taking place at Tring Reservoirs, HP23 4LJ with parking at Startops car park, Marsworth.
Book online now www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/activities
There are lots of activities for you to get involved in during May listed in our Events section. Please do go along and support your local community.
Activities on offer include:
http://pitstone.co.uk/event/
Buckinghamshire County Council has recently made it easier for everyone to report fly tipping. There is an easy to use website tool that will work on all devices. Just use your pc, laptop, tablet, or smart phone to reach http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/fly now.
Use the single page link to report fly-tipping by entering the location of the incident and select ‘GO’. Drag the pin to the location (you may find zooming in and out helpful to select the exact position). Once you’re happy with the position click ‘Confirm pin location’: this is very important to ensure we respond to the right location as fast as we can. You can also upload a photo of the illegally dumped waste and add a description of the material tipped to help us even further. Once your happy press the ‘Report’ button at the bottom of the page and we will do the rest.
Go on and have a look and help keep Buckinghamshire beautiful.
|
|
Just a reminder that as it is Bank Holiday on 5 May, AVDC will be collected the brown lid garden waste bins on Saturday 10 May instead.
Further details on www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/garden
A reminder that due to engineering works, there are no trains running at all on the Hemel-Hempstead to Euston line this weekend between 3-5 May 2014.
If you were planning to travel into London from Tring, London Midland suggest either using St Albans station into St Pancras or Wendover station into Baker Street or Marylebone.
Further information can be found on their web site:
http://www.londonmidland.com/your-journey/journey-planning/watford%20improvement%20works%20/
Disappointingly, the Secretary of State, Eric Pickles, has decided not to “call in” the planning application relating to the proposed alterations at Luton Airport, which means that the planning permission granted by Luton Borough Council in December 2013 remains valid.
The application did not include the installation of an additional runway, but did include alterations to terminal buildings and taxiways to facilitate an increased throughput which will be able to accommodate 18 million passengers a year (it handled 9.7 million in 2013).
Pitstone parish council will continue to work with the London Luton Airport Consultative Committee, PAIN and PAVAN to ensure that the conditions attached to the planning application are monitored and respected.
The Government has announced that the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is open for applications.
The RHI is a long-term financial support programme for renewable heat, offering homeowners payments to offset the cost of installing low carbon systems in their properties. The scheme is open to everyone – home owners, social and private landlords, and people who build their own homes. The technologies currently covered by the scheme are:
Homeowners in England, Scotland and Wales can receive quarterly payments over a seven year period to fund the purchase and installation costs of a renewable heat source
The scheme is open to anyone who can meet the joining requirements and it’s for households both off and on mains gas supply.
For further details about the scheme including eligibility criteria and how to apply please click on the link below.
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-programmes/domestic-renewable-heat-incentive
There is also a Non-Domestic RHI which has been running since November 2011 and is open to the non-domestic sector including industrial, commercial, public sector and not-for-profit organisations with eligible installations.
Now into its 11th year, the Mix 96 Tour de Vale Bike Ride starts and finishes at Stoke Mandeville Stadium on Sunday 8 June 2014. Our three routes will take you through beautiful countryside and villages that offer something for everyone
– 15 miles; perfect for families
– 35 miles; ideal for the leisure cyclist but beware of the hills!
– 55 miles; the ‘challenge route
The three routes are fully signed and there are safety marshals and mechanics in case of emergency. There are friendly water stops on each route plus refreshments and changing facilities at the start and finish.
Entry Fee: Adults £12.50 Under 16 FREE (must be accompanied by an adult)
Entry Fee on the day £25
Start times:
55 mile – 9am
35 mile – 10am
15 mile – 10.30am
To download an entry form or enter online go to www.tourdevale.com or call WheelPower on 01296 395995
A fun morning out for all the family, Dash for Dad will consist of a 1K, 2K and 5K running event for children and adults. All runs will be held within the park, with the 5K using a challenging hilly route.
