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Ron Hall Editor of Phonebox Magazine

Phonebox Magazine send a reporter to the Olney Town Council Meetings on the first Monday to each month. We have our report of the meetings here. Earlier ones are available.

Mercury's reports in our 2025 editions

  • January 2025 Issue (December 2024 meeting)

    Intro

    After the excitement of last month’s meeting, Mercury was looking forward to a lively evening, but sadly it was not to be, and for the December meeting things were very much business as usual.

    Public Participation

    Only one member of the public wished to speak at this month’s meeting. Kevin Viney spoke regarding the still unfinished Yardley Manor Play Park. Despite promises given to Olney Town Council, the last in writing, that the play park remedial work would be finished by the end of November (last month), this sorry saga continues, he said. Following a request by jaded residents for our Member of Parliament to become involved, MKCC (Milton Keynes City Council) have now stated in writing that the developers have not yet transferred the relevant S106 funds, and this is the cause of the holdup. Moreover the MP has suggested that if residents are dissatisfied with this response, they should note that MKCC have invited them to raise a formal complaint with Milton Keynes Council. If they did so, and remained unhappy with their response, they could then raise the matter with the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. Kevin said this is clearly unsatisfactory and said he would like to request that Olney Town Council intervene directly now to resolve this matter, explaining in the meantime to Yardley Manor residents why their children still can’t use this play area.

    Apologies for absence and declarations of interest

    Deirdre Bethune, Dan Rowland and David Tyler had sent apologies. Mary Prosser declared an interest in the agenda item concerning Yardley Manor Play Park.

    Approve minutes of previous meeting

    Mayor Debbie Whitworth asked if there were any comments on the draft minutes before moving to ask for a proposer and seconder confirming that they were accurate. At the last moment Colin Rodden raised a query. The results from the Speed Indicating Devices (SIDs) had been discussed at the meeting and he believed that there was an action for them to be sent to Thames Valley Police (TVP), whereas the minutes just state ‘noted’. It would be nice to show that OTC was actually doing something, rather than just having it noted, he thought. Town Clerk Jane Brushwood said that not every action that the office performs gets minuted, and Deputy Clerk Rob Mungham said the SID results get sent to TVP every month anyway, as a matter of course. It would not be a special resolution specific to that month he said. The minutes were thus approved without amendment.

    Ward Councillor’s report

    Peter Geary was present to give this month’s report. A week previous MKCC had made the delegated decision (presumably by officers rather than council members) to re-procure MKConnect, the on-demand public transport system, albeit with a reduced budget. A rather ‘unique’ tender process is being used, he said, in that no procurement specification has been issued, and it would be up to each tendering organisation to state how they intend to run the service.
    The contract will be awarded for an initial period of two years with an option to extend for a further year and the flexibility to vary the contract if the bus contract changes, which Peter thought likely. Parking charges will increase next year in Central MK, and although MKCC are claiming it is the first increase for ten years, Peter said there was actually an increase last year. The increase is expected to generate an additional £3M in revenue, he said. The MKCC draft budget has been issued and it is even tougher than during the years of austerity, he said, particularly as there is an overspend of £10M in the current F/Y. A number of measures are being proposed, one of which is the closure of the Newport Pagnell Recycling Centre with a new centre somewhere in MK.
    Anyone with more than one green bin might need to pay £55 per year for the privilege. Charges will rise for most council services, but some are set by statute and cannot rise by more than a set amount. OTC as consultees have the right to respond and ask questions if there is anything they don’t understand, he said. There was much that wasn’t clear to him, he said, particularly one stated saving of £1M with a single sentence of explanation. David Chennells wondered what percentage of the budget could actually be cut, since much of the expenditure appears to relate to statutory services. Peter said even in the case of adult and child social care, which made up the vast majority of the statutory spend there are ways of doing things differently. Services such as Landscaping, roads and highways make up about 30-40% of the budget and are non-statutory, he said.

    PCSO’s report

    There was no PCSO present but Jane Brushwood read out the submitted report for 07/10/2024 – 29/11/2024 as follows: Arson x1; Assault with Injury x2; Assault without Injury x3; Burglary Business x1 (bike stolen); Burglary Residential x1; Criminal Damage x2; Malicious Communications x1; Nuisance Messages x 2; Public Order x4; Shoplifting x5; Theft from Vehicle x2. Other incidents, not crime-related in Olney: ASB Community x4; Suspicious Person/Vehicle/Other x 8. Incidents in surrounding villages: Counterfeit money being used in pubs, stores and restaurants. Without being specific, David Chennells said he believed that the list was incomplete.

