Aylesbury Vale District Council is freezing its share of council tax for the coming year despite the authority suffering a larger than expected drop in its grant funding from the government.
The zero per cent rise was agreed at a meeting of the full council on 2 February, meaning that local taxpayers will not face any increase on the average £2.52 a week they pay for all the services provided by AVDC.
Local authorities that accept the challenge of freezing council tax are eligible for a government grant equivalent to a 2.5 per cent increase in their element of the levy.
The 2011/12 budget was set against the national backdrop of unprecedented reductions in council grants to help tackle the UK’s current financial deficit.
The government’s grant settlement figures, issued to AVDC last December, were much worse than expected and mean a reduction in government funding of £2.6 million (22 per cent) for the next financial year with a further cut of £1.2 million (13 per cent) the following year.
Overall, the council faces an 8.4 per cent reduction in its total resources, the largest of any authority in Buckinghamshire.
Due to the severe financial constraints imposed on all local authorities by the government’s austerity measures, some difficult decisions have had to be made. But the council, which faces having to make even tougher decisions for the next three years, has done everything in its power to minimise the impact of the budget on frontline services.
To balance its books for the forthcoming financial year the council has identified around 1.8 million in savings across its services. Key savings include £650,000 made through restructuring some services and changes to the structure of the authority’s senior management team and a further £300,000 by making changes to working practices in the refuse and recycling service.
Councillors also approved making use of £445,000 from the authority’s financial reserves to help reduce the budget deficit. However, the reserves cannot be used to finance the shortfall indefinitely and significant savings will need to be found in subsequent years if key services are to be maintained.
It is anticipated that further savings of £2.6 million will need to be made by 2012/13 alone. The council’s priority is to continue to look for further efficiencies and find new ways of generating income.
Councillor Neil Blake, Cabinet Member for Resources, said: “In common with all local authorities, this has been an extraordinary year for budget setting against the background of such deep cuts from the government. We have, however, worked hard to maintain essential frontline services, freeze council tax at present levels and identify significant cost savings to assist us with what will undoubtedly be a very difficult budget setting next year.”
He added: “It is important residents know we are on their side and always looking to ensure value for money. We continue to think carefully about how to spend the funds we have. It is residents’ money and they rightly expect results from it.”
Claydon House
Claydon House Gardens
Friday, 4 February 2011
Monday, 3 January 2011
Where are the gritting lorries ?
If you are running out of entertainment over the holiday season, you could always watch the progress of the gritting lorries on the County Council's brilliant new map
showing which roads are being gritted and where the lorries are:
http://www.transportforbucks.net/Winter-maintenance.aspx
And for the latest updates on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/twitgritter
showing which roads are being gritted and where the lorries are:
http://www.transportforbucks.net/Winter-maintenance.aspx
And for the latest updates on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/twitgritter
Department of Transport: more information on HS2 maintenance depot
The Department of Transport has issued new detailed information on the proposed size and scope of the infrastructure maintenance depot to be located near Steeple Claydon.
This can be found on their website at the following link:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/highspeedrail/proposedroute/depot/
From the website:
'This report provides operational and engineering proposals to assist HS2 to identify the best possible location and the master layout of the Infrastructure Maintenance Depot (IMD) for the London to West Midlands HS2 route.
The report identifies a suitable site for the IMD and develops a master layout for the site, including both rail infrastructure and ancillary facilities such as office accommodation, services buildings, storage and lay down areas, staff parking, approach roads and other related items.'
There are 4 possible sites for the depot, all near the point where the new HS2 will
cross the East West Railway, planned to be operational by 2017. The preferred site
is adjacent to the East West railway to the north (west of the road from Steeple
Claydon to Calvert). This would have a major impact on the village and its surroundings.
More information on this location from the report:
Bounded to the South by the EWR line, to the West by HS2, and to
the North East by the chord line. The level of HS2 in this area is not finalised, but it is intended that it will run at level and the EWR line will be raised over it. This assumption means that the site could be level with relatively minor earthworks, though the former Great Central Main Line embankment would need to be removed.
