Page 36 - Phonebox Magazine October 2015

Mercury Report
Public participation
Peter Gage drives a School minibus for Brocks and spoke of his safety concerns regarding parking around Olney Middle School when it closes at the end of each day. He explained that, at 3.10pm, it’s impossible to park near the School and the closest he can get requires that pupils cross Moores Hill unsupervised to reach his minibus. He asked if it’d be possible to have a parking spot near the School reserved for a short period each day to allow pupils to walk from the School to the bus without needing to cross the road. Sam Jacobs was last to speak in this slot. Following on from his well received post on the Olney Noticeboard Facebook page, Sam spoke about there being little to do for teenagers in Olney. His suggested solutions included sustainable sports facilities, a small skateboard park (think of that in the Buszy, Milton Keynes), a musical area where drums and amplified instruments could be played, and a safe basketball court. This topic was covered further in the main part of the meeting.
Tennis Club extension
The Tennis Club wishes to build an extension, effectively a pergola, to the side of its clubhouse over the paved area to provide an undercover viewing area for the courts. Councillors appeared in favour of this, and the next step will be for the Club to see if planning permission is required.
Play equipment for youngsters in Olney
Steve Clark introduced this item explaining that, having seen Sam Jacobs’ post and Sally Pezaro’s response to it on Olney Noticeboard, Sam and Sally had been interviewed on air by BBC Three Counties Radio presenter Jonathan Vernon Smith. Sally asked why the skateboard ramp kept being covered in graffiti, for example whether it was because people disliked it. She also explained that, with land in Olney being expensive, it would be hard to get a building for music practice. In summary, she felt that a group of like- minded teenagers needed to get together to put forward their collective views, so all their views would be heard.
Jeremy Rawlings provided some context. Around 15 years ago, there was a project to build a skate park in Olney. A piece of land around the same size as a tennis court was required and, at that time, the expected cost was around £18,000. The park was never built. An issue which would need to be 36 Phonebox Magazine
considered for any new attempt is its location: It needs to be close to homes to allow ease of access, provide a safe environment and discourage vandalism, yet be far enough away not to upset people living nearby. He also explained that the Youth Centre is geared up to host music practice sessions, but that legalities mean that adults have to be present. That means, really, that parents need to get involved and that’s not always proved easy to achieve. He concluded by noting that, if the possible Community Asset Transfer (CAT) of the Youth Club to OTC does go ahead, the Council would have more influence over the services it provided. Steve Clark proposed that a working group of Councillors and children be set up. Sam thought this was a good idea.
Parking in Oakdown Crescent
Following a site visit in July, Milton Keynes Council (MKC) has suggested that a possible solution would be to introduce a residents’ parking scheme in Oakdown Crescent, with parking in the affected bays being restricted to residents and visitors. It asked what Olney Town Council (OTC) thought of this, and whether it would make a Community Parking Scheme application to help fund the scheme. Peter Geary felt that the scheme would not work in isolation, and that funding was for MKC rather that OTC to find. Deidre Bethune felt frustrated that, with some progress having been made in June, the process now seemed to have moved back to square one. OTC will request that David Hall, of MKC, come and present the scheme to OTC.
Westlands
Steve Clark introduced this item, explaining that Westlands is being used illegally as a House In Multiple Occupation (HIMO). MKC is aware of this and is treading carefully with its response. Peter Geary explained that there are many illegal HIMOs across Milton Keynes Borough and that there’ve been no reports of antisocial behaviour from this one so far. Its previous use, a care home, suggests that safety there, for example the provision of fire doors, is probably ok. He noted that if MKC served an enforcement notice for the HIMO to be closed, the building owner could lodge an appeal which, should the Council lose, would effectively be an application for a HIMO. Noting that its use as a HIMO followed MKC’s rejection of the owner’s planning application to convert the building as flats, he speculated that maybe the owner was trying to annoy the Council. Finally, he explained that the best
solution might be to talk with the owner to come to some agreement for an acceptable, sustainable use for the building.
Colin Rodden asked if there was a time period for which it could operate unchallenged as a HIMO, after which this use would become legal. Peter replied that this limit was four years, but that it would not apply in this case because MKC, having already serviced a notice to elicit more information from the landlord, had already started action. OTC will write to MKC expressing its support for its action and requesting monthly updates.
Events
OTC will consult via its Facebook page to see if a local event should be held to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday, to coincide with the main celebrations being held on the weekend of 10th to 12th June 2016.
The Olney Group will be holding Fireworks Night on Sunday 1st November.
Recreation Ground play area
As reported a few months ago, MKC had applied to Biffa Waste Services for matched funding for improvements to be made to the Recreation Ground play area. This application had failed, but MKC had some spare play equipment, in good condition, which it now proposed to relocate to Olney
Christmas Appeal
A
s we start to plan for our third year of this wonderful incentive for those in need in Olney and
its surrounding villages we look back at 2014 and those that we helped and
thank those that donated.
A Weekly Keep Fit class brought tins/packets each week and donated these, local people and businesses donated food and money for the Christmas lunch. Local people brought gifts for children and families both old and young. In addition to a lovely donation from the Olney Lions, donations came from all walks of life through our ‘Giving’ page which helps fund those in need throughout the year. Be it for a weekly food shop, to pay a utility bill or to pay for new shoes for school, all the donations go to good causes and aid those who have no where else to turn to: https:// mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/christmaslunch Christmas Eve sees all the donations finally