Meeting documents

As listed above.

To declare any personal or prejudicial interests

There were no declarations of interest.

To confirm the notes of the Greater Aylesbury LAF held on 6 October 2008.

The notes of the Greater Aylesbury LAF held on 6 October 2008 were confirmed subject to the following:

Pg 2, Agenda Item 8, Future of Locality Working in Buckinghamshire, last line, Hulcote Parish Council should read Hulcott Parish Council.

Pg 3, Agenda Item 8, Line 15, "the Forum is not a decision-making body and can only make recommendations on its findings". It was requested the following sentence be added "The Forum is an evolving meeting".

A reminder email will be sent to all LAF members, asking for volunteers for each of the working groups.

Action: Ian Reed

Brian Robson enquired if it had to be a ‘member’ of the Forum to volunteer for one of the working groups, as Brian has someone interested in volunteering for the NAG review working group. The Forum agreed that they will take the person as a nominee for the NAG review working group.

Action: Brian Robson to provide Nigel Brooke with contact details of volunteer.

Freda Roberts and Denise Summers volunteered for the Queens Park Centre working group.

Ian Reed reminded members that working groups should be flexible and they are about getting something done and should aim to have their first meeting by the end of December.

Members were asked to note that Greater Aylesbury LAF has a delegated budget of £23,000. Nominations for transportation/highway related schemes should be sent to Ann-Marie Davis by 31 December 2008.

Action: Members to forward nominations to Ann-Marie Davis.

A 20 minute public question time.  Questions to be submitted in writing to Ian Reed, Senior Area Co-ordinator by 5pm on Monday 3 November 2008.

There were no questions asked.

To consider and receive any petitions that may be submitted.

Petitions received:

a) Freda Roberts Bridge Campaign

The following Petitions were received and considered by the Forum:

[Freda Roberts left the room whilst the Freda Roberts Bridge Petition was discussed]

a)     Freda Roberts Bridge Campaign (This Petition was received by County Council in October 2008.)

In discussion members noted the following points:

• Freda Roberts has represented part of Aylesbury Town for over 45 years.
• There are precedents of bridges being named after Councillors in Buckinghamshire.
• Freda meets the criteria for previous precedents – a local and long serving Councillor.
• There is no strong alternative name for the bridge.
• Freda is an individual who has given so much to the community and the name of the bridge should not be about politics.
• Twinning with Bourg en Bresse, had very limited effect on the Town.
• Over 200 signatures were collected in a couple of hours that were in favour of the Freda Roberts Bridge Campaign.
• Freda has campaigned to put town on map and to name the bridge after a town with limited link with Aylesbury cannot be supported.

Action: Anne James to advise Cllr Valerie Letheren, Cabinet Member for Transportation of the comments of the Local Area Forum.

b)     Car Parking Charges - (AVDC charging for parking on Sundays)

Keith Turner presented the Petition.

In discussion members noted the following points:

• Parking in off street carparks on Sundays was previously free
• Shoppers will be affected
• Residents who have family/friends visiting will be affected.
• It is a tax on worship as have to pay for prayer and town Churches will be affected.
• Milton Keynes and Oxford are getting rid of charges and shoppers will be diverted from the town to these alternative centres.
• Small businesses/shops will be affected.
• AVDC is spending money on events on Sundays but then discourages attendance by implementing charges.
• Car parks should pay for themselves, but should not provide revenue.
• Community life in Aylesbury is more important in economic downturn as people look locally for enjoyment and pleasure.

Action: Nigel Brooke to advise the District Council of the Forums views.

c)      Save our Market

Niknam Hussain presented the Petition.

In discussion members noted the following points:

• AVDC previously advised they would consult with
• Traders have been informed that they will be responsible for buying and putting up and down the stalls.
• Long standing traders are moving away from the town as a result.
• Profile of market needs raising.
• When waterside scheme is up and running there will be no provision for traders vans so there is long term concerns regarding how easy the logistics of arriving, unpacking and vice versa will be.
• Not taking account of the fact that Aylesbury is a market town.

Action: Nigel Brooke to advise the District Council of the Forums views.

The Forum to receive a presentation on the Consultation on the provision of schools places for early years and primary aged pupils, up to 2012; and for pupils aged 11-19, up to 2018.

Andrew Tusting, Operations Manager, Local Delivery gave a presentation ‘Aylesbury Area Plan’.

Members received copies of the Aylesbury Area Plan for both Primary and Secondary Schools.

