For

Edlesborough Annual Parish Meeting

April 17^th 2008

My report covers the period May 2007 - April 2008

Firstly, I would like to introduce your Parish Council as there have been some changes since the May 2007 elections.  Edlesborough Ward is represented by Councilors John Wilkinson, David Brown, Marilyn Pryce-Jones, Julie Ratheram and Alan Williams.  Councilors Kevin Cubbage, who is Vice chairman of the PC, and Phil Conacher, represent Northall Ward.  Dagnall Ward also has 2 representatives, Councilors Tim Jones who replaces Karen Coppen and Me, Anne Thompson, as chairman.  Cllrs John Wilkinson, Phil Conacher supported by Kevin Cubbage during Phil’s temporary leave of absence and Tim Jones are responsible for all planning issues in their respective wards.  I would like to thank Karen Coppen retired Cllr for Dagnall ward, for her valued contribution to this Council especially for her input in getting the Parish Plan up and running.  We are all kept up to speed by our industrious Clerk Lin Sargeant who deals with all telephone calls, correspondence, burials and the every day business activities of the Council.

Once again I am pleased to report the past 12 months has been a positive period for the Parish Council with many projects taking a huge step forward and many been completed.  I will enlarge on these issues later in my report.  To achieve these results the clerk and every member of this council, works tirelessly on your behalf and for that I personally thank them.

County Councilor Avril Davies continues to advise and help on many issues within our Parish, as does our District Councilor Terry Jones.  Two major items of concern they are currently strongly supporting us on is the A4146, (BCC) and a local planning issue, (AVDC). I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the parish to thank them both for their valued input.

General Purposes Committee chaired by Cllr David Brown comprises of Councilors Marilyn Pryce-Jones Vice Chair, Alan Williams, Kevin Cubbage, John Wilkinson, and myself, our Clerk Lin records the minutes.  This committee continues to do sterling work, responsible for making decisions on the Churchyard/Cemetery, Memorial Hall, allotments, lighting and open spaces, thus reducing the time spent in full council when these decisions are ratified.

Wing & Ivinghoe Local Area Forum. This is a new Forum run by Bucks CC.  Cllr John Wilkinson attended the inaugural meeting along with your Clerk and Chairman. This Forum covers all the issues that are dealt with by BCC in the Wing & Ivinghoe District.  This is the one meeting where we can address our issues with the relevant BCC officer.  This Forum is planned to replace the local Cluster meetings and Aylesbury Vale Local Committee which covered a much larger area.  Cllr John Wilkinson represented the PC on these committees and will continue to attend this Forum on your behalf.

Parish Plan. I am pleased to report that the EDaN project, due to the hard work of its committee members, has exceeded all expectations.  The consultation period was completed in record time as was the very detailed analysis.  The presentations to each village were informative and very interesting.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank the EDaN steering group, led by Alan Williams, for all the hours they spent delivering and collecting questionnaires, analyzing all the data and then doing such a professional job on the presentations.  The next stage is to produce the draft PP which will be presented to Bucks Community Action and the Parish Council for their approval. The final Parish Plan will then be published and everyone in the parish will have access to it, Bucks CC and AVDC will also have a copy.  This is YOU the parishioners plan supported by the Parish Council and we look forward to lots of interesting things that have been highlighted in the plan happening in the very near future.

Airport & Airspace Issues.  PAIN is the very important group which looks after our interests with regards to any Luton Airport issues and for this we continue to support them.  Cllr John Wilkinson is the council’s representative.  You can rest assured that any future development plans for the Airport will quickly be addressed by PAIN.  Our concerns with regard to the recently proposed NATS air space changes have been posted on our website and a response has been sent to NATS.  Cllr Wilkinson is also dealing with this matter on the PCs behalf.

www.edlesborough.gov.uk Cllr Cubbage continues, as he has done for the past five years, to update and monitor this very popular informative site. If you want to know anything about our Parish or your Council this is the place to start.  Once again Kevin thank you for your commitment to this most important commodity

Last July a production company used our beautiful church as a location for the Film Maid of Honor, bringing in much needed revenue for the Church Conservation Trust who is responsible for the upkeep of the Church.  This film is showing locally at the moment.