    Expenses and budget report

    The expenses report was agreed without comment. The budget report was about to be similarly agreed upon when Chris Tennant raised what he said was a ‘Tiny, tiny point’. He noted that the Allotment Rent Income was £3,580 and the budget was £3,580, yet the report showed an excess of £0.13! The Deputy Clerk said this was probably a quirk of the accounting system in not picking up a rounded-up or rounded down percentage.

    Data results of the Speed Indicating Devices (SIDs)

    Deputy Clerk Rob Mungham reported that that month’s data from the SIDs made for positive reading. The unit on Yardley Road outside Olney Middle School travelling south counted over 21,000 vehicle movements, and the average speed was 16.83 mph, with 85% travelling at or less than 20.6 mph. On Aspreys, Foxhill end travelling south, over 40,000 vehicle movements were counted, and the average speed was 23.43 mph with 85% travelling at or less than 28 mph. On Aspreys, Hollow Wood end travelling north, over 47,000 vehicle movements were counted, and the average speed was 25.79 mph, with 85% travelling at or less than 29.8 mph. Rob said that for the Aspreys units, it was the first time that comparative data was available from a previous set of figures, and both sets recorded a reduction in average speed and 85th percentile.
    Proof, for now, that the SIDs act as a deterrent, he said. The SIDs would be staying in the same location but would shortly be turned around, he said. Jane Brushwood noted that the results are collated at the end of each month, whereas the OTC agenda and supporting documents are sometimes sent to councillors before this, so do not form part of the pack prior to the meeting. It was agreed that in future the results will be discussed a month in arrears so the December data will be presented at the February meeting.

    Update on Yardley Manor Playpark

    Debbie Whitworth said that she and Jane Brushwood had been working behind the scenes in an attempt to get things moving. They had attended a meeting with a representative of the developer consortium (Taylor Wimpey and Vistry, formerly Bovis) and Phil Snell, MKCC Strategic Landscape and Countryside Manager. The developer had given a written assurance that the work would be completed by the end of November, but clearly nothing had happened. Phil Snell has spoken to the MKCC planning obligations dept and they are looking at the best way to move forward, but it was apparent that the developer could have managed the project better. Enforcement is one option, but MKCC would prefer reasonable dialogue, especially if the developers wish to build elsewhere in MK. In an email to the clerk, James Williamson, MKCC Monitoring and Information Officer (Development Plans), stated that a company called Sutton Land Development have been contracted by the developers to complete the work but have no interest in the site in terms of ownership.
    He suggested going back to the development consortium directly to push for a delivery timetable before pursuing a formal legal route and suspected that they are ’holding the purse strings’ in terms of the contractors completing the work. Colin Rodden expressed the concerns of everyone around the table that nothing had moved forward since the last meeting (since May interjected Jane), and it was time to press the legal button since MKCC was constantly saying, ‘we’ll see what we can do’. He noted that OTC had also requested a project plan for the community building which had not been forthcoming. Jane Brushwood said OTC is doing its best, but unfortunately it was not OTC’s button to push, since MKCC are responsible as the planning and S106 collection authority, a point later reiterated by Chris Tennant. She suggested that residents complain to the developers that they have been miss-sold their houses. As a resident Mary Prosser said she had contacted the developers and they just reply that they’ll ‘get on to it as soon as they can’ but nothing happens. Ward Councillor Peter Geary said legally MKCC were entitled to insist that the developers return the S106 funding but that would get ‘very murky’ as the developers would claim to have completed certain elements of the work and the amount returned would probably not be sufficient to finish it. This was not the only site in MK where developers had failed to complete to an adoptable standard and the common sense approach would be to refuse to grant those developers permission for further work in the borough, but unfortunately that would not be legally enforceable. David Chennells said he believed that the prevarication was totally deliberate and it was important for residents to know the facts. He suggested a letter in The Phonebox detailing the information that the clerk had been given which might deflect some of the criticism accusing OTC of doing nothing and pointing out that they can do nothing. In closing Debbie Whitworth once again encouraged the residents to complain to the developers.

    Update on Community Transport

    Jane Brushwood reported that OTC was now in receipt of an all-electric nine-seat minibus, paid for through S106 funding. It is currently only being used to transport residents to and from the Thursday lunch club at The Olney Centre but suggestions for other uses would be welcomed. A number of volunteer drivers had come forward, she said, for which she was very grateful. However it is important that it is driven responsibly and also the drivers must understand their role in terms of responsibilities and limitations. They would not be expected to assist users from their house to the bus, for example, as that would entail a duty of care and safeguarding so to that end she had produced a draft policy document for comment.

