Olney Town Council Reports

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

Public participation

There is a 15 minute open forum at the start of every meeting of Olney Town Council (OTC) 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 two members of the public wishing to speak at this month’s meeting, both on the subject of the tower crane site on Warrington Road.
The first was Jim Cooper who informed the council that as well as concrete block manufacturing the operator appeared to be intending to perform three further manufacturing processes on the site. These were not mentioned on the latest planning application (27th March) and were only detailed on one drawing, he said.
These are a balustrade welding area, a paint shop and a Re-Bar (steel reinforcement) cage manufacturing welding area. As something of an expert in this area Jim said the welding of high tensile steel requires a very specialised technique. These additional processes will increase HGV movements and involve the use and storage of dangerous gases and industrial grade paint and there was no mention of the type of gas or how and where it will be stored.
The waste management plan does not detail how the concrete waste or the highly toxic chemical additives and oil required to remove the concrete blocks from the moulds will be dealt with, said Jim. The plans show the yard to be full of crane parts with no indication of where the concrete blocks and Re-Bar cages will be manufactured or stored. In his experience the material for these cages could be up to 9m (30ft) long and he doubted the existing yard would be big enough for storage and access.
Not one of the planning applications had mentioned manufacturing or heavy industrial use and on these points alone Milton Keynes City Council (MKCC) would be justified in enforcing the eviction notice already served. The company has been operating illegally for the last 18 months and lying by claiming that the cranes were required for the construction work. Their current appeal is just a ploy to enable them to carry on using the crane illegally on site for another year, said Jim.
Finally he said that OTC should invite the MKCC Planning Committee to visit the site to see what a mess it has become and not be taken in by the architects drawings which show a neat and tidy yard, which it isn’t and never will be.
Next to speak on the same subject was Kevin Viney who started by praising the OTC Development Committee for listening to residents’ concerns at the recent meeting. He also mentioned what he considered the flagrant violation of planning intent and environmental responsibility. The risk of hazardous slurry contaminating the river evokes scenes from the film Erin Brockovich he said, which is a real and immediate threat to the community. There had been a clear directive from the MKCC Ecology Officer to protect a habitat-rich hedge and to halt any tree felling until a bat survey had been carried out, which was knowingly defied as both the hedge and trees had been torn down the week before. It was not merely a matter of planning procedure, Kevin said, but a battle for the character safety and environmental integrity of Olney.
An email had been received from a visitor who said they had been struck by the town’s strong sense of community and welcoming atmosphere, with a well preserved character and charm and a level of pride that is rare to see.

Dan Rowland had sent apologies. There were no declarations of interest.

Mayor Debbie Whitworth asked if there were any comments on the draft minutes before moving to ask for a proposer and seconder to confirm that they were accurate. Normally this passes either without comment or a member may request clarification or amendment but on this occasion Deidre Bethune asked whether members are allowed to comment, suggesting that there might have been some discussions on the matter outside of the meeting. Town Clerk Jane Brushwood replied that Standing Orders stated that if there was anything to be said it should be raised before the meeting so once the minutes are presented at the meeting they are ‘considered as read’, which rather defeats the object of the agenda item thought Mercury. Something for the May meeting when Standing Orders are reviewed, suggested Deirdre.

