Broadband Speeds Up at Last (for most!)

Like many people Cllrs Jenni Ferrans and Subhan Shafiq have fast broadband - but can you get it in your area?

Like many people Cllrs Jenni Ferrans and Subhan Shafiq have fast broadband – but can you get it in your area?

BT published its plans recently for the government-funded fibre project and it’s mixed news for our area.  Fibre is needed to get even moderately good speeds, not just fast and superfast, in our area (because we’re a long way from the telephone exchange and copper wire broadband slows down with distance), so this will benefit a lot of people and it’s really important that everyone gets the option.

Fibre-optic broadband will be available to most households in our area that want it by 31st March and most of the rest during 2014.  But a few will wait longer, and some may not get it at all on this project. The details we know at present are below.  

If you want to get fibre in your area, please:

  • Check the timetable below to see whether it should be available
  • Read our quick guide Fibre-intro which tells you what the options are and how to find out for (reasonably) sure what’s available
  • If it’s not available, take our survey and register your needs for broadband with us – we’ll pass the overall numbers on to BT and the Council
  • If you’re not satisfied with the timetable, contact us to help us campaign!

 

The Schedule

It’s important to note that the schedule is NOT guaranteed.  The work may prove easier or more difficult than expected, so the overall timetable may slip, or individual small areas may be moved between phases.  At present, the schedule is:

  • Phase 1: July – December 2014
  • Phase 3: January – June 2015
  • Phase 8: NOT fibre.  Some speed-up to 2mbps on copper cables – in 2016!
  • Flats anywhere: by negotiation with the owners of the building.  Please let Jenni Ferrans know if you need that resolved.

Kents Hill

  • All existing roads supposed to be covered by 31st March 2014
  • Except Bedgebury Place – discussions about to start

Monkston

  • Most supposed to be covered by 31st March 2014, except:
  • Bridlington Crescent some of nos 1-9 and 2-22, and all of nos 11+ and 24+, Abbeydore Grove, Aylesford Grove, high numbers in Stanbrook Place, Tynemouth Rise, Leominster Gate, St Helen’s Grove to be covered in Phase 1.
  • The rest of Bridlington Crescent 1-9 and 2-22, Ealing Chase, Tewkesbury Lane, Woodspring Court, Penmon Grove to be covered in Phase 3
  • Blanchland Circle nos 75-171 and all even numbers and St Bartholomews odd numbers,  Brinkburn Place, Parkminster and Flaxley Gate to be covered in Phase 1
  • Lilleshall Ave, Chirbury Close, Boxgrove Close, Malton Close to be covered in Phase 1
  • Kilwinning Drive some already covered. Higher numbers of the rest and Waverley Croft to be covered in Phase 1.  The rest to be covered in Phase 3.  Exact split awaited!

Monkston Park

  • Most to be covered by 31st March 2014 except:
  • Part of Canonbury to be covered in Phase 1

Walnut Tree

  • Most to be covered by 31st March 2014 except:
  • Lichfield Down nos. 10-110 and 41-73 and Wadesmill Lane, Bourton Low, Caraway Close, Harebell Close, Rosebay Close, Coriander Court, Tamarisk Court, Khasiaberry, Nutmeg Close, Paprika Court, Hockliffe Brae, Spearmint Close, Twyford Lane, Meadowsweet and Camomile Court to be covered in Phase 1
  • Tamworth Stubb, Cinnamon Grove, Celadine Court, Sandbrier Close, Samphire Court, Berberis Close, Tatling Grove, Cloudberry, Tarragon Close, Twinflower, and part of Boxberry Gardens are in Phase 1.
  • Parts of  Walton Road, Boxberry Gardens, Pinfold, Honeysuckle Court will be covered in Phase 1, but parts are in Phase 8. Exact split on these awaited!

Walton Grange

  • Every street in Walton Grange is marked as split between Phase 1 and Phase 8.  We think that’s technically impossible – so we’re pressing for details!
  • New houses finished after the start of August will not necessarily be covered at all.
  • We’re campaigning for the whole estate to be cabled with at least fast broadband speeds – this is the part of the ward where copper cable speeds are lowest.