Discussions are still taking place with the Church Conservation Trust about upgrading the access to the Churchyard and Cemetery. Problems arose with the initial Plans due to cost.  It has now been decided by all parties concerned, cost permitting, to install a hard standing track with Eco-Grid to the cemetery, this is the most aesthetically pleasing option as within a few months the grass will have grown back to its original state.  The amended drawings will be going out to tender shortly.  I would like to thank the St Mary’s Carnival Committee for making this project their charity of the year 2007 donating a magnificent £2,875.00, Thanks also to the Burghope Trust and Edlesborough W.I for their donations of £500.00 & £183.37 respectively, along with the monies already precepted by this council this will certainly help to get this project underway sooner rather than later.

Allotments throughout the Parish continue to be well used; there are still plots available in all three villages. Safer Routes to School have funded the footway through Dagnall allotments for the accompanied village children to walk to school during term time, the work should be completed this month making it much safer to access the school.  Once again I would like to thank Dagnall Gardeners Society for being such an asset to our community, supplying everything any gardener needs, even participating in a chat show about the village on three counties radio.  The Trading Hut is open every Sunday morning during the summer months from 10.30am to 12noon

The hall continues to be well used by a large range of local organizations.  Everyone seems in agreement that the new floor was money well spent. We continued to support Dagnall and Northall halls with a donation of £1,000 each, to help with their everyday running and maintenance costs.

The green is still the centre jewel of our Parish and continues to be used by every section of the community.  The tennis club continues to flourish as does the cricket and football.  This year with the help of 50% funding from the Football Foundation we have purchased new football posts for both Edlesborough and Dagnall.  I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate EB Lions AFC on their recently attained Charter Standard Development award being one of only 8 youth clubs in the County to obtain such status.  I would also like to thank all three organizations for their continued good work especially with the youth of the parish.  We continue to maintain all the facilities on the green to a high standard so it can be enjoyed by the whole community.  St Mary’s carnival continues to use the green for their very successful annual event which raises large sums of money for local good causes and we are pleased to be able to offer this venue to the carnival committee.  Last year the weather was diabolical leading up to the carnival and at one stage cancellation was being mused, but on the day the sun came out and the carnival was once again a huge success.  The Basketball surface & drainage has been installed thanks to the fund raising efforts of Owain Prys-Jones.  Owain is a local teenager, who applied to the Bucks Youth Opportunity & Capital fund for a grant and was successful, thanks again Owain.

We continue to report any holes or problem areas in our parish, as do our conscientious parishioners on a regular basis to Highways on call. We have just finalized and sent our annual road report to County.

Traffic calming has always been a priority of this council.  The A4146 continues to be a major problem.  We have campaigned tirelessly on your behalf for reduction of the speed limit in Northall, and much more recently the dangerous situation caused by the waste freighters going to the Newton Longville land fill site via the newly opened Stoke Hammond By-pass.  Traffic calming in the High St Edlesborough has also been high on the Agenda.  With regard to the speed limit at Northall, I am pleased to be able to report that the long awaited speed limit review will at last commence early next year, so continued pressure from your Parish Council, District Councilor & County Councilor along with the petition that Marilyn initiated has paid dividends.  With regard to the waste freighters we have ascertained that the preferred route is the M1/A5 but obviously with the road widening works on the M1 causing huge delays the A4146 is a better option.  All the haulage companies are being advised by the landfill site operator to use the designated route. We will be monitoring this unacceptable situation very closely.

The legality of non repeater signs in the High Street has long been questioned by Cllr Wilkinson at the Aylesbury Vale Local Committee and it has now been agreed by County that if we remove 2 street lights, the distance between the remaining street lights will be such that we can install the previously refused 30mph repeater signs and roundels in the High Street.  Unfortunately, the removal of the identified lights could not take place immediately as another light has been demolished due to a traffic accident.  As soon as this light has been replaced and the supply reconnected the proposed actions will take place.  Another issue raised by Cllr Wilkinson was the non existence of road edge white line markings on the Bucks section of the A4146 which passes through our three villages.  I am pleased to report County have now rectified this situation.  Drop kerbs have also been installed throughout Edlesborough.  The Build out in Dunstable Road Dagnall has been deferred for another year, but we will keep pursuing this very important crossing point.

The PPP representatives are Mr. & Mrs Thomas and a big thank you to them for continuing this important roll of keeping our footpaths open. Reported repairs necessary etc. continue to be carried out By Buck CC and The Chiltern Society.  If we carry out any works we are reimbursed through the PPP scheme.