Peter Geary was present to give this month’s report. He reported that MKCC Electoral Services are undertaking a review to decide if OTC should be warded. He explained that currently all standing councillors are voted for by residents of every part of the town but warding would mean that the town is split up into two or more parts and councillors would just represent their part of the town.
This is not surprising, he said, as Olney is currently rare among similar sized towns such as Newport Pagnell, Bletchley and Stony Stratford in not being warded and when the entire council comes up for election, as it did after Covid, this leads to very long lists of candidates. He said that this has been proposed a number of times and each time rejected, with residents expressing a wish that the town council should represent the whole town. It is important that residents understand the issue and are able to make their views known at the appropriate time, he said. Referring to the planning applications on ‘the employment site to the north of the town’ (otherwise known as the crane site) Peter said he had taken note of residents’ and OTC’s concerns. David Chennells asked Peter to explain the advantages of warding.
Peter replied that it made the electoral process simpler and theoretically leads to better representation of a particular area, since the bigger the town gets the less connection one person has with the whole of it, although he didn’t seem convinced. Referring to the ‘crane site’ planning applications, David said that MKCC planners do not have great history in knowing the difference between domestic/retail areas and industrial areas. They have allowed industrial development near the Green Burial Ground on Yardley Road because of lax planning investigations and it looks like the crane area is going the same way, he said. Is there anything that can be done to point out to MKCC that this is industrial development in a non-industrial zone?
While not attempting to explain the MKCC point of view Peter said that the site was included in the Neighbourhood Plan (NP) as employment land and whether the current applications survive or fail will depend upon how they fit with the wording of the NP.
It is important that objections explain why they do not fulfil the NP, MKCC’s planning plans or the National Planning Policy Framework he said. However, even if planning permission is granted development could still be refused on environmental health or health and safety grounds.
Chris Tennant clarified the current situation explaining that there are two separate strands running. The first is the enforcement notice that MKCC issued last year requiring the operator to cease operations and remove equipment from site, which they failed to do, instead mounting an appeal which is now being considered by the Planning Inspectorate (the Secretary of State). Secondly there is the live planning application which is a variation to the already granted planning permission.
The NP identified the site for light industrial use and distribution, not heavy industrial and certainly not storage he said. It will hopefully be called in for consideration by the full planning committee (as opposed to Delegated Decision by a planning officer). Peter said even then it wouldn’t be finally decided there because the operator had a right to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate who could overturn any decision and developers know how to play the game.
Chris Tennant said representatives of OTC will attend the MKCC Planning Committee meeting, provisionally scheduled for 7th May at the MKCC offices and use their three minutes to present their objections. Peter said that three members of the public also had a right to speak along with the ward councillors.
In her role as ward councillor, Debbie Whitworth reported that a schedule for the refresh of worn and faded yellow lines was now available. East Street is included for this F/Y year, Spring Lane, Holes Lane, Spinney Hill Road and the disabled parking spaces by the shops in Market Place are included for the next F/Y. Repair of the footpaths at Dinglederry has been agreed but the date for the work has yet to be provided. Plans for the development of Johnsons Field are being revised following the feedback that OTC provided on behalf of residents and there will be a wider engagement process when they are available. She said herself, Councillor Richard Hillier and Chris Curtis MP had met with the residents of Osier Way to see firsthand the problems that they have with the crane site and also the problems caused by the apparently inadequate sewage system.

There was no PCSO present and no PCSO’s report so no crime figures are available for this month.

With no hint of irony Jane Brushwood reported that the developers were now ‘playing ball’ and a very positive meeting had been held with representatives of the developers, residents and the MKCC Section 106 officer, which had been very positive and there had subsequently been a lot of communication.
The deadline for completion of the community centre is now November this year (as opposed to the August date given at a previous meeting, which no one present then seemed to believe). The art installation made and paid for by the developers is currently sitting in a warehouse and a possible unveiling ceremony in conjunction with The Cowper and Newton Museum’s John Newton 300 anniversary is being considered.
The pathways have been completed and fencing removed where practical. The play area is completed and Jane said she had tested the roundabout herself and could confirm that it is now fully functional! The football pitch will be rolled and cut within the next few weeks and the BMX track should now be completed, she said. The residents were now much happier, said Debbie. As a resident Mary Prosser said machinery was on site and the developers were getting everything slowly in place.

Deputy Clerk Rob Mungham presented the results for 4th February to 3rd March. The unit on Yardley Road near Yardley Manor, vehicles travelling south, counted 45,312 vehicle movements and the average speed was 22.63 mph with 85% travelling at or less than 28.5 mph in a 20mph zone, which is an increase from the comparative set of data in October last year.
He noted that the total number of vehicle movements was up by 13,000, probably due to the road closure in October, which he said would have an impact. The average speed was up by just over 1 mph and the percentile speed was up by 3.6 mph. On High Street Maya Restaurant end (other good restaurants are available, said Rob), travelling North 169,308 vehicle movements were counted and the average speed was 21.76 mph with 85% travelling at or less than 25.7 mph in a 30 mph zone. On Bridge Street travelling south 140,659 vehicle movements with an average speed of 24 mph with 85% travelling at or less than 28.4 mph.
Colin Rodden thanked Rob and the team for their time spent erecting and moving the SIDs. David Chennells observed that chaotic parking, narrowing by car parks and high volumes of traffic are far more effective forms of traffic calming than gadgets and speed humps. If its visually difficult to get through people slow down, he said.

Debbie Whitworth reported that Mark Butterfield and team from Olney and Clifton Fishing Association have recommenced testing of the water quality at three sites on the River Ouse. The object is to understand what is going into the river both from agriculture and Anglian Water, she said.
Riverfly testing to identify the instance of various species of fly which is then used as a benchmark has commenced. The initial results at the weir were ‘dire’ said Debbie, with little or no sign of life. The work would be greatly enhanced with more volunteers, said Debbie

The Barnfield beacon will be lit at 9:30pm on Thursday 8th May. Debbie proposed that OTC encourage community celebrations and remembrance by displaying flags on the High Street and bunting on the Market Place.
Jane Brushwood noted that the ‘Christmas tree’ holders on the High Street were actually on private properties so residents would need to give permission for flags to be displayed.
Deidre Bethune noted that some residents may wish to continue to display flags in support of Ukraine.