    Odds and Sods

    As a trustee of the Ann Hopkins Smith Almshouses Charity Mary Prosser reported that there is now a full complement of 12 residents and they were all due to attend an ‘exciting lunch’ at The Swan.
    Jane Brushwood suggested that The Olney Centre Management Committee should in future be responsible for additionally managing the new community centres at the ex-football club and the new building at Yardley Manor. It should therefore be known as The Olney Community Centres Management Committee. The council were not being too ambitious in suggesting the change, as the other buildings will happen she said, though with something of a chuckle.

    The Next Meeting

    The next meeting will be held on Monday 6th January at 7.00pm in the Olney Centre. If you would like to contribute to the Public Participation section at the start of the meeting, or any time the mayor deems appropriate, please contact the Town Clerk, townclerk@olneytowncouncil.gov.uk.
  • February 2025 Issue (January 2024 meeting)

    January 2024 meeting (published in the February issue)

    Mercury Introduction

    A new year beckoned with the gathering of the first Olney Town Council meeting of 2025. But that was about all that was ‘new’. As councillors settled down around the table, it became abundantly clear that there were still plenty of old problems, old issues and old squabbles to overcome.

    Public Participation

    There were no members of the public wishing to speak at the open forum section. In that case, said Mayor Debbie Whitworth, I will use some of the time to read this letter. She held aloft a missive that had been given to her by angry residents from Yardley Manor, the new estate in the north of Olney.
    The locals were revolting. Feeling fed up and let down they had gathered together in a posse, hoping to bring a bit of weight to their call for action over their grievances. Referring directly to Phonebox Magazine’s January edition, the letter was about their ‘utter disappointment and concerns’ about the delays to the infrastructure and community amenities that had been promised when they moved in. These included – and still include – a community centre, a playground, landscaping, roads and pathways around the whole of the estate, flood defences, an art project and a bus stop. It was clearly a case of ‘bad Manors’.
    The lack of completion of any of these features is, said the letter, ‘affecting the quality of the lives of all of those who have decided to come to your town’.
    ‘Your town’? The words had a ‘them and us’ feel to them. They hung in the air like the fog down at Goosey Bridge. A veiled threat which sat uncomfortably in the council chambers.
    The Mayor continued with trepidation. The committee fear the development will never be completed ‘as promised in the sales pitches’, read Debbie. The letter reminded the council that the 200 or so houses on the estate contribute to more than £250,000 towards local services. We spend money in local shops and restaurants and are contributing to the vibrancy and growth of your local economy, it boomed. The writers demanded that the council adds its weight to their cause: namely making sure there are no more delays by Vistry Group – the housebuilder formerly known as Bovis Homes – to the various residential features that have been promised.
    The community centre was particularly singled out by the unhappy correspondence, as a litany of problems was slowly unfolded before the council.
    No work has started on the community centre, the letter reported, and the whole area set aside for it is ‘flooded and underwater’. Our houses are being flooded, it continued, and ‘we are still awaiting flood defences’.
    The estate’s residents have now set up a steering committee of more than 200 people and have asked for Olney Town Council to support them as they demonstrate that delays will not be tolerated (‘not on my Manor’).
    The Mayor said that the details of the letter couldn’t be discussed at that time but wanted the contents to be noted by councillors.

    Apologies for absence and declarations of interest

    There were no apologies for absence as a full council was sitting. ‘Full’ is a loose term at present though, because, with 11 members, they are still several short of the desired 15. Town Clerk Jane Brushwood was welcomed back by the Mayor following a recent accident which had left her injured. Minutes from the previous meeting were approved.

