... Tim Moffett covered a story about two fathers, from either side of the Israeli / Gaza border, who, over time, had each lost a daughter during the conflict. One in 1997, the other in 2007. Both events were very sad, but perhaps helpful in the search for peace.
I have tried to find a link to put up here, unfortunately there doesn't currently appear to be one.
However the report's primary objective was to demonstrate how, despite the tragic events that resulted in the loss of their children, these two families have since found a sense of unity, camaraderie and commonality in their desire to ensure that the deceased loved ones could contribute to peace and not exacerbate the antagonism between the two sides.
I have attached a link to a YouTube video made by NBC 10 months ago on their version of the same subject:
https://youtu.be/mQ7ajM_BzGA?feature=shared
Derek R @DerekR
Iver Heath
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Johnnie Walker, currently a DJ on Radio 2, who became well known during his time at Radio Caroline followed by Radio 1, announced to his listeners this afternoon, that he will be retiring at the end of October. Johnnie has been bravely broadcasting his Sunday afternoon show, Sounds of the 70s, whilst seriously ill with pulmonary fibrosis. Over time his condition has worsened and he has now decided to bring his career to a close. I thought he was a great DJ in his "Caroline" years and have always enjoyed listening to his unique voice and hearing his knowledgeable comments. Thank you Johnnie, I wish you well in your retirement, which I hope is as long and comfortable as you deserve. -
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Statement to public inquiry reveals that investigation is underway over allegations that a senior Post Office executive instructed staff to destroy evidence The Post Office is investigating allegations that a senior executive instructed staff to destroy or conceal documents that could be of interest to the Post Office scandal public inquiry. https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366612666/Post-Office-senior-executive-suspended-over-allegations-of-destroying-evidence -
Posted in: Anything !
A woman who lay dead in her flat for three years wrote "I'm starving" and "I can't believe I'm surviving this long" in calendar and diary entries prior to her death, an inquest has heard. https://metro.co.uk/2024/10/03/woman-lay-dead-flat-three-years-wrote-im-starving-diary-21730346/?ico=metro-posts_article_whats-trending-now -
Posted in: Save The Planet
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Posted in: Scams of any type.
"07724 601011 Your car is on the way, Please Look For A Black Jaguar Xf Reg FT65 FHD Plate 1 Thanks for using AA Taxis, Click To Track http://d.dmbook.co/?x=1x3TcGSRrXXX" But it's been reported to 7726 The XXX was not on the original link, but I didn't want to leave it active! If you get one of these Do Not click the link. -
Posted in: Anything !
If you have time to listen to a New York Times podcast, you will hear how the lies about Haitians eating pets evolved and why the story is perpetuated by Trump and Vance, even though they know it is false. (The full length is 40 minutes, however the truth is explained within the first 15 minutes.) https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/20/opinion/springfield-ohio-trump-vance.html A team of New York Times journalists discuss the origin and reasons for the lies about kidnaping, killing, and eating pet cats and dogs. It's a bit like the hygiene discussion about immigrants here. -
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Today I thought I'd take a chance at eating some food designed by an immigrant man. Having seen some of the rubbish in this loop regarding immigrants living like pigs in s#!t, it would, possibly, be easy to be taken in by the racists and decide to go nowhere near a food outlet associated with immigrants. The man in question arrived here in 1994 from Jamshedpur, India and was aged in his mid twenties. He started cooking some years before deciding to come to the UK. Once he had decided that he wanted to cook for a living he joined the Oberoi group of hotels. During the next few years he worked his way up, eventually becoming a sous chef in the five star deluxe Oberoi Hotel in New Delhi, supervising a staff of 18 and immediately raising the standards in the kitchen. In 1994 he arrived in the UK. Britain had gained someone who would become a celebrity chef - Atul Kochhar. Earning his first Michelin star in 2001, Atul then opened his own restaurant in London’s Mayfair, in 2002, which earned him a second Michelin star in 2007. Today I visited his Sindhu restaurant in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. It wasn't my first visit and it certainly won't be my last. In fact, I have visited three of his restaurants, each with a different menu, each delicious. Of course, unlike the squalor that some would have us believe is the norm for immigrants, the restaurant was spotless, I have no doubt that the kitchen was equally spotless. There were no signs of pigs in s#!t anywhere, just highly professional people supplying a top class service with the highest quality of food in perfect surroundings. It is definitely somewhere to consider going and there are offers around on various voucher sites. I'm told that Travel zoo has a deal of a 3 course lunch for 2 with a glass of prosecco each for £48. I would recommend that if you can get it at that price it's worth getting. There is free parking on site, which is valid for the whole day, so you can dine, then walk along the Thames or wander around the town without worrying about parking fees. I was using a voucher that somebody gave me for my last birthday. Because, when it was given to me, it said "Happy Birthday Derek" on the voucher, a little plate turned up with the dessert acknowledging my birthday.-
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Regardless of any individual's perception, the right to freedom of speech as stipulated in UK law and the United Nations does not imply that an individual may express their preferences without any restrictions. It is only permitted to express one's preferences, provided that: 1) One has the right to express oneself. (This may not be the case if, for instance, one has signed the Official Secrets Act or has been prohibited from speaking certain things by a judge among other reasons). 2) Any statement is in compliance with the laws of the land. The use of Hate Speech is illegal regardless of claiming Freedom of Speech. The following is from the CPS and can be found by following this link: https://www.cps.gov.uk/crime-info/hate-crime Hate crime The law recognises five types of hate crime on the basis of: • Race • Religion • Disability • Sexual orientation • Transgender identity Any crime can be prosecuted as a hate crime if the offender has either: • demonstrated hostility based on race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or transgender identity Or • been motivated by hostility based on race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or transgender identity Someone can be a victim of more than one type of hate crime. These crimes are covered by legislation (Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and section 66 of the Sentencing Act 2020) which allows prosecutors to apply for an uplift in sentence for those convicted of a hate crime. The police and the CPS have agreed the following definition for identifying and flagging hate crimes: "Any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice, based on a person's disability or perceived disability; race or perceived race; or religion or perceived religion; or sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation or transgender identity or perceived transgender identity." For a definition of how the United Nations defines Hate Speech please click here: https://www.un.org/en/hate-speech/understanding-hate-speech/what-is-hate-speech I would suggest that if any individual encounters a disagreement with the information presented above, they should first consult a lawyer who can provide them with the relevant details. Failure to do so could potentially result in a prison term for a hate crime and, as previously mentioned, a hate crime can potentially increase the sentence. Freedom of speech does not imply that you have the liberty to express your views without regard to others' rights. This is not the primary focus of freedom of speech. Other laws may, and likely will, override your right to speak. -
Posted in: Public Notices
"Hi All Just wanted to report to everyone to be on lookout if suddenly your cars will not lock with the remote key! I was visiting my mum in Lansbury Drive Hayes earlier today, and suddenly, I noticed my car would not lock ? I changed the battery in my key and same thing ….then by chance, one of the neighbours noticed suspicious activity by a person climbing the nearest telecom pole to attach something. She also said when she came home, her car would not lock ? Yet when she was away from the house, the car locked. I tested this and same thing … half a mile away from my mum’s house, my car locked !! We think that the person behaving suspiciously on the telecom pole had installed a jamming device !!!! I have filed a report with the police who will investigate what happened . Please be mindful if this happens near you !! Yours Vigilant Neighbour" -
Posted in: Public Notices
Crime prevention Advice Burglars will use a variety of ways to avoid being noticed. Keep it visible - Lower fences allow for a clear view over the top and don’t provide cover for anyone wishing to hide. At the rear and sides, taller fences are recommended to prevent easy access. CCTV – Position your cameras where they are best able to obtain good quality facial images. Could you recognise or identify someone from the footage? Alarms – Consider accredited burglar alarm system with audible boxes. The burglars have been known to use ladders to access upper windows that appear to be unlocked. This is to avoid the intruder alarm sensor on the lower floor. To protect your property from this approach, you should extend any alarm sensor coverage to upper rooms. Distraction burglars pretend to be someone they are not in order to get in your home. Common methods they use: Pretending to be from care agency, the council or utility company investigating gas or water leak. Seeking help to leave a note for neighbour or even asking for drink of water if they claim to be thirsty or unwell. Claiming to be in a hurry or emergency and needing to get in to your home quickly Working in teams, with one person distracting you while the other searches your home. How to prevent it? Use your door viewer to see who’s there. If you open the door put the chain on first. Always ask for ID and check it with the company before letting somebody in to your home. Call the customer service department if they are pretending to be from utility company and close the door while you are doing this. If you feel at all unsure, schedule a time for the caller to come back when a friend or relative is there. If you feel threatened or in danger by the presence of the caller, call 999. If you need to reply regarding this message, tap on this email address: sntwamailbox-.eastcote@met.police.uk Regards, Dewayne Hamilton police constable Email: sntwamailbox-.eastcote@met.police.uk -
Posted in: Public Notices
As many residents within Thames Valley area will be setting their alarms for an early start tomorrow in preparation for the launch of the Oasis reunion tour tickets, Detective Inspector Duncan Wynn of the Central Fraud Unit is offering some essential advice to ensure nobody must ‘Look Back in Anger’ at being targeted with ticket fraud… “With the long-awaited news of Oasis reforming for 17 dates across the UK and Ireland next year, there will be an understandable desire for many fans to obtain tickets. This sadly creates an opportunity for fraudsters to exploit the public by leading them to believe they have successfully purchased tickets when people will only be left out of pocket with no tickets or gig to look forward to. If you plan to try to get hold of any type of event ticket, my top tips are: Only buy tickets from the venue’s box office, the promoter, an official agent, or a well-known and reputable ticket exchange site Watch out for fraudsters selling fake tickets – there is no ‘Definitely Maybe’ about it, this WILL be happening Avoid paying for tickets by bank transfer, especially if buying from someone unknown. Credit card or payment services such as PayPal give you a better chance of recovering the money if you become a victim of fraud The password you use for your email account, as well as any other accounts you use to purchase tickets, should be different from all your other passwords. Use three random words to create a strong and memorable password, and Setting up 2-Step Verification (2SV) - NCSC.GOV.UK Be wary of unsolicited emails, texts or adverts offering unbelievably good deals on tickets If you are expecting an email after applying for pre-sale tickets, do not assume an email is genuine as fraudsters can spoof email addresses to make them appear from genuine senders. Phishing attempts can be forwarded to report@phishing.gov.uk Message Sent By April Baldwin (Police , Administrator , High Wycombe) -
Posted in: Public Notices
Dear DEREK We are aware that the recent disorder seen across the country has left our communities feeling unsafe. We are working closely with local and national partners and are monitoring a variety of sources including social media and reports from the public to identify planned protest or disruption in our area, and will keep local communities up to date with the latest information. Should any planned protests or spontaneous incidents escalate into violent disorder seen elsewhere in the country, we are prepared and officers will swiftly and robustly respond and deal with those choosing to cause harm to our communities. Please be vigilant to the misleading comments that are circulating on social media about potential protest activity. Please think twice about what you read, share and believe from online sources. There are a lot of motivations for why people may be sharing information so be critical, challenge what you see and if in doubt, look to trusted voices. If you see or hear anything suspicious, please contact us by making a report online, https://s-url.co/5X0UAA or if this isn't possible, calling 101 or 999 in an emergency. For the latest updates, please follow Thames Valley Police social media channels. To read more of our statement following the national disorder, visit our news page. https://s-url.co/5n0UAA Message Sent By Corporate Communications -
Posted in: Public Notices
Dear DEREK, We are pleased to bring you the latest edition of our newsletter for Neighbourhood Watch supporters across England and Wales. Here are some highlights in August's edition: * #RightToFeelSafe: tools for safe intervention and tackling harassment * We're celebrating two years of our Funding Communities Lottery, and you can be part of it * Enter SimpliSafe's prize draw to win big holiday prizes and support our Volunteer Programme https://s-url.co/yGUUAA (enter from 6th - 26th August) * Spotting and reporting loan sharks with the England Illegal Money Lending Team READ THE AUGUST NEWSLETTER HERE. https://s-url.co/yWUUAA We hope you enjoy this edition - please share it far and wide with your communities! Message Sent By Ruby Smart (Neighbourhood Watch Network, Head of Communications and Digital, National) -
Posted in: Public Notices
