County Councillor ’s quarterly report for October 2008

Edlesborough

Great Brickhill, Wing and Ivinghoe Local Area Forum

Ivinghoe Division is well represented at this quarterly gathering of Parish Councils from the three named County Council Divisions. Although still in the early days, it has proved a useful place to bring shared problems face to face with those who could address them at County and District Council.

  Next time, December 4^th, in Marsworth if the hall is available, draft formal terms of reference will be brought to the forum and it is hoped that the forums will be open local groups and the public.  

  I will be taking Edlesborough Parish Council’s  proposals on ‘proportional representation’ to the preliminary discussions on the terms of reference. I understand that this kind of arrangement has already been agreed at the Aylesbury Forum.

  There is now an excellent newsletter for the Forum, but I still have a few more items to report or comment on this quarter.

  Footpaths

I was excited to be asked to open the bridleway improvements between Ivinghoe Aston and Edlesborough at the end of September.  I very much enjoyed going on to the school and staying for the assembly.

  Click on photo to enlarge

  As you know the (large) pot of money was found under the Safer Routes to School programme government grant.

  There are many other footpath schemes in the Division, which are looking for funds, not least from Northall to Edlesborough, and I hope to be able to liaise with those proposing them through the Area Forum and help find more funding.

  Aston Clinton Household waste and recycling site

  This was mentioned in the Forum newsletter and I was relieved to see it there. It is absolutely essential that this site stays on track for opening next year. The current financial climate in the Council, particularly on capital expenditure, means I will be vigilant in making sure that it stays in the programme.

  Councils Millions Frozen in Iceland

  Both Bucks County Council and AVDC had investments in Icelandic banks. We’ve all heard the reasons why councils made those investments on the news, but no one has really explained how Councils invest their money, and what scrutiny it is subject to, which may have led up to this debacle.  I can think of many reasons as to how and why this has happened, but I don’t feel that it is up to me to explain on behalf of both AVDC and BCC how they got themselves in to this predicament. That is the job of the responsible cabinet member who speaks for the administration. I will be pursuing them for a full explanation, on the record. At the moment all I have heard is that the Icelandic institutions were ‘A’ rated, and that the Icelandic government is holding our money.  I have been in correspondence with Bucks County Council’s assistant head of finance and a full briefing is on its way to me, apparently.

  Expert Nappy Advice

The Bucks Waste Partnership were over the moon to discover that Michelle and Mike Riley were going to open the first Real Nappy Shop in Bucks, ‘Little Green Earthlets’ in Ivinghoe on October 31^st.

                                                                       County Councillor Mrs Avril Davies

                                                                        The Old Bakehouse

                                                                        Chequers Lane

                                                                        Pitstone

                                                                        Leighton Buzzard  LU7 9AG

                                                                        Tel:       (01296) 668152

                                                                        Fax:      (01296) 661465

                                                                        E-Mail: acdavies@buckscc.gov.uk