Please get in touch with the parish clerk on parishclerk@pitstone.co.uk or 01296 767261 if the above bicycle belongs to you.

Thank you.

The parish council is a consultee for all planning applications submitted to AVDC.  Applications for consideration at the meeting being held on Thursday 25 July 2019 at 7.30pm in the Millennium Room at Pitstone Memorial Hall:

The plans may be viewed online by going to http://eplanning.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk and searching using the planning reference number.

Any comments, representations or objections you may have should be submitted directly to AVDC as the planning authority, by the date shown on the yellow site notice, quoting the planning reference number.  This can be done on-line or you can post comments to:

The Head of Development Control, Aylesbury Vale District Council, The Gateway,
Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 8FF

If you wish the parish council to take your comments into consideration when making our recommendation, please also supply the details to us before noon on the day of the meeting to allow sufficient time for the information to be circulated to all councillors.

Our meetings are all open to public and you are welcome to attend and express your views in person during the public participation session.

Laurie Eagling, Clerk to Pitstone Parish Council

 

This Wednesday (10 July) is the last week of youth cafe for this term.  We are closed on Wednesday 17 July and all through the summer holidays.  Amazingly, over 750 local children have benefited from the youth cafe since the parish council first launched it in November 2011.

Some of our long standing volunteers have unfortunately had to step down this term and we are very short of volunteers from September.  Volunteering with us is fun – our volunteers get to race remote control cars, take on a console game challenge, play sports, make crafts etc.  Age is no barrier, many of our volunteers are retired.   Please consider joining our friendly crew and volunteering with the youth cafe.  We are open 6.30-8pm on a Wednesday evening during term time.  If you can help every week, or every other week, that would be marvellous – even helping once a month would be very helpful.

You can find out more about the youth cafe here: http://pitstone.co.uk/ppcinfo/youth-cafe/

Please ring the parish clerk, Laurie, on 01296 767261 or email parishclerk@pitstone.co.uk.   We have about 45 fabulous young people each week that would be very grateful for your support and would love to spend some time with you!

 

 

You are now able to submit your nominations for the Pitstone Volunteer of the Year 2020, so if you know of someone that is giving up their time and making a difference to the lives of the people in Pitstone, then please let us know.    As well as being an opportunity for you and the parish council to thank them in public, the winner receives a £50.00 award and framed certificate.

 

Please email or write to the parish clerk on: parishclerk@pitstone.co.uk or at 9 Warwick Road, Pitstone, Beds, LU7 9FE providing the full name of the person you wish to nominate and the reasons why you think they deserve to win.   All submissions must be received by the end of January 2020.

The new franchise operator, West Midlands Trains, is in the process of undertaking a Station Travel Plan for Tring and Cheddington stations which will include a survey of users to see how you get to Tring station and what improvements you would like to see.

The results from this survey will help to provide supporting evidence for any schemes that arise from the project and any requests for funding that are required.  It is really important that as many residents as possible respond to this survey because it may help to justify a cycle route along Northfield Road, possible public transport options to & from the station and/or parking solutions etc.

The surveys are also being handed out at the station and will be included in the forthcoming PPP.

Please click the link to complete the survey:

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/TringLNR/

Inconsiderate parking is another area that seems to cause a multitude of problems around the village, especially where the roads are narrow, where parking causes visibility problems at junctions, when vehicles park on the pavement so pedestrians are forced into the highway, and when people park on top of ‘keep clear’ signs.

Here is some useful information provided to us by Thame Valley Police and Bucks Fire.

According to the Highway Code, you must not park:

• On a pedestrian crossing, including the area marked by the zig-zag lines
• In marked taxi bays
• In a cycle lane
• On red lines
• In spaces reserved for Blue Badge holders, residents or motorbikes (unless entitled to do so)
• Near a school entrance, including the area marked by the zig-zag lines
• Anywhere that would prevent access for Emergency Services at or near a bus stop
• Opposite or within 10 meters of a junction
• Over a dropped kerb
• In front of the entrance to a property

Answers to the top parking related questions:

* You don’t have the right to the parking space outside your house. So long as they don’t break the law or contravene parking regulations or restrictions, anyone can park there.

* You can’t force your neighbour to utilise their garage or driveway should they choose to park on the road instead.

* There is no restriction on how long a vehicle may park there, so long as it is taxed, insured and has an MOT. The only exception being if the police believe it to be abandoned.

* Driving on a pavement has been banned since the Highways Act of 1835. Parking on the pavement in London is banned in the Highway Code. If you do park partially on the pavement you must leave enough clearance for a double buggy to safely use the path, otherwise you will be committing other offences.

* The law only deals with obstruction to the highway, not your driveway. If someone has parked in such a way that your driveway is being blocked the police might be able to give you advice, but probably wouldn’t be able to take any action other than asking them to move it.

* If someone parks on your actual driveway without your permission, this is trespassing. Trespass is a civil, rather than criminal, offence. This means that the police are powerless to take action.

Access for Emergency Vehicles and Refuse Lorries

Firefighters are urging people to think about access for emergency service vehicles when parking in the street. Inconsiderate parking causes them to lose valuable time, and this could be vital if they are responding to an emergency incident. A fire engine needs 10ft (3 metres) clearance to pass safely and it doesn’t need to be a whole row of cars to cause a delay, it only takes two cars almost opposite each other, to cause an obstruction. Bucks Fire urge residents to think about their parking as they could be putting the lives of their families, friends and neighbours at risk.

…so please be considerate when using and parking your vehicle.

Thames Valley Police (TVP) are tackling a drugs problem in our village.  They are aware of both drug use and sale within the parish.  Initially activity was centred around the area by the Memorial Hall and Recreation Ground but as patrols have increased in this area, users are now dispersing around the village and activity has been witnessed in the woods by Pitstone church, in the woods off Marsworth Road, some of our residential roads, other areas of open space, the industrial park and the paths behind the allotments.

 

TVP can’t be in all areas all the time so they need your help.  They have asked for residents to report anything you witness either by calling 101 or by logging a report via their website (https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/ro/report/) this will help them build up their intelligence about who is involved, what areas they are using and what days/times, which will help them to target their patrols.  Any descriptions about the vehicles or people involved are also helpful.   Police patrols are centred on areas with the highest levels of crime reported, therefore your reports also help to ensure that Pitstone is included in more frequent patrols and allocation of police time.  So if you’ve wondered about a vehicle going up and down your road several times a day but doesn’t belong to anyone who lives there, or witnessed people smoking cannabis or using drugs, or seen a deal taking place, please take a few moment to log onto their website and report it.

