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>We produce newletters for members three times each year. They are sent out by post or email. If any changes take place under "Dates for your Diary" in between these dates, we notify members and publish them on this Web Site.<
We would like your views and also your email address. If you would like the newsletter and up to date information about events by email then please contact us on: info@beaconsfieldsociety.org.uk. We use the ‘info’ word so that the email can be redirected to whoever is on duty and we can easily send reminders out about events if you wish.
The Beaconsfield Society NEWSLETTER May 2007
Dates for your Diary Saturday 9th June 2007
Beaconsfield Awareness Day
Council Green, 10.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.
This is the Society’s annual showcase event which gives access to local organisations, provides entertainment and let residents and visitors know more about our town. Please come along and bring your friends.
The Chairman, Sandy Saunders, welcomed members. He also welcomed Tony Bristow who has ably taken over the role of Treasurer of the Society
Society Members Visits in Plan for 2007
Each year we organise visits for members to places of interest relating to the history and environment of Beaconsfield.
This Tour is a gentle stroll around the grounds of Bletchley Park as they now look, but also takes you on a walk through history. In 1940/1 the early code breakers arrived at a quaint rural mansion surrounded by farm buildings. Their work was central to the defeat of Nazi Germany. You will see around the mansion, the stable yard, the Huts and ‘A Block’, the expansion of 1940-1 Huts 3, 6 and the Bombe Room; The Blocks: and the industrial expansion that ended the war.
The whole site is a museum, but particularly there is a museum of Churchill memorabilia which is incredible with hundreds of exhibits, a museum of old cars (not classic but bog standard working vehicles), an old post office as well as the computing machines.
There is a canteen / café on site serving sandwiches soft drinks, tea and coffee, where you can enjoy your own picnic lunch if you wish.
Tuesday 19th June 2007
Visit to Wilton Park
Wilton Park: We are very fortunate to be invited to visit Wilton Park on Tuesday 19th June afternoon (2 - 4 p.m.) as guests of the Defence School of Languages. The details are yet to be agreed but we shall be shown round the site. We shall have a talk about the language school and visit the classrooms. Then we shall have the opportunity to go to the top of the tower block. The tower is no longer used as accommodation but still has working lifts and is safe.
This is a wonderful opportunity to view Beaconsfield and the surrounding areas from the roof of the building. Ladies need to wear flat shoes and trousers if they want to get from the top floor viewing lounge out onto the open roof as there is a short vertical ladder.
Please note that numbers are very limited and names must be given in advance for security purposes. As soon as possible please book your places with Michael Harrison, 23 Wooster Road, HP9 1SR, telephone 01494 677024 or email dmharriuk@aol.com
Woodrow High House. We have agreed to a visit on Wednesday 5th September to this property which played a significant part in the Civil War. Formerly owned by the Royalist Drake family the house was occupied by Oliver Cromwell and his family for a time. There may be an opportunity to see the "Green Lady" who is said to roam the estate. The visit will be in the morning and it is suggested that we then go on to one of the pubs in Penn Street.
If members have any suggestions for places to visit which would be of interest to our membership please let us know. Michael Harrison Tel. 677024 or dmharriuk@aol.com
Awareness Day Saturday 9 June 2007
This year, our annual Awareness Day will be held on Saturday 9th June on the Council Green between 10.30am and 1.30pm.
Last year we had a very successful day, the weather was beautiful and record crowds came to see the varied and diverse groups and organisations on display.
This year we have again over forty local organisations participating with a wide range of subjects, there is something for everyone whether you want to start a new hobby, learn a new skill or just support a worthwhile cause.
Do come and enjoy a pleasant Saturday morning ambling round the stalls with a cup of tea and cake from the Trefoil Guild while listening to the Jazz band.
The Beaconsfield Society stall will be at the front of the Green, do come and visit us. This year we are having a suggestion box for you to make known to the Committee those issues which most concern you, so please come and use it.
Planning issues in Beaconsfield
In the past six months there has been a marked increase in the number of planning applications which the Beaconsfield Society has considered to be detrimental to the town. There continues to be a number of very large £2-3 million houses proposed for the likes of Burgess Wood Road and Burkes Road, however the most worrying increase has been the number of increased density applications in Holtspur and proposals to build blocks of flats in Station Road, Gregories Road and Burkes Road.
There is a well established precedent for the building of apartments in Station Road and these are very hard to oppose, however the society continues to object to the inadequate parking provision on these sites, although they comply with national guidelines. One application to build blocks of flats in Gregories Road already has approval and others have gone to appeal. Our fear is that within a decade there will be many more blocks built from the new town to as far as Cambridge Road. So far applications to build blocks of flats in Burkes Road have been resisted.
