HS2 - 2854 - Marsh Lane, Bishopstone - 18/08/2023-19/04/2024 - 24/7 road closure
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PLEASE SEE NEW START DATE BELOW
Dear All
This is not consultation - These works are to go ahead under the powers set out in the the HS2 Act 2017
Please find attached completed diversionary route for HS2 & associated works. These works will be undertaken by HS2 & their respective contractors.
HS2 Ltd can be contacted directly by email HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk or by
telephone on 020 7944 4908 or HS2 Freephone number 08081 434 434
If you are unable to view this link please go to one.network to view
under the road and dates stated.
Please see below link
Marsh Road, Little Kimble - 31/05/2023 - 01/06/2023
01
PLEASE BE ADVISED THIS IS NOT A CONSULTATION - PERMISSION FOR THESE EMERGENCY WORKS TO GO AHEAD HAS BEEN GIVEN AND WORKS HAVE ALREADY COMMENCED.
Please find attached completed diversionary route for some emergency works undertaken
by Buckinghamshire Council in
respect of Emergency carriageway repairs.
If you are unable to view this link please go to one.network to view
under the road and dates stated.
https://api-gb.one.network/downloads/tm/1016/ttro-application-form_134341354_3580306_561212e4c4.pdf
Major changes to Chiltern Railways journeys due to repairs and HS2 work
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Good afternoon,
Today Network Rail announced an extended closure of the railway south of Aylesbury station to allow vital repairs and preparation work for the new HS2 railway to be completed. As a result of the closure, which will begin in August, we’re advising passengers in Buckinghamshire to plan ahead as the work will mean major changes to journeys.
Here’s a link to the press release we issued with our partners at Chiltern Railways and HS2: https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/changes-to-chiltern-journeys-due-to-railway-repairs-and-hs2-work
What’s happening:
Engineers will repair a Victorian culvert underneath the railway in Aylesbury during a 10-day closure between Monday 7 and Friday 18 August which will affect all trains between Aylesbury and Princes Risborough and Aylesbury and Stoke Mandeville.
Immediately after that, HS2 work to allow the new high-speed line to pass under the existing railway will take place, affecting all journeys between Aylesbury and Princes Risborough until Monday 30 October.
Network Rail will permanently repair the brick-built culvert which was damaged in March 2023, leading to repeated short-notice closures of the line. A temporary repair was made, and monitoring equipment installed, but during heavy rain or repeated uses of the locks in the Grand Union Canal, the railway must close as water levels fill the culvert, obscuring the monitoring equipment.
PHOTO: Close up of the damaged
culvert south of Aylesbury station.
This location is a rare example of where the railway wasn’t built first and the tracks were laid over the culvert which drains excess water from the canal basin. Opening a lock can send many litres of water into the basin which, if it’s already full, must drain via the culvert.
From 19 August, Network Rail working in partnership with HS2, will move and replace more than a mile of track and signalling equipment on the line south of Aylesbury to make way for the new HS2 line which will pass beneath the existing railway.
PHOTO: Aerial view of where the
new HS2 railway will pass beneath the Princes Risborough – Aylesbury line.
The major work means there will be no train services between Aylesbury and Princes Risborough for a further 10 weeks with services resuming on Monday 30 October. Chiltern Railways will operate a rail replacement bus service between Aylesbury and Princes Risborough during this time, calling at Little Kimble and Monks Risborough.
Keeping passengers informed:
We are working closely with our partners at Chiltern Railways and advising passengers to check before they travel at www.chilternrailways.co.uk and www.nationalrail.co.uk for updates and details of alternative travel arrangements during the extended closure.
Ahead of the work starting in the summer, we’ll be communicating the closure to passengers online, via information at stations and at a series of drop in events – we’ll share the details of these with you soon.
If you’d like any further information about the railway closure and the work taking place, please let me know.
Best wishes,
Jonathan
Jonathan Cooke
Senior communications manager
(Pronouns: him/his/he)
Twitter: @networkrailEUS @networkrailBHM
@networkrailCML
@networkrailMAN @networkrailLIV @networkrailLC
Buckinghamshire Council outlines further cost-of-living support for residents
09
Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet has today agreed a comprehensive package of continuing support for residents struggling with cost-of-living pressures.
The council has been allocated a further £4.8 million of Household Support Fund money from the Department for Work and Pensions to provide support until March 2024. It’s now set out how the funding will be used to provide the best help possible to residents who need it most.
The council recognises the cost-of-living pressures have not gone away and high inflation and recent annual bill rises are continuing to impact households across the county. The council is pleased the funding is for a full twelve months of support and today the Cabinet has agreed to continue with a range of initiatives to help local households, including its flagship Helping Hand service.
The Council will spend the new tranche of money in the same way it has done previously, by providing food vouchers to eligible residents, direct support through the Helping Hand service and using the funds to support local organisations like foodbanks, which are providing vital community-based support.
The full support to run until end March 2024 agreed this morning is as follows:
- £700,381 will fund direct support through the Helping Hand service – that residents can contact if they’re facing financial hardship
- £2.25 million will be spent on food support through food vouchers for eligible children and young people through school holidays and other eligible groups including Afghan and Ukrainian refugees
- £400,000 will help fund voluntary and community organisations that provide free, essential support to residents such as foodbanks
- £500,000 will be made available as grants or direct support in regard to utility arrears, administered via applications to the Helping Hand Fund managed by local charity ‘Heart of Bucks’
- £600,000 will provide targeted support for other vulnerable groups such as care-leavers, pensioners and residents with disabilities and/or caring responsibilities; this will be available through digital vouchers or other appropriate support
Martin Tett is Leader of Buckinghamshire Council. He said:
“Working out the best and fairest way to allocate these funds so they reach those most in need is critically important to us, so I’m really pleased we’ve agreed this further package of support today. Councils are able to devise their own schemes to spend the Household Support Fund so long as they are within the parameters set out by government, and here in Buckinghamshire our priority is to use the funds so they really make a difference. We’re among those with the most far-reaching range of support available including setting up the Heart of Bucks crisis fund, unique to Buckinghamshire.
Through our Helping Hand service we’ve been able to provide really tailored solutions to really make a difference. No two cases or referrals are the same and are often complex; from helping a young man with living costs who had fled domestic abuse, to helping a father and 15-year-old son whose mother had died and who were subsequently struggling financially. I’m proud of the collaborative work our Helping Hand service and community organisations are doing to make a vital difference to families and individuals in Buckinghamshire who are facing significant need and hardship.”
Notes to Editor
- To contact the Helping Hand service go to www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/helping-hand or call 01296 531 151
- For general advice and support on the cost-of-living please go to the dedicated pages on our website: www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/cost-of-living
- For full details of the range of support the council offers, please see the council’s website. This includes details of the ongoing ‘Holiday Activities and Food’ (HAF) programme, providing free, high quality holiday activities and clubs for children and young people in Reception to Year 11 inclusive, who receive benefits-related free school meals. A hot meal is provided at every session. Find out more and check if you are eligible:buckinghamshire.gov.uk/haf-summer
- During 2022/23, Buckinghamshire Council’s Helping Hand service has:
·
- Managed more than 11,000 applications for help
- Provided help on more than 9,000 occasions with food and fuel assistance
- Provided 1,538 white goods
- Enabled other essential goods to be purchased on 990 occasions
- Issued or managed 434 grants
- Delivered nearly 83,000 school holiday food vouchers
- Join Buckinghamshire’s Community Food Chain and donate to your local foodbank if you’re able to. Volunteers are always needed to help run these vital organisations; check www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/help-your-community if you’d like to help
- Another way to help manage your finances is to switch to paying Council Tax by Direct Debit; it means you’ll know exactly how much money will be leaving your bank account, and when, making it easier to keep up to date with payments. It also helps spread the cost with the option of making twelve monthly payments instead of ten plus there are six different monthly payment dates to choose from. Go to www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/council-tax to find out more
- To interview Martin Tett on the new tranche of measures to tackle the cost-of-living pressures, please contact Claire Perry, claire.perry@buckinghamshire.gov.uk
INVITATION TO PUBLIC EXHIBITION
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You are invited to attend a public exhibition displaying proposals for Installation of a solar
farm with a 40 MW output for a temporary period of 50 years, including battery storage units,
associated infrastructure and environmental enhancements.
The purpose of the exhibition is to provide interested members of the public with an
opportunity to review the draft proposals and the opportunity to ask the development team
any questions regarding the scheme. It is also an opportunity to provide written feedback on
the proposals prior to the submission of a formal planning application.
Date: 09.05.2023 Time: 16:00-19:00
Venue: The Kimble Stewart Hall, Little Kimble, Aylesbury, HP17 0XN
Should you be unable to attend the exhibition, you can view the virtual exhibition online
from 9th May 2023 at the following website:
https://kimblewicksolar.co.uk Enquiries: info@kimblewicksolar.co.uk
Are you entitled to childcare support for your two-year-old?
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Buckinghamshire Council is reminding parents of two-year-old children to check whether they are entitled up to 15 hours a week funded childcare. Any parent or carer who currently claims some benefits may qualify for this support, which is worth over £3,000. Full details of who is eligible can be found on the Buckinghamshire Council website. The funded childcare can be used with participating childminders, day nurseries, pre-schools and nursery schools across Buckinghamshire. Buckinghamshire Council's Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Anita Cranmer, said: “I’d really urge parents of two-year-olds to check whether they are eligible for this support with their childcare providers – this is a considerable extra help, especially with the rising cost of living we are going through. Likewise, if you know someone who might be eligible, do let them know about this important opportunity.” To find out more and to apply, visit our website or call 01296 387000.
–Ends– Notes to Editor In the budget on 15 March 2023, the government announced there will be some changes to funded childcare, however, this does not take effect until April 2024. Image: Don't miss out on funded childcare! |
National Emergency Alerts System - Testing on Sunday 23rd April at 3pm
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You may already be aware that the government has launched a national alert service and they are testing the system on Sunday 23rd April at 3pm. The alert will appear on mobile devices for 20 seconds and you will hear a loud, siren-like sound for up to 10 seconds, you can see and hear it here UK Emergency Alerts - YouTube
This may be frightening to residents who are vulnerable and unaware of the alerts. Can you please join us in ensuring residents are made aware of the test, how to acknowledge it and if the alert will be particularly distressing for a resident, how to opt out. For further information visit the How emergency alerts work - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) for instructions on how to opt out.
Council has a new tool in the fight against potholes
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As part of its new contract, which started on 1 April, Buckinghamshire Highways has taken delivery of a different type of vehicle to help in the fight against potholes.
Used by many councils across the country, thePothole Pro is a time-saving, three-in-one vehicle designed to make pothole repairs faster. First it cuts into the road surface where a pothole has appeared, it crops the perimeter of the hole neatly to allow a watertight repair, and then it brushes away and collects the debris afterwards. Highways teams just need to lay and compact asphalt into the prepared hole to complete the repair.
