BPARA NEWLETTER DECEMBER 2012
This year
As usual, your officers have represented the Association at many meetings involving local issues, some of which have been reported more fully in previous bulletins. Angie (Chairman), Chris (Secretary) and Bill Malins (Committee Member) have regularly attended the Transport Committee set up jointly by West Bletchley and Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Councils to include other local groups, such as Residents’ Associations. Issues discussed have covered the whole of Bletchley, and pressure has been put on Milton Keynes Council to carry out improvements to roads, some of them pending for many years from the days of the sadly now defunct Bletchley Development Board. These include the now complete alterations to the layout of roundabouts at the junctions of Saxon Street and Watling Street and Sherwood Drive and Buckingham Road. In our area, there is the new pedestrian crossing for students in Sherwood Drive. Parking in the town centre is also a long term controversial problem. The Committee has been pushing for signs indicating the location of car parks, especially the multi-storey, to be installed as a matter of urgency. A map of the town centre showing car parks should be ready very soon and available from the Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Council offices in Queensway. It will also be displayed on council notice boards.
We have been disappointed that the Consortium of Bletchley Residents’ Associations (COBRA) has been inactive this year, as we feel that it has an important role to play in bringing together people to discuss problems, not just to do with transport, affecting the whole of Bletchley. Angie hopes to be taking a more active role in reviving it next year. Your officers attended a packed meeting arranged by the residents opposed to plans to convert the derelict White Hart Public House into a care home and rehabilitation facility. The main concern was about the possibility of the harm its residents might do locally. Although the development is not in our area, it is very close. We felt that there was justification for local feeling, so wrote to oppose the application. Angie and Chris attended a meeting of West Bletchley Council Planning Committee to hear proposals from developers wishing to build on the land adjacent to Milton Keynes College in Sherwood Drive. Their plan is to erect twelve houses there, so raising enough money to restore the cricket pavilion which is now in a deplorable condition. We considered the plan reasonable, but so far no application has been submitted. Chris spoke to the same committee about reasons for objecting to proposals to build fifty-six houses and flats on land at the South East corner of Bletchley Park. The Committee voted to object to the application on those grounds. Chris also spoke twice to the Milton Keynes Council Development Control Committee about this issue, arguing that fifty-six houses were too many on land within the Conservation Area, so close to the historic buildings of the Park. In any case, the land was not intended to be used for more housing. Sadly, the application was passed by a small majority.
There are sometimes misunderstandings about housing developments around the Park. The Park Trust has no control over them whatsoever. The big development at the Northern end was refused by Milton Keynes Council but approved by the Planning Inspectorate, a national government body. That development is now almost complete, but some residents have problems. Those living closest to it have had to suffer the ugliness and inconvenience of the builders’ very large compound, which is actually taking up what should be open space with a children’s play area. We have tried to help, even by contacting our MP. He tells us that there is a government committee considering ways to speed up the adoption of large new developments by local councils.
Another committee in which we have been involved is that considering a piece of public art to be installed somewhere in West Bletchley, funded by money which developers are obliged to pay. Consultations are still continuing. At last there is news of some improvements happening on The Leys. We are told that new equipment should be installed on the play area at the Sherwood Drive end of the field by February 2013. Some trees and shrubs to improve the landscaping are now ready for planting when suitable weather conditions permit.
Bletchley Park
2012 has proved very successful for the Trust, its twenty-first year. Among many interesting events, there was the visit of the Olympic torch early in the year. One of the most successful fund raising events has been the sale of Bletchley Park Monopoly sets. This includes a copy of the home made board on which Alan Turing played with a friend. Recently the family of his friend kindly donated the original to the Trust, which has made this possible.
Rectory Cottages
The cottages, another historic treasure of our area, is also run by a Trust, of which our member, Karen Lamb, is secretary. Recently it has had extensive repairs, ensuring its continuation as a very pleasant, reasonably priced meeting place. (For details contact Karen on 01908 644432)
West Bletchley Council
The Council recently moved to new offices at 221 Whaddon Way, Bletchley, MK3 7DZ. Its telephone number and e-mail address remain unchanged. Details of the move and of the Art Project, mentioned above, are given in their latest newsletter, Open Door, as is a piece about the change of status of Rickley Lane School, which is now independent of Milton Keynes Council. It has joined the Co-operative Society of Schools. All our members should have received the magazine now that the delivery system is greatly improved. The Melrose Avenue Resource Centre (MARC) is very successful and provides valuable advice services to the local community. It is also a collection point for the local Food Bank – which would be most grateful for donations of suitable food in the approach to Christmas. (N.B. St Mary’s Church also collects food for local families. Ring their office for details: 01908 366531.)
Success for our members
Congratulations to Rosemary and Gordon Farr for their success, for the second time, in winning two categories of the Milton Keynes Garden of the Year Competition, organised by Milton Keynes Council, with Frosts Garden Centre and The Citizen newspaper. They won the best Large Back Garden Category and were overall winners of the competition. Sometimes they have their garden open as part of the National Gardens Scheme during the summer. It’s a delight to visit. Watch for details, if available, in our March issue.
Sad News
We are very sorry to have to report the death on 25th November of Ken Watson, from Whalley Drive, who was auditor of the Association’s accounts from 2007 to 2010 whilst Jonathan Symons was Hon. Treasurer.
Excursions
In some recent newsletters we have given details of excursions arranged by Graham Simpkins, one of our members. Graham and his wife, Heather, have recently moved to Cumbria. He tells us all December and January events are fully booked, but he won’t be forgetting Bletchley – he’ll be organising more in 2013.
Yet another reminder from Chris
I shall definitely have to resign at the next AGM – although I have continued to work as secretary since “resigning” three years ago. There must be someone out there who could take over, even if the job is split into a number of roles. The Association needs its officers to survive.
WE WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A TROUBLE-FREE NEW YEAR.