 

Perhaps you are a parent of a young adult who has started to act differently, or stay out late, or hang around with different people.  Get advice about how you can help someone who may be experimenting with drugs from https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/treatment/what-to-do-if-your-adult-friend-or-loved-one-has-problem-drugs or  https://www.talktofrank.com/ or contact Thames Valley Police.

 

Whilst some individuals are known to be local, others are coming into our village from Tring or Aylesbury and surrounding areas.  Let us all work together to ensure that everyone knows that Pitstone is not the place to go and that drug use will not be tolerated.

Some of the most common complaints raised with the parish council, or at the annual assemblies, relate to anti-social behaviour committed by other people such as:

• dog fouling left on footpaths and in open spaces despite dog bins being provided,
• inconsiderate parking that puts other road users or pedestrians at risk,
• speeding, which we’re told are often local vehicles, so perhaps you drive carefully along your own road but then speed up along the through roads,
• anti-social/dangerous driving such as spinning donuts at the industrial estate or overtaking whilst there are oncoming vehicles along Westfield Road,
• littering despite rubbish bins being provided.

We live in a wonderful rural village, surrounded by beautiful countryside, which we should all appreciate and value.  Please spare a moment to consider the impact of your actions on other residents and be the type of neighbour that you would like your neighbours to be.

The new franchise operator, West Midlands Trains, is in the process of undertaking a Station Travel Plan for Tring and Cheddington stations which will include a survey of users to see how you get to Tring station and what improvements you would like to see.  The results from this survey will help to provide supporting evidence for any schemes that arise from the project and any requests for funding that are required.  It is really important that as many residents as possible respond to this survey because it may help to justify a cycle route along Northfield Road, possible public transport options to & from the station and/or parking solutions etc.

Please watch the Parish Council website, Facebook, Twitter feed and noticeboards and we will share the details with you as soon as they are available.

We are pleased to report that the landowner is now in a position to negotiate with the Parish Council over our application to purchase the parcel of land we need for the new play space and skate park.   We are being supported by Aylesbury Vale District Council with a release of Section 106 leisure monies to enable this purchase.  Matters are currently progressing through the various legal representatives, and once concluded we hope to review the proposed playspace with the contractor and commence tendering for a skate park.  We will keep residents updated.

Pitstone: the facts & a personal perspective

by Anil Mitra, Pitstone Parish Councillor 

 

Having lived in another tranquil and picturesque Buckinghamshire village for over 20 years, my wife and I moved to Pitstone in the summer of 2015 to be closer to our grandchildren.

As soon as we moved, the warmth and tranquil nature of the village was clear. There is a real sense of community which is the main reason I felt encouraged to get involved in the Parish Council.  Whether having a leisurely walk, popping to the shop, visiting the pharmacy or doctors or taking children to the pre-school or school, there is always a sense of friendliness with plenty of hellos from passing villagers or people stopping for conversation. This is the atmosphere my wife and I were looking during our retired years.

The pretty location of Pitstone and Ivinghoe on edge of the Chiltern Hills with Ivinghoe Beacon, the Windmill on our doorstep makes our little village attractive to so many different types of people and as the community expands, people seem to be coming far and wide to re-locate or move here. The village has a long history and the book, Pitstone 2000: The Village from the earliest times to the present captures the entire story and makes a very interesting read.

The facts about our village (the following text is taken from the book Pitstone 2000 from the earliest times to the present) .

Situated in Buckinghamshire on the border of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, Pitstone is located on the edge of Chiltern Hills along the east of the vale of Aylesbury with the eastern end marked 3 miles away by Tring railway station and located seven miles from the market town of Leighton Buzzard and 9 miles east of Aylesbury.

The neighbouring villages of Pitstone and Ivinghoe operate separately yet are closely linked in daily life. The population of Pitstone is growing at a rapid rate: by 1971, the population hit 1147 (Pitstone) and 949 (Ivinghoe) yet in 2001, Pitstone grew to approximately 2500.

In terms of topography and transport, chalk is the predominant sub surface layer and the chalk hills’ drainage is affected by the Thames Basin. Chalk helped to create a cement factory of three quarries with clear visibility of College Lake. The road network is formed mainly by Icknield Way, running along the Pitstone Hills and is one of the earliest roads used as a trading route. Marsworth Road is the main village road connecting to Ivinghoe High Street and the village of Marsworth. Whilst Cheddington Road connects us to Cooks Wharf and Cheddington. In 1894, Pitstone Parish took over the work of flooding and in 1940, Pitstone was connected to mains sewers. In 1950, 24 post-war houses were completed in The Crescent and the Memorial Hall was built in Pitstone.

Pitstone Windmill is an important landmark and forms the logo for Pitstone Parish Council. In 1627, the framework was carved yet damage left the mill financially unfeasible to repair. In 1970, restoration was completed thanks to funds and awards and since has continued to be a symbol of the village’s historic past.

In 1974, Pitstone became one of 108 Parishes in Aylesbury Vale District. After the 1991 closure of Cement Works, the new estate, Castlemead, began to take shape in 1999, expanding over the following 20 years and increasing the population of Pitstone by 35%. With this increase, travel and communication continues to be an area of concern. It has often raised the discussion about Pitstone having its own railway station with the first attempt made in 1910 for its introduction. With the village expanding, this discussion is looming again.

What needs to be improved?

As Pitstone and Ivinghoe continue to expand, the village will need to adapt to manage the new pressures on resources and local facilities. However, there are two key areas that residents have raised with the parish council:

• Road safety: traffic has already become a major problem in our village with speeding cars and HGVs using Marsworth Road and Westfield Road as through ways. The volume of traffic from the business park and the school area can cause further congestion. This can make it dangerous for all those using our roads, whether on foot, bicycle or car. Improving the situation would mean introducing pelican crossings, such as near the roundabout across to Marsworth Road and across Vicarage Road to allow school children to cross traffic heavy roads safely, working with the council to stop so many HGVs coming through the village, better road humps to control excessive speeds and introducing measures around the school to prevent the morning and mid-afternoon congestion. An increase of traffic calming measures across the village is definitely needed.
• Sports and Leisure Activity: We already have a lot going on in our village in terms of entertainment and sports etc but improving our parks and leisure facilities for the younger generation will be a definite step forward

 

Future plans:

The Parish Council are working hard to listen and address all the requests from residents. With so many plans for further expansion in the village, it is important that the facilities and roads are reviewed and adapted to meet the needs of our residents. This is all in hand and we always welcome feedback about anything that can improve Pitstone.  There is a warm, caring and friendly atmosphere in the village. It is an area steeped in history which is embracing all the plans for the future with enthusiasm and pride. With all this and the dedication of those that live here, Pitstone is truly lovely place to live and has an exciting future ahead.

