THE TWO Tylers Green village schools, the First School and the Middle School, are joining forces in a campaign to vastly reduce the number of children being driven to school.
Mrs Vanessa Pinkney, head of Tylers Green Middle School, said: “Our foremost concern is for the safety of children, as speeding and inappropriate parking near schools makes it extremely difficult for children to cross the road safely.”
On Tuesday afternoon there was a road accident at the Barnes Corner crossroads (New Road/Cock Lane/ChurchRoad/St John’s Road) near the Middle School in which a Year 6 girl broke her leg. The school has moved its crossing patrol warden, Mr Hazell, to that area to help children cross the road.
Last week a four year old boy was seriously injured when he was hit by a car outside his school in Gerrards Cross.
Tylers Green First School this week circulated the leaflet above seeking to create a “five minute walking bubble” around the school in School Road. They are asking all parents to ensure their children walk, cycle or scoot to school.
But if they have to drive they are urging them to park at least five minutes away… that’s at least 400 metres (a quarter of a mile) away from the school. The school has also run a competition for pupils to design a “No Parking” banner for the railings outside.
At the Middle School there is concern the traffic position will get even worse once the nearby Ashwells housing development is underway and the governors are talking to the council and housing developer on how to improve safety for children.
The school is desperately urging parents not to park in Cock Lane outside the school. They are also urging them not to park in Stretton Close at the rear of the school.
The schools are setting up a working party to come up with ideas and are asking people in Penn and Tylers Green for help.
Mrs Pinkney said: “We would welcome comments and suggestions from the Penn and Tylers Green village community as your support in this is vital.
We’re selling the Gomm Valley because it’s in the best interest of our investors, says defiant Aviva
FINANCE giant Aviva has told local people who protested about its sale of the Gomm Valley – between Cock Lane and Hammersley Lane – that the sale was in the best interest of its investors.
“We understand not everyone will like the decisions we make but they are made in good faith and after careful consideration of all factors,” said Aviva chief executive Amanda Blanc.
The Penn and Tylers Green Residents’ Society had urged its members to write in protest at the move because it means the end of the proposed housing development in the valley which the society supported (see this blog for 1 May and the analysis on 5 May).
Meanwhile, residents groups who were opposed to the plans say they are now returning to their mission to keep the valley free of housing development.
Ian Morton, from the Hands Off Gomm Valley group, said: “Whilst we are pleased the current plan has been shelved we are concerned that the Government’s new planning reforms will give developers even more power to do what they like. Buckinghamshire Council can now show it is serious about protecting our environment…by turning Gomm Valley into a country park.”
Tony Garner, from the Pimms Action Group, representing residents in and around Pimms Grove off Cock Lane, said: “It is the responsibility of the council…to ensure any development would be of the standards befitting the surrounding area and…in maintaining environmental standards.”
Jonathan Smales, from the now ditched Gomm Valley developers, Human Nature, said: “Aviva should do the right thing…and abandon the sale of the Gomm Valley and instead make a gift of the land to local and regional conservation charities.”
The issue split candidates in the local election. The Conservative candidates, who supported the scheme, wrote to Aviva expressing their dismay.The Liberal Democrat and the independent candidates said they had always opposed the scheme in any event.
Conservatives take Penn and Tylers Green seats, but an independent grabs one in Hazlemere
THE CONSERVATIVES swept the board in the Penn and Tylers Green areas in the first elections for the new Buckinghamshire Council unitary authority. In Hazlemere an independent candidate, Ed Gemmel, prevented the Tories taking all three seats.
In Buckinghamshire as a whole the Conservatives won 113 seats – more than three quarters of the total. The Liberal Democrats have 15, independents 14, Labour four and Green Party one.
In High Wycombe Leisure Centre the count was disrupted when a group of Pakistani men entered the building shouting and arguing. They were escorted out of the building by security staff.
The election was due to be held last May shortly after the new Buckinghamshire Council was formed but it was postponed for a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
There were no elections for Penn Parish Council, Hazlemere Parish Council or the Tylers Green ward of Chepping Wycombe Parish Council because an insufficient number of candidates put their names forward. Those who wished to become parish councillors by putting their names forward were automatically elected.
Results (successful candidates in bold):
Penn Wood and Old Amersham
Electorate: 8,617.Turnout 42 per cent
Mark Dormer, Con 2,212
Mark Flys, Con 2,112
Jonathan Waters, Con 1,882
Jane Barnes (LibDem) 938
Jack Gocer (Green) 834
Kingsley Juett (LibDem) 720
Emer O’Kelly (LibDem) 602
Heather Pomroy (Lab) 348
Keith Simons (Lab) 242
David Coombes(Freedom Alliance) 89
Tylers Green and Loudwater
Electorate:8,476. Turnout 33 per cent
Katrina Wood, Con 1316
Steven Barrett, Con 1261
Nathan Thomas, Con 1035
Peter Cartwright (Ind) 885
Ian Forbes (LibDem) 640
Paula Lee (LibDem) 562
Rowena Croft (Ind) 478
Raheeel Khan (Lab) 407
Wasif Rasheed (Lab) 339
Antonio Pizarro (Ind) 264
Anita Lawrynowicz(Freedom Alliance) 75
Hazlemere
Electorate: 7,520. Turnout 36 per cent
Catherine Oliver, Con 1624
Ed Gemmell, Ind 1380
Ron Gaffney, Con 1373
Peter Tichbon (Con) 1156
Felicity Hazelgreen( Lib Dem) 371
Adam Coulthard (Lab) 354
Christopher Mooney (Lab) 314
Fizza Shah (Lab) 298
Derek Clarke (LibDem) 256
Daniel Charlton(Freedom Alliance) 124
Briefly…
Club captain injured – Penn and Tylers Green Football Club’s men’s captain, Dean Allen, was taken to Stoke Mandeville Hospital for an operation after he snapped a knee tendon in last weekend’s game against Chalvey at French Meadow. He’s now making good progress. The club suspended all its social media platforms for four days last weekend in support of the national campaign to ban racial abuse on social media.
Candidates chosen – Businessman Peter Fleet, a vice-president of Ford Motor Company, has been selected as the Conservative candidate for the Chesham and Amersham constituency – which includes Penn – at a by-election following the death of Dame Cheryl Gillan. Anti HS2 campaigner Carolyne Culver has been selected to fight the seat for the Green Party. A date for the by-election has yet to be set but it is usually within three months of the seat becoming vacant.
Baby due – Former Sir William Ramsay School pupil, now international pop star Leigh-Anne Pinnock, of Little Mix, announced she was pregnant this week with her partner, footballer Andre Gray.
Car fire – A fire which started in a car in Beaconsfield Service Station car park on Tuesday also badly damaged a parked car next to it. No-one was injured.
Writer cancelled – Beaconsfield High School for girls has changed the name of Rowling House, dedicated to best selling author JK Rowling, because it does not think the author’s expressed views on trans-gender issues are ”appropriate,” the Bucks Free Press reported.
Covid cases – Only three new cases of Covid were reported in the whole of Buckinghamshire yesterday, the lowest daily total since mid July.
Good start – Penn and Tylers Green Cricket Club’s first XI won their first game of the season last weekend, beating Pinkneys Green by eight wickets.
Ducks hold their breath…
Thanks to Marian Raszpla for the once-in-a-lifetime picture.