Spring 2015/16 Pitstone Parish Post Page Pitstone Parish Post PPP is produced on behalf of Pitstone Parish Council and distributed quarterly, free to every household, PPP aims to keep members of the local community informed about events and news that may affect them. We are very grateful to the following distributors, who deliver the magazine to your door every quarter: Page 2 Pitstone Parish Post Spring 2015/16 WELCOME Bob Saintey, Chairman, Pitstone Parish Council Undoubtedly, the highlight of the last Councils, which has affected services month has been the overwhelming in the village. The Parish Council has success of the Neighbourhood Plan. decided to take on some newly My sincere thanks to the steering devolved services, particularly grass team, who completed this difficult cutting and other associated and arduous task in record time, and maintenance. of course to the voting community, The financial sum that was ring- who supported it so favourably. We fenced for upkeep and maintenance are just waiting now for A.V.D.C. to of the Pavilion site on Marsworth complete the procedure of accepting Road has expired. This money was it and delivering to us, the Parish originally S106 money from the phase Made Plan. This would stand this one Castlemead development some village in good stead against 15 years ago. This now places the prospective developers for the next onus on the Parish Precept but a new 15 years. Sports and Leisure Committee is We have all received, on our working extremely hard to balance doormats, notification of our local income with expenditure. taxes. You will have seen a 10% Now that the weather is improving, increase in the Pitstone Parish and the days are lengthening precept. The village has been please can we hope that dog owners protected from a rise over the last 4 will take their pets further a field or 5 years by careful financial rather than letting them make planning. Central Government has deposits along Marsworth Road. cut its financial support to local Finally, aren’t the daffodils around the government i.e. County and District village lovely? A real herald of Spring. Spring 2015/16 Pitstone Parish Post Page 3 Page 4 Pitstone Parish Post Spring 2015/16 Spring 2015/16 Pitstone Parish Post Page 5 COUNTY COUNCIL NEWS Avril Davies County Councillor, Ivinghoe Division May 5th and June 23rd. Are you To check your registration and registered to vote? register call 01296 585807. To The March referendum on Pitstone register on line www.gov.uk/ Neighbourhood Plan was a register to vote. For more tremendous success with 1127 votes information in favour of the plan and 39 www.aboutmyvote.co.uk against. A 49% turnout is high for Slippage on our local road any local election but it could have maintenance program. been higher. Nearly as many people It's been disappointing to see work as voted against the plan came to scheduled for 2015 slipping to mid the polling station and found they 2016. I've been sent a provisional weren't registered to vote. timetable for work on the B488 For several years now registration Ivinghoe to Horton in stages from has to be done individually, not by April to June, June to August and household. But you can register to July to October 2016. Work is also vote at any time. due on the Beacon Road and Main Although you don't have to take Road, South Dagnall. your polling card to the polling Cheddington railway bridge station in order to vote, if you don't closure. get one, or if only one person in I have been unofficially informed but your household gets one, it's a good that repairs currently being indication you are not on the undertaken are only a temporary fix register. (Continued on page 6) Page 6 Pitstone Parish Post Spring 2015/16 (Continued from page 5) completion of the A5/M1 link but no progress has yet been made on and more work is scheduled for putting weight limits on the B488 at later in the year. I have been enforceable points to prevent the meeting with the decision-makers at displacement of HGVs to the west Bucks County Council to impress rather than the M1. upon them the fragility of the Bucks county council chief network in this division in an executive retires. attempt to force some joined up Chris Williams retired at the end of thinking for the future. March after 15 years in the post. I The A4146 through Dagnall, am one of the small interview panel Edlesborough and Northall is to recruiting a new chief executive in become the B440 shortly after the mid April. Spring 2015/16 Pitstone Parish Post Page 7 DISTRICT COUNCIL NEWS Sandra Jenkins & Derek Town, District Councillors, Pitstone & Cheddington Ward Cooks Wharf The council has to spend £350,000 After almost two years and many each year picking up litter from emails, Bucks County Council have streets, main roads, parks and open agreed to repair the railings