THE INVISIBLE barrier that has run between Penn and Tylers Green for years is still alive and kicking even though we have a new unitary local authority.
The planning committees of Buckinghamshire Council are now underway and have been dealing with a couple of disputed planning applications in both Penn and Tylers Green. But the applications were considered by two completely different sets of councillors advised by two completely different sets of planning officers.
In Penn, the East Buckinghamshire Area Planning Committee rejected complaints from some neighbours and agreed to an extension to Merchants Yard in Elm Road.
Half a mile away in Kite Wood Road, Tylers Green, the West Buckinghamshire Area Planning Committee also rejected neighbours complaints and allowed alterations to the front of number 20.
Two applications in the same community dealt with by two separate bodies without any correlation between the two.
When the new council boasted in its corporate plan that “giving local communities greater influence in shaping their local places and services…are central to our vision…” it sounded like humbug. And so it is proving to be.
All mouth and no trousers as they say up north.
***There is some light at the end of the tunnel however, which could result in the removal of our invisible barrier. The Local Government Boundary Commission has informed Buckinghamshire that it is going to carry out an electoral review of the county – hopefully next year – with the aim of having new council ward boundaries in place for the 2025 local elections. That could, with any luck, put Penn and Tylers Green together in one administrative area instead of two as at present. It’s likely to be followed by what’s called a community governance review which could result in us having one parish council instead of the two we currently have. Watch this space.