There will be lots of fun, family activities to take part in after the races, or you can enjoy a lovely walk around the picturesque grounds.
Proceeds will go to Child Bereavement UK. The Saunderton-based charity supports families and educates professionals when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, or when a child is facing bereavement.
Emma Riley, Fundraising Officer at Child Bereavement UK, said:
“Bereaved children and families often tell us that they find Father’s Day and Mother’s Day particularly difficult. For children who don’t have a dad, or dads who have experienced the death of a baby or child, Father’s Day can take on a very different meaning, especially when others are celebrating. We organised Dash for Dad as a positive way for people to run in memory of someone or to support bereaved families whilst having a fun day out for a good cause. We are really grateful to Sir Edward and Lady Dashwood for providing stunning West Wycombe Park as the perfect location. Please come along and help support our vital work.”
For more information and to register please go to www.childbereavementuk.org or call 01494 568912.
Date: Sunday 15th June 2014
Time: 09:00
Venue: West Wycombe Park, Buckinghamshire, HP14 3AJ.
Entry fees:
1K & 2K – Aged 3+. Cost £2 entry and raise as much as you can.
5K – Aged 13+. Cost £5 entry and raise as much as you can
The Committee at Pitstone Memorial Hall Charity have recently been successful in their bid to obtain funding from two grant suppliers, towards refurbishment work to the kitchen and toilets in the original part of the hall building.
This project received £15,151 of funding from the Aylesbury Vale Community Chest towards refitting the toilets, kitchen and insulating the loft of the main function hall. The Big Lottery Fund awarded £7,200 towards the renovation and refurbishment of the main building toilets.
Although minor redecoration work had been undertaken in recent years to these areas the overall situation has been that no major upgrade to these particular facilities had taken place for well over 40 years making them look tired unattractive and at times simply not functional to the many users and hirers within the community. These major works form the final phase of a longer refurbishment project to bring the hall facilities up to modern standards which has seen the installation of dedicated disabled toilet facilities, provision of baby change facilities, a microphone system for the main hall, disabled access ramps to all entrances & exits, conversion of all exit doors & internal doors to meet the latest Fire Regulations, installation of CCTV and a fire detection system, refitting & refurbishing the changing rooms and referee room, replacement soffits and roof repairs, replacement windows and the installation of Wi-Fi.
Chairman, Mark Roberts, says “As Trustees we are naturally delighted and grateful that both the Community Chest and the Big Lottery Fund have chosen to fund these works which will undoubtedly be welcomed within the Community and will serve all hirers and local groups well into the future, as well as to encourage a wider audience to consider the Pitstone Memorial Hall as a venue of choice.”
The charity would also like to thank all those who supported the Party in the Park fundraising event last summer, including the Pitstone Social Club. This event raised over £3,000 towards this refurbishment project at the Memorial Hall. This year’s event is being held on 12 July 2014 where the charity hope that the whole community will come along to view the improvements delivered through this project for themselves.
Works on the toilets and kitchen have now commenced and it is anticipated that the project will completed in four to six weeks.
More about the Pitstone Memorial Hall Charity:
Registered Charity Number 300318. Founded 13 September 1921 to provide and maintain the village hall for meetings, classes, recreation and leisure with the object of improving the conditions of life for the inhabitants of our rural community. The hall, in its current location, was built in 1972. For further information please contact the secretary.
More about the Community Chest:
This project received funding from the Community Chest, a grants scheme for community projects run jointly by AVDC and VAHT. If you would like more information about the grants available, please call the Community Chest Grants Officer, Sarah Rothwell, on 01296 585634.
More about the Big Lottery Fund:
The Big Lottery Fund is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
The Fund is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK. Since its inception in 2004 we have awarded close to £6bn.