An email had been received asking if OTC would consider erecting direction signs to the museum around the Market Place since they believe that as the building curves away from the pavement, it cannot be seen at all from Costa because the window of an adjacent building blocks visibility.
Waymarker signs would make all the difference, they believe. The proposed locations were discussed with a number of opinions expressed. Deidre Bethune thought the signs rather excessive and not required since it was a beautiful building with the word ‘Museum’ written clearly across the front.
Others thought the signs rather ‘impactive’ and ‘not very subtle’. Richard Hillier questioned the need to have a sign in the Market Place since the Museum was clearly visible from there. There was a concern that there was already too much signage in the area which could distract drivers. After more discussion Deirdre Bethune reluctantly proposed that there should be no more signage on the Market Place which was agreed and passed by a majority.
There was then a proposal for a single sign from Christina Diamandopoulos and yet more discussion followed by another vote, also passed but by a smaller majority.
David Chennells said the council couldn’t vote twice on the same subject so eventually it was agreed to go with the first vote and decline the request for signage.

Debbie Whitworth reported that there had been request from some residents for marked bays on the Market Place, due to inconsiderate parking and vehicles blocking in other vehicles.
Deirdre Bethune said this issue had been discussed many times before and investigations had revealed that marked spaces would considerably reduce the number of vehicles that could park. As a compromise the white line had been marked down the centre, she said. Jane Brushwood noted that as owners of a private area OTC were entitled to mark out whatever sized spaces they wished, implying that they did not need to comply with a specific regulation size.
This had been done in the East Street (Rugby Club) car park she said. David Chennells agreed that it was a bit of a free for all but one that had worked for years, so why change it? Some people park so badly, effectively diagonally over three potential parking spaces it was not surprising that they get blocked in, he said. Marked bays would lead to fewer spaces, more frustration and lead people to park diagonally across someone else. Chris Tennant was fundamentally against the idea. It is not a car park, he said, but it is a space used for parking only when it is not in use for the Thursday and Sunday markets and other events. Chris Shaw agreed saying it is self-regulating at the moment, albeit not always successfully but largely it works. Richard Hillier agreed that it is primarily an events space and secondly a market place and marking spaces would most likely only lead to more complaints when events were held and parking suspended.

This will take place on Friday 16th May at 7:00pm in the Olney Centre and is an opportunity for residents to find out what the council has been doing over the last year and raise any issues of concern.

The next meeting will be held on Monday 12th May 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.

It was a humid and balmy evening for May’s Olney Town Council gathering. This one came much later in the month than is normal as the Bank Holiday put paid to the first Monday of May. Temperatures were certainly summery outside which gave councillors their first decision of the night – what to wear?

There was a selection summer attire on show which perhaps gave a glimpse of an Olney Town Councillor in ‘holiday’ mode: shorts, summer dresses, T-shirts, sports trainers and flip flops all made an appearance as councillors filed into the chamber. Not a suit, tie or blouse to be seen, as you might have expected 20 years ago, when things were more ordered and proper on council business.

Chris Tennant made a late entrance – and for good reason: he wanted to show everyone how to do it in the fashion world. He cat-walked in with a neatly pressed office shirt up top, but a pair casual shorts down below. Councillor Tennant had clearly decided to be a trend-setter tonight. And it was to good effect.

There was no one wishing to speak at this month’s meeting.

There is a 15 minute open forum at the start of every meeting but that quarter of an hour wasn’t needed tonight as nobody from Olney’s populace wanted to speak. So Mayor Debbie Whitworth quickly moved proceedings on to the agenda for the night. And item number One concerned here: election of a Mayor for the next term. Are there any nominations, asked the Mayor expectantly. Yes, I nominate Debbie Whitworth, said Richard Hillier. The Mayor looked pleased. Do we have any other nominations, she inquired. There was silence. There is no opposition, so do you accept, asked Town Clerk Jane Brushwood. I do accept, said Debbie to a round of applause.

Next came the election of the Deputy Mayor. Are there any nominations, asked the Mayor. I nominate Mary (Prosser, the current Deputy), said David Chennells. There were no opposing nominations and Mary also accepted. Cue more wild clapping.

Chris Shaw had sent his apologies. There were no declarations of interest. The minutes of the last meeting were approved.