    Ward Councillor’s report

    Cold-ridden Keith McLean readied himself to deliver his monthly report, but before he could even take a snuffling breath the Mayor said she had a ‘mini update’ to impart concerning the so-called One Stop crossing along the High Street. She and Keith had met with Milton Keynes Council’s highways people late last year to discuss the data they had about the crossing and its camera which had been running for three months. At that meeting it was reported that there were only ‘a couple’ of near-misses on the site.
    One was a cyclist who had not dismounted from his bike, and there was a runner crossing the road, which was also recorded. Following that meeting, officers agreed to the following steps: a street lighting team will conduct a full lighting assessment of the crossing; they agreed also to an improved flashing ‘Belisha’ beacon with greater visibility; they were going to investigate road markings on the approach to the crossing; and the camera which monitors the site will remain until the end of January. Debbie asked residents to contact her or Councillor McLean if there were any other incidents of note.
    Deirdre Bethune said that the iron posts near the crossing were ‘one of the worst things’ about the facility as they obscure the view from drivers. It hides pedestrians, she added. David Tyler agreed, he said he had a stigmatism which can give a ‘starry effect’ when he drives past the posts. And David Chennells nodded wholeheartedly at Deirdre’s comment: three people have told him that the crossing is the ‘most dangerous one they have ever come across’, he said, because the posts obscure visibility and with LED lights shining on them, you can see nothing. They are actually inhibiting good vision there, he added, particularly with cars parked on either side.
    Colin Rodden said that the concern he had was that OTC has asked for a push-button traffic system there like the two that Olney has a either end of the town, but that highways experts say it’s not appropriate at the One Stop site because of a bend in the road. Well, it’s all leading to that final outcome, said the Mayor. No, that was all done before, said Colin, so we’re going round in circles here. My understanding was that when they put this one in, they did a risk assessment and decided a push button was not appropriate for the road.
    It was a cost issue, said the Clerk. Oh, so it was all about cost, said Colin. Not about safety then, just about cost. He wanted further assessments to find out ‘where we are with this’. That’s what they are doing, countered the Clerk, somewhat wearily.
    The cost for this is phenomenal, confirmed the Mayor. We are nearer to resolving this than we were 12 months ago, she said, but we are having to go through the motions and relay back to (MK) Council. But in three months of camera monitoring, said the Mayor, there have only been those two near-misses.
    At last it was Keith McLean’s turn. Ironically, the start of his ward message to council was concerning the One Stop crossing. He said he had seen the footage taken from the crossing too. He described the technology as ‘Artificial Intelligence’ and said there were still ‘lots of things to learn there’. He said the road was a main trunk route, so needed Department of Transport permission to do anything like putting down road markings. He said work to open up the crossing to make it more visible could mean removing some of the car parking spaces which in itself could ‘cause problems’.
    He said the majority of cars passing over the crossing are not speeding, adding that he had looked at the footage of the runner ‘near-miss’ which was mentioned earlier. He comes from the east side, said Keith, runs up and doesn’t even break stride, he goes straight across. And the cyclist coming from the Sandwich Land side of the road, added Keith, ‘again does not even slow down’. It was a bit like… There was a pause. What was that game we used to play? asked Keith thoughtfully. Chicken, said Deirdre at once, suggesting that it might have been a pastime she had once enjoyed. Yes that’s it, said Keith. Luckily they didn’t get hit, but the evidence is there that there is no speeding, and the cases the cameras picked up were down to pedestrian and cyclist behaviour, not the drivers. So he didn’t think there was much of a case at present for a signal-controlled crossing there.
    A consultation on the proposed changes to the ward boundaries is open until mid-February, Keith continued. The proposals are that Olney Ward would ‘get back’ Stoke Goldington and Gayhurst but likely lose Moulsoe, which is growing fast as the massive ‘MK East’ site is developed.
    The budget for 2025/26 for MK City Council is still open for comment until the end of January, said the councillor. So if you want to make any comments please do so. There is a tender out for a new demand-responsive transport link, which was known as MK Connect. More meetings are due, said Keith, and he hoped to be able to find out more about current plans.
    Each ward councillor has £1,000 to give every year to support local projects. Keith said that if anyone around the table or any resident had an idea of where the money (‘not a lot’) could be spent, to let the ward councillors know.
    He ended his slot with two proposals, one of which was the closure of Newport Pagnell tip to move to a larger facility in Milton Keynes’s Old Wolverton or Tattenhoe. It’s part of a broader scheme to close three local tips: NP, New Bradwell and Bleak Hall. It could mean a longer journey time for people wishing to dispose of rubbish from Olney, he said. The other proposal is to charge £55 to have an extra ‘green’ bin. It wouldn’t affect everyone but he suspected there were more homes ‘this side of the M1 with more than one green bin than on the other side’. Keith asked if there were any questions. Colin Rodden’s hand went straight up.
    I have two points, he said. First, Happy New Year. That’s not a point by the way, he helpfully cleared up. I hear the Junction 14 road closure might be extended and closed for a longer period of time. Are we trying to do anything to get that open in some way so people can use that A509, which is dead to them at the moment?
    And as far as Yardley Manor goes, Colin continued without pause, what can ward councillors do to support the residents? The Clerk wasn’t happy that Colin had asked that particular question of Keith when the Mayor was sat there, virtually next to him. Debbie’s a ward councillor, she said, and we’ve been through all this already. Debbie nodded in agreement.
    We have three ward councillors and I’m talking to another one, countered Colin. Bad move. Deirdre Bethune instantly waded in to support the Clerk. You are only supposed to ask the ward councillor questions about what he’s talked about.
    No, I’m talking to Keith because he has been involved with this, as has Peter (Geary, the third ward councillor).
    No, we’ve been through all this, said the Clerk again, this time with a shake of the head. The Mayor echoed Deirdre’s comment about asking appropriate questions at the right time. Otherwise we are going to be here all night, affirmed the Clerk.
    Colin was now fighting a three-way battle and had to keep his wits about him. This was his chance to back down. But no, he opted to poke the bear, stir up the hornets’ nest and shake the box of snakes.
    Really? he asked the now silent room. Where does it say that we can only ask questions on what was reported? Oh-oh. We all waited, scarcely daring to breathe.
    Thankfully, committee room veteran Keith McLean could see that this little diversion from the night’s agenda was about to get messy, and stepped in with a more conciliatory approach. I’m happy to answer questions on this, he said. The view is that the A509 section will not open for some time and will not even open in its current form. To get from Olney to Junction 14 (of the M1) there will be a ring road around the north side of the new development. He suggested there’s likely to be a junction built near the North Crawley bridge on the approach to the current junction.
    I don’t think we will see the A509 as a straight-through road from the Tickford roundabout to Junction 14 as we know it, he added.
    On Yardley Manor, Keith said he was disappointed to see ‘no movement in about eight weeks’ but suggested an approach that wasn’t seen as ‘antagonistic’. At some time, he added, he would be supportive of saying to the developers that they must do something about it or find themselves with ‘legal action taken against you’.
    David Tyler asked if Keith thought that closing Newport Pagnell tip would exacerbate fly tipping in the local area. It has been assessed, said Keith, as was the potential for increased journey times, but I don’t know the results.
    The Mayor finished the ward section by saying the deadline for the voluntary removal of a crane near the new Aldi store deadline had passed. She said MKCC would now be serving a formal notice for its removal.