Residents have complained about dog fouling along our footpaths, on our recreation ground, along the permissive footpaths and in the Local Wildlife Site off Westfield Road (which is not common ground as it is in private ownership & all dog fouling should be cleared).   This inconsiderate behaviour from a minority of dog owners is completely unacceptable and causes particular problems on the approach to Brookmead School and Windmill Pre-School where it gets onto the wheels of pushchairs, onto children’s shoes and then onto the carpets in the schools, where children then have to sit and touch the flooring with their hands.

 

How serious is this?

Dog mess is not only unpleasant it is a risk to health. The biggest threat to public health from dog excrement is toxocariasis, an infection of the roundworm toxocara canis. The eggs of the parasite can be found in soil or sand contaminated with faeces and if swallowed, result in infection that lasts between six and 24 months. Symptoms include eye disorders, vague ache, dizziness, nausea, asthma and, in extremely rare cases, seizures/fits. Toxocariasis most commonly affects small children as they tend to put their hands in their mouths after crawling around.

 

It is an offence for dog owners to fail to clear up any dog foul left by their dogs.

Offenders can be issued with a fixed penalty notice or a fine of up to £1,000 if the case goes to court.  Being unaware that your dog has fouled or not having a suitable means of clearing up after your dog is no excuse – you should carry poop scoop bags whenever you are out with your dog.

 

Where do I have to clear up after my dog?

You should clean up after your dog wherever you are. Kicking dog waste into the gutters is not acceptable. Nor is kicking it under a hedge.

 

Where can I dispose of my dog’s waste?

There are currently 16 dog waste bins in Pitstone alone.  However, you can dispose of dog waste in suitable bags in any public litter bin, of which there are another 19 in Pitstone, so there are 35 opportunities for you to dispose of your waste as you walk through our village.  You can also take your dog waste home and dispose of it in your green general household waste bin.

 

 

 

What else can I do to help keep Pitstone clear of dog waste?

Please report all incidents of dog fouling on footpaths, to the Aylesbury Vale District Council dog warden service via their online reporting form available at https://www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/dog-fouling.  AVDC can implement more frequent cleansing visits or patrols by the dog warden if they are aware of a large-scale problem.

 

If you witness someone allowing their dog to foul, please report them to AVDC using the webpage above which also gives you some useful advice about the type of information they need in order to approach and fine a dog owner.   Photographic evidence on your mobile phone would be very helpful in securing a prosecution.

 

 

Let’s work together to prove that dog fouling in our public open spaces and on our footpaths will not be tolerated and culprits will be reported and fined.

The parish council offers grants to local community groups and charities that benefit Pitstone residents.  Applications are considered quarterly.   The next opportunity for grants to be considered is coming up at the July parish council meeting.

Please see the grant policy on this web site (http://pitstone.co.uk/ppcinfo/grant-policy/ ) for further information or contact the parish clerk.

Applications must be received at least 10 days ahead of the meeting date so that the information can be circulated to all members ahead of the meeting and your application can be advertised on our agenda.

Further to the recent Notice of Vacancy, AVDC has confirmed that the parish did not call for an election and therefore the parish council can now co-opt a member to serve the remaining term of office ie until May 2020.   In May, there will be an election for the whole parish council and all members are required to re-stand or stand down.

If you are passionate about improving the life of local residents, and have plenty of spare time to volunteer with the council (all councillors are volunteers) then you may like to read the documents below to find out a little more about what is involved and who is qualified to stand:

about council booklet

Become a councillor

PPC general leaflet Dec 18

PPC Key projects leaflet jan 19

Code of Conduct May 2019 version

As a councillor, you also become trustee of two local charities, so you may also like to read:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-essential-trustee-what-you-need-to-know-cc3

If you would like further information, or to express an interest in joining the parish council, please get in touch with the parish clerk on parishclerk@pitstone.co.uk or 01296 767261 as soon as possible and we will get a full information pack to you.  Applications required before Friday 21 June 2019 so that we can arrange an interview with you.

 

 

 

Good news.  Full planning has been granted for the improved pavilion building by Aylesbury Vale District Council.  Illustrative pictures above.  Layouts etc available below.

The parish council is now working to secure sufficient funding to undertake this project and to commence the lengthy public procurement process.  We will keep residents advised of progress.

17944-PL40 – Proposed Visuals and References_Rev C

17944-PL20 – Proposed Site Plan_Rev D

17944-PL02 – Existing Site Plan_0

17944-PL21 – Proposed Plans_Rev C

17944-PL03 – Existing Plans_0

17944-PL30 – Proposed Elevations_B

Very many congratulations to Dave Seaton on being awarded Pitstone Volunteer of the Year 2019.

Dave has served for 8 years on the Pitstone & Ivinghoe Entertainments committee putting in many hours of voluntary work to bring the Summer Festival and Bonfire & Fireworks Events to our community, the last few years of which he has served as Chairman.  Dave will unfortunately be stepping down later this year and will be sorely missed by his fellow committee members.

Parish Council Chairman, Dave Nicholls, presented the framed certificate, card and cheque for £50.00 to Dave Seaton at the Annual Parish Assembly on Tuesday evening.

Dave was the 11th recipient of this annual award.   If you know someone who goes above and beyond with their voluntary efforts to bring benefits to the residents of Pitstone, then please submit your nominations for next years award to the parish clerk on parishclerk@pitstone.co.uk.

 

Councillor Gillian Arney stepped down from the parish council at the last meeting after over 20 years of service.  Our thanks are given to Gill for all her commitment to our community.

As a result, a vacancy has arisen on Pitstone Parish Council for the office of Parish Councillor.  If any ten electors give notice in writing to the Returning Officer by Monday 3 June requesting an election be held, the vacancy will be filled at a by-election.  If no such notice is received the Parish Council will seek to fill the vacancy by co-option of a suitably qualified person.  Please see the notice attached for full details.

