We are replacing the former district councils self-build registers with a single register for Buckinghamshire.
The self-build and custom housebuilding register is a record of people looking to acquire land within their area, to build a home.
We asked for views on:
The consultation ran from 27 June to 8 August 2022.
We received 74 responses to the consultation.
Over 80% of respondents lived in Buckinghamshire and there was overwhelming support for the introduction of a local connection test.
Just under half agreed with the local connection criteria and the length of connection required. Roughly equal amounts of respondents wanted either longer (16%) or shorter (13%) connection periods.
Of the respondents who made further comments, the main concerns / issues raised were:
On 15 September 2022, the Leader of Buckinghamshire Council agreed to implement a single self-build and custom housebuilding register, incorporating a local connection test and administration fees.
Following the consultation, we have:
For more information, please see the self-build and custom housebuilding register webpage.
Public Spaces Protection Orders are aimed at ensuring public spaces can be enjoyed free from anti-social behaviour. They provide us with legal powers to deal with a particular nuisance or problem in a defined area.
We asked for views on how the PSPO was addressing anti-social behaviour in the area and whether the PSPO should be extended for a further 3 years.
The consultation ran from 27 June to 25 July 2022.
We received 27 responses to the consultation.
78% agreed with extension of the PSPO. 59% thought there was a problem with anti-social behaviour in the area, 11% didn’t know.
For more information, please see the consultation findings report (PDF 0.83MB).
On 5 October 2022, the Deputy Leader, on behalf of the Leader, of Buckinghamshire Council agreed to extend the Chiltern Alcohol Restrictions Public Spaces Protection Order for a further 3 years.
Representations were received requesting the inclusion of drugs paraphernalia in the order.
After research and discussion, it was felt that this would be unenforceable due to the forensic proof required and resource needed.
Public Spaces Protection Orders are aimed at ensuring public spaces can be enjoyed free from anti-social behaviour. They provide us with legal powers to deal with a particular nuisance or problem in a defined area.
We asked for views on how the PSPO was addressing anti-social behaviour in the area and whether the PSPO should be extended for a further 3 years.
The consultation ran from 27 June to 25 July 2022.
We received 7 responses to the consultation.
100% agreed with extension of the PSPO.
For more information, please see the consultation findings report (PDF 0.83MB).
On 5 October 2022, the Deputy Leader, on behalf of the Leader, of Buckinghamshire Council agreed to extend the Aylesbury Vale Parks and Open Spaces Public Spaces Protection Order for a further 3 years.
All Health and Wellbeing Boards (HWB) have a responsibility to publish a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA).
The purpose of the PNA is to:
We consulted on the draft PNA for Buckinghamshire from 23 May to 24 July 2022.
We received 36 responses to the consultation, 29 via the consultation survey.
29 responses were from members of the public, the other responses were from:
A number of survey respondents to did not agree with the findings:
We received 17 comments about the Berryfields Estate development.
For more information about the consultation responses, please see ‘Appendix D - Consultation report’ Buckinghamshire Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment 2022 to 2025 (PDF 5.30MB).
On 22 September 2022, the Health and Wellbeing Board reviewed the draft PNA and consultation responses.
The Buckinghamshire Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment 2022 to 2025 (PDF 5.3MB) was adopted to cover 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2025.
Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment steering group response to the consultation:
The steering group appreciates the time and consideration that members of the public and stakeholders have taken to respond. The group acknowledges the enthusiasm for a pharmacy within the Berryfields Estate.
The PNA is carried out using a fair and systematic process set out by the Department of Health and Social Care. It is also reviewed by the HWB every three years or if there are changes in local pharmacy provision, or local need.
The steering group reviewed the provision of pharmacy services for the Berryfields Estate development. They considered the current population, projected population increases, accessibility, deprivation and population make-up.
The PNA considers that there are no gaps in the current and future provision of essential services to 30 September 2025.
The HWB will review the conclusions periodically in response to any unforeseen changes in pharmacy provision up to 2025. It also recommends a review of its findings considering the progression of the Berryfields Estate development in the next PNA.
For more information about the steering group's response, please see ‘Appendix D - Consultation report’ Buckinghamshire Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment 2022 to 2025 (PDF 5.30MB).
We have a legal duty to prepare and publish an Accessibility Strategy.
This outlines our responsibilities, as the local authority, as well as those of maintained schools, to ensure that all students can access the education and opportunities that best suit their needs.
We launched a consultation with our key partners to shape the final version of the strategy. This was aimed at:
The consultation ran from 8 June 2022 to 18 July 2022.
We received 8 responses to the consultation:
75% of respondents agreed that the strategy was easy to understand. One respondent said that the language used in the strategy could be made more reader friendly.
We used the consultation feedback to update the final strategy:
On 17 November 2022, the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, on behalf of the Leader of Buckinghamshire Council, approved the Accessibility Strategy 2022 to 2025. The strategy was then published on our website.