Land take would be relatively modest, and would maximise use of land already sterilised by the construction of the chord line. The site could be accessed from the Northern section of the existing unclassified “Thame Road”, which in any case will require to be diverted because it crosses the EWR line at almost exactly the point where HS2 will intersect it.
The site is not adjacent to any properties. It appears that almost all the site could be constructed in one field running in an L shape from Claydon Junction to the HS2 route, though land ownership has not been researched. In the South West corner of the site between the East West “Thame Road” overbridge and the Great Central embankment there is a gas Pressure Reducing Station on the national gas network, owned by Scotia Networks Ltd. There does not appear to be a difficulty in designing a site layout that preserves this.
However the location of the associated gas pipelines has not yet been ascertained in a services search and this may present a project risk if the pipeline is found to restrict site layout options or operations.
One public footpath runs across the site, which will require closure or diversion.
Connections to HS2
Access to HS2 would be via the run round loop also required for waste trains from Bristol to Calvert, which would also act as headshunt for the site. A chord line would be constructed to the HS2 north, and trains to HS2 south could either use this chord and run round at the loops near Twyford village, or could use the existing east to south chord and access HS2 opposite the waste terminal.
For more information (and photos of the 4 locations being considered) please see the report on the DoT website.
This can be found on their website at the following link:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/highspeedrail/proposedroute/depot/
From the website:
'This report provides operational and engineering proposals to assist HS2 to identify the best possible location and the master layout of the Infrastructure Maintenance Depot (IMD) for the London to West Midlands HS2 route.
The report identifies a suitable site for the IMD and develops a master layout for the site, including both rail infrastructure and ancillary facilities such as office accommodation, services buildings, storage and lay down areas, staff parking, approach roads and other related items.'
There are 4 possible sites for the depot, all near the point where the new HS2 will
cross the East West Railway, planned to be operational by 2017. The preferred site
is adjacent to the East West railway to the north (west of the road from Steeple
Claydon to Calvert). This would have a major impact on the village and its surroundings.
More information on this location from the report:
Bounded to the South by the EWR line, to the West by HS2, and to
the North East by the chord line. The level of HS2 in this area is not finalised, but it is intended that it will run at level and the EWR line will be raised over it. This assumption means that the site could be level with relatively minor earthworks, though the former Great Central Main Line embankment would need to be removed.
Land take would be relatively modest, and would maximise use of land already sterilised by the construction of the chord line. The site could be accessed from the Northern section of the existing unclassified “Thame Road”, which in any case will require to be diverted because it crosses the EWR line at almost exactly the point where HS2 will intersect it.
The site is not adjacent to any properties. It appears that almost all the site could be constructed in one field running in an L shape from Claydon Junction to the HS2 route, though land ownership has not been researched. In the South West corner of the site between the East West “Thame Road” overbridge and the Great Central embankment there is a gas Pressure Reducing Station on the national gas network, owned by Scotia Networks Ltd. There does not appear to be a difficulty in designing a site layout that preserves this.
However the location of the associated gas pipelines has not yet been ascertained in a services search and this may present a project risk if the pipeline is found to restrict site layout options or operations.
One public footpath runs across the site, which will require closure or diversion.
Connections to HS2
Access to HS2 would be via the run round loop also required for waste trains from Bristol to Calvert, which would also act as headshunt for the site. A chord line would be constructed to the HS2 north, and trains to HS2 south could either use this chord and run round at the loops near Twyford village, or could use the existing east to south chord and access HS2 opposite the waste terminal.
For more information (and photos of the 4 locations being considered) please see the report on the DoT website.
Refuse and recycling collection dates
From the AVDC website:
Revised refuse and recycling collection dates for this week:
Normal collection Revised collection
Monday 3 January Tuesday 4 January
Tuesday 4 January Wednesday 5 January
Wednesday 5 January Thursday 6 January
Thursday 6 January Friday 7 January
Friday 7 January Saturday 8 January
Residents with brown and green bins can put out either bin to be collected on their collection day.
