The Council submitted the draft new Wycombe District Local Plan for examination in March 2018. The independent Local Plan Inspector held a series of public hearings over the summer of 2018. Earlier this year (February 2019), we consulted you on the "Proposed Main Modifications" to the plan. The Inspector has now considered the additional comments received and issued her formal report. Therefore, the examination of the plan, and public consultation in connection with this, is now complete.

The Inspector?s report concludes that the Plan is "sound" (subject to the modifications appended to the report) and capable of being adopted. The Council's Cabinet and Full Council will consider the Inspector?s Report and adoption of the Plan at special meetings on 19th August 2019 (Cabinet at 5pm, Council at 6.30pm).

Request for Volunteers

You will have noticed the black box moving around Lacey Green and Loosley Row telling drivers to keep to the speed limit. This mobile vehicle activated sign (MVAS) is owned by the Parish Council for use in Lacey Green, Loosley Row and Speen. There are five locations in Lacey Green, one in Loosley Row and two in Speen. When it is in Speen, the Speedwatch co-ordinator will move it around Speen.

We are looking for volunteers to form a Speedwatch group to move it around Lacey Green and Loosley Row and to liaise with the Speen Speedwatch group in sharing the use of the equipment.
A timetable is being worked out for the movement of the MVAS and it is very straightforward to move. The battery will last approximately 3 weeks and is quick to charge up.

If you are concerned about people speeding through your villages and would be interested in helping out, please can you contact:

Frank Post
Clerk, Lacey Green Parish Council
01296 668206 Email: clerk@laceygreen-pc.org.uk

Named as one of the 22 day care resources Bucks County Council wanted to close in 2012, as a community we formed a trustee group made up of councillors, churches together and local Risborough Cares charity and took over the running of the centre. Since then we have gone from strength to strength.

We are a day care centre for older people, people with learning disabilities and people with mild mental health issues. Anyone can join our centre and get the support they need.

Our big success is for the carers of people. When clients attend the centre, we offer carers a much needed break, sometimes just to go for a coffee with friends, play golf or have their hair done, knowing their relatives are well looked after.

We are a registered charity and our aim is not to make money but to continue to be able to offer our local communities a much needed resource.

We have:

Our community has been amazing, but we need to ensure we keep going for future generations, therefore we are trying to make everyone aware local of what we do.

Kim Challinor
Manager of The Princes Centre

Family Information Service

Buckinghamshire Family Information Service can provide free information, advice and publications on a wide range of topics that affect you and your family, including:

1. Options for childcare and free early education in your area


2. Details of activities running at Children's Centres in. your area and where to find local parent & toddler groups


3. Information on activities for children & young people offered by local schools beyond the school day


4. Advice and support for families with disabled children


5. Understanding what financial support you may be entitled to


6. Advice on balancing your work and family's needs


7. Where to go for help and information on family & personal issues


8. Information on maternity & paternity rights and pay


9. Where to find parenting support classes & support groups


10. Information on local clubs, youth centres and organisations providing leisure activities for young people


11. Lots of useful publications and websites on subjects such as parenting, bullying support, behaviour management and healthy eating


12. And plenty of fun activities for every member of the family!

Free safety checks to help reduce the risk of a fire or other emergency in your home are available from Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service.

Free smoke alarms are fitted where required, and firefighters will also help you find out more about other useful local services if you are interested.

The checks take about 30 minutes each, depending on the size of the house, and are usually carried out by firefighters. The householder needs to be present to answer a few questions.

Firefighters will offer fire safety advice, based on any potential fire risks that they may have identified during the check, and answer questions.

They will then fit as many smoke alarms as they think necessary. Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service currently fits British Standard smoke alarms with a sealed battery that should last 10 years in normal use.

To book one of these free checks, ring 01296 744477 or email cs@bucksfire.gov.uk
Community safety manager Terry Ridgley said: "When fires break out, smoke alarms provide a vital early warning sign. If the fire happens at night, they are often your only warning."

Here are Terry's top tips to ensure you and your family stay safe from fire:
Fit and maintain a smoke alarm: You should have one on each level of your home and test it weekly. The ideal position is on the ceiling, in the middle of a room, or in the hallway and landing. Test it weekly.

Plan your escape route: Make sure you and your family know the quickest way out in the event of fire. Consider an alternative route in case your usual one is blocked.

In the event of a fire, get out, stay out and call 999: Don't delay for valuables, and don't investigate or try to tackle the fire. Use a mobile, a neighbour's phone or a phone box to call 999. If someone needs to be rescued wait safely outside for the firefighters who have the equipment and training to do it. Never go back in.

Check on others: When you visit relatives or friends, look out for safety hazards in the home. Offer to help test their alarm and plan escape routes together.
Keep internal doors shut: This will slow down the spread of fire.
Picture caption

Four key safety messages - Fit smoke alarms; Test them every week; Plan an escape route; Get out, stay out and call 999.

What to do if you experience or witness abuse

People in Buckinghamshire are urged to Speak Up against Adult Abuse. A public awareness campaign is currently running to let people know what to do if they are worried about their own or another adult's welfare.

For the last two years there have been over 1400 alerts to the Safeguarding Team resulting in over 800 assessments each year. The most common type of alert is for physical abuse with neglect being the next highest. Together they represent 42 per cent of victims between 18 and 64, and 49 per cent over the age of 75.

Can you spare just a few hours a week to help a local person who needs to get to GP or hospital appointments, visit friends or get to the shops?

What is a voluntary car scheme?

A voluntary car scheme is an organised form of car sharing, which uses a pool of volunteer drivers to take people on pre-arranged journeys. There is usually a coordinator who manages bookings, and drivers use their own cars and claim back out of pocket expenses such as mileage and parking costs.

Many schemes provide a service where volunteers stay with their passengers throughout the trip—for example to help with shopping or wait at the hospital or doctor’s surgery; offering support and assistance beyond the scope of a transport operator.

Who benefits from a voluntary car scheme?

Car schemes can assist anyone in the local community who needs help with transport. Most often this is elderly people or those who are unable to use the bus service but you may decide to extend this to a wider range of beneficiaries if you have enough drivers. Although some people are able to get occasional lifts from neighbours and family, they tell us that they feel uncomfortable asking for help and don’t want to be a burden.

Organised community car schemes help these people not only by providing a much needed lifeline to the outside world, but also by helping them feel less uncomfortable about asking for a lift.

As a volunteer, you decide what trips you can do and how often each month. Don’t worry if you cannot offer a lot of time—help with one journey a month, will offer an immense benefit to someone in need of transport

For more information, please call Sally Hussey on 01296 421036

Buckinghamshire Community Action have a scheme to provide subsidised mopeds to young people to enable them to get to work.

"Wheels to Work" is a moped loan scheme for young people (aged 16-19, or up to 25 in some circumstances) who find it difficult to access work or training opportunities because of a lack of transport. Eligible candidates will receive a 50cc moped for a period of up to 9 months, in return for a small monthly wear and tear fee. Call Sally on 01296 421036