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Council launches 'park pop-ups' for local businesses

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If you’re a business owner looking for new opportunities in Buckinghamshire, the council’s new ‘park pop-ups’ scheme could be your ideal chance to grow.

Buckinghamshire Council has many beautiful parks and open spaces used by residents and visitors to the county, and thanks to the new scheme there is a great opportunity for businesses to hire space within some of these council-owned parks this year.

Buckinghamshire Council is seeking interest from ‘pop-up’ businesses, including but not limited to: 

• Coffee vans​
• Healthy food vans​
• Bootcamps/personal training​
• Commercial events and festivals

The park pop-ups scheme is a trial for this year and the aim is to have businesses set up to operate in the parks and open spaces in time for the Easter holidays and subsequent summer season.

Businesses will need to enter into an agreement to hire a pop-up pitch within a park, and to hold public liability insurance and comply with other requirements, dependent on the nature of their activity.

For more information, and to find out if park pop-ups can help your business, go to: Park pop-ups

New timeline for developing Buckinghamshire’s Local Plan is agreed

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Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet has today (11 March) approved a new timetable for the production of a Local Plan for Buckinghamshire.

The Local Plan for Buckinghamshire will set out a vision and framework for future growth in the county, showing where development can happen, and protect places where it needs to be carefully controlled. Once adopted, the Local Plan will be a critical planning document that the Council will use to help decide planning applications and making other planning related decisions.

It ensures there is enough of the right homes and workplaces, infrastructure, local facilities and services, transport, and sports and recreation, while protecting the environment and our rural county as much as possible. 

Without a Local Plan, development will still happen, but the council would have much less control over where and how it happens. 

Following the publication of the updated National Planning Policy Framework in December 2024, the Government announced that councils must commit within twelve weeks to new timetables for their Local Plans. 

Therefore we have updated our Local Development Scheme (LDS) – which includes the timeline for developing the Local Plan. Following today’s approval from Cabinet this will now be implemented.

At today’s meeting, the Council’s updated Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) was also approved. This is a document that the council must produce and keep up to date to ensure effective community involvement at all stages in the planning process.

It sets out how anyone who lives, works, plays or carries out business in the Buckinghamshire Council area can be involved in local planning decisions and the preparation of planning documents. 

Social media summary

Read it here

Your Path to Policing - Thames Valley Police Recruitment Webinar

Are you interested in becoming a Police Officer?

Join us for an informative online webinar on 11th March (6pm-7pm), designed to guide you through your recruitment journey and address any questions you may have about becoming a police officer.

You’ll hear directly from our recruitment specialists, as well as a serving police officer currently working in Incident and Crime Response (ICR), who will share their personal experience of successfully navigating the recruitment process. We’ll also feature a guest speaker from our Foundation Training team, giving you a detailed insight into the training you’ll undergo. Our goal is to ensure you feel well-prepared and informed about what to expect on your journey to becoming a substantive officer with Thames Valley Police.

Sign up today for the chance to ask questions, gain valuable knowledge, and feel confident as you embark on your journey to becoming a police officer. This is your opportunity to get answers and ensure you’re fully prepared for what lies ahead.

You can sign up to our webinar via this link > Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Team

Stay cyber secure with the Our News

Welcome to our March newsletter! Highlights include:

• Passwords – 3 easy steps to keeping your information secure
• Local news from Neighbourhood Watch groups
• Transitioning to digital landlines – everything you need to know
• Understanding the Internet of Things and cyber security

Read the March edition.

Stop - It's the law

Council urges drivers to be respectful of the vital work carried out by school crossing patrollers.

Known commonly as lollipop men and women, Buckinghamshire's 60 school crossing patrollers are on duty come rain or shine, morning and afternoon during school term time, wielding their trusty STOP signs to help children and adults reach school safely. While most drivers are respectful and stop when requested, a small minority can be abusive and put lives at risk with dangerous manoeuvres, as they refuse to stop to allow safe crossings.

Since the start of the school year in 2021 to November 2024, there have been 39 reported incidents. Of these, four were injury incidents, 29 were near misses, and the remainder were verbal incidents. However, it is expected numbers are higher than this, as patrollers don’t report every incident, despite encouragement. 

School crossing patrollers have a legal right to stop traffic for anyone who needs help crossing the road. They have the same authority as a police officer to stop traffic. Failing to stop when a school crossing patrol displays the stop sign is an offence that can result in a £1,000 fine, three penalty points, and disqualification. Failing to stop puts vulnerable road users at risk and patrollers are instructed to report any driver who fails to stop to the police, which could lead to prosecution.