The benefits of using such a vehicle are speed but also that operators are safely in their cab, with no risk of the use of vibrating hand tools affecting their hands or fingers.
Cabinet Member for Transport, Councillor Steven Broadbent said:“I joined the crew training on the Pothole Pro last week and was impressed with the potential of the machine and the speed the crew picked up the skills to operate the machine safely. This is just one of a number of tools we will be using to invest in and improve our roads. Whilst the machine won’t be able to access everywhere or fix all types of defects it has great potential as another option we can use on our road network.”
Although potholes can occur at any time of the year, it is late winter and early spring where the weather can have a massive impact on the number of potholes forming and there is an increase in the number of potholes on the county’s roads after heavy rain followed by freezing temperatures.
Buckinghamshire Highways
carries out regular inspections of the highway network by dedicated staff to
ensure potholes and other defects are identified and repaired in a timely
manner, keeping the highway safe.Problems on the roads and footways of Buckinghamshire
should also continue to be reported usingFix My
Street
How to access emergency help from Buckinghamshire Council over Easter
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In the run up to Easter, Buckinghamshire Council wants to highlight where families and individuals can seek emergency help and support if they need it over the holiday period. While most Buckinghamshire residents are looking forward to Easter, it can also present extra challenges for some households. For anyone needing help with food and emergency support over Easter, please see the information below:
Steve Bowles, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, said: “We know that while most of us are looking forward to Easter, for some Buckinghamshire households it can be challenging time of year, and some people may need to access some extra help or support. This is why we want to make sure everyone knows what help is available if they need it. “Please can I ask that you pass on this information to friends, neighbours and within local networks too. Together, we can make sure everyone has the support they need during this time.” |
New partnership is designed to further improve Buckinghamshire’s highways
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Today (Monday 3 April) sees the launch of a dynamic new partnership designed to further improve the way roads and footways in Buckinghamshire are maintained and managed, bringing positive changes for residents.
The newly formed ‘Buckinghamshire Highways’ is an alliance between Buckinghamshire Council and two highly experienced and industry-leading organisations - Balfour Beatty Living Places and Atkins, as well as a number of specialist framework contractors.
Covering all elements of highways maintenance and repair, including pothole repairs, gully cleansing, street lighting, winter gritting and resurfacing works, as well as larger improvement and development programmes, the new arrangements allow the council to take back greater control and increase accountability in effectively maintaining the county’s network of almost 2,100 miles of highways and 1,500 miles of footways. Buckinghamshire Highways replaces Transport for Buckinghamshire, which for the previous 13 years managed highways in the county.
The three main partners marked the start of their alliance at a brand-new operational hub at the Griffin Lane depot in Aylesbury. The hub uses the latest technology and has eight 55” screens to monitor activities as they happen, track the progress of works on roads and footways and identify where further efficiencies can be made. It allows operational teams to prioritise work based on the location of vehicles and operatives and intervene where required to keep outstanding work on track or where reports from the public mean urgent action is needed.
Steven Broadbent, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “Over a number of months we’ve been working on ensuring a smooth transition to Buckinghamshire Highways. We looked at what wasn’t working so well and have created an organisation that can better respond to the needs of everyone using the highways. I’m pleased that all partners in our new alliance share our commitment to giving residents the best value for money, to innovation and to finding better ways of doing things and share the council’s determination to reduce carbon emissions in their work.”
Balfour Beatty Living Places is the alliance’s new maintenance contractor and a leading provider of highways maintenance, street lighting and services for local authorities across the UK. Its crews are working out of four depots across the county to keep the highways moving and fix problems. Steve Helliwell, Managing Director of Balfour Beatty Living Places, said:“Collaborative partnerships are essential in delivering best-in-class services for our customers, and for the communities we serve.
“We are delighted to be working closely with Buckinghamshire Council as we work hard to leave a lasting positive legacy across the county; improving services, reducing our environmental impact, engaging with local supply chain partners and creating local employment opportunities.” Atkins isthe alliance’s new consultancy provider and will be delivering planning, design, engineering and project management services forBuckinghamshire Highways.They will bring their extensive experience working with local authorities and in using data and technology tosupport the improvement of the highways network in Buckinghamshire. Mike Batheram, Market Director at Atkins, said: “We are excited to be part of Buckinghamshire Highways alongside the council and Balfour Beatty Living Places and look forward to working collaboratively to improve highway services in Buckinghamshire and helping shape the future of transport in the region. We are committed to delivering improved ways of working, including the introduction of new digital approaches and greater customer focus for the benefit of local residents and businesses in Buckinghamshire.”
Buckinghamshire Highways will continue the multi-million-pound investment pledged by Buckinghamshire Council towards improving the county’s roads. Earlier this year the council announced a further £5m investment alongside the £100m over 4 years it has already set aside to deal with the worst affected areas. This extra investment follows on from the impact of recent weather, where the combination of freezing temperatures, followed by long periods of heavy rainfall, have worsened conditions on even more of the county’s roads.
Problems on the roads and footways of Buckinghamshire should continue to be reported using: www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/fixmystreet
One.network continues to be the way to check for roadworks near a location, find out who is carrying them out and when they should be finished.
You can also call the council on 0300 131 6000. |
New parking charges to come in across Buckinghamshire
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New charges for on and off-street parking across Buckinghamshire will come into force from Monday 3 April. The changes are being introduced following a review by the council’s budget scrutiny committee.
The changes will see an increase of 20p per tariff for on street parking and 10p per tariff for off street parking. Where applicable, free parking periods are expected to remain unchanged.
Commenting on the new charges, Steven Broadbent, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said:
“The increased fees will go into maintaining the upkeep and enhancement of these valuable assets, which benefit the whole community, along with our environmental and transport objectives.
“The changes form part of a wider programme of work to improve our car parks, which includes installing new ticketless payment machines to make it easier for people to pay for parking – with customers able to choose cashless payment in addition to the options to pay via the RingGo app or phoneline.
“This reflects changes in how people have chosen to pay for their parking in recent years. We’ve seen a decrease in cash payments and significantly more people choosing to pay using contactless cards or the RingGo app or phoneline.”
All funds raised from the council’s on and off-street parking facilities are used to support the upkeep of facilities and wider transport initiatives.
More information on Buckinghamshire Council car parks can be found here: www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/parking-roads-and-transport/parking
–Ends–
Notes to Editor Image: One of the new Metric car parking machines at Handy Cross Park & Ride Car Park.
|
Changes to bin collection dates for upcoming bank holidays and move to summer opening hours for HRCs
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Residents in Buckinghamshire are being reminded to double check their refuse and recycling bin collections dates over coming weeks, due to upcoming bank holidays.
As usual, during weeks with a bank holiday, there will be some changes to normal collection schedules across all parts of the county. To ensure residents don’t miss their collection due to these changes, the council is reminding everyone to check the revised dates for their area.
Gareth Williams, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, explained:
“Everyone enjoys this time of year, when bank holidays for Easter, May Day and the end of May Spring Bank Holiday give most of us some extra time to enjoy with family and friends. And this year we have the bonus of an extra bank holiday, as part of the celebrations for the King’s Coronation.
“As a result of so many bank holidays falling throughout April and May, it means our regular refuse and recycling collection schedule will need to be altered over this period. This means that for every resident there will be some temporary changes to note. Our crews will be working extended hours at times, to keep these changes to a minimum. That will include some Saturday collections, so it really is vital that residents check our website and social media to find out what the changes are in their area, so they know the correct day to put out their bins.”
Find out more on Buckinghamshire Council’s website.
In addition to the bin collection changes, the opening hours at all Household Recycling Centres (HRCs) across the county move to summer opening hours of 9am to 6pm from Saturday 1 April. Please check your local site to find out which days they are open, as this varies according to each site.
Anyone visiting the High Wycombe or Aston Clinton HRC can now also stock up on Buckinghamshire Community Compost.
This peat-free, organic compost has been made locally from recycled organic matter including garden waste from Buckinghamshire. The compost is PAS 100 certified and only £5.50 per 40-litre bag or £15.50 for three bags. Purchases can be made by card payment only. Proceeds from the sale of this compost will go to local good causes.
The council plans to expand the availability of this compost to all 10 HRCs in the future.
For more information on all of Buckinghamshire’s HRCs please visit the website.
–Ends–
Notes to Editor
|
Big Help Out
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Are you taking part in the Big Help Out?
Launched to mark The King’s Coronation, the Big Help Out campaign gives everyone the chance to try volunteering and help out in their local communities. The campaign starts on Monday 8th May but volunteering opportunities are available at any time during the Summer and beyond.
Whatever your interests, skills or the amount of time you can give, the Buckinghamshire Volunteer Matching Service has a wide range of local volunteer roles to choose from. If you are 16 years and over, simply register with the Buckinghamshire Volunteer Matching Service and the team will look for a local role that matches your preferences.
If you are part of Buckinghamshire volunteer-involving group and would like to benefit from the national momentum around volunteering, register your local roles with Buckinghamshire Volunteer Matching Service to tap into the pool of volunteers in the county.
Buckinghamshire Council awarded £576k to provide energy efficiency and clean heating upgrades to low-income households in the county
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Buckinghamshire Council has been awarded £576,000 from the government’s Home Upgrade Grant to provide energy efficiency and clean heating upgrades to owner occupied and private rented properties in the county. The upgrades are aimed at tackling fuel poverty and reducing carbon emissions. The scheme enables eligible households to benefit from a range of energy and cost saving upgrades, depending on the specific circumstances such as the fuel source, energy efficiency and EPC rating of the home. The majority of the funding will be made available for the least efficient homes heated by the most polluting fuel sources. Gareth Williams, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, said: “This new funding from the Home Upgrade Grant will help us continue to improve Buckinghamshire’s most energy inefficient homes. The funding is aimed at low-income households, helping them save money and reduce fuel poverty. The home improvements will also cut carbon emissions and support our progress towards making Buckinghamshire net zero by 2050. “With fuel costs at an all-time high, the second phase of this scheme is an important chance for local residents to improve their homes, save money on their energy bills and reduce their carbon emissions.” Buckinghamshire Council will shortly be contacting residents who they believe are likely to be eligible for the scheme. Further information will also be made available soon on the council’s website. Any Buckinghamshire residents who are struggling to afford basic necessities such as food, fuel and other household costs should call the council’s Helping Hand team on 01296 531151 or complete the online contact form. –ENDS–
Notes to Editor The Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) will provide energy efficiency upgrades and low carbon heating via local authority funding, to households in England that:
£630 million will be awarded to successful applicants of the HUG scheme to help them deliver HUG 2 until March 2025. Funding will be released to successful local authorities in the financial years 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025. Local authorities are delivering the first phase of the Home Upgrade Grant as part of the sustainable warmth competition until March 2023. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-upgrade-grant-phase-2 Eligible households must either be situated in a pre-qualified postcode area (Indices of Multiple Deprivation Income Deciles 1-3) or have either a gross household income of no more than £31,000, or an equivalised income where cost of living is below £20,000 after rent or mortgage costs. The home must also be heated by alternative fuels including electricity, oil, liquid propane gas, and solid fuels. The energy efficiency criteria will be determined by the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of the property (needs to be below band D) and residents will be supported with this part of the eligibility process during application. Residents will be provided with a free EPC where they do not already have one. Local installers will guide customers through the application journey, helping them understand and establish eligibility for the scheme. If eligible, the installer will identify which improvements for the home (such as air source heat pumps) will provide the greatest benefits and arrange any necessary surveys and installations. |
Emergency TTRO - Marsh Road, Little Kimble - 20/03/23 - 02/04/23
23
Dear All
PLEASE BE ADVISED THIS IS NOT A CONSULTATION - PERMISSION FOR THESE EMERGENCY WORKS TO GO AHEAD HAS BEEN GIVEN AND WORKS HAVE ALREADY COMMENCED.
