PARISH COUNCIL. The council's monthly meeting was held on October 1 and chairman Margaret Aston proudly displayed the Pushman Cup, which was presented to the village last month as winners of the Best Kept Village (of 3000+ population) in Bucks for 2007.
In the public open forum after the meeting, a resident suggested that the cup should also be on show at the AGMs of Haddenham Horticultural Society and Haddenham Village Society as well as being taken to the three local schools.
Post Office. Desp
ite the notice on the front of the council's recent issue of Haddenham Village News 'Stop Press – Post Office returns to Londis' there is, as yet no firm date for its re-opening there.
It was announced at the council meeting that the post office would definitely be at the Londis shop but that arrangements were still to be finalised (and Raj Patel has since informed me that he is still awaiting his letter of appointment).
Cllr Aston thanked the clerk, who had been on the phone two to three times a week to ensure that the village got its post office back and AVDC's Cllr Judy Brandis pointed out that she had also spent weeks trying to get a decision made.
The council agreed a resolution put forward by Cllr Mike Cousins calling for 'urgent action by Post Office Ltd to ensure that a full post office service is made available in the village at the earliest opportunity'.
Playing Fields. It was reported at last month's meeting that David Impey and Jon Pawsey from Haddenham Cricket Club had attended the July finance and general purposes (F&GP) committee meeting with proposals for expanding Haddenham's sports facilities, by selling off the southern part of the playing fields as building land and using the proceeds to finance a new sports site for the village.
At October's council meeting it was reported that the matter had been discussed at September's F&GP meeting and it was agreed that the council should seek legal advice, as the 1969 conveyance states that the council 'will hold the said property upon trust … as public ground for the purposes of the Recreation Grounds Act 1859' and there is doubt as to whether it would be able to part with some of it.
It was also reported that the Safe Walking and Cycling Group (SW&CG) had been pressing for a decision regarding a path through the site allocated for affordable housing in Willis Road and from there across the playing fields to Woodways. Councillors agreed not to allow access there, as they felt it would encourage parking and inconvenience residents, and they thought an access from Roberts Road would be better but the SW&CG has been organising a petition against the decision, so watch this space!
Camera. The council has used money given by a film company, after filming in the village, to buy a digital camera for recording vandalism and graffiti in the village and also for photographing events in which the council is involved.
Photocopying. As the council's contract allows for only 3000 copies a month before charges are levied, it was decided to allow village charities to have just 50 free copies and to charge 2p a copy thereafter.
Allotments. In the three yearly rent review, the council agreed to accept an increase in rent on the allotment field from £2000 to £2200. This is reflected in the increase in rentals of £2 on individual plots which was agreed at last month's council meeting.
Conservation Area. It was announced that the Conservation Area appraisal for Haddenham has now been completed in draft form and that the public consultation should take place after Christmas. It was also reported that Bucks County Council's archaeology department is carrying out a study of a number of villages including Haddenham and that Lorraine Carter of AVDC will be doing a survey of listed buildings.
Housing Developments.
Jake Collinge of Rectory Homes attended September's planning committee meeting to discuss the committee's thoughts on the principles of redevelopment of the Peking Rendezvous site. The committee informed him that they do not want there to be access onto Stockwell, which should remain a footpath, that the witchert wall should be restored and that affordable, cottage style housing, rather than executive type housing, would be desirable for this site (in view of comments put forward by villagers for the Village Appraisal).
A delegation of residents from the Townsend Green area attended the council meeting to ask questions in the open forum session about the proposed development in the paddock adjacent to the green. As Rectory Homes doesn't want to develop the entire site, AVDC favoured making the remaining land public open space which should be managed by the parish council.
The residents were particularly concerned about plans to breach the wall between the green and the paddock to allow for a footpath through the site, which they felt would be a security issue. The council had originally said there should be no breach in the wall but discovered that the track which bounds the site on the south side is a private track.
Planning Appeal. It was announced that, despite local opposition, the inspector had upheld the appeal to allow the parking of agricultural machinery at Fowlers Field, on the field adjoining Thame Road.
