The parish council is sole trustee to two charities:
Pitstone Recreation Ground Charity (1094867)
Owns and manages the recreation ground off Vicarage Road. The stated aim is to provide facilities and open space for the inhabitants of the parish of Pitstone and the surrounding areas to freely enjoy for leisure, recreation and sport. The charity has no financial holding, any costs are met by Pitstone Parish Council.
Full updates are provided within the Trustees Annual Report and Accounts.
Pitstone Parish Charity (261752)
Originally the ‘Allotments for the Labouring Poor’ charity but a revised scheme was approved in March 2004 to broaden the objectives to ‘the relief of persons resident in the area of benefit who are in need, hardship or distress’. This charity has no financial holding but will be the beneficiary of a single lump-sum income when the Pitstone Development Area land is sold. Once this investment starts to generate an income, the charity can start to fulfil its objectives.
Full details are provided within the Trustees Annual Report and Accounts.
The parish council is also custodian trustee to the Pitstone Memorial Hall Charity, which is managed by a separate Management Committee.
Pitstone parish council runs a Volunteer of the Year scheme to reward those members of our community that give an outstanding level of voluntary support to enrich the lives of other community members.
Each winner receives a framed certificate, presented at the annual assembly along with a token donation of £50 to show our appreciation.
Previous winners have been:
Elaine Thorogood – for her dedication to Girlguiding
John Groom – for his commitment to sports facilities
David Hawkins – for his outstanding contribution to Pitstone Memorial Hall
Michelle Lee – for her services to the Scout Assocation, particularly the Beavers
Joe Marling – for his devotion to the British Legion Poppy Appeal and his voluntary work at Pitsone Green Museum
Mary Saintey – for dedication to the Towns Land Charity and Williamson Trust
Klaus Ginda – for numerous volunteering roles within the community
Dave Clifford – for the Community Car Scheme, Silver Surfers and 1st Thursday Friends
Margaret Cole – for her numerous supporting roles at the youth cafe, community car scheme, over 60’s, First Thursday friends, Pitstone church flower festival and the girls brigade.
Rob Spiller – for his roles at Pitstone Youth Cafe and Pitstone Allotment Association.
Dave Seaton – for 8 years service to Pitstone & Ivinghoe Entertainments
Gill Arney – for numerous years of voluntary service at St Mary’s Church Pitstone, the Festival of Arts & Flowers, Beacon Villages Community Library, the Heritage Park (Pitstone Green Museum), Mums & Toddlers and the Parish Council.
Linda Howarth – for volunteering undertaken at Windmill Pre School and on behalf of numerous local charities
Geoff Bratt – for an exceptional amount of voluntary hours as a Community First Responder, putting himself in harms way throughout the pandemic
Howard Jones – for dedication to the Community Car Scheme, especially during the Coronavirus pandemic
Mick Pilkington – for services to litter picking
If you are aware of someone that deserves a special thank you and a bit of recognition for the work they undertake for the inhabitants of Pitstone, then please get in touch with the parish clerk via parishclerk@pitstone.co.uk.
Thank you to all the volunteers in our community, who make our parish the wonderful, vibrant, diverse place to live that it is.
The parish council has purchased two mobile Vehicle Activated Signs (mVAS) to rotate around our approach roads. These will monitor, and hopefully reduce, speeding through the village. The data (records volumes and speeds, not individual registration plates) may be used by Thames Valley Police to more effectively target any speed enforcement activity or by Buckinghamshire Council when considering requests for speed mitigation measures.
mVAS sites have been approved by Transport for Bucks in Vicarage Road, Cheddington Road, Marsworth Road and Westfield Road. Units must rotate around these locations and can’t be permanently deployed at any one site. None of these 4 locations meet the necessary Department for Transport (DfT) criteria for a permanent VAS.
The output reports are discussed at full parish council meetings, which are open to the public.
Please note that the data is recorded at the point that the vehicle comes into the line of sight for the mVAS (approximately 100m). If the vehicle is travelling at over 35mph, the mVAS will flash a warning to the driver. Speed data is recorded for all vehicles whether or not the MVAS flashes. It is set to 35mph to allow for tolerances within both the vehicle and unit recording equipment etc. The unit can’t record any remedial action taken by the vehicle ie it won’t show if that vehicle slowed down once the flash was triggered.
There are two locations listed in the table for Westfield Road. The approved Westfield Road location is opposite the Durham Road junction and detects vehicles approaching from the area around the top Windsor Road junction. The second Westfield Road unit was located by the Quarry Road junction to detect vehicles around the Warwick Road junction.
