JULY 2015 | ISSUE 16 AYLESBURY VALE aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk • A new uni for the Vale: UCAV prepares to open! • Mix96’s Katy on Play in the Park WIN!• Plus, win fantastic family days out! ALSO INSIDE: Who’s your councillor?, discover Aylesbury, Swan Pool, investing in business, AVDC’s new company and much more News from Aylesbury Vale District Council AC Cars A4 May 15_Layout 1 16/05/2015 15:37 Page 1 Registered AVDC contents • 1 drivers required Inside this issue: Our new 2 Why we’re looking at a website - unitary Aylesbury Vale making life 3 AVDC sets up its own company easier AC CABS Next month we’ll be launching our new website which has been A great year for affordable developed with the help of our residents. housing 7 We’ve been working hard to create a site which fits with today’s world, Book your 2015 UK airport transfer today where services and information can be accessed with ease and speed, 8 Eye-opening Aylesbury anytime, on any device. This is a big part of our drive to operate more 9 How we’re helping commercially and we expect the AVDC website to compare with the best 10% local businesses out there. Aylesbury’s We would like to say a huge thanks to those who took part in our OFF university gets customer workshops and got involved in the testing process. Their input RETURN ready to open 9 has been vital in designing a site based around the needs of people who JOURNEYS live and work in the Vale. 10 Who’s your councillor? The website will continue to grow and have new features added so 13 Recycle, recycle, recycle! please keep an eye out for all the new things you can do over the coming months, giving you greater access to services and online transactions. Mix96’s Katy You will, of course, still be able to do all of the usual things, like paying on Play in your council tax and reporting issues. the Park 17 The new site has been developed with residents in mind and we’d love to hear your feedback. You will be able to leave your comments on 19 The local loves of a Facebook, Twitter or the website itself. The web address will stay the world-class athlete same for the time being but the experience will be very different! Keep 19 Our great summer checking our current site and social media pages for updates. giveaway competition Election results Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4 Zone 5 Zone 6 Zone 7 What’s On this summer In May, more than 68% of you voted in the national and local Haddenham Weedon Quainton Winslow Padbury Nash 20 elections. John Bercow continues as Buckingham’s MP, Conservative Aylesbury David Lidington continues to serve Aylesbury and AVDC remains Ashendon Wingrave Brill Whitchurch Tingewick Akeley Conservative. To find out who your local councillor is, please turn to page 10. Aylesbury Vale Times is a publication from Aylesbury Vale 01296 585858 (main switchboard) District Council. It is printed on environmentally friendly www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk paper; please recycle after reading. The editor: 01296 585026 or [email protected] If you’d like a free copy of this magazine in large print, Please call us to confirm your zone This edition of Aylesbury Vale Times or on CD, call 01296 585026 costs around 13p per copy.* Front cover photo: University Campus Aylesbury Vale (UCAV) Some stock images are used in the production of this magazine to and get your UK holiday transfer quote help illustrate an article, this is in part to ensure costs are kept to a minimum. *Copy price may vary slightly per issue, depending on advertising revenue and postage costs. External advertising in the magazine does not imply an endorsement or promotion of the advertisement, nor its content, products or services The views expressed by individuals in Aylesbury Vale Times are not 01296 506040 necessarily the views of Aylesbury Vale District Council. Every effort is made by Aylesbury Vale District Council. to ensure that all information is accurate at the time of going to press. A local professional service at very competitive prices news • 3 2 • your council your council • 3 Unitary council - YOUR COUNCIL IS CHANGING... Our drive to get more commercial, balance our what could it mean for you? budget and manage central government cuts, Superfast broadband while keeping residents at the heart of what we In February, council approved plans to develop a business case for a unitary authority for do, continues. Our new website, as detailed on for our communities the Vale. Work is underway and we will be keeping you updated through this magazine, our page one, is central to how we are changing but We are in the process of setting up a company website and social media. here is an update on some of our other changes… to deliver superfast broadband to residents and businesses in rural communities. It’s important to make clear that a unitary Vale is not needs. Providing ‘one-size-fits-all’ services across The AVDC trading arm the only option. We could keep the current two-tier Buckinghamshire does not necessarily offer the best We’ve chosen to pilot the project in the AVDC is setting up a company for the commercial supply of system, consisting of the district and county council, or value for residents and the current two-tier system North Marston and Granborough area as the consultancy services, following agreement from cabinet. the system could change to a single unitary authority for causes confusion and inefficiencies. technology is unlikely to be delivered there by the whole of Bucks, or some other variation. However all Known as our ‘trading arm’, it will initially focus on a communications company within a reasonable Would a unitary system cost the taxpayer more? parties at AVDC agree that unitary local government is energy and sustainability services, but with the potential timeframe. most likely to offer the best deal for residents. Research shows that a unitary Vale would be more to cover all council consultancy services. This initial pilot project is being funded from the affordable. Savings could be made through greater £1.5 million that the council has set aside from Over the coming months, there will be much debate This will give us greater freedom to explore new income efficiencies and less duplication of services. We believe our New Homes Bonus Fund for investment in in the public arena. In the meantime, we would like to streams. It’s another example of us getting more a major shake-up of the current system is required to superfast broadband. The future plans for the address some of the key questions you may have. commercial and competing in the open market, in our help manage continuing cuts from central government next areas for investment will be considered efforts to manage the cuts from central government. What does changing to a unitary Vale mean? and to protect key services. once the pilot project has been implemented It also links to our partnership with Sustainability and evaluated later in the summer. This would mean merging the district and county What will happen to town and parish councils? for Business, which will encourage up to 9,000 local councils (AVDC and BCC) to form a new single authority For more information visit the AVB website They will remain in place and may even have an Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to adopt for the district, which would deliver services to the Vale’s www.avbroadband.co.uk enhanced role. We don’t believe absolutely everything sustainable practices and improve their corporate social residents. It would not affect the ceremonial or civic needs to be done at a Vale-wide level. responsibility. Please visit www.sustainabilityforbusiness. county of Buckinghamshire. How would local businesses be affected? com for more information. We’re also supporting green When is this likely to happen? transport with the installation of three new Rapid electric vehicle AVDC has had great success in attracting business and Thinking of We expect to have the business case ready for council charging points, at our Gateway offices in Aylesbury. supporting the local economy. A unitary Vale could build extending by autumn. If council agrees it is sound, we will hold on this and would also ensure infrastructure investment a referendum, probably around spring 2016, to see if was returned to our district, which is taking the lion’s your home? residents support any of the proposals. share of the county’s housing growth. Worried it’ll take months for Why does AVDC think a unitary Vale would Your council planning permission? More questions? be better? We appreciate that you will have many more questions is achieving In a nutshell, a unitary authority for the Vale, based on and, over the coming months, we will endeavour to • By 2016 we will have saved around the current district boundary, would make decision- answer them. We will also keep you informed on any £11 million in the space of five years (our making more local and, therefore, would have announcements from central government. net budget for this financial year is greater potential to meet customer and business £15.7 million). • Earlier this year, AVDC won two Unitary Vale at a glance: • Less duplication in areas such as management industry awards. They were for Council of • Significant savings the Year and Transforming Local Services! • More local decision making and focus on residents • Best option for local economy, business • We are now providing grounds maintenance and Vale’s future Not any more • Better co-ordination of services services to Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service, in a year-long trial.