BUCKINGHAMSHIRE Council said on Wednesday that 60 per cent of all adults in the county had received their first dose of Covid vaccine. Ninety per cent of 50 and 60 year olds have been jabbed and 95 per cent of over 70s.
In total 260,000 first dose vaccinations have been given and 53,000 second doses. The council said the uptake of the vaccine by the Buckinghamshire population had been “extremely positive.” The NHS is said to be ahead of its vaccination schedule in the area.
There were just three new coronavirus cases reported in Tylers Green last week. In Penn and Hazlemere the number was between 0 and 3 – too insignificant for statistical purposes.
In Buckinghamshire there’s been an average of 22 new cases a day this month, although yesterday there was an uptick, with 29 recorded.
The number of weekly deaths from Covid is now in single figures in the county. Last week Buckinghamshire NHS Trust said it was caring for just three Covid patients in its hospitals.
Former minister aims to become Penn’s new MP
A FORMER Conservative MP who resigned from the party because of Brexit has put his name forward to be the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Chesham and Amersham by-election. The constituency includes Penn.
Dr Philip Lee, who was brought up in the Wycombe area, trained as a GP in Amersham and worked at Wycombe and Stoke Mandeville Hospitals, was the Tory MP for Bracknell and a Justice Minister in Theresa May’s administration before leaving the party to join the Lib Dems because of the Government’s handling of Brexit.
A date for the by-election, caused by the death earlier this month of Dame Cheryl Gillan, has yet to be announced. Dame Cheryl had a majority of 16,223 at the last election for the Conservatives.
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Interest in Penn School – There has been “significant interest” from potential buyers of the former Penn School in Elm Road, Penn. The estate is being sold by the Department for Education and its agents, Cushman and Wakefield, are currently assessing various bids. They say the property would be suitable for a retirement home, a hotel or a care home. Bids to convert the school into homes will be considered but there are considerable planning hurdles.
Cemetery opening – The new Penn Road cemetery near Hazlemere Crossroads is expected to open in the summer. Council officials are currently working out fees, burial plot mapping and cemetery rules and regulations.
Countryside pressure – The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) has had nearly 600 new homes built within it in the last four years – the fourth highest AONB rate in the country – said a report yesterday from CPRE, the countryside charity. The report said it only analysed developments of ten or more homes, so in reality the figure will be higher. Less than 20 per cent fell into the criteria for “affordable homes”.
Cottage expansion – Plans to extend the 18th century Gable Cottage in the heart of the Penn and Tylers Green conservation area in Elm Road have been given the go ahead by councillors.
Supermarket improvements – Waitrose in Beaconsfield has submitted plans to redesign its car park to allow more wider disabled/parent-child places; a number of electric charging points for its delivery vehicles and a new pedestrian walkway to the store.
Cricket season – Penn and Tylers Green Cricket Club’s senior teams begin the new cricket season next weekend. Penn Street Cricket Club resumes tomorrow with a match at Knotty Green.
New library – A new library is to be built at Amersham which will have the facilities to enable the public to attend early in the morning and late in the evening without staff being present.
Portillo visit – A new TV series of Great British Railway Journeys features local attractions when it airs next week. On Monday (BBC 2, 6.30) Michael Portillo travels from Oxford to Stoke Mandeville and the next day on to Beaconsfield.