Please find attached completed diversionary route for some emergency works undertaken
by Buckinghamshire Council in
respect of Repair burst mains. Road to be closed
24/7 while works take place.
If you are unable to view this link please go to one.network to view
under the road and dates stated.
https://api-gb.one.network/downloads/tm/1016/ttro-application-form_133483506_3553981_db2af043c2.pdf
Network Rail update: Aylesbury to Princes Risborough railway closure
14
Good
evening,
I'd like toupdate
you about theongoing closure of the railway between Aylesbury and Princes
Risborough due to emergency work Network Rail is carrying out to repair
and protect a damaged culvert beneath the tracks.
In January we completed temporary repairs toa
Victorian-builtculvert, which carries the
California Brook under the railway line to the south of
Aylesbury station. Our temporary repair involved installing a propping
system which has allowed trains to continue running safely until a
planned renewal can be completed later this year.
Heavy rain over the last few days has caused water levels to surge in
the damaged culvert preventing our engineers from being able to safely
monitor the propping structure. This has meant
that we’ve had to suspend all trains from running while we develop a plan to
safely reopen the railway.
Our engineers have identified that excess water is coming from a weir at the nearby Grand Union Canal basin which continues to overflow due to recent and prolonged heavy rain. We are exploring options to reduce and better monitor water levels in the basin to help prevent further flooding downstream beneath the railway.
Once we’ve managed to stabilise water levels within the railway culvert, our engineers can resume their regular inspections of the structure to ensure it is safe for trains to run.
We are looking at a number of ways to monitor and control
the flow of water which may involve the use of a pump
in the canal basin and installing
monitoring equipment. We are working closely with our
partners at the Environment Agency and the Canal and River Trust to develop a
plan that is safe and environmentally responsible.
The safety of passengers, staff and
local people is our number one priority and we’re
working hard to reopen the railway as soon as possible.
Roadworks - Kimblewick Road, Little Kimble (Thursday 16 March to Friday 17 March)
10
As part of Buckinghamshire Council’s £100m investment in roads across the county over the next four years, work will be taking place shortly at the following locations through Transport for Buckinghamshire’s Strategic Highway Maintenance Programme.
Some activities are extremely weather dependent, therefore dates shown are subject to change at short notice. These dates may also be subject to change depending on the availability of materials.
No weekend working unless specified.
Kimblewick Road, Little Kimble (Thursday 16 March to Friday 17 March)
Topsoil remedial works using stop and go traffic management in operation Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm.
Ellesborough Road Closure UPDATE
05
Good afternoon,
I would just like to update you on the works on Ellesborough Road.
The trail hole activity reached a point this afternoon where we have been able to complete the first phase of the works and reopen the road for the weekend. The works have not been completed entirely and we need to excavate further trail holes next week on the western end of the temporary diversion close to where the old road and the new road will knit together and where Bacombe Lane will connect.
I appreciate these works are very inconvenient but hopefully this should more comfortable movement over the weekend. The road will close again on Monday morning at around 8am and remain closed until 12th March.
Kind regards
Jon Deas
Engagement Manager
Eiffage Kier Ferrovial BAM JV | HS2 Team | 5th Floor, Exchange House, 450 Midsummer Blvd, Milton Keynes, MK9 2EA
Moving Traffic Enforcement cameras go live in Bucks this month
01
Buckinghamshire Council has begun installing roadside cameras across the county, to ensure motorists comply with Moving Traffic Offences (MTOs) and help to improve road safety in Buckinghamshire. Moving Traffic Offences are actions taken by drivers that break the rules of the road. Examples include driving through a no entry sign, making banned turns, entering a yellow box junction when the exit isn’t clear and driving on routes that are for buses and taxis only. Buckinghamshire Council is one of the first local authorities outside London to have been granted powers to enforce MTOs and from this month, ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras will go live in the first three locations this week:
With the cameras at the remaining 11 locations being installed later in the month:
The new powers will enforce areas where existing restrictions are already in place. Additional signage will be put in place to give warning of the cameras. During the first six months, motorists caught contravening the rules will be sent a warning letter for their first offence. If they are caught again, they will receive a penalty charge notice (PCN). After the initial six months, all offenders will immediately be subject to a PCN. Funds generated from penalty charge notices will be restricted for use only for specific measures including highway repairs, public transport provision and other environmental projects. Steven Broadbent, Cabinet Member for Transport said: “The installation of these cameras is great news for Bucks. They will help reinforce the rules of the road, keep traffic moving and make all road users safer. And these 14 locations are only the start, people will soon be able to suggest further locations that would benefit from enforcement cameras. “We understand this is a significant change, so during the first six months, motorists caught breaking the rules will be sent a warning letter for their first offence. If you are caught again though, you will receive a fine.” Steven continued: “Enforcing Moving Traffic Orders has many additional benefits for our environment which we are also keen to achieve in line with our Climate Change and Air Quality Strategy. Better flowing traffic leads to less air pollution and safer roads can encourage people to switch from cars to more sustainable forms of transport like cycling or public transport, which has multiple benefits for everyone.” Find out more about how we’re enforcing moving traffic orders.
Notes to Editor
|
Kimblewick Road, Kimble Wick - Upcoming Resurfacing Works
01
I am writing to provide you with an update regarding the resurfacing works on Kimblewick Road, Kimblewick.
We will be carrying out top soiling remedial works from Monday 6th March for approximately 2 days using stop and go traffic management between 9.30am and 3.30pm.
This type of work is extremely weather dependent, and therefore these dates are subject to change at short notice. These dates may also change depending on the availability of materials and the effects of COVID-19 on our supply chain partners. However, I will keep you updated if these dates change significantly and information signs will be erected on site prior to the commencement of the works, giving actual dates and durations to ensure the residents are also kept up to date.
We apologise for the short notice and for any inconvenience caused.
Many thanks,
Tara Rutland
Assistant Engineer – Design Services
Transport for Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury Vale Area Office,
Corrib Industrial Park, Griffin Lane, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP19 8BP
Tel: 07971107032| Email: tara.rutland@buckinghamshire.gov.uk | Web:www.buckscc.gov.uk/transport
Have your say as a member of Buckinghamshire Council’s Customer Partnership Panel
24
Buckinghamshire Council is calling on residents to join its Customer Partnership Panel, giving them the chance to offer their views and feedback on how the council can improve its website, online forms and other communication methods.
The panel was launched late last year and is now seeking new members aged 18 and over from all walks of life. Applicants must live within the Buckinghamshire Council area.
As a panel member, residents will have the opportunity to participate in surveys several times a year to provide their views on how the council communicates with residents, as well as providing feedback on the council's digital services.
Panel members will be invited to participate in up to four surveys a year and the majority of these will be conducted online. However, some may involve a telephone call or focus groups. Panel members can choose how they wish to be contacted and whether they wish to participate. They can also leave the panel whenever they wish.
Members of the panel will be reimbursed for reasonable traveling expenses and offered refreshments at any face-to-face meetings.
John Chilver, Cabinet Member for Accessible Housing and Resources, commented:
“If you’re a resident of Bucks, we want to hear from you! By being a member of our Customer Partnership Panel you can make sure your opinions are included when we make improvements to our website, online forms, and the other ways we communicate with residents.
“So if you’ve ever reported, requested, or submitted something using our website and think that it could be better or easier, then please tell us. Your feedback will help us shape the council's digital vision for the future.”
Panel members don’t need a smartphone, tablet or a laptop, as full IT support can be given in one of the council’s libraries if needed.
Regular feedback will be sent to panellists, showing how survey results have influenced decisions, and all survey results will be made publicly available online.
For more information about the Customer Partnership Panel, and where to sign up, visit Buckinghamshire Council’s website at:www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/customer-partnership-panel
New photo ID requirements announced for local and national elections
23
From 4 May 2023, voters in England will need to show photo ID to vote at polling stations in some elections. This will apply to:
From October 2023 it will also apply to UK General elections. The Electoral Commission’s website lists theaccepted forms of photo ID. People who do not have an accepted photo ID canapply for a free voter ID document, which is known as a Voter Authority Certificate. Applicants will need to provide their name, address, date of birth, national insurance number and a recent digital photo of themselves. For people registered to vote by post, no photo ID will be required. This is because postal voting requires other identification checks, such as signature and date of birth verification. Nick Graham, Buckinghamshire Council’s Director of Legal & Democratic Services and Returning Officer, said: “Although we don’t have local elections in Buckinghamshire this May, you will need to show accepted photo ID to vote in polling stations in any upcoming local referendums and elections, and for national elections from 4 May." “If you haven’t done so already, I’d encourage you to make sure you are registered to vote. The easiest way to register to vote is by visitingGOV.UK. “For anyone who doesn’t already have accepted photo ID for voting at polling stations, then I’d ask them to apply for afree Voter Authority Certificate.” Find out more about accepted forms of photo ID, how to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate, and what to expect on polling day by visiting theElectoral Commission website. |
Council offers 12-month Council Tax payment option for residents
09
Residents in Buckinghamshire can choose to pay their 2023-2024 Council Tax in 12 monthly instalments, instead of the standard 10 instalments. To take advantage of this option, all residents need to do is complete and submit the online form available on the council's website by Saturday 15 April.
“Buckinghamshire Council understands that the current cost of living pressures can be challenging, and this flexible payment option is designed to help residents manage their finances more effectively and conveniently,” said John Chilver, Cabinet Member for Accessible Housing and Resources. “By spreading the cost of Council Tax over 12 months, residents can better plan their monthly expenses and hopefully help avoid any financial difficulties.”
So, if you're looking for a more manageable way to pay your Council Tax in the next financial year – which starts in April 2023 – then you might want to consider opting for Buckinghamshire Council’s 12-month instalment plan.