The position will last until the elections in May 2020, at which point all existing members will be required to stand for re-election should they wish to continue on the council and new members of the community may also stand.  At this election, the number of seats will also increase from 10 to 11 to reflect the growing population.

Please find attached an introductory leaflet about the work of a parish council.  If you would be interested in joining the parish council, please contact the parish clerk on parishclerk@pitstone.co.uk or 01296 767261 and we will be happy to supply you with further details.

The parish council is a consultee for all planning applications submitted to AVDC.  Applications for consideration at the meeting being held on Thursday 30 May 2019 at 7.30pm in the Millennium Room at Pitstone Memorial Hall:

The plans may be viewed online by going to http://eplanning.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk and searching using the planning reference number.

Any comments, representations or objections you may have should be submitted directly to AVDC as the planning authority, by the date shown on the yellow site notice, quoting the planning reference number.  This can be done on-line or you can post comments to:

The Head of Development Control, Aylesbury Vale District Council, The Gateway,
Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 8FF

If you wish the parish council to take your comments into consideration when making our recommendation, please also supply the details to us before noon on the day of the meeting to allow sufficient time for the information to be circulated to all councillors.

Our meetings are all open to public and you are welcome to attend and express your views in person during the public participation session.

Laurie Eagling, Clerk to Pitstone Parish Council

 

Drivers urgently needed

In Pitstone, we have a number of residents that are unable to drive, don’t benefit from having local relatives, and find it very difficult to access their medical and hospital appointments by the limited public transport services in the village.

 

Pitstone operates a Community Car scheme, where our residents can phone our coordinator who will check if there is a volunteer available to take them to their appointment.  We desperately need more drivers to keep the scheme operating.  It provides a much appreciated service and helps to reduce both stress and costs for residents during often worrying times of medical need.  The resident pays the driver a set fee for the destination they need, to cover the cost of petrol/parking.

 

Drivers only accept the journeys that they are able to accommodate/fits with their diary – so if you only want to accept journeys to Tring or Pitstone surgeries/clinics that is absolutely fine & if you are happy to drive someone out to Stoke or Oxford hospitals, that is also much appreciated.  There is no minimum or maximum commitment required.  Please don’t feel that the time you may be able to contribute may be too small, every assistance is very valuable to the scheme.

 

Could you become one of our volunteer drivers, using your own vehicle?  Training and support will be provided.  Expenses paid.

 

Please get in touch with Stephen Davies on parishassistant@pitstone.co.uk or
01296 767116

Did you know that we have almost 3,500 residents in the village now? We have a high proportion of people under 18 years (almost 30%) and approximately 12% of people that have reached retirement age.

We produce a quarterly magazine called Pitstone Parish Post (PPP) which is not only hand delivered to every home in the parish, but is also delivered to all the business units on the industrial park and published online.

If you are looking to attract customers from Pitstone, why not consider advertising in the PPP magazine?

• Submissions for the October edition have now closed.  The next deadline for submissions is January 2020.
• Quarter page £15, Half page £27, Full page £54.  Inside cover/back page half page in colour £32.50 or full page in colour £65.   Discounts available for pre-payment of 4 editions.
• Please contact the Editor on pppeditor@pitstone.co.uk & the Advertising Manager on klausginda@btinernet.com to reserve your space.

The parish council is seeking quotations for the following in connection with works planned at our allotment site later this autumn:

Location: Pitstone Allotments, Marsworth Road, Pitstone (opposite Woodz Pizza/Masons store).

1. To relocate a section of perimeter post and wire fence approximately 8m long, to be moved by 1.5m away from the allotment site and into the adjacent track site.  If you walk up the track beside the allotments you will see some blue paint to mark the new location by the 2nd sharp bend (opposite plot 45 on the attached plan).  Will involve 3-4 of the existing posts.  We presume you will be able to re-utilise existing materials, but please specify in your quotation if any new materials are required.
   All contractors must possess public liability insurance (please supply a copy with your quotation) and be able to provide a risk assessment prior to undertaking work.
2. To improve access for tenants, volunteers from the Allotment Association intend to lay some sections of track using a 20 tonne load of stone.  They require the assistance of a wheeled JCB with back actor and front shovel loader, complete with skilled driver.  Please provide quotations for both a full day rate and half day rate.  Please attach evidence of qualifications and suitable public liability insurance.

The parish council will need to provide evidence of insurance etc to the landowner before we can confirm appointment of the contractor.  Please be patient and bear with us whilst we obtain this permission.

Please submit your quotations by Sunday 19 May 2019 to parishclerk@pitstone.co.uk or 9 Warwick Road, Pitstone, Beds, LU7 9FE, clearly marking your correspondence “ALLOTMENT QUOTATION”.  All quotations will be opened on Monday 20 May and anonymised data circulated to council for consideration at their meeting on 30 May 2019.

The Parish Council has long aspired to redevelop the leisure facilities on the land adjacent to Pitstone Memorial Hall.  This process has been complicated by a series of land and charity issues, as the land is not currently owned by the parish council.  We hope that these issues will be resolved in the near future, and in preparation, we are undertaking some initial ground-work at the site.

An illustration of the play space selected by the community and for which we already have planning permission is below.  The bulk of the old play equipment will be removed at the same time as the new equipment is installed.

It was originally hoped that an access path the new facilities could be provided along the far side of the hedgerow, but this is no longer feasible and the first section of the access path will now be installed on the recreation ground side of the site.  This will provide safe dry access to the site for pushchairs, wheelchairs and pedestrians and will be extended as the new facilities are installed (but currently won’t reach the entire length as construction vehicles require access at either end).

For safety reasons, the kicking goal unfortunately needs to be temporarily removed.  As part of the residential development around the hall, the developer is installing a new
multi-use ball court (illustration below), for which they have planning permission.

The youth shelter unfortunately needs to be temporarily removed as this area needs to be cleared for the new play equipment and access is required.  It will be stored so that it can be re-installed at a future date.

There remains an ambition to install a concrete skate park between the ball court and the play space.  Procurement for this can only commence once the land is within our
ownership.

We will keep residents updated with progress and apologise for any inconvenience caused by these initial works.

 

The parish council is a consultee for all planning applications submitted to AVDC.  Applications for consideration at a meeting being held on Thursday 9 May 2019 at 7pm in the Millennium Room at Pitstone Memorial Hall:

The plans may be viewed online by going to http://eplanning.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk and searching using the planning reference number.

