Category: News

Colne Valley Regional Park (CVRP) campaign and five-point plan

The Colne Valley Regional Park (CVRP) has launched a campaign and a five-point plan to realise its full potential for people and wildlife and to see it preserved for future generations to enjoy. See https://www.colnevalleypark.org.uk/project/campaign/

After nearly 60 years of positive action and creating tremendous value for money on relatively little public funding, the Colne Valley Regional Park is under pressure like never before. Its recent experience is a classic and alarming illustration of precisely what is going wrong with the Green Belt nationally. But all is not lost.  If there is the political will, the Park can be at the forefront of developing pioneering solutions, that can then be shared with similar areas across the entire country.

Our campaign is focused on how the countryside can fulfil its potential now and in the future. We are pressing for implementation of a five-point plan to:

  1. Influence Local Planning
  2. Restore the Landscape
  3. Reform National Planning
  4. Establish Status (specific protection for regional parks)
  5. Protect Nature

The CVRP Trust is the organisation at the ‘coal face’, has positive proposals. But this is a five-point plan for everyone, and we need support and action from local authorities and national government if your local countryside is to be saved.

I hope your community group will actively support this campaign. In the short term:

  • Please share the weblink above and draw attention to ‘how individuals can help’ at the end of the page
  • Please lobby your local councillors and MPs about the Colne Valley Regional Park and this campaign.

If you need any further information please contact me.

Have a great Christmas and Happy New Year!

Regards

Stewart Pomeroy
Colne Valley Park Managing Agent
Groundwork South
www.colnevalleypark.org.uk
www.south.groundwork.org.uk

Hillingdon Council sets out budget proposals

Budget proposals for 2024/25 were outlined by Hillingdon’s Council’s Cabinet last night (Thursday 14 December), which include plans to maintain and further invest in the borough’s award-winning services and generate efficiency savings through service transformation, with residents set to pay amongst the lowest levels of council tax in outer London. 

Hillingdon Council continues to deliver a balanced budget thanks to its record of sound financial management despite local government continuing to face acute budget challenges because of government funding not increasing in line with inflation and not meeting additional cost pressures due to the rising demand for social care services and housing support.  

The council has built and maintained a substantial capital programme which will see investment of £217.8 million in services, facilities and schools and a further £441.8 million between 2024/25 and 2028/29 on increasing and improving the council’s housing stock. 

The council’s 2024/25 budget also commits to maintaining and investing in services for residents, including free weekly waste and recycling collections, enhanced parks and leisure facilities, road and pavement resurfacing, town centre improvements and additional homes and school places. 

Each year, the council minimises the funding requirement from residents by creating efficiency savings through its transformation programme while continuing to maintain and invest in services for residents. This programme, rather than cutting services, finds better ways of delivering them at a lower cost and saved £20.8 million in 2023/24, with a further £33.4 million earmarked for the period between 2024/25 and 2028/29, including £15.8 million in 2024/25.   

Efficiencies included relocating services and reducing energy usage, such as moving Uxbridge adult education service to the Civic Centre; a number of ‘invest to save’ initiatives which will help to stabilise social care costs; developing a new, more modern and dynamic Youth Offer; expanding Family Hubs boroughwide to integrate family services; and making better use of technology. 

While the council is proposing a council tax and social care precept of 4.99 per cent (2.99 per cent core council tax and 2 per cent precept to fund residents’ adult social care), this equates to £1.27 a week for a Band D property, with residents paying amongst the lowest levels of council tax in outer London.  

Hillingdon’s fees and charges are also likely to remain lower than most London local authorities and be set in line with Consumer Price Index inflation for discretionary services used by residents.  

Cllr Martin Goddard, Hillingdon Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “While the national funding picture for local government remains bleak, here in Hillingdon, the council’s sound financial management continues alongside an effective savings delivery programme to ensure that residents don’t pay as much as others and that the council can continue to maintain and invest in its award-winning services.   

“The next year will continue to prove challenging, and we are going to have to continue to look at even more innovative and efficient ways to deliver our outstanding services, but we will maintain our commitment to putting our residents first through our robust financial planning.” 

Residents can visit www.hillingdon.gov.uk/budget-consultation before Sunday 28 January to have their say on the proposed budget. 

Battle of Britain Bunker events and opening times

Attached are events at the Battle of Britain Bunker over the next few weeks. We have a programme that will hopefully be of interest to everyone from family activities, concerts, yoga sessions and interesting speakers! This weekend we have Caroline Paige talking about her extensive RAF career at 11.30am in our Auditorium.

Mulled wine and minced pies will be available to buy during December at Daisy’s café. Our gift shop is also stocked with lots of great present ideas for all the family.

 

 

We hope to see you and a Merry Christmas from the Battle of Britain Bunker!

Best wishes,

Battle of Britain Bunker, Wren Ave, Uxbridge UB10 0GG

Battle of Britain Bunker: bunker@hillingdon.gov.uk | 01895 238154 | Battle of Britain Bunker

 

Hillingdon Council IT systems maintenance

From 6pm on Thursday 16 November to Monday 20 November, essential maintenance will be carried out to the Planning, Building Control and Local Land Charges IT system.  There will be no access to any records held within the system and the following tasks will be unavailable on the council’s website:

*   research planning, planning appeals, planning enforcement and building control history

*   view planning applications and plans

*   submit planning application comments

*   submit building control applications

*   book building control inspections

*   request land charge searches and receive search results.

Air Traffic instrument calibration

Note: On the morning of the 21st Nov Air Traffic instrument approaches will be undergoing calibration. To that end a light aircraft will be conducting several flights over the airfield up until 0330.

What is flight calibration:

Flight Calibration is the term used to cover a wide range of flight calibration, inspection and validation services. Flight calibration can include everything from checking navigation systems and ensuring radar systems are working to ensuring an aircraft passes an inspection and its equipment is up to date.

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