Page 24 - Demo

24 Phonebox Magazine | April 2025Drainage works between Ravenstone, Gayhurst & Stoke Goldington.After years of waiting, fi nally some work is happening where water fl owed over the road near the old gravel pits between Ravenstone, Stoke Goldington and Gayhurst. The road has been closed numerous times in recent years when the problem was just a blocked culvert, owned by Milton Keynes City Council, that could have been cleared very quickly. A lot of other works have been done while the road was closed which should signifi cantly reduce the number of times the road has to be closed in the future. The delays are something Keith and Peter have been chasing Milton Keynes City Council about particularly as they did not seem to understand what the main cause of the fl ooding was.Lavendon FloodingWhen homes are fl ooded, it will always be an emotive subject. For those who see homes damaged and possessions ruined, it is a truly heartbreaking situation. In many places this is diffi cult to avoid, but in the case of Lavendon there is something that can be done. By the time this is published we will have held a public meeting in Lavendon (on Wednesday, 26th March) to update people on what has happened in the last six months since the fl oods of September 2024 and on the timescales of what will happen going forward. In the last few months, we have raised this numerous times at Milton Keynes Council. Firstly, in a motion to Council last November, which we took on behalf of residents, asking for the already designed scheme to be implemented and the funding to be provided to do this. When this was refused by a majority of the Council, we placed an amendment to the 2025/26 Budget looking to provide the funds to undertake the works; this would have been paid for either by borrowing the money and paying the interest by reducing the amount of Council funded events in CMK or by rescheduling the Council%u2019s capital program. Following the publication of further Environment Agency funding for the scheme, Peter submitted a further motion expressing frustration at the way this was being handled, which was fi nally passed by the Council in March 2025. The fl ooding is not an issue that will go away, and neither is our determination to see the schemes built that will help protect the village, and we look forward to working with the Parish Council to continue to pressurise Milton Keynes City Council to act.Closure of the Tip in Newport PagnellWhen Milton Keynes City Council proposed the closure of the Tip in Newport Pagnell, making residents drive to a new facility in Old Wolverton, we knew this would have a signifi cant impact on those who use the Newport Pagnell site. We fi nd it particularly frustrating when we got a site allocated for a new Tip in the new MKE development, which offi cers seemingly did not know about when they devised these plans. As a result, Keith and Peter %u201cCalled In%u201d the decision to close the Tip, as did fi ve other groups from across the City. Despite evidence being presented of the extra environmental damage and congestion that would be caused and the factual inaccuracies that were used in the original decision-making that were not challenged, the Environment and Place Scrutiny Sub-Committee voted to support the proposals. Unfortunately, with only the one Conservative representative on the Sub-Committee voting to ask the Cabinet member to reconsider the proposals, we did not secure the review because the Liberal Democrat and Labour members voted to accept the proposal to build a new facility at Old Wolverton. These proposals are, in our view, still poorly thought through and we will continue to challenge them and ask the Council to think again. The Tip is scheduled to close sometime in the next year, but this may be pushed back.As we do every month, we will be running our surgery at the Olney Centre on the fi rst Friday of the month 7pm till 8pm.Olney Ward Councillor Corner CONTACT DEBBIE:Tel: 07494 681907 / debbie.whitworth@miltonkeynes.gov.ukMy ward surgeries are every Tuesday, 10am-12pm at the Olney Centre. No need to book, just pop along.Cllr Debbie WhitworthOlney Ward Councillor CornerCllr Keith McLean Cllr Peter GearyCONTACT US: Keith: 07983 456081 keith.mclean@milton-keynes.gov.uk :: Peter: 07774 939404 peter.geary@milton-keynes.gov.ukMK Connect changes as of 1st AprilAfter meetings with Milton Keynes City Council (MKCC) transport team, ward councillors have been updated on the changes to MK Connect that will come into eff ect from 1st April.The new operating times for MK Connect will be from 6am-8pm, Monday to Saturday. There will be no Sunday Service.MK Connect is not part of the English National Concessionary Scheme, and MKCC has been subsidising the cost of these trips; MKCC will continue to partially support the cost of ENCTS trips. After a recent consultation on future pricing, there was overwhelming support for a %u00a31.50 charge to use the MK Connect service. PricesFares will be changing from 1st April 2025 with a new pricing structure for longer journeys within Milton Keynes:Peak %u00a34. Off Peak %u00a33.Older Person%u2019s and Disabled Person%u2019s bus pass holders (ENCTS) %u00a31.50. Allinone %u00a31.20.Additional surcharges will apply for rides of over 5km (Peak %u00a35, off -peak %u00a34) and over 8km (peak %u00a36.50, off -peak %u00a35.50).New vehicles with better accessibility will be in use, including several accessible vehicles with tail lifts.If you use a large electric wheelchair or a mobility scooter and you wish to travel with MK Connect please contact them and request a scooter passport visit. This will ensure you get a suitable vehicle that can carry your mobility aid, as not all wheelchair-accessible vehicles can carry scooters.Further information is available at Ride with Via%u2013MK Connect. city.ridewithvia.com/mk-connectI have sent early feedback I%u2019ve received from residents to the transport team, but going forward, can I kindly advise anyone with issues or concerns to send them direct tomycouncil.milton-keynes.gov.uk/en/service/Passenger_Transport_Contact_UsWard based budgetsEach Ward councillor is allocated a budget of %u00a31,000 to spend during each Council Year on Ward-based issues (1st June-28th February).I can confi rm all those parishes who reached out to me for support on their projects, which I put forward for MKCC to consider, have all been approved.These included:St Firmin%u2019s Church, North Crawley: Restore and repair the chiming mechanism on St Firmin%u2019s Church Tower Clock.Weston Underwood Parish Council: To undertake phase 1 of a project to repair and restore the wooden post and chain fence which runs adjacent to the road in front of Weston House. The fi rst phase will be to remove and replace any posts which are beyond repair.Lavendon Parish Council: Flood Defence equipment. Items to include gel bags. This will benefi t the entire village.Emberton Parish Council: Production of the Well & Towers, village magazine.Olney Town Council: Community Allotment Pond. The OAHA is keen to preserve, protect and promote the environment and encourage and expand the diversity of wildlife. A pond will greatly contribute to achieving this goal.The drainage works at Ravenstone