Page 75 - Phonebox Magazine October 2012

COUNCILLOR CORNER
A contribution from Cllr Debbie Brock and Cllr Peter Geary
MEETING TO CONSULT OVER PROPOSED CAR PARKING
HIGH SHERIFF RIDES INTO TOWN
an annual pleasure and the standard was again very high with a large number of entrants.
In many market towns car parking is an issue and Olney is no exception. Much has been done to try to ease parking pressures in the past few years but problems still arise. Olney Town Council has come forward with two proposals for increasing the car parking spaces in East Street. The first is to re-order the current car park to the front of the Rugby Club so that more spaces can be fitted into it. The second would be to surface the top of the football field between the floodlights and East Street footpath.
The High Sheriff of Buckinghamshireʼs Charity Ride through Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire began at the Cowper and Newton Museum in Olney on Sunday 16 September, just before midday she set off, bound for Filgraveʼs Reading Room. The Museum gardens were open with ʻgarden gamesʼ for families and tea and cakes were served by the Museum Volunteers.
An Olympic theme was much in evidence with a scarecrow version of Usain Bolt in mid-pose, an Olympic construction worker and The Railway Nursery had chosen the Paralympics for their theme.
The Town Council applied to the Milton Keynes Council Community Parking fund for funding which would pay for the works if they wished to go ahead.
During her week-long ride from the north to the south of the county, the High Sheriff will visit projects and charities that benefit children, young people, families and communities. Funds raised by the High Sheriff during her Ride will be shared between the Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire Community Foundations and used to support local good causes.
The winner had picked out another of the yearʼs great events – it was a table of scarecrow children enjoying teatime at a Royal Street Party, made by Mrs Kathleen Collins of The Lavendon Railway. Congratulations Kath for your great skill and attention to detail, well done also for the hard working team who put on the Lavendon Show and all who support it; itʼs a great event every year that raises vital funds for the Village Hall.
These plans have not been without some opposition and to try to gauge peoples support or opposition to the proposals a meeting has been organised for October 18th at the Olney Centre. This will give people firstly the chance to understand exactly what is planned, the precise location and how it will look. It offers residents the opportunity to both ask questions and also to give their views on whether the extra spaces should be built and if they offer value for money. Depending upon the outcome of this meeting, the Town Council will then decide whether to proceed with the proposals. If they do then at least one of the schemes will require planning permission before it goes ahead which will once again give people the opportunity to make their views known before the planners.
You can see what the High Sheriff got up to on her ride through the daily updates she posted on blogspot: http://hscharityride.blogspot.co.uk
Our October Surgery will take place at The Olney Centre on Friday 5th October at 7.30pm until 8.30pm, in November it will be Friday 2nd November. Please feel free to come along if there is a matter we can help you with or contact us on the details given.
The meeting is to be held on Thursday October 18th at the Olney Centre starting at 7:00 pm. We do hope as many as possible will be able to attend.
Congratulations to all who took part in Lavendonʼs Annual Show, Peter and I were honoured to have been asked to judge the entries for the Scarecrow Competition again this year. This is
LAVENDONʼS ANNUAL SHOW
Phonebox Magazine 75