If you have a lot of extra waste from Christmas that your want to get rid of, you can take your household waste to the nearest household waste and recycling centres in Aylesbury or Buckingham. The sites are open every day from 8am to 5pm (except 1 January).
To make sure you know the latest news about your collections, sign up to our text messaging service by texting: avdc sub, with your normal refuse collection day to 60060, (eg: avdc sub friday).
Revised refuse and recycling collection dates for this week:
Normal collection Revised collection
Monday 3 January Tuesday 4 January
Tuesday 4 January Wednesday 5 January
Wednesday 5 January Thursday 6 January
Thursday 6 January Friday 7 January
Friday 7 January Saturday 8 January
Residents with brown and green bins can put out either bin to be collected on their collection day.
If you have a lot of extra waste from Christmas that your want to get rid of, you can take your household waste to the nearest household waste and recycling centres in Aylesbury or Buckingham. The sites are open every day from 8am to 5pm (except 1 January).
To make sure you know the latest news about your collections, sign up to our text messaging service by texting: avdc sub, with your normal refuse collection day to 60060, (eg: avdc sub friday).
Calvert Incinerator decision to go to scrutiny on Jan 11th
Our County Councillor, John Cartwright, has successfully ensured that the County Council's decision to award the Energy From Waste contract to WRG for a new plant at Lower Greatmoor Farm, Edgcott, (near Calvert) will be reconsidered at a County Council Scrutiny Committee meeting on 11th January.
There is an opportunity for local residents to attend this meeting.
From the County Council website:
'Members of an Overview and Scrutiny Commissioning Committee will meet on Tuesday, January 11 to decide if Buckinghamshire County Council's Cabinet Members, should reconsider their decision to award preferred bidder status to Waste Recycling Group (WRG) to provide an Energy from Waste facility at Calvert.
County Councillor John Cartwright (Grendon Underwood) presented his case to call-in the decision at a scrutiny committee meeting on December 14 and members decided they needed to hear both sides of the case.
These will be presented by Councillor Martin Tett and Councillor John Cartwright, and witnesses, at the meeting on January 11 from 9.30am to 5pm at County Hall, Mezz Room 1, Aylesbury. Residents are welcome to attend.
Scrutiny committee chairman, Councillor Trevor Egleton said: "The call-in process is an important part of the transparent democratic process. The Committee decided that a special meeting should be held in January—rather than rushed before Christmas—so the public have the chance to attend. We have set the January 11 date, to ensure that committee members have the maximum possible time to understand the complex and technical background to the tendering decision.”
He also said if the scrutiny committee decides to refer the decision back to Cabinet, it can be reconsidered at the next Cabinet meeting on January 17.
There is an opportunity for local residents to attend this meeting.
From the County Council website:
'Members of an Overview and Scrutiny Commissioning Committee will meet on Tuesday, January 11 to decide if Buckinghamshire County Council's Cabinet Members, should reconsider their decision to award preferred bidder status to Waste Recycling Group (WRG) to provide an Energy from Waste facility at Calvert.
County Councillor John Cartwright (Grendon Underwood) presented his case to call-in the decision at a scrutiny committee meeting on December 14 and members decided they needed to hear both sides of the case.
These will be presented by Councillor Martin Tett and Councillor John Cartwright, and witnesses, at the meeting on January 11 from 9.30am to 5pm at County Hall, Mezz Room 1, Aylesbury. Residents are welcome to attend.
Scrutiny committee chairman, Councillor Trevor Egleton said: "The call-in process is an important part of the transparent democratic process. The Committee decided that a special meeting should be held in January—rather than rushed before Christmas—so the public have the chance to attend. We have set the January 11 date, to ensure that committee members have the maximum possible time to understand the complex and technical background to the tendering decision.”
He also said if the scrutiny committee decides to refer the decision back to Cabinet, it can be reconsidered at the next Cabinet meeting on January 17.
