For the last few years the PPP has been very ably edited by Laurie, our Clerk, for which the council is very grateful. From this edition we have a new volunteer editor, Kelsey Edwards. The council thanks Kelsey for stepping into the role and we look forward to working with her. If you are a contributor to the magazine, or an advertiser, please drop her a line to introduce yourself at the usual email address. (pppeditor@pitstone.co.uk).
Please also email Kelsey if you have ideas for articles, or have photographs that you feel would be suitable for the magazine cover.
By the time this edition is delivered we will be in the new financial year and Council Tax payments will have changed. As I’m sure you are aware, the Parish Council’s basic funding is raised through the Precept, which forms part of your Council Tax bill. We do supplement the Precept by obtaining grants, and charging for the use of council facilities such as the Pavilion, but the Precept is our core income.
Each year we run a budgeting process starting around September/October where we look at all the things the council delivers. (e.g. Litter picking, Street Lighting, Grants, Youth Cafe, Sports and Recreation facilities etc More details can be found here: https://pitstone.co.uk/ppcinformation/the-services-we-provide/. We look at priorities and take into account any comments we’ve had from residents over the year.
Ultimately, there are always more things that we would like to do than we can afford. For some items where the cost is too much to raise in a single year we may decide to include money that allows us to accrue the necessary funds over several years. We also accrue funds for the replacement of items that wear out over time, like Play Equipment, Street Lighting, and other Street Furniture.
After several rounds of discussion we reach the end of the process, usually in early January, and have put together a full budget which then gives us the figures we need to set the Precept. We always recognise that it is residents who pay for services and we strive to keep costs as low as possible. We are, however, subject to inflation along with everyone else which has meant that this year’s precept has risen more than usual.
On your Council Tax bills you will see the rise as 7.5%, but it is important to also understand the underlying numbers. For 2024-2025 the Precept for a band D house was £122.69. For this year it is £131.92. The 7.5% represents an uplift of £9.23 for the year, or about 77p per month.
I hope this has been useful. If you have questions or comments do get in touch, either via email to the clerk (parishclerk@pitstone.co.uk) or by coming to one of our meetings. I look forward to seeing everyone around the village as we move into the warmer months.
As well as a new timetable for the number 61 bus, there is now an additional number 63 bus offering a peak times service between Cheddington-Pitstone-Tring Station-Tring, combined they provide an improved level of service and better co-ordination with train times. The new Number 63 service is being partially funding by Section 106 developer funds from both Pitstone and Cheddington developments, along with some travel to school funding. Timetables for both services are available on the Red Eagle website or the Pitstone website (https://pitstone.co.uk/localnews/new-red-eagle-bus-timetables-effective-april-2025-61-62-and-63/)
Please do make as much use as you can of the Tring station trains for your commute. Both Bucks Council and Red Eagle will continue to monitor the level of uptake of the service, before reviewing if any further expansion of the service is possible. As before, our thanks to those residents that provided feedback to Bucks Council, and please do continue to do so if you value the service (email: passtrans@buckinghamshire.gov.uk)
Our sincere thanks to both Colbree Engineering on Beacon Court, and Little Rothschild House surgery on Marsworth Road, for working with the parish council and granting permission for Public Access Defibrillators to be mounted outside their premises.
If you work in the business park, or live at the top end of Castlemead, the new Colbree unit will probably be your closest so please familiarize yourself with its location to the left of the main entrance. If you live between Brookmead School and Albion Road, the Rothschild House defibrillator will now be your closest, and is located on the left as you enter the drive. We were awarded 50% funding from the London Hearts/Central Government Defibrillator Grant Scheme to purchase these units.
Units are now available at the following locations (but please note that the Sapphire Gymnastics unit is only available during their opening hours):
All units are registered to The Circuit so they are visible and their maintenance status is known to the ambulance and paramedic services. The ambulance service will direct you to the nearest defibrillator in the event of an emergency and provide you with the access code for the cabinet. Being familiar with the location of your nearest unit will help you feel confident to access it.
If a loved one suffers a cardiac arrest, the aim is to commence treatment within the first 5 minutes. The Stoke Mandeville ambulance service is located approximately 25 minute journey time from the village. Being able to use a defibrillator in the event of an incident, before the ambulance arrives, will significantly improve the patients chance of survival. You do not need to be a trained medic to use a defibrillator as it will give you voice prompts throughout and will only shock the patient if it detects the need to do so. We have a training video on our website: https://pitstone.co.uk/ppcinfo/defibrillators/ and would encourage everyone to watch this and familiarise yourself with the equipment. We also hold periodic training events, which we’d encourage you to attend, the next being at the Annual Assembly in May.
We continue to seek the required permissions and funding for 3 further locations in the parish and will keep you updated on progress.
