Countywide grass cutting and weed spraying programme is underway
In recent weeks, council crews have been busy working across the county as the annual programme of grass cutting and weed spraying gets underway.
Grass and roadside vegetation has grown even faster than usual for this time of year, following the very wet winter and ongoing spells of heavy rain throughout spring, together with periods of sunshine. To deal with this exceptionally fast growth, the council has brought in additional grass cutting crews.
Three rounds of cuts are scheduled at rural road junctions this year, in order to maintain good visibility for road users, with the first now completed. Two cycles of urban verge cuts are also programmed to take place in areas where this service has not been devolved to parish and town councils. The first urban cutting cycle has begun. Additionally, crews will be attending locations across the county where reports have been made of roadside cuts being needed to maintain road safety. To date more than 150 of these reactive cuts have taken place with crews primed to go out when new issues are reported on Fix my Street.
In addition to grass cutting, work is also in progress to tackle the growth of weeds alongside footways. Two cycles of weed spraying will be carried out across the whole county on all public footways over the coming months, as well as ‘siding out’ at targeted locations. This is the process of clearing edges of footways where weeds and vegetation have grown through. Crews will use Glyphosate to spray weeds. The chemical is not harmful to people or animals and can be used safely close to water courses. The spray is applied in a fine mist, in very small doses and starts to work within an hour of application. It can only be applied during dry weather.
Summer fun for everyone!
The summer holidays are here and with six weeks free from lessons, homework and the usual school routines, many families will be busy planning fun things to do.
For those on lower incomes, juggling finances during the summer can be particularly hard, but Buckinghamshire Council is once again providing extra support for those who need it.
Children in Reception up to Year 11 who receive benefits-related free school meals can take part in up to 16 free holiday club sessions over the six-week break. The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme will be running in over 60 locations, offering a wide range of activities including sports, cooking, pickleball, coding and martial arts sessions. Those eligible for the HAF sessions will have received a code via an email from Holiday Activities to book places. Each session includes a healthy meal for the children taking part. For more information on HAF visit the website.
Certain families are also being given a £50 food voucher per eligible child to help with the cost of providing extra food during the holiday period.
Nominate your community heroes with a Proud of Bucks Award
The Proud of Bucks Awards are back for a fourth year, shining a light on the incredible contributions of our county’s unsung heroes – the volunteers, groups, and organisations that have made a positive difference in our communities over the past 12 months.
Buckinghamshire Council’s 16 Community Boards will choose winners from their local area, for each of the three award categories:
- Good Neighbour Award – adults 21+ who has made a difference in their local community, such as through neighbourhood schemes, supporting voluntary causes or befriending services.
- Young Champion Award – for a young person under 21 who has made a significant contribution towards their local community, for example, through volunteering, supporting a charitable cause or championing their peers.
- Outstanding Group Award – recognises and celebrates a voluntary group in the local area who has made a positive impact on their community such as delivering a service, championing a cohort of residents, or supporting and enhancing local spaces.
Council cracks down on drivers misusing disabled parking permits
Last month, Buckinghamshire Council’s Counter Fraud team led a Blue Badge operation supported by the Blue Badge team, Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).
The operation spanned car parks and on street parking bays in South Buckinghamshire, High Wycombe and Aylesbury to target the misuse and abuse of Blue Badges.
This operation was part of a wider tri-county exercise and was coordinated with neighbouring local authorities, Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire. Across the three counties, 34 blue badges were seized; Hertfordshire 20 badges, Oxfordshire three badges and Buckinghamshire 11.
Thinking about adoption? There is no better time to take that first step
Anyone in Buckinghamshire and surrounding areas thinking about adoption is being encouraged to act today and take the first step on their adoption journey.
Today (Tuesday 23 July) marks the start of a new, You Can Adopt, national recruitment campaign run by Adoption England. Entitled, The Journey, the campaign aims to inspire more people to take the first step in growing their family through adoption. The campaign focuses on the journey to adoption and beyond being much like an adventure; filled with chaos, challenges, conversations and love.
National figures reveal an unprecedented decline in adoption rates. For the first time in recent years, there are now more children in need of adoption than those coming forward to adopt. With the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, experts are warning that anxieties have been heightened for many people with regards to finding the perfect time and circumstances to start a family.
In Buckinghamshire, there are children of all ages waiting to be adopted and the council is urging anyone who may be thinking about adoption to come forward.
Buckinghamshire Council is hosting an Adoption Information Evening on Tuesday 6 August where people can find out more about the adoption process.
Another way to get quick answers to any questions you may have about adopting within Buckinghamshire is to look at the council’s Adoption Ready tool. The online programme also allows you to create a personalised next steps plan which you can save and come back to at any time.
Anita Cranmer, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Education said: “Every child deserves to live and grow up in a loving and caring home. We know there are many people who may be thinking about adoption but are waiting for the perfect time to start the process. Our message to them is, there is no perfect time, start your journey now, get in touch and we can support you along the way.”
A brand new quarter for Aylesbury – vision for new town centre site is announced
Buckinghamshire Council is unveiling more detail about the concept for Aylesbury’s exciting new ‘Pavilion Quarter’, a new site at the heart of the town centre for people, business and entertainment.
The council is progressing a £5 million regeneration scheme for Aylesbury, including the creation of this new vibrant business and entertainment quarter, which directly links the High Street with the thriving Exchange development. Regenerating this dormant site will open up new routes in the town centre and create opportunities for new jobs and a dedicated space for small businesses and start-ups.
It’s a key element of the ‘Regenerating Bucks’ strategy that was adopted by the council last year. This overarching strategy outlines how existing sites in Buckinghamshire’s three main town centres can be repurposed and revitalised to create exciting new areas in the town centres for residents and visitors, that also provide a boost for existing and new businesses.
The new ‘Pavilion Quarter’ for Aylesbury will be named after the old cinema that previously stood on the site and will reflect the site’s history as a music and entertainment venue. The old building – which has stood empty for some time and is in a poor structural condition – was acquired for demolition with the site earmarked for regeneration.
These artists impressions, and site plan and photo below showcase the kind of use the council is proposing for the Pavilion Quarter, which includes:
- new space for independent businesses and start-ups to open and flourish
- an outdoor area with potential for a dedicated space for music and other events
- an opened-up link between the Exchange and the High Street improving flow between the two areas
- attractive new lighting and planting
Councillor Derek Town