Walnut Tree Pavilion is to have a fence round it to protect it against vandals.
Everyone who responded to the consultation supported the idea, so the Council will now draw up the details. Thank you to all the residents who responded.
The process to specify, procure, make, and fit the fence is expected to take around 3 months.
MK Council are consulting on proposed changes at Walnut Tree Pavilion.
The Pavilion has been vandalised repeatedly, and currently the toilets are out of action, which means teams can’t use it for practices. It’s not viable to keep it going unless something is done to protect it. Now the Council is proposing to erect a fence around the Pavilion, as has been done round several others, to protect the building, without interfering with public use of the car park and the playing fields. See the document attached.
After that, the Council and Hertsmere Leisure who run it would like to know whether there are any more improvements that you want to help you to make better use of the pavilion – so please let them know!
They are holding an exhibition where you can ask questions at SNAP in Bourton Low on Thursday 8th November from 6-7.30pm. Or you can read the document here, and reply by email to the address given.
Please have your say by 15th November!
The organisations who will manager the schools at Kents Hill Park have been appointed, and it’s good news: they both run outstanding schools locally at present.
The SEN unit will function as an extra campus of the existing Slated Row school.
The primary and secondary schools will be run as one all-through school, but taking in extra children at each stage, by the Kingsbridge Educational Trust, who run Oakgrove at present.
Kingsbridge are consulting on the admissions arrangements for their school now, and you can have your say. The details are on their website at www.kentshillpark.school and the consultation closes on Wednesday 29th November at 5pm.
Basically, they are proposing that:
Please respond to the consultation and also let us know what you think. Thank you.
Vanessa got MK Council to repair this equipment at the Studley Knapp, Walnut Tree, playground.
Car drivers, bus users, young, old, those with disabilities
– all will pay the price in Labour’s proposed budget cuts!
What are they proposing?
Parking charges up to £2 an hour. More spaces, but much higher car parking charges.
Some night time and Sunday bus services will disappear. Young people and pensioners face higher bus fares.
Even fewer people eligible for Council housing as they want to change the rules.
MK Citizens Advice Bureau faced with closure. Local charities, like those that help the blind and help the young homeless may vanish for ever.
Children’s Centres, Youth Clubs, Community Centres – all are on Labour’s ‘hit list’.
No more black bin bags, and higher charges for special collections.
And what are they proposing spending money on?
Spending millions on new furniture and new computers for their offices.
More money on senior staff and “away days” for staff.
The Liberal Democrats want to save our crucial services for the disadvantaged and disabled. Keep critical voluntary services that help all. And not hit car drivers or bus users.
MK Council have invited community organisations to bid to take over the playing fields and the pavilion at Kents Hill.
But that’s not all. They have also included the footpath, the basketball court, and the play area!
And now MK Council is also proposing changing the use of the field from football and general recreation, to just football!
The Council says this is to ensure better community use of the facilities. The Focus team says it’s more likely to result in the facilities being closed to the general public!
Cllrs Jenni Ferrans and Vanessa McPake at the playing fields
MK Wanderers want to bid for the pavilion and playing fields – but they have no interest in the rest.
Residents want the public use of part of the playing fields to continue, as well as the basketball court, and the footpath – and MK Wanderers agree.
Cllr Jenni Ferrans says “If MK Wanderers have to take the lot – and pay for it’s upkeep, they will need to raise money. And that could mean closing off of some of the facilities except when people pay. And the Focus team has discovered that the footpath is not a right of way, so a future owner could close that too! It’s important to understand that MK Wanderers DON’T WANT this! They want to keep everything public. They would like to take ownership of the fields and the pavilion, because that makes it easier for them to raise money for their upkeep, but they have no intention of closing anything to the public.
Help Needed
Thank you to the many people who have supported our application to make the footpath a public right of way. The application has gone in, and we’ll let you know when the DCC committee are to hear it. If you’ve not given evidence, please sign our petition – and tell your friends and neighbours!
But we need more help. MK Council are consulting on the Playing Fields Strategy – and that’s where they are proposing to make the fields for football only. You can read the strategy here. Please respond to the consultation and tell them whether you think the fields should be just for football or for general use, by 11th November – and tell your friends!
And beyond that, we need to safeguard the public use of the basketball court and the play area too. So please sign our petition to let MK Council know how residents feel.
And please let your friends and neighbours know!
Thanks to the Lib Dems in government, hundreds of young children, in Monkston ward, are able to have free hot school meals from this term saving parents £400 pa.
Cllr Jenni Ferrans directs traffic at the new one-way signs at Monkston School
“Well done!”, said parents to the Lib Dems for getting the traffic chaos at Monkston Primary School sorted out. The Police will now be able to enforce the one-way flow.
The Liberal Democrats in government have produced a major childcare package that is set to help 8820 families in Milton Keynes.
Working families will be given up to £2,000 to ease the cost of childcare as part of a scheme to be rolled out in Autumn 2015.
Jenni Ferrans and Vanessa McPake look for the picnic table. Inset: the damaged tree dumped in Crowborough Lane.
Over the past two months a gang of young people seem to have been having a mindless field day in Kents Hill Park and the young children’s play area.
Some trees, the stakes supporting the trees and the main picnic table and bench have been removed from in and around the play area. Worse, all were then dumped in the middle of Crowborough Lane!
Many thanks to the residents who informed the police and moved stuff out of the road!
The Focus team are trying to get the picnic bench and trees replaced and they have asked the Police to patrol or install a camera for a while to see if they can catch the offenders.