Instances of dangerous behaviour include drivers using abusive language, failing to stop when the patroller is already in the road, and swerving around patrollers to get past. Drivers also make patrollers' jobs more difficult by blocking pavements and stopping or parking inconsiderately to drop off children, especially at School Keep Clear markings and bus stops.

Drivers are being reminded when approaching a school:

• Slow down when you see a patrol warning sign or flashing lights and be prepared to stop.
• Stop when the patrol is displaying the stop sign.
• Be patient and do not move forward.
• Do not park where the patrol works, on zig-zag lines, or other areas with parking restrictions.

To report any incidents involving School Crossing Patrollers, residents are asked to contact:

• Aylesbury Vale and Wycombe (West) - Corinne Randall on 01296 383 432 
• Chiltern & South Bucks and Wycombe (East) - Nigel Rosier on 01296 382608 

Bucks CC agrees spending plans and council tax rates for the coming year

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Buckinghamshire Council has agreed its budget for the coming financial year, including confirming an investment of £120 million in the county’s road network.

The final budget was voted on by full council last at a meeting last night, where spending plans of more than £600 million on local services and communities were agreed.

The budget includes the following investment over a four-year period:

• £182.5 million on schools
• £130.1 million on strategic infrastructure such as the new South East Aylesbury Link Road
• £120 million on highways
• £30.4 million on waste and recycling services
• £24.8 million on housing and homelessness
• £22.7 million on regeneration projects particularly focussing on town centre improvements
• £10.7 million on highways drainage
• £10.7 million on flood management

These spending decisions were informed by local residents during consultation last Autumn, who told the council they wanted adult social care services, roads and education to be prioritised.

The council’s Medium Term Financial Plan details how it will balance the books until 2028, and outlines significant spending pressures the council is facing, particularly with increased cost and demand in social care, temporary accommodation and transporting children with additional needs to and from school. These services make up 71% of the council’s overall budget, leaving 29% left to pay for everything else.

Both the Capital and Revenue budgets are funded mostly by council tax, which makes up 80% of the funding for the council’s services, with the remaining 20% coming from grants, central government and other income streams.

The council has made significant savings to run a balanced budget, totalling £116.8 million in its first five years of operation as a unitary authority. A further £115.6 million in savings has been identified over the next three years, to allow the council to keep investing in local services as well as providing the critical statutory support services such as social care that residents rely on.

The basic rate of council tax in Buckinghamshire will rise by 2.99 per cent from 1 April 2025, and the Adult Social Care precept will increase by 2 per cent, meaning a total rise of 4.99 per cent, or an extra £1.77 per week for the average Band D home during 2025/26.

Vehicle crime project

Due to a reported increase in vehicle related crime, Buckinghamshire Council’s Community Safety team are running a vehicle crime project across Buckinghamshire, to raise public awareness of how to protect vehicles from being targeted.

One of the planned activities includes partnering with eight garages across Buckinghamshire with the aim of reducing number plate theft.

Visit any of the below garages and ask to have anti-tamper proof number plate screws installed for FREE on your vehicle. You will also be provided with crime prevention products and leaflets.

Head to the following garages and ask about the scheme*:

• Aylesbury – Tyre Pros, Park Street, HP20 1DX
• Aylesbury – Kwik Fit, Wynne Jones Business Centre, Walton Road, HP21 7RL 
• Buckingham – Eurolane MOT, Swan Business Centre, Unit 5 Osier Way, MK18 1TB
• Chesham – Tyre Pros, Amersham Road, HP5 1NG
• Iver – Kwik Fit, Shredding Green Garage, Langley Park Road, SL0 0JG
• Amersham – Kwik Fit, 2A-2B St Georges Industrial Estate, White Lion Road, HP7 9JQ
• High Wycombe – Kwik Fit, 97 London Road, HP11 1BU
• High Wycombe – Kwik Fit, 511 London Road, Wycombe Marsh, HP11 1EP

*whilst stocks last

For further details visit Community Safety | Buckinghamshire Council, or email communitysafety@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

Protect yourself from Holiday fraud: don’t let fraudsters trip you up this summer.

People looking to snap up online holiday deals ahead of the summer are being warned to stay extra alert and do their research before booking their getaways, as new data reveals victims lost a total of over £11 million to holiday fraud last year.

Action Fraud, the national fraud and cybercrime reporting service, has launched a holiday fraud campaign, urging the public who are looking to snap up their next holiday deals online to look out for suspiciously enticing offers online, including on social media, and do their research before booking their getaways.

New data shows there were 6,066 reports of holiday fraud made to Action Fraud last year, with July recorded as the highest month of reporting with 647 reports.

