Phonebox Magazine send a reporter to the Olney Town Council Meetings on the first Monday to each month. We have our report of the meetings here. Earlier ones are available.
There was one member of the public who spoke this month. Martin Wilkinson started by saying that everyone knew why he was there and jokingly admitted to being ‘a pain’ but said he was speaking on behalf of the many residents who want to see a 20mph limit imposed on all side roads in Olney. Many are not fit for purpose for 30mph due to the volume of traffic and number of potholes, he said. He noted that the council had voted against a blanket 20mph restriction at the December meeting, instead opting for a targeted approach. A blanket restriction would be much simpler to implement, less confusing, and would cost a lot less than the suggested targeted zones, he thought. He referred to a petition raised a couple of years ago that had been signed by ‘a fair few hundred’ people. East Street is particularly dangerous, he said, suggesting that it would be too dangerous to install speed awareness cameras in some locations. He also noted that many road markings in the town, particularly at the bottom of Weston Road, are in urgent need of repainting. He finished by saying that it would be his last time of asking, as he felt like a lost profit in the wilderness.
A letter had been received from Naomi Brock on behalf of Olney Is Kind, thanking the council and staff for hosting the Christmas Day lunch at the Olney Centre. Mayor Debbie Whitworth said the event had been a huge success.
David Tyler, Dan Rowland and Alan Stone had sent apologies. There were no declarations of interest.
Milton Keynes City Council (MKCC) Ward Councillor Keith McLean was present to give the report on behalf of the Conservative group. Noting that there had been no OTC meeting in January, he wished everyone a Happy New Year. He said he had been notified of a few changes to the MKCC budget, one of them being that the Highways Department would be seeking a headcount reduction of eight people. However, seven of those were posts that had been vacant for some time, so there would only be one person affected. It was a tight but balanced budget, he said. As previously reported, the Petsoe End Windfarm Fund exists to make donations to community groups. It receives an annual grant of £7k and currently has around £35k in the pot. As a result of the acquisition of the windfarm by OnPath in January 2025, the administration of the fund has now been transferred from the committee made up of Parish Council nominees to the Milton Keynes Community Foundation. Keith said he was confident that the governance structure and transparency of the process for assessing applications would now be much better once it was fully up and running in six to eight weeks. The Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner had that day announced that £200k would be available for suitable schemes and Keith had passed details to all parish clerks in the ward. The MKCC Customer Services email facility has recently been withdrawn and all contact should now be made via the online form. There had been grumbles on social media for the first couple of days but the system now appeared to be working well. The consultation period for the New City Plan had been extended from late December to 16th February due to a flaw in the process of notifying consultees of the previous stage about the Regulation 19 consultation. At a previous meeting it had been reported that the Newport Pagnell recycling centre would be closing at the end of the current financial year, even though the replacement Wolverton ‘Super-Site’ would not be up and running by then. Keith reported that the closure date was now autumn 2026, but an undertaking had been given that it would not close until the new site was open. The rather vague nature of MKCC’s advance road closure signs was a cause for concern for Keith. There did not appear to be standard times for one-day road closures, he said. Usually it was 09.30 to 16.30, but occasionally it was 08.00 to 18.00, which made it very difficult for people to plan their journeys. He noted that the recent closure at Petsoe End had been signposted on the A509, but there were no signs coming from Turvey until the point of closure. Regarding the council decision not to implement a 20mph blanket speed restriction, Keith said he had also spoken to residents who found the decision ‘strange’ but said he looked forward to a report on the council’s further research on the matter. Finally, Keith said that he and fellow ward councillor Peter Geary fully understood why Debbie Whitworth would not be standing in the forthcoming MKCC elections and thanked her, but it wasn’t clear whether they were thanking her for standing down or for her service over the past two years! David Chennells agreed with Keith about the lack of information on the road closure signs and thought the signs should give more information about the actual location. Keith responded that he was more interested in the timings as location data, and more is available on the one.network website. As a supporter of the blanket 20mph restriction, Colin Rodden thought that the council should inform residents about how to go about requesting a restriction in their area and appeared to want to continue the discussion further, but both Mayor Debbie Whitworth and Town Clerk Jane Brushwood indicated a strong desire to move on with the agenda.