Dear residents, I have copied below an update from my colleague Angela in West Berkshire. I am attaching a Press Release from Public Protection Partnership regarding a Successful Trading Standards operation. Consumer scam alerts - Norfolk County Council https://s-url.co/6VYMAA This website gives information on numerous scams that are currently circulating and on rogue traders. Scammers are using fake Zara customer service accounts to trick customers on X (formerly Twitter). If you have an issue with a company, complaining on social media can usually be an effective way to get your issue resolved more quickly. Which? has found scammers on X posing as real customer service agents for a number of well-known brands in recent months. Which? has uncovered 37 fake Zara accounts that were replying to customers' genuine queries on X in a bid to steal their personal data. The scam accounts we spotted were actively responding to customer complaints that had tagged Zara's genuine X account. These fake accounts will often reply quickly, in the hope that customers won't notice they're being contacted by a fraudster. The latest type of courier scam has been back in the news recently when a West London man was sentenced to five years in prison for tricking people into handing over their money. He persuaded one victim to go to their bank and withdraw £5,000, which was then handed over to a courier, under the false premise of keeping it safe. This sentencing comes as courier scams are on the rise - costing people £28.7 million last year, according to figures from Action Fraud - with people in their 80s most likely to be targeted. During the first two weeks in May this year, the City of London Police’s Lead Force Operations Room recorded more than 100 referrals for courier fraud – and 85% of victims were between 60 and 90 years old. Spokesperson Detective Sergeant Victoria O’Keefe says: “This is a particularly nasty crime type often resulting in significant psychological harm and financial loss to victims, many of whom are living alone and suffering age-related illness.” You might have heard of courier scams before – they’ve been doing the rounds on Facebook Marketplace and eBay for some time. A buyer, for example, might claim they’re too busy to collect an item and says they’ll use a courier who’ll bring you the cash – and all you need to do is give them your bank details to pay the insurance, which can put your money or identity under threat. But this latest generation of courier fraud is different and more dangerous – involving requests for much larger sums of money and specifically targeting older people. If you’ve not come across it before, it’s important to learn the warning signs. Strategic Fraud Prevention and Behavioural Lead for UK Finance Paul Maskall explains. “An example is I’ll call you up and say I’m from the police and your local bank branch is under investigation and we’re quite concerned about the safety of your money,” he says. The caller might know some of the target’s details, including their address or other personal data. However, this will likely have been obtained fraudulently to increase the chances of sounding genuine. “So, I ask you to go down to your bank branch but don’t tell the staff anything about this because they’re under investigation. Then I’ll tell you to withdraw a sum of money and I’ll send a courier to pick it up.” Sadly, the courier will then have driven off with the cash and never be seen again. “We’ve also seen cases where people are manipulated into buying gold bullion and then giving it to a courier,” adds Maskall. Gold bullion-based courier fraud has been prevalent over the last year in multiple locations, costing victims millions. In these cases, those defrauded were between 75 and 91 in age. Recent other cases have seen victims persuaded to hand over jewellery, gold coins or their bank card with its Pin to couriers – sometimes with a password given to make it seem more legitimate. These valuable items are then surrendered to the courier, all under the guise of these being ‘evidence’ in an ongoing investigation and the victim told they can reclaim the money, only to find it’s all a scam. I heard today that a local person received a call purporting to be a Police Officer who told her that they had arrested a man saying that he was her Grandson and had her cards. They got into conversation and then asked if she had any Jewellery. She told them in her safe and they asked her to bag it up and they would send a courier round to collect the jewellery, as they could keep it safe for her. Fortunately, when another call came through from the fraudster a neighbour had arrived home and took the call which avoided her being scammed. Scammers are impersonating solicitors and making away with victims’ house deposits just before their completion dates. This scam is known as conveyancing fraud, and it's typically executed by a fraudster hacking into a solicitor’s or buyer’s email account and providing alternative bank details for deposits to be paid into. Lloyds Bank has warned that it received 29% more reports of conveyancing fraud in the second half of last year compared with the first half. It also found that victims lost an average of £47,000 and around 45% of victims were aged 39 or under, signalling that first-time buyers may be most at risk. This link provides additional information: https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/scammers-steal-home-deposits-in-callous-conveyancing-scams-afGcO5t39f7o Fraudsters use deepfake videos in many ways – to steal identities, impersonate people you know and pose as famous people to sell dodgy products and investments. In its 2024 identity fraud report, identity verification company Onfido found a 3,000% increase in the use of deepfake attempts at identity fraud in 2023 compared to 2022. Onfido puts this down to growth in the accessibility of cheap online tools, apps and generative AI. Verification and authentication company iProov also reported an increase in the use of deepfakes in the form of face-swap technology, which is software that allows you to put someone else’s face over your own in a video. It saw these types of attacks grow by over 700% in the second half of 2023, when compared to the first half of the year. Last year, the passing of the Online Safety Act made it a legal requirement for platforms to remove harmful content, including scams and frauds. Which? is calling on Ofcom, the regulator responsible for enforcing the rules, to develop a code of conduct that puts robust duties on platforms to detect and take down scams using the Online Safety Act. How to spot and report a deepfake video Some deepfake videos are hard to identify, but there are methods you can use: · Watch out for low quality lip-syncing. · Pay attention to details and quality – do the hair, lighting and skin tone of the person look believable? Is there any blurring in the video? · Listen out for strange background noises or robotic voices. · Look for unnatural facial expressions. · Check where the video comes from. If it wasn't posted by an official account, you should be suspicious of it. To report scam videos on social media, select the three dots in the top right-hand corner and then ‘Report’. If you become the victim of a scam, call your bank immediately using the number on the back of your bank card and report it to Action Fraud. https://s-url.co/nVYUAA Message Sent By Neil Gunnell (NWN, MSA, Thames Valley, South Oxfordshire) -
Posted in: Public Notices
Dear resident, Thanks to the internet it’s easy to share about what you’re doing, how you’re feeling, your opinions, likes, dislikes, passions and interests. As well as information and updates about yourself, family and friends, keeping everyone up to date about your life. But what if what you share doesn’t have the effect you intended it to because it’s oversharing? Like your home being burgled because you posted your family holiday pics. Or your identity being stolen if a criminal pieces together the personal details in your profile. The attached leaflet provides tips and advice on making sure you don't overshare online. Separately, a recent survey also revealed that we're too polite when it comes to scam callers - all the information can be seen here, along with some short animations providing advice on how to handle scam callers: New nationwide poll reveals Brits as ‘too polite’ when it comes to scammers (getsafeonline.org) The advice - if you receive a telephone call from someone you're not expecting simply say ‘I’m not interested, thank you' and hang up. With kind regards, the Get Safe Online team For the UK-Aug24_Sharing_Leaflet.pdf, Pleasec follow this link: https://members.thamesvalleyalert.co.uk/AlertMessage/Attachment/1D90F2EE72A90184B63CBDA6A60B9C30 -
Posted in: Scams of any type.
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Posted in: Public Notices
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Posted in: AI ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
I've had a go at the imaging side, however, I think it has some way to go yet. it didn't produce what I hoped it would. For some reason I couldn't define tightly enough what I wanted it to produce - and I really tried, but no matter what wording I used, and I tried many times, it just didn't get what I wanted it to. -
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Posted in: Public Notices
Safe Place Scheme Dear residents, Further to my previous message regarding the Safe Place Scheme, please find below a link to the Buckinghamshire scheme run by the council. Also see attached flyer issued by Buckinghamshire council. https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/community-and-safety/safety-and-crime-in-your-community/crime-reporting-and-prevention/help-if-you-are-a-victim-of-crime/ This link also gives details of businesses/buildings that have registered for the local run scheme. Thank you Attachments GD000534 Safe Place A5 flyer_v4.pdf https://members.thamesvalleyalert.co.uk/AlertMessage/Attachment/68C03D92FA6001FCA97206E8C8B515BD Message Sent By Jo Howland (Police, Neighbourhood Administrator, Aylesbury Vale) -
Posted in: AI ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
The Rt. Hon. Greg Clark, Former Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, has just finished his evidence to the Post Office Inquiry. His final statement was that had AI been used to look at the criminal cases brought by the Post Office, he felt that a pattern may have emerged, resulting in less prosecutions and a saving of time, money and personal damage. -
Posted in: Public Notices
Businesses and other public buildings that have registered as Safe Places under a national scheme can offer help if anyone at all is anxious, scared or at risk while they are out and about and need support. You can recognise a registered Safe Place by a sticker with the official Safe Places logo displayed prominently in the front window. You can also find the nearest Safe Place to your location by downloading the Safe Places app (free to download on both Apple and Android mobile phones). When you open the app, tap on "Get me to the nearest Safe Place" and it will open a map showing the quickest walking route to the nearest Safe Place that is open. For more information visit: Safe Places - Keep Safe with Safe Places https://s-url.co/VNATAA Please share this message with anyone who you feel will benefit from extra support while out and about. Many Thanks Message Sent By Jo Howland (Police, Neighbourhood Administrator, Aylesbury Vale) -
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Posted in: Chenies
An update from Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council 24 July 2024 Dear resident, As promised, I am writing with a further update now that the new Government has set out its legislative programme in last week’s King’s Speech. I want to highlight the key elements of this which affect Buckinghamshire. As I also said in my last update, it’s been a really active period for the council in the run up to the summer break, so I wanted to give more detail on some of that work and also some of the summer activities that are available, hence sending another quite long newsletter to you so soon after the previous one! The King’s Speech This is the way that a government sets out its priority policies and the legislation it intends to bring forward to support them. This King’s Speech contained no less than 40 proposed new Acts of Parliament. These covered a wide range of different public policy areas that impact us all nationally, and many of which will have specific implications for Buckinghamshire too. New Bills cover proposals from major policies on economic growth, planning reform and devolution to buses and schools. There are proposals to limit landlords’ ability to evict tenants. Given the large number of rented properties in Buckinghamshire, that will be significant. There is a Children’s Wellbeing Bill that provides for breakfast clubs in all schools. We will need to see how that will operate and who will pay for the additional costs involved. There will be a new schools’ curriculum which must be taught in all state schools. Well publicised during the election, there will be VAT levied on all independent schools. You can read the full detail of what is being put forward by going onto the Government’s website. https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgiuTFFvGtInairbDN0ilk3PYP9Oj7R1vHGQCTTi8YKb4djed4 Planning Reform I wanted to highlight the area of policy that I believe will have the greatest impact on our area, particularly where planning and development is concerned. The speech included confirmation that the Government will bring forward a new Planning and Infrastructure Bill. We don’t have all the detail yet but from what Ministers have said there appear to be two key aspects to this new Bill which will have major impacts on Buckinghamshire. Firstly, the reimposition of ‘top down’ housing targets. This is for the number of houses actually built, not granted permission. Councils do not build houses, that is done by private house builders and some social housing providers. We do not know the actual size of these targets yet but, given the overall target of 1.5 million during the rest of this Parliament, we anticipate they will be very large. Councils will have to allocate enough land to allow for all this target, and more, to give scope for the rate at which the houses are actually built. The role of local councils and local people in deciding where these houses are built is also likely to be substantially reduced. Of course, the houses will require appropriate infrastructure such as roads, schools, doctors’ surgeries, energy, water and waste water, digital networks etc. However, it is unclear how all of these will be funded and built in the timescales. Also how does this fit with existing approved Local Plans? The second key aspect is the move by government to have local councils reallocate much of the Green Belt, a so called ‘Grey Belt’. There is no definition of what constitutes ‘Grey Belt’. Currently about a third of Buckinghamshire is Green Belt and much of this is also in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). At present the law gives protected status to land designated as Green Belt. The Green Belt was designed to preserve in perpetuity the beauty and openness of the countryside and prevent towns and villages merging. Importantly the Green Belt is about ‘openness’, not about being parkland. It is current council policy to protect and maintain the Green Belt whenever possible, although we accept that there will always be exceptional circumstances where Green Belt can be released. It will have to be seen how Green Belt release will be required and what role will be given to councils in this process or whether developers will be able to take the initiative. Economic growth There is also a clear focus on economic growth through the new Bills being put forward which of course, we recognise is