Holiday makers lost a combined total of £11,183,957 in 2024, which is comparatively less than the £12.3 million lost in 2023. Despite, the drop in reported loss, the average loss per victim remains at similar levels, with £1,851 the average in 2023 and £1,844 in 2024.

What can you do to protect yourself from holiday fraud?

• Check the travel company is legitimate: about to book a holiday? Do some research first to check that the company is legitimate, especially if you haven’t used them before. Use consumer websites, or reviews from people (or organisations) that you trust.
• Look for the logos: look for the ABTA, ABTOT or ATOL logos on the company’s website. If you’re unsure, you can use the links below to verify membership:
• Use a credit card to pay: use a credit card for payments (if you have one). Many of these protect online purchases as part of the Consumer Credit Act.
• Only provide required details at checkout: when making your payment, only fill in the mandatory details (often marked with an asterisk) such as your address. Unless you think you’ll become a regular customer, don't create an account for the store.
• Keep your accounts secure: create a strong and unique password for your email. If 2-step verification is available, always enable it.
• Watch out for suspicious links: whether it’s in an email or social media post, be wary of promotions for unbelievably good holiday offers.

If you receive a suspicious email, report it by forwarding it to: report@phishing.gov.uk

Find out how to protect yourself from fraud

If you’ve lost money or provided your financial information to someone, notify your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud or by calling 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.

Buckinghamshire Lottery: Win big, give back and make a difference!

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Which good cause will benefit from your random act of kindness? That’s the question from Buckinghamshire Council to residents this Random Act of Kindness Day (17 February 2025).

With Buckinghamshire Lottery, Buckinghamshire residents can make a difference to their community by supporting local good causes while also potentially winning big.

By purchasing a ticket for just £1 per week, players not only have the opportunity to win cash prizes including the weekly £25,000 jackpot, but 60p of every ticket sale goes directly towards supporting local good causes. From animal charities, scout groups, charities providing support for health issues like cancer, mental health and Alzheimer’s, local food banks, sport clubs and youth projects – there’s a good cause close to everybody's heart.

The funds raised through the lottery have directly contributed to expanding our therapeutic services and outreach programs, helping survivors of sexual violence and their families access the compassionate care they need. Thanks to this vital funding we’ve been able to extend our counselling hours, and reach more individuals across South Buckinghamshire who deserve safety, healing, and empowerment.

Last year, over £66,000 was raised for good causes registered with Buckinghamshire Lottery, and nearly £28,000 was raised in addition to this for Buckinghamshire Lottery’s Community Fund which supports even more local projects and community groups in the county.

There’s already over 1,500 active players across Buckinghamshire who helped raise nearly £94,000 last year for local good causes – and you could join them.

To purchase a ticket and support local causes, go to: buckinghamshirelottery.co.uk

If you’re part of a local good cause looking to boost your fundraising in 2025, you can sign up online for free. There are no set up costs or admin fees, just a great way to raise money and to give your supporters a chance to win themselves. As a registered good cause you’ll get your own customisable lottery webpage, funds sent directly to your account every month, great prizes for your supporters, marketing help and materials to help you promote your good cause through Buckinghamshire Lottery, and weekly reports via email updates.

For more information visit buckinghamshirelottery.co.uk/good-causes

Council spearheads partnership working to address increase in vehicle related crime

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Following a noted increase in vehicle related crime in Buckinghamshire, the council’s Community Safety Team has been working with partners, including Thames Valley Police (TVP), to raise public awareness of how to protect vehicles from being targeted.

The Community Safety Team successfully bid for funding from the Thames Valley Police & Crime Commissioner to run a vehicle crime project across Buckinghamshire. The funding has been used to support a range of activities including:

• Clear car campaigns – Community safety officers and the local TVP neighbourhood team have visited car parks and noted down registration details of vehicles displaying items on show, which could lead to a potential break in. Items such as wallets, handbags and cash were spotted by officers. Owners leaving valuables on show will receive a crime prevention letter with advice and information on how to keep their vehicle safe.
• Pop up events – Providing residents with vehicle crime prevention advice and items such as keyless car signal blocking pouches.
• Vehicle crime signage – Will be displayed in beauty spots and pub/hotel car park locations with a high vehicle crime rate to increase awareness around vehicle crime.
• Number plate screws – In partnership with Kwik Fit, eight garages across Buckinghamshire have been provided with  anti-tamper proof number plate screws to install on vehicles. This is a free service offered to local communities to help reduce number plate thefts. Along with securing their number plates, those who use this service will receive an  air freshener, ice scraper, vehicle stickers and leaflets all displaying vehicle crime related messages. Garages will record how many have been installed so the effectiveness of the project can be monitored.

For more information on community safety in Buckinghamshire visit: here.