In her role as Labour Ward Councillor, Debbie Whitworth gave a brief update on the takeover of the 41 bus service and said she was hopeful of a smooth transition to Palmer Grant, the new operator. The parents of students using the current service had paid large sums upfront for season tickets and were worried that they would not get reimbursed, she said, but she had been assured that would not be the case and all advances would be refunded. The fare cap of £3 would also remain, said Debbie. Parents of Children using the Whirly Pit roundabout crossing had expressed concerns about safety and as a result MKCC would be sending a Traffic and Transport team, including the new Road Safety Officer to investigate and report back. Potholes continue to be a problem, she said and MKCC had investigated and many marked in white for repair. If residents noted a deterioration in potholes that had already been reported the MKCC advice is to report them again, she said. Finally she reported that Aspreys is due for resurfacing in the next financial year.
Keith said as a member of MKCC Planning Committee he had seen an application for the East Street Community Centre (ex-Youth Club) to locate 10 solar panels on the roof of the building, but with no battery storage. He said he had 14 on his own house, along with a 13kW battery so this appeared to be a very cheap solution.
No PCSO was present, so Debbie Whitworth read out the report for the period 01/12/2025 – 02/02/2026:
Additionally, there have been incidents of hare coursing in rural villages.
As there was no meeting in January, two sets of results were available. Deputy Clerk Rob Mungham first provided the stats for the period 7/11/25 to 05/12/2025:
Results for 6/12/25 to 14/01/2026
All locations recorded a decrease in average speed from previous measurements. Colin Rodden expressed the opinion that SID data alone was unreliable because evidence suggests that drivers speed up once they have passed a SID and had some data to prove it. David Chennells said that in his view the only reliable measurements came from average speed cameras. Colin Rodden wanted to continue the discussion, but was asked by the mayor to provide the data so that it could be an agenda item for a future meeting.
Many councillors represent OTC at external groups and forums. Mary Prosser and David Chennells had attended the quarterly meeting of the Ann Hopkins Smith Alms Houses. Mary reported that future maintenance work on the fabric of the buildings would be required, and she had applied to the Emberton Windfarm Fund, but due to the transition to the MKCC Community Foundation, she would need to apply again in March. There was currently one vacancy which would be filled from the waiting list.
Jane Brushwood said that all Building Control requirements for renovation of the ex-football club had been met and work would start the following Monday. No progress on the Padel court.
A lengthy and detailed report had been provided by David Tyler on behalf of the working group proposing to apply to MKCC for a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) on trees and hedgerows on the site known locally as ‘The Orchard’ off East Street. This is the site behind the new wooden fencing by the Tennis Club. Jane Brushwood thought it ‘a little bit bonkers’ to apply for a TPO on land where the owner had done nothing but plant trees. Sarah Lowe said as a nearby resident she had read the report with some astonishment. The report stated that there was a clear and persistent development intent on the site which poses a direct and foreseeable threat to an irreplaceable green asset, but the planning applications referred to were not relevant as two shown as pending had since been refused and a subsequent application had been approved on appeal.
A further application was the Arboricultural Method Statement which had been approved. The Landscaping Plan made clear that all existing trees would remain and there would be additional planting. Several trees in a poor state had been removed by the previous owner but the new owner was replanting the orchard as part of the application, including 30 mature trees and 400m of hedgerow at huge expense before they even knew that the appeal against refusal had been granted.
The proposed TPO included trees that the new owner had planted, she said incredulously. A dilapidated hedgerow from the end of her own garden had been removed, replanted in a better location and watered all through the summer and was now thriving, Sarah said. The trees were not at threat, she said, and did not understand the report. The owner obviously loves trees, she believed, and the report, as worded, was unfair on that individual. Agreeing with Sarah’s viewpoint, Deirdre Bethune was concerned that a subsequent owner of the site might not be so benevolent so it might be prudent to apply for a TPO now. It was agreed to hold fire on the TPO request and ask David Tyler to revise the report.
