Direction of Housing Growth at Aylesbury December 2008

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Now that I have read the consultation document, listened to a presentation at the Local Area Forum and let it all sink in, I am clear on two points: 1. The major decisions have been made for us and we are only consulted on the trifles; 2. There is no real ambitious vision for the vale.

This consultation is a sham. It is more of a cover up for the previous ridiculous “consultation”. The fact that we have again the Southern Arc as an option despite it being rejected by the residents and found to be extremely lacking in a few important issues. The same major problems haunt all the “new” options ‘put’ in front of us: currently almost all schools are to the south of Aylesbury. Some schools to the north of the town will help elevate the Rut-Run Congestion. Moreover, writing a consultation a second time will not change the flood risks identified during the first round.

However, there are more important issues to consider. The job opportunities have been dwindling in our vale for the last decade. The wording of the consultation indicates the planners assume the new development will be mainly dormitory residence putting burden on the already over encumbers transportation to London and the Thames corridor. This development could have been used as an opportunity two fold: leveraging transport and job opportunities. Building in the north of Aylesbury would lend strength to the need for a train link to Oxford and Milton Keens. I find the assertion that just more people living here will generate more jobs ridicules. To really encourage local employment we need what I call “seeds of growth”. A centre of academic research such as a university concentrating on subjects that are relevant to high-tech or Start up ventures.

I believe the development is inevitable and that eventually all the options in the “Consultation”, and more, will be built up. Therefore, I would prefer a solution that will preserve as much of the green belt as possible. To my mind the best solution that will preserve the surrounding green and neighbouring villages is modern high rises with a narrow foot print. Alas, the experience of the 60ies and 70ies has left a lasting intolerance in peoples minds. However, Aylesbury must grow up into a proper city in order to preserve the character of its surrounding and ensure prosperity of its residence. Lets face it, Aylesbury is a characterless town. Adding more kennel-like houses will not help.

A desperate attempt to cloak the consultation is a pretence of ‘green’ considerations is the promise to “provide a minimum of 10% of the total energy requirements … renewable or low carbon energy”. There is even a wind turbine on one of the diagrams. Well it is just an intention that could be discarded as un practical later. I ask why just 10% and what are the other low carbon solutions? What are the guarantees that these ‘intentions’ would be enforced?

I wonder what is hiding behind the finding that for the Combined East and Southern Growth Arc “Transport modelling suggests that it may be the worst performing of the three options.” I think it refers to the fact it will be costly to construct both sets of trunk roads required for the Eastern and the southern construction. I cannot see how this would be worst congestion-wise; to my layman’s logic it is the other way round.

Last and not least the intention to allow for sustainable transport should be strengthened. I would like to see a clear promise to provide a wide network of dedicated cycle paths.

I am not going to respond to the questions in the consultation questionnaire as they insult my intelligence and do not focus at the real issues.

BNP List

It was not that hard to find the all talked about list of that dark party. There is an interesting map presenting the hotspots on spod.cx.

All I’ll say about the list is:

HP Area	Count of BNP Members
Amersham	2
Aylesbury	19
Beaconsfield	1
Chesham	4
Flackwell Heath	5
Great Missenden	1
Hazlemere	1
High Wycombe	11
Holmer Green	1
Oving	1
Wooburn Green	1
Berkhamstead	1
Hemel Hempstead	13
Tring	3
Wendover	0
Total HP area	65

DO NOT FORGET THAT THE NATZI PARTY FIRST GAINED POWER USING THE DEMOCRACY CINICLY!

AVDC Consultation on Growth - Mark II

At the last Wendover Parish Council, Councillor Richards pointed out that the direction of development in Aylesbury chosen will have implications on later plans for Wendover. He could not elaborate as he is on the AVDC planning committee. The consultation was presented at the last Wendover Local Area Forum (LAF) which gave the Parish Chair, Sue Toft Hunt a chance to ask a very good and direct question: Will it be a bad omen for Wendover if the Southern Arc Option is chosen as it would make it cheaper to continue it down to Wendover? The response she got is enlightening. It seems there is a planning golden rule discouraging joining up urban sprawls.