Requesting this payment option is simple and straightforward, just complete and submit the council’s online form.
Severe Weather Emergency Provision (SWEP) - rough sleepers
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As the weather is exceptionally cold, if you see anyone sleeping out on the streets of Buckinghamshire, please contact StreetLink via https://www.streetlink.org.uk or phone 0300 500 0914, who will notify our dedicated Outreach workers.
If you see anyone you believe to be under the age of 18 and or are concerned about the health or welfare of anyone that you see sleeping rough please call 999.
During office hours you can contact our housing teams on the following numbers:
- Aylesbury Vale Area: 01296 585168
- Chiltern and South Bucks & Wycombe Areas: 01494 421212
NEWS - HS2 Update
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What is Buckinghamshire Council doing on behalf of residents? |
HS2 Route-wide Injunction
On 20th September 2022 a High Court Judge, Mr Justice Knowles, sitting at Birmingham’s Civil Justice Centre, granted HS2 Limited an extensive injunction along the length of the high-speed line from London to Crewe to help tackle unlawful protests. The order makes going onto HS2 land without permission or disrupting work a potential contempt of court – the offence of ignoring a judge’s ruling. The order covers a range of scenarios including people “interfering with” access to the land or “delaying or hindering” any HS2 work. Breaking the injunction would be a contempt of court which could lead to a fine, imprisonment or both. The order can be viewed here and details of the proceedings can be viewed at HS2 route-wide injunction proceedings.
Protests against HS2 have cost an estimated £122 million and an HS2 spokesperson said that the injunction was not intended to stop legitimate protest saying “instead, we hope the injunction will prevent the violence, intimidation, and criminal damage these protests have frequently caused, harming the HS2 project and those working on it, and costing the UK taxpayer millions of pounds.” There have been a number of concerns about people going about legitimate business or pastimes mistakenly breaking the injunction and committing a criminal offence. Examples include walkers or ramblers walking across a footpath which crosses HS2 land, footpath maintenance volunteers straying off the path to cut back hedgerows, organisations accessing the land for monitoring purposes such as the Chiltern Conservation Board and the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust and even Buckinghamshire Council Officers going about their statutory business. Buckinghamshire Council has taken a number of actions to ensure that the route-wide injunction does not prevent people legitimately accessing or crossing HS2 land either for leisure or business purposes. The Council sought legal advice on the implications of the route-wide injunction. It indicated that it should not affect the rights of the public using Public Rights of Way over HS2 land, making use of private rights of access over HS2 land or any person holding a freehold interest in land over which HS2 Ltd has taken temporary possession. We have also sought King’s Counsel advice on the implications of the injunction. The advice was that it is very unlikely that the injunction will affect the lawful activities of groups, such as the Chilterns Conservation Board continuing to undertake reasonable monitoring activities or members of the public, ramblers etc. from walking across HS2 land. It is very unlikely that the injunction will have implications for Buckinghamshire Council exercising its statutory powers and is only likely to affect the activities of protestors of HS2. King’s Counsel does not consider it necessary for the Council to apply to the Court for a variation of the order. We have liaised with senior members of HS2 Ltd regarding this route-wide injunction and our concerns about it. HS2 Ltd responded that the injunction is aimed at unlawful protestors not law-abiding members of the public and that their staff would take a common-sense approach. HS2 Ltd added some additional information to their webpage to allay concerns and spell out what the injunction does and does not do. Link to the webpage can be found here. The Court has instructed HS2 Ltd to display the documents relating to the injunction in four libraries along the route (Aylesbury, Great Missenden, Wendover, and Chalfont St Giles.) Buckinghamshire Council has worked with HS2 Ltd to ensure that these documents are available to the public to view and have added a caveat that: “These documents relate to the route-wide injunction that has been granted to HS2 Ltd by the court. This information has been deliberately placed at this library to facilitate ease of access by the public, by request of the court. Buckinghamshire Council does not endorse this injunction.” |
Abnormal Loads Trial Following concerns expressed by local residents about large loads in Great Missenden damaging narrow roads and low bridges, the Council made HS2 carry out a night-time abnormal load trial. Following our intervention, the HS2’s contractor EKFB carried out the trial overnight on 27 September. |
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Manually controlled temporary traffic lights were in place to stop traffic for the short time that the abnormal load passes through. The locations of the temporary traffic lights were on the A413/A404 roundabout near Amersham, the Deep Mill railway bridge near Little Missenden and on both roundabouts on the A413 Great Missenden between the Link Road and Frith Hill. The trial went well with only a few issues regarding overhanging vegetation between Little Missenden and Great Missenden. The journey took about 45 minutes to complete. Improvements to the route for future deliveries as a result of the trial include additional temporary traffic lights at the Gore Hill roundabout in Amersham, lengthening the traffic management at the Deep Mill bridge, cutting back the overhanging vegetation between Little Missenden and Great Missenden and using the Pyebush layby near Beaconsfield as a contingency stop if the delivery needs to be halted for any reason. The deliveries will be made in early 2023. |
CCTV Current Locations In response to concerns about the volume of HS2 traffic, Buckinghamshire Council have purchased three mobile CCTV cameras to monitor the traffic caused by the HS2 construction as well as the effect it has on our roads over the next few years. The three CCTV cameras are currently located at:
Any queries or concerns regarding the use of CCTV should be sent by email to EWRandHS2enquiries@buckinghamshire.gov.uk If you would like to propose a location which would benefit from the placement of a mobile CCTV camera, please use our online form below. Note that suggestions will only be considered where there is evidence of disruption caused by HS2 construction works. |
Road Safety Fund |
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Colne Valley Park Forum & Lottery Landscape Celebration |
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John Whitby, Chairman of the Colne Valley Park Trust, gave the welcome speech and was followed by a number of presentations on the work carried out over the past year including an interesting account of collaboration between anglers and nature conservationists by Tony Booker of Colne Valley Fisheries Consultative. Attendees heard about some hugely successful project work, about the threats to the Park and how they will be responding over the coming year. The passion and commitment to the local countryside was obvious as the conversations afterwards amongst council leaders, politicians, charities, government agencies, residents’ associations, conservationists, anglers, and other stakeholders. Information on the event and presentations can be seen here.
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Booker Park Forest School Members of the HS2 contractor, EKFB, have been working with Booker Park School in Aylesbury to create a new forest area within the grounds. The school provides specialist support for students with severe mental and learning disabilities. EKFB and its subcontractors have created a unique learning environment for the school utilising the planning, design, and construction skills of their team at no cost to the school. This included vegetation clearance, new fencing, a sensory path, a Wicker Den, picnic benches, railway sleepers, a communication board and music and water walls. The new forest school was opened on 28 October to the obvious delight of the children. |
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Bat Mitigation Structure |
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On 5 October HS2 held a meeting at Calvert Green Village Hall to present the developing designs for the Sheephouse Wood Bat Protection Structure near Calvert. Members of the public were invited to go along to see how the designs have developed and give feedback on them. The Sheephouse Wood Bat Protection Structure will run for about 1 kilometre alongside Sheephouse Wood near Calvert. The 56-hectare woodland is home to several different species of bat, including the most northerly known colony of the rare Bechstein’s bat. The Bechstein bat population in Sheephouse Wood is genetically different to other UK populations so any decline in bat numbers could result in extinction of this unique population. Like all other bats in the UK, the Bechstein bats are legally protected in the UK and this structure will allow them to cross the HS2 line without being harmed by passing trains. The design of the bat protection structure is based around a series of BEBO arches, and although not technically classed as a tunnel the structure has been carefully chosen as being the most effective solution being durable, requiring little maintenance and reducing overall costs and materials. The kilometre long, 10m high structure consists of precast concrete segments and mesh inserts to create a light smooth structure, capable of self-ventilation. It will be absorbed into the local landscape and embedded into the backdrop of the woodland. It will provide shielding for bat flight paths from passing trains and provide connectivity points for wildlife with a green bridge and underpass. Further details of the bat mitigation structure can be found on the HS2 website. |
HS2 6-monthly Report to Parliament Mark Harper MP was appointed as Secretary of State for Transport in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s new cabinet on 25 October. He published the government’s fifth update on HS2 to Parliament two days later on 27 October. The report details updates on the schedule, budget and delivery as well as providing information on the impact and engagement with local communities and the environment. Harper stated that local impacts would be unavoidable on a project on the scale of HS2, however, he expects HS2 Ltd. to do its utmost to reduce disruption where it is reasonable to do so and to treat communities affected by construction with respect, sensitivity, and professionalism. He discussed the role of independent construction inspectors in assessing the considerate delivery of HS2 works, and the announcement on 25 April of Stewart Jackson being appointed for 3 years as the independent HS2 Residents’ Commissioner. The report states that HS2 has planted over 800,000 trees and shrubs as part of its Green Corridor and continues to be at the forefront of efforts to decarbonise construction and leave a positive environmental legacy. In the last six months, HS2 has started the first diesel-free construction site, including the UK’s only electric crawler cranes. HS2 Ltd will soon publish the latest Environmental and Sustainability Progress Report, providing up-to-date information on the organisation’s impacts and activities. It will also publish its Ancient Woodland Summary Report with details of how it is mitigating the impacts on these irreplaceable habitats. The full report can be read at High Speed Two 6-monthly report to Parliament: October 2022. |
HS2 Ongoing Work |
You can see the work that is taking place in Buckinghamshire on the HS2 website, ‘In Your Area’ section, (Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire) and sign up for automatic alerts. HS2 Ltd or contractors are committed to sending out Advanced Warning Notices 2 weeks ahead of works commencing. |
Works in Buckinghamshire
We have listed some of the main works in the table below (please note this is not a comprehensive list and is correct at date of publication but is subject to change): |
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HS2 Forthcoming Works Packages submission to Buckinghamshire Council Schedule 17 of the HS2 Act puts in place a process for the approval of certain matters relating to the design and construction of the railway, which requires that the nominated undertaker (HS2 Ltd and its contractors) must seek approval of these matters from the relevant planning authority. As deemed planning permission has been granted by the Act, requests for approval under Schedule 17 are not planning applications and there are few grounds on which the Council can refuse.
*Please note however, forecast dates are subject to slippage by contractors* |
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Key Design Elements as described in HS2 Information Paper D1: Design Policy have been subject to community engagement on design developments. |
Buckinghamshire Council HS2 coordination team
Jackie Copcutt jackie.copcutt@buckinghamshire.gov.uk Tel: 01296 383793 EWR and HS2 enquiries Mailbox and to contact the Buckinghamshire Council marshals EWRANDHS2enquiries@buckinghamshire.gov.uk HS2 Ltd Helpdesk and Mobile Visitor Centre Emailto HS2Enquiries at HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk Freephone 08081 434 434 Minicom (used to help people with hearing or speech difficulties) 08081 456 472 Post to FREEPOST, HS2 Community Hub Upcoming Mobile Visitor Centre Dates and Locations Details of future Mobile Visitor Centre events will be advertised on HS2 events – High Speed 2. Pre-booking is not required to visit the HS2 Mobile Visitor Centre, and people are free to drop in at any time. Please check the dates on the HS2 events page before attending in case of any changes. |
News From Buckinghamshire County Council
19
Last chance for people to comment on budget It’s really important that the council hears from residents and stakeholders about plans for next year’s budget – particularly in the face of such a challenging economic context. We need to know which services and spending areas residents want us to prioritise so this can feed into the decision-making process.