    PCSO’s report

    There was no PCSO present, so the Clerk read out the list of shame from December. It included 1 x burglary of business, 1 x burglary of residential, 1 x criminal damage, 1 x drink/drug drive, and 4 x thefts (handbag, trailer, Hoover, mobile phone). Other incidents not crime-related were listed as anti-social behaviour and a suspicious person or vehicle. There was also a report of suspicious people looking at and breaking into vans.
    Colin Rodden tried his luck again. So there’s no shoplifting here then, he asked. Look’s like it, came the Clerk’s rather curt reply. The Mayor clarified matters: there are none reported, she said. Thank you, said Colin.

    Expenses and budget report

    Has everyone looked at the report, asked the Mayor. Does anything leap out on the expenses report, she asked, is there anything to query? She should have known better. Up shot Colin’s hand again.
    Just a quick one, he said cheerily. I know there are a couple of people doing cemetery work and some cleaning, so are they paying their own tax on that as contractors?
    Colin, do you really need to ask that, said a clearly riled Clerk. Yes, I think I do, said Councillor Rodden. Well, that’s sad, returned the Clerk. OK, thank you, said the Mayor stepping in. Can we approve the budget sheet please? It was duly approved, as were expenses.

    Councillors who represent at external meetings

    Dan Rowland said he had been to the meeting of the Olney Flood Group. The local residents have been in touch with Newport Pagnell’s similar group and will take their own activities forward.

    Update on the Yardley Manor playpark

    We were back at the Manor again. The Mayor said that she and the Clerk had been in regular contact with MKCC and with the developers with a view to pushing forward with their commitment to complete the schedule of items to be rectified. The playing area is open, as you all know, said the Mayor, albeit flooded. The area’s drainage is waiting for an installation date from the contractor which is likely to be in February. Paths through the same areas are being programmed in, she added, and the final remedials on road drainage will be done following an inspection ‘walk-about’. Completion of paths at the front of the site should also be completed in the next couple of months. Trees and outstanding landscaping are all underway, with new planting as promised. The football pitch will be ready for Spring and the Community Building completion is scheduled for the end of this year.
    We have liaised with the city council’s James Williamson who is monitoring and implementing everything for us and being extremely helpful, said Debbie. We’re not just sitting here doing ‘absolutely zilch’. I just want it put on record that the council is working for our residents. But we can only do so much.
    Colin Rodden’s hand went up, to nobody’s surprise. Can we get some dates (for the completion), please? The Clerk came straight back. We’ve had those, and they’ve gone past them, she said. We can’t do anything more. It didn’t really answer Colin’s question, but he let it go.
    David Chennells had a good point. My understanding when you build things is that you put the drainage in first. You don’t actually build something, wait for it to flood and then put the drains in afterwards. So I just wonder, who would build something without putting proper drainage in before they started? Or perhaps why did it happen? There was a few seconds of silence. You’re shaking your heads as if to say nobody’s got a clue, said David in the direction of the Mayor and Clerk. No, we’re not able to say, said the Clerk. That is something between MKCC and the developers. They have their own inspectors, That’s not down to us. All we can do is keep feeding it back.
    Christina Diamandopoulos asked whether all this information was being shared with the Yardley Manor mob – sorry, steering group – who had written to the Mayor. Well, it’s just come to light now, but absolutely it should be, confirmed Debbie.