In Holtspur, developers are targeting the owners of properties with large garden plots in North Drive, Cherry Tree Road, Holtspur Close, Crabtree Close and Ivins Road, making them offers which are hard to resist. There have been applications for the construction of over 100 homes, many of which already have permission.
One of the drivers for this increase is the fact that Beaconsfield together with Gerrards Cross has been designated a sustainable area for further development. However some of your town and district councillors feel that more can be done to resist inappropriate development, but council officers continue to warn of incurred costs if applications are granted on appeal. The society feels that the appeal process is heavily weighted in favour of the applicant, because in these cases the person objecting to the application has no right of appeal.
The society can of course make no promises of future success, but will continue to be vigilant.
Geoff Grover (Beaconsfield Town Council representative to The Beaconsfield Society)
South Bucks Refuse Collection Policy;
Presentation at AGM
The guest speaker at the Society’s AGM in November was Chris Marchant, Head of Property and Contract Services Unit at South Bucks District Council. He gave a very helpful presentation of the Council’s policy on refuse collection, a topic that has moved even higher up the political agenda since then. Councillor Bill Lidgate, Cabinet Member and Portfolio Holder for Environment, kindly provided additional comment on the political context and the Council’s overall approach.
The presentation was broadly reassuring for those of us concerned about the possible loss of weekly rubbish collection, particularly for food waste. Chris described the Government targets for waste recycling that the Council needs to meet to avoid paying penalties for using landfill. South Bucks already has one of the highest proportions of recycled waste, due to a shared commitment to recycling by the Council and the majority of residents. This means that South Bucks is set much more demanding targets than many other areas.
Chris said that the existing arrangements for refuse collection, the weekly collection of black sacks, have worked well and made it clear that the Council is not rushing to change them. However, Government policy, plus the fact that the refuse collection contract is up for renewal this year, means that the Council needs to be prepared for changes.
The Council has been conducting a trial of alternative arrangements in Denham, Iver, Stoke Poges, Dorney and Hedgerley and researching the reactions of residents. The new system involves each household being given two wheelie bins, a black one for non-recyclable general waste and a green one for food and garden waste. Separate collections for paper and bottles/cans continue as at present. Weekly collections continue, but alternate between the black bin one week and the green bin the following week. Only food and green waste must be put in the green bin. However, it is permitted to put food waste in the black bins. This means there will continue to be weekly collection of food waste for those who find it necessary. The Council hopes that most people will find the fortnightly collection of the green bin adequate for dealing with food waste, in order to divert biodegradable waste from landfill.
Analysing the recycling rates under the experimental new system and the reaction of residents has shown that it is producing significantly higher proportions of rubbish being recycled and therefore less for landfill. Also, residents are generally happy with the new arrangements. One additional benefit that South Bucks has chosen to include with the new scheme is the possibility of putting garden waste in the green bin, saving residents trips to household recycling centres. Few other councils operate this policy.
Bill Lidgate said that, although the Council had ordered wheelie bins with microchips, as reported in the local press, these were not being used in practice. The Council would not be seeking to fine residents who failed to follow the new regulations, preferring encouragement instead. He has a flattering view of the intelligence and civic mindedness of South Bucks residents and anticipates few problems.
Chris said there are no current plans to extend the new arrangements to the rest of South Bucks. However, they were convincing that, should this become necessary, most residents would find the new system an acceptable alternative, with some wider benefits.
Annual Awards
Citizen of the Year:
Audrey Cook is pictured here receiving her award from Les Davies.
Audrey has been involved with the highly regarded Beaconsfield Advisory Centre for many years and has been its director for the last 13. Recently she helped to set up the highly successful Good Neighbours Scheme where the Centre recruited volunteers from the community to provide transport, undertake gardening and DIY tasks, collect medicines and visit people in need.
She has been a family carer three times and is involved with Beaconsfield Carers. She is now vice- chairman of Carers Bucks, a charity which provides support to family carers across the whole of Buckinghamshire. It is a tribute to Audrey's commitment that family carers needs are being recognised, particularly in the south of the County.
Building of the Year:
This year’s award went to English Courtyard Developments Ltd for St Mary’s Court in the Old Town (Malthouse Square).
Steve Allan, the Managing Director of English Courtyard, is seen here receiving the award from Dermot Cox (right).
Picture of the site before development and of St. Mary’s Court in its finished state.
Newsletter published by The Beaconsfield Society.
www.beaconsfieldsociety.org.uk
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