13th November  Democracy in Action – Make A Change and Be A Councillor

Next year there are elections for Town, Parish and Unitary Authorities in our area.  

This event promotes the idea of standing for elections as a councillor – be it at Parish or County level.

The event is called Democracy in Action – Make A Change and Be A Councillor. It is already being advertised on the HPC website (https://www.hughenden-pc.gov.uk/council_events/democracy-in-action/) .

The event is free, but you do need to register.

Democracy in Action – Make A Change and Be A Councillor

Do you want to give something back to your community? To empower your place in uncertain times? To use the momentum from the recent general election to renew your local area?

This NALC Make A Change (https://www.nalc.gov.uk/campaigns/becoming-a-councillor.html) and LGA Be A Councillor (https://www.local.gov.uk/be-councillor) event aims to promote the idea of standing for election as a local (parish, town and community) and principal authority (district, county, borough or unitary) councillor at the May 2025 local council elections. We need people from all backgrounds and experiences who reflect the communities they serve to put themselves forward for election. Join us to hear from experts in the field who have become brilliant local councillors at various local government levels, from all quarters.

Whether you live in a parished or un-parished area, this unique free event will provide a valuable opportunity to learn about the work and role of local councillors in your community and answer your questions about standing for election as a local councillor in May 2025.

A diverse panel of experts will share their insights, experience, and advice. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in discussions with representatives from areas which held local council elections in May 2024 and elsewhere, to find out how you can change your place for good.

Speakers: Tamsin Hewett, advisor at the Local Government Association, Cllr Jackie Drake, Ulverston town and Westmorland and Furness district councillor, Neil Wedge, chief executive of the Dorset Association of Parish and Town Councils and Cllr Chidi Nweke, Loughton Residents Association representative on Epping Forest District Council.

Register (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/democracy-in-action-tickets-947971106097)

12.00 – 13.15 on Wednesday 13th Nov

Bucks History Festival returns to celebrate our history and heritage

Buckinghamshire History Festival returns next month for its ninth annual celebration of the county’s history and cultural heritage.

The festival, organised by Buckinghamshire Archives, sees the Archives team come together with partner organisations from across the county to present a huge range of events to see and do throughout November. Buckinghamshire’s past will be brought to life and the untold stories of its people and places will be uncovered.

Buckinghamshire Council Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure Clive Harriss commented: “We’re delighted to be once again joining with partner organisations to showcase our county’s fascinating history and rich culture through the Buckinghamshire History Festival. There’s something for everyone, ranging from tours of the Buckinghamshire Archives, historic walks through High Wycombe, to traditional corn milling demonstrations – and there’s even some pub quizzes where you can show off your historical knowledge! I’d encourage everyone to check out the full listing of events happening throughout November.”

Find the full listing of festival events at: https://histfestbucks.co.uk/whats-on/

DIG Update 9 Oct 2024

Hi All,

               In my last mail I mentioned Andrew Morsley, a hydrologist working for the River Thame Conservation Trust (RTCT). He is known to a number of you because he stopped off and spoke with a number of residents in the Warrendene area on the day of the flooding there (23rd September).

RTCT is engaged to work on Natural Flood management in connection with the flooding experienced in the upper reaches of the Hughenden Stream. His client ultimately is Bucks Council.

Sarah Mustapha and I met with Andrew and Chels Hotham (Andrew’s colleague and engagement officer) last week. This was essentially for us to provide an introduction to the DIG and for us to inform them as much as possible about our experience with all aspects of flooding (sewage, stream, groundwater, surface water) affecting our area. He wanted to understand our knowledge of risk points, experience with dealing with the Council and so on.

After the meeting we did a brief walk round the lower part of the Valley – the area most affected by sewage flooding in recent years. Then we moved on to the Warrendene area which Andrew has already visited, and we picked up David Anderson for a drive up towards Hampden Crossroads. David is a long-term Hughenden resident, with excellent knowledge of the surrounding countryside and was flooded recently (in addition to several times in the past).

A significant part of Andrew’s role is to liaise with local farmers to understand flow mechanisms, come up with options for flood retention measures. Andrew will then be modelling the impact of proposed measures and when justified and agreed to by landowners, ultimately build water retention measures on the farms.  So one of the first things we did was to call at Upper Warren Farm and spoke with Sally and Simon Lloyd. This provided Andrew with significant pointers on field and farm ownerships in the area. From there we went further up Hampden Road with Andrew noting risks/opportunities along the way.

We stopped at East Lane further up. This is a steep little used lane to the left; it is primarily from the steeply sloping field on the corner that Dave had experienced a number of times large amounts of runoff from the clay capped fields down onto the road, which would then run right down into Warrendene. We finished our tour with a stop at the Hampden Arms, where Andrew was able to pick up contact information for the Hampden Estate as well as more local knowledge on our issues.

