A few selected stories & pieces featuring my views and actions
Recent letters to the local newspaper: Dear Editor...
I have the greatest of regard for Rachel Webb but I am unclear as to why she feels it necessary now to defend the past voting on free school meals by our local MPs when the national government itself has now u-turned on this for the Christmas vacation. ("Marcus Rashford welcomes school holiday support climbdown" BBC 9/11/20).
However, I do agree with her that local schemes work better than nationally organised ones as they are closer to the needs of the community. But let us consider what happened locally: the 'Helping Hand' scheme organised by Buckinghamshire Council was little more than a signposting service and was only announced on the Tuesday of half term. I suspect that many families who were in desperate need of such support probably did not become aware of it until a day or more later. This was little more than late window dressing. Contrast this with the widely reported and praised informal project in Buckingham, initiated by a local 14 year old lad and more or less put together in a matter of hours.
Let's by all means channel support for families in need via the local upper tier council but let's make sure this is done with greater foresight, resources and speed in the future. And to make this happen, we need a substantial number of councillors willing to challenge robustly the Council's administration and nudge them into faster and more effective action in the future. The communities of Bucks will have their opportunity next May to elect councillors who will scrutinise and demand better (rather than return councillors who will question little while slavishly following the whip of the ruling party). Perhaps Rachel might be interested in standing as an independent councillor next May? She would have my support.
With regards to Mr Plotkin of Waddesdon, I am somewhat bemused by his assertion for the need for facts while simultaneously referring to a "1970's Momentum pocket book". Unless I am mistaken the campaign group 'Momentum' only came into existence in 2015 but perhaps I missed the time travel episode of our local politics. Putting that to one side, I do agree with him on the need for proper data. Here is one detail, extracted from the Child Poverty Action Group website: "Between 1998 and 2003 reducing child poverty was made a priority - with a comprehensive strategy and investment in children - and the number of children in poverty fell by 600,000". This shows that shrewd and committed national action can achieve results.
Moreover, according to the House of Commons Library Briefing Paper (Number 7096, 18 June 2020: Poverty in the UK - statistics) child poverty peaked at around 1992 (looking at the trends from 1961 to 2017). There was then a fairly steady decline from then until around 2011 when it has been on a pretty steady rise since. (page 18 of the report). To quote: "The proportion of pensioners in poverty is much lower now than during the 1960s, but poverty rates for children and working age adults are higher than they were 50 years ago". I would contend that in a country as affluent as the UK, this is a deplorable state of affairs and shows that governments of all hues have simply not been doing enough to address this problem. Far more needs to be done. And I would hope that Mr Plotkin would agree with me on that.
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John Oliver (letters 27/11/20) asserts that the Covid19 pandemic was “entirely unexpected and unplanned for”. Perhaps the latter is correct but the former is certainly not so. True: nobody could have predicted the day on which this virus arrived on our shores. But there have been plenty of senior experts over many years who have been saying such a public health emergency will happen, the only question is exactly when.
For example, in 2016, Public Health England conducted a wide ranging study “designed to assess the United Kingdom’s preparedness and response to a pandemic influenza outbreak” (Exercise Cygnus Report, October 2016). It was aimed at the government, Local Resilience Forums (LRFs), local authorities and many others who would be involved when a pandemic occurred. The report identified lessons for all of the stakeholders and recommended that these were reviewed for actions to be taken. Buckinghamshire Council (formerly the County Council) is a key member of the Thames Valley LRF, as is Thames Valley Police, of course.
Did our local councillors prepare adequately for the pandemic? Did the Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) ensure the police were properly funded to be able to respond properly to this emergency when it occurred? Were there any local explorations (eg simulations, scenario planning and other management exercises) into what strategy was needed to make sure that all local stakeholders knew the part they had to play when a pandemic occurred?
These critical questions need to be answered.
All those who will be voting next May for a new batch of Buckinghamshire Councillors and the PCC need to know this: which of the candidates will have the capacity, the drive and the willingness to surf the future waves of change rather than be submerged by them? I believe we need independent minded people who will think and act strategically. In these volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous times, we need political leaders who are prepared to think for themselves and not merely, obediently follow some party whip.