Wendover is marked for future tier 2 development. So if you do not want further massive development in our village (in the far future) then it might be wise to support the southern arc option. However, there are so many things wrong with it that were pointed out during the last round of consultation.

Personally I do not like none of the proposed options as they do not address sufficiently the question of where will people work. Over the last decade, “when the sun was shining”, Aylesbury lost about 7-8% of job places. We are now in economic dier straits and more jobs are expected to be struck out the books. Thus, most of the new residents will be commuting. I would have preferred a northern theme for the development where the new residents would be encouraged to commute to Oxford and Milton Keynes. This will also help promoting the rail link between Oxford and Milton Keynes.

Icelandic Buckinghamshire

According to the BBC News Buckinghamshire has been caught with about 5 million stuck in Icelandic banks. Well Kent has 50 million at stake. Traulling down the list I see that our county is in good company. If I am not mistaken the county’s budget for next year is around 270 million.

I think Brown should announce that he suspect the Icelandic government is aiming WMDs against the American base there and take a joint action with Bush.

Sharon Bowles: Statistics are not boring

I just learnt that Sharon Bowles, my favourite MEP, has recently been appointed as the European Parliament’s representative on the European Statistical Advisory Committee.

Good on Ye Sharon!

This committee is very important as it will focus on making sure that statics used for controlling EU funding are reliable, and held to the same international standards. In other words she will be promoting informed decision making instead of just going on stereotypes and prejudices. For instance I came across an article comparing the EU states road safety track. It showed how viewing the standardized statistics comparing states and cities leverages new insight into the issue of death on the roads. So how do you think the UK faired? Not so badly as you would think. And the reason is we are highly congested so the actual driving speeds are reduced resulting in less people getting killed. Where congestion was not that of an issue, poor road maintenance was the main driver for accidents.

So I have to disagree with Sharon when she sais: “Statistics may not be sexy, and may be thought boring, but they are very important!” I would say that about rules and regulations (law in short). Once one sees good statistics in action and experiences the pleasure of making an informed decision, one realizes that they are essential and sexy when placed in the right hands.

By the way, check 'What Has Europe Done?' out

Another step towards resolution

The Chair of the Wendover Watchdogs wrote to BCC questioning the dispute regarding the ownership of the paved area used by Rumsey's for their tables and chairs for which they paid Wendover Parish Council (WPC). This small area right up to the corner of No.26 Back Street has always been maintained by WPC, and was repaired less than two years ago by WPC and in its entirety also included in the rent. The rent ceased when the "Green Affair" erupted resulting in a loss of income for the people of Wendover.

Mr. Colin Perrottet's response is enlightening:

"... . Buckinghamshire County Council have not indicated to Mrs. Green that it
belongs to her.
The area of land to the side of No 26, High Street, where Rumsey's place
their tables and chairs was considered to be part of the public highway, but
at the early on in the dispute with Mrs. Green, it was established that this
is part of the Manor Waste and therefore under the jurisdiction of Wendover
Parish Council."

If A is an integral part of B and B belongs to P then it is clear that also
A belongs to P. But he will not go as far as to say that until an
investigation that has begun about a year ago discovers this mathematical
truth.

Nu well, at least it is a step in the right direction.

I really hope that Mrs. Green has not put in motion a trail of events that will cause a situation where Rumsey's will not be able to use the pavement - I love their chocolate and I love the European feel they bring to Wendover.

Is a change planned for RAF Halton?

Canvassing last year, the issue of reduction in civilian jobs at RAF Halton was raised by several people. However, officials kept assuring us that nothing has changed. Well they also insist there was no change to the policing in Wendover. So I was very concerned.