A table of the latest results is shown below:
In the table the “Average Speed” is the mean average calculated for all vehicles. The ’85th Percentile Speed’ shows the speed at, or below, which 85% of vehicles were travelling. It is used by the DfT (and other organisations around the world) as a measure of the ‘actual’ speed of the road as compared to the speed limit. Unlike the mean it is not skewed by vehicles travelling below the limit.
Location
85th percentile speed
Average speed
Cheddington Road
34.8mph
29.63mph
Marsworth Road
27.4mph
21.31mph
Vicarage Road
29.6mph
24.56mph
Westfield Road
34mph
28.83mph
Westfield Road/Warwick Road junction
34.2mph
28.58mph
mVAS data
The report for Westfield Road, following the relocation of the speed signs by Buckinghamshire Council is attached, along with all subsequent reports. Please note the reports includes the raw data as well as summaries and graphs and may be over 100 pages so be careful if you choose to print.
Also attached is the latest version of the mVAS policy and manual.
Once all the proposed traffic calming measures had been installed, Buckinghamshire Council installed pneumatic monitoring strips across Westfield Road, inside the 30mph zone & before the Warwick Road junction. These are more accurate, and measure vehicle speeds and classifications for vehicles travelling in both directions, as they pass over the physical strips. The full report can be found via this link: https://pitstone.co.uk/ppcnews/westfield-road-pneumatic-strip-speed-classification-report/ The summary data to replicate the above table is below for your convenience.
The parish council is actively pursuing a number of highways and transport initiatives:
The Ivinghoe & Pitstone Safety Scheme
Following an investigation commissioned from Ben Hamilton-Baillie (copy of the report attached) and public consultation, both Pitstone & Ivinghoe Parish Councils are progressing options with Buckinghamshire Council (BC). A Road Safety Audit was then completed and a Feasibility Report undertaken which shows what works would be required and provides an estimated cost (copy of the report attached).
The first two phases of works focus on safety improvements by Maud Janes Close and outside Brookmead School. Works are being funded by Pitstone Parish Council, Ivinghoe Parish Council and Buckinghamshire Council and should be installed during 2022.
Buckinghamshire Council has not agreed to fund the other works described at the current point in time, and no external grants have been identified. The parish council continues to work with BC and Buckinghamshire Highways and to seek suitable funding.
Cycle/footpath to Tring station
Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) continues to investigate engineering options to improve pedestrian and cycle safety between Pitstone and Tring Station.
HCC investigated all the various options and possibilities, and significantly cut back the trees/shrubs to improve visibility. HCC’s preferred option of a shared footway/cycleway off carriageway has been deemed unviable currently due to the extreme cost (vs the level of funding held) and unavailability of additional land required. Unfortunately, all the alternative options investigated (such as cycle lanes on carriageway, signed cycle routes on carriageway, physical and visual invertentions) for a direct route along Northfield Road have subsequently failed the associated Road Safety Audits and Speed Management Strategy. It is not possible to reduce the traffic speeds by the significant level required to enable any direct route. Therefore, aspirations for a direct cycle route along Northfield Road, that would have been of particular benefit to confident cyclists, are not implementable. HCC has also investigated if a route along the railway line was possible and this has also been ruled out. We are grateful to HCC for undertaking such a thorough investigation at their own cost.
However, HCC continue to investigate if there are any options for improving the more indirect routes that may appeal to family/leisure cyclists and will report back in due course on whether any improvements can be made to footpath 72 to enable cycle use (parts not within the highway boundary) and whether cycle channels/ramps could assist access via the Grand Union canal towpath route. The limited S106 funding provided by Taylor Wimpey must be spent by June 2024 if any acceptable and affordable enhancements can be identified.
The parish council conducts many surveys and consultation events including relating to leisure development, highways, footpaths, pedestrian crossings, access to Tring station and the Neighbourhood Plan.
See separate section of the website for Neighbourhood Plan information.
The most recent two consultations were:
Pedestrian crossings on Westfield Road – there was insufficient demand to take forward an engineered solution at present, but the council will continue to look at other ways of addressing the issues mentioned (eg we are providing car parking spaces for a tenant of Portland House to help alleviate the parking at the bottom of Westfield Road)
Potential footpath from Westfield Road to College Lake along the Upper Icknield Way – the survey results showed that this would be a popular facility. Part of the route is in Hertfordshire and part in Buckinghamshire. Adjacent landowners have declined to assist with the provision of such a path across their land, and therefore it would need to be a fully engineered solution along the verge, which increases the cost and complexity due to the existing street furniture and parameters (eg the protective barriers on either side of the railway bridge). The parish council has provided the survey results to both HCC and BC requesting consideration is given to inclusion of this route within their infrastructure planning/budgeting and it is considered if/when funding opportunities arise.