Finance matters are discussed and decisions made at the Finance Subcommittee. The accounts are then sent to all councillors before the full council meeting. Any issues are now dealt with before the meeting rather than discussed at the meeting, where they are effectively ‘rubber-stamped’. This year the Draft Budget and Draft Schedule of Charges for 2026/2027 has been agreed in the same way.
All charges for services and charges will rise by 3.6% in line with inflation. Chair of Finance Chris Shaw noted that there was no charge shown for a plaque to be fixed to a bench or post in the cemetery where ashes had been scattered so a fee of £50 was discussed and agreed.
From the ensuing discussion it appeared that this is to cater for the situation where ashes have been scattered elsewhere, but a memorial is wanted in the cemetery. Deirdre Bethune asked if this same cost would apply if ashes were scattered in the cemetery, but no plaque was required. An awkward silence ensued as it appears that this isn’t a service that is officially offered by the council. Jane Brushwood thought it unlikely that anyone would ask permission to do this, but she said the groundsmen had evidence that it is happening because ‘the lawnmower makes a different sound’!
The recent internal audit gave the council’s accounts a clean bill of health, and thanks and congratulations were offered to Clerk Jane Brushwood and Deputy Rob Mungham. Colin Rodden noted that OTC had used the same company to audit the accounts for several years and suggested that it might be good governance to change. Rob said that there was a regular rotation within the company and as a result there is a different auditor every two years or so. Besides that, there are very few companies offering that service, he said.
Riverfest will take place on Sunday, 5th July and Motorama will take place on Sunday, 14th June.
The next meeting will be held on Monday 2nd March at 7pm in the Olney Centre. If you would like to contribute to the Public Participation section at the start of the meeting, or any time the mayor deems appropriate, please contact the Town Clerk, townclerk@olneytowncouncil.gov.uk.
Three members of the public spoke this month. Andrew Smith spoke on behalf of the Big Olney Food Festival (BOFF) Committee. Olney Town Council (OTC) had previously granted conditional permission for this year’s event to proceed, subject to the provision of a detailed Event Management Plan. Andrew said this had now been produced, and he was there to provide more detail. The format of the event would be the same as in previous years, with set-up on the Friday morning, comedy night on Friday evening and food stalls on Saturday and Sunday, with closure at 6pm on Sunday. Successful improvements had been made last year, but there were problems with accessibility as the company providing the electrical cable cover ramps had let them down at the last minute. This meant an alternative supplier had to be found, and the ramps provided could not be negotiated by wheelchair or mobility scooter users. Flatter ramps would be provided this year, said Andrew. Engagement with the Milton Keynes City Council (MKCC) Safety Advisory Group would happen much earlier this year, he said. The final decision on whether to allow the event to go ahead was a later agenda item.
Next to speak was Jim Cooper, who asked if the council had any information regarding the old St John ambulance hall, as he had heard it was being turned into some kind of temple. Did the owners need any sort of approval to be there, he asked? It seems strange that it has just happened with nobody knowing about it, which he thought was wrong. Town Clerk Jane Brushwood responded that the council were unable to respond to questions asked in the open forum, and Mayor Debbie Whitworth said that if any further information became available, it would be passed on.
Another resident spoke about the proposed redevelopment of Johnson’s Field by MKCC. A survey was currently underway, asking about the choice between a skate park and a pump track, and the problem with the latter was that it could not be used by skateboarders, but a skate park could be used by other wheeled sports, he said. If a skate park is built, it is imperative that it is a good one, as it would then be used extensively by skateboarders of all ages and would be ‘self-policed’ by users, discouraging the anti-social behaviour that some residents might fear. The existing skate ramp is totally unsuitable, he said, and as an experienced skateboarder and ex-professional snowboarder, he would be happy to provide his expertise in the new design. Skateboarding is an inclusive sport which encourages creativity, individuality and expression, and a good skate park would have longevity as opposed to what he thought would be the short-lived novelty value of a pump track.