Remembering the fallen of Pitstone
Our sincere thanks to the Wing and Ivinghoe Community Board for approving a grant to fully fund the purchase of 3 additional silent soldiers and poppies to go at their feet, to enable this poisnant reminder to be located at all the main entrances to the village on each occasion they are erected. The 3 new statues will be located (at appropriate times) on Westfield Road, Vicarage Road and Cheddington Road, and will join the 2 already in service at Pitstone Memorial Hall (which houses the village war memorial) and Marsworth Road (donated by the Women’s Institute).
We’d also like to extend our thanks to the Women’s Institute for their help mounting the poppies onto stakes and offering to put the poppies at the feet of the soldiers.
The statues will make their first appearance in May, to mark the 80th Anniversary of VE Day, and return for Remembrance Day.
New Music and Sport Equipment for Pitstone Youth Café
Our sincere thanks to the Wing and Ivinghoe Community Board for approving a grant to fully fund the purchase of new sports and musical equipment for the Pitstone Youth Café.
The young people that attend our sessions can now reap the benefits from a full sized and three quarter sized guitar, providing an opportunity that may not have been available to some before, to learn a musical instrument, or just to enjoy making music.
Part of the ethos of the café is to provide opportunities for young people to enjoy sport and physical activity without the associated pressures that often come with school lessons or dedicated sports clubs. The grant has provided a new height adjustable basketball hoop to replace the previous one that was reaching the end of its life, along with new balls. The new table tennis and Jazzminton sets have also been very popular, keeping everyone active and engaged.
If you have a child of senior school age who may like to come along to the café you can find out more here: https://pitstone.co.uk/ppcinfo/youth-cafe/ We offer the older youths training and support if they’d like to participate in our Youth Leader program.
If you enjoy interacting with young people, we would welcome you to join us as a volunteer, please do reach out to Dave Rollins our Café Manager on 07368429591.
New Equipment for Ivinghoe & Pitstone Repair Café
You may be aware that the Ivinghoe & Pitstone Repair Café is now solely operating from Pitstone Pavilion each month. We are waiting to hear if our grant application to the Community Board for funding towards new equipment to support the Repair Café has been successful and we will update you next time and via the website.
Grants Provided to Pitstone Memorial Hall Charity and Brookmead School
We were pleased to be notified by Brookmead School that the outdoor sandpit is now available for the children to utilise as part of their OPAL outdoor play and learning activities. The Parish Council provided a grant of £2,000 towards this initiative at the end of the last financial year, so it is lovely to now see this project come to fruition.
A grant was also provided to Pitstone Memorial Hall Charity in January of this year to fund a replacement security outside door and to help alleviate a temporary funding shortfall.
If you are associated with a local community group that benefits the residents of Pitstone, and your group would benefit from some financial support towards a current project, you can find out more information about our grant scheme and policy by visiting this webpage: https://pitstone.co.uk/ppcinfo/grant-policy/
Pitstone Churchyard
The Church requested assistance with cutting the grass within Pitstone Churchyard. This has been carried out for many years by local volunteers that have done an excellent job of keeping the Churchyard neat and tidy, but are now unable to continue. Rather than provide a grant, the Parish Council agreed to add the maintenance of this grass to the existing contract we have in place for other public open space within the village, such as the play areas, Recreation Ground and Local Green Space. This enables the Parish Council to keep the costs lower. If anyone would like to offer their voluntary services to cut the grass at this location on an ongoing basis, please speak to Rev James Grainger-Smith. As with all our open space, if you have any comments on the standard of grass care at this location this season, please contact the Parish Clerk.
New Benches on Pitstone Recreation Ground
Three new benches have now been installed on Pitstone Recreation Ground, two of these replaced the older metal benches that were now in a poor state of repair and are part of an ongoing project to improve the seating at this location.
The third is a memorial bench for Anil Mitra, primarily funded by his family, as his wish had been for a bench in this particular location, which was not too far for those with mobility issues to walk to from the car park, and still enabled them to interact with their families whilst they played on the Recreation Ground. Our sincere thanks are extended to the family. The bench is already being well utilised and we are sure it will be enjoyed by many of you.
If you wish to speak to the parish council about the possibility of a memorial bench, please email parishclerk@pitstone.co.uk
Thank you to all our volunteers
Approximately 100 residents volunteer on a regular basis for the parish council in a variety of capacities such as delivering/producing Pitstone Parish Post, checking street lights, helping at the youth café, driving with the community car scheme, on the allotment association committee or sports & leisure committees. We also offer opportunities for the older young people at the youth café to train as young youth leaders. We held a very enjoyable social evening in January to thank everyone in person, and we’d like to thank all those that came along.
Being a volunteer can bring a number of benefits such as meeting new people, developing new skills and gaining new experiences, as well as being tremendously important for the group/cause you volunteer for. If you are interested in supporting your community and joining our team of volunteers, please get in touch by emailing parishclerk@pitstone.co.uk.