Thursday, 2 December 2010
Proposed improvement to skateboard park in Steeple Claydon
On Thursday 9th December the Buckingham Local Area Forum will consider and decide on an application for a grant of £ 3,000 to repair and upgrade the skateboard park in Steeple Claydon recreation ground. I shall do what I can to support this request.
From the meeting Agenda:
Steeple Claydon Skate Park - £3,000
The Steeple Claydon skate park was installed by a small group of parents in the village in October 2005, with the backing of the Parish Council, using money given by Steeple Claydon villagers and grants from the Police, Bucks County Council, Shanks McEwan, Aylesbury Vale District Council and other sources The main aim of the team was to install a long lasting structure that would be repairable by local tradesmen.
The ramps were designed and built and installed by Fearless Ramps, all of whom were either BMX bike riders or skateboarders themselves so the park built and designed was suited to these two groups of users. The quality of the design is borne out by its continued high use by BMX bikers, scooter riders, roller bladers, and skate boarders coming from Steeple Claydon, Calvert, Twyford, Buckingham, and Middle Claydon.
A RoSPA report has identified some risks apparent with the current structure:
1. Stopping of open tube ends.
2. Replacing of back panels on the platforms as these are weathering and also subject to minor vandalism.
3. Putting up a sign suggesting the use of suitable clothing and the fact that the Parish Council accepts no responsibility for people injuring themselves while using the ramps.
4. The tarmac surface between two of the ramps is developing holes where the wheels of the boards are wearing it away and weathering is creating cracks so giving weeds
somewhere to sprout.
5. Some of the screws fixing the running surfaces have failed or come out and need
replacing.
6. Two of the ramps’ leading edges have sunk into the surface leaving a step between the ramp and the concrete surface.
7. Rubbish and glass and other items have been allowed to accumulate under the ramps.
From this list quotations have been obtained to cover the works that are too complex to be carried out by a group of volunteers.
Replacing of the platform back panels:
a. quoted £520 for replacing all of the panels.
b. Some of the boards will need replacing within the next year as they weather and
the gap between the underside of the panel and the platform increases due to
the veneers failing and minor vandalism. At a certain size the gap would be
deemed to offer a significant risk e.g. a part of the body or head can get through
the gap.
Removing the existing tarmac between two of the ramps and replacing with power
floated concrete
c. quotes provided £2750.
d. Holes in the tarmac could be filled to reduce the risk to the users, but the
concrete would be a permanent solution and also improve the overall quality of
the skate park from the users’ point of view.
e. Weeds outside of the main ramp area need treating with weed killer.
Boxing in of the ramp furthest from the village
f. quoted £1100.
g. This would prevent children getting under the ramp.
TOTAL BUDGET £4,370
Required LAF Funding £ 3,000
fingers crossed !
Update following meeting:
I am very glad to report that this application was successfully approved at the Local Area Forum meeting on 9th December. Congratulations to all involved.
From the meeting Agenda:
Steeple Claydon Skate Park - £3,000
The Steeple Claydon skate park was installed by a small group of parents in the village in October 2005, with the backing of the Parish Council, using money given by Steeple Claydon villagers and grants from the Police, Bucks County Council, Shanks McEwan, Aylesbury Vale District Council and other sources The main aim of the team was to install a long lasting structure that would be repairable by local tradesmen.
The ramps were designed and built and installed by Fearless Ramps, all of whom were either BMX bike riders or skateboarders themselves so the park built and designed was suited to these two groups of users. The quality of the design is borne out by its continued high use by BMX bikers, scooter riders, roller bladers, and skate boarders coming from Steeple Claydon, Calvert, Twyford, Buckingham, and Middle Claydon.
A RoSPA report has identified some risks apparent with the current structure:
1. Stopping of open tube ends.
2. Replacing of back panels on the platforms as these are weathering and also subject to minor vandalism.
3. Putting up a sign suggesting the use of suitable clothing and the fact that the Parish Council accepts no responsibility for people injuring themselves while using the ramps.
4. The tarmac surface between two of the ramps is developing holes where the wheels of the boards are wearing it away and weathering is creating cracks so giving weeds
somewhere to sprout.