The Mayor brought forward the Ward Councillor’s report because she wanted to introduce Peter Taylor from MK City Council’s electoral services and give an update on a proposal to split Olney’s wards into two: East and West.

Peter is the electoral service manager and plans and organises elections within Milton Keynes and its surrounding area. He said he is looking at elections across the whole city with an informal consultation with parishes and town councils but didn’t get a response from Olney. Because of what we were hoping to propose, said Peter, we really wanted a view from the council before doing anything. What we don’t want to do is propose something that is out of joint with what you think, he said.

Deidre stepped in here. You say we have already been asked about this – we haven’t, she said. You have had an email, corrected the Clerk. That seemed like news to Deirdre.

It’s informal at this stage, said Peter. Back to his notes he went: Olney is currently split into two polling districts so it’s Olney West and Olney East and we want to create those as two wards. It’s split by the High Street at the moment.

Olney voters vote here at the Olney Centre, he said, and at the United Reformed Church and that won’t change. So why are we doing this, he asked. For a couple of reason. One, when Olney has an election, for example in 2021, your council can have up to 15 councillors but there were 22 people on the ballot paper so that was quite inconvenient and difficult to administer.

Secondly, when you had a by-election, that cost quite a bit too for the council here because you pay for by-elections, we don’t and the whole of Olney had to vote whereas if that vacancy came from east or west you’re looking at half the electorate. So that’s what we want to do and get a view on it. We won’t consult the public, he added, we wanted to speak to local councillors and ward councillors before we get there. We’re hoping to go with the draft proposal from 19th June but we want to understand where your views are, you know the town much better than we do.

Some councillors are concerned about how that will be perceived among the residents, said the Mayor. Will there be different committees for the east and west, for example. We’re down to 11 councillors at the moment, she added.

If someone wants to bring something up with their councillor they would go to their one on the east or the west said Peter. The Clerk was shaking her head at this.
I can see you shaking your head, said Peter. It doesn’t stop you from working together like you do now, it’s more administratively. I think it will create more work, said the Mayor.

We have looked at this before, said Deirdre wearily, and actually it’s totally unworkable. You could see Peter Taylor’s shoulders drop as it dawned on him this was not going to be an easy evening. There was chair set aside for Peter’s colleague, but they had failed to turn up. Peter was beginning to wish he’d done the same thing.
I hear what you’re saying, said Deirdre, in a tone that signalled ‘but I don’t like it’, but you know, if you have seven councillors on one side and eight on the other, it won’t work. The way we are now we are one council, we are unified, it doesn’t matter where you come from in Olney.

We have struggled to get a full council in recent history, said the Mayor, and I fear that splitting the council into two wards is just going to give as another layer of complexity. And also, the ward structure could foster disunity.
Could I just ask a question, interjected Christina Diamandopoulos with some urgency. Yes, said the Mayor. There was short period of silence. Oh, what was the question, said Christina, wracking her brains. We waited. Still nothing came. Somebody else ask and I’ll try to remember she said.

David Chennells spared Christina from further blushes by stepping in with something of his own. We don’t have many contentious issues in Olney, he said, bit when we do, we’re very good at it. I can just see us having very contentious issues in our new estates and quasi-industrial units and people falling out. And then you can end up with an election where you have 10 or 12 people from one ward and three in the other. So you end up with half and election and half not an election. And then the people who walk in feel a bit fraudulent because they haven’t been put to the public. It was a rambling speech but we knew what David meant: the council would not have been voted in entirely, in one go.

I totally agree with Deirdre, he went on. The split you are suggesting looks very uneven in terms of not just the number of people but the demographics of those people. On the west side of Olney you’ve got a lot of new houses which will change the average age of the occupants and then more traditional old fashioned housing in the other half. If you split it…

How would you split it, asked Peter Taylor, genuinely curious. I don’t know, replied David not very helpfully, I’d have to sit down with a map and work it out. And that’s part of the consultation, said Peter.

We are and have been working as a council extremely hard, to integrate people as one, said the Mayor. We are trying to bring everybody together. It was a rallying cry designed to close ranks.

Christina had now remembered her question and stuck up her hand again. We all hoped it would be worth the wait.

It’s about the public consultation, she said, does that mean that the residents will have the final say?

Oh dear, this had already been covered earlier. No, said Peter.

So it’s not really democratic, Christina replied. Unlike an election, in terms of final say, said Peter, there’s guidance and terms of reference that we have got to work with. It should be practical in terms of what it does. It’s been asked before but yes, the final decision will rest with full council in Milton Keynes.