The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
A vacancy has arisen for a treasurer to the Pitstone Memorial Hall Charity. It is an exciting time to join as a trustee, as the hall looks to the future: refurbishing and enhancing the current facilities, investigating an extended building and potentially the services that are offered and working with other local groups to put the hall at the heart of the new village centre development.
The treasurer will be responsible for all the financial aspects of the Memorial Hall Charity including budgeting, cash books, invoicing, banking, quarterly reporting to meetings, the production of the annual report, working with the auditor etc.
Flexible hours to suit. Approximately 2 hours per week. Please note, this is a voluntary role.
To register your interest, please contact Mrs Laurie Eagling, Secretary, on memorialhall@pitstone.co.uk, 9 Warwick Road, Pitstone, LU7 9FE or 01296 660791 by 18 May 2014.
Crime continues to decrease in the Aylesbury Vale LPA, this year we have had
40 fewer victims of crime in comparison to last year.
Supt Gez Chiariello, said: “I am pleased that Aylesbury Vale has seen a reduction in crime this year.
“I am pleased to announce that robbery, which includes theft of personal property and business property, has reduced by 30 per cent across the Vale. This means there were 19 fewer offences in comparison to last year, whilst our detection rate, which is
when an offender is either charged or cautioned, has risen by 12.2 per
cent. The likelihood of an individual being affected by personal robbery
is around 1 in 4347.
“I am pleased to announce the Vale has seen a 10 per cent reduction in burglary from dwellings this year. This means there were 37 fewer burglaries in the last 12 months. The overall detection rate for burglaries has risen by 2.6 per cent. We are
committed to working extremely hard to reduce the number of burglaries
further, hold more criminals accountable for this horrific crime and
reduce the victims of burglary across the rural areas and towns of the
Vale.
“I am especially delighted to see a large reduction of 25 per cent in drugs-related offences. This means there were 266 fewer offences this year and we are detecting and solving more crimes. This success is in part due to a number of well executed
operations, warrants, targeting of known offenders and the invaluable
input from the public in reporting suspicious incidents to us. We have
identified and arrested more offenders this year, and this sends out a
clear deterrent message that we will not tolerate drugs in our
communities and we will deal robustly with those that are involved in
the supply of drugs.
The LPA has achieved a 6 per cent reduction in arson and criminal damage offences. This means there were 71 fewer victims of this type of crime, and the detection rate has risen by 1.7per cent this year.
“There are areas we have seen increases, such as violence, sexual offences and domestic abuse incidents. However, whilst I am committed to protecting vulnerable victims of such crimes, these are areas which historically have gone under reported and the increase most likely highlights that more people are coming forward, and
have the confidence to report offences to the police, so we can fully
investigate incidents of this nature.
“I would like to reassure the public that Aylesbury Vale remains one of the safest places in the country to live, work and visit and we will continue to work with our strong community safety partnerships to tackle these crimes and bring offenders to
justice. We are proud of the hard work and the part we play in ensuring
that Aylesbury Vale remains a safe place.
“This year Aylesbury retained its purple flag status, which should give people the confidence that the town is a well-managed environment where they can enjoy their evenings, and the award is recognition of the efforts and resources we have continued to put in place to keep the community safe. We will continue to proactively
police the night-time economy and work closely with the community
safety partnership to ensure licensed premises are effectively managed,
to protect our communities and keep our night time environment safe in
our towns for people to go out and enjoy themselves without fear of
getting hurt”.
Supt Gez Chiariello added: “My priorities are to ensure a quality of service across the 350 square miles of the Vale, protecting vulnerable people, keeping the communities of Aylesbury Vale safe and protecting them from harm.
“It is important for us that not only are we reducing the number of crimes taking place, but we are also making sure fewer people are becoming the victims of crime. We will continue to work extremely hard so that we can look to reduce crime further.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the public for all their support in helping us reduce overall crime in their area. With the support of the public and our incredibly
committed and dedicated members of staff, police officers, volunteers
and our community safety partnerships we will continue to deliver a high
quality service to our communities to ensure Aylesbury Vale remains a
safe place. The top priority is to stop crime being committed, but when
it is committed we will do everything we can to identify the offenders
and bring them to justice.”
