Hilltop News October & November 2012 Ten years on… n 2002 the Hilltop News’ Constitution was lodged with a bank in Chesham, Irecording for posterity that our aim was ‘to produce a Newsletter with Church and Community information to be delivered free of charge to every household in the Ecclesiastical and Civil Parishes of Cholesbury, Hawridge and St Leonards’. We hope we have fulfilled and will continue to fulfil this aim as currently 520 copies are delivered unfailingly into each household every two months while a further 70 are sent by post to former residents and those with a special interest in the Hilltops. Quite an achievement when one remembers how it all began. On this tenth anniversary of the first issue of Hilltop News, Anne Butterworth recalls its beginnings and acknowledges the many people who have kept our regular magazine going … Talking of achievements, our Local History Group is about to celebrate its What’s our vicar doing at the fete? 50th anniversary, no less. Inside, Chairman Chris Brown provides his usual summary of Late summer festivities… upcoming meetings. After a summer of Jubilee celebrations and Olympic glory we ended the season in Also in this issue… familiar style. Chris Brown goes poetical in his seasonal he Hawridge & Cholesbury Churches’ nature notes; and all the news from our Fete on August Bank Holiday Monday Churches, School, Clubs, Councils and Twas, as always, well supported and a Societies. healthy fund was raised for the churches. The Horticultural Society Annual Show, taking place the following Saturday, displayed (despite the wet summer) another remarkable variety and quality of flowers, Front cover photo fruit and vegetables; plus arts and crafts Autumn in the Hilltops: enjoy the glorious and cookery. changing colours of the trees in and around Reports and photos of these events are our villages. featured in this issue. Hilltop News 3 THE PARISH COUNCIL have just swept by and it’s hard to believe Jubilee commemorative plaque it proposes At present the County Council ensures that autumn is with us once more. to erect on the common. This money was Community Support Officers complement The Parish Council does not meet in August The Parish Council gets back into the actually given to the Council by Cllr Tricia the work of the Police, but in the event of swing of things in September and one of its Birchley at Bucks CC towards the costs of a Labour PCC, they have said their focus (or December for that matter), and it important acts will be setting its precept: producing our popular Diamond Jubilee will be on urban areas such as Slough and has been a relatively quiet summer for the annual amount it is entitled to receive bricks but production costs were met by H Reading. Fortunately a Buckinghamshire councillors and clerk alike. The main thing from Chiltern District Council to enable it G Matthews. Then sales were so successful Chairman has been elected to the Police to function. The precept is a figure derived that they covered all the other related I have been keeping an eye on recently Panel, which will scrutinise the work from a careful budgeting process which costs (boxes, bags, labels etc). In fact, we of the new Commissioner. For more has been road maintenance, which is often the Parish Council agrees and puts forward gave a small surplus of just over £100 to information about Cllr Anthony Stansfeld, busier in summer as the County Council to Chiltern DC in November each year. the Playground Fund at St Leonards Parish the Conservative Candidate and the role of tries to take advantage of the summer All spending must, as a rule, come from Hall. Councillors decided that the £200 from the Police and Crime Commissioner, you can within the budget, though exceptions are Tricia Birchley should remain with a local visit www.anthonystansfeld.org.uk. weather. occasionally possible and emergencies are Diamond Jubilee project, hence its eventual The Government’s plans for additional say ‘summer weather’ not ‘good catered for with a separate emergency destination with the HCCPS. Sometimes it airport capacity are to be examined by weather’ as everyone knows we’ve had fund. does seem as if we pass money round five Sir Howard Davies and, whilst an interim I a very mixed bag this summer! Still, it These restrictions of budget are partly times before it settles but at least it all ends report will be published late next year, has been good enough to see extensive why the dog waste bin, requested back in up in the right place! the full proposals won’t be revealed until re-patching completed on Wigginton Road April by the H&C Cricket Club, was delayed. Susie Bell, Clerk to