Does High Wycombe have a future?

The heartfelt plea from Cllr Sebert Graham (Bucks Free Press, July 26) should surely strike a chord with all readers of the BFP.

The problem is that the plea for action by WDC is now too late. WDC vanishes on March 31, 2020, and rolls over into the new unified authority at Aylesbury.

There is no longer scope for action of the type Cllr Sebert wants. The £25 million in reserves that he identifies will go with it. The only role for WDC is to oversee the demolition of itself and sort the staff redundancies.

This was clearly expressed by Karen Satterford in her statement explaining her departure (BFP, July 19) as “at the moment we are planning for eight months ahead, for six months ahead”.

That is, planning for the end and the demise of the council.

There does seem to be a reluctance to admit that it is no longer ‘business as usual’.

The new Wycombe Local Plan for the period up to 2033 was declared ‘sound’ by Inspector Nicola Gully on July 10.

In response WDC and the exec committee will have special meetings on August 19 to discuss this. Why? There is nothing to discuss for any action to adopt the plan will be pointless.

WDC should send the Local Plan with the Inspector’s report off to Aylesbury with a message that reads - ‘you sort it out’.

The threat to High Wycombe and the district is existential. In another 20 years and it will just be a forgotten part of Greater Aylesbury, following the next local government reorganisation.

Andrew Barrow, address withheld

A merciful release from Brexit talk?

Thanks for publishing unedited, my long letters over the past few weeks, in reply to those of Mr Laurance Reed, on the subject of Brexit.

Mr Reed seems to have nothing further to say and I have said all I want to say, so now I shall have mercy on those who read, and those who edit, the BFP letters page, and fall silent.

Lawrence Linehan, Wooburn Green

Vet hospital is excellent despite staff blunder

Horrified as I was by the lack of responsibility displayed by the ex-employee in the story (Bucks Free Press, July 26, page 7), I wish to reassure readers that Hamilton's Veterinary Hospital is a centre of excellence which we are so very lucky to have in this town.

We had the horrifying experience of picking up our bleeding, screaming 11-year-old terrier after being hit by a car (driver blameless, by the way). We took her straight to our vets - Temple End - and after stabilising her with pain relief overnight they recommended we took her to Hamilton's.

Here she was expertly assessed and admitted. She had sustained a head injury and a lower back injury, at the base of her tail.

She was in for a week, she had a CAT scan, an MRI scan, was on a drip with a powerful painkiller and continuous nursing throughout.

We had twice daily reports by the kennel staff and a daily phone call from Michael Hamilton to update us on their every thought about her care.

The team together concluded from the evidence that (extraordinarily unusually) she would not need an operation, all being well.

So, one week later, we had her home, on pain relief and strict cage rest but mending. The rest is up to her and us.

We might well have had a dog in permanent pain or paralysis if it was not for the superb, professional and expert care available to us at Hamilton's.

I cannot recommend them highly enough, please let no-one who read the article last week ever be put off from making use of their specialist expertise.

Kate Phillips, address withheld

A big thank you for your help

The Rethink Mental Illness collection and charity stalls held in Beaconsfield on July 5 and 6 raised £969.98. A very big thank you to all those people who made donations and purchases.

Sally Busby, group chairman, South Bucks Rethink Mental Illness

Another traumatic moment for MP Steve Baker

Last week provided another traumatic moment for our MP Steve Baker, who also doubles as the water carrier for Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson.

Years of fawning adoration over Boris Johnson would all seem to have been in vain. No cabinet position was offered to him.

I understand after watching his ITV news interview, that a post was offered. Sadly however, Steve felt that it was such a lowly position that Larry the Downing Street cat would have had a greater input into affairs of state.

Some could say this is poetic justice, given that Steve Baker spent all his time and energies trying to unseat an elected Prime Minister. Along with doing his utmost to push through a disastrous crash out Brexit. All against his constituency members' wishes.

Never mind Steve, I'm sure it's not all your own fault. Perhaps you went to the wrong school, or failed to join the Bullingdon Club.

Steve Sturgess, address withheld

Could this Green Belt furore be hypocrisy?

Last week's edition of the BFP reported a planning application had been lodged with Chiltern District Council for a Service Area between junctions 16-17 of the M25.

This application was from the owners of Beaconsfield Services, which since opening has built up an excellent reputation. I digress.

The most important piece of information included in the BFP report was that the intended land was 'Green Belt'. Horror of horror. Building on Greenbelt land, never.

But before the objectors give voice, consider this. Planning application 18/05002/R9OUTE.

