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WGTC News

Park Tidies

Thames Valley Police (TVP) and SaferMK were joined by Cllrs Bamisile, Hussain, Middleton, Robertson, two members of the Officer team, the WGTC caretakers and the WGTC Environmental Enforcement Officer for a ‘Park Tidy’ in Hodge Lea and Greenleys on 19th November. 

This was part of Op Sceptre, a TVP operation that takes place in November to raise awareness of knife crime. Other actions conducted as part of Op Sceptre include hotspot policing, visits to schools and visits to habitual knife carriers.  

This was a great event to learn more about what officers do and the issues and challenges that they face, as well as learning about how the process of ‘weapon sweeps’ worked. Items were found during the sweep which were reported to and handled by the police. 

Group of councillors

Remember, if you do find a knife or another item of concern, please call 101. If you find any drug paraphernalia please report it on MK Council’s website or call the Waste and Recycling Team on 01908 252570.

Dog Bins

To help keep our open spaces clear of dog fouling, WGTC provide 56 dog waste bins for responsible dog owners to use to dispose of dog mess. Of the 56 dog waste bins 40 are emptied weekly and 16 bins are emptied twice a week due to the volume of waste collected. 

 

WGTC understand that there is a problem with overfilling as residents have reported overfilling bins on numerous occasions. The Office is now pleased to announce that 16 bins will be replaced by larger 60L dog waste bins. This will hopefully stop bins from overflowing.

 

If you do find that a bin is full, report it to us (via email and with photo of the bin and location) and take your bag home. Do not leave it on the floor or on the bin - this is classed as fly-tipping! Please also use the correct bin for your waste and do not contaminate dog waste bins with any other rubbish like takeaway boxes and tin cans. We receive many reports of this and it causes further problems down the line.

 

Motorbikes and Anti-Social Behaviour

WGTC have been working in partnership with Thames Valley Police (TVP) and other agencies to help cut down on crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB) within the parish.

One particular issue at the moment is the increased use of motorbikes and mopeds which are a real concern for residents.  

Whilst some regard this kind of vehicle use as harmless fun, the regular antisocial use of these vehicles can have a wider impact on the neighbourhood and community than just simply nuisance noise. Drivers and riders risk injuring themselves, other road users, cyclists and pedestrians as they do not have full control of their vehicle and full attention on their surroundings, it’s also likely that these vehicles are uninsured.
 

Please work together to support your community by reporting those who persist in using these vehicles and those riding them to 101 with good descriptions of the bike and person. Once the police are able to identify those involved they can take action accordingly. WGTC are supporting TVP with ongoing investigations into this kind of ASB using the services of our evidence and information gatherers. At the time of writing one investigation is being progressed for prosecution.

 

Investing in Your Local High Street 

Milton Keynes Council is investing almost £360,000 among the city's high streets to encourage shoppers back safely after the pandemic. This has been split into two parts. The first is the Welcome Back Fund (WBF) from the government as part of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). This has been shared between the following towns in MK to help improve the appearance and attractiveness of their local high streets: Newport Pagnell, Olney, Stony Stratford, Wolverton and Greenleys, Bletchley and Fenny Stratford.

 

WGTC have been working in partnership with MK Council to deliver a programme of works to improve the look of our parish. In Wolverton the WBF will be spent on:

•Weeding of Victoria Street back alley (near the park)
•Weeding of Western Road back alley
•Repainting of eight lampposts in The Square
•Straightening railings in The Square
•Restaining five wooden benches in The Square
•Repainting two metal circular benches in The Square

 

WGTC are also hoping to use some of this money to clear out the drains, a project which is long overdue.

In Greenleys the WBF will be spent on:
•Repainting of railings
•Repainting of benches by the community trees and by the MUGA
•Weeding of the pavement at the local centre

These works will be completed in the coming months.

The second part of the funding is from the MK Council’s own economic recovery plan. MKCouncil has been given funding by the Government under the Additional Restrictions Grant Scheme(ARGS) to provide support to businesses as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. In our parish, the scheme will provide grants to those in Wolverton and the support may take the form of direct grants to businesses or to fund schemes that provide wider business support, such as local advertising campaigns to promote the high street as a local shopping centre to increase footfall. WGTC has applied for this funding and has already engaged with MK Council and the Chair of Wolverton Business Association and other businesses. Initial thoughts are permanent fixtures for The Square to enable people to sit and dine outside, way finding signs through the rear alleyways and area maps.