In 2005 the land to the top and side of the recreation ground was identified as a development area for community facilities and further housing within the Pitstone Comprehensive Development Plan. A set of policy statements for these parcels of land were included within the Pitstone Neighbourhood Plan (which was supported by 97% of residents that voted).
The vision is for the recreation ground, the hall and the surrounding area to become the new heart of Pitstone – joining the old part of the village to Castlemead. We hope it will be a pleasant area that people want to enjoy. The parish council has already provided a new play space and skate park to enhance the leisure facilities.
In December 2018 Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC) granted Nicholas King Homes (NKH) planning permission to build 74 homes. They also provide a multi-use ball games court, additional car parking and footpath access through to Castlemead. There are a number of issues with the ball court still to be resolved before the court and car parking can pass across to the parish council.
Outline planning permission was granted for a day nursery and a public house/restaurant as required by the neighbourhood plan. Nicholas King Homes have since submitted two applications to Buckinghamshire Council seeking to convert these parcels of land for use as further residential properties. The parish council has opposed both applications. Buckinghamshire Council has not yet issued any decision notice.
The Memorial Hall Charity are also looking into the possibility of extending/enhancing the Memorial Hall building and the existing facilities to better meet the needs of the growing community. CuriosiTea cafe is now located inside the Memorial Hall, closest to the leisure facilities.
The Parish Council is working through ambitious plans to update and extend the sports and leisure provision within the parish.
Purchase of land
The rear part of what appears to be the Recreation Ground (housing the play area, cricket nets and part of the football pitch) was actually owned by a separate charity. The parish council has been able to purchase this parcel of land, to protect it for leisure use in perpetuity.
New play space
Once we had completed the purchase of land, the first phase of the village leisure enhancement program began. The old play equipment was removed and a new and challenging play space for children of all ages installed by Huck Teck, who had previously won the tendering contract. The design had been subject to extensive local consultation and was the play space favoured by the local children.
Multi-use Ball Games Court (MUGA)
The parish council has provided some land at the far end of the Memorial Hall car park and a MUGA has been provided by the developer of the residential are around the Recreation Ground (Nicholas King Homes) along with additional parking and footpath access through to Castlemead. They have planning permission for the court illustrated below:
Nicholas King Homes have now constructed a ball court and the replacement car park but there are a number of ongoing negotiations with the developer and these have not transferred to parish council ownership yet.
Skatepark
The young people of the village had been asking for a skatepark for about 20 years but this could not be provided until the leisure land had been purchased and the old play equipment removed. Our new skatepark opened in March 2022.
It has been designed to allow for the maximum number of users and disciplines for those participating in the wheeled sports, but landscaped so that (once the grass grows) it does not appear intrusive when viewed from across the recreation ground.
Cricket Practice Nets
The parish council is working jointly with Ivinghoe and Pitstone United Cricket Club to provide a new open-access double lane cricket practice net facility. Funding has been secured and the order placed. We are waiting for an installation date from the supplier, latest estimate spring 2023.
Neighbourhood Equipped Area of Play (NEAP)
By providing ball sport, wheeled sport and play facilities for all ages our old Local Equipped Area of Play (LEAP) becomes what is classed as a Neighbourhood Equipped Area of Play (NEAP) which means that it provides a range of facilities that the whole family can enjoy together.
In the summer, families can bring down a picnic and all the members of the family can enjoy free physical activities from the one central space in the heart of the village, which also provides benefits for everyone’s physical and mental wellbeing.
Register of Members Interests See attachment. This information can be also found on the Buckinghamshire Council website.
Register of Gifts and Hospitality To date, no councillor has received any gifts or hospitality in the line of their duties. However a register is set up and will be maintained as necessary. This will be available in hard copy form, at the current rate detailed in the Guide to Information Available.
Disclosure Log The parish council maintains a register of any information provided as a result of a request eg Freedom of Information request, the date and whom the information was provided to. This is available in hard copy form, at the current rate detailed in the Guide to Information Available.
Asset Register The Asset Register, as at the end of the financial year, is detailed within the Year End Financial Report (provided on this web site). Should you require more up-to-date information, this is available in hard copy form at the rate detailed in the Guide to Information Available.
All councillors are obliged to act within a Code of Conduct based on the principles of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honest and leadership. Buckinghamshire Council encouraged parishes to adopt the same version of the Code as the principal authority, which Pitstone has done. A copy can be found below.
The activities of the council are also governed by a set of Standing Orders, determined by the National Association of Local Councils, a copy of which can be found below.