We asked for views on the draft development brief for Land off Amersham Road in Hazlemere.
The consultation ran from 6 June to 18 July 2022.
We received over 100 responses to the consultation.
Responses via the consultation webpage were very supportive of the development brief objectives, notably objective 2 creating a comprehensive development.
The main themes from respondents are outlined below:
For more information about the consultation responses, please see the:
Following the consultation, we have considered the consultation responses and reviewed the contents of the brief before publishing the final version (PDF 9.01MB).
Your feedback helped shape the development brief. The changes made to the development brief in response to the consultation are:
Public Spaces Protection Orders are aimed at ensuring public spaces can be enjoyed free from anti-social behaviour. They provide us with legal powers to deal with a particular nuisance or problem in a defined area.
We asked for views on how the PSPO was addressing anti-social behaviour in the area and whether the PSPO should be extended for a further 3 years.
The consultation ran from 13 June to 11 July 2022.
We received 22 responses to the consultation.
95% agreed with extension of the PSPO. 91% thought there was a problem with anti-social behaviour in the area.
For more information, please see the consultation findings report (PDF 0.83MB).
On 5 October 2022, the Deputy Leader, on behalf of the Leader, of Buckinghamshire Council agreed to extend the Aylesbury Town Centre Public Spaces Protection Order for a further 3 years.
A considerable number of respondents felt that anti-social behaviour had not reduced because of the existing PSPO.
This has prompted an action day of enforcement by Buckinghamshire Council’s ASB Team, jointly with Thames Valley Police. The extension of the PSPO will support a further programme of such operations.
Public Spaces Protection Orders are aimed at ensuring public spaces can be enjoyed free from anti-social behaviour. They provide us with legal powers to deal with a particular nuisance or problem in a defined area.
We asked for views on how the PSPO was addressing anti-social behaviour in the area and whether the PSPO should be extended for a further 3 years.
The consultation ran from 13 June to 11 July 2022.
We received 15 responses to the consultation.
87% agreed with extension of the PSPO. 60% thought there was a problem with anti-social behaviour in the area.
For more information, please see the consultation findings report (PDF 0.83MB).
On 5 October 2022, the Deputy Leader, on behalf of the Leader, of Buckinghamshire Council agreed to extend the Winslow and Steeple Claydon Public Spaces Protection Order for a further 3 years.
Public Spaces Protection Orders are aimed at ensuring public spaces can be enjoyed free from anti-social behaviour. They provide us with legal powers to deal with a particular nuisance or problem in a defined area.
We asked for views on how the PSPO was addressing anti-social behaviour in the area and whether the PSPO should be extended for a further 3 years.
The consultation ran from 13 June to 11 July 2022.
We received 36 responses to the consultation.
67% agreed with extension of the PSPO. 36% thought there was a problem with anti-social behaviour in the area, 11% didn’t know.
For more information, please see the consultation findings report (PDF 0.83MB).
On 5 October 2022, the Deputy Leader, on behalf of the Leader, of Buckinghamshire Council agreed to extend the Buckingham Town Centre Public Spaces Protection Order for a further 3 years.
Public Spaces Protection Orders are aimed at ensuring public spaces can be enjoyed free from anti-social behaviour. They provide us with legal powers to deal with a particular nuisance or problem in a defined area.
We asked for views on how the PSPO was addressing anti-social behaviour in the area and whether the PSPO should be extended for a further 3 years.
The consultation ran from 13 June to 11 July 2022.
We received 18 responses to the consultation.
89% agreed with extension of the PSPO. 94% thought there was a problem with anti-social behaviour in the area.
14 responses were received from 14 residents including those whose gardens back onto the footpath. All fully supported the PSPO being extending and the footpath remaining closed off.
Many stated that their quality of life had improved significantly since the footpath had been closed, and the incidents of antisocial behaviour had decreased substantially.
For more information, please see the consultation findings report (PDF 0.83MB).
On 5 October 2022, the Deputy Leader, on behalf of the Leader, of Buckinghamshire Council agreed to extend the West End Road, High Wycombe Public Spaces Protection Order for a further 3 years.
We asked about the experience of the Health Visiting, School Nursing, and the Family Nurse Partnership services in Buckinghamshire.
This was to help with the recommissioning of the Healthy Child Programme for 0 to 19 year olds.
We asked for views from 25 April to 19 May 2022
We received 64 responses to the survey:
64% of respondents had used the Healthy Child Programme in the last 2 years. 36% had not but had used the service previously.
Health Visiting
39% of respondents had used the health visiting service, of these:
School Nursing
16% of respondents had used the school nursing service, of these:
Family Nurse Partnership
9% of respondents had used the Family Nurse Partnership service. All of which said that they:
We used the responses in the health needs assessment for the service.