    Volunteer Driving Policy

    This document will be sent out to the council’s volunteer drivers and is about what they are expected to do when collecting passengers, such as when they can use a mobile phone in an emergency and keeping the council informed of any driving licence points accrued. Dan Rowland asked if it was the responsibility of the driver to charge the council’s electric minibus. We have a charger here, said the Clerk. But we can’t work out how to use it, she added playfully. The document will evolve, she said, and so it was approved by councillors.

    Update on Community Enrichment Projects

    We are, as a council, doing a lot of things, and I think you should be proud of that, said the Clerk. There are some new initiatives added on, said the Mayor. Among them were the Thursday lunch club, community minibus, the Christmas Day lunch, Youth Club, Community Fridge, Tea and Chat and Walk and Talk.

    Revisit committee membership

    We desperately need councillors to volunteer for the Olney Centre Management Committee, said the Mayor. It has now been renamed ‘Olney Community Centres Management’. Do I have any takers, she asked. David Chennells and Colin Rodden said they would join that committee. But, asked Colin, can I drop HR? He was duly allowed to, with Chris Shaw taking his place on that committee. Could one of Chris’ first HR jobs be to find some new councillors?

    The Next Meeting

    The next meeting will be held on Monday 3rd February at 7pm in the Olney Centre. If you would like to contribute to the Public Participation section at the start of the meeting, or any time the Mayor deems appropriate, please contact the Town Clerk, townclerk@olneytowncouncil.gov.uk.

  • March 2025 Issue (February 2025 meeting)

    February 2025 meeting (published in the March 2025 issue)

    Public Participation

    There is a 15-minute open forum at the start of every meeting of Olney Town Council where members of the public may speak on any matters that concern them. The council is not permitted to respond to questions or discuss the matters raised but may agree to add them to the agenda of a future meeting. There were a number of members of the Big Olney Food Festival (BOFF) committee present at the meeting, but because this was a formal agenda item, later on, they would be invited to participate in the agenda item. Council Standing Orders do not permit the public to speak during the formal part of the meeting unless the mayor agrees to suspend Standing Orders, in which case minuting of the meeting is suspended. There being no members of the public present wishing to speak, the mayor moved on to the agenda.

    Apologies for absence and declarations of interest

    Deirdre Bethune had sent apologies. The full council consists of 15 members, although there are currently only 11. With nine present and one apology it appeared that there was one Absent Without Leave. There were no declarations of interest.

    Approve minutes of previous meeting

    Mayor Debbie Whitworth asked if there were any comments on the draft minutes before moving to ask for a proposer and seconder confirming that they were accurate. Unusually there were no issues raised at this point and Mercury could not help feeling that this would not have been the case had the apparently AOL member been present.

    Ward Councillor’s Report

    Peter Geary was present to give this month’s report. Much of what Peter said has already been covered at previous meetings or in the Councillor Corner report of The Phonebox, but there were a few nuggets of new information. The Milton Keynes City Council (MKCC) budget is due to be voted through later in the month, and there are a number of items that will affect residents of the town, some good and some not so good, he said. Council tax will rise by just under 5%. There is currently a consultation taking place on how residents in sheltered accommodation, such as Clifton Court in Olney, will pay for the continued services of the wardens. It could mean an increase to the residents of £11 or £25 a week. The alternative would appear to be the total removal of wardens, which is obviously a cause of considerable concern to the residents. The tip (recycling centre) at Newport Pagnell will close and be replaced by a new facility at Old Wolverton. Peter said he and fellow ward councillor Keith McLean did not agree with the proposal and, along with a number of other parish councils, have ‘called it in’ and requested that MKCC reconsider. He said it was particularly frustrating that the carbon footprint impact of the additional car journeys had not been considered, along with the fact that a two-hectare site had been included in the design profile for MK East but not taken up. The ward boundary review consultation will close at the end of February, and Peter said that the proposal is that the current parishes of Moulsoe with Broughton & Milton Keynes will be absorbed into a new ward with the rest of the MK East development, although there is also the possibility that Moulsoe village could remain as part of Olney Ward. Stoke Goldington and Gayhurst would be added to the Olney ward. Dan Rowland asked if there was a date for the closure of the Newport Pagnell tip. Peter said the budget stated that it will close by the end of F/Y 2025/26 but the MKCC Chief Executive had given a commitment that it will not close until the Wolverton facility has opened. It had not even been granted planning permission let alone built, Peter observed, which he thought would take about two years. The budget showed a saving of £4m in the next F/Y resulting from the Newport Pagnell closure so it is a case of wait and see, he thought. Chris Tennant asked if there was likely to be a gap between the old facility closing and the new one opening. Peter replied that he didn’t know, but if there were, Olney residents would need to use the existing facility at New Bradwell.
    In her other role as ward councillor, Debbie Whitworth reported that Tower Cranes UK, who are operating in breach of planning regulations near Aldi, have ignored notice from MKCC requiring them to vacate the site and remove all crane equipment by the end of last year. Enforcement action is underway, she said, but there is nothing more that can be done at this stage. Weekend car parking in East Street continues to be a problem, and residents have requested ‘weekend enforcement’, which she thought highly unlikely, although she didn’t explain what that meant. There will be additional patrols on Saturdays and also Sundays when resources allow. The mosaic exhibit board, which was part of the obligations to the building of Aldi, requires the ‘ticking of a few boxes’ but is progressing, Debbie said.