The council operates four committees and 2 working parties:
The Planning Committee (meeting dates determined by applications received from BC and their required reporting deadlines)
The Sports and Leisure Committee (meet monthly)
The Staffing Committee (ad hoc)
Terms of reference for our committees, and details of the current working parties, are included in the minutes of each annual meeting (each May).
Within this web site you will also find our various other policies relating to street lighting, play, grants, financial regulations, health and safety and employment.
The parish council tries to engage with all residents in a variety of methods to ensure that everyone has access to information in a format that is suitable for their needs. We recognise that some parishoners prefer to speak to us in person, some prefer to read publications delivered to their door and some prefer technology based communication. The parish council therefore acts within the parameters defined in the community engagement, and social media/communications policies below:
Community Engagement – see attachment for details of how we will engage with the community.
The council tries hard on your behalf, but should you have a complaint about any of the services we provide, we welcome the opportunity to discuss it with you. Please refer to the Code of Practice for Handling Complaints below.
You will also find below our policy on the reporting of meetings of the council for your information. Please read this document prior to attending council meetings, and especially if you wish to request to film or record the meeting.
The parish council’s affairs are all open and transparent. We publish a wide variety of information that we think you may be interested in, including our financial affairs, our policies, our meeting dates and minutes etc.
Please find attached a useful guide to the information available to you and a copy of the ICO model publication scheme version 1.2 (and template guide version 3.0).
Please speak to the parish clerk regarding any request you wish to lodge for information. Some information will not be available, such as that prevented by law or exempt under the Freedom of Information Act, or that is otherwise considered to be protected from disclosure. Some information may simply no longer be easily accessible. However, all requests will be considered and fulfilled wherever possible. A register is maintained of all information provided as a result of such a request, and your details will be entered onto this register for future reference. Some information may only be available to view (in which case an appointment will be made for you to see the information at a mutually convenient time), other information may only be available in hard copy form.
Please also find attached the latest Schedule of Charges (this document is also available on the dedicated post).
Residents are often welcome to join one of our voluntary groups helping at the youth cafe, with the publication of PPP or helping residents access their medical appointments via our community car scheme. (Please note that certain requirements may apply eg DBS checks.) We also keep a list of other organisations that are looking for volunteers so you can try to find the right opportunity for you. Please see the below Volunteering Database guide for more information:
The parish council owns the majority of the street lamps in Pitstone, with the exception of those along the Marsworth Road (which are owned and managed by Buckinghamshire Council) and those within the Castlemead, Croudace, Nicholas King Homes and Bellway estates.
For the lights that we maintain, we employ the services of a street light contractor (Lamps & Tubes Illuminations Ltd) to rectify any faults that arise. Volunteer ‘Street Light Champions’ patrol the streets once a month during the evenings to identify any lights not illuminating and once a month during the day to identify any lamps that don’t turn off. However, we can’t visit every street every day, so your eyes and ears are valuable resources to us and we would be grateful if you could report any faults you see to the parish clerk. It is more cost effective to get the contractor to repair a whole batch of lights, rather than just one, so there may be a delay whilst other faults are identified or whilst a whole village patrol is conducted to identify any other lamps that need attention. If you would be happy to join our team of ‘Champions’ and check the lights in your street, we would be delighted to hear from you (please email parishclerk@pitstone.co.uk).
Some of the street lights within Castlemead remain the responsibility of Taylor Wimpey and some have passed to Buckinghamshire Council. However, you are welcome to report any faults to the parish clerk and we can pass the information to them.
From time-to-time we receive requests from residents for additional columns or for columns to be removed. Such enquiries will be fully investigated and discussed with all neighbouring properties as well, and the costs/benefits assessed by a full council meeting.
The parish council has been moving towards more energy efficient LED lighting and the roll out is now complete. These lamps are more economical and provide additional environmental benefits with no loss of luminosity efficiency for residents.
Please find attached our Street Lighting Policy for more detailed information.
Buckinghamshire Council (BC) is the local planning authority for this area. The parish council is a consultee on all planning applications, so BC send us details of any applications that are recorded for Pitstone. BC also erect yellow site notices and advertise applications in the local press.
All planning applications are discussed at the next available parish council meeting or planning committee meeting. To try and ensure that all residents have as much opportunity to comment as possible, we run a Neighbourhood Notification Scheme where any immediate neighbours are notified of the application via a hand delivered letter. All applications are also advertised on our web site, Facebook page and Twitter account. Residents are thus invited to submit comments to us for consideration. Any interested party, including the applicant, is welcome to attend the relevant council meeting. All planning applications also appear on the parish council agendas which are published via all our means of communication.
