Buckinghamshire Council

Buckinghamshire Council was formed in 2022, when the District and County Councils were merged

Hallmark November 2023. Traffic calming petition. The petition was discussed at a special Community Board meeting on the 7th September.. The following recommendations were discussed:-

1. Commission a review of available speed data to determine its suitability as the basis of a formal speed limit assessment.

2. Liaise with the LAT (Local Area Technician), to determine if maintenance could increase the available width of the existing footway.

3. Commission a review of options to improve conspicuity of the 30mph gateway; this could include foliage cutback and enhanced signage.

4. St John's Church of England Primary School should re-engage with the Schools’ Sustainable Travel team to update and continue their School Travel Plan.

It was agreed that as a next-step actions 2-4 would be further considered and further speed data and other supporting evidence should be collected to help support the proposal.

Roadworks breaches. This year the Council have seen a record number of permit requests from utility firms – such as gas, water, electricity or communication companies – who want to access their infrastructure for repairs or improvement works. The Council knows that these works cause major disruption to road users across the county. Utility firms have a right to install and repair their networks which are usually under our roads and pavements. The council's role is to grant permits to allow them to carry out the necessary works and to coordinate these as far as is reasonably practical to try to minimise the impact on the public. Unfortunately, the Council have seen a sharp increase in the number of fines the council has had to issue where they’ve failed to keep to the terms of their permits. Breaches the council has taken action on include:-

• Failing to display correct details on site, including emergency contacts.

• Not taking away temporary traffic lights when they’re no longer needed.

• Failing to implement correct traffic management.

• Not publicising proposed works well enough.

• Failing to remove surplus materials and equipment.

It’s residents and road-users who bear the impact of these failures, and with the rise in the number of works across Buckinghamshire, the Council are stepping up how they manage these works :-

• Introducing seven day working for the ‘streetworks’ team, who monitor works across the county, so they can respond more quickly to problems.

• Reviewing the whole network to best understand where the busiest places and times are, as some road use patterns have changed since the pandemic.

• When these areas have been pinpointed, the Council will look at insisting on extended working hours and more night time and weekend working to lessen the impact on drivers.

• Writing to utilities companies to inform them of the new ‘zero tolerance’ approach when they fail to keep to the permitted arrangements. Companies will now receive a fine on first breach and will have their permit revoked if a further breach occurs.

• Lobbying Government to increase substantially the amount the Council can fine companies who breach their permits; this is set nationally and, with the early payment rate of £80, is totally insufficient to act as an effective deterrent.

Winter support. Buckinghamshire Council has confirmed its package of support to those most in need as we head into winter. £4.8m of Household Support Fund (HSF) from the Department for Work and Pensions is being used to provide a wide range of support to residents. The HSF money is also being used to provide grants to food and welfare voluntary and community support organisations, to help those struggling with the ongoing cost of living pressures.

The HSF supports the council's Helping Hand service which assesses applications for financial help and navigates residents to the most appropriate support.

In addition to the support provided to eligible families during school holidays through the Household Support Fund, Buckinghamshire Council also runs the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme during the Easter, Summer and Christmas school holidays. Funded by the Department for Education, HAF provides free holiday activities and a healthy hot meal for children in Reception – Year 11 who receive benefits-related free school meals.

Surgery dates. The team hold regular surgeries across the ward to hear from residents directly. You don’t have to book an appointment to attend, however, if you would like to talk privately you can contact the team on team@ridgewaywest.uk