Precept

Band D rate was increased from £37.19 to £39.04 which is an increase resulting in the Parish Council receiving £37,293.31.

Finances.

Opening Balance: £649,623.82

Project Spend: £51,815.88

Receipts: £78,255.88

Projected closing balance: £676,064.49

(Projected as year-end has not been closed off yet).

CIL

The Parish Council received £18,155.32 of CIL funds and spent £3145.29.

Below is a chart showing how CIL Funds have been spent over the last five years.

Grants Awarded

Orchard View Farm Community Garden £2,059.00 Community Garden Projects

Longwick Pre-school £780.00 Grant for Baby and Toddler Group

Promoting Sport in the Community £233.50 Grant for Sport Sessions

Longwick Evening WI £45.50 Carol Concert Sundries

CIL Funding Expiry

Due to delays from Bucks about our Transport Proposals and with £125K to be spent by April 2025, it was agreed that Buckinghamshire Council would not claim back the funds from the Parish Council.

Planning Applications:

Considered: 54 applications

Permitted: 37

Refused: 11

Withdrawn: 5

Not to make a tree preservation order: 3

Split detail Reserved by Condition: 1

Longwick Transport Vision Initiative Plan for the Parish.

It was as far back as June2023 that the Council presented a set of proposals to Steve Broadbent, the Bucks cabinet member for transport, for works throughout the Parish to curb what was perceived as excessive and dangerous speeding etc.

It has been an exceedingly frustrating time since then to get any decisions despite our meeting with Greg Smith MP, our 3 Risborough Ward Councillors and numerous employees at County Hall and I know our residents have shared our concerns as time drifted on.

I am therefore pleased to be able to let you know this evening that decisions have been made and where matters presently stand – Bucks are to install a Toucan crossing at the Sportsman roundabout with some more cycle track built in towards Risborough and to our delight the cost which is likely to be some £200K is not coming from our CIL funds but from S106 moneys. Containing traffic lights, it is expected that when complete this will slow the traffic although Bucks have promised to do a traffic survey then and if speeds are not noticeably reduced then physical changes to the roundabout will be looked at. The 3 phases to start the process are Feasibility…Preliminary Design…and Detailed design and the Parish Council will be voting later this evening in our own meeting to commit £25K towards the design costs of these phases.

Smaller projects will be handled ‘in-house’ by Bucks and spades in ground should be quicker….these projects include dragon’s teeth and line refresh and improved signage on Stockwell Lane at Meadle and Little Meadle and, in conjunction with Chiltern Railways, at the B4009 rail bridge. Speed surveys will be conducted once these works have been done to see what difference (if any) they have made.

Disappointingly, the Authority will not consider a reduction in speed limits on Stockwell Lane through Meadle and Little Meadle nor could they be persuaded to put in a buffer zone on A4129 approaching Longwick from Thame.

However, we will see a change later from the Sportsman roundabout down Lower Icknield Way to under the bridge to 30 mph.

Neighbourhood Plan Review

As Buckinghamshire Council (BC) is preparing a new Local Plan and Neighbourhood Plans (NP) are given more weight in planning decisions if they are less than five years old, the Parish Council (PC) agreed in 2024-25 to review the Neighbourhood Plan adopted in 2018.

In July we successfully applied for a Locality grant of £10,000 to review the NP and carry out evidence-gathering work for a new NP. Our consultant arranged a public drop-in event in October to update and brief residents about the review process and the significant levels of interest from local landowners to Buckinghamshire Council’s Call for Sites. The process also looked at how effective the NP policies have been at managing speculative development applications and the evidence to gather for a new NP.

Residents’ feedback to the workshop themes were about how people travel about on foot, by bike and car, and what needs to be improved (including bus services); the location of facilities used and needed in future; areas with flooding and wider ecological features; the attractiveness of the parish as a rural area, and what characteristics make it special. Residents were also invited to help look at views of Longwick from the AONB given the recent developments and future sites being promoted. The continuing uncertainty about whether BC will want to add new development to Longwick in the next 20 years remains. But this work is essential for us to be able to respond fully to a Consultation Draft Local Plan due out in 2025-26.

The Parish Council also applied successfully for a Technical Grant from Locality to commission a Housing Needs Assessment, so that a new NP could plan properly for local affordable housing needs, which reports back in early 2025-26. The PC was also briefed by Bucks Rural Housing Enabling Officer on a potential residents’ survey about affordable rural housing options for first homes or downsizing, which can be carried out in 2025-26.

Bar Lane

It has taken awhile for Buckinghamshire Highways to repair the removal of all the new signage that was implemented and renew the red surfacing, but at last the work has now been completed.