GRAPEVINE. Includes news of former County First School (CFS) and St Mary's School (SMS) pupils.
Births. Congratulations go to villagers Sheila and John Mould on the birth of their second grandson. The baby, Toby Alfred, was born on August 12 to their younger son David (SMS) and his partner Claire, who live in Wallingford. He is cousin to Simon and Rachel Mould's 2 year old, Benjamin.
Congratulations also go to villagers Graham and Pam Walkinshaw on the birth of their first grandchild, Amelie, on September 25 to their daughter Kate (SMS) and her husband Richard Dodds.
Marriages. Villagers Dorothy and Len Pooley were delighted to announce the marriage of their granddaughter Sarah Pooley (SMS) to Matt Dixon at Weston Manor Hotel on August 4.
The couple live in Bicester.
Clare Gilham (SMS), daughter of villagers Ken and Gill Gilham, was married to Russell Cox from Old Windsor in a service conducted by the vicar, the Rev Chris Denham, at St Mary's Church on September 8. Clare is a production manager at Endomel TV in London and works on shows such as Ready, Steady, Cook.
Other News. Robert Meckin (CFS), whose family moved back to the village last year after seven years in Preston, Lancs, completed a PGCE at Sheffield University this summer (having previously graduated from there with a degree in biomedical sciences) and is now teaching science (especially biology) at a comprehensive school in Sheffield.
Jonathan Hilder, son of villager Felicity Hilder, has been awarded the prestigious Master Craftsman award by the Guild of Photographers.
He has been running Piers Photography, his portrait and wedding photography business, from his Naphill home for about 20 years – initially part-time (alongside a management consultancy business) but since a car crash last October, he has been concentrating on the photography.
He is one of only 25 Master Craftsmen with the guild (which started in 1988) in the UK and is the only wedding photographer in Bucks to receive the award. Those who attended the Lymphoma Association's 21st anniversary fundraising and celebration event at the village hall in June may have seen Jonathan's stand there – the association was founded by his late father Tim and mother Felicity.
Haddenham villagers will be sorry to learn that Penny Odhams, who lived in Cuddington for 32 years and ran trimobility classes in Haddenham for years as well as doing tennis coaching in the village, moved to Devon last month with her husband Anthony (co-editor of Cuddington Village Voice) to be nearer to family.
In recent years, Penny trained as a reflexologist (though continued with her teaching and coaching as well as providing reflexology treatment at her home) and spoke about the effect of reflexology on childhood asthma at a meeting of the old Health Supporters' Group some years ago.
POPPY APPEAL. This year's annual Poppy Appeal collection for the Earl Haig Fund – which has been in existence since just after the First World War – starts on Saturday and continues until November 11. Haddenham has always supported the appeal very generously and, with contributions needed as much as ever, villagers are asked to give generously once again to help support members of the ex-service community and their dependants.
FOOTPATH CLOSURE. Please note that Church Farm Trail, the permissive footpath which starts from the picnic area next to St Tiggywinkles, has been closed until further notice. Following a report to the county council about a damaged stile, an inspection of the entire path was carried out and this revealed that the path is in a disappointing condition. It has now been reported that the trail, which was created in 1991, needs a lot of refurbishment and there are plans to replace all the stiles with kissing gates – if and when money can be found to carry out the expensive work.
THIS WEEK.
NAG Meeting. Interested persons will be welcome at Haddenham and Long Crendon Neighbourhood Action Group's meeting at Brill Village Hall tonight (7.30pm).
Bingo. Haddenham and District Age Concern's bingo evening for all ages is at the Youth and Community Centre, Woodways, tomorrow. Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start.
Litter Pick. About 30 villagers, parish councillors and members of the Rotary Club of Haddenham and District turned out for the parish council's last litter pick in July. Can you help beat the record at the next litter pick on Saturday, starting at 10am from outside the Parish Office.
St Mary's Fellowship. There will be no afternoon meeting on Monday as members will be having their Autumn Lunch that day.
THURSDAY CLUB. Catherine Dolman will be speaking about Mary Queen of Scots at the November Carry on Learning session next Thursday (1.30pm) at the village hall.