Our Money Matters survey, which asks people to share their views, closes this weekend.
Thank you for helping us to promote the survey to your local community. If possible, please can you give a final reminder to anyone who wants to take part – and please do fill this in yourselves as individuals. The consultation closes at midnight on Sunday 20 November.
Welcoming Spaces scheme expands As part of our response to the current Cost of Living Crisis, we recently opened up our local and community libraries as ‘Welcoming Spaces’, allowing people to come together in warm, safe and supportive spaces, free of charge, to shelter from the cold over the winter. We are now looking to expand the scheme and are engaging with other local community groups and organisations who already provide invaluable services in the heart of our local community, who are able to register their own venues as a ‘Welcoming Space’. We have created a new Community Toolkit for those who would like to join the scheme, with instructions on how to register and useful information and advice around use of the space and location, safety including risk of illness, downloadable marketing materials and possible activities to encourage residents to visit. Community groups and organisations can register with us via the Bucks Online Directory. The Welcoming Spaces initiative forms part of the wider work of the council on the cost of living pressures. For more information visit our website. |
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On 1 December our Electoral Register will be updated with the new information residents have given us during the annual canvass. Please remind anyone who is eligible, but isn’t yet registered, they still have until Monday 22 November 2022 to register. |
Last chance to comment on constituency boundaries The Boundary Commission for England has recently published its revised proposals for constituency boundaries across the country. Comments on the proposals can be submitted up until 5 December. The proposed new map can be viewed online where comments can be submitted. Can you help promote the Christmas toy appeal? With greater pressure than ever on family finances we want to do what we can to ensure our most vulnerable children and young people don’t miss out this Christmas. That is why we have once again joined forces with local charity, Inspire Bucks, to raise funds for gifts for children in touch with our social care service.
The initiative is always a great success. Last Christmas more than 2,000 Buckinghamshire children and young people with disadvantaged backgrounds received presents thanks to the generosity of local donors, who pushed funds well over the target of £10,000. During the past year funds have also allowed birthday gifts to be given to 200 children.
Donating is simple, just go to the GoFundMe page and Inspire Bucks and our social services team will do the rest, helping to ensure a happy Christmas for children and young people across Buckinghamshire.
Help shape our vision for libraries The previous item on welcoming spaces just shows how important our libraries are as community hubs. Over a million items are borrowed every year from Buckinghamshire Libraries and they provide diverse services, from book lending, to reading groups, digital access and local events and activities – plus much, much more.
We want our libraries to continue meeting the needs of our communities so are seeking views on what the priorities should be for Buckinghamshire’s libraries. We want as many people as possible to take part in this survey, not just current library users so please spread the word and take part in the consultation too.
It’s open until Sunday 15 January at www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/libraries-your-views
Are your residents ready for winter? With temperatures dropping and weather conditions likely to turn more unpredictable as we approach winter, we are asking local residents to think about what they can do to prepare for the worst of the cold season in order to keep themselves and their loved ones safe and well. From knowing how to report an issue such as a flooded road to keeping items such as wellies and snow shovels handy, there are lots of tips people can take note of to ensure they are fully prepared. Find out more on our website.
National Tree Week is approaching, starting on 26 November and once again we are using the focus to plant more trees around the county, and we need your help! Working in partnership with Chiltern Rangers, we are inviting residents to help us plant 4,000 hedgerow plants and trees along the Platinum Way Greenway in Aylesbury as part of a £1.4m upgrade.
Please invite your local community to get involved. Anyone who would like to take part in the planting which takes place between 30 November and 9 December – even just for a couple of hours – can email info@chilternrangers.co.uk. They will then forward further details of each day's location for planting.
Details on the different events can also be found on Eventbrite, just search for Platinum Way at: www.eventbrite.com
Networking opportunity for charities and community groups Local charity, Community Impact Bucks, is hosting the next Local Voluntary Sector Network forums for not-for-profit organisations in Buckinghamshire to share information and collaborate on local issues. The North Buckinghamshire Network takes place on 22 November and the South Buckinghamshire Network on 24 November.
To register and get more information visit:
Help us keep your local spaces safe We are continuing to review our local Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) and would like your help in asking residents to give their feedback.
PSPOs deal with a particular nuisance or problem in an area that affects the local community’s quality of life, by imposing conditions on the use of that area.
Four consultations are now open. People can have their say by clicking the survey link below and sending in their views by midnight on Monday 28 November.
World Cup raises further awareness of smokefree sidelines With the FIFA World Cup just around the corner, football is a current hot topic of conversation. On a local level we are using the opportunity to encourage football clubs in Buckinghamshire to sign up to our #SmokefreeSidelines initiative, run in partnership with Berks & Bucks Football Association.
The initiative encourages smokers to refrain from smoking during matches or to move away from the sidelines so they are not in sight of children and young people who are more likely to copy what they see. Free campaign materials are available, please let your local clubs know. More information can be found online.
Deadline for cashing council tax energy rebate vouchers is approaching Earlier this year the Government announced that all households in council tax bands A to D would receive a £150 payment as part of a range of measures to support people with the rising cost of energy pressures. Residents who were eligible for an energy rebate who had not received a BACS transfer were sent a voucher in the post in August this year. The vouchers need to be taken with a form of photo ID, to a post office, where they can be exchanged for £150. The deadline for cashing the vouchers is Wednesday 30 November. Our latest figures show that around 3,600 vouchers are still waiting to be cashed in Buckinghamshire so please could you to urge residents in your area who haven’t yet cashed their vouchers to do so before it is too late. The process is fully explained in the voucher letter and on the council website. Kind regards,
Steve Bowles Cabinet Member for Communities
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Contact Details for Hayfield Homes
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- Message from Hayfield Homes:
- For any queries from residents about any issues with the Hayfield build, please could they contact the site manager Matt Phillips on mphillips@hayfieldhomes.co.uk
HS2 Notification: North Chilterns newsletter
02
HS2 Notification: North Chilterns Area Newsletter October 2022
Work item: HS2-MW-EK-Ph1-Ar-Ce-C2-CR-41-13/10/2022 | 1MC12-EKF-IN-NTE-CS03- 000043
Work Item Summary
- Project Phase
- Phase 1
- Region
- Buckinghamshire
- Location
- A413, Great Missenden, Little Missenden, Wendover
- Contractor
- EKFB JV
- Estimated Start Date
- 01/10/2022
- Estimated End Date
- 01/04/2023
What we are doing
Over the next couple of months, you can expect to see the following works in the local area;
- Sheet piling for the Rocky Lane bridge
- A413 London Road utility diversion and preparatory works for the temporary road realignment;
- Continued construction of the Bacombe Lane and Ellesborough Road temporary realignments;
- Construction and operation of our plant and vehicle crossings – Nash Lee Road and Bacome Lane;
- The start of our abnormal load deliveries to Great Missenden for the construction of the structures;
- Drainage surveys as well as topographical surveys involving lane and road closures;
- Ground Investigations, surveys and utility trial hole works;
- Continuation of the piling works for the Wendover Dean and Small Dean Viaducts;
- Ecology investigations and vegetation clearance works;
- A413 lane and road closures for utility diversions and excavation works;
- Chiltern Rail line temporary closures and possessions;
- Completion and operation of our conveyor;
- Excavation, movement, and storage of earthworks including temporary stockpiles;
- Operation of our new Rocky Lane compound.
Download information relating to these works
Find out more about
We'd like your feedback
Please help us improve how we keep you informed about how we're delivering the railway by giving us feedback on your experience.
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
HS2 Notification: Aylesbury newsletter
02
HS2: Aylesbury Newsletter, September 2022
Work item: HS2-MW-EK-Ph1-Ar-Ce-C1-Prog-works-10-19/10/2022 1MC12-EKF-IN-NTE-CS04-000075
Work Item Summary
- Project Phase
- Phase 1
- Region
- Buckinghamshire
- Location
- A41, A413, A418, Stoke Mandeville
- Contractor
- EKFB JV
- Estimated Start Date
- 01/10/2022
- Estimated End Date
- 01/04/2023
What we are doing
Over the next couple of months, you can expect to see the following works in the local area;
• Preparatory works for the Stoke Mandeville Relief road;
• A41 realignment progression;
• Thames Valley Viaduct foundation works commence;
• Excavation, movement and storage of earthworks;
• Enabling works for the A418 overbridge;
• A418 re-alignment preparatory works;
• Underpass for the Princes Risborough to Aylesbury Railway;
• Princes Risborough to Aylesbury Railway overnight deliveries;
• Ground Investigation (GI), topography and Utility works survey works which will require some traffic management;
• UKPN utility connection works around our compound areas which may require some traffic management ;
• Several breaks from highway in the area to allow for our site access – these will include the need for some short duration traffic management;
• Localised vegetation and site clearance which may require traffic management; and
• In 2023 we will be carrying out early works for future water course management activities.
Download information relating to these works
Find out more about
We'd like your feedback
Please help us improve how we keep you informed about how we're delivering the railway by giving us feedback on your experience.
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
News
23
North West Chilterns Community Board
The purpose of the North West Chilterns Community Board (NWC CB) is to tailor itself to the
needs of the local area with the common goal of bring communities together to make a
difference. The Board uses local data and intelligence and, together with engagement and
listening to the people in the community, it prioritises areas of focus and explores the issues
that are of greatest importance in the local area.
These priorities help determine where the NWC CB will take action and allocate funding to
improve the local area. The Community Board holds a mixture of core and task-focused
actions group meetings which explore local and corporate priorities, sets up projects and
finds creative ways to meet local challenges. For the year ahead the NWC CB has four action
groups focusing on:
• economic recovery
• improving the environment
• community resilience, and
• transport and road issues.
The NWC CB is chaired by Cllr Matthew Walsh and the vice chair Cllr Carl Etholen, both from
Buckinghamshire Council, supported by the board manager Jackie Binning who is busy
making connections and encouraging residents, groups and organisations to get involved.
The NWC CB has funding opportunities
Community Board funding is available to community and voluntary organisations who have
a project or scheme in mind that could benefit the local area. Applications are invited from
organisations that can show a need for financial support and evidence that their project
meets the Community Board priority areas and addresses a local need.
Further details can be found here: Apply for Community Board funding | Buckinghamshire
Council or contact the board manager on the details below.
Would you like to get involved?