David Tyler and Christina Diamandopoulos had sent apologies. Colin Rodden declared an interest in the agenda item regarding results from the Speed Indicating Devices (SIDs) as a resident of Weston Road. As this is a standing agenda item, it was obviously an indication that he had something to discuss.
Milton Keynes City Council (MKCC) Ward Councillor Keith McLean was present to give the report on behalf of himself and Ward Councillor Peter Geary. Keith reported that a local parking audit had recently taken place, and as a result, fellow Ward Councillor Debbie Whitworth had asked the MKCC Parking Officer to visit the schools. Keith had written to the officer asking him to attend and also to take PCSO Connor Braddish. The MKCC budget for the next financial year had been approved with an ‘overarching increase’ of 4.99%. Keith said he and Peter had voted against it due to the ‘ridiculously higher than inflation’ increase in councillors’ allowances. Keith said he had received a number of complaints about litter on the grid roads, A roads and rural roads, so he had asked the team responsible to provide him with a schedule. There had been an incident locally where a landowner had flailed the hedge and grass verge, but had not cleared the litter first, so there was more litter afterwards. He noted that white lines had been painted around some potholes and hoped that the paint wouldn’t wear out before they were repaired. The local elections will take place on the 7th June, and Keith encouraged all residents who wish to make a postal vote, and are not yet registered, to do so as soon as possible. It will be a very long ballot paper, he said, and with potentially three candidates from each party for each post, there could be 12 to 18 names. Lawyers for OnPath had now looked at the legal agreement for the transfer of the Petsoe End Windfarm Fund to the Milton Keynes Community Foundation, with the expectation that it would be open for applications by the end of March or early April.
Ward Councillor Debbie Whitworth reported that there would be a greater police presence in Central Milton Keynes for the foreseeable future. Thames Valley Police were working closely with The Centre MK as a result of the recent tragic incident where a security guard who was performing his role protecting others was stabbed and subsequently died. He was a well-loved and highly respected individual who cared deeply for the community he worked in, and many local residents knew him. Thoughts go out to his family, friends and colleagues at this most upsetting time, she said.
Colin Rodden thanked Keith for the potholes update and said Weston Road was ‘diabolical’, and although the subject of potholes is something people laugh about, it is a serious matter with motorists being forced to pay huge repair bills and motorcyclists dying. Debbie replied that Weston Road had been reported, nobody was laughing, and if any reported potholes had got worse, then they should be reported again.
No PCSO was present, so Jane Brushwood read out the report for the 02/02/2026 – 02/03/2026
Incidents in surrounding villages: Theft of Anglian Water equipment in Emberton; Hare coursing in Hardmead; Rogue traders in Stoke Goldington.
Colin Rodden said it would be great if there were only one incident of shoplifting, but he suspected it was only the tip of the iceberg.
The current completion date for the new Yardley Manor Community Centre on Winterbottom Way is 20th March. Deirdre Bethune asked if the apparent poor drainage around the building had been addressed, and Jane Brushwood replied that it had, but not very well, and felt that it might need to be revisited. As a farmer of nearby land, David Chennells said he knew it to be a ‘dodgy’ area to drain as it is all limestone and claypits, but it could be solved if the developer is prepared to properly fund it. Jane said the council would not adopt the building until the drainage issue was solved. Chris Tennant noted that the developers had applied for planning permission for solar panels on the building, but it did not include battery storage, which he thought was missing a trick.
Many councillors represent OTC at external groups and forums. Sarah Lowe had attended the Rural Crime Forum, where she had presented the shoplifting survey that she had presented to OTC last month. This had identified a chronic level of underreporting of shoplifting incidents. Prior to the meeting, she had visited some of the worst-impacted businesses, one of whom had said the situation is as bad as ever, with nine incidents on a single Saturday, but the management had decided against reporting them to the police. The shop staff would prefer to report the incidents, she said, and this situation is replicated across several other businesses and organisations, where the head office would decide which, if any, incidents to progress. She had sounded out the possibility of holding a forum with shopkeepers, but only one had expressed an interest, with others saying they did not have the time. Sarah said that the police officers present expressed the opinion that, because the Disc App* had been such a success in Central MK, offenders were now moving out to the rural communities.