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In recent weeks we have seen many local political leaders asking people to buy local for Christmas. For example, on 2 December Cllr Martin Tett (leader of Buckinghamshire Council) tweeted "Today our shops in Buckinghamshire reopen. Please support our local shops and bring life fully back to our town and village centres". Nobody would disagree with this sentiment, of course. And like Cllr Tett, I would urge people to spend their money close to home and help small businesses survive these very difficult times.
On several occasions, I have asked Cllr Tett (and other BC Cabinet members) if they could point me towards the policies that will mean that the Buckinghamshire Council will use its considerable spending power to boost local small businesses. But I am met with a stony silence.
The Social Value Act was created in 2012 to encourage and enable local council buyers (procurers and commissioners) to consider social, economic and environmental wellbeing when purchasing services. It seems that Buckinghamshire Council is ignorant of this legislation which has been used in many places to help buy better services that add real value to our local communities.
So with this letter may I ask the leaders of Buckinghamshire Council again "when will there be council procurement policies that will match your Christmas exhortations, and buy more from local small businesses?" (Does the council even measure how much of our taxpayers' money is spent with local suppliers..?)
Meanwhile, may I wish every small business owner and employee a very Merry Christmas!
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What a super idea to have the Buckingham Town Mayor's Christmas cards! I wish I had thought of this when I was Mayor! I have already bought several packs to send to my family and friends.
My congratulations and thanks to the Mayor, all the children who took part (and especially the winning entries), the sponsor (Black Dog Design) and all the Town Council staff who have helped turn this wonderful idea into reality. May it become a new tradition for the town henceforth!
I wish everyone in Buckingham and beyond a very Merry Christmas and a Healthy New Year!
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Cllr Mark Cole made some excellent points in his letter last week. The Town Council's planning committee looks at development applications most carefully, appraising them against the town's Neighbourhood Plan and national guidelines. Moreover, the Committee is advised by one of the most professional and experienced planning officers in the whole county.
It is then hugely frustrating when the planning authority (now Buckinghamshire Council) seems to simply ignore or dismiss the advice offered by the Town Council. Indeed now, under the constitution of the new authority, the Town Council cannot require the Buckinghamshire Council to discuss contentious planning applications in the North Buckinghamshire Planning Committee. Instead, the Town Council has to plead for a local shire councillor to 'call in' the application. Readers will not be surprised to learn that some shire councillors are more willing than others to do this.
In effect, the new Buckinghamshire Council has sidelined local parish and town councillors. This is a far cry from the promises of deep partnership made by the previous County Council when it was building the case for a single unitary council across Buckinghamshire. It seems that many shire councillors are not so good at walking their talk.
Meanwhile the BEST local councillors (shire, parish and town) will continue to listen and learn from the community, and from each other. If 2020 has taught us anything, including tackling the pandemic and locally the floods, we can achieve so much more when we work together in partnership. Hopefully the councillors elected in May this year will truly grasp that the old phrase "united we stand, divided we lose" is more than just words. It is a call to action!
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Last week your newspaper highlighted that people attending the Buckingham Community Centre for their vaccination would be able to have free parking while they were there. Of course we now know that this is not happening and the announcement from the Swan Practice had to be hastily withdrawn. Perhaps we will never know what happened precisely to cause such an unfortunate mix up (although I am endeavouring to find out).
However we can be certain that Buckinghamshire Council appears to have made income from car parking more important than the welfare and well being of some older members of our community, many of whom are frail and vulnerable.
I have been told of people struggling to negotiate the new parking machines which require number plates. And (when I last checked) two, possibly three, out of five machines are not working which has necessitated people hiking across the car park to find a working one. Many people, who have not left their houses for months for fear of infection, are being forced to touch these machines and therefore risk picking up the virus.
Naturally we were treated to full legalistic explanation as to why cordoning off a few parking spaces could not be made to happen. Although I note that other councils which run car parks appear to have found such ways (Nuneaton & Bedworth Council for example).
