News

Buckinghamshire & Surrey Trading Standards is cracking down on telephone scammers this festive season by encouraging people with vulnerable family or friends to support them in applying for a free trueCall device, which prevents scam and nuisance calls.

The compact trueCall device screens incoming phone calls and blocks calls from unknown and unsolicited phone numbers.

Each year, a significant number of Buckinghamshire residents fall victim to fraudsters who employ deceptive tactics to steal sensitive data. Among the most prevalent methods used is cold calling, where fraudsters impersonate legitimate representatives of businesses or financial institutions.

Mark Winn, Cabinet Member for Homelessness and Regulatory Services, said:

“Our Trading Standards team helps to protect the vulnerable from telephone scammers year-round by providing these easy to plug in home devices. Once fitted, they enable all known contacts to dial straight through, with anyone else being screened on the various settings available.

“Christmas is a great time for getting together with friends and family and having conversations with the more vulnerable about cold callers. These conversations could help identify individuals who may benefit from having a trueCall device fitted in their homes. A great gift for any vulnerable person in Buckinghamshire, they are provided free of charge to those in need, so please do encourage people to contact us if they believe they could benefit from having one of the devices.”

Alarming statistics shared by the trueCall team reveal that the proportion of nuisance calls identified as scams has surged from 21% to 40% in the past two years. Furthermore, one-third of scam victims fall prey to a second scam within a year, with single older individuals being three times more susceptible than those living with partners. Vulnerable individuals are also targeted with approximately 40% more scam calls compared to the general population.

To date, Buckinghamshire & Surrey Trading Standards has successfully installed 547 trueCall devices. Over the past year alone, these call blockers have prevented over 48,000 scam and nuisance calls. It is estimated the use of these devices has prevented £600k being taken by deception from Buckinghamshire residents.

To apply for a free call blocker device, interested individuals should contact Trading Standards via email at ts.prevention@surreycc.gov.uk or call Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133. The devices are provided on loan for as long as they are needed – ensuring ongoing protection against fraudulent activities.

Any incidents of suspected fraud should be reported to Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133.

As the festive season comes into full swing and people plan activities and shopping, Buckinghamshire Council is asking residents to get into the true spirit of Christmas and think about what they can give back to their local community to ensure everyone has an enjoyable festive season.

From donations to your local food bank or community fridge to volunteering time to support a local community initiative, there are lots of easy ways people can do something small that can make a real difference to those less fortunate.

There are many ways you can help:

• Donate gifts or money to collections such as the Inspire Bucks Christmas Gift Appeal which distributes new toys and gifts to local children and young people in need
• Donate items to your local food bank or community fridge
• Donate to the Heart of Bucks together against poverty appeal
• Volunteer your time to a local initiative. Community Impact Bucks runs a volunteering matching service that allows you to match your skills and time commitment to the volunteering opportunities available, including those within Opportunity Bucks areas.
• Become a Buckinghamshire Food Champion and collect Christmas donations for your street or local area - Set up a food collection point on your street (Food Champions) | Buckinghamshire Council

There are lots of other ways you can help others. Take a look at the council website for more information: How you can help others | Buckinghamshire Council

Arif Hussain, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities said: “Christmas is traditionally a time for giving and so we are asking all those who are able, to think about what they can do to give to support others in their community. The smallest act can make such a difference. Just looking in on an elderly or vulnerable neighbour can give a lift to someone living on their own. We know that Buckinghamshire has a strong community spirit and with cost of living pressures still impacting people, it’s important that those of us who are in a position to help, try to do what we can to support others, so everyone can enjoy the festive season.”

If the cost of living pressures are affecting you visit: www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/cost-of-living

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.

A warm area will be available in Buckinghamshire Council offices at Walton Street, Aylesbury, Queen Victoria Road, High Wycombe, and King George V Road, Amersham.

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

Kind regards,

Mark Winn

Cabinet Member for Homelessness & Regulatory Services

Buckinghamshire Council

Dear Resident,

There is an NHS survey that you can take part in to share your views on primary care services across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West (BOB).