* Disc is a crime information-sharing system that allows for businesses and others to be aware of criminal activity in their communities, view galleries of offenders, submit reports of incidents and act as an alternative to 101 for reporting non-emergency crimes. It also enables communities to manage their business crime reduction schemes efficiently and effectively.
David Chennells wondered if one of the reasons that the worst-affected businesses were not reporting incidents was that it would attract attention to their own lax security. Sarah agreed and said that a number of businesses had noted that there is a prolific repeat offender in the town who appears to be getting away with a lot, and if he is not being prosecuted, then what is the point? Colin Rodden said this is evidence of the 80/20 rule, where 80% of crime is committed by 20% of individual so could the police be asked to prosecute known individuals?
Chris Tennant had attended the launch of the MKCC Sustainability Strategy, which runs to 2050. The aims of the strategy are to support the economy, focus on energy, reduce emissions, help the environment through the implementation of the local nature recovery strategy, and engage better with the community. There was also some research presented on making existing homes more energy efficient. Sarah Lowe asked whether this would apply to homes currently under construction, such as MK East? Chris said he’d asked the same question but didn’t really get a suitable reply. A Green Business Fund was also being launched to enable businesses to apply for a £25,000 grant to make their business more sustainable.
Results for 15/01/2026 – 09/02/2026
Colin Rodden had obviously been looking into the details behind these headline figures and noted that on Weston Road going up the hill, there had been 27,000 vehicles, of which 145 had been travelling at 45mph and 20 at 50mph. He believed that around 25% of vehicles were travelling at over 30mph. Travelling down the hill, there were 18,000 vehicles, of which 2,500 were travelling at 35mph, 320 were travelling at 40mph, and 32 were travelling at 45mph. This meant there was still a speeding problem, he thought, despite the council deciding at the December meeting that there wasn’t a problem and a 20mph limit was not necessary. Jane Brushwood interjected to say that council Standing Orders dictated that the council could not discuss the same issue within six months of a vote, but Colin insisted he was just discussing the figures as presented to the meeting. Debbie said she and Keith McLean had been in communication with MKCC regarding the issues raised by a resident of Weston Road, but had been told that it is not possible to have a single road with a limit of 20mph; it has to be part of a scheme, which she had explained to Colin many times already. Why then is Yardley Road by OMS and Foxhill compulsory 20mph and not Olney Infants, asked Colin? Debbie replied that different rules apply to schools and attempted to close the discussion down, but Colin refused to be silenced, and a very heated argument took place with lots of strong opinions being expressed loudly by each side. Eventually it was agreed that Colin would bring it to the meeting as an agenda item.
Jane Brushwood reported that much progress had been made since the work started three weeks ago, with the inside being gutted and the foundations for the extension now dug to the required depth, and the expectation is that it will be completed within six months. Regarding a name for the building, the Recs and Services committee had investigated the names of the old fields on which the recreation ground had been created and found that most of the names had been used elsewhere in town, but there was a Scorers Meadow, presumably once farmed by a Mr Scorer. Deirdre Bethune proposed that the name Scorers Community Centre be adopted, but David Chennells wondered if this might erroneously imply a sporting connotation and suggested the name should include the word ‘meadow’. After a discussion, Deirdre’s suggestion (without Meadow) was put to the vote and passed by a majority.