Any comments, representations or objections you may have should be submitted directly to AVDC as the planning authority, by the date shown on the yellow site notice, quoting the planning reference number.  This can be done on-line or you can post comments to:

The Head of Development Control, Aylesbury Vale District Council, The Gateway,
Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 8FF

If you wish the parish council to take your comments into consideration when making our recommendation, please also supply the details to us before noon on the day of the meeting to allow sufficient time for the information to be circulated to all councillors.

Our meetings are all open to public and you are welcome to attend and express your views in person during the public participation session.

Laurie Eagling, Clerk to Pitstone Parish Council

 

Your PPP is looking for local news stories from the residents of Pitstone. We want to include articles about YOU and everything that makes Pitstone a great place to live. We want to hear about:

● Do you or your family have an interesting talent?
● Is your pet the best?
● Have there been some strange goings-on?
● Are you tenth generation Pitstonion?
● Have you had some impressive achievements?
● What’s been dug up in your garden?

You don’t need to be able to write as local councillor Louise Stoddart will come to you and write the article for you and take a picture to feature in the magazine.

For more details, please contact: ​louise.stoddart@pitstonepc.org

In preparation for some forthcoming leisure development, the parish council needs to undertake some preparatory groundwork to clear access for the contractors and install an access path.

Please find below, details of the works required.

Quotations must be submitted by Friday 12 April.  Work must commence on, or before, 26 April.

If you have any questions or queries, please email parishclerk@pitstone.co.uk and we will ensure that the responses are published so that all potential contractors have access to the same level of information.

Thank you.

Update 9/4/19 : please allow for expansion joints at least every 8m.

 

The parish council is a consultee for all planning applications submitted to AVDC.  Applications for consideration at a meeting being held on 25 April 2019 (time tbc) in the Millennium Room at Pitstone Memorial Hall:

The plans may be viewed online by going to http://eplanning.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk and searching using the planning reference number.

Any comments, representations or objections you may have should be submitted directly to AVDC as the planning authority, by the date shown on the yellow site notice, quoting the planning reference number.  This can be done on-line or you can post comments to:

The Head of Development Control, Aylesbury Vale District Council, The Gateway,
Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 8FF

If you wish the parish council to take your comments into consideration when making our recommendation, please also supply the details to us before noon on the day of the meeting to allow sufficient time for the information to be circulated to all councillors.

Our meetings are all open to public and you are welcome to attend and express your views in person during the public participation session.

Laurie Eagling, Clerk to Pitstone Parish Council

 

The parish council is a consultee for all planning applications submitted to AVDC.  Applications for consideration at a planning committee meeting being held on 28 March 2019 at 7pm in the Millennium Room at Pitstone Memorial Hall:

The plans may be viewed online by going to http://eplanning.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk and searching using the planning reference number.

Any comments, representations or objections you may have should be submitted directly to AVDC as the planning authority, by the date shown on the yellow site notice, quoting the planning reference number.  This can be done on-line or you can post comments to:

The Head of Development Control, Aylesbury Vale District Council, The Gateway,
Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 8FF

If you wish the parish council to take your comments into consideration when making our recommendation, please also supply the details to us before noon on the day of the meeting to allow sufficient time for the information to be circulated to all councillors.

Our meetings are all open to public and you are welcome to attend and express your views in person during the public participation session.

Laurie Eagling, Clerk to Pitstone Parish Council

 

The parish council offers grants to local community groups and charities that benefit Pitstone residents.  Applications are considered quarterly.   The next opportunity for grants to be considered is coming up on 25 April 2019.

Please see the grant policy on this web site (http://pitstone.co.uk/ppcinfo/grant-policy/ ) for further information or contact the parish clerk.

Applications must be received at least 10 days ahead of the meeting date so that the information can be circulated to all members ahead of the meeting and your application can be advertised on our agenda.

To help users of the bus information panels, Bucks County Council confirm that if a normal time is being shown, then for some reason the GPS tracking of that particular bus is not available in which case the display will disappear at the scheduled time.   If however, the GPS is working and the bus is being tracked, the minutes until arrival should be shown and will count down, and this tracking information should remain on display until the bus arrives.

We hope that clarifies the different display options.

On Monday 18 th February, Pitstone Parish Council took the opportunity to take a guided tour around the Greatmoor Energy from Waste Facility based in Aylesbury. The facility covers the whole of Buckinghamshire and some surrounding areas such as North London. Operated by FCC, Greatmoor sustainably manages the disposal of Buckinghamshire’s household waste by diverting it from landfill to turn into electricity. More than 25 megawatts of energy is recovered from the process of burning
waste which is enough to power 40,000 homes in Bucks.

How does it work?
The facility processes 110,000 tonnes of household (non-recyclable) waste and 235,000 tonnes of trade/commercial waste from bodies such as local authorities. The waste is collected in articulated lorries – using the most efficient vehicles with low emissions and they take the shortest distances from A to B to save fuel.

The waste processing site is enormous! The waste is dropped into a 23 metre deep bunker, a huge grab crane picks up the waste, dropping it into a grate where it burns at approx. 1000 degrees Celsius for 2 hours. The grate moves mechanically turning the waste to ensure full combustion. The grate is 10m x 12m making it the largest single-line facility.  The thermal energy from the combustion process is used to heat a boiler to produce high-pressured steam (400C and 50 bar pressure) that is fed to a turbine for the production and export of 25 megawatts of electricity. Sufficient to power 18% of all Bucks homes.

Emissions Treatment and Monitoring
Gases and fly ash generated from burning the waste passes thought a chemical neutralising system using ammonia, lime and activated carbon, cleaning the emissions. After chemical treatment the flue gases pass into the bag house filter, containing nearly 3,000 filter tunes, before leaving the 95m stack and entering the atmosphere. The emissions are monitored to ensure compliance with legislation and the requirements of the Environmental Permit are maintained. The emissions from the stack are 99% water vapour!

If you want to know more, or visit the UK’s largest single-line energy from waste facility please visit:

www.greatmoor.co.uk

As you may know, Pitstone & Ivinghoe Entertainments (PIE) is run by volunteers from our community and they have been providing high quality entertainment to our villages for over 20 years.  They arrange the Summer Festival held on Pitstone Recreation Ground and the Bonfire/Fireworks held at the Pitstone Pavilion each year.   Any profits generated by these events, organised by the community for the community, are often given as grants to other community groups to further benefit our residents – in fact since 1999 over £13,000 has been donated to over 20 local clubs and organisations.  For a number of reasons, PIE required a helping hand towards the cost of the 2019 bonfire/fireworks and the parish council was pleased to award a grant of £2,000 in support of this event which is regularly enjoyed by 1,200-1,300 local residents.