Drop in Sessions

The Parish Council continued with the drop-in session on a Saturday morning in the Platinum Room every three months throughout 2024, for parishioners to come and speak to two Councillors regarding their concerns within the Parish. The last one took place in September 2024 and was discontinued because only two residents on average attended at each session.

Community Engagement Survey.

A Community Survey was held to see what residents would like to see happening in the Parish. 89 Responses were received which varied in contents. An extract of some of the actions taken on board:

Additional Play equipment and for those with additional needs.

Football Goals.

Signage re Control of Dogs. (see below).

Anti- Social Behaviour (see below)

Speeding of Traffic Calming and Highways – on our website.

Fly Tipping in Owlswick

Issues Footway/pathways (see below).

Owlswick Green

We were informed by our Solicitor that the hand -over of the Green would be October 2025, but as the small Housing development has been completed, we have asked for this to be sooner but no reply to date. Our MP and Buckinghamshire Councillor are looking to see if they can move this transfer forward.

SID

On Thame Road is still not working after the many reports into Buckinghamshire Highways.

One of our Buckinghamshire Councillor is looking into why it is taking so long to replace.

Hedges and trees around the Playing field.

7 dead Elms were taken out of the hedge that backs on to Wickfield Estate.

Hedge around Playing Field was cut back after the nesting season.

Footpaths and Pathways were checked and reported that some growth from the verges is evading the pavements causing narrowing in some parts. Reported to BCC.

Trees survey was addressed by the Arboriculturist around the Playing Field. This is done each year to check general tree condition and any significant defects etc.

Play Area, Skate Park, and Zip Wire.

A new seat was required for the zip wire and some adjustments to the exercise equipment were repaired.

A new picnic bench was replaced due to wear and tear.

The fence around the playing field was looked into making sure there was enough room for hedgehogs to go through or pass under.

Playground repairs undertaken after ROSPA report.

Matting requested to be put by entrance to the field. Coverage may be extended.

A new Community Board has been placed on Longwick Playing Field

Play in the Park Session

Run by JR Sports over Easter Holidays - free for children within the Parish to attend. Sponsored by PC.

Parish Council Remembrance Service

The Remembrance Service was well attended by the residents of the parish and visitors plus children from Longwick School and pre-school. Gary Hall one of our Buckinghamshire Councillor attended and laid a wreath on behalf of Buckinghamshire Council.

Thank you to the resident for arranging a very good service and to the ladies of the WI who decorated the Memorial and the LOGs for clearing the area.

The railings around the Memorial have been removed as they were unsafe but once repaired, they will be re-installed with a new refreshed look.

Christmas Tree

Thank you to Penn’s nursery who donates a Christmas Tree each year to the Parish Council which was placed on the Playing Field.

Thank you again to the resident for collecting and erecting the Christmas Tree on the field.

Flower Boxes

Thank you to the two ladies who are tending to our Flower Boxes in Longwick. The different flowers make a lovely show as you enter the village.

Defibrillators

The Parish Council agreed to take ownership of the three Defibrillators, one outside the Village Hall, the other at the Red Lion and the one in Ilmer was added under our asset register and covered under the PC insurance.

Dogs to be kept under control Signs.

Signs have been placed around the Playing field asking Dog Owners to keep their dogs under control when using the Playing field as there are many other users wishing to use the field. Any incident please report into the police or the Dog Warden. Details of Dog Warden are on the Signs and also on our website.

Litter-Picking Groups.

I would like to thank the organiser who arranges the Litter-picking volunteers, for keeping Longwick village tidy, but also to a number of residents who are also litter-picking around the hamlets. Our parish looks neat and tidy.

Complaints

Anti- Social Behaviour/ Drugs

TVP have been informed about the Drug use mentioned in the previous survey but ask that any incident to be reported to them via their website www.thamesvalley.police.uk/ report a crime or 101. Details on our website as well.

Fly Tipping in Owlswick – reported to Fix my street with details if possible – Registration of vehicle and photographic evidence, if safe to do so.

VE Day Celebration on 8^th May 2025 from 5.00pm- 8.00pm on Longwick Playing Field.Further details to follow.

Thank You

I would like to say thank you to Tracey Martin our Clerk for all the hard work she has done on behalf of the Parish Council throughout the year and to the Parish Councillors who have undertaken other projects, plus our three Buckinghamshire Councillors who support the Parish Council and update as on matters around the area.

Valerie McPherson BEM

Chair Longwick cum Ilmer Parish Council April 2025.