Debbie Whitworth reported that the survey on MKCC’s plans to improve the play area by the provision of a skatepark/pump track would be open until 20th March. The existing play area in the corner (known locally as ‘the wooden park’) is already planned to be updated in the summer. Colin Rodden asked if OTC would be exhibiting any proposed plans, and Jane Brushwood replied that this was actually a survey of potential users rather than a consultation, since the original public consultation had taken place in 2023. Deputy Clerk Rob Mungham said that the informal nature of the survey accessed via a scannable QR code would make it accessible to the type of people who would be likely to use the facility. Chris Tennant observed that this could be a good way for OTC to perform surveys in the future. The next stage would be to submit a planning application, at which time members of the public could comment on the proposals.
Colin Rodden wondered if the risk of terrorism at the event had been sufficiently covered in the Event Management Plan. He was pleased that the issue of insufficient toilets had been addressed. Richard Hillier noted that the plan said that no alcohol purchased off-site would be permitted, and wondered how that would be policed. Debbie Whitworth proposed that the application be accepted, which was passed unanimously.
David Chennells noted that, regarding the expenditure and income report, there was a lot of variation in the budget and actuals for individual items, but remarkably, the overall budget to actual was fairly close. Variation obviously works in the council’s favour, he said, but hoped that one day there wouldn’t be a situation where it didn’t! Jane Brushwood said it was never going to be exact as unexpected expenditures always occur, but so long as the bottom line isn’t too far out, she was happy.
The next meeting will be held on Monday, 13th April at 7pm in the Olney Centre. If you would like to contribute to the Open Forum section at the start of the meeting, or any time the mayor deems appropriate, please contact the Town Clerk, townclerk@olneytowncouncil.gov.uk.
The meeting opened at 19:00, with no members of the public wishing to speak.
Apologies for absence were received from Colin Rodden. David Chennells and David Tyler were AWOL. There were no declarations of interest and, as always, the councillors were asked if anything should come up where they had an interest, they should declare it. The minutes of the previous meeting, from the 2nd March, were approved.
Cllr Keith McLean invited the Mayor, Debbie Whitworth, to give her report first, as this was her final meeting as a ward councillor. Debbie is standing down as a ward councillor on the 7th May (ward council election date), but remains a committed Town Councillor and Mayor of Olney. Debbie thanked Keith for this and noted that she didn’t have much to report other than, for those who don’t know, the Chicheley Hill roundabout construction at MK East, including a cycle bridge and associated drainage, these are not immediate, but work on the existing carriageway will begin on 16th June.
Although many residents and parents have contacted OTC in regard to this and asked for some leeway as it falls at a time when many students are travelling on it for their A-level exams, they should direct any questions to customer services at Milton Keynes, as it is not within the Olney Town Council’s remit to be able to address these concerns.
Keith McLean thanked Debbie and reported he had also received enquiries on this matter and had requested, again, for more sensible drawings, as those currently received are very technical. All that is needed is a precise timeline of what’s going to be closed when, where and for how long, none of which is included in the plans sent.
He also reported that at a previous meeting, he asked MK officers for details of litter picking and grass cutting for A roads, ring roads and rural roads. He is still awaiting a reply, and sadly, the roads are getting worse now, so he is keen for them to reply.
He added that the Petsoe End wind farm fund is now formally set up to run through the MK Community Foundation. Parishes with suitable projects can apply directly, with clear and rigid guidelines on eligibility.
It’s crystal clear what they need to do to be assessed for suitability. He pointed out that it has been a bit quiet over the Easter period. Keith then asked if there were any questions which there weren’t.
Expenditure and the budget were approved, with thanks given to the office for their hard work over the year on this.
Cllr Prosser attended the meeting of the trustees of the Ann Hopkins Alms-houses last week. The maintenance programme is ongoing and is, as expected, with 12 houses, non-stop but all well under control.
A resident’s social event is planned for May with drinks and nibbles, and a good chance to get together, which is important.
No PCSO attended, so Debbie delivered the report from the 4th March to the 12th April:
Cllr Lowe raised concerns about a reported crime on 9th April involving uprooted trees and an attempted fire. She had reported this on the noticeboard, and many people were concerned about it. She reported it in the morning and by 10.30 she got something back from the police, saying that they had fully investigated this incident and could find no evidence to support this or identify anyone, which raises the question of how the police could investigate this in the space of an hour and a half. When she clicked the link to the report, it said the police had deleted it. There was a surprised gasp by some councillors at this information. Are we getting a true reflection of crime in the area? she asked.