much needed on a national level and an important focus locally too in supporting and building our local economy and securing a bright future for Buckinghamshire and future generations here. We are currently refreshing our strong local growth plan that has been developed through the Buckinghamshire Growth Board. This outlines how our county can make a significant contribution to the UK economy as a whole through our local industries and local plans. Devolution We welcome further confirmation on the intent to progress the devolution agenda too. I was written to by the new Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner last week and look forward to further discussions about how devolved powers will work here after having a devolution deal for Buckinghamshire announced by the last government Tackling the litter louts Onto other priority areas for our residents and I’m really pleased that I can now confirm we have adopted a bold new policy to tackle littering head on – including introducing much higher penalties, which are due to come into force this week. We’re not shying away from this; we want people to sit up and take notice, so we are launching an attention grabbing new anti-littering campaign called ‘For Bucks Sake’. We will also be issuing penalties of £500 for people who are caught littering. Like you, I am fed up and disappointed by the sheer amount of litter that I see blighting our beautiful county and disrupting nature, especially on roadside verges. It’s the same stuff – empty drink cans, cigarette and vape packets, fast food wrapping, plastic bottles and containers, and it’s getting worse and worse. I cannot believe that some people think it’s OK to chuck their rubbish from a vehicle, yet many people seem to be doing this – and think they can get away with it. Not anymore. We are among the first councils to use these new powers of higher fines – and a quicker route to catching and punishing the culprits. We are also using a powerful new weapon in our armoury – dashcam footage. We will be leading the way on this by directly appealing to people to send us any footage they might have of littering – captured in a way that is of course, safe and legal. We are inviting people to upload footage and photos to our new webpage https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgi-TFFq1BW1lz7ZueiNaefuPK5yWBrRASEADQyNbpBY4PtBl0 if their dashcam has captured someone in a vehicle chucking litter out of the window. With car registration details, this will provide us with the evidence we need to trace and fine the culprit. The new policy will also allow us in the coming months to prosecute through the civil process meaning it will be the vehicle owner who will be liable, whether they threw the litter or not – this should encourage drivers to ensure their passengers do the right thing, and hopefully encourage passengers not to risk the driver being given a penalty for littering! I hope that the new approach and penalties will prove a powerful deterrent. Have your say I wanted to draw your attention to some important consultations we have at the moment that we want to invite you to comment on to ensure you are a part of shaping these policies. Of particular note, we are proposing some changes to our library service, including introducing longer opening hours, and extending some self-service aspects, whilst retaining face to face contacts during core hours. We are also currently consulting on our Housing Allocations Policy for social housing tenants and our draft Air Quality Action Plan. These are really important council services and policies to many of you, so please do visit our ‘Your Voice Bucks’ https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjOTFFp86-wWPQRaRH6XdfdcJZefAyxHkgTwlVaXrfTisv6_y webpage to comment and be involved in the decision-making process. Summer break We have reached the end of another school year and the start, for many, of the summer break. I’m sure many of you have holidays planned, whether at home or abroad, and I hope you can also make the most of the array of wonderful walks, events and attractions we have on our doorstep here in Buckinghamshire. We have many low-cost and free activities and events on the Buckinghamshire Family Information Service website https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjeTFFqJkdBeTb3KsoySCq0gfg11e3oQcE_M6HVPdu-aex3B6 so I urge you to take a look if you want ideas on keeping children – and adults alike – entertained! There are also full details of how to access all aspects of family support and advice on these webpages if you need it. I also wanted to affirm our continued support for local families over the summer too. We know juggling finances over the summer months can be tricky. We are running our Holiday Activities and Food programme across the summer for families who get benefits-related free school meals, so those children have access to free childcare and a healthy meal all provided within the scheme. We have also issued £50 food vouchers to eligible families too, to help with food costs over the summer. I remain very conscious that for many households the cost of living still presents a significant challenge and I hope this support makes a difference. Well done to schools and students I also want to thank all school staff and school leaders for their hard work over the last academic year and wish all the very best to students, particularly those awaiting exam results in the coming weeks. I’m really proud of the achievements of all of our schools that we celebrated in our recent School Awards. We have a higher level of children and young people attending good and outstanding schools than the national average and this is testament to everyone involved, families, students and the tireless efforts of teachers and all who work in schools. I hope you can enjoy a well-earned break in the coming weeks. Proud of Bucks! Last, but not least; nominations are now open for our annual ‘Proud of Bucks’ awards. https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjuTFFoBXLwUzBHho1V6T94rfrN8Pyc3uqjDTELY9ndB-O_sW Is there someone who you think is a community hero worthy of more recognition? These awards, being run through our sixteen Community Boards, aim to shine a light on the incredible contributions of the unsung heroes in our communities across the county so please take a look how to make a nomination if you have someone in mind! I hope you have a great summer and that we can finally see the back of the rain! Stay safe and well, Yours, Martin Tett Leader of Buckinghamshire Council -
Posted in: Penn
An update from Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council 24 July 2024 Dear resident, As promised, I am writing with a further update now that the new Government has set out its legislative programme in last week’s King’s Speech. I want to highlight the key elements of this which affect Buckinghamshire. As I also said in my last update, it’s been a really active period for the council in the run up to the summer break, so I wanted to give more detail on some of that work and also some of the summer activities that are available, hence sending another quite long newsletter to you so soon after the previous one! The King’s Speech This is the way that a government sets out its priority policies and the legislation it intends to bring forward to support them. This King’s Speech contained no less than 40 proposed new Acts of Parliament. These covered a wide range of different public policy areas that impact us all nationally, and many of which will have specific implications for Buckinghamshire too. New Bills cover proposals from major policies on economic growth, planning reform and devolution to buses and schools. There are proposals to limit landlords’ ability to evict tenants. Given the large number of rented properties in Buckinghamshire, that will be significant. There is a Children’s Wellbeing Bill that provides for breakfast clubs in all schools. We will need to see how that will operate and who will pay for the additional costs involved. There will be a new schools’ curriculum which must be taught in all state schools. Well publicised during the election, there will be VAT levied on all independent schools. You can read the full detail of what is being put forward by going onto the Government’s website. https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgiuTFFvGtInairbDN0ilk3PYP9Oj7R1vHGQCTTi8YKb4djed4 Planning Reform I wanted to highlight the area of policy that I believe will have the greatest impact on our area, particularly where planning and development is concerned. The speech included confirmation that the Government will bring forward a new Planning and Infrastructure Bill. We don’t have all the detail yet but from what Ministers have said there appear to be two key aspects to this new Bill which will have major impacts on Buckinghamshire. Firstly, the reimposition of ‘top down’ housing targets. This is for the number of houses actually built, not granted permission. Councils do not build houses, that is done by private house builders and some social housing providers. We do not know the actual size of these targets yet but, given the overall target of 1.5 million during the rest of this Parliament, we anticipate they will be very large. Councils will have to allocate enough land to allow for all this target, and more, to give scope for the rate at which the houses are actually built. The role of local councils and local people in deciding where these houses are built is also likely to be substantially reduced. Of course, the houses will require appropriate infrastructure such as roads, schools, doctors’ surgeries, energy, water and waste water, digital networks etc. However, it is unclear how all of these will be funded and built in the timescales. Also how does this fit with existing approved Local Plans? The second key aspect is the move by government to have local councils reallocate much of the Green Belt, a so called ‘Grey Belt’. There is no definition of what constitutes ‘Grey Belt’. Currently about a third of Buckinghamshire is Green Belt and much of this is also in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). At present the law gives protected status to land designated as Green Belt. The Green Belt was designed to preserve in perpetuity the beauty and openness of the countryside and prevent towns and villages merging. Importantly the Green Belt is about ‘openness’, not about being parkland. It is current council policy to protect and maintain the Green Belt whenever possible, although we accept that there will always be exceptional circumstances where Green Belt can be released. It will have to be seen how Green Belt release will be required and what role will be given to councils in this process or whether developers will be able to take the initiative. Economic growth There is also a clear focus on economic growth through the new Bills being put forward which of course, we recognise is much needed on a national level and an important focus locally too in supporting and building our local economy and securing a bright future for Buckinghamshire and future generations here. We are currently refreshing our strong local growth plan that has been developed through the Buckinghamshire Growth Board. This outlines how our county can make a significant contribution to the UK economy as a whole through our local industries and local plans. Devolution We welcome further confirmation on the intent to progress the devolution agenda too. I was written to by the new Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner last week and look forward to further discussions about how devolved powers will work here after having a devolution deal for Buckinghamshire announced by the last government Tackling the litter louts Onto other priority areas for our residents and I’m really pleased that I can now confirm we have adopted a bold new policy to tackle littering head on – including introducing much higher penalties, which are due to come into force this week. We’re not shying away from this; we want people to sit up and take notice, so we are launching an attention grabbing new anti-littering campaign called ‘For Bucks Sake’. We will also be issuing penalties of £500 for people who are caught littering. Like you, I am fed up and disappointed by the sheer amount of litter that I see blighting our beautiful county and disrupting nature, especially on roadside verges. It’s the same stuff – empty drink cans, cigarette and vape packets, fast food wrapping, plastic bottles and containers, and it’s getting worse and worse. I cannot believe that some people think it’s OK to chuck their rubbish from a vehicle, yet many people seem to be doing this – and think they can get away with it. Not anymore. We are among the first councils to use these new powers of higher fines – and a quicker route to catching and punishing the culprits. We are also using a powerful new weapon in our armoury – dashcam footage. We will be leading the way on this by directly appealing to people to send us any footage they might have of littering – captured in a way that is of course, safe and legal. We are inviting people to upload footage and photos to our new webpage https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgi-TFFq1BW1lz7ZueiNaefuPK5yWBrRASEADQyNbpBY4PtBl0 if their dashcam has captured someone in a vehicle chucking litter out of the window. With car registration details, this will provide us with the evidence we need to trace and fine the culprit. The new policy will also allow us in the coming months to prosecute through the civil process meaning it will be the vehicle owner who will be liable, whether they threw the litter or not – this should encourage drivers to ensure their passengers do the right thing, and hopefully encourage passengers not to risk the driver being given a penalty for littering! I hope that the new approach and penalties will prove a powerful deterrent. Have your say I wanted to draw your attention to some important consultations we have at the moment that we want to invite you to comment on to ensure you are a part of shaping these policies. Of particular note, we are proposing some changes to our library service, including introducing longer opening hours, and extending some self-service aspects, whilst retaining face to face contacts during core hours. We are also currently consulting on our Housing Allocations Policy for social housing tenants and our draft Air Quality Action Plan. These are really important council services and policies to many of you, so please do visit our ‘Your Voice Bucks’ https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjOTFFp86-wWPQRaRH6XdfdcJZefAyxHkgTwlVaXrfTisv6_y webpage to comment and be involved in the decision-making process. Summer break We have reached the end of another school year and the start, for many, of the summer break. I’m sure many of you have holidays planned, whether at home or abroad, and I hope you can also make the most of the array of wonderful walks, events and attractions we have on our doorstep here in Buckinghamshire. We have many low-cost and free activities and events on the Buckinghamshire Family Information Service website https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjeTFFqJkdBeTb3KsoySCq0gfg11e3oQcE_M6HVPdu-aex3B6 so I urge you to take a look if you want ideas on keeping children – and adults alike – entertained! There are also full details of how to access all aspects of family support and advice on these webpages if you need it. I also wanted to affirm our continued support for local families over the summer too. We know juggling finances over the summer months can be tricky. We are running our Holiday Activities and Food programme across the summer for families who get benefits-related free school meals, so those children have access to free childcare and a healthy meal all provided within the scheme. We have also issued £50 food vouchers to eligible families too, to help with food costs over the summer. I remain very conscious that for many households the cost of living still presents a significant challenge and I hope this support makes a difference. Well done to schools and students I also want to thank all school staff and school leaders for their hard work over the last academic year and wish all the very best to students, particularly those awaiting exam results in the coming weeks. I’m really proud of the achievements of all of our schools that we celebrated in our recent School Awards. We have a higher level of children and young people attending good and outstanding schools than the national average and this is testament to everyone involved, families, students and the tireless efforts of teachers and all who work in schools. I hope you can enjoy a well-earned break in the coming weeks. Proud of Bucks! Last, but not least; nominations are now open for our annual ‘Proud of Bucks’ awards. https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjuTFFoBXLwUzBHho1V6T94rfrN8Pyc3uqjDTELY9ndB-O_sW Is there someone who you think is a community hero worthy of more recognition? These awards, being run through our sixteen Community Boards, aim to shine a light on the incredible contributions of the unsung heroes in our communities across the county so please take a look how to make a nomination if you have someone in mind! I hope you have a great summer and that we can finally see the back of the rain! Stay safe and well, Yours, Martin Tett Leader of Buckinghamshire Council -