Everyone is welcome and encouraged to get involved in the Community Board. You can
participate in the issues that you feel passionate about, join meetings or take part in a
specific priority or project working group. You can complete surveys, take part in polls or
share your views.
If you would like to hear more, please contact Jackie Binning, community board manager, on
jackie.binning@buckinghamshire.gov.uk. And you can find out more at Community Boards |
Buckinghamshire Council.
Buckinghamshire Council information re Bank Holiday closures etc.
14
Bank Holiday for the State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth IIChanges to some council services |
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Buckinghamshire Council will close its operations on Monday 19 September in recognition of the Special Bank Holiday introduced for the State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. This is to allow staff across the organisation the opportunity to pay their respects and observe Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. While most council services will not be in operation, please be aware that the Council’s registrars and crematoria and cemeteries services will honour the commitments to ceremonies and services that are already booked. In addition to this, members of the public will still be able to access council buildings hosting books of condolence between 9am – 5pm. These include: · Reception of the council offices in Walton Street, Aylesbury · Reception of the council offices at The Gateway, Aylesbury · Reception of the council offices in Queen Victoria Road, High Wycombe · Reception of the council offices at King George V House, Amersham · Chesham and Buckingham libraries For more information on the impact to Buckinghamshire Council services including school closures, postponements to Adult Learning classes and Children’s Services centres, please visit:www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/news/special-bank-holiday-impacts-to-services All emergency arrangements will remain in place to ensure support is continuously available for vulnerable residents. Please also be advised that bin collections across Buckinghamshire will be operating to a revised timetable. All collections theweek commencing Monday 19 September will take place one day later than usual.Please check the revised schedule and present any bins or containers by 6:30am on the revised collection day.
Respectfully, Buckinghamshire’s nine household recycling centres will be closed on Monday 19 September. The sites will reopen and operate as normal on Tuesday 20 September. For more information on the Special Bank Holiday arrangements regarding waste collections, visit:www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/bank-holiday-bins For more information on the latest local information following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, please visitwww.buckinghamshire.gov.uk and follow @BucksCouncil to keep up-to-date with us on ourFacebookandTwitter pages. |
Proclamation
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Whereas it has pleased Almighty God to call to His Mercy our late Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth the Second of Blessed and Glorious Memory, by whose Decease the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is solely and rightfully come to The Prince Charles Philip Arthur George: We, therefore, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of this Realm and Members of the House of Commons, together with other members of Her late Majesty’s Privy Council and representatives of the Realms and Territories, Aldermen and Citizens of London, and others, do now hereby with one voice and Consent of Tongue and Heart publish and proclaim that The Prince Charles Philip Arthur George is now, by the Death of our late Sovereign of Happy Memory, become our only lawful and rightful Liege Lord Charles the Third, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of His other Realms and Territories, King, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, to whom we do acknowledge all Faith and Obedience with humble Affection; beseeching God by whom Kings and Queens do reign to bless His Majesty with long and happy Years to reign over us.
Given at St. James’s Palace this Tenth day of September in the year of Our Lord Two thousand and twenty-two.
GOD SAVE THE KING
Everything you wanted to know about Bucks – at your fingertips
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A new website launched yesterday, (Tuesday 6 September) brings together a vast range of insightful and in-depth information and data on Buckinghamshire, its people and places, all in one handy location.
The Bucks Data Exchange is a collaborative project between Buckinghamshire Council, the Rothschild Foundation, Leap, Heart of Bucks, Buckinghamshire’s Local Enterprise Partnership, Thames Valley’s Office for the Police & Crime Commissioner and the Bucks VCSE (Voluntary, Community & Social Enterprise) Partnership Board. The website has been built by the Aylesbury-based agency, Framework Digital.
The website is open for anyone to access but it will provide unprecedented opportunity for the voluntary and community sector to access robust data on the needs of local people in order to help them make strategic decisions and target resources.
From population figures to broadband speeds and life expectancy to crime rates, the website will continue to develop and will be regularly updated as more data becomes available. Charities, community organisations and anyone with an interest in Buckinghamshire can visit the website and sign up for updates.
Steve Bowles, Cabinet Member for Communities said: “I am very excited to see the culmination of many, many months of hard work across all the different partner organisations, manifest itself into this one-of-a-kind website. It is a one-stop-shop for anything you ever wanted to know about Buckinghamshire and I’m sure it will become invaluable to many people but most significantly, to our local charities and community organisations in terms of planning their work and targeting their efforts where they are needed most.”
Ellie Stout, Head of Grants at Rothschild Foundation, who have provided funding for the project commented: “The Rothschild Foundation is proud to be supporting the Buckinghamshire Data Exchange through our role as funder, project partner and contributor of data. We believe that through sharing our data we can help make grant-making and service delivery in the county even more effective and joined up. Through the process of gathering and publishing our data we can better understand ourselves and where we need to focus. That’s why we’re passionate about supporting more organisations to join the Bucks Data Exchange community.”
Mark Ormerod, Chair of Buckinghamshire VCSE Partnership Board and CEO of Leap added: “I believe partnership and collaboration is critical to address the most stubborn inequalities and challenges facing society today. The Buckinghamshire Data Exchange will enable key organisations across Buckinghamshire to distribute and share their intelligence, and collectively we can work on new solutions to address perennial problems.”
To access the website visit: www.bucksdataexchange.org
Roadworks Notification for Kimblewick on Friday 26th August.
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Buckinghamshire County Council has provided the following announcement re Kimblewick road works on 26th August:
Kimblewick Road, Kimblewick – From Stockwell Lane to Lower Icknield Way (Friday 26 August)
We will be carrying out a final sweep on the road to remove any loose or excess chipping, applying a final coating to seal the initial treatment and reinstating the road markings using a road closure in operation Monday to Friday between 8:00am and 5:00pm.
Thames Water Hose Pipe Ban - Exceptions Information for Blue Badge Holders and those on the Priority Services Register
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From Wednesday 24 August, we’re bringing in a hosepipe ban (also known as a Temporary Use Ban) for all customers we supply water to, even if we don't bill you directly. The ban applies to hosepipes, and anything attached to them, like sprinklers and jet washers. However we know some people have restricted mobility which will make using a watering can or bucket instead tricky. I hope the following information helps you support any of your service users with concerns:
If you’re a Blue Badge holder or are on our Priority Services Register for any of the circumstances listed below, you can still use a hose for:
- Watering your garden/allotment and plants
- Cleaning your vehicles
- Cleaning windows, walls, paths, patios or other artificial outdoor surfaces like artificial grass
- Filling or maintaining a domestic pond
Any of the following circumstances will qualify for an exemption:
- Chronic or serious illness
- Dementia or cognitive impairment
- Physical impairment
- Restricted hand movement
- Blind
- Unable to answer the door
- Recovering after returning from hospital
- You use medical equipment which includes:
- Dialysis, feeding pump and/or automated medication
- Stair lift, hoist or electric bed
- Nebuliser or apnoea monitor
- Heart, lung or ventilator machine
- Oxygen concentrator
Our website has the full details that can be found here
I would recommend any of your service users who aren’t already registered, especially for any of the above conditions should do and they can do that here
Any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me
Kind regards
LivNOTICE FROM THAME WATER
Council unveils new weapons in the battle to beat fly-tipping in Bucks
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Buckinghamshire Council is deploying innovative, new measures in the battle to stop fly-tipping in the county. Intelligent cameras have been installed in hot spot areas in the south of the county. In addition, unofficial layby areas are being blocked and turned into grassy banks in another tactic to combat the criminals who dump waste illegally.
The council has taken a zero-tolerance approach to fly-tipping for over a decade and has successfully prosecuted hundreds of offenders. It costs the council over £600k each year to clear up rubbish that has been illegally dumped on public land – money that could be spent on providing other much needed services to the county’s residents.
Using £50k of funding from DEFRA (Dept for Environment, Farming & Rural Affairs), the new cameras can identify when a vehicle has left rubbish behind and in real time, will provide a video report of the incident to enforcement officers, including the registration of the vehicle, making it easier to identify and prosecute fly-tippers.
In a move to reduce the places where fly-tippers can dump, the council has carried out work to build up grass banks at several locations. The work has been carried out by re-using 400 tonnes of inert (tested) soil that was illegally dumped previously elsewhere in Bucks.
Gareth Williams, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment said:
“We want to make it clear to all would-be criminals, we won’t tolerate fly-tipping in Bucks and we will continue to use all available means to make sure anyone who does carry out this atrocious crime will be caught and prosecuted. These new intelligent cameras will make it much easier to prosecute fly-tippers and allow for quicker clean-up.
“My message to residents is; if you’re having rubbish removed, please don’t pay cash. Use a company that has a Waste Carrier Licence, and ask for a record of who you’ve paid. By having an electronic method of payment, you can help us track down and prosecute the fly-tipper.”
When the enforcement team investigates a fly-tipping incident and finds evidence that leads to a householder, they will visit them and ask for evidence that they’ve taken reasonable steps to identify the person they hired to remove their rubbish and to ensure that it would be disposed of properly.
If the householder can provide evidence of the identity of the person who took their rubbish away such as details of a bank card payment, the investigation can move to focus on the fly-tipper. However, if the householder has paid an unidentified individual cash in hand to remove rubbish, they may be issued with a £400 fixed penalty notice for failing in their ‘duty of care’. If the incident is serious, this might be escalated to a court summons that could result in a criminal conviction and a hefty fine.
If you’re unsure of how to make sure you’re doing the right thing when someone is taking away your rubbish, our S.C.R.A.P. fly-tipping campaign code is a useful tool.
Cost of Living Support
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Please see link below for advise and support on the cost of living crisis.
https://costoflivingsupport.campaign.gov.uk/
FixMyStreet - To report any issues with roads, overgrown verges etc
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If you see any issues within the Parish with highways or footpaths please report them through https://www.fixmystreet.buckscc.gov.uk/
HS2 Works Notification: M40 Junction 11, new traffic signal installation
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Please see below information which has been shared with the Parish Council:
We're writing to let you know about some planned works that we will be carrying out in your area.
We need to close the M40 at Junction 11, southbound exit, between the hours of 8pm to 5am at some point during a one-week period between the 2 July and 9 July 2022 (inclusive of the weekend). The works are only expected to take one night, but are weather dependent. we need to be able to safely complete the installation of road surface ‘loops’ for the new traffic signals to the motorway slip lanes and ‘A’ road approaches on the M40.
The night-time closure will require drivers wishing to exit southbound at Junction 11, to continue on the M40 to Junction 10, and use the diversion to re-join the M40 heading northbound and exit Junction 11 on the northbound side.
Please see details of the works here:
· View or download our works notification
· Visit HS2 in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, or HS2 in Northamptonshire to find information about works, developments and opportunities in your area.
· Use our In your area map to search current and planned HS2 works and developments in your area.