The local NHS wants the public/patients to tell them about their experiences of using primary care services in the region to inform a strategy the local NHS is developing to transform these services. more info see here

Newsletter text and link to the survey below.

https://x.com/nhsbobicb/status/1728368223211466771?s=20

Buckinghamshire’s high streets are brimming with Christmas cheer, ready and waiting to welcome customers in the lead up to the holiday season. With free parking in towns and villages on select days in December and reduced bus fares, it’s easier than ever to take advantage of local shops and businesses overflowing with gifts and fresh produce to help celebrate the festive season in style.

Shop Local this Christmas, that is the message Buckinghamshire Council is sending to residents who are getting ready for their festive celebrations. Towns and villages across the county have been decorating high streets with lights, trees and decorations, ready to welcome customers onto their pavements and through their doors.

Rachael Matthews, Deputy Cabinet Member for Town Centre Regeneration, said: “The Christmas period is an important time for our local high streets. They rely on the loyalty of local customers to ensure they enjoy a successful festive season, so we want to remind people how important it is to shop local.

“You really don’t need to venture far to get everything you need to enjoy your celebrations and by supporting businesses in your local town or village, you are helping to ensure they can continue to run successfully and add value to your local area which benefits everyone.”

To make it even easier to visit your local high street to do your Christmas shopping, the council is offering free parking in its car parks that support local high streets on Saturday 9 and Saturday 16 December. To check which car parks are included visit the council website:www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/free-xmas-parking.

Or shoppers can let public transport take the strain by doing their Christmas shopping by bus, taking advantage of the extended £2 cap on single journey bus fares, now extended by the Government until next autumn.

Steven Broadbent, Cabinet Member for Transport said: “Whether you choose to travel by car or by bus, you can save money on your journey before you hit the shops. We know many people need a helping hand this Christmas, so the council is playing its part to give communities and high streets a festive boost.”

Buckinghamshire Council will also introduce a temporary pause on scheduled roadworks in some areas of the county in weeks leading up to the festive break. Steven explained: “To make it easier for people to travel and maximise trade, Buckinghamshire Highways will introduce a widespread postponement of roadworks in and around town and village centres in the run up to Christmas. Although we don’t have the power to stop emergency utility works that need doing, pausing planned roadworks will reduce possible delays.”

Many local businesses in Buckinghamshire are taking part in Small Business Saturday on Saturday 2 December, offering another chance for people to support their local shops and businesses and take advantage of special discounts and promotions. Find out which Bucks businesses are taking part in this year’s event: https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com/small-business-finder

One place to take your pick of independent and unique gifts sold by local artisans is the Aylesbury Christmas Craft & Gift Fair, taking place in Market Square, Aylesbury, on Sunday 3 December from 11am to 4pm. There are also lots of other Christmas themed events and fairs taking place across the county over coming weeks. Take a look at the Buckinghamshire Family Information Service website to find out what’s on near you: https://familyinfo.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/things-to-do/things-to-do-this-christmas/

Christmas is a magical time for children. Whatever their age, every child is excited to find a present under the tree with their name on it. Sadly, not all children are guaranteed a gift to open on Christmas morning, but that is where residents of Buckinghamshire are being asked to assist, if they can.

Local charity, Inspire Bucks, is once again running its Christmas Gift Appeal which aims to ensure that some of the most disadvantaged local children and young people get at least one gift to open this Christmas.

The appeal seeks donations of new toys and gifts for children and young people ranging in age from babies to care leavers aged up to 25. Those who prefer can give a monetary donation which will be used to buy suitable gifts for the children and young people.

The gifts are given to local children and young people in need, including those in care and others whose families are facing severe financial difficulties and simply cannot afford to spend money on toys and gifts. Inspire Bucks works closely with council social workers, schools and food banks to identify recipients and everyone will receive at least one gift.

Last year the appeal helped provide a Christmas present to nearly 3,500 children in Buckinghamshire. Anita Cranmer, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Education said: “Every year we are overwhelmed by the generosity of local people who donate to the Gift Appeal. This support makes a huge difference to so many disadvantaged children across the county. I know we are all still facing high cost of living pressures but I would ask those who are able to support this cause, to contribute with either a gift or monetary donation. Every gift and all the money donated goes directly to the children and young people to help give them the Christmas they deserve.”

Anita added: “This year the appeal will also include young people who are leaving the care system to take the next steps into their adult lives. We want to make sure these young people, who may not have families of their own, don’t miss out. A specially chosen gift just for them will bring a smile to their faces and show them that they are cared for which is what Christmas is all about.”

