Page 59 - Phonebox Magazine June 2006
P. 59
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2020 vision for Olney
Can you see that well – into the future?
Olney is at the heart of local rural life and has a unique part to play as Milton Keynes, Bedford, Northampton and Wellingborough grow around us. Situated on the borders of three counties the town has a great opportunity to respond to change and develop its role and attractiveness. We can all be complacent; we live in a beautiful, apparently thriving town with a vibrant active community. Yet things change; we will soon have a new school, the Fiesta will be different this year, our population is growing, traffic and parking problems increase, crime and anti-social behaviour have worsened. Yet look how beautiful the town looks, consider the plethora of societies and clubs, the sporting facilities, the town’s heritage and traditions, arts, the river and meadows, the variety of retail, leisure and commercial activity, the markets and of course its people.
The Market Towns Healthcheck is an opportunity for us to take a snapshot of where we are as a town, to consider our strengths, our weaknesses, the opportunities and threats. This, with a structured analysis of our Town, will help us to decide what Olney should be like in 2020 and how we should achieve that vision; whatever it might be. We need to think about how we integrate the new school and playing fields into our community in a social as well as an educational sense. The Youth Club have started their Project 06 which I believe will make us proud of what our youth can achieve. Some of us may still dream a swimming pool or bridge to Emberton Park. Anything could be possible with a consensus and an action plan, clearly defined tasks and shared responsibilities.
The Healthcheck is a community project. It has been initiated by the Town Council but if it is to move forward it has to have a cross section of Olney society involved. If there is sufficient involvement it may be that the Town Council will give some financial support to the process but it is not a Town Council project.
An initial meeting was held on 28 April – not the best choice of date, on a Friday night just prior to a bank holiday. Nevertheless there was a cross section of people representing the local societies and clubs. Malcolm Godwin, the rural towns coordinator and a resident of Newport Pagnell, presented the principles of the initiative which is promoted by SEEDA (South East England Development Agency), Buckinghamshire County Council and Milton Keynes Council. The intention is now to form an inclusive ‘Olney Partnership’ which should represent as many interests in the town as possible. These could be individuals, residents groups, societies and clubs, the business community, the churches, the schools, young and old and those of us somewhere in the middle – anyone who believes in Olney and its future.
Many other towns, locally and across the country, have started the process and are benefiting from it. The programme will take 9 to 12 months to define our vision and action plan, which then needs to be funded (there is some match funding for selected projects) and implemented. The process doesn’t stop but is reviewed and updated over time to ensure we respond to change, remain a caring, competitive and attractive place to live, play, work and visit.
We have arranged a follow up meeting on 6 June at 7.30pm at the Olney Centre (Council Chamber) when we hope to start the process. Please come along and find out more and share your ideas to make Olney an even better place.
David Coles dcoles@colesarchitects.co.uk
ORCHARD WILLS
Members of the Society of Will Writers
Double Will £65 Single Will £45
TEL 01234 713938
Phonebox Magazine 59