the Council 2015. This adds additional uncertainty to between Nut Hazel Cross and Hog Lane The Club, not unreasonably, wanted a 758408 [email protected] the need for HS2, and the County Council (let’s hope it lasts a bit longer this time), bin near the cricket pitch and pavilion to will continue to oppose the route through plus patching along the length of Little encourage dog walkers to pick up their the Chilterns AONB. I am confident that Twye Road in Buckland Common and also dogs’ mess in the area. However, as it THE COUNTY COUNCIL the legal challenges that will be heard in Arrewig Lane. (There will be more patching wasn’t a budgeted expense, the Parish December will cause further delay and done on Little Twye when the various Council asked for contributions towards the he Olympic and Paralympic Games I hope result in the use of an existing building projects along the road have cost of buying and installing the bin, which have made us all transport corridor, decided in conjunction finished.) Taylors Lane in St Leonards has the Cricket Club and HCCPS provided. The Tfeel so proud to be with the new airport capacity. I do want to been completely resurfaced as far as the Parish Council will pick up the shortfall and British! The achievements thank all of you who have spent so much junction beyond our parish boundary. the annual emptying fee (as it does for the of so many individuals time and effort in trying to mitigate the I am having regular meetings with Jon bin at St Leonards Parish Hall) this year as is testament to the present proposals, not least the work that is Dickens, our Highways contact at Bucks an unbudgeted expense, and next year we commitment they have being done to press HS2 for a tunnel under CC, and I am confident that he treats our will add it to our budget as an ongoing made in training, and the AONB. concerns very seriously. However, it remains expense. the Government too is Once again Buckinghamshire schools every resident’s responsibility to report In return, later in the year the Parish to be congratulated in featured high in the exam league tables. potholes and other road problems to Council has agreed to give a grant of ensuring that adequate facilities were made I would like to congratulate our local Transport for Bucks for treatment – please £200 to the HCCPS towards the Diamond available for our athletes to achieve their children who did so well in their A levels don’t leave them for someone else to potential. I know we all have our favourite and GCSE’s and wish all of you who are report because if everyone does that they sports but for me it was the equestrian Your councillors are: shortly off to university every success with will stay unfilled for months! Contact tfb@ events and also seeing Andy Murray have your new courses. buckscc.gov.uk or www.transportforbucks. John Allen, Chairman: 758095 the win of his life at Wimbledon! As I write I have just returned from net. Nigel Blomfield, 758314 On 15 November we are being asked visiting friends in France and Portugal and On the fun side, it’s been a great summer Chris Brown, 758890 to vote for the Thames Valley Police and do hope you have all had an enjoyable for parties and events with Her Majesty Crime Commissioner. Thames Valley covers summer. I am here to represent your Philip Matthews, 758205 the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire interests at County Hall and am always in June and then the Olympics and John Minting, 758206 and Milton Keynes and I am deeply pleased to help you. Paralympics in July and August. Our hilltop Francis Sanger, 758767 concerned that the countryside continues Tricia Birchley (Chiltern Ridges Division) villages have been buzzing with activity on Liz van Hullen, 758800 to receive the funding necessary to reduce 01296 621138 many fronts. These last couple of months rural crime, under the new arrangements. 4 Hilltop News Hilltop News 5 Local History Group e have been used to nationally renowned expert on Saxon and commemorating anniversaries Medieval England. We are privileged to Wrecently, both national and local, have him talk to us on Moats, Motts and and over the coming Castles in Buckinghamshire. months we will be All meetings start at 8.15 sharp at St marking the Cholesbury Leonards Parish Hall, which will be open & St Leonards Local from 8pm. History Group’s 50th You don’t have to be a history buff to Year. One constant over enjoy our talks, so if you are new to the all these years has been area or have just not got around to coming inviting knowledgeable along before now, why not join us at a speakers to entertain us with interesting meeting, just £3 on the night.