In a local poll on the Facebook group "Buckingham: What Matters to You", 856 people said that free parking should be provided for people attending their vaccination appointments. Only 46 thought that should not happen. That is pretty hefty majority of local opinion in favour of finding a way to make this happen.
We have weeks and weeks more of these vaccinations (including second jabs for all those so far). May I urge the leaders of Buckinghamshire Council to think hard and think again about this decision.
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Over the last two weeks you have reported that Buckinghamshire Council was set to object to the proposal to build a third prison in the west of the county, adjacent to two existing prisons (HMP Grendon/Springhill), and now our MP Greg Smith is also campaigning against this new development. The objections include traffic concerns, the possibility of escaped prisoners and drug paraphernalia being left in nearby hedgerows - and now we hear of the villagers being 'swamped' by incarcerated people.
I don't dismiss such concerns and I appreciate that those living in the villages nearby have very real worries that need to be properly addressed in any planning application that may eventually come forward. Of course, there needs to be adequate road access and sewerage systems etc. These are things we know that Buckinghamshire Council is well placed to tackle in the conditions placed on any new build.
However, I would offer a view that there is an overwhelming need to increase prison capacity in the UK and that a new prison (and I quote from the Government consultation website) "is likely to create around 500-600 permanent jobs for the local community". And there would be several hundred jobs for construction workers during the build which although temporary are not to be disregarded.
Due to Covid19, the economy is in a dire state and many local people have lost their jobs and livelihoods in recent months. This is unlikely to improve for somewhile as the country strives to recover from the deep impact of the lockdown and other factors. I am pretty sure that there are many locally who would be looking forward to both the temporary and permanent jobs that would come about if this new prison were to be given the green light.
Moreover, the prison and justice system is extraordinarily fragile at the moment. Even before Covid19 arrived, the courts, probation and prison services were struggling with cutbacks and closures. It is now even worse. Offenders, witnesses and victims are having to wait months for cases to be heard which damages lives and the delivery of justice. This means more and more people on remand which only adds to the pressure on prison cells. The UK locks up more people per capita than most other countries in Europe. This all has consequences - not least the need for more prisons.
I sincerely hope that our MP and Buckinghamshire councillors will think very carefully if and when a planning application to build this prison comes forward. There are negatives, of course, but there are some impressive and much needed positives too.
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Recent national events have highlighted just how unsafe many (if not most) women feel when walking in our local streets and parks. In an informal survey I started on social media three years ago and which has been refreshed again, it is evident that many women feel they have to adjust their behaviour due to their concerns.
Everybody has a right to be and feel safe walking around at any time of the day or night!
Asserting that the stats show we are fortunate to live in a relatively low crime area is not helpful. Nor is it right to suggest it is the fault of women to have their fear filled feelings or dare to be out late at night etc. That is victim blaming, pure and simple. And it avoids the fact that it is largely men whose behaviours cause these safety fears in the first place. Not all men, of course. But the evidence is that nearly all women have at some time been subject to various forms of sexual harassment or behaviour that makes them feel uncomfortable when walking around.
What are we to do? How can men and women work together on this to find some solutions and ways of mitigating what has been probably decades in the making? I think it would be great if some local women got together (virtually at the moment of course) and identified what actions could be taken by various local bodies and authorities that would make a real difference. I would be happy to support such an initiative if invited to do so. I am sure other local councillors would feel the same.
I have requested that the Town Council discuss the matter of street lighting in the local parks (prompted by some discussions on social media). And I have asked that the TC investigates why there is an absence of street lighting on the Tingewick Road up to the new St Rumbolds estate. A whole new wide pavement was put in some while ago - would it not have made sense to install some street lights at the same time...?! (And why didn't I notice this before? Probably because I am a man and don't experience walking around our town in the dark in the same way as women do... That has been a learning point for me in recent days.)
If we put all our heads together, not only can we work towards making Buckingham and nearby villages even safer but also we can help make our streets and roads feel safer too! We really must do this for us all and of course for the sake of all the girls and boys growing up in our towns and villages.