Posted in: Taplow
An update from Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council 24 July 2024 Dear resident, As promised, I am writing with a further update now that the new Government has set out its legislative programme in last week’s King’s Speech. I want to highlight the key elements of this which affect Buckinghamshire. As I also said in my last update, it’s been a really active period for the council in the run up to the summer break, so I wanted to give more detail on some of that work and also some of the summer activities that are available, hence sending another quite long newsletter to you so soon after the previous one! The King’s Speech This is the way that a government sets out its priority policies and the legislation it intends to bring forward to support them. This King’s Speech contained no less than 40 proposed new Acts of Parliament. These covered a wide range of different public policy areas that impact us all nationally, and many of which will have specific implications for Buckinghamshire too. New Bills cover proposals from major policies on economic growth, planning reform and devolution to buses and schools. There are proposals to limit landlords’ ability to evict tenants. Given the large number of rented properties in Buckinghamshire, that will be significant. There is a Children’s Wellbeing Bill that provides for breakfast clubs in all schools. We will need to see how that will operate and who will pay for the additional costs involved. There will be a new schools’ curriculum which must be taught in all state schools. Well publicised during the election, there will be VAT levied on all independent schools. You can read the full detail of what is being put forward by going onto the Government’s website. https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgiuTFFvGtInairbDN0ilk3PYP9Oj7R1vHGQCTTi8YKb4djed4 Planning Reform I wanted to highlight the area of policy that I believe will have the greatest impact on our area, particularly where planning and development is concerned. The speech included confirmation that the Government will bring forward a new Planning and Infrastructure Bill. We don’t have all the detail yet but from what Ministers have said there appear to be two key aspects to this new Bill which will have major impacts on Buckinghamshire. Firstly, the reimposition of ‘top down’ housing targets. This is for the number of houses actually built, not granted permission. Councils do not build houses, that is done by private house builders and some social housing providers. We do not know the actual size of these targets yet but, given the overall target of 1.5 million during the rest of this Parliament, we anticipate they will be very large. Councils will have to allocate enough land to allow for all this target, and more, to give scope for the rate at which the houses are actually built. The role of local councils and local people in deciding where these houses are built is also likely to be substantially reduced. Of course, the houses will require appropriate infrastructure such as roads, schools, doctors’ surgeries, energy, water and waste water, digital networks etc. However, it is unclear how all of these will be funded and built in the timescales. Also how does this fit with existing approved Local Plans? The second key aspect is the move by government to have local councils reallocate much of the Green Belt, a so called ‘Grey Belt’. There is no definition of what constitutes ‘Grey Belt’. Currently about a third of Buckinghamshire is Green Belt and much of this is also in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). At present the law gives protected status to land designated as Green Belt. The Green Belt was designed to preserve in perpetuity the beauty and openness of the countryside and prevent towns and villages merging. Importantly the Green Belt is about ‘openness’, not about being parkland. It is current council policy to protect and maintain the Green Belt whenever possible, although we accept that there will always be exceptional circumstances where Green Belt can be released. It will have to be seen how Green Belt release will be required and what role will be given to councils in this process or whether developers will be able to take the initiative. Economic growth There is also a clear focus on economic growth through the new Bills being put forward which of course, we recognise is much needed on a national level and an important focus locally too in supporting and building our local economy and securing a bright future for Buckinghamshire and future generations here. We are currently refreshing our strong local growth plan that has been developed through the Buckinghamshire Growth Board. This outlines how our county can make a significant contribution to the UK economy as a whole through our local industries and local plans. Devolution We welcome further confirmation on the intent to progress the devolution agenda too. I was written to by the new Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner last week and look forward to further discussions about how devolved powers will work here after having a devolution deal for Buckinghamshire announced by the last government Tackling the litter louts Onto other priority areas for our residents and I’m really pleased that I can now confirm we have adopted a bold new policy to tackle littering head on – including introducing much higher penalties, which are due to come into force this week. We’re not shying away from this; we want people to sit up and take notice, so we are launching an attention grabbing new anti-littering campaign called ‘For Bucks Sake’. We will also be issuing penalties of £500 for people who are caught littering. Like you, I am fed up and disappointed by the sheer amount of litter that I see blighting our beautiful county and disrupting nature, especially on roadside verges. It’s the same stuff – empty drink cans, cigarette and vape packets, fast food wrapping, plastic bottles and containers, and it’s getting worse and worse. I cannot believe that some people think it’s OK to chuck their rubbish from a vehicle, yet many people seem to be doing this – and think they can get away with it. Not anymore. We are among the first councils to use these new powers of higher fines – and a quicker route to catching and punishing the culprits. We are also using a powerful new weapon in our armoury – dashcam footage. We will be leading the way on this by directly appealing to people to send us any footage they might have of littering – captured in a way that is of course, safe and legal. We are inviting people to upload footage and photos to our new webpage https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgi-TFFq1BW1lz7ZueiNaefuPK5yWBrRASEADQyNbpBY4PtBl0 if their dashcam has captured someone in a vehicle chucking litter out of the window. With car registration details, this will provide us with the evidence we need to trace and fine the culprit. The new policy will also allow us in the coming months to prosecute through the civil process meaning it will be the vehicle owner who will be liable, whether they threw the litter or not – this should encourage drivers to ensure their passengers do the right thing, and hopefully encourage passengers not to risk the driver being given a penalty for littering! I hope that the new approach and penalties will prove a powerful deterrent. Have your say I wanted to draw your attention to some important consultations we have at the moment that we want to invite you to comment on to ensure you are a part of shaping these policies. Of particular note, we are proposing some changes to our library service, including introducing longer opening hours, and extending some self-service aspects, whilst retaining face to face contacts during core hours. We are also currently consulting on our Housing Allocations Policy for social housing tenants and our draft Air Quality Action Plan. These are really important council services and policies to many of you, so please do visit our ‘Your Voice Bucks’ https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjOTFFp86-wWPQRaRH6XdfdcJZefAyxHkgTwlVaXrfTisv6_y webpage to comment and be involved in the decision-making process. Summer break We have reached the end of another school year and the start, for many, of the summer break. I’m sure many of you have holidays planned, whether at home or abroad, and I hope you can also make the most of the array of wonderful walks, events and attractions we have on our doorstep here in Buckinghamshire. We have many low-cost and free activities and events on the Buckinghamshire Family Information Service website https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjeTFFqJkdBeTb3KsoySCq0gfg11e3oQcE_M6HVPdu-aex3B6 so I urge you to take a look if you want ideas on keeping children – and adults alike – entertained! There are also full details of how to access all aspects of family support and advice on these webpages if you need it. I also wanted to affirm our continued support for local families over the summer too. We know juggling finances over the summer months can be tricky. We are running our Holiday Activities and Food programme across the summer for families who get benefits-related free school meals, so those children have access to free childcare and a healthy meal all provided within the scheme. We have also issued £50 food vouchers to eligible families too, to help with food costs over the summer. I remain very conscious that for many households the cost of living still presents a significant challenge and I hope this support makes a difference. Well done to schools and students I also want to thank all school staff and school leaders for their hard work over the last academic year and wish all the very best to students, particularly those awaiting exam results in the coming weeks. I’m really proud of the achievements of all of our schools that we celebrated in our recent School Awards. We have a higher level of children and young people attending good and outstanding schools than the national average and this is testament to everyone involved, families, students and the tireless efforts of teachers and all who work in schools. I hope you can enjoy a well-earned break in the coming weeks. Proud of Bucks! Last, but not least; nominations are now open for our annual ‘Proud of Bucks’ awards. https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjuTFFoBXLwUzBHho1V6T94rfrN8Pyc3uqjDTELY9ndB-O_sW Is there someone who you think is a community hero worthy of more recognition? These awards, being run through our sixteen Community Boards, aim to shine a light on the incredible contributions of the unsung heroes in our communities across the county so please take a look how to make a nomination if you have someone in mind! I hope you have a great summer and that we can finally see the back of the rain! Stay safe and well, Yours, Martin Tett Leader of Buckinghamshire Council -
Posted in: Forty Green
An update from Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council 24 July 2024 Dear resident, As promised, I am writing with a further update now that the new Government has set out its legislative programme in last week’s King’s Speech. I want to highlight the key elements of this which affect Buckinghamshire. As I also said in my last update, it’s been a really active period for the council in the run up to the summer break, so I wanted to give more detail on some of that work and also some of the summer activities that are available, hence sending another quite long newsletter to you so soon after the previous one! The King’s Speech This is the way that a government sets out its priority policies and the legislation it intends to bring forward to support them. This King’s Speech contained no less than 40 proposed new Acts of Parliament. These covered a wide range of different public policy areas that impact us all nationally, and many of which will have specific implications for Buckinghamshire too. New Bills cover proposals from major policies on economic growth, planning reform and devolution to buses and schools. There are proposals to limit landlords’ ability to evict tenants. Given the large number of rented properties in Buckinghamshire, that will be significant. There is a Children’s Wellbeing Bill that provides for breakfast clubs in all schools. We will need to see how that will operate and who will pay for the additional costs involved. There will be a new schools’ curriculum which must be taught in all state schools. Well publicised during the election, there will be VAT levied on all independent schools. You can read the full detail of what is being put forward by going onto the Government’s website. https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgiuTFFvGtInairbDN0ilk3PYP9Oj7R1vHGQCTTi8YKb4djed4 Planning Reform I wanted to highlight the area of policy that I believe will have the greatest impact on our area, particularly where planning and development is concerned. The speech included confirmation that the Government will bring forward a new Planning and Infrastructure Bill. We don’t have all the detail yet but from what Ministers have said there appear to be two key aspects to this new Bill which will have major impacts on Buckinghamshire. Firstly, the reimposition of ‘top down’ housing targets. This is for the number of houses actually built, not granted permission. Councils do not build houses, that is done by private house builders and some social housing providers. We do not know the actual size of these targets yet but, given the overall target of 1.5 million during the rest of this Parliament, we anticipate they will be very large. Councils will have to allocate enough land to allow for all this target, and more, to give scope for the rate at which the houses are actually built. The role of local councils and local people in deciding where these houses are built is also likely to be substantially reduced. Of course, the houses will require appropriate infrastructure such as roads, schools, doctors’ surgeries, energy, water and waste water, digital networks etc. However, it is unclear how all of these will be