To find out more about where to drop off gifts or how to make a monetary donation, visit the Inspire Bucks Gift Appeal website.

Gifts are needed for all ages. If you are unsure what is suitable, Inspire Bucks have put together an Amazon gift list which enables you to purchase something direct.

You can also donate a monetary gift via the charity’s Just Giving page: Inspire Bucks Christmas Gift Appeal 2023 - JustGiving

Work has just finished on the installation of a new footway alongside the A4010 (Risborough Road) at Ellesborough and this week, some of those involved in making it happen got together to mark the occasion.

The new path runs for 350 metres, connecting existing footpaths which run north from the Fremantle Court Nursing Home into Stoke Mandeville, and south along the Risborough Road. The scheme provides a safe footway for pedestrians between the nursing home and the nearest shop, which is located within the service station at the junction of Risborough Road and North Lee Lane.

The works were carried out by Buckinghamshire Highways using the HS2 Road Safety Fund, which was made available by the Government to leave a legacy of safer roads for local communities impacted by HS2 construction. Ellesborough Parish Council’s successful application to that fund to improve access for residents and Fremantle Court visitors enabled the creation of the new path. Numerous additional projects have been completed in other locations around the county, all helping to improve road safety.

Steven Broadbent, Cabinet Member for Transport said: “We are delighted to have been able to respond to the local community and to bring about this improvement for local residents and visitors to the Fremantle Court Nursing Home. The A4010 is a very busy road which, together with adjoining roads in the area, has been heavily impacted by HS2 construction in terms of increased HGV traffic, road closures, diversions and traffic management. This scheme, which joins two existing footpaths, will enable residents and visitors to walk to the nearest shop in safety, while also extending the existing footpath from the Terrick roundabout along Risborough Road and into Stoke Mandeville. We know the changes will be welcomed by everyone in the local community.”

Steven added: “The disruption caused by the ongoing HS2 works on our doorstep continues to be a real headache for many local residents but with access to this limited funding, we are at least able to address a range of road safety concerns that might otherwise not have been possible so we can continue in our efforts to improve road safety for everyone across the county.”

Buckinghamshire Council is asking residents to think twice before throwing food waste in the bin and to recycle it instead.

Currently around a third of the waste thrown in the regular rubbish bin in Buckinghamshire is food waste. This equates to around 28,000 tonnes of food every year, an average of 2kg per household per week. It is enough to fill Big Ben more than one and a half times each year. Not only does this cost local taxpayers more than £600,000 a year in disposal costs, disposing of food waste in this way also damages the environment as it produces double the amount of carbon emissions compared to recycling food waste.

As part of a renewed drive to encourage more people to recycle their food waste, over the next few weeks the council will be delivering leaflets, putting stickers on rubbish bins, and letting people know about the many benefits of food recycling. Attention is particularly being focused on areas where there is more scope to increase food recycling rates.

Gareth Williams, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, said: “We know lots of people already recycle their food waste and we appreciate their efforts, but we want to encourage more people to do it. Recycling your food waste is much better for everyone and it really couldn’t be easier. With our weekly food waste collection service, all you need to do is put your food waste in your dedicated food recycling bin rather than your regular bin. Leave it out for collection on your usual weekly bin day and we will empty it.”

Even residents who are keen recyclers might not know they can recycle some food waste. Many people don’t realise they can recycle mouldy bread or out of date food – once the packaging has been removed of course. Even tea bags and coffee grounds, which you might not think of as food waste, can be recycled.

Home composting is another way of recycling some food waste which can be transformed into soil improver for gardens. Cooked food waste is not suitable for composting however and should instead be put into the kerbside food recycling bin for collection.

Gareth continued: “By recycling any food that can’t be eaten instead of throwing it in the bin, you will be helping to save money which could be spent on other essential council services. The food that is collected for recycling across Buckinghamshire is delivered to facilities near Aylesbury and turned into energy to power our homes. It also produces a high-quality fertiliser for use on agricultural land. Did you know, recycling just six tea bags will generate enough energy to boil a kettle to make another cuppa?”