When reported, Aylesbury Vale D.C. continues to react quickly, removing large items of rubbish dumped in our hedgerows and gateways. The freighter service which allows you to remove difficult to dispose of rubbish twice a year, continues to be well used, larger items can be collected from your households by AVDC for a small charge.  We still support the Green sack scheme for the disposal of garden rubbish these can be purchased from either Sue Parker Edlesborough or me in Dagnall

We continue to support the dog bin emptying scheme at a cost of over £4,000.00 per annum but we feel this is money well spent.  We have recently installed a new bin in the High Street as a result of a request by the Safer Routes to School Team, but unfortunately some dog owners are still not clearing up after their dogs and the problem is getting worse in both Edlesborough and Dagnall, thankfully the majority of our dog owners are responsible and caring people who make good use of this very necessary facility.  I would remind dog owners there is a £50 on the spot fine and up to £1000.00 fine if prosecuted.

Our PCSO’s Jackie Dobson & Chris Baker continue to support our community.  They have brought friendly faces and a visible Police presence to our villages.  Jackie & Chris initially patrolled together but now they have divided their area into two so it's Jackie you will be more likely to see patrolling our patch although Chris won’t be far away if needed.  Our Community Police Officer PC Sarah Jepp provides that all important police back up for the PCSO’s.  Your efforts, ladies, on our behalf are much appreciated.

We continued to have stalls at the Dagnall Fete and St Mary’s Carnival.  Cllrs Julie Ratherham and Marilyn Pryce-Jones supported by the other council members are responsible for a huge amount of work behind the scene at these events, where we receive various comments on what you think we should or should not be doing as a Parish Council on your behalf, all these suggestions are taken onboard.

After a combined total of 45 years service to this Parish Sue & John Parker retired last August from their various Parish Council jobs.  In recognition of this achievement the Parish Council have dedicated to them a Hornbeam Tree, which Sue & John planted on the green a couple of weeks ago and a plaque to commemorate this event was presented earlier this evening.  We welcome our new facilities and bookings manager Beverley Sage and Lesley Riley who has taken on the role of cleaner; I am pleased to report they are both doing an excellent job.

A representative from the PC continues to attend transport meetings on your behalf.  The Country Rider 162 which serves all three of our villages will now run twice daily Monday to Saturday inclusive to Leighton Buzzard.  Once a day only for Dagnall residents in school holidays and on Saturdays, but usage is being monitored, if the school bus is used by adult passengers the twice daily option could also be implemented for Dagnall in the near future. 172 Cheddington – Dunstable continues as before on Wednesdays again this bus serves all three villages and the 175 Leighton Buzzard to Hemel Hempstead also continues as before on Thursdays again serving all three villages.  If you wish to keep these services please make good use of them, unfortunately the Milton Keynes shopping bus from Edlesborough was losing £100.00 per run even though it was subsidized, so that is why it has been axed.  The 61 Aylesbury-Luton timetable hasn’t changed but we do keep lobbying the bus company to call at Dagnall at least once a week.

My report wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the excellent work our voluntary Safer Routes to School teams do; Edlesborough currently have 54 children on the walking bus scheme known locally as the crocodile bus and every morning come rain or shine you will see these chains of schoolchildren and their fully trained helpers making there way to school, making them fitter and healthier and also easing the traffic problem.  Funding has been secured by the Team to upgrade the Ivinghoe Aston/Edlesborough Bridleway enabling the Ivinghoe Aston children to also walk to their school in Edlesborough.  As previously, mentioned Dagnall have also secured funds to get the school children away from the A4146.  Well done to you all.

And finally I would like to inform you, the parishioners of the total agreed or received funding for leisure and recreational facilities this Parish has received in the past year.  This total only includes monies the PC has had dealings with.

Edlesborough:  Safer Routes to School £36,000;  £1,000 & £5,000 Rights of Way;  £3,000 AVDC;  £5,000, BYO &C Fund £2,765, Football Foundation £255. Total:  £53,020.00

Northall:  S106 agreements: Kircutt =£21,372 and Beacon View =£4,153.   WREN £20,000 & AVDC £5,000  Total: £50,525.00

Dagnall: S106 £19,346;  Safer Routes to School £20.000;  AVDC Community Chest  £15,500;  Football Foundation £255  Total: £55,101.00

- which makes a Grand Total of £158,646.00

With that thought in mind I conclude my report.

Anne Thompson

Chairman Edlesborough Parish Council