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22 Phonebox Magazine | October 2025Newport Pagnell Mayor%u2019s UpdateNewport Pagnell Councillor CornerNewport Pagnell South FOCUS Team, Cllrs Jane & Andy Carr, Tony OyakhireGrants for Local ProjectsIn May, every ward councillor is given %u00a31000 to spend on local projects that support their ward. As a team we often club ours together to off er more support to diff erent events and groups.In the past year we have donated money to a range of projects, such as new dog bins to supporting the carnival with %u00a31000 to help cover some of the funds lost in 2024 when the bad weather fl ooded the fi eld.%u00a0We also off er much smaller amounts, such as %u00a350 to support the free play sessions at the parish church. These fun sessions are run by the parish congregation and are free for all attending. Running on a Mondays from 9.30-11.30am. It%u2019s an ideal drop-in session for a cuppa and some downtime for parents and carers. It is especially useful as it is open every Monday (except Bank Holidays) but includes school holidays. There is no need to book, just pop in. Litter Pick Dates We know residents want to support the town and show their patriotism. One way of doing that is by joining our community litter picks to help educate the next generation about recycling and the negative impact litter has on the environment and wildlife. Throughout the year we organise our litter picks, which are open to all, but great for families. Of late there have been fewer people joining us, so we will be putting the 2026 dates on our calendars, due to be delivered to each home in the town sometime in December. The starting point moves around to cover Thank you to everyone who joined us on Bury Common for the anniversary event celebrating our town council%u2019s fi rst four decades of service to our town. The dog shows, big screen 80s movie and other attractions were all great fun. Although, as always seems to happen whenever we hold any event, some people say they didn%u2019t know it was happening. So, once again I encourage everyone to not just read your monthly Phonebox, the quarterly towntalk newsletter and social media, but also note down the dates of upcoming events. You can start by noting two upcoming local events run by voluntary groups. Town fi reworks on Friday, 7th November, and the Christmas light switch-on festival on Saturday, 29th November. ArtI only keep talking about roads as they continue to impact our local community. Those fi nal road closures and restrictions that will enable the new traffi c lightcontrolled roundabout to open near to Willen Road Sports Ground continue to delay and frustrate drivers. However, it is now apparent that there is not much more to do before healthy traffi c fl ow can resume.Some folks have pointed out that leaves us with a new blank roundabout, and I support suggestions that just as the A421 has the %u2018leaping man%u2019 statue of Greg Rutherford, so this junction also deserves a suitable artwork to make it a landmark. After all, drivers will often stop for a few minutes waiting for the lights to change and so can then appreciate it.Law and OrderA video on my social media showing the aftermath of damage to some fencing has led to more people talking to me about crime and community safety. The town council works with Thames Valley Police as best we can to help them maintain law and public safety. If you know of a crime, please report it. You may also recall that the town council has encouraged neighbourhood watch various areas of the town, so best to check the details to be sure where to fi nd us. The last one for this year will be on 25th October %u2013 meeting at Station Road Car Park at 1pm. Everyone welcome, especially families, as this will be half-term. Just come along.Councillor Surgery - Our next councillor%u2019s surgeries will be on 25th October and 22nd November, both from 10-11.30am, at the Mead Centre, Newport Pagnell, to coincide with the Repair Shop. You can contact the Focus team by emailing newportsouthlibdems@gmail.com or phoning 01908 216366. Follow us on Facebook %u2013 Newport Pagnell South Ward. 200 Club Winners %u2013 August 2025, 1st Mr R Greenwood, 2nd Mr C Eaton.40th Thank Youschemes across town, and I%u2019m happy to pass on any expressions of interest in setting one up on your street.Your VoicePlease let me know what you think. Readers with any comments about Newport Pagnell can contact me at pauldaymk@outlook.com.%u00a0 I am also%u00a0 @pauldayMK on Facebook