Wolverton Health Centre Update

Local GP surgery tells councillor its doctors are under ‘immense’ pressure to deliver services 
Milton Keynes Labour Ward Councillor and Wolverton and Greenleys Town Councillor Ansar Hussain raised residents’ concerns about the quality of services at Wolverton Health Centre during a ‘productive’ meeting in October 2021 – and was told that they are doing all they can despite being under ‘immense’ pressure.

 

Ansar Hussain, who represents the Stacey Bushes Ward for WGTC and is a Ward Councillor for the Wolverton Ward, met with Wolverton Health Centre’s management team to discuss the current situation for patients and their reported concerns – including the lack of appointments and reduced face-to-face sessions. These are problems that residents face across the whole city. The Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Clinical Commissioning Group states that services have been “limited” due to the pandemic and now this region is suffering from a GP shortage.

 

Cllr Hussain advised: “During the meeting I discovered that most of the problems raised are out of the surgery’s control. The main issue is the national shortage of doctors, which in turn has an impact on the service provided. There is approximately one GP per 2,500 people. This is something the Government needs to get a grip on. It is shocking that they have watched while our hardworking NHS staff toil to the point of exhaustion and quit because they cannot take it anymore. The Government must properly invest in GP training and ensure that all doctors are looked after.”
 

 

There were other points raised during the meeting that were specific to Wolverton Health Centre, such as problems with the phone booking line and elderly residents struggling to book appointments. Cllr Hussain added: “The management team were open, transparent and keen to listen to these concerns. They have informed me that improvements will be made where possible.”
 

 

Cllr Hussain concluded: “Overall, the meeting with Wolverton Health Centre was productive and positive. I remain assured the practice holds good intentions and will try their best to accommodate patients with appointments where practically possible. GP surgeries across Milton Keynes are facing real challenges and are trying their best despite the lack of support from Central Government.” 

General Parish News

Road Closures

None at present.

 

Planning Updates

A public consultation was held at the Town Hall between 29th November and 4th December by Milton Keynes Council and TOWN, the developer of the Agora site, on the proposed public welfare facilities and car parking arrangements for St George’s Way. Thank you to those who provided their feedback, this will be considered by MK Council and TOWN before they submit their final proposals.  

 

On Wednesday 22nd December MK Council’s Planning Department gave the go ahead for the plans submitted by TOWN to redevelop the site of the Agora and its adjacent car park to provide 115 new homes, which will include a dedicated cohousing site, nine ground floor commercial and community units along with the reinstatement of Radcliffe Street between Church Street and Buckingham Street and The Square. The development will also include associated areas of hard and soft landscaping, car and cycle parking. Love Wolverton was announced as this year’s winner in the Frameworks and Masterplans Midscale category at the National Urban Design Awards 2021, for their proposed redevelopment of the Agora site. We expect demolition works to begin early this year.

 

In December 2021, the outline planning permission given for development of the Railway Works site expired. It is expected that a new application will be made but given the current economic uncertainty, it is not known when this will be. Be assured, we’re keeping our eyes open! 

AGORA Update

A new mailing list will be set up to comply with GDPR as TOWN have taken ownership of the Love Wolverton project. To re-register for future updates please visit the Love Wolverton website.

MK Council News

MK Council News

You can read all news from MK Council on the MK Council website.

Council Budget 2022/23

MKC want your feedback on the council budget for 2022/23.

You can read the full draft budget proposals and provide feedback.

Please send any feedback by 31 January 2022 either by:

Emailing [email protected]

Leaving a comment on Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #BudgetMK.

Writing to Finance, Milton Keynes Council, Civic, 1 Saxon Gate East, Milton Keynes MK9 3EJ.
Milton Keynes Council has published the Designing Dementia-friendly Neighbourhoods Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for consultation and are inviting comments from members of the public, organisations and other stakeholders for an eight-week period.

Consultation on the document will commence today and comments must be received no later than 5.00pm on 7 March 2022.

Copies of the draft SPD, consultation response form, guidance note and further information regarding this consultation is available via the Council’s website.

 

The preferred method for submitting comments is on a Consultation Response Form which can be downloaded at the link provided above. Please return your completed form to us via:

Post: Milton Keynes Council, UDLA, Civic, 1 Saxon Gate East, Central Milton Keynes, MK9 3EJ

 

If you need further information or assistance regarding the consultation contact: [email protected]