This week Cllr Ray Farmer and Cllr Trevor Snaith had the privelege to be invited along with other local councillors to the celebration of Highcrest Community School achieving exceptional Ofsted results.
This is even more exceptional as the school was a “fresh start school ” a few years ago
The crowning jewel in its success is the fact its results places it at the forefront in terms of Ofsted results in Bucks — ahead of the top grammar schools in Wycombe !!
Well done to the pupils staff and team who made a success
See their web site for more info: www.highcrest.bucks.sch.uk
Aug 262007
Further to article in Bucks Frees Press 24th August 2007, on a call to save the traditional pubs. We in the Ryemead ward have two pubs which are currently closed, and we are not sure of what is happening to them. The Red Lion on Corner of Cock Lane has now been closed for six months, during this time the outside has had a face lift but we still cannot find out when this will be re-opening.
The second pub, Halfway House on London Road, has now been closed and fenced off for over a year. It seems that the car park has been used for car storage, but I feel that this is only a temporary arrangement and we will soon be seeing a planning application for yet more flats, that will only add to increase the congestion on London Road at the expense of yet another public and community amenity.
With this in mind I feel there is a need for the community to back these causes and make a stand against profit lead developers.
I READ with interest in the BFP the reasons for refusing the building of five homes in Hazlemere opposite the Cedars Residential Homes.
I am familiar with the area and the ongoing issues regarding development of the site, and sympathise with any councillor and ward faced with the dilemma of inappropriate developments.
However, I have to comment there is a need for the district to build mixed dwelling homes in our semi rural, rural villages and out-of-town brownfield sites to sustain the local communities and meet the expected new government housing targets. We can’t keep dumping development in the town.
I note with interest and with some irony the reasons for rejection of five homes.
Cllr McCarthy states: “I think we need to remind ourselves that this site is exceedingly busy, I think the quality of the local environment will be harmed and the development will have an unsatisfactory impact. I do think there would be excessive pressure on the outside area by this development.”
Since joining the council, I’ve noticed a marked difference in our councillors’ views on rural/semi rural(urban) areas v town areas. This puzzles me somewhat as I’m aware that the rural areas need to look towards building homes to be able to protect rural communities and community cohesion
Let me point out some stark facts. A situation exists where we have seen massive building programmes in the town wards for several years.
Many of the town councillors grapple with these problems on a daily basis but often the scale of the problem is multiplied by the sheer size of the developments we are seeing being dumped in our wards. We all appreciate the need for new homes but they need to be in a controlled way.
A ward close to my heart (Ryemead) in Wycombe I estimate had suffered with over 400 new homes in the last ten years. Over 150 more are in progress – plus another 480 are to be built in the next three years in the Marsh area alone. That’s without the incremental builds we now face from back garden and knockdown incremental rebuilds.
The local environment and community is being harmed and developments are having an unsatisfactory impact across all of the east end of High Wycombe town.
We have a situation where Ryemead has the “accolade” of being one of the wards with the highest density of homes per hectare and highest growth in new homes in the Wycombe area
There is excessive pressure and lack of foresight and understanding on the pressure this will place on local schools, transport, roads, community facilities and community cohesion.
The entire east end of the town is suffering with increase in traffic on the A40 and surrounding roads and increase in congestion.
I would like to believe next time I or another town councillor raises concerns or objections regarding excessive housing developments and the social impact, be it on allotments, high rise apartments, or large estates in the highly-populated town wards, I trust we can count on support of our rural and out of town councillors in opposing them with the same vigour as the five homes in Hazlemere?
The first meeting of the steering group met on 2Oth July. The group includes local councillors for district and county ,church groups and representatives from Green Issues ( representing interests of St James Homes).
We are to meet with WDC officers to discuss how Community Centre can be delivered reallocating funds supplied by developer under S106 .
WANT TO BE INVOLVED LET RAY AND TREVOR KNOW
Nov 232006
Wycombe Liberal Democrats are delighted to announce that the guest speaker at the Annual Dinner is Lembit Öpik MP. The evening takes place on Tuesday, 28th November at The Environment Centre, Holywell Mead at 7.30pm.
Lembit is, of course, one of our most popular MPs and needs no introduction. We are looking forward to an outstanding evening, and expect the event to be a sell-out. Tickets are priced at £20 (£10 unwaged) and the price includes an outstanding choice of food, as always.
We are pleased to announce that a license has been obtained and beer and wine will be on sale!
Tickets may be obtained from Wendy Guy, telephone 01494 521121 or 07764 939710, and will be sold on a strictly first come, first served basis.
Please act quickly if you would like one of the remaining tickets!
