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40 Phonebox Magazine | December 2025Planning Application for up to 200 houses in LavendonOn the 17th November a public consultation event was held at Lavendon Village Hall for residents so Colecar Strategic Land could explain their proposals to submit a planning application for up to 200 houses on land off Bedford Road. We have been aware for a few months that this application was coming and is due to be formally submitted in the new year. It is a site that is in the open countryside and is not included in the village%u2019s Neighbourhood Plan. Peter sought advice from planning offi cers who confi rmed that, as the site is in the open countryside and not included within any planning policies, it should normally be refused. The applicant is, however, entitled to submit the application, and residents should treat the application as any other planning application and comment on it in the usual way directly to planning offi cers after the application is submitted. While Keith sits on the Planning Committee, currently, so cannot express a view, Peter is completely opposed to this speculative and poorly thought through plan!Fire Service Proposed CutsFollowing on from last month, the proposal to undertake a public consultation on proposed cuts to the number of fi re engines (pumps) crewed by on-call fi refi ghters was approved at the Fire Authority meeting in mid-November. The consultation runs for 10 weeks, including the Christmas and New Year period. Keith proposed a 12-week period, which is the norm for consultations like this, but the Labour, Lib Dem and Independent councillors working in coalition rejected this proposal. What diff erence does an additional two weeks make?The consultation is now active on the Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue service site; the link is: https://bucksfi re.gov.uk/oncallconsultation. The closing date for responses is 28th January 2026. Whilst the Olney station, crewed by our great on-call fi refi ghting team, is not under threat of losing its pump or closure. However, removing seven pumps from other stations may mean the Olney pump is deployed more often to provide resilience cover away from Olney.Peter and Keith do not want to see the removal of any on-call pumps as it reduces confi dence that adequate cover is in place across the whole of Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. In his capacity as a member of the Fire Authority, Keith has asked for an alternative proposal(s) to be tabled.New City Plan and a New TownThis past month has been a busy one for large future planning policies. Initially this has seen the fi nal stage of the Milton Keynes Local Plan, named the New City Plan, go out to consultation for the fi nal time. This is the plan that will take the city from now until 2050 and includes sites for around 60,000 new residential properties. The consultation ends on 22nd December. The main area that is aff ected will be a signifi cant expansion of the Milton Keynes East area that will encompass the village of Moulsoe and will extend to the Bedfordshire border, and most of the way up Chicheley Hill.In addition to this, we are still trying to get to grips with the impact of the New Town that the government is proposing in Milton Keynes. This will include around 40,000 more properties, but the location of many of these is not known yet.Peter and Keith both voted against a motion that welcomed the announcement of the New Town in Milton Keynes due to the sheer lack of detail about what is proposed. We will keep people informed as more information becomes available.Last article of 2025As this is the last article of 2025, we would like to wish all readers a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year. If you have any problems that require urgent attention between Christmas and New Year, please do contact one of us by email or telephone, see below.Monthly Advice SurgeriesA reminder that our monthly advice surgeries are run in the Olney Centre on the fi rst Friday of each month between 7pm and 8pm %u2013appointments are not necessary. Alternatively, we can be contacted at other times by phone or email, our details are as follows: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.ukDear residentsAs you are all aware, Stagecoach submitted a withdrawal notifi cation to end the 41 service at the end of November. We have negotiated an extension at Delegated Decisions, so we can (with the fi nancial support from C Beds and W Northants) procure a full route based on the existing commercial route (all agreed).The residents across the Olney ward all appreciate just how vital this service is, as a good many of you joined me in a long campaign fi ghting to keep this route running back in 2023, extending the service for Olney and Lavendon %u2013 and so naturally, on hearing of the withdrawal of service, I made absolutely sure your views and concerns were heard yet again.It is a necessity, especially for those in Olney and Lavendon, and of course all neighbouring villages, who are all relying totally on this route operating.Students, for their educational choices, and all those employed, getting to and from work.For hospital appointments and eye clinics, those of us visiting relatives in hospitals and shopping and meeting up with family and friends from neighbouring LAs.MKCC and neighbouring authorities have agreed there is a need initially for a one-year contract with provisions for extension, 1+1, subject to available funding from DFT. The Strategic Lead for Transport confi rmed one year funding +1+1 %u2013 so one year assured as funding jointly with neighbouring LAs is secure.After which, all being well, 1+1, but it will depend on the DFT.MK will pay 70k, with Northampton and Bedford at 50k each.MK being slightly larger, as this was already in place when we fought for the extension of time to keep it running to Olney and Lavendon previously.Accessibility Fund 25/26 There is an available budget of 25k each year to make improvements to the highway. Ward Councillors and parish councils can apply.As your Ward councillor, after listening to residents who contacted me about the need for dropped kerbs in Olney, together with OTC, an application was submitted.I%u2019m happy to say one location was accepted, having met the criteria, and the others are on a waiting list.Milton Keynes City Council has approved a new policy to cover council tax for households impacted by a terminal illness diagnosis, in order to make life a little easier for residents facing this incredibly diffi cult time.It builds on the city council%u2019s existing scheme, which helps people on low incomes by providing a reduction. For residents with a terminal illness, the scheme will cover the full amount of Council Tax from the date of diagnosis. Residents who need support can apply through the city council%u2019s website, full details will be published shortly.