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2
Notice of traffic management, Risborough Road, A4010
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Please see file below for notice of traffic management, Risborough Road, A4010
Also, attached are slides from the Great & Little Kimble + Marsh Update Meeting
Hayfield Homes has received the greenlight to start work on a new development in Little Kimble.
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Work has commenced on the 40 new houses to be called, Hayfield Crescent. Residents can access the development via Risborough Road, it will be within the parish of Great and Little Kimble cum Marsh. This is the first development to commence under the Neighbourhood Plan approved by 88% of residents in the Referendum.
Notice of public rights and publication of unaudited annual governance & accountability return
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Please see attached notice detailing the dates for the notice of public rights and publication of unaudited annual governance &
accountability return
Studley Green NHS Health Checks
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Studley Green NHS Checks
Wednesday 18th May 2022
10:30-14:30
Location: Studley Green Community Centre, Studley
Green, High Wycombe, HP14 3UY
Please see below link to poster for further information.
Vacancy - Parish Clerk and RFO
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Parish Clerk and RFO
Great & Little Kimble cum Marsh Parish Council
Position Details
The Parish Council is seeking a Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer to support the 7-member council and its parishioners in its Mission of making the Parish Cleaner, Greener, Safer.
Our parish is set in the beautiful Vale of Aylesbury at the foot of the Chiltern Hills. It is diverse, from busy thoroughfares to quite country lanes with pockets of small residences spreading out to the countryside and the farming community. With a population of 1000+ with 400 homes and growing. It has two schools a busy village hall and thriving pub. There is good public transport links and main road access through to Aylesbury and High Wycombe.
The successful candidate will ideally have some experience of local government already and the Parish Council are keen to support and encourage the pursuit of CiLCA qualification.
Council meetings are in the evening of the second Wednesday of each month where a GSoH is often an advantage. The position is suited to home working or using a room within the village hall as an office and is based around 8 hours per week, although these could be negotiated to fit. For a further insight into the goings on in the meetings and other information visithttp://www.kimblecouncil.org/
If you are interested to develop your local government skills and gain experience in a popular, forward-thinking community, please contact the Chair of the Parish council for an informal discussion. email : clerk@kimblecouncil.org
Salary Details
£12.00-£13.22 per hour
Position Type
Part Time
Posted Date
Closing Date
30 May 2022
Notification of Road Closure - Bridge Street, Church Lane, Great Kimble 30th May 22 to 3rd June 22
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The Parish Council has been notified of the following road closure:
Bridge Street, Church Lane, Great Kimble. The road will remain closed for the duration of the works. Access to residents within the closure points.
30th May 22 to 3rd June 22
Alternative route: Lower Icknield Way, Askett Village Lane, Aylesbury Road, Risborough Road and vice versa.
Council Tax rebates being paid to Buckinghamshire residents
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Press Release from Buckinghamshire Council
Buckinghamshire residents living in homes under Council Tax bands A-D will begin receiving their £150 rebate payments from next week (w/c Mon 2 May). This is part of the national scheme to off-set the rise in energy costs.
Some residents who live in homes in Bands E-H who receive certain benefits such as Employment and Support Allowance will also be able to claim money back on their Council Tax under Buckinghamshire Council’s own scheme, which aims to provide extra support for those who need it but who don’t qualify for the national Bands A-D scheme.
Buckinghamshire residents who pay Council Tax by Direct Debit, and whose home is in Band A to D or who qualify for the Buckinghamshire Council scheme under Bands E-H, will automatically get the £150 back in their bank account in the next few weeks. If residents pay by another method, they will be contacted directly by letter about how to claim the payment.
The Council is also topping up payments under both schemes through its own ‘Helping Hand’ programme, meaning some residents will also be eligible for an extra £25 payment on top of the other payments.
Overall, the Council Tax rebates and £25 ‘top ups’ are designed to help as many residents as possible as households face rising fuel and energy prices and increases in other living costs.
Martin Tett is Leader of Buckinghamshire Council. He said:
“We wanted to go above and beyond the national scheme to offer extra support to Bucks residents, hence designing our own scheme under our ‘Helping Hand’ programme. This means we can offer additional payments to a wider number of residents.
“We’ve taken an approach here in Buckinghamshire to get this money out as quickly as possible, avoiding lengthy application or means testing processes. We want as many people in need as possible to be able to access this cash at a time it’s really needed, hence linking our own scheme to those already in receipt of certain benefits.
“Overall, we hope around half of all Buckinghamshire households will be able to claim payments under these schemes, which I hope will make a difference. I don’t lose sight of how squeezed household bills are at the moment so please reach out and access support if you are worried about money and the cost of living, whether you qualify for these schemes or not. Our Helping Hand programme is there to offer help and support to all residents who need it.”
- For more information on the Council Tax rebate programme and to apply to claim your rebate go to www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/council-tax
- If you’re experiencing severe financial hardship please access our Helping Hand webpages for advice and support www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/helping-hand
- For more information, help and advice on money matters, go to our dedicated webpages www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/backontrack
Planning Application: 22/05324/FUL - Land To Rear Of The Willows Caravan Park Marsh Lane Bishopstone Buckinghamshire HP17 8SN
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Planning Application: 22/05324/FUL - Land To Rear Of The Willows Caravan Park Marsh Lane Bishopstone Buckinghamshire HP17 8SN
The Parish Council has noted the many concerns that have been raised by Parishioners about the recent planning application for the Willows site. The Parish Council has objected to the application and consider that it is important that our Parishioners are aware of the background. The following is a summary on which our three local members of Buckinghamshire Council and the Council’s Planning Enforcement Officer have been given an opportunity to comment:
(i) An application has been made for planning permission to develop the Willows site despite this being contrary to the Local Development Plan - with details of the application appearing in the local press.
(ii) The application should be refused, not least (but not only) as it is contrary to policy DM26 1b as the site is within the restricted area around Marsh at Appendix E of the adopted Local Development Plan 2019 (see below).
(iii) The ‘Willows’ site has been renamed by the applicants as 'the willows caravan park’. This, together with the site being advertised as a business on google, with the advert including references from third parties, suggests an unauthorised change from residential use (about which Bucks Council has been informed).
(iv) The neighbouring Charlottes Farm, which is outside our parish but under common control with the Willows site, has ample provision for caravans and has been renting vans on the site as a commercial activity for some time with advertising though Airbnb, other small business adverts and the 'Buddhist Centre' operating from the site: there is accordingly no demand for additional sites in the locality, indeed there is significant local opposition.
(v) Development at the site has already taken place over the course of the last two years, in continuing breach of a High Court injunction obtained by a body of which Bucks Council is the legal successor. The Council is aware of the breach and has informed us that the Council is continuing to work on the matter in accordance with its policy, which is non-punitive: the Council does not seek punishment for breaches of planning control but works actively to negotiate resolutions to planning breaches and only where that fails will the Council take action if it is proportionate and appropriate to do so.
(vi) The site is adjacent to a Public Bridleway: Parish Councillors have received a number of complaints from parishioners that they are ‘appalled' at the damage that has been caused to the bridleway by the illegal activity at the site and have recommended that the bridleway be fenced off and protected: these concerns have been reported to Bucks Council, which has a legal duty to protect and to assert the rights of the public to use the bridleway.
(vii) Residents of the site have blocked the footpath that runs through the site and there have been several reports to Parish Councillors of hostility to local walkers and ramblers, which reports have been passed on to the Council.
(viii) The site includes contaminated land - the sources of the waste were investigated by the Council whichhas been working to gather evidence of the authorisation of importation of material and negotiating removal of the material with the owner. It is environmentally irresponsible to continue to allow, let alone to permit an increase in, residents on the site, especially for families with young children. Furthermore sewage/cess pit arrangements will increase the contaminated water that is already being allowed to leak into the ditches, water table and public watercourse that border the site.
(ix) Clive Harriss, a local member of Buckinghamshire Council, has submitted a neutral comment (i.e neither in favour or against) on the application to the effect that if the application is granted the issue should be referred to the planning committee in light of apparent (that is 'as far as one knows or sees'- so leaving the question open) inconsistency with the Local Development Plan.
(x) All enforcement action by the Council is now suspended pending the outcome of the planning application.
The Parish Council shares the grave concerns of parishioners that theplanning application may be granted despite the recent history of breaches of planning control at the Willows site and the clear breach of the Local Development Plan that such a grant would represent. Such an outcome would indicate that breaches of planning law in our parish are not only going unpunished but also being actively encouraged.
Appendix E. Areas where future development for Travellers is restricted
Figure 51 Area around Marsh where future
development for travellers is restricted
Easter Bank Holiday bin collections across Buckinghamshire
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Press Release from Buckinghamshire Council13 April 2022 |
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Bin collections across Buckinghamshire will be operating to a revised timetable over the Easter Bank Holiday. Collections due to take place on Good Friday, 15 April, will move to Saturday 16 April, and with no collections on Easter Monday, 18 April, all collections that week will take place one day later than usual. Please check the revised timetable online and present any bins or containers by 6.30am on the revised collection day. Residents who might be using the Easter Bank Holiday to get started on some spring cleaning are reminded that on 1 April, Buckinghamshire’s nine household recycling centres moved to their summer opening hours: 9am – 6pm. All sites will also remain open over the Easter bank holiday weekend, including Good Friday and Easter Monday. Please check the website before you travel. For more information including how to check your Easter bank holiday bin collections, where to find your nearest household recycling centre and top recycling tips for this Easter, visit, www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/bank-holiday-bins Please also follow @BucksCouncil to keep up-to-date with the latest recycling & waste and bin collection information on Facebook and Twitter. |
Sunnyside Rural Trust Litter Picking in the Parish 12th April 2022
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On the 12th April 2022 we will be hosting a team from Sunnyside Rural Trust in the Kimble's and Marsh who will be carrying out litter picking.
For those who don't know, they are a local charity providing training and work experience for vulnerable people. They will be helping us to keep our Parish looking beautiful over the next few months.
Please welcome them to the community if you see them around.
HS2, the new relief road and the B4009 coming the A4010.
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Your Parish Council has been gathering information about the impact of HS2 and all the proposed new infrastructure on our Parish ever since the new railway was first approved with a route that would pass close to us. In the eight years since we attended the Committee hearings in Parliament, there have been regular, currently monthly, meetings with HS2 representatives at which we have sought details of the expected increase in noise and light pollution and the disruption to the Parish caused by the construction and operation of the new railway and the proposed Stoke Mandeville relief road. These meetings have proved, in the main, to be unsatisfactory. Our requests for information, maps and reports have fallen on the polite, but apparently deaf, ears of a long succession of HS2 representatives, who seem to stay in post only for very short periods . We understand this is by no means an unusual experience for many of the parishes in Buckinghamshire that are being affected by HS2.