at Cooks spaces. AVDC's Cabinet Member for Wharf bridge, although it is disputed Environment and Waste said: “A as to who is actually responsible for substantial part of our budget has to future maintenance. The lead time be set aside each year to clean up for the repair is June. litter as it’s not only an eyesore but AVDC have launched an anti - can also become a real health littering campaign : hazard. We’d much prefer to spend In March Aylesbury Vale District this money improving services and Council set up a display in Market facilities for residents, rather than Square, Aylesbury, to showcase the having to pay for expensive and amount of litter dropped in the town preventable clean-up operations. centre throughout the day. The The problem is made yet more acute displays highlighted the problems as our budget is under ever litter creates and helped promote increasing pressure with our funding AVDC’s anti-littering message: ‘Bin it from central government soon due or take it home.’ (Continued on page 9) Page 8 Pitstone Parish Post Spring 2015/16 Spring 2015/16 Pitstone Parish Post Page 9 (Continued from page 7) and South, was a viable option. The model would see both authorities to disappear altogether.” providing a complete package of As well as AVDC clean-ups various district and county services for voluntary groups around the Vale residents of the Vale. “We shared support these initiatives. this report with other district leaders Update on AVDC becoming a unitary in the county but found there was no authority appetite to progress discussions. As a AVDC Cabinet Member for Business councillor for both the county and Transformation, Cllr Janet Blake, has the Vale, I truly believe that having called for the county’s local authorities to get round the table two unitaries in Bucks is the way and discuss a unitary future for forward. Whatever the outcome, I’d Buckinghamshire. urge leaders to start talking.” Recent comments from Cllr Blake went on to state that our Buckinghamshire County Council’s population will grow to around former Chief Executive have reignited 250,000 over the next 20 years. “We the debate on unitary authorities, need councillors who are something AVDC was keen to democratically accountable for progress at the end of 2014 - when a providing all services for this area. It’s Bucks Business First report gave four not just about value for money it’s options, concluding that doing also very much about localism.” nothing was not an option. Potholes “There’s no doubt that our residents We have had complaints regarding and communities are not getting the the potholes in the roads. Please best deal under the current two tier report on the Transport for Bucks system, where county and district website. We know the roads councils deliver different services. It’s maintenance budget is stretched but not cost effective and lends itself to we have many cyclists on our rural duplication and confusion, ” said Cllr roads and potholes can be a danger. Blake , leader of AVDC. Sandra Jenkins0 1296 668587 Last year AVDC commissioned an LG [email protected] Derek Town Futures Report, which concluded that 01296 661637 [email protected] two unitary authorities: Bucks, North District Councillors - Pitstone & Cheddington Ward Page 10 Pitstone Parish Post Spring 2015/16 For over 10 years Home-Start Aylesbury has been supporting ordinary families with young children struggling to cope through difficult times. We are now looking for new volunteers to join our friendly team. Our network of home-visiting volunteers offer emotional and practical support for 2-3 hours a week to any family in Aylesbury Vale with one or more children under 5 who need some help. Maybe they are feeling isolated or lonely, or are having a hard time coping with their child’s illness or disability, bereavement, post natal depression or be having relationship difficulties, they could be struggling to cope with the physical and emotional demands of having a baby, young children, or multiple birth. Volunteers offer a listening ear, reassurance and encouragement, playing and helping with the children, practical support or an extra pair of hands! This simple parent-to-parent help can have a positive and long-lasting impact on family life. If you can give 2-3 hours a week and have parenting experience we would love to hear from you. All volunteers are provided with training, support and expenses. For an informal chat please contact Shushana Kendrick on 01296 485615 or [email protected] Spring 2015/16 Pitstone Parish Post Page 11 PARISH COUNCIL NEWS Laurie Eagling, Parish Clerk Pitstone Voted “Yes” delighted to announce that once Pitstone Parish Council would like again there will be no price increase to thank everyone on the NDP for allotment plot rental for the Steering Group who worked so 2016/17 season.