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28 Phonebox Magazine | October 2025Meeting with the Police and Crime CommissionerMatthew Barber, the Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley Area, is a regular visitor to Olney, and we met with him in September to discuss the problems shopkeepers are facing with shoplifting as well as numerous other issues, including speeding traffi c.%u00a0There are a few misconceptions about shoplifting and what can and cannot be prosecuted. Matthew confi rmed that all shoplifting can be prosecuted, and especially with prolifi c repeat off enders, there are several ways the Police can deal with the issues.%u00a0Part of the dialogue included the use of an App by the town%u2019s shopkeepers to identify shoplifters; some businesses have already registered. We will continue to work with Matthew to ensure that Olney and the other rural areas of Milton Keynes are prioritised in the primarily urban environment that is the new city.Planning Enforcement %u2013 travellers and the Sherington WardWhen travellers took up residence in Sherington on a fi eld they had purchased earlier this year, the Council%u2019s Planning Enforcement team became involved as it was believed a breach of planning had occurred, as planning permission had not been sought or granted for residential occupation of the land.%u00a0The Council duly issued a Planning Enforcement Notice (PEN), which is the fi rst stage in resolving the issue.%u00a0Due to a technical error in the issuing of the original PEN, it has now had to be reissued, so the enforcement process is still ongoing but has been delayed somewhat.%u00a0This is in addition and not related to the illegal dumping and burning of industrial wate that has allegedly occurred on the site and which is the subject of investigations by the Environment Agency, the Police and Milton Keynes City Council during which one arrest has already been made.Milton Keynes New City Plan and the %u2018New Town%u2019At the time of writing, we are still waiting for details regarding where the %u201cNew Town%u201d, which the Labour government have said will be built in Milton Keynes, will be located. What we do know is that it will be at least 10,000 houses in size and will be in addition to the over 17,000 extra homes that are planned for the area between Moulsoe and Newport Pagnell. The location is expected to be released in the next few weeks and will have an impact on the fi nal draft of the New City plan.%u00a0In the previous drafts of the New City plan we have seen no new housing consulted on for the rural areas, so we are waiting to see what is proposed in the fi nal draft. We understand many sites have been promoted during the plan process and are expecting at least one speculative planning application in the coming months; others may follow. The new proposals are due to be released towards the end of October, and there will be an 8-week consultation. We have committed to informing local communities that will be aff ected and will do so when we have further information.Olney Ward Councillor Corner CONTACT DEBBIE:Tel: 07494 681907 / debbie.whitworth@miltonkeynes.gov.ukMy Ward surgeries are every Tuesday, 10am-12pm at the Olney Centre. No need to book, just pop along.Cllr Debbie WhitworthOlney Ward Councillor CornerCllr Keith McLean Cllr Peter GearyCONTACT US: Keith: 07983 456081 keith.mclean@milton-keynes.gov.uk :: Peter: 07774 939404 peter.geary@milton-keynes.gov.ukRoad SafetyMKCC%u2019s new road safety offi cer will start on 6th October. There will be an induction period where they get settled in before meeting with local schools etc, as scheduled %u2013 Lavendon included %u2013 as I have received concerns from parents from the school.The main focus of the RSO role is education and engagement. They can provide feedback on any road safety issues that need technical input back to their team, and they can arrange for site visits, traffi c counts, scheme designs, etc.Offi cers have been out to Drift Way/Yardley Road recently in September to observe issues raised to me by Olney residents.Whilst there were none on Drift Way at the time, I have been informed that they are going to look at adding double yellow %u2018No Waiting%u2019 restrictions here on Drift Way as well as Yardley Road. City Council meetingAt the City Council in September, there was a motion regarding the Marie Curie Campaign for a Council Tax Exemption for the Terminally ill.Milton Keynes City Council notes the research undertaken by Marie Curie Cancer Care into the cost of living and the additional fi nancial burden faced by those with a terminal illness and believes that people at the end of life should be able to focus on what really matters, but as life is often more expensive when you live with a terminal diagnosis, too many people are spending their fi nal days, weeks and months struggling to make ends meet.At full Council it was unanimously resolved to support the Marie Curie campaign for a Council Tax Exemption for the Terminally Ill. Cabinet to bring forward proposals to establish a council tax exemption for those with a terminal illness, or a partner or family member within the same household, and have less than twelve months to live, as part of the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme.MKUH PresentationAs a Ward Councillor, I attended a presentation by MKUH trust management on the new MK hospital programme.The new Oak wards are estimated to be completed in January 2026. The two 24-bed wards across two fl oors will increase the hospital%u2019s capacity of medical beds. There is also the potential to double the capacity to a total of 96 medical beds.The new Imaging Centre will consolidate all imaging departments and services in one location, featuring a new CT, MRI, and ultrasound, with an estimated completion date of March 2026.A community survey will launch on 6th October for the new hospital programme, and I recommend that residents have their say by participating in the survey.