Page 30 - Phonebox Magazine July 2007

Councillor Corner
A contribution from Councillor Debbie Brock
SENiOR CiTiZENS BiRTHDAY PARTY
Olney’s Senior Citizens have recently celebrated their 49th Birthday in great style, thanks to Pam Morgan and all who volunteer their help. A celebratory tea party complete with birthday cake and traditional raffle was rounded off by the Music Makers of Milton Keynes providing the evening’s entertainment. All enjoyed the varied musical programme which featured many well known classics, if you would like to know more about the Music Makers of Milton Keynes you can visit www.mmmk.org
Thank you for inviting me to your party – I thoroughly look forward to celebrating your 50th Birthday with you next year. Built i1887, The Olney Centre as we now all know it, is celebrating its 120th Birthday this year.
LATEST MOTiON TO COUNCiL
I recently became aware of a statement that had been communicated to Government in a long letter concerning growth in Milton Keynes. The statement runs contrary to Milton Keynes Council Policy as you may well have read in the local press.
The expansion of Milton Keynes is an important issue for us all not just for the particular area of the borough in which we live but also in the shaping of those municipal areas of the ‘city’ which we all access in our cars and the green spaces and between that add so much to the quality of our lives.
ROAD SAFETY
Reflecting the concern of Lavendon residents for their safety and that of road users on the A428 between Northampton and Bedford I have taken the opportunity to ask questions on Thames Valley Police’s criteria for locating speed cameras and how this differs from the approach adopted by both Beds and Northants Police Authorities. Apparently all are working to new guidelines as set out in the Department for Transport circular set out at the beginning of the year. So how precisely it is that both Northants Police in Yardley Hastings and Beds Police in Turvey WITHOUT the presence of a difficult bend manage to recognise the effects of speeding traffic through their villages and Thames Valley Police do not is a matter that will require some ongoing explaining.
OLNEY CAMPUS iNqUiRY UPDATE
At the time of writing an appointee has been chosen to carry out the Inquiry, I shall find out more about the progress at a meeting of Milton Keynes Council’s Audit Committee later this month.
MEETiNG WiTH SUPERiNTENDENT GEZ CHiARiELLO
Concerns about local policing are often on the lips of local residents and in particular their representatives on Olney Town Council. A warm welcome was extended to the newly installed Superintendent Gez Chiariello, at a recent meeting that took place at The Olney Centre. This was a golden opportunity to express concerns face to face with Thames Valley Police’s representative who largely shapes how local resources are deployed. The Superintendent pledged that Olney’s officer numbers would remain at current levels and would not be cut in spite of pressure coming from other areas of the borough that could easily see them deployed there at times of need, for example the recent and sad murder that took place in Wolverton. The meeting was also attended by Cllr Kate Porter of Lavendon Parish Council and Heather from the local Olney Health Check group.
We did focus upon the incidents surrounding the ‘flasher’, and how best communications could be conducted so that worried parents would know what was going on. This was indeed a difficult time for pupils and parents getting to and from school, much anguish was caused. I have asked that the Police consider a bulletin in the window of the Police Office on the High Street when incidents cause such wide spread concern.
The Superintendent further underlined his emphasis on increasing the ‘effectiveness’ of Policing – this he said did not always mean it was going to be visible, i.e., Police Officers having time for tea with traders etc. Comment was passed that recently detection rates were rising, the Superintendent’s contribution to this effort was much appreciated as he apprehended a youth on his way to the meeting.
30 Phonebox Magazine