Residents are also able to set up their own searches on the BC planning portal and this will notify them of any planning applications that arise within the area selected. You can also set up notifications for any application that you submit comments for, to receive updates on whether it has been approved.
The parish council’s comments on any application must relate to relevant planning policy and guidelines in existence, and relate to what is known as ‘material considerations’.
Pitstone Parish Council offers a Youth Cafe service for senior school children aged 11-18 years on a Wednesday evening during term time at Pitstone Pavilion. We contract with a specialist in the field of youth cafe’s and youth work to provide this service. Sessions run from 6.30pm to 8pm, £2 per child, no need to book.
The cafe was created in recognition of the fact that other ‘youth clubs’ in the village had all ceased operating and Bucks County Council had withdrawn all funding and support, leaving young people with no-where safe to meet, socialise and learn new experiences. This left the young people gathering outside the shops, restaurants, bus stops and playgrounds. The young people asked for somewhere warm, dry and safe to meet. It provides a particularly valuable service in our rural community where children tend to dissipate between a wide number of senior schools (Tring, Wing, 3 x Aylesbury and Stoke), giving them a means of keeping in touch with other local children and sharing experiences.
As well as providing a safe, dry meeting place for teenagers to chat, we have a range of equipment that they can use whilst on site such as skate ramps (helmets must be worn), basketball, frisbee etc and indoors we have console/board/card games and other activities. We provide a range of snacks eg toasties or chocolate bars. The young people can speak with our youth workers about any personal or social problems they may be experiencing. Thames Valley Police try to attend the cafe sessions on an ad-hoc basis, and the young people are welcome to speak to them about any concerns, policing matters, bullying etc.
Over 1,000 local children benefited from our youth cafe service since it’s launch in November 2011, showing the scale of local need.
The cafe is not a traditional youth ‘club’ and does not provide structured or enforced activities in the same way as more formal organisations such as the Scouting or Guiding movements. All activities are optional. Some young people just prefer to chat & hang out whilst some prefer to be active.
Pitstone Parish Council meets all the running and employment costs. In recognition of the fact that parish councillors are not trained youth workers, the management of the cafe is contracted to a specialist in the field. The cafe is also supported by a number of volunteers who attend, supervise and interact with the young people. In fact since 2011 our volunteers provided over 10,000 volunteer hours between them, for which we are immensely grateful. If you would be interested in joining the voluntary team, please contact the parish clerk, as more helpers are always required.
It is vital that we have accurate contact details for the parents of each child on site, therefore parents must sign an application form before the child can attend. Please click this link to access the form and youth cafe registration site: http://youthcafe.pitstone.co.uk/?fbclid=IwAR0_Oh05LOtyZSkKG2ZppWIemE0_IR60aJh8XPTsLsiTwlXJkm2r38QWa44 alternatively a parent can attend the first session with their child to complete the necessary papers. The young people then sign in on arrival and pay the entry fee of £2 which contributes towards the overheads. There are no termly fees or subscription charges. There is no obligation to attend each week or for your child to attend the whole session (for instance, some may pop in just to speak with a youth worker about a particular issue). The young people are free to come and go as they please, but if the children wish to leave site before the end of the session, for safety reasons they must sign out again. The majority of young people within this age range make their own way to and from the cafe, so please make sure that your child exercises due care and diligence when travelling around the village and keeps you updated if they choose to leave the site.
Our youth cafe helps to build up relationships between the young people and the adults within our community and between the young people and Thames Valley Police. Pitstone saw instances of youth anti-social behaviour within our community reduce after the cafe launched. The youth workers and Thames Valley Police have been able to help a number of young people in need of support.
Residents that may struggle to afford the entry fee should speak to the cafe manager in confidence and suitable arrangements can be put in place. We feel strongly that price should not be a barrier to young people being able to access youth counselling services.
Queries relating to the youth cafe should be directed to Dave Rollins, Cafe Manager, on youth.cafe@me.com / 07368 429591 or the parish clerk on parishclerk@pitstone.co.uk
Please find attached a series of youth cafe related policies and information about how we look after your personal information.
The parish council manages the three children’s play areas in Pitstone located on the Recreation Ground, at Hever Close and on Windsor Road. All these facilities are free for you to enjoy. We aim to ensure:
there are safe and accessible places where all children and young people can play and socialise
that a range of accessible, rewarding and affordable recreation opportunities are provided
that the recreation opportunities reflect the needs and interests of the community
that the value to the community of the available public open space is maximised and
that the risk-benefit assessment of the facility concerned is favourable
Attached you will find copies of our Play Policy & Strategy, Local Play Audit and Risk Assessments for your information.