She also brought up concerns of under-reporting of shoplifting. Are the shops using DISC (a digital app for reporting shoplifting)? Some may be using it, but it would be good to know who is utilising the service.
Councillor Diamandopoulos then asked about the hate graffiti (which had not, so far as Mercury could see, been mentioned up until this point) and who it was directed at. The mayor explained that specific details are not provided to the council.
The mayor reported on ongoing monitoring of E. coli levels, financed by OTC, and Mark Butterfield and the team have reported that in March, the reading was 48, which is very low, so good news there. However, we need to be mindful that this could rise as some surrounding areas are very high, and the next E. coli test will carried out this week. This will be monitored monthly, and if figures start to rise then the matter will need to be addressed.
Progressing well and as expected with toilet extension and refurbishment, with the roof nearly completed.
Plans remain unclear; no application will be submitted until details are satisfactory. There were discussions as to where exactly the courts will go, but this is still under discussion with OTC, so further plans will be submitted to the council. Cllr Bethune brought up possible parking, but this isn’t expected to cause any problems. It does seem to Mercury that there are still many aspects of the plans to be decided before anything can go ahead. The proposed fully insuring and repairing 99-year lease, while questioned, does seem to be standard for such projects. Any renewal in future is not likely to concern anyone present at
this meeting.
Approved for a former Olney resident with longstanding local connections. There were no objections to this request.
Very near completion, with strong interest from local groups. An opening event is likely. It was pointed out that this is from section 106, so it is positive. The town clerk had a meeting with the developer, who said that people may complain about having extra housing, but look what we’ve been able to achieve with the section 106 money.
There is no funding or space for a skate park. There have been discussions about this, and another proposal was to have a skate park at the Rec (Recreation Ground), but that area is utilised by sports facilities, and so that’s most certainly a no. No decisions yet from MKCC pending planning (expected in May).
A surprisingly lively debate on whether OTC should make more use of social media proceeded. While the website has improved, engagement remains low. Cllr Lowe suggested OTC should engage more with local events and people, possibly through the OTC Facebook page, which isn’t very exciting. There is an initiative from MK to increase transparency and engage with the community more. Cllr Bethune said she’d like to ask “Why?’ Cllr Lowe seemed surprised, as she’d just explained it, but patiently explained again that it was to engage with the community more, and that OTC does many things, and that people, more and more, rely on social media.
It was generally agreed that it was just one more way for people to connect. The deputy town clerk explained that they could make more use of it, and that OTC don’t receive many enquiries via Facebook, so it could be a way to get more. The clerk said, “Do we want that though?” The deputy town clerk said he didn’t know but it seemed to be generally accepted that this was the way forward.
It was agreed that Cllr Lowe would oversee Facebook content, in coordination with the office, to communicate local updates better, as she had experience in that field.
*Vehicle count over 28 days
Overall, speeds in Olney are gradually reducing, which was seen as a very positive outcome.
And finally, a possibly controversial decision – Olney’s hanging baskets are to be scrapped. The clerk announced that hanging baskets will no longer be installed on the High Street. Smaller baskets do not retain sufficient water, while larger ones are too heavy for existing brackets, and maintenance has led to abuse and complaints.
Interestingly, Mercury’s long memory recalls that when new lamp posts were put up, many years back, the question was asked as to whether they, the new lamp posts, could bear the weight of the brackets for the hanging baskets, and the answer was yes.
However, benches and planters will be introduced, although no plan of positioning was forthcoming. SDC Builders (West Street development) has agreed to help the community and fund this with £10k, alongside grant support.
Despite acknowledging public fondness for the baskets, this decision was presented as final, and as the clerk said, “It can’t be helped, and why should MK have their property destroyed just because we want pretty flowers? So, this is the next best thing.”