funded and built in the timescales. Also how does this fit with existing approved Local Plans? The second key aspect is the move by government to have local councils reallocate much of the Green Belt, a so called ‘Grey Belt’. There is no definition of what constitutes ‘Grey Belt’. Currently about a third of Buckinghamshire is Green Belt and much of this is also in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). At present the law gives protected status to land designated as Green Belt. The Green Belt was designed to preserve in perpetuity the beauty and openness of the countryside and prevent towns and villages merging. Importantly the Green Belt is about ‘openness’, not about being parkland. It is current council policy to protect and maintain the Green Belt whenever possible, although we accept that there will always be exceptional circumstances where Green Belt can be released. It will have to be seen how Green Belt release will be required and what role will be given to councils in this process or whether developers will be able to take the initiative. Economic growth There is also a clear focus on economic growth through the new Bills being put forward which of course, we recognise is much needed on a national level and an important focus locally too in supporting and building our local economy and securing a bright future for Buckinghamshire and future generations here. We are currently refreshing our strong local growth plan that has been developed through the Buckinghamshire Growth Board. This outlines how our county can make a significant contribution to the UK economy as a whole through our local industries and local plans. Devolution We welcome further confirmation on the intent to progress the devolution agenda too. I was written to by the new Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner last week and look forward to further discussions about how devolved powers will work here after having a devolution deal for Buckinghamshire announced by the last government Tackling the litter louts Onto other priority areas for our residents and I’m really pleased that I can now confirm we have adopted a bold new policy to tackle littering head on – including introducing much higher penalties, which are due to come into force this week. We’re not shying away from this; we want people to sit up and take notice, so we are launching an attention grabbing new anti-littering campaign called ‘For Bucks Sake’. We will also be issuing penalties of £500 for people who are caught littering. Like you, I am fed up and disappointed by the sheer amount of litter that I see blighting our beautiful county and disrupting nature, especially on roadside verges. It’s the same stuff – empty drink cans, cigarette and vape packets, fast food wrapping, plastic bottles and containers, and it’s getting worse and worse. I cannot believe that some people think it’s OK to chuck their rubbish from a vehicle, yet many people seem to be doing this – and think they can get away with it. Not anymore. We are among the first councils to use these new powers of higher fines – and a quicker route to catching and punishing the culprits. We are also using a powerful new weapon in our armoury – dashcam footage. We will be leading the way on this by directly appealing to people to send us any footage they might have of littering – captured in a way that is of course, safe and legal. We are inviting people to upload footage and photos to our new webpage https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgi-TFFq1BW1lz7ZueiNaefuPK5yWBrRASEADQyNbpBY4PtBl0 if their dashcam has captured someone in a vehicle chucking litter out of the window. With car registration details, this will provide us with the evidence we need to trace and fine the culprit. The new policy will also allow us in the coming months to prosecute through the civil process meaning it will be the vehicle owner who will be liable, whether they threw the litter or not – this should encourage drivers to ensure their passengers do the right thing, and hopefully encourage passengers not to risk the driver being given a penalty for littering! I hope that the new approach and penalties will prove a powerful deterrent. Have your say I wanted to draw your attention to some important consultations we have at the moment that we want to invite you to comment on to ensure you are a part of shaping these policies. Of particular note, we are proposing some changes to our library service, including introducing longer opening hours, and extending some self-service aspects, whilst retaining face to face contacts during core hours. We are also currently consulting on our Housing Allocations Policy for social housing tenants and our draft Air Quality Action Plan. These are really important council services and policies to many of you, so please do visit our ‘Your Voice Bucks’ https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjOTFFp86-wWPQRaRH6XdfdcJZefAyxHkgTwlVaXrfTisv6_y webpage to comment and be involved in the decision-making process. Summer break We have reached the end of another school year and the start, for many, of the summer break. I’m sure many of you have holidays planned, whether at home or abroad, and I hope you can also make the most of the array of wonderful walks, events and attractions we have on our doorstep here in Buckinghamshire. We have many low-cost and free activities and events on the Buckinghamshire Family Information Service website https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjeTFFqJkdBeTb3KsoySCq0gfg11e3oQcE_M6HVPdu-aex3B6 so I urge you to take a look if you want ideas on keeping children – and adults alike – entertained! There are also full details of how to access all aspects of family support and advice on these webpages if you need it. I also wanted to affirm our continued support for local families over the summer too. We know juggling finances over the summer months can be tricky. We are running our Holiday Activities and Food programme across the summer for families who get benefits-related free school meals, so those children have access to free childcare and a healthy meal all provided within the scheme. We have also issued £50 food vouchers to eligible families too, to help with food costs over the summer. I remain very conscious that for many households the cost of living still presents a significant challenge and I hope this support makes a difference. Well done to schools and students I also want to thank all school staff and school leaders for their hard work over the last academic year and wish all the very best to students, particularly those awaiting exam results in the coming weeks. I’m really proud of the achievements of all of our schools that we celebrated in our recent School Awards. We have a higher level of children and young people attending good and outstanding schools than the national average and this is testament to everyone involved, families, students and the tireless efforts of teachers and all who work in schools. I hope you can enjoy a well-earned break in the coming weeks. Proud of Bucks! Last, but not least; nominations are now open for our annual ‘Proud of Bucks’ awards. https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjuTFFoBXLwUzBHho1V6T94rfrN8Pyc3uqjDTELY9ndB-O_sW Is there someone who you think is a community hero worthy of more recognition? These awards, being run through our sixteen Community Boards, aim to shine a light on the incredible contributions of the unsung heroes in our communities across the county so please take a look how to make a nomination if you have someone in mind! I hope you have a great summer and that we can finally see the back of the rain! Stay safe and well, Yours, Martin Tett Leader of Buckinghamshire Council -
Posted in: Burnham
An update from Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council 24 July 2024 Dear resident, As promised, I am writing with a further update now that the new Government has set out its legislative programme in last week’s King’s Speech. I want to highlight the key elements of this which affect Buckinghamshire. As I also said in my last update, it’s been a really active period for the council in the run up to the summer break, so I wanted to give more detail on some of that work and also some of the summer activities that are available, hence sending another quite long newsletter to you so soon after the previous one! The King’s Speech This is the way that a government sets out its priority policies and the legislation it intends to bring forward to support them. This King’s Speech contained no less than 40 proposed new Acts of Parliament. These covered a wide range of different public policy areas that impact us all nationally, and many of which will have specific implications for Buckinghamshire too. New Bills cover proposals from major policies on economic growth, planning reform and devolution to buses and schools. There are proposals to limit landlords’ ability to evict tenants. Given the large number of rented properties in Buckinghamshire, that will be significant. There is a Children’s Wellbeing Bill that provides for breakfast clubs in all schools. We will need to see how that will operate and who will pay for the additional costs involved. There will be a new schools’ curriculum which must be taught in all state schools. Well publicised during the election, there will be VAT levied on all independent schools. You can read the full detail of what is being put forward by going onto the Government’s website. https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgiuTFFvGtInairbDN0ilk3PYP9Oj7R1vHGQCTTi8YKb4djed4 Planning Reform I wanted to highlight the area of policy that I believe will have the greatest impact on our area, particularly where planning and development is concerned. The speech included confirmation that the Government will bring forward a new Planning and Infrastructure Bill. We don’t have all the detail yet but from what Ministers have said there appear to be two key aspects to this new Bill which will have major impacts on Buckinghamshire. Firstly, the reimposition of ‘top down’ housing targets. This is for the number of houses actually built, not granted permission. Councils do not build houses, that is done by private house builders and some social housing providers. We do not know the actual size of these targets yet but, given the overall target of 1.5 million during the rest of this Parliament, we anticipate they will be very large. Councils will have to allocate enough land to allow for all this target, and more, to give scope for the rate at which the houses are actually built. The role of local councils and local people in deciding where these houses are built is also likely to be substantially reduced. Of course, the houses will require appropriate infrastructure such as roads, schools, doctors’ surgeries, energy, water and waste water, digital networks etc. However, it is unclear how all of these will be funded and built in the timescales. Also how does this fit with existing approved Local Plans? The second key aspect is the move by government to have local councils reallocate much of the Green Belt, a so called ‘Grey Belt’. There is no definition of what constitutes ‘Grey Belt’. Currently about a third of Buckinghamshire is Green Belt and much of this is also in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). At present the law gives protected status to land designated as Green Belt. The Green Belt was designed to preserve in perpetuity the beauty and openness of the countryside and prevent towns and villages merging. Importantly the Green Belt is about ‘openness’, not about being parkland. It is current council policy to protect and maintain the Green Belt whenever possible, although we accept that there will always be exceptional circumstances where Green Belt can be released. It will have to be seen how Green Belt release will be required and what role will be given to councils in this process or whether developers will be able to take the initiative. Economic growth There is also a clear focus on economic growth through the new Bills being put forward which of course, we recognise is much needed on a national level and an important focus locally too in supporting and building our local economy and securing a bright future for Buckinghamshire and future generations here. We are currently refreshing our strong local growth plan that has been developed through the Buckinghamshire Growth Board. This outlines how our county can make a significant contribution to the UK economy as a whole through our local industries and local plans. Devolution We welcome further confirmation on the intent to progress the devolution agenda too. I was written to by the new Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner last week and look forward to further discussions about how devolved powers will work here after having a devolution deal for Buckinghamshire announced by the last government Tackling the litter louts Onto other priority areas for our residents and I’m really pleased that I can now confirm we have adopted a bold new policy to tackle littering head on – including introducing much higher penalties, which are due to come into force this week. We’re not shying away from this; we want people to sit up and take notice, so we are launching an attention grabbing new anti-littering campaign called ‘For Bucks Sake’. We will also be issuing penalties of £500 for people who are caught littering. Like you, I am fed up and disappointed by the sheer amount of litter that I see blighting our beautiful county and disrupting nature, especially on roadside verges. It’s the same stuff – empty drink cans, cigarette and vape packets, fast food wrapping, plastic bottles and containers, and it’s getting worse and worse. I cannot believe that some people think it’s OK to chuck their rubbish from a vehicle, yet many people seem to be doing this – and think they can get away with it. Not anymore. We are among the first councils to use these new powers of higher fines – and a quicker route to catching and punishing the culprits. We are also using a powerful new weapon in our armoury – dashcam footage. We will be leading the way on this by directly appealing to people to send us any footage they might have of littering – captured in a way that is of course, safe and legal. We are inviting people to upload footage and photos to our new webpage https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgi-TFFq1BW1lz7ZueiNaefuPK5yWBrRASEADQyNbpBY4PtBl0 if their dashcam has captured someone in a vehicle chucking litter out of the window. With car registration details, this will provide us with the evidence we need to trace and fine the culprit. The new policy will also allow us in the coming months to prosecute through the civil process meaning it will be the vehicle owner who will be liable, whether they threw the litter or not – this should encourage drivers to ensure their passengers do the right thing, and hopefully encourage passengers not to risk the driver being given a penalty for littering! I hope that the new approach and penalties will prove a powerful deterrent. Have your say I wanted to draw your attention to some important consultations we have at the moment that we want to invite you to comment on to ensure you are a part of shaping these policies. Of particular note, we are proposing some changes to our library service, including introducing longer opening hours, and extending some self-service aspects, whilst retaining face to face contacts during core hours. We are also currently consulting on our Housing Allocations Policy for social housing tenants and our draft Air Quality Action Plan. These are really important council services and policies to many of you, so please do visit our ‘Your Voice Bucks’ https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjOTFFp86-wWPQRaRH6XdfdcJZefAyxHkgTwlVaXrfTisv6_y webpage to comment and be involved in the decision-making process. Summer break We have reached the end of another school year and the start, for many, of the summer break. I’m sure many of you have holidays planned, whether at home or abroad, and I hope you can also make the most of the array of wonderful walks, events and attractions we have on our doorstep here in Buckinghamshire. We have many low-cost and free activities and events on the Buckinghamshire Family Information Service website https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjeTFFqJkdBeTb3KsoySCq0gfg11e3oQcE_M6HVPdu-aex3B6 so I urge you to take a look if you want ideas on keeping children – and adults alike – entertained! There are also full details of how to access all aspects of family support and advice on these webpages if you need it. I also wanted to affirm our continued support for local families over the summer too. We know juggling finances over the summer months can be tricky. We are running our Holiday Activities and Food programme across the summer for families who get benefits-related free school meals, so those children have access to free childcare and a healthy meal all provided within the scheme. We have also issued £50 food vouchers to eligible families too, to help with food costs over the summer. I remain very conscious that for many households the cost of living still presents a significant challenge and I hope this support makes a difference. Well done to schools and students I also want to thank all school staff and school leaders for their hard work over the last academic year and wish all the very best to students, particularly those awaiting exam results in the coming weeks. I’m really proud of the achievements of all of our schools that we celebrated in our recent School Awards. We have a higher level of children and young people attending good and outstanding schools than the national average and this is testament to everyone involved, families, students and the tireless efforts of teachers and all who work in schools. I hope you can enjoy a well-earned break in the coming weeks. Proud of Bucks! Last, but not least; nominations are now open for our annual ‘Proud of Bucks’ awards. https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjuTFFoBXLwUzBHho1V6T94rfrN8Pyc3uqjDTELY9ndB-O_sW Is there someone who you think is a community hero worthy of more recognition? These awards, being run through our sixteen Community Boards, aim to shine a light on the incredible contributions of the unsung heroes in our communities across the county so please take a look how to make a nomination if you have someone in mind! I hope you have a great summer and that we can finally see the back of the rain! Stay safe and well, Yours, Martin Tett Leader of Buckinghamshire Council -
Posted in: Stoke Poges
An update from Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council 24 July 2024 Dear resident, As promised, I am writing with a further update now that the new Government has set out its legislative programme in last week’s King’s Speech. I want to highlight the key elements of this which affect Buckinghamshire. As I also said in my last update, it’s been a really active period for the council in the run up to the summer break, so I wanted to give more detail on some of that work and also some of the summer activities that are available, hence sending another quite long newsletter to you so soon after the previous one! The King’s Speech This is the way that a government sets out its priority policies and the legislation it intends to bring forward to support them. This King’s Speech contained no less than 40 proposed new Acts of Parliament. These covered a wide range of different public policy areas that impact us all nationally, and many of which will have specific implications for Buckinghamshire too. New Bills cover proposals from major policies on economic growth, planning reform and devolution to buses and schools. There are proposals to limit landlords’ ability to evict tenants. Given the large number of rented properties in Buckinghamshire, that will be significant. There is a Children’s Wellbeing Bill that provides for breakfast clubs in all schools. We will need to see how that will operate and who will pay for the additional costs involved. There will be a new schools’ curriculum which must be taught in all state schools. Well publicised during the election, there will be VAT levied on all independent schools. You can read the full detail of what is being put forward by going onto the Government’s website. https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgiuTFFvGtInairbDN0ilk3PYP9Oj7R1vHGQCTTi8YKb4djed4 Planning Reform I wanted to highlight the area of policy that I believe will have the greatest impact on our area, particularly where planning and development is concerned. The speech included confirmation that the Government will bring forward a new Planning and Infrastructure Bill. We don’t have all the detail yet but from what Ministers have said there appear to be two key aspects to this new Bill which will have major impacts on Buckinghamshire. Firstly, the reimposition of ‘top down’ housing targets. This is for the number of houses actually built, not granted permission. Councils do not build houses, that is done by private house builders and some social housing providers. We do not know the actual size of these targets yet but, given the overall target of 1.5 million during the rest of this Parliament, we anticipate they will be very large. Councils will have to allocate enough land to allow for all this target, and more, to give scope for the rate at which the houses are actually built. The role of local councils and local people in deciding where these houses are built is also likely to be substantially reduced. Of course, the houses will require appropriate infrastructure such as roads, schools, doctors’ surgeries, energy, water and waste water, digital networks etc. However, it is unclear how all of these will be funded and built in the timescales. Also how does this fit with existing approved Local Plans? The second key aspect is the move by government to have local councils reallocate much of the Green Belt, a so called ‘Grey Belt’. There is no definition of what constitutes ‘Grey Belt’. Currently about a third of Buckinghamshire is Green Belt and much of this is also in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). At present the law gives protected status to land designated as Green Belt. The Green Belt was designed to preserve in perpetuity the beauty and openness of the countryside and prevent towns and villages merging. Importantly the Green Belt is about ‘openness’, not about being parkland. It is current council policy to protect and maintain the Green Belt whenever possible, although we accept that there will always be exceptional circumstances where Green Belt can be released. It will have to be seen how Green Belt release will be required and what role will be given to councils in this process or whether developers will be able to take the initiative. Economic growth There is also a clear focus on economic growth through the new Bills being put forward which of course, we recognise is much needed on a national level and an important focus locally too in supporting and building our local economy and securing a bright future for Buckinghamshire and future generations here. We are currently refreshing our strong local growth plan that has been developed through the Buckinghamshire Growth Board. This outlines how our county can make a significant contribution to the UK economy as a whole through our local industries and local plans. Devolution We welcome further confirmation on the intent to progress the devolution agenda too. I was written to by the new Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner last week and look forward to further discussions about how devolved powers will work here after having a devolution deal for Buckinghamshire announced by the last government Tackling the litter louts Onto other priority areas for our residents and I’m really pleased that I can now confirm we have adopted a bold new policy to tackle littering head on – including introducing much higher penalties, which are due to come into force this week. We’re not shying away from this; we want people to sit up and take notice, so we are launching an attention grabbing new anti-littering campaign called ‘For Bucks Sake’. We will also be issuing penalties of £500 for people who are caught littering. Like you, I am fed up and disappointed by the sheer amount of litter that I see blighting our beautiful county and disrupting nature, especially on roadside verges. It’s the same stuff – empty drink cans, cigarette and vape packets, fast food wrapping, plastic bottles and containers, and it’s getting worse and worse. I cannot believe that some people think it’s OK to chuck their rubbish from a vehicle, yet many people seem to be doing this – and think they can get away with it. Not anymore. We are among the first councils to use these new powers of higher fines – and a quicker route to catching and punishing the culprits. We are also using a powerful new weapon in our armoury – dashcam footage. We will be leading the way on this by directly appealing to people to send us any footage they might have of littering – captured in a way that is of course, safe and legal. We are inviting people to upload footage and photos to our new webpage https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgi-TFFq1BW1lz7ZueiNaefuPK5yWBrRASEADQyNbpBY4PtBl0 if their dashcam has captured someone in a vehicle chucking litter out of the window. With car registration details, this will provide us with the evidence we need to trace and fine the culprit. The new policy will also allow us in the coming months to prosecute through the civil process meaning it will be the vehicle owner who will be liable, whether they threw the litter or not – this should encourage drivers to ensure their passengers do the right thing, and hopefully encourage passengers not to risk the driver being given a penalty for littering! I hope that the new approach and penalties will prove a powerful deterrent. Have your say I wanted to draw your attention to some important consultations we have at the moment that we want to invite you to comment on to ensure you are a part of shaping these policies. Of particular note, we are proposing some changes to our library service, including introducing longer opening hours, and extending some self-service aspects, whilst retaining face to face contacts during core hours. We are also currently consulting on our Housing Allocations Policy for social housing tenants and our draft Air Quality Action Plan. These are really important council services and policies to many of you, so please do visit our ‘Your Voice Bucks’ https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjOTFFp86-wWPQRaRH6XdfdcJZefAyxHkgTwlVaXrfTisv6_y webpage to comment and be involved in the decision-making process. Summer break We have reached the end of another school year and the start, for many, of the summer break. I’m sure many of you have holidays planned, whether at home or abroad, and I hope you can also make the most of the array of wonderful walks, events and attractions we have on our doorstep here in Buckinghamshire. We have many low-cost and free activities and events on the Buckinghamshire Family Information Service website https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjeTFFqJkdBeTb3KsoySCq0gfg11e3oQcE_M6HVPdu-aex3B6 so I urge you to take a look if you want ideas on keeping children – and adults alike – entertained! There are also full details of how to access all aspects of family support and advice on these webpages if you need it. I also wanted to affirm our continued support for local families over the summer too. We know juggling finances over the summer months can be tricky. We are running our Holiday Activities and Food programme across the summer for families who get benefits-related free school meals, so those children have access to free childcare and a healthy meal all provided within the scheme. We have also issued £50 food vouchers to eligible families too, to help with food costs over the summer. I remain very conscious that for many households the cost of living still presents a significant challenge and I hope this support makes a difference. Well done to schools and students I also want to thank all school staff and school leaders for their hard work over the last academic year and wish all the very best to students, particularly those awaiting exam results in the coming weeks. I’m really proud of the achievements of all of our schools that we celebrated in our recent School Awards. We have a higher level of children and young people attending good and outstanding schools than the national average and this is testament to everyone involved, families, students and the tireless efforts of teachers and all who work in schools. I hope you can enjoy a well-earned break in the coming weeks. Proud of Bucks! Last, but not least; nominations are now open for our annual ‘Proud of Bucks’ awards. https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjuTFFoBXLwUzBHho1V6T94rfrN8Pyc3uqjDTELY9ndB-O_sW Is there someone who you think is a community hero worthy of more recognition? These awards, being run through our sixteen Community Boards, aim to shine a light on the incredible contributions of the unsung heroes in our communities across the county so please take a look how to make a nomination if you have someone in mind! I hope you have a great summer and that we can finally see the back of the rain! Stay safe and well, Yours, Martin Tett Leader of Buckinghamshire Council -
Posted in: Fulmer