The Key points of the presentation were:

• Area Plans are needed to effectively plan school places, as they ensure all factors pertinent to the planning of school places are taken into account.
• There will be 7 Area Plans covering the whole of Buckinghamshire -Aylesbury is the first.
• The aim is to raise educational standards for children in Aylesbury Town.
• Provide good quality early years provisions.
• Consult with the community.
• Improve school buildings.
• The initial plan has been published and is now subject to Consultation with the wider community.

The plan has developed due to:

• Population trends

• Condition of buildings
• Impact of housing growth

Members made the following points:

• Concerns were raised that the Consultation document had been sent out with no details of where to send a response. Andrew Tusting advised that the website feeds into the link and paper copy responses should be addressed to: Andrew Tusting, Operations Manager, Ref: AAP, Buckinghamshire County Council, County Hall, 5^th Floor, Walton Street, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP20 1UZ. Andrew confirmed he would include a note on the website confirming this.
• It was noted that putting a note on the web assumes people have access to the website and Andrew was asked if BCC are merely going through the motions of a Consultation. Andrew advised that BCC are not merely going through the motions.
• It was suggested that BCC should do more publicity to encourage a greater response as many people don’t look at the web. Andrew takes the point and informed the Forum that a flyer has been drafted; there is the website, paper copies, consultation with schools and production of posters as well as a stand in Friars Square on a number of occasions.
• A member queried whether BCC had provided any steer or whether they are asking people with providing no steer. Andrew explained that BCC are in a difficult position, if they provided a steer it would be suggested they had already made their minds up and that it was not a true Consultation. He further explained that the overarching aims of the plans are to raise standards.
• It was highlighted that there appears to be a contradiction in the Plan with regards to St Marys, Fairford Leys. At page 15 it states that there is insufficient numbers of Early Years places to meet demands and that future trends may exacerbate this deficit. Yet page 22 with reference to primary school placements acknowledges a need for more places but suggests these needs will settle and that there is no need to do anything in the longer term.
• Andrew acknowledged that St Marys in Fairford Leys has issues concerning the number of placements and the catchment area but highlighted that there are restraints with the site and ability to access the school.
• The Forum was informed that BCC started work on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Presentation by John Byrne, Head of Planning, AVDC.

John Byrne, Head of Planning, AVDC gave a presentation ‘Directions of Growth of Aylesbury consultation’.

The key points of the presentation were:

AVDC has to deliver:

• 26,900 houses overall of which 16,800 houses are in Aylesbury. This includes 10,000 on new Greenfield sites.
• 21,500 jobs.

This will be achieved by:

• Core strategy will allocate strategic sites, supported and guided by technical advice and Sustainability Appraisal.
• Joint working with advisors
• Includes additional opportunity for public to comment on options.

What is consultation about?

• Three options being considered:

-East

-South

-Combination of both

• Current Consultation runs until 12^th December.
• Leaflets sent to most involved properties
• All information is on Website www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/LDF
• Consultation booklet and response questionnaire.
• Focus on ‘where’ homes to be built not ‘whether’
• Asking about infrastructure requirements and what they should be like
• Asking for people’s views on 3 options
• There is NO PREFERRED OPTION

What happens next?

• Analysis of questionnaires
• Complete technical studies
• Goes to:

o        AVDC Cabinet (10/03/09)

o       Environment scrutiny committee (24/3/09)

o       Cabinet (21/4/09)

o       Council (29/4/09)

• Independent examination Spring 2010 (the inspectors recommendations are binding on council)
• Adoption during 2010
• Further detailed masterplanning
• Planning application process

Members asked the following:

• What is the timeline - is the project behind or on time. John advised members that they are currently running with the agreed government timeline.
• How did you quantify the data as there appears to be some disparity between the County Council and the District Council’s strategic view on the North/West link road into centre of Aylesbury? John advised that the diagrams shown on the consultation material was indicative and not intended to represent detailed road lines and that the fine tuning cannot be taken forward until a decision has been made on the direction of growth.
• John Byrne was asked if there was any independent valuation? The Forum was advised that self scrutiny has been continuous and an independent consultant carried out the sustainability assessment.
• The public was previously advised that there were clear advantages to Southern Growth options, have these advantages now vanished and is there any independent valuation going on to say what the best option is? John advised that the Southern Growth Arc did come out as the strongest option, however things happened inbetween such as the public reaction and delivery issues.

Marcus Rogers, Interim Head of Service, Planning and Environment made the following comments:

• The County Council and District Council are working jointly.
• The Summary notes are relatively easy to read and links in with school provision.
• Provisions for schools will come through once direction of growth has been confirmed.

Suggested meeting dates for 2009

9 February

22 June

14 Sept

7 Dec

The next meeting of the Forum will be held on Monday 9 February 2009 at Aylesbury Town Council.

Dates of future meetings:

9 February

22 June

14 September

7 December