Did you know that our county and district councils are being abolished and being replaced by just one council for the whole of Buckinghamshire?
The reorganisation offers the opportunity for better services by saving money on bureaucracy. We support this change and are looking forward to the first set of elections in May. However, whilst we are working with other parties in the transition planning, it's clear that the Conservatives are fighting amongst themselves.
They must not create lots of bureaucratic, 'talking shop' Community Boards with small budgets and no public engagement.
There is the opportunity to integrate infrastructure planning (roads, schools, NHS services etc) with housing developments as part of the reorganisation of council responsibilities.
The Lib Dems support services being delegated to our local town and parish councils to make it easier to get action on local issues quicker - with due diligence on the costs and budgets involved, avoiding large local parish tax increases.
In many areas, local Neighbourhood Developments Plans are being created to influence council plans. Get involved via your town or parish council.
The Tory council does, and it wants you to subsidise it, perhaps for the next 40 years!
Introduced without a clear parking strategy it needs 300 extra cars a day to fill it. Possibly leading to cutting other parking spaces to force people to use it. It's also a design eyesore that will blight Station Road.
Liberal Democrats demand better - a clear strategy to improve the local economy - reducing commuter parking on our residential streets, encouraging short term parking to help our high street traders and providing spaces for those that work in the town.
The District and County councils will be replaced by just one Buckinghamshire council with 147 councillors on April 1st 2020. Parish and town councils remain but with more devolved responsibilities and budgets.
This offers opportunities and risks. How will the new council take advantage of economies of scale? Who will scrutinise the decisions?
Second Listening Period until Friday, July 12th 2019
It's not clear why there's a second 'listening period' over the closure of Burnham Park Academy, but it's an opportunity to say again that we need a non-selective secondary school in Burnham.