Andrew will be engaged with this work in the coming weeks, which will involve liaising with Farms on flood management measures. The ultimate aim above Hughenden Valley will be to deal & reduce water sweeping down into our village through a variety of actions including:

  • Creation of water runoff channels
  • Swales
  • Pools
  • Ditches 

In the shorter term, it is hoped that the Council can be persuaded to implement immediate changes to the Warrendene area to reduce the flooding. These could include:

  • Alterations to the Warrendene ditch
  • Creation of pooling area
  • Addition of extra resources to divert surface water from road into ditch
  • Provision of assistance to householders to prevent flood water entering properties from road

Rgds

Paul

DIG Report End Sept 2024

  • Harrow Area Flooding

Following our follow up letter to Bucks Council on the February flooding, we received a response from the Council dated 5th September from a Community Liaison Officer assuring us that they are confident that the drainage system in place is adequate and with proper maintenance the flooding will not happen again. Our request for a meeting has been ignored.

Since then, of course, the Harrow and multiple gardens were flooded on 23 September. It’s terrible that another flooding has occurred in the Harrow area following a very heavy period of rain over the weekend. From what understand the response from the Council and Fire Services has not been great

  • Presentation to Flooding Response Select Committee

We provided a paper to the Select Committee for their meeting on Monday 23rd September. The meeting was changed from the Aylesbury office to an online meeting because of flooding in the area.

  • Chiltern Society & the Hughenden Stream

Paulw and Sarah Mustapha attended the 2nd Chalk Stream Project workshop on 15th July about the Hughenden Stream Restoration Plan. This second meeting was to prioritise the works so that decisions can be made on what can or cannot be done, allowing for budget etc.

By December it is hoped that a document will be produced for public dissemination.

We were introduced to Robert Morsley, a consultant hydrologist from the River Thames Conservancy Trust. Robert has been assigned to the stream restoration project to investigate Natural Flood Management possibilities for the upper reaches of the stream, namely from the pumping station up to the top of Warrendene and beyond.

Paul Woodford

HVRA DIG

30th Sept 2024

DIG Update 24 Sept 2024

Hi All,

               It’s terrible that another flooding has occurred in the Harrow area following a very heavy period of rain over the weekend. From what we hear at this end of the Valley, the response from the Council and Fire Services has not been great.

On this subject I am enclosing a couple of letters in connection with our pursuing Bucks Council to take action regarding the repeated flooding. The first is our letter to the council of 5th August which was following up again on the February flooding. The second letter is response from the Council dated 5th September from yet another Community Liaison Officer assuring us that they are confident that the drainage system in place is adequate and with proper maintenance the flooding will not happen again. I will leave you to draw your own conclusions on that.

Yesterday Bucks Council held a Select Committee meeting on the response to flooding in Bucks. The DIG, along with other groups were invited to attend. In the event, I put in a paper expressing our views on the difficulties we have experienced over the years with flooding. I have attached this also.

On a slightly brighter note, yesterday there was a follow-up meeting at the Manor on the Restoration of the Hughenden Stream and Sarah Mustapha and I attended this. This workshop looked at prioritising the areas of work on the stream from a feasibility and benefit point of view. From this work it is expected that a draft plan will be produced and made available for public dissemination.

At the same time we were presented to by Andrew Morsley from the Thame Conservation Trust. The TCT has been appointed to survey and recommend Natural Flood Management measures affecting the Valley. This forms the next part of the Chalk Stream Project and looks at the upper reaches of the Hughenden stream and valley, roughly from the pumping station up to the top of Warrendene and then also flooding from beyond that point. It is hoped that in the fullness of time measures will be introduced to better manage surface water finding its way down into the valley.

Some of you affected by the flooding will have already met Andrew, as he stopped in the Harrow area yesterday before the Chalk Stream meeting to see for himself our issues over the flooding and spoke with a few of you. He may well be a familiar figure around Warrendene in the coming months.

Regards

Paulw

Money Matters – at Bucks Council

Money Matters – say how you want your council tax spent

Buckinghamshire Council is preparing its spending plans for 2025/26 and is asking residents, businesses and other local stakeholders to give their views on which services should be prioritised.

The ‘Money Matters’ survey is the opportunity for residents to have a say on what’s important to them and they you would like to see the council’s budget distributed.

Councils across the country continue to experience significant financial pressures due to rising costs and added demand on services. In particular, Buckinghamshire Council has seen social care costs escalate even further in recent months due to more vulnerable residents needing help.

With continuing pressures on household budgets after a period of high inflation and other turbulence, it’s important that residents tell the council how they want to see their council tax spent during the next financial year.

Council tax is the main way that local council services are funded – from bin collections to road repairs to looking after adults and children who need care. The council has ongoing costs to provide these services and also draws up capital spending plans too – ‘one-off’ spends on particular projects or schemes such as extra money invested into the local road network for repairs and improvements. The money received from council tax covers 79% of the cost of providing our 700 services, with the rest of our funding coming from Business Rates (13%), the New Homes Bonus (1%) and other grants (7%).

The council’s ‘Money Matters’ survey is now live –and takes just 10 minutes to complete. These views are then fed into the final budget proposals which are scrutinised after Christmas in a series of special meetings. The final budget will then be voted on during February ready to ‘go live’ on 1 April 2025.

Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council, commented:

“Budget setting in recent times has become extremely difficult for all councils, including our own. Since becoming a single unitary council we have made significant savings and efficiencies already, totalling £75.4 million to date, with a further £41.3 million of savings earmarked for this year. This means we’ve taken more than £100 million out of our budgets over the first five years as a council to deliver efficiencies and to pay for key services for our most vulnerable residents. The cost of providing these services – namely social care, temporary housing and providing school transport for children who need it – eats up around 71% of our entire budget, leaving us with less than 30% of our expenditure available to pay for everything else that we do.

Therefore it’s never been more crucial for our residents to tell us where they want their money spent – please let your friends and family know too that they can have a say.”

The survey is accessed via the Your Voice Bucks website.

If you’re unable to complete the survey online, you can access a paper copy of the consultation in libraries and family centres. The Money Matters survey runs until 13 October 2024.

DIG Report End Aug 2024

  • Harrow Area Flooding

We have written to Rosie Tunnard in early August. This letter refuted the Council’s response that the Harrow/Warrendene area is properly maintained but was simply overwhelmed by exceptional rain that day in February.

We have requested a meeting to discuss works we consider necessary to improve the area’s drainage.

  • Presentation to Flooding Response Select Committee

The DIG has been invited to present to the Bucks Council Select Committee on Flooding Response. Paulw will present on 23rd September the result of our experiences with local flooding events and the council’s response to it.

  • Thames Water

Overpumping at the Surgery now is largely forgotten; all  equipment is removed and a cleanup has been done. The field below the pumping station still looks a mess.

We are still pushing Thames Water for a solution to the Valley’s sewage network issues. Some hope that!

  • Chiltern Society & the Hughenden Stream

Paulw and Sarah Mustapha attended the Chalk Stream Project workshop on 15th July on the subject of the Hughenden Stream Restoration Plan. This was held at Hughenden Manor. It involves re-working the Hughenden Stream from down in High Wycombe up as far as the pumping station. It is being driven by the Chiltern Society and Environment Agency and is fully funded, so will be a significant project.

On 23rd September there is a follow up workshop when a proposed list of alterations along the stream length will be agreed. At a future point a document containing proposed restoration options will be produced for public dissemination.

At some point the upper reaches of our stream (Pumping station to Warrendene Crossroads) will be surveyed also.

It is also understood that the Chalk Stream Project has been invited to work with Bucks Council on Natural Flood Management in Hughenden Valley.

Paul Woodford

HVRA DIG

1st September

DIG Update 27 July 2024

Hi All,

               Please find enclosed a short update on DIG activities.

  • Harrow Area Flooding

We have not yet followed up with our reply to Bucks Council regarding the Harrow area floods. We need to do some more checks before writing to the Council and suggesting a plan for drainage improvement in the whole Warrendene and Harrow area.

  • Thames Water

Pumping out at the Surgery has continued through June, although TW have reduced the revs on the overpumping equipment because of lowered sewer levels. A casual inspection at the month end suggests that the sewer levels are now very low and we expect the overpumping operation will likely stop soon.

The tankering from Boss Lane has now stopped and TW are looking to repair verges etc.

  • Chiltern Society & the Hughenden Stream

Paul met with James Donald of Revive the Wye group 17th June for Paul to be able to provide an introduction to the DIG and the upper reaches of the Hughenden Stream (from the park up to the top of Warrendene Rd). Paul will organise a meet up with James Donald late July to provide a walk of the upper reaches.

Since the meeting with James Donald, the DIG has received an invitation to attend a Chalkstream Project workshop on 15th July on the subject of the Hughenden Stream Restoration Plan.

I attended a meeting with the Climate Group who have shown interest in this workshop and up to 4 of us will attend the workshop.

Rgds

Paul Woodford

HVRA DIG

Overpumping Update 8 July 2024

Hi All,

               Just sharing a response from Maisie Banks regarding the overpumping units. We had felt that the pumps should be retained for a while longer because of the recent heavy rain, but obviously TW don’t think it necessary.

Rgds

Paul

From: Maisie Banks <Maisie.Banks@thameswater.co.uk>
Sent: Monday, July 8, 2024 2:36 PM
To: pbwoodford@icloud.com
Subject: RE: Hughenden Valley Status

Hi Paul,

Hope you are okay,

I have spoken to Lynda who has been monitoring the levels in within our sewer network, as the levels have dropped we turned the over pump off on Thursday 4th July and since then we can see that the network has been coping with the flows.

Since the over pump has been off we’ve experienced rain fall within the area and have noticed that the ground water levels have also dropped. As we are happy that the network is coping and the additional flows that were getting in have reduced we will be arranging for the over pump to be removed as it’s no longer needed.

Please advise the residents that if they have any issue to call our contact centre on 0800 316 9800 or report an issue online so we can send out an engineer in a timely manner to investigate.

Kind Regards