Covid closes pub – The Horse and Jockey in Tylers Green closed for ten days from last Sunday after two of its staff tested positive for coronavirus as part of their regular weekly check. The Track and Trace system also contacted the pub to advise that a group of customers had also tested positive having contracted the virus elsewhere.
Songs of Praise postponed – Holy Trinity, Penn and St Margaret’s, Tylers Green has postponed its Songs of Praise on the Common, due to be held on Sunday (4 July) as a precaution as Covid cases continue to rise. The event is provisionally rescheduled for Sunday 12 September.
Cases increase as symptoms decrease – There were six cases of the new variant in the area that includes Penn last week; 11 in Tylers Green and 16 in Hazlemere. Indications are the number has increased this week. However, medics say that in the majority of cases the symptoms are far milder than in pre-vaccination days – “more like a bad cold,” leading epidemiologist Professor Tim Spector said yesterday. Latest figures show the number of Covid patients in Bucks hospitals remains low, with none on ventilators.
Expensive flood – A water leak at the Cock Lane offices of Chepping Wycombe Parish Council in Tylers Green caused nearly £17,000 worth of damage. The cost is being covered by insurance.
Teachers move on – David Compton, the deputy head at Tylers Green Middle School, is to become head teacher at Manor Farm Junior School in Rose Avenue in September, replacing Andrew Sierant, who is retiring at the end of this term. Mrs Gemma Hillier, the current deputy head at Manor Farm is moving to become head teacher at Widmer End Combined School.
Starting from scratch – Sarah Green, Penn’s new MP, is spending her first days in office setting up a parliamentary and constituency office from scratch following her surprise victory in the Chesham and Amersham by-election. She is currently working out of a temporary office assisted by two staff seconded from the Liberal Democrat Party headquarters and is advertising for full time staff. The Welsh born MP gave the traditional MP’s Oath of Allegiance in the House of Commons last week in the Welsh language.
Electoral fraud probe – Meanwhile, Liberal Democrats have applied to the High Court to declare May’s local election result in our neighbouring Totteridge and Bowerdean ward null and void. They allege that over 100 voting papers – all in support of the Lib Dems – were fraudulently spoiled, thus denying their candidates victory. The police say they are still investigating allegations of electoral fraud made at the time. Wycombe’s Conservative MP Steve Baker has made persistent allegations of electoral fraud in his constituency.
Pond repair – Work is to be carried out to repair and renovate the pathway around Widmer Pond on Tylers Green common as well as repair part of the banks.
School sports – Outdoor gym equipment has been fitted in the playground at Manor Farm Junior School in Rose Avenue. Tylers Green Middle School is holding its sports day tomorrow (Friday) with special Covid restrictions. Each year group bubble will compete in events against others in the same year group for one hour, the timings staggered throughout the day.
Penn Road crash – A car crashed into a telegraph pole near the junction of Penn Road and Rose Avenue on Monday after the driver reportedly collapsed at the wheel. Firefighters stabilised the car and engineers repaired the pole. A man was taken to hospital.
Government plans to extend Chilterns AONB could impact local housing schemes
THE Government is to begin a formal process that could lead to an extension of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
The boundary of the AONB runs through Penn and an extension would mean greater protection against further housing and industrial development.
There have been calls for areas like the Gomm Valley, between Cock Lane and Hammersley Lane, Tylers Green, and the former Penn School site to be brought within the AONB in order to protect the countryside.
Natural England, the Government quango that will oversee the review, will begin a public consultation. Announcing the move last week, Environment Secretary George Eustice said the Government was committed to protecting more landscapes by the end of the decade.
The issue has moved up the political agenda since the Chesham and Amersham by-election last month which saw a shock defeat of the Conservative candidate. The protection of existing countryside and objections to plans to builds tens of thousands of additional homes in the area were issues electors raised on the doorsteps.
In a visit to the constituency the prime minister, Boris Johnson, appeared to lend his support to the campaign to convert the Chilterns AONB into a National Park, to give the area even greater protection.
Toppled tree wrecks cars
