THE February 2018 LEE For The Lee, Lee Common, Hunts Green, Kings Ash and Swan Bottom library service, which is currently ‘out From the Editor for consultation’, a process that By Richard Dickinson inevitably suggests that Bucks. County Council would rather like to shut it very belated Happy New Year down. Does it matter? Well for the 511 from The Lee Newsletter A people that use it the answer is probably team! Hopefully by the time a resounding YES! Those people will this drops onto your doormat the sun tend to be elderly, less mobile, on their will have reappeared and there will be own and find it harder to visit the bricks some indications of climate change! In and mortar alternative. fact, we already have 76 minutes of st A more profound question however extra daylight when compared to 1 is this: What is the impact on our January but given the December we’ve community of the gradual withdrawal of had it is no surprise that snow features useful but non-essential services? Each in articles within. We thought however cut must surely diminish the community that we would help brighten up the unless of course volunteers and residents gloom a little with a splash of colour in step in to help out – which seems to be this edition, with a reminder of some of the solution that the County Council the flora and fauna that surrounds us. now want to suggest for the mobile The lively debate on woodland library. I asked to speak to someone at management continues in the letters the Council about the service and guess section and I was also interested to what? It was unable to provide a receive Phil Harrison’s observations response in time for publication! There about the recycling practices of Chiltern seems to be a recurring theme here and I District Council. I contacted the Council am left wondering why the people that for a response but despite follow-up we elect, and particularly their Sales & Lettings emails it was unable to provide a respective organisations, do not seem 64 High Street Great Missenden response in time for publication. That willing or able to talk about the quality got me thinking about the value that and type of local services that they run Buckinghamshire HP16 0AN Councils are adding in this time of on our behalf. Tel: 01494 890990 austerity and cuts. For sure, local The editor for the March edition is authority budgets have been cut by Peter Archer, so please send material to email: [email protected] central government, much more so than him by 12 th February, by email to www.jeremyswan.co.uk many central departments, but questions [email protected] or if remain about the added value of local you prefer, hardcopy to Mulberry authorities. Take for example the mobile Cottage, Blackthorne Lane, Ballinger. 2 3 that were the subject of the To the Editor Your letters correspondence in May 2014 are still I have no idea who dedicated the gate but ‘Women, Prosecco, Cheese and To the Editor in a poor condition some three and half years later! Secateurs’ were all on my Christmas list. Woodlands revisited Whilst the landowners may make Adrian Mole, age 13¾ What a pity that some of the responses these woodlands ‘not well-managed P.S. I got three out of four! to John Pope’s letter appear to seek to they are manicured – brilliant belittle other people’s views of what is silviculture’ we would just like to be To the Editor happening in our local community! able to use the public footpaths safely Thanks! Thank you to all the respondees for so that we can enjoy the environment Just to say how much I enjoyed the trying to ‘educate’ those of us that are without worrying about breaking a leg Newsletter Dinner in December and not fully aware of matters of or losing a boot (which one of us did thank you and those involved for ‘forestry’. recently). Is it really too much for any To the Editor including me on the guest list. We feel that in all the matters contractor or forest worker to restore Kissing gate mystery People in The Lee have worked discussed in recent correspondence the footpaths to a useable and safe In your December edition you asked to very hard to create such a pro-active one point that affects all walkers in the standard after they finish working? whom – or what – is the new kissing and friendly community and it is area has been side-lined. John Pope Has anyone considered the impression gate on Kings Lane dedicated? The lovely that much of what goes on is raises the matter of the ‘rutted given to visiting walkers who come to inscription ‘Women, Prosecco, Cheese available to and shared with the footpaths’ (this was also raised in see our beautiful AONB? surrounding hamlets of South Heath correspondence in May 2014) and it and Secateurs’ rather gives this away. Peter and Jo Jordan Having very much enjoyed her and Ballinger. seems to us that as far as walkers are Lee Gate Lynda Cooke concerned it is the condition that the walking in the Chilterns, the gate has of course been dedicated by Theresa Ballinger footpaths are left in that causes much To the Editor May, MP in recognition of the current of the concern. We are sure that What a waste! everyone who uses the area for state of the Government’s negotiations With the news channels full of stories The Lee walking appreciates the involvement on Brexit and the four key stumbling and information regarding the damage of the landowners in maintaining the blocks in reaching an agreement with being done by plastic, particularly in based beautiful woodlands and are happy to the EU, namely “Women, Prosecco, the oceans, and China’s decision to be educated but the condition that Cheese and Secateurs”. stop taking our plastic for recycling, In fact the gate is to be known as dog walker some of the footpaths are left in have you ever wondered how the following forestry work makes ‘Brexitgate’, as although it was As from February 2018, I have village’s careful recycling is handled? designed to allow a free flow of goods walking difficult and dangerous for th On 4 January the collection of the availability for one more dog to users. The footpaths in Broiler Wood and services through the gate in either recycling waste was made in the direction, it was also intended to restrict be walked either separately or Crocketts Lane/Oxford Street area of non-Lee residents from passing through with others. I also offer home- Lee Common. the gate from West to East. However, visits to feed or let out your pets I watched as the operatives took due to disagreements during the whilst at work or away. the brown paper boxes full of protracted negotiation and construction Christmas detritus and simply emptied period, the design has in fact proved Other services available. them into the blue bins full of bottles, faulty; Brexitgate will in fact allow References available on request. cans and plastic containers and then anyone and anything to pass in any emptied the total into their lorry. Am I direction they like, whenever they like! Contact: missing something? The gate is aptly named. Adele: 07547 100312 Phil Harrison A. Resident Lee Common The Lee [email protected] 4 5 campaigner for the organisation Chilterns survey spending over 780 hours a year – By Emma van Dijk, Chilterns that’s an incredible two hours every Conservation Board single day! – volunteering her help, Cromar he Chilterns Conservation Board support and expertise. has launched a survey on the The Prime Minister recently Carpets Ltd Chilterns Area of Outstanding recognised Gill’s dedication saying T “Your work with ‘DrugFAM’ as well Natural Beauty (AONB). We want to hear from local organisations and as your experience at ‘Samaritans’ members of the public about what they demonstrates your inspiring ARPETS INYL AND special landscape over the next five dedication to providing a listening ear C , V value about the Chilterns, what their OOD LOORING concerns are and what the priorities years and beyond. to some of the people in society who W F should be for the future. This survey will form part of our need it most. By both extending the UPPLIED AND ITTED review of the Chilterns AONB S F The Chilterns AONB, with its organisation’s support to include Management Plan working with a dramatic chalk ridges, beautiful email help and also creating a range of partners. As an important valleys, meandering chalk streams and bereavement support group in High stakeholder in the AONB we are very traditional brick and flint houses, Wycombe, you have given your local keen to involve you in this process. A spans the four counties of community the opportunity to share 9-11 S TATION A PPROACH first consultation on a draft plan will Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, their experiences without judgement.” GREAT M ISSENDEN take place from May and we will Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. ensure you also have the opportunity 01494 862125 Sitting on the doorstep of London and to comment at that time. with major towns and cities within The link to the survey can be easy reach it is arguably the most found at: www.surveymonkey.com/r/ accessible protected landscape in the FutureOfTheChilterns United Kingdom. Once you have completed the Tell us what you value about this survey please do share it so we can area, what you are concerned about gather as many views as possible.