That didn’t sit well with Olney’s town councillors. That last comment sounded like they could be rail-roaded into something they didn’t want. Time to circle the wagons and turn up the heat then…

A lot of places that do have wards are much bigger than us, said Deirdre. And there is a good mix between this side and that side. Shops on one side, a church on the other. We don’t have shops on any of our estates. We tried to get some but they weren’t taken up. But we are a cohesive place and we don’t have different centres.
Thank you for the proposals which made interesting reading, said Chris Tennant to Peter. You could tell there was a ‘but’ coming. But I concur with colleagues here in relation to our approach because I do see a difference between walking to a polling station and casting a vote in different locations, that would be geographically easy to administer for Milton Keynes City Council, and the way this town council operates. We look at things as one voice and not as two wards and we are, on the whole, for a common purpose and are not fighting battles east and west up the High Street. Do we need two wards?

This really is about the governance around voting, said Peter. If there was a by-election it would only be that half of the town have an election – the other side would not. He knew he was fighting a losing battles here but he struggled on, to his credit. The last by-election cost £9000 and the next one could be half that, but I take your point, he said.

You’re saying that having two wards would be more efficient, said Chris. I don’t think it will be more efficient for us though, and we don’t have that many by-elections. We have managed to co -opt people. I’m not sure that it would be more efficient.
We’re down about three people at the moment, said Colin Rodden, but I agree with fellow councillors that we need to keep a fairly neat patch, just one ward, but what I think we do need is to engage more with people so that they actually come forward. That’s what we really need. So anything you can do to engage more people would be really good.

I know it’s difficult getting people to join the parish council and thank you for all the work you do, said Peter. I’ll take that back with me, he added, although it sounded like he probably wouldn’t. The poor chap had had enough and wanted to get home.
I know you want split us for efficiency, said David Tyler. But democracy isn’t always efficient. I don’t see any benefit at all. You’re actually chasing excellence at the expense of good.

If you want to save some money Peter, said David Chennells, why don’t you just make do with one polling station? No, it would go against guidance, replied the beleaguered council man. I would get in trouble for that,.

The Mayor threw Peter a lifeline. We really appreciate you coming along thank you, she said. Thank you for your time too, said Peter. I’ve got the message.
You’re welcome to stay or you can go, said the Mayor. I’ll go, said Peter.

The Mayor said that before Keith McLean gave his ward report she want to report, as Ward Councillor, on a meeting she had had with the owners of the crane on the outskirts of town by the Aldi store. It was to do with noise and dust, she said, nothing to do with planning or anything else. It was as a result of concerns from residents of Osier Way about noise and dust from the construction site area. Debbie had spoken to MK City Council who had sent out their principal EHO (Environmental Health Officer) to check the conditions. A statement for councillors said that regarding the enforcement notice issued by the city council to remove the large blue crane by September 2025, TCUK (Tower Cranes UK) confirm that this crane will be removed by the end of May this year.
The smaller green one will be lowered when not in use. Any noise and dust created is due to the construction work taking place in accordance with the planning consent, she added.

Now it was Keith McLean’s turn. He went to the ward splitting proposal first. One of the first things I was going to raise was what Debbie said, and that is that Peter (Geary) and I will support whatever the residents want, said Keith. We will just have to wait and see what comes from the consultation.
Keith also wanted to highlight proposed changes to the ‘Call In’ procedures on various decisions taken by Cabinet members. Call In is where councillors can ask questions of the Cabinet, and hold them to account. Up to now, he said, parish councillors and town councillors can actually call in decisions and in the recent past you might remember that the household waste recycling proposals were called in by some parish councillors. The proposed changes, he said, would mean there’s very little chance of the opposition on either side calling in. The proposal is that no town councillor and no parish councillors can call in any decisions made by the council. A number of parishes have already expressed their disgust at this proposal, and Keith added that he was feeling aggrieved too.
Keith said he had had a meeting with Jade Hewitt, the chief inspector of Thames Valley Police about a lack of vehicles that they have access to. She told him that if a car has been sitting for a few days doing nothing she will ‘nab’ it and make it available to other officers. There are 17 villages in our ward, he said, and there are some great PCSOs and some great PCs but if they haven’t got a car to get out in and do some patrolling it makes it very difficult. She also said we will be getting some more PCs to support the PCSOs, added Keith.