The response David Lidington just received from Bob Ainsworth to the question “How many armed forces personnel have received recruit training at RAF Halton in each year since 1998?” suggests there evidence of a significant decline in activity at the camp (http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2008-09-10c.217583.h). The only activity that is clearly petering out it the trade training for supply, catering and administration roles which was small number anyway (Number 1 School of Technical Training relocated to RAF Cosford in 1990). However, in 2004 the number of recruit training, one of the main activities in the cap, was halved ( last year it was rose to about 66% of the 2003 activity).

I wonder what were the results of “Air Command Study Into the Future of RAF Halton”? and have activities been moved before this study was completed?

We now know that "RAF Halton had been named in the Defence Estate Development Plan 2008 as one of a number of bases that may be amalgamated into a larger facility to save money. There are another 45 bases named in the MoD plan that may close." (quoted from http://www.davidlidington.co.uk/newsshow.aspx?id=2&ref=839).

Said plan states: "The RAF is considering the creation of a single ‘gateway’ to the RAF for Other Ranks and a through-life training organisation for RAF personnel. However, RAF Halton is in poor condition and an alternative site may be considered." I hope the BCC & AVDC will not just ring thier hands and rolle thier eys and find crative ways to convice the MOD that bucks is the best place for its activities.

A Milestone has been reached

On the way to the last parish meeting, I promised myself I will not say a word as a show of support to the “Way Ahead” effort. It was hard to sit on my hands when the public was given the opportunity to speak. The new Chair, Sue Toft-Hunt, impressed me. She controlled the meeting and managed Councillor Ballantine. The rest rallied behind her. All in all, the facilitator, Pat Edwards, seems to have been value for money. I look forward to ‘boring, nose to the grindstone’ parish meetings. However, the ‘Green Affair’ is still unresolved, leaving the land given to the good people of Wendover at risk due to this precedent.
There were several issues discussed, each merits an entry sometime. Most symbolically, Councillor Worth reported that clearing the overgrowth on London Road has revealed both an old hedge and a Milestone that probably last saw light about 30 years ago.

Innovative approach

The wonders of modern technology alerted me to Adam’s “Stunning structures”. He sais: “My initial reaction when I first saw the shell of the building at the beginning of the year, was that it was designed to emulate a butterfly”. As I have not been up that way for some time now I made a point of detouring there on my way to the Gym @ the Halton Tennis Centre. The pictures here are mine but very similar to Adam’s. It is great these guys got planning permission. In areas like the Lake District it makes sense to have a certain uniformity of look (the slate roof etc.) but most of our area is uninspired red-brick pigeon holes. I welcome the daring to be innovative and I hope to see more such experiments in our area. I have a bellyful of grumbles about the poky little shoe boxes that characterize our region. Having said that, each time I go canvassing or leafleting I come across some hidden (and not so hidden) gems I have forgotten about and I do love the Wendover High Street.

Speaking of thinking ‘out of the box’. A few days ago a team resurfaced a short strip of tarmac opposite my window. They worked vigorously and efficiently. However, they did what they were told to do and that is it. They paid no attention to a pot hole they had to walk over a few times. I will not be surprised they even did not report it. I remember a promise in one of the BCC Pravda leaflets of mending also potholes that were not originally marked if noticed when the crews are on site. This seems to be the way things are done in our local government. Just the other day I visited a VAHT (Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust) resident who suffered a similar problem: workmen guttered her kitchen during a scheduled work but stopped when they encountered damp wood. The family was left living in the house with no kitchen for about 9 weeks but the contractor did not report the situation to VAHT nor did any body come over for a follow up inspection. It is time local government here got a shake. Vote for a change in the coming elections.

Walnut Tree Meadow

It’s been a year, I think, since the consultation regarding Walnut Tree Meadow and lo & behold two wide entrances are in place. A few Parish Council meetings ago, Councillor Worth mentioned his dream to bring the meadow under the wings of the Parish. I think it is a great idea and I hope he will see it through as he has done so successfully with other pet projects of his - such as the Wild Flower Meadow and the London Rd. site kindly donated by the Lord of the Manor. I wonder how many people in Wendover are aware of the plans for that site and their progression.