Bucks County Council

Hallmark November 2022.

The end of the year 2022 is rapidly approaching and what a year it has been. In June we celebrated Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and then in September, we mourned her passing with the proclamation of King Charles’ accession to the throne.

With the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, all of us in the UK are seeing a rise in the cost of living, energy costs, interest rates and inflation.

Buckinghamshire Council is working hard on its priorities and spending plans for next year. So, like other Councils across the UK, the Council is in the process of setting its budget for 2023/2024. 82% of the cost of providing all its services comes from the collection of Council tax.

On 12th October, Buckinghamshire Council launched “Money Matters” – the way for residents to tell us what matters most to them when we allocate available funds during next year. The budget will pay for services such as road repairs, adult social care, children’s services, running libraries and leisure centres, and support for residents facing hardship.

This consultation closes at midnight on 20th November. You can complete the online survey or download a printed version and send it back. Here is the link to the website:

https://yourvoicebucks.citizenspace.com/corporate-services/budget-2023-24/

With the financial pressures Buckinghamshire Council runs the “Helping Hand” initiative which is there to help individuals or families in need, those on low incomes and those who are experiencing a financial emergency or crisis.

Details can be found here:

https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/cost-of-living/

The Bledlow Ridge Household Recycling Centre closed in March 2019 due to Buckinghamshire County Council having to make savings due to financial pressures even though there was a petition with over 4,500 signatures opposing the closure.

A Community Interest Company was set up with the support of 12 Town and Parish Councils to act as a vehicle to submit a planning application to re-open it independently. With the Covid pandemic and the transition of the Councils to the new unitary, the application went to appeal due to non-determination. The Planning appeal was dismissed in August 2021 by the Planning Inspector solely on the CIC not having an adequate Minerals and Waste Management plan.

With the transition to the new unitary, Buckinghamshire Council has made savings within the Climate Change and the Environment Portfolio, and with the expansion of Princes Risborough in the next few years, the Cabinet met on 22^nd September and voted to re-open this facility sometime in November if not sooner.