The recycling process for food is called anaerobic digestion. It uses micro-organisms to break down food waste in the absence of oxygen, inside an enclosed system. As it breaks down it gives off methane, which is collected and converted into biogas and used to generate electricity. It also creates a nutrient-rich digestate that can be used as a fertiliser for agriculture and in land regeneration.16,000 tonnes of food is recycled from Buckinghamshire homes each year.

You can find more information on recycling food at home and also tips on how to reduce your food waste on:www.recycleforbuckinghamshire.co.uk

Buckinghamshire Council is encouraging residents to help them fight fraud as part of International Fraud Awareness Week (12-18 November).

The council's Fraud Team tackles housing benefit cheating, council tax scams, cybercrime and more. Losses from fraud cost taxpayers thousands of pounds yearly.

Recent action by the Fraud Team includes a joint operation with Parking Services aimed at targeting Blue Badge misuse. Investigators caught several people using expired badges or overstaying time limits in disabled parking bays. Offenders were issued a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) for their parking contravention and sent warning letters.

Commenting on the operation, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Steven Broadbent, said:

“Blue Badge misuse is not only fraud, but also a serious problem for our most vulnerable residents who rely on the scheme to access essential services and facilities. By parking in disabled bays without a valid badge, offenders are taking away spaces from those who really need them, causing them unnecessary inconvenience and stress.

“The recent successful operation by our teams to identify those who misuse Blue Badges – whether they are expired, stolen or used by someone else – sends a clear message to anyone who thinks they can get away with this dishonest and selfish behaviour: we will find you and we will take action.

“Suspected abuses of the Blue Badge scheme should be reported to us via our website.”

Nationally, fraud costs the public sector £50 billion annually – that’s around £1,000 per household. And of all crimes committed in the UK, fraud is estimated to account for 40% of them.

John Chilver, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Accessible Housing & Resources, commented:

"We do not tolerate fraud in Buckinghamshire.

“We take all fraud allegations seriously and investigate them thoroughly. We urge anyone who spots anything suspicious to report it. If needed, this can be done anonymously.

"Fraud harms all Buckinghamshire residents by diverting funds away from essential services. Which is why we should all be vigilant – your tip-off could stop the cheats."

Frauds, scams or other suspicious activity in Buckinghamshire should be reported via the council’s website.

Tips and advice on becoming ‘fraud aware’ are available on the Action Fraud website.

Network Rail, HS2 and Chiltern Railways are thanking passengers and local people this week after the railway between Aylesbury and Princes Risborough reopened as planned this morning (Monday 30 October) following major work to prepare for HS2.

What work has been completed?

During a 12-week closure of the line, a damaged culvert was repaired to the south of Aylesbury station in August. Immediately after this work was completed, almost 2km of track was replaced and installed across a brand-new embankment built by HS2’s contractor, EKFB (a team made up of Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and Bam Nuttall).

The new section of track will provide smoother and more reliable journeys for Chiltern Railways' passengers as well as vitally allowing HS2 to construct new high speed lines which will pass beneath a new 100m steel bridge carrying the existing railway. To the north of the new high speed route HS2 have installed a further bridge structure which will allow the proposed South West Aylesbury Link Road to also pass beneath the route between Aylesbury and Princes Risborough.

We’ve worked hard to reduce the impact of our work on the local environment by delivering most of our materials by rail, including 11,000 tonnes of railway ballast (stone). This has helped us to remove over 800 lorry movements from the local and national road network.

Marsh Lane level crossing closure

As part of our work to realign the railway, Marsh Lane level crossing needed to be closed to the public during the railway closure to allow our engineers and engineering trains safe continuous access to the work site.

Now our track realignment work has been completed, a project to upgrade Marsh Lane level crossing is required to make it safer and bring it up to modern safety standards. Work will take place to install a full barrier level crossing in 2024 and then it will reopen to pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. We’ll keep you and the local community updated about this project.

Thanking passengers in Aylesbury

On Tuesday 31 October, staff from Network Rail and Chiltern Railways will be thanking passengers in person for their patience at Aylesbury and Princes Risborough stations between 3pm and 6pm. As a thank you gesture, passengers will be offered special edition cakes and vouchers for use at both of the stations’ cafés.

Please use the QR code on to take the survey on the future of All Saints Church, our beautiful 13th century church. 

Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 18C of the Representation of the People Act 1983 Buckinghamshire Council (the Council) is to carry out a review of its polling districts and polling places. Relevant information and mapping regarding the current arrangements and proposals for changes can be found on the Council’s website www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/polling-feedback, or can be inspected at The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 8FF. The (Acting) Returning Officer (ARO) for the Parliamentary constituencies of: • Aylesbury • Beaconsfield • Buckingham and Bletchley • Chesham and Amersham • Mid Buckinghamshire, and • Wycombe will comment on the proposals. Those representations will be published on the Council’s website and will be available for inspection at The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 8FF in accordance with the timetable set out below. Electors within the Council area or within a UK Parliamentary constituency which has any part in the authority may make a representation. We invite comments from all electors regarding the convenience of voting at polling stations currently used for elections and would welcome suggestions for alternative sites. The Council would also welcome the views of all residents, particularly disabled residents, or any person or body with expertise in access for persons with any type of disability, on the proposals, ARO’s representations or any other related matters. Anybody making representations should, if possible, give alternative places that may be used as polling places. Comments and representations may be submitted as follows: By post Polling District Review Consultation, Electoral Services, The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 8FF By email elections@buckinghamshire.gov.uk By completing the online feedback form www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/polling-review All representations must be made by no later than Monday 4 December 2023 Timetable Date 2 October 2023 Formal notice of review 6 November 2023 Publication of (Acting) Returning Officer’s comments 2 October 2023 Commencement of public consultation period 4 December 2023 End of public consultation period 18 January 2023 Final proposals considered by Standards and General Purposes Committee 1 February 2024 Publish revised register of electors The outcome of the review will be published by the Council in January 2024 and will be available for inspection on the Council's website and The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 8FF. Anybody making representations should be aware that, upon completion of the review, all correspondence and representations received must, by law, also be published. Dated: Monday 2 October 2023 Rachael Shimmin Chief Executive Buckinghamshire Council

Buckinghamshire Council is preparing its spending plans for 2024 to 2025 and is asking residents, businesses and other local stakeholders to give their views on which services should be prioritised.

The consultation period will close at midnight on Sunday 15 October 2023, so this is your final opportunity to have your say on how your council tax is spent.

The council is committed to ensuring that their budget for the next financial year is allocated in a way that meets the needs of the community – including funding for essential services such as education, social care and waste management.

There have already been a significant number of responses to the consultation from across Buckinghamshire, but it's not too late to give your views. You can provide feedback on the proposed spending plan by visiting the council's website and filling out theonline survey.

Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council, said:

“Budget setting in recent times has become extremely difficult. While we are seeing some more stability and a slowing of inflation, we have also seen very significant rises in social care costs, with many more people coming through the door needing our help. It means we’re already spending more than we budgeted for this year on services like social care and temporary accommodation, and if this trend continues, it puts even more pressure on our overall budgets.

“I have to level with people and explain that we will have to take some really tough decisions to balance our books. We know residents have been experiencing ongoing cost of living pressures, so we face very difficult choices on how we provide some services going forward.

“All this means it is crucial that we build up a clear picture of what residents, businesses and local stakeholders want us to do.

“With the Money Matters survey, we’ve made it as quick and easy as possible for you to give us your views – it really will be ten minutes well spent if you can take part. Your views will then be fed into our final budget proposals which will be heavily scrutinised just after Christmas in a series of special meetings. The final budget is then voted on during February, ready to ‘go live’ on 1 April 2024.”

You can find more information about Money Matters and have your say by visiting Buckinghamshire Council'sMoney Matters webpage.

Buckinghamshire Council Leader, Martin Tett, reacted to Wednesday’s announcement of the cancellation of the Birmingham to Manchester section of HS2, by saying that, having ‘suffered all of the pain without any gain’ from Phase 1 of the project, Bucks should now receive significant compensatory investment.

“I was absolutely delighted with the decision. It is undoubtedly right that this ill-conceived and vastly expensive scheme is finally cancelled. My regret is that it is thirteen years too late. Here in Buckinghamshire, we have suffered the devastation of our beautiful county and environment. People’s lives have been destroyed, businesses closed, and our fabulous countryside and ancient woodlands torn up. I dread to think how much hard-pressed tax-payers’ money has already been wasted.”