There followed a review of the council’s business ‘the main business of the day’ as the Mayor called it. They included items such as;
• Review of scheme of delegation and terms of reference
• Appointment of Members to Committees
• Review and adopt Standing Orders
• Review and adopt Financial Regulations
• Review inventory of land and other assets including buildings
• Confirmation of arrangements for insurance covering respect of all insurable risks
• Review of the council’s subscriptions to other bodies
• Review of the council’s complaints procedure
• Review of the council’s policies, procedures and practices in respect of its obligations under freedom of information and data protection legislation
• Review of the council’s policy for dealing with the press/media
• Review of the council’s employment policies and procedures
Determining the time and place of ordinary meetings of the council up to and including the next annual meeting of the council
There were some queries and some discussion over these points but they were all agreed by council members.

There were no PCSOs present and no PCSO’s report this month as it was going to be discussed later in the week at the main Town Meeting.

The expenditure report and budget was agreed, so Deputy Clerk Rob Mugham was asked for his report on the town’s SIDs (Speed Indicator Devices).
The Yardley Road unit measured 26,601 vehicles at an average of 18.47mph in what is a 20mph zone. The Weston Road unit at the top of the road (traffic travelling east) measured 52,701 vehicle at an average of 24.97mph (in a 30mph zone) and Weston Road bottom of the hill (traffic travelling west) measured 52,894 vehicles at an average of 23.96mph (30mph zone).
How long will we have the units, asked Mary Prosser. We have three units and 11 poles around the town and we move them around permanently said, said the Clerk.

This accounting document (Annual Governance and Accountability Return) was approved for submission.

It was noted that the Town Meeting was coming up later that week. And it was noted that the Armed Forces Day afternoon tea would take place on Tuesday 24th June.

The next meeting will be held on Monday 2nd June 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.

The Olney Town Council (OTC) Annual Town Meeting took place on Friday 16th May. It is a legal obligation whereby the council report on their activities to residents and residents get the chance to question the council on any matters of concern.
There is usually a very small public attendance and most of the items have already been discussed at monthly council meetings and therefore covered in the Mercury reports. This year was no exception.

Mayor Debbie Whitworth provided a detailed report of the council’s achievements, only the highlights of which can be reported here, due to space restrictions.

There are currently four councillor vacancies, she said.

The recent VE Day celebrations were a success and the council will shortly be holding the annual veterans day tea.

The ex-Football Club building renovations will include new public toilets, with the old block being repurposed as storage space and a space for Men’s Sheds. She praised all of the sports teams but gave particular mention to the Cricket Club celebrating their 150th anniversary and the Rugby Colts for winning the national U18 competition.

The water quality of the river continues to be a cause for concern, as does flooding from surface water and a flood group has been created.

The surgery have now obtained locum cover and are interviewing for new partners and/or salaried GPs. They are still working to secure funding for the new surgery but have meantime submitted plans for two more clinical rooms in the existing building

The Thames Valley Police report was provided by PCSO Connor and consisted chiefly of a summary of the crime figures presented to OTC at the monthly meetings. He said theft of parcels left at front doors by delivery drivers continues to be a problem, as do drug offences but where there are consistent reports of cannabis smells TVP are deploying drones to monitor. The team regularly visit local schools and nurseries and engage with residents to provide advice on avoiding scams, said Connor. A resident who had been causing a number of issues had been arrested that morning, he said.

The Finance report indicated that the finances are sound and budget vs expenditure is in line with expectations. There have been two successful internal audits and the forthcoming external audit is likewise expected to be passed successfully.

Deirdre Bethune reported that the Dickens event is organised very efficiently by Deputy Clerk Rob Mungham. The Community Centres committee will in future manage the Yardley Manor and ex-Football Club centres. She thanked all office and ground staff for their good work.

The Development Committee implement and review the Neighbourhood Plan (NP), Liaise with other groups to enhance facilities and monitor, review and comment on 10 to 15 planning applications each month.

Debbie Whitworth gave the Recs and Services report saying that the ground staff are doing a great job and the cemetery looks immaculate. The council are looking at a more modern alternative to the traditional Christmas tree and residents will be consulted on options.

Mary Prosser on behalf of the trustees of the Ann Hopkins Smith Alms houses reported that the 12 houses are continuously let, with three having been refurbished and re-let in the past year.

Tom Jones gave the report on behalf of the Cowper and Newton Museum saying that they had unsuccessfully applied for two grants for renovations and enhancements, including a stair lift, which was unfortunate as the latest conservation survey had identified £200k of necessary repairs. An application for a blue plaque had also been rejected said Tom. The Museum currently has over 160 volunteers meaning they have capacity for more visitors which would enable them to increase income to counteract the small loss expected this year. The museum will be marking the Jane Austen 250 and Church of St Peter and St Paul 700 anniversaries this year.

