Changes to Household Recycling Centres start from 1st April 2019
Notice from Bucks CC:
Back in January, the Cabinet took some extremely difficult decisions to safeguard the future of Buckinghamshire’s household recycling centre service against a backdrop of continually reduced funding and the need to protect other critical services.
As Cabinet Member for this area, I deeply regret having to make the required changes, but there really was no alternative if I was going to make the £1.2m savings required of me.
This is the first major change to our household recycling centres in a generation. They consistently receive some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings of all Council services, so we were determined to keep the changes to an absolute minimum while still achieving the necessary savings.
These changes are being introduced:
·Our sites at Aylesbury (Rabans Lane), Burnham and Chesham will close two days a week on Wednesdays and Thursdays, generally the less-busy days.
·Our Bledlow site will close at the end of March with the nearest alternative sites at Aston Clinton or High Heavens in Wycombe.
·All sites will introduce charges for non-household waste items such as bags of rubble, kitchen units, fence panels etc. This brings us into line with many other authorities who charge for items that legally don’t have to be taken for free. Domestic and green waste won’t be charged for.
Details can be found online at www.buckscc.gov.uk/HRC
Since the Cabinet decisions were made, we have been busy preparing to implement the changes in time for 1 April. This is a service that most people use at some time, and I want to ensure as little disruption as possible. I know that some of the changes will take a while to get used to, but we really value your support and understanding during the transition period.
I’m committed to ensuring that the overall service continues to meet the evolving needs of Buckinghamshire’s population, and that we can continue to improve on the impressive recycling rates we already achieve.
Yours sincerely,
Bill Chapple OBE, Cabinet Member for Planning & Environment, Buckinghamshire County Council
Buckinghamshire County Council Rights of Way Improvement Plan
East-West Rail Update February 2019
Notice giving details of date, time and place of the Public Inquiry for the Network Rail, East West Rail Bicester to Bedford Improvements application
Message from AVDC:
We’ve got good news for Aylesbury Vale’s food #recycling families. You can now use plastic liners or bags in your food waste caddy!
Find out more: https://bit.ly/2hFFxms
East West Rail 2 Land referencing Briefing Note to Councils
Parish Council Facebook Page
For up to date news and information, join the Parish Council Facebook Page
Are you a good neighbour?
Many of us want to help our elderly or frail neighbours but we may not always be sure how to go about it, or even whether it’s appropriate. After all, no one wants to seem nosy or interfering, but a few simple steps can make a world of difference to someone who may be reluctant to ask for help themselves.
Buckinghamshire County Council and your local NHS organisations have jointly developed a campaign, “Be a Good Neighbour”
It’s pothole season
This winter’s weather has been tough on Buckinghamshire’s roads – while the heavy snowfall in December was the most remarkable weather event, the worst conditions for roads are actually when the ground temperature fluctuates constantly between just above and just below zero.
Pothole formation is accelerated by this ‘freeze-thaw’ effect, whereby moisture gets into small cracks in the road surface and expands when it freezes, then thaws out when the temperature rises. This process repeats until the road surface begins to break up and potholes are formed.
County Councillor Mark Shaw, Cabinet Member for Transportation, urges road users in Buckinghamshire to report potholes when they see them:
“Transport for Buckinghamshire will investigate every pothole reported to them, and react on a risk based prioritisation process – put simply, that means the worst ones will be attended to first, as a matter of urgency. But we’re not mind readers, and the road network is far too vast for us to possibly know where all the potholes are, so we need members of the public to report them to us either using the online form, which only takes a few minutes, or by calling if it’s dangerous or an emergency. I would ask that everyone be patient while we deal with the fallout of a bad winter – potholes are as inevitable as weather, roads are made of a porous material so that they don’t flood constantly in rain and so when water within the structure freezes, defects will form.”
On average, when there are no severe weather issues, TfB repairs over 4,000 potholes every month.
Pothole FAQ:
- You fixed one pothole, why didn’t you fix the one next to it while you were here? Potholes are prioritised according to risk – if they are on very well used roads, they are more of a priority. Size and depth are also factors. Resources have to be used responsibly, and cannot be used up fixing a more minor road surface defect when there are more urgent defects needing attention just up the road.
- Why can I only report one pothole online at a time? Our online reporting system works on an interactive map, so that each individual defect can be risk assessed and dealt with on a case by case basis. The map allows for accurate pinpointing, which saves time when it comes to inspections. There are drop-down menus to allow you to input as much detail, such as size and position, as possible.
- Why do you make temporary repairs that don’t last? Temporary repairs, where the pothole is filled in with hot material and made smooth, are often carried out as a safety measure when a permanent repair cannot be carried out at that moment, likely due to the location of the defect. That is to say, where a larger area of road needs to be cut away to make a full repair, likely requiring a road or lane closure, a temporary or ‘make safe’ repair is an effective way of keeping the road safe in the meantime.
- How do I report a pothole?
You can report potholes, as well as any other road issue, using the Report It forms on the county council website. In an emergency, for instance a severe road defect, a flooded road, or a tree in the road, you can always call Transport for Buckinghamshire on 01296 382416 or 486630 (out of hours). The online reporting tool is at www.buckscc.gov.uk/services/transport-and-roads/report-a-problem/report-a-pothole/
Rural Crime
If you become a victim of rural crime or suspect that a crime has taken place, you should always report it to police by calling the non-emergency number, 101. If an incident is in progress, or there is an immediate threat to life, you should call 999.
You can receive the latest rural crime news from Thames Valley Police and their partners directly to your phone or inbox by signing up to CountryWatch at: http://www.thamesvalleycountrywatch.co.uk/
War Memorial
Drayton Parslow War Memorial has been accorded Grade II Listed Status and added to the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. This has been achieved in conjunction with Historic England and the recommendation approved by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
Aylesbury Vale District Council (the local planning authority) has prepared the statutory notices required under the planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest.
The List entry, together with a map has now been published on the National Heritage List and can be accessed through Historic England’s website.