Planning permission was obtained for an exciting new play space and the equipment on the Recreation Ground was completely replaced in 2020 following the purchase of the land by the Parish Council. An illustration of the new equipment is below:
There is also a children’s playground in Tun Furlong. This is currently managed by Bellway for a 24 month maintenance period and will pass into parish ownership in due course.
Multi-Use Ball Games Court
Nicholas King Homes constructed a multi-use ball games court on parish council owned land at the rear of the hall car park. Replacement car parking has been provided adjacent to the current site and this will be adopted by the parish council. This will be freely accessible for everyone to enjoy. An illustration is below. There are a number of outstanding issues to be resolved with Nicholas King Homes before the ball court and car park can pass into parish ownership.
Skatepark
Following the purchase of the land by the Parish Council, our skate park was completed in March 2022 and is now open and free for everyone to enjoy. Residents have been asking for a wheeled sport facility for very many years and we thank everyone for their patience whilst we purchased the necessary land and contracted with Bendcrete to undertake the construction.
The skate facility has been designed to allow the maximum number of users, and the widest choice of disciplines for those using it, but has been landscaped so (once the grass grows) as you view the park from across the recreation ground it is unobtrusive and suitable for our rural location.
Skateboarding is a high-risk sport. It is inevitable that accidents will occur. The park meets the rospa recommendations in terms of location and access etc to help minimise risks. It is important that you follow the safety guidelines (there is also signage at the site) – only skate to your own ability, supervise younger/newer skaters, always wear protective gear, never skate alone or after dark etc. If your child is visiting the skatepark alone, make sure they have your emergency contact details with them, in case they have an accident. You can find out more about the type of accidents that typically happen in a skatepark and how you can help keep your children safe by visiting this rospa webpage: https://www.rospa.com/play-safety/advice/skateboarding. This is a free-to-use, non supervised site. We recommend that users bring their own basic first aid supplies & mobile phone.
Whenever you are at the skatepark:
Please remember that there are neighbours and a children’s playground close by.
Please set a good example and make sure your language and behaviour is appropriate for small children to overhear / see.
Please remember that your choice of music may not reflect everyone’s taste, so keep music loud enough for you to enjoy but low enough not to disturb others.
Please be respectful of other skatepark and recreation ground users at all times.
Please dispose of all litter in a bin.
We recommend you keep hydrated. Please remember to bring your water bottles / refreshments. If you need to purchase refreshments, the nearest locations are : CuriosiTea cafe situated at the end of Pitstone Memorial Hall, or Masons store on Marsworth Road.
Please note that there are no public toilets in Pitstone.
If you visit our skatepark during the evening, please ‘quiet skate’ after 8pm by switching all music off.
Football
The council owns and manages the pavilion on Marsworth Road which has two football pitches (one full sized and one junior). The pavilion was extended and modernised in 2020, and now provides a community room available for general hire, kitchen, parish office and changing village. This is the home site for the Pitstone & Ivinghoe Junior Football Club and the Pitstone & Ivinghoe United Football Club.
We also provide pitch space on Pitstone Recreation Ground which is the home site for a number of the P&I Junior Football teams.
Both sites are currently operating at full capacity. Hire charges apply.
An open access full sized goal is provided in the kicking area opposite Hever Close playground, which is freely available for all to enjoy. The multi-use ball court on the recreation ground is also freely accessible football space.
Cricket
The village green / recreation ground is home to the Ivinghoe & Pitstone United Cricket Club who play matches and host training sessions throughout the cricket season.
Our ground is currently operating at full capacity.
In September 2023 the Parish Council worked with the cricket club to procure and install a new set of double lane cricket practice nets. These are available for anyone in the community to enjoy, when they are not being utilised by the club. To gain access, please email ivinghoepitstonecricket@outlook.com and provide your contact details etc. The club will provide the access code. Please ensure the facility is locked after use and that its respected while you are using it. Please ensure that studded footwear is NOT worn on any part of the nets.
Use of Recreation Ground (a registered village green) by Memorial Hall and/or other commercial hirers etc
Please refer to the attached policy if you are a Memorial Hall hirer and wish to occasionally use the recreation ground, or if you are wishing to run a commercial/regular class on the recreation ground/village green.
Events
Pitstone Parish Council organises a number of events each year, such as Play Around the Parishes for 1-11 year olds. All events will be publicised in the events section of the web site, as well as through our other communication channels.
Community Groups, individuals and organisations can also hire our open spaces for events. Please visit the Events and Open Space Policy attached for further information, charges and the application forms.