Trevor Aldred provided the Newport Pagnell and Olney Lions report noting that in the 48 years of existence the branch had raised around £300k for local, national and international good causes but its future was in doubt due to a dwindling and aging membership. They had assisted at many local events including, BOFF, Riverfest, Newport and Olney Fireworks, Newport Carnival and organised collection and recycling of printer cartridges, hearing aids and spectacles.

Peter Geary gave the ward councillors’ report noting that the 2nd consultation of the MK City Plan has been pushed back to the autumn. Currently there is no allocation of additional housing in the rural areas outside of the 17k houses underway in MK East. A government report on new towns is due this summer and it is possible that MK may be included as a location. Next year all ward councillors will be up for election, due to boundary changes. Peter expressed his dissatisfaction at a recent change by MKCC in the way that residents and councillors can ‘call in’ executive decisions, as documented elsewhere in this edition.

Finally there was a public participation forum. The only subject discussed was the ‘crane site’ currently operating without planning permission, which has been reported extensively in The Phonebox and discussed on social media. There was much anger at what residents felt was the blatant abuse of planning.

The first member of the public wishing to speak at this month’s meeting was former councillor Jim Cooper. Jim noted that although the tower crane had been recently removed, no one should think that this victory was an end to the matter as there were several more battles to be fought – the most important one being the current planning application, which is due to be decided on very soon by Milton Keynes City Council (MKCC).
Jim expressed his thanks to the MKCC Enforcement Team, to which he had provided information over the last two years, to enable them to prove the breach of planning on the site and build a case to get the crane removed. Initially, the team had indicated that there was no case to answer as the site operator had stated that the crane was being used to assist with the construction of buildings.
In fact, no construction was taking place, and the site was being used as a store yard for tower cranes and parts and lorries, so this statement from the operator was a plain lie, said Jim. He had kept up the pressure on MKCC, which eventually agreed that there had been a breach and served the enforcement notice. Jim finished by asking how many members of the council had taken time to comment on the current planning application or even look at it on the MKCC planning portal, not as councillors but as residents?
This was obviously a rhetorical question, as no discussion or response is permitted on matters raised under public participation.
Next to speak was Nigel Birrell (coincidentally, another former member of the council from many years ago). Nigel said that on November 11th this year, he and other members of his family will be attending the evening memorial at the Menin Gate in Ypres and have applied to lay a wreath. This service has been held at 8pm every evening since 1929, and Nigel asked if OTC would like them to lay a wreath on behalf of the town. Mayor Debbie Whitworth said the council will discuss the matter and get back to him.

Chris Tennant, Dan Rowland and David Tyler had sent apologies. Mary Prosser declared an interest in the agenda item regarding Yardley Manor as a resident.

Present to give this month’s report was Ward Councillor Keith McLean, who said he’d been thinking about what he could say, and the answer was “Not a Lot!” The MKCC ‘term’ had only just started, so there was nothing much to report. A group of travellers had recently ‘acquired access’ to a site near Gunn Lane in Sherington, and the situation was being monitored by police and enforcement officers.
Apart from that, there was nothing for Mercury to report, said Keith apologetically. Colin Rodden asked why there had been no Ward Councillors at a recent disability march, and Debbie Whitworth said it was because they hadn’t been invited.
This didn’t seem to satisfy Colin, who thought that it didn’t matter whether they were invited or not, but Debbie said it was unfair to criticise councillors for not attending an event to which they had not been invited. Wearing her Ward Councillor hat,
Debbie said that due process had been followed regarding the situation with the TCUK crane company, and Environmental Health officers had attended the site and had expressed deep concern about the health issues, particularly with regard to noise and dust. The ‘call in’ will take place at the August planning meeting on a date to be decided.

There were no crime figures provided, but Debbie said the police had expressed concern about potential under-reporting of retail crime nationally and were emphasising the need for residents and businesses to report all crime.
Town Clerk Jane Brushwood reported that a theft from a vehicle in the East Street car park had been captured on CCTV, and a certain ‘local resident low-life’ had been very clearly identified, which would be ‘another nail in his coffin’. The footage had been provided to the police, who are working to provide a case against this known individual. 

Coin Rodden questioned a relatively large payment to an individual. Jane Brushwood explained that there had been a number of problems with Market Place toilets, which had needed repairs. This person is also a member of the team of three that maintains the cemetery, but in future this will be broken down to repairs and cemetery maintenance, she said.
Colin also questioned the payment to MKCC of £1,048 a month for rates on the old and unused Football Club building. Jane said she would eventually be requesting a rebate, but the bill still had to be paid, and she was not prepared to go to jail! David
Chennells was surprised to hear that this was a monthly rather than an annual charge, but Jane assured him that she’d get it back. Colin queried the increase in the amount paid to the contractor who empties the dog poo bins. Jane said additional bins had recently been provided on Drift Way and Yardley Manor, but, was more likely due to a five-week month.
David Chennells noted that 67% of the annual budget for electricity in the Olney Centre had been used in the first two months of the financial year, and Jane replied that the centre no longer used gas. In which case, the budget should be adjusted through David.