This is/was Green Belt land stretching from Ashwells, Tylers Green, down the Gomm Valley, to eventually join with Gomm Road, just beyond B&Q.

I, having objected to this application on the grounds that; the planning application was placed by none other than WDC Country Estates, given that WDC continually plead poverty and continue to cut services, how could they, WDC CE possibly afford to purchase such a tract of land, without taking a huge loan? Who pays the interest, on such a loan?

WDC's vehicle movement/pedestrian footfall figures were proved incorrect by the objectors’ independent consultants, a fact that WDC admitted to. There are no new bus services linked to this new building programme. There are no new schools within these plans. There are no new medical facilities planned. No new services planned; water pumping stations, sewage proposals, etc.

WDC have repeatedly expressed their desire that they do not want to link the town of High Wycombe with the local villages, thus avoiding urban sprawl and keeping much needed green spaces between them.

For the first tranche of building, 100+ homes [300 in total], vehicle movements will be restricted to using Cock Lane, to the A40, or through Tylers Green/Penn to already congested roads.

Having written my objections I was then invited and to possibly speak at one of the public meetings.

However, on a second reading of the invitation email the following comment jumped off the page. 'Having considered all the options and objections the Council is minded to approve the plans'.

Would this comment have anything to do with comment one above [the planning application was placed by none other than WDC Country Estates]?

If they, the relevant councils, refuse the proposed planning application for the new M25 Services Area on Green Belt land, do you think they would recognise the word 'hypocrisy', writ large, said loud, that they would be accused of?

J Everson, Penn

Kind donations will help those with MS

The South West Bucks Group of the Multiple Sclerosis Society held a street collection in Bourne End on Saturday, July 13. A total of £260.61 was collected.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who gave so generously to our collection to help our fundraising and also to all our collectors who gave up their time for free. It is very much appreciated. All the money raised will be used to help people with MS in the local area.

Jennifer Barnes, MS Society

Don’t talk our great town down

I READ with sadness Cllr Graham’s comments reported in last week’s Bucks Free Press as I really don’t recognise the town he painted as being High Wycombe.

The Wycombe I know and love has beautiful old buildings, is steeped in history, with fascinating traditions. Several buildings have been bought and transformed under the Conservative run council’s ambitious initiatives to acquire vacant shops, refurbish them and re-let them at competitive rents that attract independent businesses. All of which adds vitality to the town.

The old Ottakers store is the latest to be transformed following the Mad Squirrel craft brewery and The Works.

Since Eden opened in 2008, I’ve seen huge improvements in our town.

Yes there are empty shops, but that is the same of any town as our retail shopping habits change. I’ve seen household names open such as Primark, Decathlon, TJ Maxx to name but three. Wycombe District Council has been instrumental in bringing Lidl and Aldi to Desborough. We have the artists’ quarter in Desbox and Wycombe Arts Centre in St Johns Church, all delivered by the Conservative Council.

Yes we have our issues too, that is why the Council have employed three street wardens to offer shoppers a reassuring friendly presence and to help deter crime and anti-social behaviour in the town. We have plans coming into force to help with the air quality issues and of course fly tipping and potholes are still the responsibility of the county council until the unitary starts next year.

I cannot deny that I would prefer to see our homeless numbers at nil, but they are far less than any other major town around us, and we are building new temporary accommodation in the town which will be capable of housing more people than we currently can. We have helped to bring the Extra Care and Royal Star and Garter homes to Hughenden which not only provide living accommodation, but also jobs for our town.

Councillor Graham expresses his opinion on the necessity of a town council for High Wycombe. I think that the above shows what can be done in a town without the extra exorbitant cost of a town council. I would caution those wanting to see its implementation to stop and think of the extra costs on their precept that a town council would create. In 2019/2020 the cost of the town committee to a band D taxpayer is £14.50. This compares with the highest town council in the district being £101.85. A large extra sum for our taxpayers to find.

In High Wycombe I see a town ever evolving to the meet changing needs. A town where there is a good retail offering, great places to eat and a variety of leisure pursuits for everyone to enjoy. Wycombe is a fascinating town, home to a resplendent array of cultures and communities where there is so much to do and see.

Our parks have once again been awarded Green Flag status and we have the benefit of countryside on our doorstep.

My response to Cllr Graham is, please don’t talk our wonderful town down – celebrate it for all its resplendent qualities and the unique jewel it is in our district.

A jewel made even better by the regeneration, projects and schemes undertaken by the Conservative led Council who have done it all and will continue to do so, without adding the burden of the extra tax a town council would create for town residents.

Cllr Katrina Wood, Wycombe District Council leader