Category Archives: Bucks CC

Half term fun for families in Bucks

Families looking for low-cost ideas to entertain their children during the upcoming February half-term need look no further than the local area for inspiration. Buckinghamshire’s libraries, leisure centres and museums have a wide range of events and activities taking place across the week.

A number of Bucks libraries are hosting events. Why not join the brass players of Alina Orchestra for a special kid’s version of Band in a Van? Children can take part in some fun interactive games and afterwards the band will invite attendees to shake some percussion, conduct the group or sing along to some popular songs.

The event is free and there is no need to book in advance:

  • Hazlemere Library: Thursday 16 February – 2pm to 3pm
  • Chesham Library: Thursday 16 February – 3:30pm to 4:30pm
  • Aylesbury Library: Friday 17 February – 10:30am to 11:30am
  • Princes Risborough Library: Friday 17 February – 1pm to 2pm

What about joining the Curious Investigators, Scribble and Clipboard on an exciting adventure as they sort through the recycling and discover a strange egg? This highly visual show is aimed at children aged between three and seven and is taking place at:

  • Bourne End Community Library: Thursday 16 February 11am and 2pm 
  • Burnham Community Library: Friday 17 February 11am and 2pm 
  • Aylesbury Library: Saturday 18 February 11am and 2pm
  • High Wycombe Library: Sunday 19 February 1pm 

Suggested donations are £5 per ticket. Tickets must be booked in advance and children need to be accompanied by an adult who must also have a ticket.  

Other libraries around the county will be hosting regular and extra activities during the week including Bounce and Rhyme, Explore Learning Workshops, Duplo and Lego play sessions, arts and crafts and book clubs. Most are free but sometimes booking is necessary. Visit the website for more details on what’s happening in your local library.

If you are looking for something more physical, leisure centres across Buckinghamshire have a wide variety of activities taking place this half term including:

  • Swimming crash courses at Swan Pool in Buckingham. Crash courses are designed to enable children to quickly develop their confidence and ability in the water and are available for a range of swimming abilities, catering for complete beginners, up to children who can swim up to 25 metres.
  • Family swimming sessions will be available throughout the half term holiday at Aqua Vale in Aylesbury and in Wycombe, Chalfont and Chiltern leisure centres.
  • Adventure climbing at Wycombe leisure centre.
  • Soft play at Chesham leisure centre.
  • Climbing and soft play at the Chilterns Lifestyle Centre in Amersham.
  • Fit for Sport holiday camps offering multi sports to messy arts and crafts at the Chilterns Lifestyle Centre.

More information can be found on the council’s website.

And don’t forget, Buckinghamshire’s museums have a wide selection of interesting and varied exhibitions and activities taking place ranging from craft workshops to an autism reality experience in Aylesbury.

Clive Harriss, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure said: “Our libraries, leisure centres and museums offer a wide range of fun activities and events aimed at children and families throughout the year. During school holidays there is even more to choose from with the majority of activities at affordable prices and some are free, which is great news for everyone. And if you just want some fresh air and exercise, then I’d recommend visiting Waddesdon Greenway, or one of our country parks and green flag parks.”

There are also lots of other activities and events taking place around the county during half term. Visit Buckinghamshire Family Information Service website to find out what’s on. You can search for events based on location, age group, and type of activity.

Chilterns Crematorium

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We are hosting an informal drop-in style event at the Chilterns Crematorium for the local community to commemorate the mother figures in their lives that they have lost.

  • Our chapel doors will be open from 10-3pm on the day with refreshments available at no charge. 
  • We will have Cruse bereavement volunteers on site all day who will be available for chats, advise and signposting. 
  • We will be using seeded paper for attendees to write letters and notes to their loved ones which we will be using to create a wild flower garden within our memorial gardens.
  • We will be creating a visual tribute to be showing on the day, at no cost should attendees wish to have their loved ones picture showing and reflective music will be playing should they just want to come and reflect quietly.

Free Volunteer Interpreter Initiative for Ukrainians, their host families and the community groups that support them.

Volunteer Community Interpreter Initiative    

Local charity Community Impact Bucks has gathered a network of volunteers to offer their interpretation language skills, for FREE, to newly arrived Ukrainians settling in Buckinghamshire.   

The Volunteer Community Interpreter Initiative aims to help Ukrainians, their hosts and the groups that support them, to overcome language difficulties through the use of a volunteer interpreter who is fluent in Ukrainian or Russian, as well as English.    

Anyone wishing to find out more should visit www.communityimpactbucks.org.uk or if you would like to request the services of a Volunteer Community Interpreter, please fill in the online Request for a Volunteer Interpreter form.    

