Page 17 - Demo

February 2025 | Phonebox Magazine 17January 2025on the other side%u2019. Keith asked if there were any questions. Colin Rodden%u2019s hand went straight up.I have two points, he said. First, Happy New Year. That%u2019s 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%u2019t happy that Colin had asked that particular question of Keith when the Mayor was sat there, virtually next to him. Debbie%u2019s a ward councillor, she said, and we%u2019ve been through all this already. Debbie nodded in agreement.We have three ward councillors and I%u2019m 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%u2019s talked about. No, I%u2019m talking to Keith because he has been involved with this, as has Peter (Geary, the third ward councillor). No, we%u2019ve been through all this, said the Clerk again, this time with a shake of the head. The Mayor echoed Deirdre%u2019s comment about asking appropriate questions at the right time. Otherwise we are going to be here all night, affi rmed the Clerk. Colin was now fi ghting 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%u2019 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%u2019s agenda was about to get messy, and stepped in with a more conciliatory approach. I%u2019m 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%u2019s likely to be a junction built near the North Crawley bridge on the approach to the current junction. I don%u2019t think we will see the A509 as a straightthrough road from the Tickford roundabout to Junction 14 as we know it, he added. On Yardley Manor, Keith said he was disappointed to see %u2018no movement in about eight weeks%u2019 but suggested an approach that wasn%u2019t seen as %u2018antagonistic%u2019. 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 %u2018legal action taken against you%u2019.David Tyler asked if Keith thought that closing Newport Pagnell tip would exacerbate fl y tipping in the local area. It has been assessed, said Keith, as was the potential for increased journey times, but I don%u2019t know the results.The Mayor fi nished 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%u2019s reportThere 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%u2019s no shoplifting here then, he asked. Look%u2019s like it, came the Clerk%u2019s rather curt reply. The Mayor clarifi ed matters: there are none reported, she said. Thank you, said Colin.Expenses and budget reportHas 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%u2019s 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%u2019s 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 meetingsDan Rowland said he had been to the meeting of the Olney Flood Group. The local residents have been in touch with Newport Pagnell%u2019s similar group and will take their own activities forward.Update on the Yardley Manor playparkWe 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 rectifi ed. The playing area is open, as you all know, said the Mayor, albeit fl ooded. The area%u2019s 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 fi nal remedials on road drainage will be done following an inspection %u2018walk-about%u2019. 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%u2019s James Williamson who is monitoring and implementing everything for us and being extremely helpful, said Debbie. We%u2019re not just sitting here doing %u2018absolutely zilch%u2019. I just want it put on record that the council is working for our residents. But we can only do so much. Colin Rodden%u2019s hand went up, to nobody%u2019s surprise. Can we get some dates (for the completion), please? The Clerk came straight back. We%u2019ve had those, and they%u2019ve gone past them, she said. We can%u2019t do anything more. It didn%u2019t really answer Colin%u2019s 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 fi rst. You don%u2019t actually build something, wait for it to fl ood 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%u2019re shaking your heads as if to say nobody%u2019s got a clue, said David in the direction of the Mayor and Clerk. No, we%u2019re not able to say, said the Clerk. That is something between MKCC and the developers. They have their own inspectors, That%u2019s 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 %u2013 sorry, steering group %u2013 who had written to the Mayor. Well, it%u2019s just come to light now, but absolutely it should be, confi rmed Debbie.Volunteer Driving PolicyThis document will be sent out to the council%u2019s 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%u2019s electric minibus. We have a charger here, said the Clerk. But we can%u2019t 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 ProjectsWe 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 membershipsWe desperately need councillors to volunteer for the Olney Centre Management Committee, said the Mayor. It has now been renamed %u2018Olney Community Centres Management%u2019. 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%u2019 fi rst HR jobs be to fi nd 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.