Please do support Pitstone & Ivinghoe Entertainments and attend their events, so that these functions can continue.  This year’s summer festival will be held 14-16 June 2019 (events to be confirmed) and the bonfire/fireworks is normally held on the nearest Saturday to 5 November.

For more information about Pitstone & Ivinghoe Entertainments, or to volunteer your help, please visit:  http://www.events-pi.com/

DOG BIN ETIQUETTE poster

Dog bins are for the disposal of fouling from pets that are out walking only.

All waste collected from your home, should be placed into your normal green-lidded refuse bin where it will be taken to Greatmoor Energy from Waste and converted, along with your other refuse, into electricity.  For more information visit: http://www.greatmoor.co.uk/

All our bins are emptied weekly in winter & twice weekly in summer.

Should you find that the bin is full, please be considerate and take your bag to the next bin or take it home with you.

Please don’t turn the bin into a bag tree, pile bags on the top or leave your bag on the floor.  These may then become damaged and their content escape causing distress and posing health hazards.

Please do consider the neighbours, other residents walking/playing nearby, the contractors, other users and the environment – and use these bins responsibly.  Thank you.

The dog bin located at the top end of Windsor Road, near the cycle path, and before the junction with Westfield Road is regularly over utilised.  There are already additional dog bins located by the Hever Close playground, by the entrance to the Local Wildlife Site and by the Windsor Road playground.

We are trying to establish if there is a need for additional bins in this area and/or if there is a more appropriate location for this bin.  To do this, we need to hear from dog walkers in the area so that we can understand:

• which route you take (do you walk up Windsor Road itself, do you come along the cycle/footpath up the centre of the estate, or do you walk up Westfield Road itself?)
• why this bin is particularly over-used
• if you think there may be a need for a bin in another location
• if there is a more appropriate location for this bin
• etc

All our dog bins are emptied weekly during the winter and twice a week during the summer via a service contract with AVDC.  The bins are the maximum size permitted.  Bins must be located within 25m of the highway so that the collection truck can gain access.

Please email any information to parishclerk@pitstone.co.uk

Thank you.

 

This quarter’s message in PPP from the Parish Council Chairman, Dave Nicholls

I’d like to wish all our residents a happy and prosperous 2019.

Each year the parish council has to agree our budget, which sets the precept for the coming financial year.  We finalise it in January so it can be passed to AVDC, who then collect the precept as part of the council tax bill.  This year, for the first time in over 10 years, we have had to make a noticeable increase.  There are a couple of reasons why we have been able to keep the increase minimal up to now.  Firstly, growth in the village masked any increases because the precept is shared across all households.  Secondly, the council took the decision a few years ago to reduce our emergency reserves to an amount sufficient for 3 months of council business, which is the legal minimum allowed.  In the intervening years, we have slowly used these reserves instead of increasing the precept, but they are now used up.  For a Band D property the increase amounts to approximately £1.95 per month, which allows us to continue to deliver all services as we have before and accrue funds for longer term projects.

On another subject, at the end of 2019 the Parish Council will have existed for 125 years.  We wish to put together some information on the history of the council.  Councillors will be searching the county archives for interesting items but we would also like residents to let us know if they have any Parish Council related memories or documents that they’d like to share.  If you have anything, please contact the clerk.

 

You will have seen in the last edition of the magazine that Sue was stepping down as PPP Editor after many years of voluntary service.  The parish council would like to sincerely thank Sue for all her hard work and support and wish her well for the future.

We’d also like to introduce you to Stephanie Nicholls, our newly appointed Editor for PPP.  Stephanie is 19 years old and has a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Art and Design.  She is creative and interested in pursuing a career in graphic design.   She will bring a younger perspective to PPP.

Stephanie designed the cover of the last issue of PPP, even drawings the poppies, and has undertaken other design work.  Forgotten what it looked like?  View the online edition here: http://pitstone.co.uk/ppcpubs/pitstone-parish-post-issue-118/

Stephanie has designed the cover of the current edition and all the content.  Looks fantastic.  If you haven’t had your PPP delivered yet, it will be with you very shortly.  Can’t wait?  View the online edition here:  http://pitstone.co.uk/ppcpubs/pitstone-parish-post-issue-119/

We extend a warm welcome to Stephanie and trust you will do the same.

The contact details for the Editor remain unchanged, please email pppeditor@pitstone.co.uk.

 

A large number of volunteers supplement the work of our staff and regularly help the parish council to turn our village from a beautiful place to live into a thriving, wonderful community to live within.  The council is most grateful to all the support provided by the staff and volunteers who help at the youth cafe, deliver/edit/manage Pitstone Parish Post, check street lights, sit on Pitstone Allotment Association committee, drive and co-ordinate the Pitstone Community Car Scheme, carry out litter picking, conduct asset checks, clean the pavilion, assist with the management of our trees and grounds, sit on our Sports & Leisure Committee and help with village planning.   We held the very successful annual volunteer thank you event on Thursday 17 January, which gave the council an opportunity to say thank you in person.  A good evening was had by all those that attended, with people enjoying the opportunity to catch up with other volunteers/staff that they may otherwise only see infrequently.   So a huge thank you once again to everyone who plays a part in shaping this vibrant community we reside within.

Applications for consideration at the 31 January 2019  meeting:

The plans may be viewed online by going to http://eplanning.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk and searching using the planning reference number.

Any comments, representations or objections you may have should be submitted directly to AVDC as the planning authority, by the date shown on the yellow site notice, quoting the planning reference number.  This can be done on-line or you can post comments to:

The Head of Development Control, Aylesbury Vale District Council, The Gateway,
Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 8FF

If you wish the parish council to take your comments into consideration when making our recommendation, please also supply the details to us before noon on the day of the meeting to allow sufficient time for the information to be circulated to all councillors.

Laurie Eagling, Clerk to Pitstone Parish Council

 

Both Pitstone Parish Council and Pitstone Allotment Association are delighted to announce that there will be no increase in membership or tenancy fees for the 2019/20 season.

The annual subscription to Pitstone Allotment Association will remain at £6.50 per quarter plot and the rental charge to the Parish Council will remain at £8.50 per quarter plot.   Therefore, the total charge for one quarter plot for 12 months will be £15.00, as per the last seven years.   Any funds collected by the parish council which are surplus to the running costs of the site will be ring-fenced for future maintenance and development work at the allotment site.