Anthony Stansfeld, Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley, said: “I am delighted that Aylesbury Vale have seen a drop in overall crime this year and I would like to take the opportunity to thank all officers, staff and volunteers for
their hard work and dedication. As one of my key priorities I am
particularly pleased to see a reduction in domestic burglary.”
Jon McGinty, Chairman of the Aylesbury Vale Community Safety Partnership, said: “These figures are very encouraging and show the success we are having across the district. However, we won’t rest on our laurels. The partnership continues to seek
new ways to ensure Aylesbury Vale remains a safe and cohesive
community.”
JUMP FOR ST JOHN AMBULANCE
‘St John Ambulance teaches people first aid so that they can be the difference between a life lost and a life saved’
Who else is brave enough…..
St John Ambulance are looking for people from all over the country to make a sponsored 10,000 feet freefall parachute jump on their behalf (between June and September) and in return they are willing to pay for it! Everything you need is enclosed in their pack including your reservation form and sponsorship forms so that everything is as easy as possible for you to take part.
By paying an initial non-refundable registration fee of £70 and raising a minimum of £395 for St John Ambulance you jump for free. (You only need to raise £325 although of course it would be great if you raised more) Alternatively you can pay an initial registration fee of £70 and pay for £200 jump costs then simply fundraise as much as you can.
The professional events organisers Skyline will receive a flat rate per jumper for organising the jumps. If you have any question then please contact Mia Broughton on 01296 744 378
Mia Broughton, Regional Fundraising Coordinator – South East
St. John Ambulance, Tindal Road, Aylesbury Bucks HP20 1HR
T 01296 744 378
M 07854 648 754
Whilst some plastic carrier bags are recyclable at supermarkets, AVDC DO NOT RECYCLE CARRIER BAGS in the blue lidded recycling bins, whether they are labelled recyclable or not. So please do not put any carrier bags in your recycling bin; reuse them or return to the supermarket you got them from.
Dealing with this recycling contamination affects our recycling contract and is costing AVDC on rejected recycling loads. As a consequence, household recycling bins with contaminated items such as carrier bags will not have their recycling bin emptied, and will have a note explaining why attached. If this happens to you, please do not ring us, but remove the offending items ready for your next collection. Alternatively you can take your recycling to the tip instead.
For a full list of what can and can’t be recycled in AVDC bins, please read the poster in your recycling bin lid, or visit our website, www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/recycle
Nominations are now open for the 2014 Village Pub competition.
The annual competition, set up in memory of ex district councillor Ted Payne and now in its 16th year, marks the important role a village pub plays in the local community, particularly where there are few other meeting places in the village, such as a shop or post office.
This year, Aylesbury Vale District Council has included a new category ‘Best non-food pub’, which joins All Round Winner, Best Food, Best for Community and Best for Family.
Each pub only needs one nomination to trigger a mystery shop visit, so if you’d like to support the Rose & Crown as our local pub, please complete the nomination form at www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/pubcomp
Nominations close on Friday 2 May.
The Village Pub Competition is sponsored by Dayla.
As part of an £81m investment to improve reliability and punctuality on the West Coast Mainline, Network Rail will be carrying out significant upgrade work from 3 – 5 May 2014, which means London Midland services will terminate at Hemel Hempstead.
For passengers wishing to travel to stations between Hemel Hempstead and London, replacement coach services will be in operation.
Barrie Cottam, London Midland’s Head of Route for West Coast Mainline services said, “We apologise in advance to our customers for the disruption they will face while these essential works are carried out.
“London Midland will operate rail replacement services whilst this section of the West Coast Mainline is closed. This will involve coach transfers which will take longer than the normal journey time by rail.