5. Some of the screws fixing the running surfaces have failed or come out and need
replacing.
6. Two of the ramps’ leading edges have sunk into the surface leaving a step between the ramp and the concrete surface.
7. Rubbish and glass and other items have been allowed to accumulate under the ramps.
From this list quotations have been obtained to cover the works that are too complex to be carried out by a group of volunteers.
Replacing of the platform back panels:
a. quoted £520 for replacing all of the panels.
b. Some of the boards will need replacing within the next year as they weather and
the gap between the underside of the panel and the platform increases due to
the veneers failing and minor vandalism. At a certain size the gap would be
deemed to offer a significant risk e.g. a part of the body or head can get through
the gap.
Removing the existing tarmac between two of the ramps and replacing with power
floated concrete
c. quotes provided £2750.
d. Holes in the tarmac could be filled to reduce the risk to the users, but the
concrete would be a permanent solution and also improve the overall quality of
the skate park from the users’ point of view.
e. Weeds outside of the main ramp area need treating with weed killer.
Boxing in of the ramp furthest from the village
f. quoted £1100.
g. This would prevent children getting under the ramp.
TOTAL BUDGET £4,370
Required LAF Funding £ 3,000
fingers crossed !
Update following meeting:
I am very glad to report that this application was successfully approved at the Local Area Forum meeting on 9th December. Congratulations to all involved.
More information on the Calvert decision from the County Council
See below for more information from the County Council on the Calvert Decision. It is good news that our County Councillor, John Cartwright, has called in the decision for reconsideration by the Council's Resources Committee.
WRG to deal with Buckinghamshire's waste
Buckinghamshire County Council's (BCC) Cabinet today (Monday 29 November 2010) chose to award preferred bidder status* to Waste Recycling Group (WRG) for the 30 year contract to build an Energy from Waste facility (also known as an incinerator) to treat the county's household waste.
The company proposes to build and operate an Energy from Waste facility at Greatmoor, near Calvert, north Buckinghamshire, which will provide a cheaper and greener solution to disposing of residual household waste - which cannot be recycled or composted - than landfill.
Landfilling waste is environmentally damaging as much of the waste rots to produce methane, which is more than 20 times more harmful than carbon dioxide. Landfilling waste is also extremely costly with the Government imposing hefty landfill fines on councils to encourage them to find alternative ways to manage waste. Current calculations show that by switching to Energy from Waste, Buckinghamshire would save over £100 million in landfill costs, over the life of the WRG contract.
Covanta Energy, which was also bidding to provide Buckinghamshire's Energy from Waste service, with its site at Rookery South Pit near Stewartby, Bedfordshire has not been selected.
In September last year the Council agreed to appoint Covanta Energy as its preferred bidder. Whilst clarifying the terms of their appointment, the company made the Council aware of a commercial matter, which impacted on aspects of its bid. As this might have affected the evaluation of the final bids the Council was legally required to re-open discussions with both Covanta Energy and WRG.
Cabinet Member for Planning and Environment, Councillor Martin Tett, said: "Since March of this year, the project team have been working very hard with both bidders to ensure the proposals they put forward were going to provide the best solution for the county. In September we received the final bids, which have been evaluated by our technical, legal and financial experts and project team against pre-agreed criteria.
"This is a high-profile project of great importance to residents and the county. The announcement today may come of some surprise. However I would like to reassure residents that I have personally spent a considerable amount of time understanding both the process and the key elements of the recommendation by the professional experts on the Project Board to ensure this is the right solution for Buckinghamshire and our council tax payers. Both bidders offered very good solutions for Buckinghamshire and were of a high standard making the decision difficult. I would like to thank Covanta Energy for their hard work in putting their bid together."
"I am confident that the Energy from Waste solution proposed by WRG is in the best interest of our council tax payers. Value for money was an important consideration throughout. We need efficiency, effectiveness and economy from the winning bidder. But, we also need to consider another 'E' - environment. We must ensure that we reach our high recycling target of 60% by 2025 and that the residual waste left is treated efficiently. Waste is a renewable resource that when treated properly can produce significant levels of energy and reduce the country's reliance on dirty, fossil-fuelled power.