An update from Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council 24 July 2024 Dear resident, As promised, I am writing with a further update now that the new Government has set out its legislative programme in last week’s King’s Speech. I want to highlight the key elements of this which affect Buckinghamshire. As I also said in my last update, it’s been a really active period for the council in the run up to the summer break, so I wanted to give more detail on some of that work and also some of the summer activities that are available, hence sending another quite long newsletter to you so soon after the previous one! The King’s Speech This is the way that a government sets out its priority policies and the legislation it intends to bring forward to support them. This King’s Speech contained no less than 40 proposed new Acts of Parliament. These covered a wide range of different public policy areas that impact us all nationally, and many of which will have specific implications for Buckinghamshire too. New Bills cover proposals from major policies on economic growth, planning reform and devolution to buses and schools. There are proposals to limit landlords’ ability to evict tenants. Given the large number of rented properties in Buckinghamshire, that will be significant. There is a Children’s Wellbeing Bill that provides for breakfast clubs in all schools. We will need to see how that will operate and who will pay for the additional costs involved. There will be a new schools’ curriculum which must be taught in all state schools. Well publicised during the election, there will be VAT levied on all independent schools. You can read the full detail of what is being put forward by going onto the Government’s website. https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgiuTFFvGtInairbDN0ilk3PYP9Oj7R1vHGQCTTi8YKb4djed4 Planning Reform I wanted to highlight the area of policy that I believe will have the greatest impact on our area, particularly where planning and development is concerned. The speech included confirmation that the Government will bring forward a new Planning and Infrastructure Bill. We don’t have all the detail yet but from what Ministers have said there appear to be two key aspects to this new Bill which will have major impacts on Buckinghamshire. Firstly, the reimposition of ‘top down’ housing targets. This is for the number of houses actually built, not granted permission. Councils do not build houses, that is done by private house builders and some social housing providers. We do not know the actual size of these targets yet but, given the overall target of 1.5 million during the rest of this Parliament, we anticipate they will be very large. Councils will have to allocate enough land to allow for all this target, and more, to give scope for the rate at which the houses are actually built. The role of local councils and local people in deciding where these houses are built is also likely to be substantially reduced. Of course, the houses will require appropriate infrastructure such as roads, schools, doctors’ surgeries, energy, water and waste water, digital networks etc. However, it is unclear how all of these will be funded and built in the timescales. Also how does this fit with existing approved Local Plans? The second key aspect is the move by government to have local councils reallocate much of the Green Belt, a so called ‘Grey Belt’. There is no definition of what constitutes ‘Grey Belt’. Currently about a third of Buckinghamshire is Green Belt and much of this is also in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). At present the law gives protected status to land designated as Green Belt. The Green Belt was designed to preserve in perpetuity the beauty and openness of the countryside and prevent towns and villages merging. Importantly the Green Belt is about ‘openness’, not about being parkland. It is current council policy to protect and maintain the Green Belt whenever possible, although we accept that there will always be exceptional circumstances where Green Belt can be released. It will have to be seen how Green Belt release will be required and what role will be given to councils in this process or whether developers will be able to take the initiative. Economic growth There is also a clear focus on economic growth through the new Bills being put forward which of course, we recognise is much needed on a national level and an important focus locally too in supporting and building our local economy and securing a bright future for Buckinghamshire and future generations here. We are currently refreshing our strong local growth plan that has been developed through the Buckinghamshire Growth Board. This outlines how our county can make a significant contribution to the UK economy as a whole through our local industries and local plans. Devolution We welcome further confirmation on the intent to progress the devolution agenda too. I was written to by the new Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner last week and look forward to further discussions about how devolved powers will work here after having a devolution deal for Buckinghamshire announced by the last government Tackling the litter louts Onto other priority areas for our residents and I’m really pleased that I can now confirm we have adopted a bold new policy to tackle littering head on – including introducing much higher penalties, which are due to come into force this week. We’re not shying away from this; we want people to sit up and take notice, so we are launching an attention grabbing new anti-littering campaign called ‘For Bucks Sake’. We will also be issuing penalties of £500 for people who are caught littering. Like you, I am fed up and disappointed by the sheer amount of litter that I see blighting our beautiful county and disrupting nature, especially on roadside verges. It’s the same stuff – empty drink cans, cigarette and vape packets, fast food wrapping, plastic bottles and containers, and it’s getting worse and worse. I cannot believe that some people think it’s OK to chuck their rubbish from a vehicle, yet many people seem to be doing this – and think they can get away with it. Not anymore. We are among the first councils to use these new powers of higher fines – and a quicker route to catching and punishing the culprits. We are also using a powerful new weapon in our armoury – dashcam footage. We will be leading the way on this by directly appealing to people to send us any footage they might have of littering – captured in a way that is of course, safe and legal. We are inviting people to upload footage and photos to our new webpage https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgi-TFFq1BW1lz7ZueiNaefuPK5yWBrRASEADQyNbpBY4PtBl0 if their dashcam has captured someone in a vehicle chucking litter out of the window. With car registration details, this will provide us with the evidence we need to trace and fine the culprit. The new policy will also allow us in the coming months to prosecute through the civil process meaning it will be the vehicle owner who will be liable, whether they threw the litter or not – this should encourage drivers to ensure their passengers do the right thing, and hopefully encourage passengers not to risk the driver being given a penalty for littering! I hope that the new approach and penalties will prove a powerful deterrent. Have your say I wanted to draw your attention to some important consultations we have at the moment that we want to invite you to comment on to ensure you are a part of shaping these policies. Of particular note, we are proposing some changes to our library service, including introducing longer opening hours, and extending some self-service aspects, whilst retaining face to face contacts during core hours. We are also currently consulting on our Housing Allocations Policy for social housing tenants and our draft Air Quality Action Plan. These are really important council services and policies to many of you, so please do visit our ‘Your Voice Bucks’ https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjOTFFp86-wWPQRaRH6XdfdcJZefAyxHkgTwlVaXrfTisv6_y webpage to comment and be involved in the decision-making process. Summer break We have reached the end of another school year and the start, for many, of the summer break. I’m sure many of you have holidays planned, whether at home or abroad, and I hope you can also make the most of the array of wonderful walks, events and attractions we have on our doorstep here in Buckinghamshire. We have many low-cost and free activities and events on the Buckinghamshire Family Information Service website https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjeTFFqJkdBeTb3KsoySCq0gfg11e3oQcE_M6HVPdu-aex3B6 so I urge you to take a look if you want ideas on keeping children – and adults alike – entertained! There are also full details of how to access all aspects of family support and advice on these webpages if you need it. I also wanted to affirm our continued support for local families over the summer too. We know juggling finances over the summer months can be tricky. We are running our Holiday Activities and Food programme across the summer for families who get benefits-related free school meals, so those children have access to free childcare and a healthy meal all provided within the scheme. We have also issued £50 food vouchers to eligible families too, to help with food costs over the summer. I remain very conscious that for many households the cost of living still presents a significant challenge and I hope this support makes a difference. Well done to schools and students I also want to thank all school staff and school leaders for their hard work over the last academic year and wish all the very best to students, particularly those awaiting exam results in the coming weeks. I’m really proud of the achievements of all of our schools that we celebrated in our recent School Awards. We have a higher level of children and young people attending good and outstanding schools than the national average and this is testament to everyone involved, families, students and the tireless efforts of teachers and all who work in schools. I hope you can enjoy a well-earned break in the coming weeks. Proud of Bucks! Last, but not least; nominations are now open for our annual ‘Proud of Bucks’ awards. https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjuTFFoBXLwUzBHho1V6T94rfrN8Pyc3uqjDTELY9ndB-O_sW Is there someone who you think is a community hero worthy of more recognition? These awards, being run through our sixteen Community Boards, aim to shine a light on the incredible contributions of the unsung heroes in our communities across the county so please take a look how to make a nomination if you have someone in mind! I hope you have a great summer and that we can finally see the back of the rain! Stay safe and well, Yours, Martin Tett Leader of Buckinghamshire Council -
Posted in: Iver Heath
24 July 2024 Dear resident, As promised, I am writing with a further update now that the new Government has set out its legislative programme in last week’s King’s Speech. I want to highlight the key elements of this which affect Buckinghamshire. As I also said in my last update, it’s been a really active period for the council in the run up to the summer break, so I wanted to give more detail on some of that work and also some of the summer activities that are available, hence sending another quite long newsletter to you so soon after the previous one! The King’s Speech This is the way that a government sets out its priority policies and the legislation it intends to bring forward to support them. This King’s Speech contained no less than 40 proposed new Acts of Parliament. These covered a wide range of different public policy areas that impact us all nationally, and many of which will have specific implications for Buckinghamshire too. New Bills cover proposals from major policies on economic growth, planning reform and devolution to buses and schools. There are proposals to limit landlords’ ability to evict tenants. Given the large number of rented properties in Buckinghamshire, that will be significant. There is a Children’s Wellbeing Bill that provides for breakfast clubs in all schools. We will need to see how that will operate and who will pay for the additional costs involved. There will be a new schools’ curriculum which must be taught in all state schools. Well publicised during the election, there will be VAT levied on all independent schools. You can read the full detail of what is being put forward by going onto the Government’s website. https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgiuTFFvGtInairbDN0ilk3PYP9Oj7R1vHGQCTTi8YKb4djed4 Planning Reform I wanted to highlight the area of policy that I believe will have the greatest impact on our area, particularly where planning and development is concerned. The speech included confirmation that the Government will bring forward a new Planning and Infrastructure Bill. We don’t have all the detail yet but from what Ministers have said there appear to be two key aspects to this new Bill which will have major impacts on Buckinghamshire. Firstly, the reimposition of ‘top down’ housing targets. This is for the number of houses actually built, not granted permission. Councils do not build houses, that is done by private house builders and some social housing providers. We do not know the actual size of these targets yet but, given the overall target of 1.5 million during the rest of this Parliament, we anticipate they will be very large. Councils will have to allocate enough land to allow for all this target, and more, to give scope for the rate at which the houses are actually built. The role of local councils and local people in deciding where these houses are built is also likely to be substantially reduced. Of course, the houses will require appropriate infrastructure such as roads, schools, doctors’ surgeries, energy, water and waste water, digital networks etc. However, it is unclear how all of these will be funded and built in the timescales. Also how does this fit with existing approved Local Plans? The second key aspect is the move by government to have local councils reallocate much of the Green Belt, a so called ‘Grey Belt’. There is no definition of what constitutes ‘Grey Belt’. Currently about a third of Buckinghamshire is Green Belt and much of this is also in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). At present the law gives protected status to land designated as Green Belt. The Green Belt was designed to preserve in perpetuity the beauty and openness of the countryside and prevent towns and villages merging. Importantly the Green Belt is about ‘openness’, not about being parkland. It is current council policy to protect and maintain the Green Belt whenever possible, although we accept that there will always be exceptional circumstances where Green Belt can be released. It will have to be seen how Green Belt release will be required and what role will be given to councils in this process or whether developers will be able to take the initiative. Economic growth There is also a clear focus on economic growth through the new Bills being put forward which of course, we recognise is much needed on a national level and an important focus locally too in supporting and building our local economy and securing a bright future for Buckinghamshire and future generations here. We are currently refreshing our strong local growth plan that has been developed through the Buckinghamshire Growth Board. This outlines how our county can make a significant contribution to the UK economy as a whole through our local industries and local plans. Devolution We welcome further confirmation on the intent to progress the devolution agenda too. I was written to by the new Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner last week and look forward to further discussions about how devolved powers will work here after having a devolution deal for Buckinghamshire announced by the last government Tackling the litter louts Onto other priority areas for our residents and I’m really pleased that I can now confirm we have adopted a bold new policy to tackle littering head on – including introducing much higher penalties, which are due to come into force this week. We’re not shying away from this; we want people to sit up and take notice, so we are launching an attention grabbing new anti-littering campaign called ‘For Bucks Sake’. We will also be issuing penalties of £500 for people who are caught littering. Like you, I am fed up and disappointed by the sheer amount of litter that I see blighting our beautiful county and disrupting nature, especially on roadside verges. It’s the same stuff – empty drink cans, cigarette and vape packets, fast food wrapping, plastic bottles and containers, and it’s getting worse and worse. I cannot believe that some people think it’s OK to chuck their rubbish from a vehicle, yet many people seem to be doing this – and think they can get away with it. Not anymore. We are among the first councils to use these new powers of higher fines – and a quicker route to catching and punishing the culprits. We are also using a powerful new weapon in our armoury – dashcam footage. We will be leading the way on this by directly appealing to people to send us any footage they might have of littering – captured in a way that is of course, safe and legal. We are inviting people to upload footage and photos to our new webpage https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgi-TFFq1BW1lz7ZueiNaefuPK5yWBrRASEADQyNbpBY4PtBl0 if their dashcam has captured someone in a vehicle chucking litter out of the window. With car registration details, this will provide us with the evidence we need to