“Sadly, I fear that it is too late to cancel the HS2 line through Buckinghamshire. The damage is already done. What I am demanding is that the Government commits a fraction of the £36bn saved from both de-scoping Euston and cancelling north of Birmingham to help repair the damage already done in Buckinghamshire. I am writing today to Mark Harper, the Secretary of State for Transport putting the case that Buckinghamshire deserves to share significantly in the national benefits of cancellation. We have an environment that needs restoration and key transport schemes that need funding. These should be priorities for the Government now that it has finally seen sense.”

From Sunday 1 October, all 10 of Buckinghamshire’s Household Recycling Centres (HRCs) will switch over to the usual winter opening hours of 9am to 4pm.

The days each centre is open will remain unchanged but the change in hours reflects the fact that as it gets closer to the clocks going back at the end of October and over the winter months, the number of visitors to the sites decreases rapidly once it starts to get darker earlier.

Gareth Williams, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment explained: “This is something that we do every year at this time, but we want to make sure that everyone is aware of this important change to winter closing times of 4pm from 1 October, so please take note.”

To find out which days your local HRC is open and also further details of what can and cannot be taken to a centre, visit: buckinghamshire.gov.uk/waste-and-recycling/

Did you know you can also view live webcam footage via the council website, to check if the site is busy and avoid having to wait in a queue? If you are unsure about the best time to visit, take a look at the cameras and plan your trip accordingly.

Don’t forget, any items such as furniture, garden equipment, bicycles and household equipment in good condition that you are looking to get rid of, can be taken to any HRC where they are collected for reuse. Items donated are sold on by the South Bucks Hospice which runs the reuse shops in High Wycombe and Aston Clinton HRCs. Items for resale can be taken to any of the 10 sites and will be transported to the reuse shops.

Gareth continued: “We would encourage anyone who wants to get rid of good quality household and garden items to donate them to the hospice reuse shops. You can combine your donations with a regular trip to the tip so it couldn’t be easier. The items you no longer want will be snapped up by someone else who needs them and by donating in this way you are helping raise much needed funds for a local charity, so everyone is a winner.”

That is the question the Safer Buckinghamshire Board is asking residents and other interested parties as it launches its Safer Bucks consultation.

The Safer Buckinghamshire Board is the local multi-agency community safety partnership that brings together experts from the police, fire service, probation health and social care services.

Following last year’s community safety survey, the new Safer Buckinghamshire Strategy 2023-26 was developed. The strategy outlined the five key priorities for improving community safety and fear of crime in the area. To help deliver the next 12 months of the strategy, the Safer Buckinghamshire Board is keen to know:

• What impact crime and anti-social behaviour has in local areas
• More about people’s experiences of reporting crime
• How safe or unsafe residents feel in Buckinghamshire

The consultation is open to anyone who lives, works or studies in Buckinghamshire. It is open until 29 October. You can complete the survey online at: Community safety survey 2023: How can we make Buckinghamshire safer? . Residents can obtain a hard copy by contacting: sbp@buckinghamshire.gov.uk.

Thomas Broom, Buckinghamshire Council’s Deputy Cabinet Member for Community Safety said: “On the whole Buckinghamshire is a very safe place to live and visit but like any area, there can be times and locations where issues occur. We are really keen to hear from local residents and others about their experiences and the effect these matters have had on them. We can and do look at the statistics and background data, but this first-hand detail from individuals responding to a survey like this is invaluable in helping us to effectively target our resources and attention to make the best impact and improvement. It doesn’t take long to complete so please take a few minutes to let us know your thoughts.”

You can read the full Safer Buckinghamshire Strategy online.

On Monday, Thames Valley Police will be launching a new online portal for victims of crime. As the first police force to be using technology like this, we will be initially launching this with a trial period and wanted to provide a short briefing to you on what this portal will allow should it come up in conversations with victims of crime that you have contact with.

Last year, our force received nearly 1 million contacts from the public. Across the UK, there has been an increase in calls to 999 and 101, so it's vital we find new ways to communicate with our communities.

The new portal uses digital technology to improve our non-emergency contact to ensure we're giving victims the best possible service, and we’re able to prioritise those most in need.

Victims will be able to log in and get updates on their reports and contact the officer in charge of their case more easily, as well as having access to helpful resources depending on the type of crime they have been a victim of, and find useful information and links to other relevant agencies.

