Category Archives: Bucks CC

Summer of Stories

Buckinghamshire’s ‘Summer of Stories’ is well and truly underway – but there’s still time for you to get involved.

This summer, Buckinghamshire Culture and Buckinghamshire Council have been working together to create a Summer of Stories, focusing on a theme of ‘stories of happiness’. The ‘Story Stall’ is part of this multi-stranded project aiming to engage people across Buckinghamshire with stories and creativity.  Inspired by our strong literary heritage this project will result in animation of town centres, activity supporting wellbeing, enhancing quality of life and maintaining connection as part of wider Covid recovery.  Residents of Buckinghamshire have been invited to share and celebrate their personal stories, and those of the county itself, through conversations with artists, or via ‘Story Postcards’ at artist-led pop-up stalls across the county in markets and local high streets and at various cultural and library locations.

It’s not too late to get involved with the Summer of Stories. If you would like to get involved and share a story of happiness, or a story of Buckinghamshire, you can find the final few pop-up stalls in the following locations:

  • Winslow Market on 25 August, 8:30am-2pm
  • Live in the Park, Aqua Vale Park, Aylesbury on 28 August, 9am-5:30pm
  • Black Park, Wexham on 29 August, 10am-4pm
  • Beaconsfield Country Fair, Beaconsfield on 30 August, 9:30am-5pm

Full details are here.

This programme is supported using public funding by Arts Council England, and funding from Buckinghamshire Council, Heart of Bucks and Rothschild Foundation. 

Parish Councils & the Planning process

Recent changes to the process give Parish Councils slightly more say than previously. Parish Councils can now request that a planning request is reviewed by one of the Bucks Council Planning Committees, rather than it being handled by a Planning Officer. The latter is the case for the majority of cases – which are either straightforward & approved or fail for fairly obvious reasons. Details in the link below.

Planning Engagement Summary

New drop-in vaccine clinics at Stoke Mandeville Stadium this weekend

A drop-in clinic is opening at Stoke Mandeville stadium this weekend for eligible members of the public to get their first or second Astra Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine without a pre-booked appointment.

The drop-in clinics will be open on:

  • Friday 4 June – 10am to 12:30pm and 2:30pm to 5pm
  • Saturday 5 June – 9:30am to 1pm

Regardless of whether you are a permanent Buckinghamshire resident or not, anyone aged over 40 who has not yet had their first vaccine or those over 18 who need their second jab (a minimum of 4 weeks after their first) is eligible to attend. All you need is your name, date of birth and NHS number. You can find your NHS number online.

Press release

Thank you to every single volunteer – a message from Bucks Council

This week (June 1 to 7) celebrates the tremendous work of volunteers across the UK, and there has never been a better time for Buckinghamshire to give its thanks to these remarkable people.

Volunteers have played an essential role within the Buckinghamshire community over the last year. At the start of the pandemic and throughout lockdowns they gave their support to help some of the most vulnerable people in society – the elderly, infirm and people living with medical conditions or in other very difficult circumstances. In desperate times they offered a lifeline to those most in need, whether by delivering essential supplies or medication, transporting people to medical appointments, offering a friendly voice over the phone, or in any number of other ways.

And they have played a vital part in the vaccination rollout since it began in December.

Without their invaluable help, it is impossible to imagine the rollout being the great success it has been. Volunteers have made a huge contribution, from the set up and day-to-day running of the vaccination sites, marshalling traffic, transporting patients, guiding them through the actual process of getting their jabs, and much more; the rollout simply would not have been the great success it is without them.

The full press release is here.

Bucks Council – review of licensing policy

Although this may not have much impact in HV, it may impact us if we use one of the towns for a night out.

From Bucks Council:

The council has responsibility for allowing people to sell alcohol, put on public entertainment and sell late night food and drink. The council does this by issuing licences, certificates and notices.The main purpose of licensing is to ensure that the national licensing objectives are promoted:1. preventing crime and disorder;2. public safety;3. preventing public nuisance; and4. protecting children from harm.We are developing a new licensing policy which explains the council’s approach to promoting the four licensing objectives when making decisions about licensing matters. We welcome your views to help shape future policy decisions in this important area. Please take a few minutes to complete the short online survey by 6 June 2021. https://yourvoicebucks.citizenspace.com/communi…/6224ac6b/

Covid – a reminder from Bucks Council

Everyone’s hard work means the Government’s ‘roadmap’ is progressing but it’s essential that while so many people have yet to be vaccinated, we all keep going by fully sticking to the new rules. When meeting others socially, this must take place outside, either in a park, another open space or in private gardens. 

Please also remember to keep a distance from anyone you don’t live with. We still can’t mix with other households indoors (unless in a support bubble or for childcare purposes) and it’s critical to stick to this rule as you can catch COVID-19 far more easily inside than outside

We can now meet in groups of up to 6 people including children and babies, or groups of a larger size where it’s just two households getting together.

For more information about what the current rules are please check the government’s website.