trace and fine the culprit. The new policy will also allow us in the coming months to prosecute through the civil process meaning it will be the vehicle owner who will be liable, whether they threw the litter or not – this should encourage drivers to ensure their passengers do the right thing, and hopefully encourage passengers not to risk the driver being given a penalty for littering! I hope that the new approach and penalties will prove a powerful deterrent. Have your say I wanted to draw your attention to some important consultations we have at the moment that we want to invite you to comment on to ensure you are a part of shaping these policies. Of particular note, we are proposing some changes to our library service, including introducing longer opening hours, and extending some self-service aspects, whilst retaining face to face contacts during core hours. We are also currently consulting on our Housing Allocations Policy for social housing tenants and our draft Air Quality Action Plan. These are really important council services and policies to many of you, so please do visit our ‘Your Voice Bucks’ https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjOTFFp86-wWPQRaRH6XdfdcJZefAyxHkgTwlVaXrfTisv6_y webpage to comment and be involved in the decision-making process. Summer break We have reached the end of another school year and the start, for many, of the summer break. I’m sure many of you have holidays planned, whether at home or abroad, and I hope you can also make the most of the array of wonderful walks, events and attractions we have on our doorstep here in Buckinghamshire. We have many low-cost and free activities and events on the Buckinghamshire Family Information Service website https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjeTFFqJkdBeTb3KsoySCq0gfg11e3oQcE_M6HVPdu-aex3B6 so I urge you to take a look if you want ideas on keeping children – and adults alike – entertained! There are also full details of how to access all aspects of family support and advice on these webpages if you need it. I also wanted to affirm our continued support for local families over the summer too. We know juggling finances over the summer months can be tricky. We are running our Holiday Activities and Food programme across the summer for families who get benefits-related free school meals, so those children have access to free childcare and a healthy meal all provided within the scheme. We have also issued £50 food vouchers to eligible families too, to help with food costs over the summer. I remain very conscious that for many households the cost of living still presents a significant challenge and I hope this support makes a difference. Well done to schools and students I also want to thank all school staff and school leaders for their hard work over the last academic year and wish all the very best to students, particularly those awaiting exam results in the coming weeks. I’m really proud of the achievements of all of our schools that we celebrated in our recent School Awards. We have a higher level of children and young people attending good and outstanding schools than the national average and this is testament to everyone involved, families, students and the tireless efforts of teachers and all who work in schools. I hope you can enjoy a well-earned break in the coming weeks. Proud of Bucks! Last, but not least; nominations are now open for our annual ‘Proud of Bucks’ awards. https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/c/AQj0xw4Q5vBuGIyF8lYgjuTFFoBXLwUzBHho1V6T94rfrN8Pyc3uqjDTELY9ndB-O_sW Is there someone who you think is a community hero worthy of more recognition? These awards, being run through our sixteen Community Boards, aim to shine a light on the incredible contributions of the unsung heroes in our communities across the county so please take a look how to make a nomination if you have someone in mind! I hope you have a great summer and that we can finally see the back of the rain! Stay safe and well, Yours, Martin Tett Leader of Buckinghamshire Council -
Posted in: Public Notices
Today is the launch of the Thames Valley Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Mediation Service. This service is available to residents across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Milton Keynes, and is being delivered by Alternatives to Conflict (previously known as Mediation Bucks) https://s-url.co/PeYTAA Mediation provides an independent support service and can offer a solution when there is no clear course of action open to a statutory agency, such as the police or local authority. It also represents an alternative to court proceedings and intervention by statutory agencies. For further details, please visit the news page. https://s-url.co/PuYTAA If you have any questions, please contact the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner. mailto: opcc.comms@thamesvalley.police.uk Message Sent By Corporate Communications -
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Posted in: AI ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
So far, my use of AI has been confined to the written word. For example, if I write a story, it is useful to run it past AI and ask for a summary of what is written. If the summary comes back with what you have intended to convey, then all is well. If there is conflict, you can re-visit your writing to edit the part(s) causing confusion. When posting a news story on SL, I will, occasionally, copy the text from the source article that I reference, pass it through AI and post a summary of the story. This shows a high level list of points relating to the article and allows the user to decide whether to just take those details or read the more in-depth story. I have used AI to edit photographs on my phone, but to date have done nothing which couldn't have been easily done using Photoshop. -
Posted in: Public Notices
please find attached fraud prevention advice for those working from home this summer holidays that the Central Fraud Unit has requested be shared. If you have been a victim of fraud, please report to Action Fraud online at www.actionfraud.police.uk ,or by calling 0300 123 2040. For more advice on types of fraud and how to protect yourself please visit Advice about fraud | Thames Valley Police https://s-url.co/d50TAA . Attachments Work from Home Fraud TV Alert - July 24 Final 2.pdf https://members.thamesvalleyalert.co.uk/AlertMessage/Attachment/592C7285689A9CBBFDE66026AE1BAC1D Message Sent By April Baldwin (Police , Administrator , High Wycombe) -
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Posted in: Public Notices
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Israel has launched an airstrike targeting a top Hamas military commander believed to be behind the Oct. 7 attack. The strike hit an area designated as a humanitarian zone, resulting in over 70 fatalities, according to Gazan authorities. The fate of the commander, Muhammad Deif, remains uncertain. Hamas denied Israel's claims of targeting leaders and accused them of attempting to conceal the extent of civilian casualties. The strike occurred in Mawasi, a coastal strip where displaced Palestinians reside. Eyewitness accounts and videos revealed the presence of displaced people in the targeted area, contradicting Israel's claims. • The strike caused significant damage, including a large crater and collapsed tents, resulting in numerous fatalities and injuries. https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/07/13/world/israel-gaza-war-hamas -
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Two astronauts, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, are currently stuck on the International Space Station due to technical issues with their Boeing Starliner capsule. Their return flight has been repeatedly delayed due to safety concerns. NASA engineers are working to ensure the safety of the Starliner before allowing the astronauts to return. The crew rotation on the ISS is scheduled for mid-August, serving as a deadline for the plans. While the astronauts express confidence in the spacecraft's ability to bring them home safely, NASA's commercial crew chief acknowledges challenges with thruster tests. Alternative transportation options, such as SpaceX's Crew Dragon or a Russian Soyuz capsule, are available if necessary. https://www.space.com/boeing-starliner-no-return-date-from-iss -
Posted in: Public Notices
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Posted in: Scams of any type.
BEWARE when you park in Tescos Rickmansworth i went yesterday and came back to a note attached to my car saying somebody had bumped my car it was a very polite message but i was suspicious as i could see no damage so I googled the phone number when i got home and its a HONG KONG phone number .This could be another scam. This could be a new type of scam - be cautious. -
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Posted in: Public Notices
Over 32 million suspicious emails have been reported to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS), with more than a third of all emails reported in the last year, new figures reveal. The reports have led to more than 329,000 websites addresses being removed by the National Cyber Security Centre. Action Fraud, the national fraud and cybercrime reporting service, launched a national phishing awareness campaign on 24 June 2024, as reporting reached its highest level since SERS launched. New data shows a rise of 44% year-on-year, with almost 11,611,400 reports made to SERS in 2023, up from 8,074,200 reports in 2022. Alongside emails, there has also been a huge number of text messages reported to 7726. In March 2024, more than 60,000 malicious websites were removed as a result of being reported using 7726. This is a free service, offered by mobile network providers, allowing customers to report suspicious text messages in order to prevent other people from receiving them too. Claire Webb, Deputy Head of Action Fraud, said: “When fraudsters go phishing for valuable information, anyone could be a target. They will hook an unknowing victim with a genuine-looking email, in a bid to get them to share personal information, or bank details. “Year on year, the amount of people reporting phishing emails and texts is growing. Action Fraud is urging everyone to be extra vigilant of suspicious-looking emails landing in their inbox, which could contain malicious links leading to unknown websites. “Remember, if you think you have received a phishing email or text message, make sure you report it. You can forward emails to report@phishing.gov.uk or forward spam text messages to 7726.” SERS was launched by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the City of London Police in April 2020, to enable the public to forward suspicious emails and report any malicious website links. Since its launch, more than 32 million reports have been made to the service. What is phishing? 'Phishing', ‘quishing’ or ‘smishing’ is when criminals use scam emails, text messages, QR codes, or phone calls to trick victims. Whether it’s an email asking you to “verify” your bank account details, or a text message claiming you’ve missed a delivery and are required to pay a redelivery fee, the goal is usually the same - to trick you into revealing personal and financial information. In 2023, a doctor from London lost more than £150 to a fake email claiming to be from TV Licensing. The email claimed that they needed to renew her TV licence as soon as possible. What made the phishing email so believable was that the victim’s TV licence had recently expired and the link in the email led to a fake TV Licensing website that replicated the real one. Here’s some practical advice you can follow when it comes to dealing with suspicious messages and calls: If you have any doubts about a message, contact the organisation directly using the contact details on their official website. Do not use the number or web address in the message. Your bank, or any other official source, will not ask you to provide sensitive information by email. Received an email that doesn’t feel right? STOP! Report suspicious emails by forwarding them to: report@phishing.gov.uk Send emails to this address that feel suspicious, even if you're not certain they're a scam – they will be checked. Always report suspicious text messages or scam call numbers, free of charge, to 7726. Your provider can find out where the text came from and block or ban the sender. To report a scam text, forward it to 7726 and then send the sender’s number when prompted. To report a scam call, simply text 7726 with the word ‘Call’ followed by the scam caller’s number. If you’ve lost money or provided financial information as a result of a phishing scam, notify your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101. (If you found this information useful, please share it) Message Sent By Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National) -
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Posted in: Public Notices
Public Notices Thames Valley Policing Issues Forum - this evening: "last call" for attendees (Edited)I have received the following from Thames Valley Police: I am conscious that you don't want to be “spammed” by me: but, on behalf of the community-spirited individuals who run the Policing Issues Forum, I've been requested to provide some last-minute publicity to the online meeting, which will take place at 6:30 pm this evening. More details as to the sterling work of the forum can be found at: Chiltern & South Bucks Policing Issues Forum – Community and Neighbourhood Police stronger together ( csb-forum.org ) For a link/invite to tonight's event, simply email: contact@csb-forum.org As the local head of Community Policing, I will be presenting on current policing issues, and available for questions. We will also be collectively agreeing our community's priorities for my teams, for the coming quarter. I hope to see you then. Kind Regards, Message Sent ByJames Ellis (Police, Inspector, South Buckinghamshire) -
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"Good news! We recently carried out a health check on your account and, based on our best estimate, we believe that you’re paying more than you need to for your energy. To make sure our estimate is accurate, we recommend providing us with up-to-date meter readings." (There was a nice yellow box marked: "Enter meter readings") Why on earth do they want me to send a meter reading when they get actual data from my Smart Meter? By the time it would take to read it and send it, it would be out of date against what they can press a button to see! How ridiculous" It went on to say" "We want to help you avoid overpaying and get your account back in good shape. Based on our estimate, we recommend you decrease your Direct Debit using our online Direct Debit Manager tool. You can review and adjust your monthly payments to see the impact it will have on your expected balance at your next payment review." My account is in good shape, there is no need to get it back to that position. They have today reduced my monthly payment by £101, leaving me still in credit. It's not a particularly smart system they are running! Grrrr! -
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Prom Dreams, a charity in West Sussex, provides free prom dresses and suits to students in need. Emma Green, the founder, aims to make prom affordable for families by offering donated outfits. Recipients can book appointments and choose to keep or return the clothes. The charity has helped numerous families in the past - and even provided a wedding dress. Despite an uncertain future, Prom Dreams continues to support students during the cost of living crisis. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cl44y7kkr6mo
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