Privacy Notice For Hirers
We take the security of your personal information seriously. Please refer to our GDPR policies on this website.
The allotment site on Marsworth Road (opposite Masons shop) was created in April 2010. In April 2014, the parish council was pleased to announce that a further 4 plots had been added, so the site currently houses 73 x quarter sized plots. In 2019, 8 raised beds were added for those that are less able. Tenants can request up to 4 quarter plots, subject to availability and demand. The land has been leased to Pitstone Parish Council by the National Trust for a period of 99 years. The parish council is responsible for tenancies and terminations.
The council has a management agreement with Pitstone Allotment Association who are responsible for all the day-to-day site management and running of the allotment site, including the waiting list and enquiries.
If you would like further information about the allotment site, including access to all the relevant policies, terms and conditions etc please visit the Pitstone Allotment Association web site: http://pitstoneallotmentassociation.org.uk/
or contact the secretary, Marjory Rankin, on: Telephone: 01296 660236 Email: pitstoneallotmentassociation@gmail.com Address: 2 Long Hale, Pitstone, Beds, LU7 9GF
The parish council provide a number of facilities around the village. These are all checked on a regular basis, but your eyes and ears are valuable resources to us, so if you see a fault or problem with any of the following please take the time to report it to the clerk. Thank you.
The recreation ground by the Memorial Hall
The children’s play equipment on the recreation ground (the cricket screens and square are the responsibility of the cricket club)
The children’s play areas on Windsor Road and Hever Close (within the fencing)
The skate park on the recreation ground
(The ball court by the recreation ground has yet to pass over to parish council ownership)
The pavilion community building and football pitches on Marsworth Road
The allotments
The local green space between Marsworth Road and The Crescent
Some of the rights of way
Pitstone Hill car park grass cutting (the Hill is owned and maintained by National Trust)
Seating
Car parking at the recreation ground and pavilion
Litter bins and litter collection (from the streets, not households)
Dog bins and emptying
Street lighting
Bus shelters
Notice-boards
Youth Cafe
Community car scheme
Special events
Village development plans
A note about notice-boards:
The parish council boards primarily display general information from all tiers of local government, Thames Valley Police etc.
The council is happy to support charitable or community events within Pitstone & Ivinghoe, so if you would like to publicise an activity in our noticeboards please supply materials (maximum A4 size) to the Parish Clerk at Pitstone Pavilion, Marsworth Road, Pitstone, LU7 9AP and we will accommodate it if space permits. We may also be able to add the information to the Events section of the village website plus our Facebook and Twitter feeds if you supply the information in text format and electronically (preferably accessible jpeg).
Unfortunately, we can’t promote commercial classes, events or business but you may be able to advertise these on the open board outside Ivinghoe Town Hall.
A note about banner / road-side advertisements:
The parish council owns the hedgerow outside the sports pavilion on Marsworth Road and Pitstone Recreation Ground Charity owns the wooden fencing around the Recreation Ground between Marsworth Road & Vicarage Road. The parish council also operates devolved services from Buckinghamshire Council and therefore follows the general Charity Event Signage requirements laid out within that provision.
As a council, we are supportive of our local community groups, charities and events, in particular those within Pitstone and Ivinghoe.
The parish council is the appropriate body to contact for permission to display temporary event signage. Charity event signage will only be permitted if a request for permission is made and approved, and subject to the sign permit general conditions which require such advertising to comply with the necessary highway and advertising regulations. All requests must be sent to the parish clerk and each request considered on its merits and in light of the general conditions. If your request is approved, written confirmation with a permit number will be provided to the applicant.
General conditions stipulated: Signs can not be erected more than two weeks before the event are must be taken down immediately after the event. A maximum of 4 signs are allowed per event. No sign should obstruct any visibility splay, footway or vehicular access nor positioned so as to contravene any traffic regulation or impede fire hydrants, inspection covers or statutory undertakers’ apparatus. Any claim on the parish council or Buckinghamshire Council arising from any incident involving the signs will be referred to the person that erected the signs. It is advisable that suitable cover against any such claim is provided by an appropriate insurance policy.
Unfortunately, failure to comply with any conditions specified in this permission, or fly-posting, will result in the removal of the signs.
Lost Property:
There are often items of lost property found within our playgrounds or handed into the council that have been discovered on the footpaths etc. All lost property will be advertised on the website and facebook page. After a period of two weeks, unclaimed clothing will be laundered and taken to the textile recycling bank at Colbree. Unclaimed toys etc will be cleaned and provided to a charity shop. Other items will be disposed of.