It has also been agreed to run an 18-month tenancy for the renewal this March, so that in subsequent years the tenancy will renew in October, which better suits the allotment growing calendar and thus brings benefits to tenants.

As per the terms and conditions of your Allotment Garden Tenancy Agreement, the renewal rental will be payable in full on or before 25 March 2019 on this occasion, running to the end of September 2020 (moving to October renewal date from October 2020).   New paperwork will be issued during February.

We hope that you continue to enjoy your allotment garden in this beautiful location and reap the benefits for your families.

If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me at parishclerk@pitstone.co.uk.

If you wish to join the waiting list for an allotment, please email: pitstoneallotmentassociation@gmail.com or visit http://pitstoneallotmentassociation.org.uk/ for further information.

Pitstone Parish Council (PPC) is creating a new Working Party dedicated to public transport services in and around our Parish.  This is an open invitation to all Pitstone Parish residents, business owners and employees in our Parish with interest about public transport to join this group.  This new working group is being formed due to an increase in concerns, PPC objectives and the need to bring in additional perspectives and expertise in this often technical area.

What is PPC currently doing?

• Liaise and lobby with Bucks County Council and public transport providers on behalf of the Parish
• Look after bus shelters
• Work towards providing new and better transport for the isolated, disabled and vulnerable (e.g. Community Buses and Dial-a-Rides)
• Working towards providing better access to Tring and Cheddington Stations, including new bus routes
• Communicate back to the Parish information from Bucks County Council and transport providers.
• Correspond with schools and colleges about school transportation
• Carry out local surveys

This list is not exhaustive, but should give you an idea.  Time and resources dedicated to the above have steadily increased due to more objectives being set and increased threats and opportunities that are arising.  As an example, the NDP set out the objectives to set up a Community Bus and bus routes to the local train stations.  Money has and will be received from recent housing developments (S106) towards these but it is a technical and time consuming challenge to achieve these objectives.  We have also had a recent significant change to our local buses due to Red Rose taking over the 61 bus route from Arriva, which presents both a threat and opportunity to our public buses.  Bucks County Council often change public transport policies; for example they are proposing significant changes to school bus provision and we are one avenue through which correspondence and lobbying can be achieved.

So we have decided to create a new Working Party to work towards public transport objectives and enable better understanding and correspondence between us and Parish residents so we can correspond with and when necessary lobby other stakeholders. I will be the Chairman.  My personal interest mainly arises out of previously being a regular bus user and a concern about the lack of services to stations and for vulnerable and isolated residents.  But I am also a good example of where we care and are keen to move forwards, but our collective technical expertise is lacking.

For information, a Working Party is a sub-committee group of the Council, which allows us to invite people outside the Council to become involved.  This is different from a sub-Committee as no powers will be devolved to the Working Party, as any recommendations will be passed back to the full Council to make a final decision.  Given PPC only has limited direct responsibilities, it was thought better to establish this as a Working Party.

The Council has set some provisional objectives for this group, but these can be discussed and changed over time.  However, it is important that this group does not become focused on any one particular objective, as the Council does have a responsibility to progress in a few different areas.

So if you are a regular user of local public transport services (or would like to be), have particular expertise or care about the provision of public transport and are 16+, live or work in the Parish, we would be very interested to hear from you.

Cllr Dr. Dave Frearson

Four new trees (Betula Pendula, Carpinus Betulus, Sorbus Aira Lutescens and Sorbus Magestica) have been planted on the Recreation Ground to replace some lost to vandalism etc over the past 24 months.  Once these have matured, their canopies will also provide extra protection to help prevent cricket balls escaping onto Marsworth Road.

 

An additional sign has been erected near the rear car park reminding users that golf is not permitted on the recreation ground for the safety of all our users.

AVDC approved the planning application for the residential development around the recreation ground just before Christmas.   This development forms the last major parcel of residential land identified within the Pitstone Neighbourhood Plan.  As part of the development, Nicholas King will be providing a multi-use ball-games court, new car parking, replacement woodland planting, footpath access through to Castlemead, primary and secondary educational contributions, sport & leisure contributions, additional on-site open space, affordable housing and a contribution to the Pitstone Safety Scheme.

AVDC had previously granted outline planning permission for a restaurant/café/pub and a private day nursery on the same overall site.  It is our understanding that Nicholas King will be placing these commercial parcels of land onto the open market, and that any eventual owners would then submit for full planning/discharge of planning conditions.

Full details of all applications can be found on the AVDC planning portal.

 

As you will probably all be aware, the Secretary of State has approved plans for the creation of a single unitary council for Buckinghamshire in 2020.  This will see the end of Buckinghamshire County Council and Aylesbury Vale District Council, and the creation of a new single council.  As part of this process, the District Council elections originally scheduled to take place in 2019 have been postponed by MHCLG until May 2020.   All Buckinghamshire parish and town council elections (including Pitstone) scheduled to take place in 2019 have also been postponed by MHCLG until May 2020, and our existing councillors will now serve an additional year in their term of office.

Due to the residential growth in the parish, an extra seat on the council is likely to be approved, raising the number of councillors from 10 to 11 at the next election.  If you have a passion for improving life within the parish, and plenty of voluntary time to contribute, you may like to consider standing for election in 2020 so now is a good time to get involved with the parish council and find out what is involved.   Please check out the initial information in our leaflet: http://pitstone.co.uk/ppcpubs/pitstone-parish-council-general-information-leaflet/ or get in touch with the parish clerk.

The parish council is delighted to have been able to provide a grant of £3,000 to Pitstone Memorial Hall charity to cover the majority of the cost of repairs to the soffits, fascias and guttering at the hall.   Work should commence in the next few months.

If you belong to a community group that could also benefit from a grant, please check out the parish council’s grant policy on http://pitstone.co.uk/ppcinfo/grant-policy/ or get in touch with the parish clerk.

Did you realise that the Memorial Hall was run by a charity, whose trustees are all local residents that care about the hall and the services it provides to the community?  If you are also passionate about this great local facility, and have time to volunteer, please get in touch with the memorial hall who will be able to provide some information about how you can get involved.

Remember to get your volunteer of the year submissions to the parish clerk by 15 January !

Thank you.

We would like to wish all of our residents, staff, volunteers, customers and suppliers a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

The office will be open over the festive period, with the exception of the bank holidays.