“I urge passengers to check and plan their journey arrangements in advance before travelling”.
For more information, please visit the London Midland website:
The local tea rooms based at the Ivinghoe Old School Community Hub have received a nomination in the new Chiltern Tea Shop Awards being run by The Chiltern Society.
Please show your support for Hayley Wesley and the team by emailing volunteer@chilternsociety.org.uk with “Chiltern Tea Shop Award” as the subject, vote for CuriosiTEA and provide them with a few words about “why your chosen tea shop is so special”.
The finalists will be the six tea shops with the most votes, so every personal recommendation is important.
Thank you.
| Message sent by |
| Antonia Baristow (Police, Communications Servicedesk, Thames VAlley) |
Have you been impressed with the service given to your community by a member of your neighbourhood policing team?
Residents of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire are being asked to nominate community police officers, Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), volunteers, and Special Constables who have had a positive impact on the their local community.
The Community Officer of the Year Awards recognises staff who have made the greatest contribution to addressing the concerns of local residents over the past year.
If you would like to make a nomination, fill out the online form.
Hard copies of the form are also available from your local police station.
Thames Valley Police is appealing for witnesses after an elderly woman was defrauded in Yardley Ave, Pitstone.
At 12.45pm on Friday (21/3) the victim answered her door to a man who claimed to be working on a neighbour’s fence and needed to look at hers.
On inspecting the fence he claimed there was a rats’ nest and said he could get rid of it if she paid £100. The victim gave the man the money and he agreed to return within 45 minutes to deal with the situation.
The offender has not returned and there was no rats’ nest in the area.
The first offender was a man, roughly 5ft 10ins, of a medium build, with a round face and light brown hair He wore a jumper and grey suit trousers.
The second offender was the passenger in the white Ford transit van that was parked near the property. He had black hair, a camouflage jacket, aged in his mid twenties wearing dark clothing.
Anyone with information should contact PC Thomas Booth from Aylesbury police station via the Thames Valley Police Enquiry Centre on 101.
If you don’t want to speak directly to the police, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at the Crimestoppers website. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.
How are we balancing the books?
These are very tough times for local government as there is less and less money coming to us from central government. We also face rising costs and ever increasing demands for vital services, particularly those supporting the elderly and most vulnerable people in our local communities.
Whilst we support the overall economic strategy of reducing the national deficit, the reductions in our central Government funding mean that this year we have had to make savings of £15 million to balance the books, on top of savings of £85 million over the last four years.
To achieve this, we’ve looked very carefully at what we do and how we do it.
We’ve made good progress in changing the way that we deliver services, sharing costs with other councils, reducing the Council’s running costs, increasing income and using some of our budget reserves.
This year we have had to make a prudent council tax rise, the first in four years, of 1.5% – that’s just an extra 31p per household per week (for an average band D household).
This small rise has allowed us to add some important additions to our Strategic Plan, our set of key priorities for the next four years: new objectives of combatting child sexual exploitation; and integrating the provision of NHS healthcare and local authority social care.
We know that roads are one of the most important priorities for residents and to help get our roads into better shape, we have committed to investing £60 million on road repairs as well as almost £5 million on pavement and footpath repairs up to 2018, a total of almost £65 million. This is part of our overall capital spending of £407 million over the next four years, in areas such as schools and day care services.
Info graphic:
http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/about-your-council/finance/council-tax/council-tax-2013-14/
If you would like to receive this information please add your business details to your existing Thames Valley Alert account here:
https://member-admin.neighbourhoodalert.co.uk/85/admin-areaThe daffodils along Marsworth Road are now in flower and looking beautiful again.
Our thanks go to all those volunteers who helped to plant them 18 months ago, providing an on-going legacy for the village, and to the drivers that kindly refrained from parking on the grass verge whilst the daffodils were growing. Unfortunately some were crushed earlier in the winter leaving some areas more sparse than desired. Perhaps next year there will be an ever better display.