"We have conscientiously researched and objectively evaluated the technical options available for treating our leftover waste. Energy from Waste is a modern, highly regulated technology which is well proven in the UK and elsewhere in Europe and works well with high recycling targets, as demonstrated by countries like Denmark."
WRG's proposed facility will convert some 300,000 tonnes of waste a year into 22MW of electricity to send to the national grid. They are also considering how the heat generated from the plant maybe used.
Further information about WRG's proposals is available on their website at:
http://wrg.co.uk/page.php?article=831&name=Calvert+Home+Page&preview=true
WRG to deal with Buckinghamshire's waste
Buckinghamshire County Council's (BCC) Cabinet today (Monday 29 November 2010) chose to award preferred bidder status* to Waste Recycling Group (WRG) for the 30 year contract to build an Energy from Waste facility (also known as an incinerator) to treat the county's household waste.
The company proposes to build and operate an Energy from Waste facility at Greatmoor, near Calvert, north Buckinghamshire, which will provide a cheaper and greener solution to disposing of residual household waste - which cannot be recycled or composted - than landfill.
Landfilling waste is environmentally damaging as much of the waste rots to produce methane, which is more than 20 times more harmful than carbon dioxide. Landfilling waste is also extremely costly with the Government imposing hefty landfill fines on councils to encourage them to find alternative ways to manage waste. Current calculations show that by switching to Energy from Waste, Buckinghamshire would save over £100 million in landfill costs, over the life of the WRG contract.
Covanta Energy, which was also bidding to provide Buckinghamshire's Energy from Waste service, with its site at Rookery South Pit near Stewartby, Bedfordshire has not been selected.
In September last year the Council agreed to appoint Covanta Energy as its preferred bidder. Whilst clarifying the terms of their appointment, the company made the Council aware of a commercial matter, which impacted on aspects of its bid. As this might have affected the evaluation of the final bids the Council was legally required to re-open discussions with both Covanta Energy and WRG.
Cabinet Member for Planning and Environment, Councillor Martin Tett, said: "Since March of this year, the project team have been working very hard with both bidders to ensure the proposals they put forward were going to provide the best solution for the county. In September we received the final bids, which have been evaluated by our technical, legal and financial experts and project team against pre-agreed criteria.
"This is a high-profile project of great importance to residents and the county. The announcement today may come of some surprise. However I would like to reassure residents that I have personally spent a considerable amount of time understanding both the process and the key elements of the recommendation by the professional experts on the Project Board to ensure this is the right solution for Buckinghamshire and our council tax payers. Both bidders offered very good solutions for Buckinghamshire and were of a high standard making the decision difficult. I would like to thank Covanta Energy for their hard work in putting their bid together."
"I am confident that the Energy from Waste solution proposed by WRG is in the best interest of our council tax payers. Value for money was an important consideration throughout. We need efficiency, effectiveness and economy from the winning bidder. But, we also need to consider another 'E' - environment. We must ensure that we reach our high recycling target of 60% by 2025 and that the residual waste left is treated efficiently. Waste is a renewable resource that when treated properly can produce significant levels of energy and reduce the country's reliance on dirty, fossil-fuelled power.
"We have conscientiously researched and objectively evaluated the technical options available for treating our leftover waste. Energy from Waste is a modern, highly regulated technology which is well proven in the UK and elsewhere in Europe and works well with high recycling targets, as demonstrated by countries like Denmark."
WRG's proposed facility will convert some 300,000 tonnes of waste a year into 22MW of electricity to send to the national grid. They are also considering how the heat generated from the plant maybe used.
Further information about WRG's proposals is available on their website at:
http://wrg.co.uk/page.php?article=831&name=Calvert+Home+Page&preview=true
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Steeple Claydon spire seen through oak trees
Map of Claydon Station
Meeting our local PCSO
Supporting our local businesses
With anti HS2 campaigners in Calvert