Other tiers of government :
In April 2020, Bucks County Council and the 5 district councils merged to form one unitary council – Buckinghamshire Council. If you are looking to discuss issues such as housing, planning, licencing, refuse collection, education, social care or highways you can now find Buckinghamshire Council’s new website here: https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/
All members of the parish council give their time voluntarily. They receive no payment for the time and effort they devote to progressing improvements in the parish on your behalf. Consideration is given periodically as to whether an allowance should be introduced for councillors, but this proposal has always been rejected. Many councillors also incur expenses fulfilling these duties (such as telephone calls, ink, paper or postage etc) and only occasionally are any recompense requests made for these expenses – often the councillors will waive their right to claim. All of these actions help to ensure that the cost to residents is as low as possible.
The parish council meets the cost of any training courses or seminars required to improve the knowledge base of members to enable them to fulfil their duties.
The council is closely monitored by two independent audit sources, one appointed by the parish council and one allocated to us.
At the end of the financial year the parish council is obliged to submit all our accounting information to the auditor we appoint. Once reviewed and approved, this auditor writes a report to accompany our submission to the external auditor.
The external auditor is appointed to us and is currently PKF Littlejohn LLP.
The latest audit procedures require the council to display our annual accounts and the comments of the auditor on the web site and all residents are also invited to inspect the accounts.
Reports from 2014/15 onwards are available on the web site, and hard copies of past reports are available on request. Please contact the parish clerk.
The parish council works within strict guidelines to ensure that funds are safeguarded. The financial regulations outline these procedures. These are derived from the template provided by the National Association of Local Councils. See attached.
We also operate within standard guidelines to ensure that capital projects are adequately forward planned and budget, and general reserves are minimal but sufficient for 3 months operation. Our reserves policy is also attached.
The attached document shows the set budget figures and precept requests for each financial year since 2007/08.
The majority of council funds come from what is known as the precept. This is the amount of council tax that Buckinghamshire Council collects from residents on our behalf as part of their Council Tax. The value set for Pitstone Parish Council is in line with other parishes of our size.
You may also like to refer to the actual financial performance, rather than the budget figures and sometimes projects can slip into the next financial year and have a significant impact on performance vs budget.
The parish council offers grants to local community groups and charities every year.
Applications are normally considered quarterly. If you would like the council to consider making a grant available to your community group, please read the attached Grant Policy so that you can submit the necessary information. You are welcome to contact the parish clerk to discuss your application further.
Previous recipients have included:
Pitstone Memorial Hall Charity
Beacon Villages Community Library
Party in the Park
Pitstone Community Cinema
Pitstone Silver Surfers Club
Pitstone & Ivinghoe United Cricket Club
Pitstone & Ivinghoe Scouts
FAB / Brookmead School
Friends of St Marys Church, Pitstone
Pitstone & Ivinghoe Mothers and Toddlers
Pitstone & Ivinghoe Entertainments
1st Ivinghoe & Pitstone Brownies
1st Ivinghoe & Pitstone Rainbows
1st Ivinghoe & Pitstone Scouts
SCAS Community First Responders
Royal British Legion
Windmill Pre School
Information relating to the grants given in previous years and grants received by the parish council, can be found within the year end financial summaries or annual reports for the relevant financial years. You can also find details of the grants awarded within each monthly financial summary published (listed separately from December 2015).
As part of our ambition to be open and transparent the parish council commenced publishing details of all expenditure over £500 net. This information is provided in a choice of excel, pdf or csv formats for your convenience.
As part of our ambition to be open and transparent, the parish council publishes details of all expenditure during the financial year over £500 in net value. This data can be accessed in excel, pdf or csv files for your convenience.
Please find attached the leaflet that the parish council produces to explain what parish councils are, how the operate, the services they can provide and how they are funded. This leaflet was distributed to every household before the 2011 election and continues to be provided to each new resident as part of our welcome pack.
Photographs, contact details and committee details for each of your elected or co-opted parish councillors.
Contact details for our Buckinghamshire Councillors.
The address and contact information for the council offices at the Pavilion – for further information about accessibility, and finding our building, please click here: https://pitstone.co.uk/localinfo/pitstone-pavilion/
Please find attached an abbreviated version of the introduction section our Community Self Help Plan. (The full document contains personal contact information and is therefore only distributed to nominated users.) This is designed to provide a framework to ensure an effective and robust approach to managing a major incident that may threaten the safety and welfare of the community, livestock and/or premises, in a way that complements the response of the emergency services.
Please find attached a summary of the parish council’s net expenditure over £500. The information is provided in excel, pdf or csv files for your convenience. The spreadsheets will be updated at the end of each month.
This data is provided as part of the council’s plans to be open and transparent in all our working.