The parish council is delighted to confirm that it has been awarded a grant of £800 from Aylesbury Vale District Council’s (AVDC’s) New Homes Bonus Micro Grant Scheme towards replacement games consoles and sports equipment for the Pitstone Youth Café including goal posts and basketballs.

The young people that attend the youth café asked for our help to source more up-to-date equipment and an improved range of sports equipment.   They have been holding their own fundraising events to contribute to the project and have successfully raised £40.00.   The parish council has also provided a financial contribution of £180.

If you would like more information about the AVDC grant funding available, please contact the grants officer, Jan Roffe, at  jroffe@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk.

To jump straight to the Police & Crime Commissioner website & survey, please click here: http://sgiz.eu/s3/Policing-budget-council-tax-2019-20

The information is repeated below for your convenience.

Dear resident

The Thames Valley Police budget has been cut by £101 million over the last eight years which has resulted in significant cuts to police officer and staff numbers. This year the Government has encouraged all Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to raise the policing element of the council tax precept by £2 a month for a Band D property (the increase for other property Bands is set out in the below table). To prevent further damaging cuts to policing and restore some important frontline policing capability I would like to make use of this Government advice and raise the council tax precept accordingly.

On Thursday 13th December the Home Secretary announced the provisional police funding settlement for 2019/20. In response to the exceptional operational demands on the police, particularly in areas such as Thames Valley, the Government is increasing the funding available to PCCs by up to £813 million. This is provided all PCCs, including myself, increase their council tax for a Band D household  by £2 a month, or £24 a year in 2019/20 (the increase for other Property Bands is set out in the table below) which, collectively, will raise £509 million of the £813 million increase in funding. This new settlement will mean that forces can continue to provide an effective service, against the rising tide of demand and complexity in their critical work to fight crime and protect the public.

Demand on police forces nationally has risen significantly in the last year as a result of higher crime numbers, the increasing complexity of crime, and the increasing reach of criminals both physically and via technology. This includes an increase in the reporting of high harm and previously hidden crimes such as child sexual abuse and modern slavery. The challenge from serious and organised crime networks is also growing both in economic value and the geographical spread, whilst nationally there has also been a spike in serious violence and knife crime alongside the increase in a gang culture.  A significant amount of the more serious crime is now being committed by foreign national offenders.

In addition the police are dealing with a large amount of non-crime business, especially in relation to mental health. My focus will continue to be on delivering strong neighbourhood policing for all of the communities across the Thames Valley whilst addressing the serious threats and hardship posed by criminals operating in, or out of Thames Valley on our communities.

Despite increasing council tax by £12 last year (for a Band D property) the increasing demands and price rises means that policing continues to be under significant financial pressure. Our costs continue to rise as a result of police officer and staff pay increases, price inflation, police officer pension contributions and committed growth items. We remain efficient and effective but having already taken out £101m of cash savings and cuts from our base budget since 2010/11 the process of identifying new cash savings is becoming ever more challenging, however we are committed to making policing even more efficient and have already identified over £4m of new savings in 2019/20. 

I am proposing to increase council tax by £24 for a Band D household and will ensure that all the extra cash generated from council taxpayers will be spent on operational policing. The draft budget for 2019/20 will provide additional funding to:

• Increase Local Frontline Policing – we will recruit additional officers and staff to respond to increasing crime demand and complexity and the impact of the reduction in the resources of and services provided by other agencies (particularly in the areas of mental health and children’s safeguarding).
• Improve our investigation capacity and process – stretched resources are operating in an increasingly expanding and complex environment with investigations at all levels growing in size and complexity.
• There has been an increase in organised crime which exploits the vulnerable as well as cyber enabled crime fraud and economic crime. We will recruit more investigators and invest in appropriate new technology and tools.
• Improve Contact Management – the rise in demand and the complexity of that demand have increased the length of time it takes to assess the threat, harm and risk and ensure every call receives the appropriate response.  We will reduce call handling times, particularly for 101 calls, by recruiting additional staff to deal with the additional demand and more complex crime and incidents being reported.
• Increasing our digital capability – we will exploit the modern platforms we have been investing in through the development of operational designed tools, expanding our mobile capability and improving connectivity will allow officers and staff to maximise the use of online digital applications facilitating the fast access and transfer of data, while investing in Intelligence technologies will improve the efficiency of transactional processes.
• Sustainable funding for the capital programme – to ensure the long term financial stability of the force we have to provide revenue support to the capital programme to ensure that we can continue to invest in new technology and other infrastructure projects in future years.

For more background information before answering the survey please click here

The majority of police funding (57%) comes from Government grants, with the remaining 43% coming from the Council tax precept. There are eight Bands of council tax depending on the value of your property.

In 2018/19 the policing precept was increased by £12 (7.0%) for a Band D property. The Government has again given PCCs the flexibility to increase council tax by up to £24 (13.2%) for a Band D household. The impact of this increase on your council tax is shown in the table below.

Band	Current Police share of council tax in 2018/19	Proposed council tax 2019/20	Proposed monthly increase
A	£121.52	£137.52	£1.33
B	£141.77	£160.44	£1.56
C	£162.03	£183.36	£1.78
D	£182.28	£206.28	£2.00
E	£222.79	£252.12	£2.44
F	£263.29	£297.96	£2.89
G	£303.80	£343.80	£3.33
H	£364.56	£412.56	£4.00

Anthony Stansfeld
Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley

To complete the survey, please click here: http://sgiz.eu/s3/Policing-budget-council-tax-2019-20

Please note that it is the last youth cafe of this term tonight.   May we take this opportunity to wish everyone who attends, and all the volunteers that support it, a very merry Christmas.   We hope you enjoy your school holidays.

Pitstone youth cafe will re-open at 6.30pm on Wednesday 9 January 2019.  We look forward to seeing you then.

Unfortunately we are experiencing ongoing problems, particularly in one playground, with someone who regularly allows their dog to exercise and foul inside the play area and fails to clear up.

Please note that all three of our children’s play areas have fencing around them.  Please ensure that any dogs remain on the outside of the fence and are not brought into the play areas.  Some children may be frightened by your dog, even if you think your dog is being friendly, and dog fouling can be damaging to children’s health.   All play areas have appropriate signage in place, and all have dog waste bins located close by.

Please show consideration to the youngest people in our parish.  Do not use play areas as dog exercise parks.  There is plenty of open space around the parish where dogs can be exercised.