More recently, following the closure of Marsh Lane, we sought assistance from the North West Chilterns Community Board (the ‘Community Board’) and its traffic sub-group. This resulted in a meeting being arranged with Buckinghamshire Council and HS2 representatives at which we finally were provided with detailed information and, after the meeting, documentation. The meeting agenda had two items: first the impact of the closure of Marsh Lane on North Lee Lane, which has seen traffic increase by over 60% since the closure; and second our search for information as to the consequences of HS2 and related infrastructure for the Parish. It would seem there is now a proposal to re-open Marsh Lane and provide it with a junction with the Stoke Mandeville relief road, although it is too early to see whether this will be part of the final plans.
For our Parish there is both good and bad news. The good news is that Buckinghamshire Council has shared a survey with us which shows that, based upon the depth of the cutting in which the railway will run between Stoke Mandeville and our Parish, we should suffer minimal noise pollution from HS2. Minimal does not, however, mean no noise. The noise from the railway one kilometre from the track is estimated to be no more than moderate, specifically a maximum of 46 Db, the equivalent to a dishwasher or moderate rainfall. This is below the level where the Government is prepared to consider mitigation. The survey also indicates that the traffic noise from the Stoke Mandeville relief road, in particular where it will run between HS2 and the Parish, will be of the same order, although potentially more noticeable as the noise will be all but continuous while the trains will run according to a timetable, perhaps once every 15 minutes. The reason for the delays in providing us with this survey and its predecessors appears to be that the survey was originally commissioned for Aylesbury Vale Council. As our parish was not within that Council’s boundaries nor within one kilometre of the proposed centre of the new railway line, we were not on the circulation list. Now that we are within the unitary council’s jurisdiction the same restrictions on circulation do not apply.
The Chairman of the Community Board traffic sub-group and others at the meeting suggested a number of simple and inexpensive measures that could easily be included to reduce the noise pollution from the Stoke Mandeville relief road. HS2 would not agree to these, apparently due to financial constraints. The Deputy Buckinghamshire Councillor responsible for transport, who was also present, then made clear that the Council is unlikely to provide financial assistance lest this encourages others in the County to seek financial assistance to provide mitigation of the pollution increase in circumstances which the Government considers mitigation is unjustified.
The Parish Council has invested in a noise survey to establish a noise baseline before the changes are implemented and if the HS2 survey proves optimistic and the Parish suffers unexpectedly high levels of pollution we will investigate how we can provide mitigation even if assistance, including financial assistance, is not forthcoming from elsewhere. The HS2 survey did not deal with light pollution from the Stoke Mandeville new relief road, in particular from the local high point where the relief road is to pass our side of HS2, but a council officer present at the meeting did inform us that this was currently under review with a view to minimising light pollution as far as practicable. In addition, the speed limit on the relief road is expected to be set at 40 mph. If all this proves to be the case, this should assist keeping light and noise pollution levels low, but not non-existent.
The bad news is that the outlook for traffic in the Parish appears generally poor and worsening. In addition to the new Stoke Mandeville relief road, the A4010 is to become one of two designated routes for traffic, including heavy goods traffic, between the M40 and Aylesbury: the other is the A413. Furthermore this and the expansion of Princes Risborough will see the A4010 no longer passing through the town but instead using a new by-pass, which will include upgrading the B4009 from the Longwick roundabout through Great Kimble and then under the railway bridge in Little Kimble to form part of the A4010. This is all in addition to the increase in traffic from both the 3,200 new homes as part of the expansion of Princes Risborough and the new houses demanded of the Parish by the Council, the damage from which can only be partially mitigated by the Neighbourhood Plan. The Community Board traffic sub-group has produced a detailed strategy setting out, amongst other improvements required to the existing A4010, what such an upgrade to the B4009 should involve but the Council has made clear that its funds are limited and suggests central government may need to assist.
There will be some funds available from the developers of the Princes Risborough expansion and the much smaller developments in the Parish but the latest plans see the upgrade of the B4009, and in particular improvements to the Little Kimble railway bridge, as the last stages of the Princes Risborough expansion and so unlikely to occur before 2038. In short the traffic along the A4010 and the B4009 can only increase, with increasing likelihood of ‘rat runs’ developing throughout the Parish as vehicles seek to avoid the inevitable traffic jams at Little Kimble railway bridge and the Terrick roundabout. There is also some evidence that Bishopstone and Marsh Lane may already be being used as an unofficial Aylesbury by-pass. The policy remains that HGVs should only enter the Parish between the B4009 and Bishopstone to gain access but there is a risk that policing this will become increasingly more difficult.
Our three unitary councillors, Steve Broadbent, David Carroll and Clive Harris, are aware of the situation and concerned, in particular, with the increasing non-vehicular safety issues when crossing the A4010 in Great Kimble and Little Kimble. They are looking into how improvements might be made before the major changes are implemented. Transport for Buckinghamshire has, however, estimated the cost of a new ‘Toucan’ or ‘Pegasus’ crossing, signal controlled crossings designed for pedestrians and cyclists and pedestrians and horse riders respectively, at in the order of £120,000, with the cost reducing to £80,000 if there is no signalling control[1]. The estimates were made in July 2020 so the costs are unlikely to have fallen and may have increased.
[1] Transport for Buckinghamshire, Traffic Calming in Buckinghamshire. A guide for the implementation of Traffic Calming Measures, July 2020 p36.
Boundary Commission for England launches public consultation on proposed constituencies
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News Release from the Local Government Boundary Commission for England
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A new pattern of wards is being developed for Buckinghamshire Council.
Following a public consultation on proposed council size for the authority, the Local Government Boundary Commission has decided that the number of councillors in Buckinghamshire should be 98.
The Commission wants to hear what residents and organisations think about their local area. A 12-week consultation on the proposals will run until 4 April 2022.
The Commission is the independent body that draws these boundaries. It is reviewing Buckinghamshire to make sure councillors represent about the same number of electors, and that ward arrangements help the council work effectively. It wants to be sure that its proposals reflect community ties and identities.
The Commission is interested in views on which communities should be part of the same ward.
- What facilities do people share, such as parks, leisure centres or schools and shopping areas?
- What issues do neighbouring communities face that they have in common, such as high numbers of visitors or heavy traffic?
- Have there been new housing or commercial developments that have changed the focus of communities?
- And are there roads, rivers, railways or other features that people believe form strong boundaries between neighbourhoods?
The Commission will use local views to help it draw up proposals for new ward boundaries.
There will be a further round of consultation once the Commission has drawn up those proposals.
Launching the consultation Professor Colin Mellors, Chair of the Commission, said: “We want people in Buckinghamshire to help us.
We are starting to draw up new wards for Buckinghamshire. We want our proposals for new electoral arrangements to reflect communities. We also want them to be easy to understand and convenient for local people. Residents and local organisations can help us understand community ties and identities at this early stage of the process.
It’s easy to get involved. Go to our website. Or you can e-mail or write to us. Just tell us what you think and give us some details why you think that. It’s really simple, so do get involved.”
The Commission has a dedicated section on its website where people can give their views: https://consultation.lgbce.org.uk/have-your-say/29857
People can also give their views by e-mail at reviews@lgbce.org.uk
, on mobile via https://lgbce.beezer.com, and by post to:
Review Officer (Buckinghamshire) LGBCE
PO Box 133 Blyth NE24 9FE
Photo Competition 2022
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The photo competition 2022 results are in! See the dedicated page for the winners and all the entries!
Photo Competition 2022Buckinghamshire Local Heritage List are looking for volunteers
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News on behalf of Buckinghamshire Council's Local Heritage List.
See attached flyer for details.
HS2 Newsletter and Notice of Works - December 2021
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Please see attached detailed Advance Warning Notices and useful maps of HS2 related works over Christmas and going into the New Year that have been shared with the Parish Council.
Questionnaire Survey – The Discovery & Exploration Phase for the new Local Plan for Buckinghamshire
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Please see below a message from Buckinghamshire Council and how to respond to the Local Plan for Buckinghamshire
I am writing about an important survey we’re launching about the
future of Buckinghamshire. It’s a questionnaire survey for the new Local Plan
for Buckinghamshire. We want to hear your views about living and working in
Buckinghamshire, what problems and issues you may face, and what your needs are
in the future. We want to know what matters most to you.
You can fill out the survey questionnaire online on Your Voice Bucks: https://yourvoicebucks.citizenspace.com/planning/local-plan-2021
There are other ways to comment. A pdf of the questionnaire survey has been added to the website: https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/local-plan-for-bucks. This can be downloaded and then emailed or posted to the Planning Policy Team.
· The email address is planningpolicyteam.bc@buckinghamshire.gov.uk · The postal address is Planning Policy Team, Buckinghamshire Council, Queen Victoria Road, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP11 1BB |
You can take part from Monday 29 November 2021 until midnight on Friday 11 February 2022.
This message is being sent to all stakeholders and organisations included in the Planning Policy consultation database. I want to give you the opportunity to raise issues that you want the Council to consider. The legal background for this is Regulation 18 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.
Thank you for taking part in this important work for the new Local Plan for Buckinghamshire. Please share this message with anyone who may be interested in responding to the questionnaire survey.
Photo Competition
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Great and Little Kimble
cum Marsh Parish Council are running a photo competition and are looking for
residents to showcase their amazing photography skills.
We are looking for photos of our beautiful Parish whether it be the beautiful scenery or a landmark.
Competition is open to all ages but please do read the below rules.
All entries will be displayed on the Parish Council Website www.kimblecouncil.org.uk
Entries should be submitted toclerk@kimblecouncil.org.uk
by 5th January 2022
1st Prize: £200, 2nd Prize: £100 and 3rd Prize: £50
Rules:
1. Submissions must be emailed toclerk@kimblecouncil.org.uk by the deadline of 5th January 2022.
2. You may submit as many entries as you wish however, the photo must have been taken by the entrant and must not contain any materials owned or controlled by a third party
3. Please provide a description for your photo i.e., where it was taken
4. Photos must not be enhanced in any way it must be the original photo
5. Participants of all ages are welcome
6. By entering the competition, the entrant agrees that the council may use the image for any purpose in the future
7. All entries may be displayed on the Parish Council website and social media. Please state when submitting your entry whether you are happy for your name to also be displayed.
8. All photos must have been taken within the boundaries of Great and Little Kimble cum Marsh
9. All participants must live within the Parish of Great and Little Kimble cum Marsh
Judging:
1. Great and Little Kimble cum Marsh Parish Councillors will judge the entries and the judge’s decision will be final and binding.
2. The winner will be announced at the Parish Council meeting on 12th January 2022
The Prizes:
1. The following prizes will be allocated following the judge’s decision: 1st Prize: £200, 2nd Prize: £100 and 3rd Prize: £50
New Website
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Great and Little Kimble cum Marsh Parish Council is pleased to announce that we have a new website.
It is still work in progress but we would welcome any feedback.