    PCSO’s report

    There was no PCSO present but Jane Brushwood read out the submitted report for 07/01/2025 – 30/01/2025 as follows: Assault without Injury x1; Burglary Business x2 (ATM pulled out of the wall, Tools Taken); Criminal Damage x1 (Car window broken); Drug Offenses x1; Robbery x1; Shoplifting x2; Theft x1 (Mobility Scooter); Theft from Motor Vehicle x2; Theft of a Motor Vehicle x2. Other Incidents not crime related in Olney: ASB – Environment x1 (Youths entering an abandoned property); Suspicious Persons x2, Suspicious Vehicle x1.

    Expenditure Report and budget to date

    Both the expenses and budget reports were agreed without discussion or comment. Once again Mercury couldn’t help wondering if that would have been the case had the apparently AOL member been present.

    Reports from external meetings

    Chris Shaw reported that he and Peter Geary had attended a meeting of the Petsoe End Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund in order to look at the governance of the fund, which he said caused ‘a bit of a reaction’ as the other members were under the impression that OTC did not have a right to representation on the committee. He said that in 2017 MKCC had removed themselves from all involvement with the committee. Many years ago, when the fund was created, OTC councillor and former mayor Mike Hughes had been nominated as the OTC rep. When he retired from the council it had been agreed that he would continue in that role, which he continues to do to this day. At the meeting, Chris said he was increasingly of the opinion that his presence was unwanted ‘but in a nice way’ as it was all extremely civil. Having spoken to the committee he thought that governance was good and grants to local groups continued to be made. He felt that there was no need for a current councillor to sit on the committee and Mike should continue to represent the interests of the town.
    Mary Prosser reported that all was good with the Alms houses, with one new resident and another property due to become available in the near future. The residents and trustees would shortly be getting together for a coffee morning.

    Data results of the Speed Indicating Devices (SIDs)

    Deputy Clerk Rob Mungham presented the results for December and the first week of January. The month’s data from the SIDs made for positive reading, he said. The unit on Aspreys, Hollow Wood end, vehicles travelling north counted over 31,000 vehicle movements, and the average speed was just over 25 mph, with 85% travelling at or less than 29.26 mph. On Aspreys, Foxhill end, travelling south, just under 30,000 vehicle movements were counted, and the average speed was 24.63 mph, with 85% travelling at or less than 29.1 mph. On Yardley Road near the Middle School entrance, travelling north (20mph limit), 18,500 vehicle movements were counted, and the average speed was 19.32 mph, with 85% travelling at or less than 23.6 mph. David Chennells observed that the histograms were remarkably consistent wherever the cameras were located which indicated that the stats were very good and also that each set showed that 2% of vehicles were travelling way above the speed limit. He wondered if it was the same 2% of people who were consistently speeding. Rob noted that when data from each location is compared with previous monitoring periods it showed that average and percentile speeds were creeping down, rather than creeping up.

    Update on Yardley Manor Playpark and community building

    Debbie Whitworth said that more information had been provided by the MKCC monitoring officer at 5:00pm that day in the form of a plan which she said she would attempt to ‘make head nor tail of’. The plan covers the building of the community centre starting on 27th January and contains a schedule for each element of construction, the first being de-watering (otherwise known as drainage mused Mercury, since it is currently the location of a large lake). According to the plan handover of the completed building will be in August this year, which caused much amusement around the table with Clerk Jane Brushwood inviting bets and Debbie saying, ‘don’t hold your breath!’. A steering group has been formed with representation from Yardley Manor residents, OTC, and MKCC.