Feedback from families / carers on their experience will help to shape the future of the service and the needs of the community.
It also helped to understand how children and young people’s needs can be better met by the service.
A summary of the outcomes will be included in the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) Chapter on Child Health.
We asked for views, comments and ideas on a development proposal for the Former Sports and Social Club land in Stoke Mandeville.
The proposed outline planning application set out how the site could accommodate:
We consulted on the proposal from 4 April to 9 May 2022.
We received 373 responses to the consultation:
Summary of key themes from consultation responses:
For more information about the consultation responses, please see the Consultation Summary document (PDF 0.56MB).
At its meeting on 7 June 2022, Buckinghamshire Council agreed approval to submit an outline planning application for the proposed residential development.
This decision was called in by councillors. Call in is a procedure whereby councillors may question decisions taken by the Cabinet in exceptional circumstances.
The call in and pre-planning consultation document were considered by the Growth, Infrastructure and Housing Select Committee at its meeting on 5 July 2022.
The Select Committee referred the decision back to Cabinet for further consideration of the pre-planning consultation document before any decision was taken.
Cabinet further considered the pre-planning consultation at its meeting on 12 July 2022. Cabinet recognised the strength of local public opinion opposed to the scheme.
Buckinghamshire Council decided that the benefits of providing affordable and keyworker housing above statutory requirements, and homes for clients of adults and children’s services, must take priority.
As the site is on council owned land, there is a rare opportunity to provide these much needed services. Providing affordable and keyworker housing over and above statutory requirements cannot be imposed on privately owned developments.
Cabinet resolved to submit an outline planning application consisting of:
An outline planning application is due to be submitted in Summer / Autumn 2022.
The Department of Transport invited local authorities to apply to enforce moving traffic offences. This would help:
We consulted on whether we should take on the enforcement powers. We also asked for views on the proposed locations for enforcement. The consultation ran from 21 February to 4 April 2022.
We received 477 responses to the consultation.
63% of respondents supported moving traffic enforcement in Buckinghamshire.
The top five reasons for support were:
A large number of respondents also supported the initial locations for enforcement.
For more information about the consultation responses, please see the Consultation Overview (PDF 0.51MB).
At its meeting on 10 May 2022, Buckinghamshire Council approved that an application be submitted to the Department for Transport to enforce moving traffic offences.
The consultation provided the opportunity to flag up any key concerns:
The application to the Department for Transport was successful. We have been granted enforcement powers and implementation will start at the end of 2022.
All new locations will be agreed in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport before commencing a minimum six week public consultation.
We want residents to feel safe and confident when out and about. Whether they are alone, with family or friends or part of a community or sports group.
We are working with a variety of partners to improve the safety of our green spaces and increase the confidence of park users.
We asked about:
We asked for views from 18 February to 3 April 2022.
We received 100 responses to the survey. The main themes from responses are outlined below.
Most common reasons for using the local park:
Reasons for feeling unsafe in the park:
What would make green spaces feel safer?
Your feedback has helped shape our multi agency actions to create a safer environment where everyone can enjoy our open green spaces.
Our ongoing actions to improve parks safety include:
These actions also align with the priorities of the Safer Buckinghamshire Partnership.
To keep up to date with what we are doing to make green spaces safer, follow us on social media:
You can also find out more about how the parks team are looking after parks and open spaces.
We asked for your views and experiences about the pharmacy services in your area – to help us draft a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) for Buckinghamshire.
We asked for views about your pharmacy from 3 February to 21 March 2022.
We received 205 responses to the survey.
Overall, residents were satisfied with the services their pharmacy provided.
The majority of respondents used their pharmacy a few times a month to at least once a month – generally for themselves, or partner / spouse, or children. This was during working hours between 9am to 12pm, and 2pm to 5pm on either weekday or weekend.
Reasons for chosen pharmacy were mainly down to overall satisfaction with the service, and as prescriptions from GP were sent to their chosen pharmacy.
For most respondents, travel time to a pharmacy was within a 5 to 20 minute walk or drive. For a small number of respondents, travel time was within a 20 to 60 minute walk or drive.
For more information about the responses to the survey, please see the draft Buckinghamshire Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment, Chapter 6.
We used the survey responses to develop the draft Buckinghamshire Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) 2022 to 2025 – which we consulted on from 23 May to 24 July 2022.
The Homelessness Act 2002 requires the Council to publish a Homelessness Strategy document every five years.
The overarching purpose of this document is to set down our strategy for preventing homelessness wherever possible and for securing that sufficient accommodation and support is available for people who are (or may become) homeless.
We consulted on the draft Buckinghamshire Council Homelessness Strategy from 21 February to 21 March 2022.
We received 28 responses to the consultation.
Responses showed a very high and consistent level of support for the draft strategy and the priorities within it.
