Shenley Brook End Parish Council

I thought residents might appreciate a few facts about this Parish Council.

We are the largest Parish Council in Milton Keynes, with some 22,000 residents, living in 10,000 dwellings, over eight grid squares.

We’re also the largest allotment authority in the borough, with six sites and several others in various stages of development.

Parish councils are the first tier of elected representatives, and we are governed by a number of Acts of Parliament. We also must adhere to a strict code of conduct, which regulates our day-to-day activities.

The full Parish Council, made up of 13 councillors, oversees all the activities of the two main committees – Planning & Environment, and Community.

We are statutory consultees, for all planning applications in the parish, and as some residents will know, we take this responsibility seriously. In the past year we have objected to three major developments, on behalf of residents – the building of inappropriate housing in Kingsmead South, a church and community centre in Shenley Brook End, and rugby facilities in Emerson Valley. Of these three, we were successful in only one, the Kingsmead South application, but we achieved modifications to the plans in the other two.

We were successful in acquiring an important piece of communal land in Shenley Brook End. This a four acre site in Garthwaite Crescent, which has been gifted to us by English Partnerships. We intent to retain this as informal recreational land and we will undertake regular maintenance. We are also taking steps to protect this valuable asset, to ensure that it remains a benefit to residents.

Our current office is rented by the Parish Council on a short lease. We have agreed to rent one floor to Thames Valley Police, who will be moving in shortly. The rent charged will help towards reducing our expenses.

In the longer term, we need our own parish office. We currently employ four officers, and this will rise to six later this year. As the parish grows – over 2,000 new houses in the next few years – we will need to employ more staff to maintain service levels, and they have to be accommodated. So, we have taken an option on a piece of land in Westcroft, and are in the early stage of talking to architects, and preparing designs and specifications. We intend to create more than just a parish office; we want to build something that will be of value to residents, so the building will double as a community centre, available to host a wide range of activities. We are also in negotiation with Thames Valley Police, with the intention of them occupying half the building. They too will find themselves homeless when the lease on our present office expires.

As part of my responsibilities, I represent the Parish Council on a number of committees and consultative groups. These range from: Thames Valley Police Parish Liaison, to the Western Area Expansion Stakeholder Group, plus about another eight others. Being present at these various meetings enables me to ensure that this parish has a voice in matters that affect us.

We recently started “walk in surgeries”, offering residents the opportunity of just turning up and raising issues with councillors. These are very much an experiment. So, if you want to chat something through with us, just turn up!

So, that’s an overview of the full Parish Council. I’d like to say a few words about the two main committees mentioned earlier.

Firstly, Planning & Environment. This committee deals with all planning applications throughout the parish; from a residents wish to build an extension to a major developer seeking to build 1,600 houses in Tattenhoe Park.

As mentioned earlier, I represent the Parish Council on two important groups, the Western Expansion Area Stakeholders Group, and the WEA Place Making Group. These are both hosted by English Partnerships, and deal with large-scale developments. Matters discussed at these meetings are all early stage plans, well before planning permission has been granted, and in some cases, years before any detailed public consultation takes place. So your Parish Council has an early opportunity to comment on future plans, and can bring influence to bear.

This committee is chaired by Keith Thomas, who deserves much credit for his hard work and commitment, particularly in the case of Kingsmead South, where residents won a major victory over outrageous plans to build inappropriate houses.

This committee also determines the Parish Council’s own landscape management policy, which includes the six allotment sites. We now have full ownership and responsibility for all six allotments, which were previously owned and managed by Milton Keynes Council. It also works alongside Milton Keynes Council, and the Parks Trust in their areas.

Planning & Environment also gets involved in roads and road safety, particularly near schools. It also initiates speed monitoring exercises, when residents raise this as a concern.

Next, the Community Committee. As its name suggests, this committee deals with all aspects of community life.

It was instrumental in achieving a grant of £60,000 to refurbish Edison Square in Shenley Lodge, and persuaded Milton Keynes Council to come up with £75,000 to repair and update Furzton Pavilion.

Community is chaired by Neil Warden. Neil recovered from a life threatening illness last year, and all of us are very glad to have him back fit and well.

Community Committee also lobbied for a Drinking Control Order throughout the whole parish which is now in place. It also supported Thames Valley Police in the introduction of a Dispersal Order in Furzton. The Parish News, which is delivered free to all households, is produced by this committee.

The committee is responsible for grants made to community organisations. Grants are available, provided the committee judges that the project will benefit parish residents, and that the organisation requesting grant aid is not a commercial entity.

And last but by no means least, the Community Committee is responsible for the location and maintenance of dog bins; not very romantic, perhaps, but we spend some £10,000 a year on them!

This report would not be complete without a major mention for our Parish Warden and the Youth Team.

Parish Warden Mark Webber is in the front line of tackling all those irritating matters that plague our lives – litter, graffiti, dumped newspapers, abandoned supermarket trolleys, broken glass in play areas – the list is endless. Mark has his own graffiti removal kit and is the only officer to have his very own parish van!

Since his appointment two years ago, Mark’s efforts have made a major impact on quality of life issues throughout the parish, and I would like to publicly recognise his hard work, in what is an important area in improving the whole look of the parish.

Many of us moan and groan about anti social behaviour with disaffected youths roaming the streets causing trouble. Well, your Parish Council is trying to do something about it, by organising a wide range of events for the youth of the parish.

Heading up this team is Youth Worker Andy Ridgway, Andy is supported by Alex Gowan, and together with a team of volunteers, they make available a wide range of sporting activities throughout the year. These include: basketball, football, and a range of other sports, including circus skills. The Youth Team also participate in competitive tournaments within the borough, and work closely with schools to encourage long term relationships with pupils. Such is the demand for these activities that we are about to employ another two part-time youth workers to strengthen Andy’s team.

Andy and Alex also have a substantial outreach programme, where they engage with young people, on the streets and in parks and recreation areas, frequently in the evening. This is a way of building relationships and encouraging youths to take advantage of the opportunities that the Parish Council provides.

That about covers my report. I’m certain to have missed something, but I hope I have given you a flavour for what your Parish Council has been spending your money on. We like to think we are an active Parish Council – active on your behalf. I hope you agree.