    Presentation from the BOFF Committee

    Present from the BOFF Committee were Helen Billingham, Stefan Botfield and Andrew Smith. Helen spoke first, saying that since the November meeting the committee had provided the council with an extensive action plan which addressed the issues that had been raised at that meeting. One area of concern had been the committee structure which had now been addressed with roles and responsibilities being allocated to named individuals. Stefan and one other would be responsible for Trader Liaison. Andrew will be responsible for all Health and Safety issues, including liaison with MKCC Safety Advisory Group, having extensive professional experience in the field. By creating these positions the committee were able to free up another volunteer to become full-time bar manager for the whole weekend, she said. Helen said that she would be taking personal responsibility for all environmental issues. In summary, Helen said the committee would like to run the event in a similar format to last year, except they were not asking to set up the marquee on the Thursday immediately after the market. This would free up an extra half day of parking on the market place, and they would set up the marquee on the Friday morning. Having looked at the logistics it would be possible to be up and running for the comedy night on Friday, she said. Last year was the first time that the comedy night had taken place, and they were keen to repeat it since not only had it been hugely popular, but this year the additional bar revenue could be offset against the loss of revenue from the proposal to close the bar earlier on the Saturday night. It would also provide funding for additional safety barriers and security, as requested by the council, she said. Next to speak was Andrew Smith who described his professional and volunteering experience both in industry and as a Special Constable. Stefan Botfield then invited questions from the council. At this point a member of the public and the owner of a local food establishment asked to be permitted to share their experience of BOFF but Jane Brushwood apologetically said that they had missed the open forum section of the meeting so would not be able to speak, but would be welcome to write in or speak at the start of next month’s meeting. Chris Tennant said it was good to see that the committee had listened to the council and filled the vacant roles with good, experienced people. Chris Shaw agreed saying the committee’s response had been genuine and meaningful. David Chennells asked why the council did not charge for use of the Market Place to hold the event. Debbie replied that should the event go ahead this year there probably would be a charge. Jane explained that historically charities had not been charged for use of the Market Place. David then emphasised the importance of a Business or Event Management Plan, which would prove that the concerns from last year were being taken seriously, and if they weren’t, the committee would be on thin ice, but if they had a plan and didn’t follow it they would only have themselves to blame if there were problems. Having said that, he said he was optimistic that a plan would be followed and fulfilled. Debbie Whitworth said that last year the additional day had been granted as a trial and a gesture of goodwill, but as good as the Friday comedy night was, feedback from traders indicated that it was a step too far. With a three-day event the Market Place would still be in use from the Friday morning to Monday morning. She said she was also perturbed that the committee was pushing a repeat of the comedy night as an enabler to meet the other conditions. Helen said she felt they had compromised by putting the marquee up on the Friday rather than Thursday. Debbie then suggested that perhaps the retailers and local hospitality industry could be helped by moving the comedy night away from the market place and spread around other locations in the town, rather like the Edinburgh Fringe. Helen did not think that would be feasible and said that last year the local food outlets had benefitted because no food was available at the comedy night. Chris Tennant asked when the council would be deciding if the event could go ahead. Jane said that the agenda item was not to make the decision that night but to receive the presentation from the committee. Debbie said that the rest of the traders and town need to be up to date on progress and it will be an agenda item on the next meeting. David Chennells asked when the committee needed to know the decision, and Stefan said the flippant answer would be yesterday as much of the planning and booking was already underway, and it would be ‘fantastic’ if a decision could be made before next month’s meeting. Jane said the council needed to be fair to everybody as there had been so many complaints, and it wouldn’t be fair to the retailers who are paying rent and rates 52 weeks of the year and losing a lot of money over one weekend. Debbie confirmed that the decision would be made at the next meeting.

    Odds and Sods

    Riverfest, including the raft race will take place over the weekend of 5th and 6th July. This is one of the events that the clerk is permitted to authorise on behalf of the council, unless there are any complaints.
    Charges for most OTC services, such as allotments, hires and bookings will rise by around 5% in the next F/Y. The draft budget was approved with a similar percentage increase for most outgoings. The total expenditure on salaries is expected to rise to allow for recruitment of additional staff to manage Yardley Manor groundworks and the new community centre. The Parish Precept (the amount of money OTC collects to pay for services and is collected as part of the MKCC Council Tax) will rise by 4.07%.

    The Next Meeting

    The next meeting will be held on Monday 3rd March at 7pm in the Olney Centre. If you would like to contribute to the Public Participation section at the start of the meeting, or any time the mayor deems appropriate, please contact the Town Clerk, townclerk@olneytowncouncil.gov.uk.

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