As a member of the Ann Hopkins Smith Alms Houses Trustees, Mary Prosser reported that she and David Chennells had recently had a soiree. ‘Not just us two, but the rest of the trustees, ’ interjected David hurriedly, to much amusement. The residents had enjoyed it, and a BBQ was being planned. Although not strictly a representative of OTC, Deirdre Bethune explained that she is a member of the Cobbs Garden Surgery Patient Participation Group and invited all councillors to attend the forthcoming AGM.

Data results from Speed Indicating Devices (SIDs)
Jane Brushwood reported the following:
Yardley Road by the Middle School travelling North 20 mph zone: 31,438 vehicles, average speed 19.66 mph. Weston Road top end travelling West: 52,349 vehicles, average speed 27.72 mph. Weston Road bottom end travelling East: 56,467 vehicles, average speed 26.17 mph.

David Chennells expressed the opinion that it wasn’t very wise to locate a SID just before a speed bump, as even the speeders will slow down, but Richard Hillier said he had seen vehicles not slowing down at all as they go over. Jane Brushwood said the location of the SIDs was determined by the MKCC Road Safety Officer and suspected that in this particular location, the speed bump was installed after the SID. She said she would investigate the possibility of moving the SID. Colin Rodden observed that a large number of vehicles were still travelling well over the speed limit and said that anyone hit by a vehicle travelling at 40 mph or more was unlikely to get up again. Debbie Whitworth said the results are sent to Thames Valley Police, who can take appropriate action once they have six months’ worth of comparable readings.

Debbie Whitworth reported that members of the Fishing Association have recommenced testing for pollution at various locations, and the results were ‘not great’ and, in fact, showed a deterioration since last year, with E.coli being of particular concern. She read out the E.coli results and subsequently provided Mercury with the detailed figures. A level of 900 or more Colony Forming Units (CFU)/100ml for E.coli is considered poor quality water and not recommended for bathing:

The Weir 
• E.coli has risen from 770 to 934 CFU/100ml
• Phosphate from .2 to 1.98
• Nitrate has remained stable at around 5

Bathing Place steps at rec to river 
• E.coli has risen from 752 to 882 CFU/100ml
• Phosphates from .3 to .48
• Nitrates from 5 to 7.5

The Mill
• E.coli has risen from 793 to 884 CFU/100ml
• Phosphates from .26 to .45
• Nitrates from 5 to 7.5

Debbie said further testing will take place before the raft race on July 6th. David Chennells asked if the results are consistent all along the river, and Debbie replied that the results were being shared with groups from other areas and the Environmental Agency to ascertain if that is the case.
Colin Rodden asked if the water company could be named and shamed since they consistently claim that the sewage system can cope with additional housing developments when that clearly isn’t the case.

Debbie Whitworth reported that not a lot of progress had been made, apart from the previously noted dog poo bin provision. Two dog poo bins interjected Jane Brushwood! There will be some general tidying up before the meeting of the joint Steering Group next month. The drains to the play area have been attended to, she said, and the ground adjacent to the proposed community building is being prepared for the installation of the sculpture on August 2nd, even though the building isn’t due for completion until November.
Jane Brushwood reminded members that the developers were supposed to complete the building by September 2023. Colin Rodden asked if there was any chance of getting a refund of the Section 106 funding, as the builders had failed to deliver within the contracted time.
Jane Brushwood said she would investigate the possibility.
How will the council know that the drainage is working when it hasn’t rained significantly for three months? Asked David Chennells. There was a long pause, and no one seemed to have an answer.

Some time ago, the council implemented a policy of only permitting cemetery burials of Olney residents or people with a connection to the town. Two requests from former longstanding residents had been received and were agreed without discussion.
This prompted David Chennells to ask if permission was required to scatter ashes (Mercury assumed he was referring to the cemetery) and, although not an agenda item, provoked some discussion.
Jane Brushwood confirmed that permission was required, prompting David to wonder whether everyone would know that and what was stopping someone from walking in and scattering Granny’s ashes?
Jane replied that if the council didn’t know, there wouldn’t be much they could do about it, but they wouldn’t ask for them to be picked up.

The next meeting will be held on Monday, July 7th 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 it appropriate, please contact the Town Clerk at townclerk@olneytowncouncil.gov.uk.