What do you want travel around High Wycombe to look like in the future?

Residents are urged to make their views known on Buckinghamshire Council’s plans for seamless, sustainable and safe travel.

The draft Transport Strategy and Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) for High Wycombe map out proposed improvements which will make green travel options easier than ever.

Drop-in sessions are being held at:

  • Eden Shopping Centre, High Wycombe – Saturday 5 November – 10:30am to 2pm
  • High Wycombe Library – Friday 18 November – 10am to 4pm

Find out more and complete the survey before 28 November at www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/high-wycombe-travel or visit High Wycombe Library for printed copies of the document and survey.

More detail is at https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/news/tell-us-what-do-you-want-travel-around-high-wycombe-to-look-like-in-the-future/

Consultation: Have your say on the Home to School Transport

Buckinghamshire Council has launched its Home to School Transport Consultation inviting residents to share their views on proposed changes to council-run school bus charges (Spare Seats Scheme), the Home to School Transport Policy (0- to 25-Year-Olds) and the Post-16 Transport Policy Statement for 2023 to 2024.

Between Wednesday 19 October and midnight on Sunday 4 December, people in Buckinghamshire will be able to provide their views on proposals for:

  • Spare Seats Scheme charging options
  • Updates to our home to school transport policies

Any changes will apply for the 2023 to 2024 academic year onwards and will apply to both new and existing customers.

More details are at https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/news/have-your-say-on-the-home-to-school-transport-consultation/

Bucks Council – Apply for Community Board funding

Budget allocation

An annual budget is allocated to Community Boards from the council’s Annual Revenue Budget which is approved by Full Council each year.

Each Community Board is set an allocated budget. The level of Community Board funding allocated to each area is based on:

  • the population of the area
  • the levels of deprivation

https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/community-and-safety/improving-your-local-community/apply-community-board-funding/

Hughenden Valley comes under the North West Chilterns Community Board. (https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/community-and-safety/improving-your-local-community/north-west-chilterns-community-board/)

More information & contact details

Questionnaire Survey Reminder– The Discovery & Exploration Phase for the new Local Plan for Buckinghamshire

This is to remind you about the chance to take part in an important survey about the future of Buckinghamshire. It’s a questionnaire survey for the new Local Plan for Buckinghamshire. We want to hear your views about living and working in Buckinghamshire, what problems and issues you may face, and what your needs are in the future. We want to know what matters most to you. Thank you if you have already responded to the survey.

You can fill out the survey questionnaire online on Your Voice Bucks: https://yourvoicebucks.citizenspace.com/planning/local-plan-2021

There are other ways to comment. A pdf of the questionnaire survey is available on the website: https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/local-plan-for-bucks. This can be downloaded and then emailed or posted to the Planning Policy Team.

The email address is
planningpolicyteam.bc@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

The postal address is Planning Policy Team, Buckinghamshire Council, Queen Victoria Road, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP11 1BB

You can take part until midnight on Friday 11 February 2022.

Planning application 22/05000FUL

1 Reply

The residents of Warrendene Road are shocked and dismayed to learn that the owner of Country Supplies, has just submitted a Full planning application under Ref: 22/05000/FUL to create a new access road into the Oakleaf Farm site, with associated highways realignment, from Bryants Bottom Road that will allow up to 12 HGVs to park as well the creation of a car park for up to 34 cars and light goods vehicles on the “Mushroom” field adjacent to the site that lies in the Green Belt and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty where there is a presumption against any new development unless there are very special/exceptional circumstances. The huge increase in the number of parking spaces and increase in full-time staff illustrates the company’s desire for expansion on the site.

A meeting was held in the the Village Hall on Sunday 23rd Jan.

The planning documents can be seen at https://publicaccess.wycombe.gov.uk/idoxpa-web/search.do?action=simple&searchType=Application using reference 22/05000FUL.

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Have your say on a new political map for Buckinghamshire Council

A new pattern of wards is being developed for Buckinghamshire Council

From the Local Government Boundary Commission for England

Following a public consultation on proposed council size for the authority, the Local Government Boundary Commission has decided that the number of councillors in Buckinghamshire should be 98. [Editor’s note – currently Buckinghamshire Council has 147 Councillors, three for each of the 49 wards.]

The Commission wants to hear what residents and organisations think about their local area. A 12-week consultation on the proposals will run until 4 April 2022.

The Commission has a dedicated section on its website where people can give their views.

People can also give their views by e-mail at reviews@lgbce.org.uk, give views using a mobile device, and by post to:

Review Officer (Buckinghamshire) LGBCE
PO Box 133
Blyth
NE24 9FE

Full press release here