Walton Park

  • BT claim that fibre is available throughout Walton Park.  Please let us know if that’s not the case

Walton Hall

  • The houses near the OU are not mentioned at all – BT appear to have forgotten about them.  We’ve reminded them!  We’re waiting to hear.

Making our Paths Safe

The Focus team has been out and about getting dogs mess, leaves and branches removed from our local footpaths.  We want all to be safe and not to have to walk in the road.

If you spot any problems in your area do let the Focus team know as we will get it sorted out.

Vanessa McPake and Jenni Ferrans try to walk past the buses in Dunchurch Dale, Walnut Tree and near Maida Vale, Monkston Park

Vanessa McPake and Jenni Ferrans try to walk past the buses in Dunchurch Dale, Walnut Tree and near Maida Vale, Monkston Park

Support Local Charities

Please do support our local charities.

By shopping in the Walnut Tree Community Shop at 4 Fyfield Barrow, Walnut Tree, MK7 7AN you are supporting two MK charities:
The MK Reader Service — for people with visual impairment and
Rethink — a charity for those with mental illness.

There is also a Community Shop in Kingston, opposite Tesco’s entrance which supports:
Cross Roads Care – caring for elderly and vulnerable and supporting carers
MK Toy Library – toys on loan and advice on play

Your local Lib Dem Focus team think it is very good for our local community to have these shops in our area, please do support them.

Strategic Reserve Area Plans In

The Supplementary Planning Document has been approved and the first detailed planning applications for the strategic reserve area, for Eagle Farm and Glebe Farm have been submitted.

The SPD includes a single carriageway extension to the H10, with Britten Grove acting as a road link but closing the footpath.  What do you think?

If you want to know more please contact: Cllr. Jenni Ferrans: [email protected]

 

Caldecotte Brook

Vanessa McPake, who is a member of the Internal Drainage Board for MK, has got them to dredge Caldecotte Brook and take away the silt too.
After meeting the river engineer she said: “It is essential that we prevent yet more flooding in Walnut Tree so I am delighted the work is going to be done right now”.

Vanessa McPake discussed arrangements with the engineer at the grill in Walnut Tree.

Vanessa McPake discussed arrangements with the engineer at the grill in Walnut Tree.

Save Our Grit Bins!

Liberal Democrat councillors were shocked to be told that the Conservative run MK Council is proposing to scrap grit bins altogether because they are not used! New and replacement grit bins are now being refused.
Instead, the Tories propose to dump open bags of grit on the street – AFTER the snow has fallen!

The Liberal Democrats have started a campaign to save our grit bins.  Please sign up here.

www.ipetitions.com/petition/grit-bins

GritB-Walton-tewkesbury-VM-SS

Cleaning Up the Litter

The Focus team are still encountering littered areas in our ward.  Residents are NOT getting value for money from this service!Now at last the Council has agreed to provide details of the litter cleaning schedule, so that discussions can start on how the budget can best be used.  Cllr Jenni Ferrans comments “Residents have been suffering filthy paths and play areas and we have been asking for this information for months.  At last the Council is talking – but why has it taken so long?”

Vanessa McPake getting the litter collected in the Abbeydore play area in Monkston.

Vanessa McPake getting the litter collected in the Abbeydore play area in Monkston.

Street Light Fiasco

Lamppost-smallThe Liberal Democrats have found out that due to poor management by the Conservative run MK Council, the street light contractors have not been fixing the lights properly.  This has led to countless street lights being out.  Have you seen the stretch of the V10 with 5 out of 6 streets lights out?  Or the entrance to Walton Grange with lights out on both sides of the road?Your local Focus team are campaigning to get  to get street lights repaired, and properly, as soon as possible.
If you have a street light out on your local estate then let the Focus team know.
Just tell us the road name and the number/letter on the street light pole.

Cuts to Community Transport

smallbusYour local Lib Dem Focus team has just learnt that the Conservative run MK Council will be cutting the Community Transport scheme next year.   It looks as if 2/3rds of the current users will NOT be able to use the service.

The Liberal Democrats believe in standing up for our older and vulnerable people and will be fighting hard to stop this scandal.   We want to keep the service and ensure that our older people can still get out and around to their lunch clubs, doctors and the shops.