At its meeting on 27 April 2022, Buckinghamshire Council adopted the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2022 - 2025 (PDF 0.27MB).
Following the consultation, we reviewed the draft strategy document and made a small number of amendments and additions:
Buckinghamshire Council and its partners will be able to continue to influence and adapt the overall Strategy.
We will review the high-level priorities and action plan in the Homelessness Strategy on an annual basis in regular consultation with key stakeholders and partner agencies.
The Emerald Way route forms part of the wider ‘Buckinghamshire Greenway’ walking and cycling route from Brackley to the Colne Valley.
This improvement project aims to increase walking and cycling between Waddesdon and Aylesbury contributing towards improved public health, reductions in traffic congestion, and providing air quality benefits associated with modal shift towards active travel.
We consulted on the project proposals from 16 February to 9 March 2022.
We received 17 responses to the consultation.
The responses to the consultation are available in Emerald Way Appendix C: Consultation report (PDF 0.12MB).
Following the Leader decision of 27 April 2022, the project team is now working closely with Transport for Buckinghamshire to complete the scheme design and commence works in May 2022.
The current programme is to deliver the scheme in three stages:
The project team has responded to questions and comments received during the consultation, please see Appendix D: Consultation response document (PDF 0.38MB).
To tie in with and commemorate the upcoming Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the cycleway will be rebranded the Platinum Way. Accordingly, the project name has been changed to Platinum Way improvements.
To keep up to date on the progress of the project, please visit the Platinum Way improvements project website.
We asked, you said, we did update originally published on 4 August 2022. Updated on 27 January 2023 with new link for more information about the survey responses.
As part of the discovery and exploration phase for the new Local Plan for Buckinghamshire, we asked for views on:
The Local Plan for Buckinghamshire will set out where new development will be located and what we will need to protect.
We asked for views from 29 November 2021 to 11 February 2022.
We received 3,439 responses to the survey:
For the following questions, respondents were given options and asked to select their top three, in order of preference. The three most frequent options are outlined below:
What do you value the most in your area?
What is the best location for new homes?
What are your views on supporting the local economy?
What do you think should be the priorities in relation to mitigating climate change?
What sort of new infrastructure we will need to plan for?
What improvement to the natural environment would you like to see in your area?
Respondents could select as many options as they liked, the top three were:
What priorities should Buckinghamshire Council be focused on?
We asked respondents what they felt the council’s top three priorities should be across all issues covered in this Local Plan survey.
The top themes for priorities were:
For more information about the survey responses, please see the The Local Plan for Buckinghamshire website.
We will use the results from the survey to help inform the vision and objectives for the Local Plan for Buckinghamshire, which in turn will help shape the Local Plan policies.
The preparation of the Local Plan is currently focusing on evidence collection to understand the current needs for Buckinghamshire.
This includes housing and employment provision, infrastructure and environmental enhancement opportunities.
Keep up to date
For news and updates about work on the Local Plan, please visit the Local Plan for Buckinghamshire webpage.
If you want to keep in touch with Planning Policy, including the Local Plan for Buckinghamshire, please register on our online consultation database.
Since the launch of Buckinghamshire Council in April 2020, the Council has produced three editions of the ‘Your Buckinghamshire’ magazine. These were published in October 2020, March 2021 and November 2021.
We undertook a survey between 17 December 2021 and 16 January 2022 to understand whether residents enjoy the magazine, find it useful and informative, and how often they would like to receive it.
We received 168 responses to the survey. The vast majority of those who responded either lived or worked in Buckinghamshire, and the age of respondents was evenly spread from 16 to 80 years of age.
The key findings are summarised below:
Alongside the survey, we undertook a benchmarking exercise to understand whether other Local Authorities produce a printed magazine and, if so, how often they are produced. We also reviewed resource and cost implications, as well as our duty to ensure we communicate information about Council services to all residents, some of whom may not have access to the internet.
Taking into consideration all of the findings, we will produce another two magazines (Summer 2022 and Christmas 2022) before reviewing our approach again.
We consulted on our proposal to modernise the way we provide specialist teaching across Buckinghamshire. The proposal was designed to ensure we apply the skills and knowledge of our specialist teachers in the most effective way.
The ‘Specialist Teaching Consultation 2021’ ran from 8 November 2021 to 9 January 2022.
All the responses have now been collated and are captured in the consultation outcome report (PDF, 0.32MB).
Given the mixed response to the proposal itself, a decision has been taken to delay any changes until September 2023. This delay will enable us to further consider the proposal in the light of the feedback received.
During this time, we will carry out some additional activities, alongside key stakeholders, to further review and refine the proposal. This will ensure we can be confident that any changes meet the needs of children and families.
The new approach will be communicated to families and schools / settings once this work is completed and decisions have been taken. It is anticipated this will be in the Autumn 2022.