Victims have to be invited to the portal so they will receive a text and/or email if they are eligible to log in. As we are in the early stages of using the portal, it will not be available for all crime types and for the trial period will be used for crimes that we deem to be of a lower risk and for which we receive higher volumes of reports, for example theft from motor vehicles. We aim to expand the portal to incorporate further crime types in the future.

During the pilot period, the online portal will be hosted on a separate website, but once it is up and running for all crime types, we hope to link it to the existing Thames Valley police website. For now, only victims who have been invited to use the portal will have the URL to take them to the site.

You can watch a short video explaining what the portal will do at: TVP Portal animation - YouTube

What next?

So that we can effectively assess the success of the portal and where improvements may be needed, an opportunity for feedback will be made available around October time.

Whilst the portal is in a trial period, we will not be sharing proactive external communications for some time, potentially later this year, by which time we hope to have the portal embedded and be in a position to share positive outcomes from its use. We hope that you will be able to support us in sharing that content when the time comes.

Buckinghamshire Council is preparing its spending plans for 2024-25 and is asking residents, businesses and other local stakeholders to give their views on which services should be prioritised.

Like household budgets, councils across the country are also experiencing significant financial pressures due to rising costs and added demand on services. The general economic turbulence of the last year and a half has also made budget setting and forecasting even more challenging. In particular, the council has seen social care costs escalate even further in recent months due to many more vulnerable residents needing our help.

With everyone managing their own cost of living pressures, it’s really important that residents tell the council how they want to see next year’s council tax spent.

Council tax is the main way that local council services are funded – from bin collections to road repairs to looking after adults and children who need our care. The council has ongoing costs to provide its services and also draws up capital spending plans too – ‘one-off’ spends on particular projects or schemes such as last year’s decision to invest millions of pounds extra in resurfacing and repairing the county’s roads after significant winter damage.

The council’s ‘Money Matters’ survey has gone live today – this is the way residents can tell the council which areas they want prioritised in next year’s budget. The survey takes just ten minutes to complete. These views are then fed into the final budget proposals which are then heavily scrutinised just after Christmas in a series of special meetings. The final budget is then voted on during February ready to ‘go live’ on 1 April 2024.

Councillor Martin Tett is Leader of Buckinghamshire Council. He said:

“Budget setting in recent times has become extremely difficult. While we are seeing some more stability and a slowing of inflation, we have also seen very significant rises in social care costs, with many more people coming through the door needing our help. It means we’re already spending more than we budgeted for this year on services like social care and temporary accommodation and if this trend continues, it puts even more pressure on our overall budgets.

I have to level with people and explain that we will have to take some really tough decisions to balance our books. We know residents have been experiencing ongoing cost of living pressures, so we face very difficult choices on how we provide some services going forward.

All this means it is absolutely crucial that we build up a clear picture of what residents want us to do. I urge you therefore to tell us by completing the ‘Money Matters’ survey.”

The second Buckinghamshire Council Jobs and Apprenticeships Fair will take place on Saturday 23 September.

The County-wide event, which will be held at The Elgiva Theatre in Chesham, is an opportunity for employers to promote their jobs and apprenticeship opportunities to anyone looking for employment or seeking a change of job or career.

Buckinghamshire Jobs and Apprenticeships Fair will run from 10am to 3pm on Saturday 23 September and those interested in attending the free event can secure their place now at:

Buckinghamshire Jobs and Apprenticeships Fair Tickets, Sat 23 Sep 2023 at 10:00 | Eventbrite

The first hour from 10am to 11am has limited spaces for people who would prefer a quieter experience or need additional support – book early if this time suits you.

Attendees will be able to meet and talk with over 25 exhibitors and support organisations including All Spring Media, Silverson Machines, Carousel Buses, Buckinghamshire Fire, First Response, Balfour Beatty, Atkins Global, DeVere Hotels, Buckinghamshire Council and Buckinghamshire NHS Trust. Buckinghamshire Adult Learning will once again be delivering mini workshops on the day.

Exhibitor spaces are still available and can be booked by emailingjobsfair@buckinghamshire.gov.uk.