Children’s Art Competition to Design Road Safety Signs
The Parish Council has joined forces with Thames Valley Police and Brookmead School to run a competition to promote road safety and encourage motorists to drive considerately through our village, especially over the summer when more children will be out playing and moving along the streets.
We look forward to seeing all your wonderful designs!
Upcoming Election
You will be aware that the four-year term of office for parish councillors expires at the upcoming election in May. Any councillors that are willing to stand for re-election, along with other residents that are willing to stand for election, will have submitted nomination papers to Buckinghamshire Council at the end of March. The Parish Council has eleven seats, so if eleven or less individuals volunteer to stand, then they will be appointed unopposed. If twelve or more individuals put themselves forward as candidates then there will be voting on 1 May alongside the Buckinghamshire Council election. Buckinghamshire Council will issue a formal notice in due course, of individuals appointed to the Parish Council for the next four-year term, which we will publish.
Annual Assembly 29 May 2025
The Annual Parish Assembly is not a formal parish council meeting, but it is organized by parish councils and the council chairman must chair it if they are present. The Assembly is an opportunity for residents to hear from a number of local groups, charities and tiers of council, about activity that has taken place over the last 12 months and plans that may be in place for the upcoming year. This year, the Assembly will take place on Thursday 29 May 2025 from 7.30pm at Pitstone Pavilion. We have a guest speaker from Trading Standards who is coming to talk about how to protect yourself from scams. We will also be presenting the annual Volunteer of the Year award. A full agenda will be delivered alongside this magazine as well as being published on the website/social media channels/noticeboards. We look forward to seeing many of you there.
Please Allow Access for our Grass Cutting Contractors and Refrain from Parking on the Grass Verges
We’ve received a number of complaints about vehicles parking on the grass verge on Marsworth Road and Vicarage Road and up by the wildlife site, which churns up the verge, kills the grass, prevents the grass cutting contractor undertaking their work and kills the daffodils/plants. Here is a plea to those individuals to please park appropriately elsewhere, especially as grass cutting season will soon be upon us. Not only can the grass not be reached, but these vehicles are at increased risk of damage as the bulky cutting machinery tries to maneouvre to avoid them. We would be interested to hear from those individuals that currently park on verges, so that we can better understand what might be driving this behaviour in those locations – please email parishclerk@pitstone.co.uk.
Garden Waste Belongs in your Brown Bin
Sadly we have already had reports this year of garden waste being dumped in public space, verges, drainage ditches and private fields. This seems to be an annual problem, particularly in the woodland at the end of Church Road, all along Vicarage Road and the woodland walk through Castlemead. Flytipping refers to waste dumped or tipped in a place that does not have a licence to accept it – this includes garden waste. It is a criminal offence to dump any type of waste, including garden waste, on land that you do not own or is not an authorized waste site.
Please act responsibly, and protect our open spaces, and ensure that you dispose of all your grass cuttings along with tree/shrub trimmings and all other garden waste in your brown bin or at the household recycling centre in Aston Clinton.
Inconsiderate parking at the Local Wildlife Site
There continues to be a problem with vehicles parking by the maintenance gates for the Local Wildlife Site and we continue to receive correspondence from residents that have been walking along the footpath and met with moving vehicles. Thames Valley Police are patrolling the area, speaking to offending drivers and issuing fines if appropriate. We are also working with the landowner and tenant farmer to investigate other options to prevent illegal parking there, and further signage will be installed in due course.
Pedestrian Refuge Island for Westfield Road
Buckinghamshire Council recently granted planning permission for a development of six industrial starter units in land to the side of Portland House on Westfield Road. As part of that, the developer will be required to install a pedestrian refuge island in Westfield Road. We would like to thank Buckinghamshire Council for supporting this request and hope that this initiative helps to alleviate some of the difficulties with crossing at this end of Westfield Road that were previously expressed by residents.
Replacement Slide for Windsor Road
We are currently working on a project to replace the slide in the Windsor Road playground as this item of play equipment is nearing the end of its life. If any users have any feedback they would like to provide to the council about features they would like to see on a replacement slide, please let us know by emailing parishclerk@pitstone.co.uk.
Devolved Services
Buckinghamshire Council came back in March to offer the Parish Council a further 4-year contract to continue with the devolved services in respect of grass verge cutting, right of way maintenance, siding out, permits for event signs etc. If verge cutting goes back under the control of Buckinghamshire Council, they are only cut 3 rural cuts & 2 urban cuts per year now. The Parish Council therefore resolved to enter into new the Devolved Service contract with Bucks to facilitate an improved level of service.
Ivinghoe & Pitstone Safety Scheme
Buckinghamshire Council has confirmed that it has capacity to investigate and deliver the next phase of implementation for the Safety Scheme during 2025-26. These works will focus on the area between Westfield Road and the roundabout, and are being funded by Section 106 funds paid by Nicholas King Homes to Buckinghamshire Council that can only be spent on delivery of this scheme. Once we have up-to-date proposals from them, we will share them with you.