Joseph Baum, Deputy Cabinet Member for Education and Skills said:

“It has been a long-running passion of mine to help people find opportunities in Buckinghamshire, and I am proud to have played a part in organising this event. It is genuinely exciting and rewarding to be helping to lead the second Buckinghamshire Jobs and Apprenticeships Fair’.

This year the event is being supported by Opportunity Bucks, the council’s flagship programme to improve opportunities for people in Buckinghamshire.

Opportunity Bucks focuses on ten wards in Buckinghamshire where people are experiencing the most hardship, one of which is Chesham.”

The Government have announced a series of planning consultations taking place this summer. Full details can be accessed by clicking on the links below.

The first focusses on proposed changes to Permitted Development Rights this includes change of use and the use of local design codes. Thisconsultationwill run from 24 July 2023 to 25 September 2023.

The second consultation, includes a series of proposals aimed at making the preparation of Local Plans simpler, faster and more accessible in England. This consultation, will close on 18 October 2023.

The third and final consultation, looks at streamlining and enabling the faster delivery of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) including off-shore wind, transport links and other major infrastructure. The closing date for thisconsultation is the 19 September 2023.

Overall satisfaction with all ten of the county’s Household Recycling Centres (HRCs) is 100% according to the latest figures from the bi-annual Customer Satisfaction Survey.

The survey is carried out twice a year to gauge opinions of regular users of the sites and to ensure the facilities continue to meet the requirements of local residents.

The results show:

• 100% of those interviewed said they were satisfied overall with the HRCs (61% said they were very satisfied and 39% said they were satisfied).
• The layout of containers on site and the helpfulness of site staff also received 100% satisfaction ratings.
• The area of least satisfaction was with road signs to the site which received a 97% satisfaction rating and traffic queues which received a 98% satisfaction rating.
• Satisfaction with the range of materials which can be recycled has increased from the last survey.
• Customers in Burnham gave the highest number of ‘very satisfied’ ratings of all the sites.

Gareth Williams, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment said: “These results are a great indicator of the popularity of our household recycling centres. Our wish is to make it as easy as possible for people to be able to get rid of their household waste and recycling in a responsible and convenient way. It’s great to hear that the vast majority of our customers are pleased with how the centres are run and we will aim to continue this trend and listen to all the feedback to see if we can make further improvements.”

FCC Environment manages the ten HRCs across the county on behalf of Buckinghamshire Council.

FCC Environment’s HRC Contract Manager James Reseigh commented: “The recent survey results are fantastic and a true reflection of the continued hard work and dedication of the team members operating the sites. This comes hot on the heels of our High Wycombe site winning the Civic Amenity Site of the Year in the National Recycling Awards which was an amazing achievement. But it’s good to have it confirmed that our visitors feel that we deliver a great service. We are excited to continue to do so over the duration of the contract.”

The survey also asked site users about the reuse facilities at the HRC sites, gauging awareness of the reuse shops at Aston Clinton and High Wycombe HRCs and their knowledge of donating items for resale and reuse.

In 2022-23, reuse tonnage was 941 tonnes in total, the equivalent weight to more than 78 double decker buses. Staff working at all HRCs also keep an eye out for items brought to the sites to see whether they can be resold and direct residents to the reuse area. Items are taken from all 10 sites and delivered to the two shops in Aston Clinton and High Wycombe. Top selling items include furniture, garden ornaments, crockery and sporting equipment – all of which can be donated directly to one of the reuse shops which are run by South Bucks Hospice.

In the survey, over two-thirds of respondents (70%) claimed to know that all HRC sites keep reusable items separate. These items are then sold in one of South Bucks Hospice's charity shops. Of those asked, 64% said they would donate if they knew what items could be donated.

The reuse shops are open for the same hours as the HRCs and are staffed by South Bucks Hospice staff. The reuse shop at High Wycombe now has its own car park and entrance which has increased footfall to the shop. More donations are always welcome.

Jackie Ward, CEO of South Bucks Hospice, said: “Reusing and recycling has always been popular with many people but with continued cost of living pressures, even more people are looking at ways to make their money go further and reuse shops like these can be great places to find a bargain. We are finding that many items are being snapped up almost as soon as they are donated so we are always keen for people to donate more. You can combine two trips in one, get rid of your waste and donate to charity at the same time.”

To find a full list of Household Recycling Centres in Buckinghamshire, visit the council’s website.