So, no discussion by elected representatives, no vote, and no hanging baskets.
The next meeting will be held on Monday 1st June at 7.00pm in the Olney Centre.
If you would like to contribute to the Public Participation section at the start of the meeting, or any time the mayor deems appropriate, please contact the Town Clerk, townclerk@olneytowncouncil.gov.uk.
The May meeting of Olney Town Council is formally known as the Annual Meeting, not to be confused with the public Annual Town Meeting, which took place on May 15th. It mainly consists of readopting the Standing Orders, policies, procedures and protocols that the council are obliged to follow. The Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Chairs and members of the various committees are also elected.
There was only one resident who wished to speak this month. Jim Cooper spoke regarding the latest planning application by Tower Cranes UK at what is known locally as the crane site. Jim said that the original application stated that working hours would be Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 8am to 1pm, with no working on Sundays or Bank Holidays. The latest application is very different and states Monday to Saturday 7am to 7pm and Sunday 7am to 2pm, with a requirement for these to be extended at certain times to 5am to 10pm seven days a week. He thought this totally unacceptable for a market town like Olney and said that both the developer and operator were completely aware of the hours they required when they made the original application, but they realised that if they actually stated them at the time, there would be a very good chance that planning permission would be refused. They therefore went for the safer option of stating normal working hours, knowing that they would come back with this later application once they had obtained full planning permission. This is not the first time that these companies have been ‘economical with the truth’, he said, and would lead to another 900 lorry movements a year on what is already a very busy road. He recognised that the council had already objected, but he urged members to individually register their objections on the MKCC Planning Portal with reference PLN/2026/0740.
Debbie Whitworth was re-elected Mayor and Mary Prosser Deputy Mayor, both uncontested and unanimously. Having previously removed the mayor’s chain of office, Debbie then replaced it.
David Chennells and Christina Diamandopoulos had sent apologies for absence. Colin Rodden was absent and had not sent apologies. There were no declarations of interest.
In order that the PCSOs present should not have to sit through the rather lengthy annual business, Debbie Whitworth brought forward the agenda item and invited PCSO Connor Braddish to present his report. Unusually, the report covered the figures for the year to date instead of just the past month, presumably in preparation for the figures to be presented at the Annual Town Meeting later that week.
Connor said the PCSOs had that day attended Olney Middle School to observe the parking and together with the MKCC parking wardens would be visiting the other schools in an attempt to alleviate the parking problems. Debbie Whitworth said she had already received calls from parents expressing appreciation for the police presence. Sarah Lowe asked how many local retail businesses are using the Disc crime reporting app. Connor replied that currently only two, although the team had spent some time explaining it and demonstrating it to businesses. He felt that the majority of crime is still going unreported. Sarah also said that she had reported the uprooting of several saplings down by the river via 101 and was informed that it had been investigated, and there was insufficient evidence to proceed. When she later went to review the update online, she noted that her report had been deleted, and it was not in Connor’s report. It was agreed that Sarah would forward the reference number to Connor, and he would investigate further.
The following protocols and procedures were all adopted without comment or amendment. No doubt they are all available for inspection at the council office by residents, if they feel so inclined:
Scheme of Delegation and Terms of Reference; Appointment of Members to Committees; Standing Orders; Financial Regulations; Inventory of land and other assets including buildings and office equipment (Town Clerk Jane Brushwood explained that this had been substantially revised during the year); Confirmation of arrangements for insurance cover in respect of all insurable risks; Council’s and/or staff subscriptions to other bodies; Council’s complaints procedures; Council’s policies, procedures and practices in respect of its obligations under freedom of information and data protection legislation; Council’s policy for dealing with the press/media; Council’s employment policies and procedures.
Members and chairs of the various subcommittees were then appointed, largely without change. These are: Dickens of a Christmas, Finance, HR, Community Centres Management, Development, and Recs and Services. All councillors, bar two, are members of the Development committee, and David Tyler asked to stand down so that he could devote time to his new role as Ward Councillor, since this is a regular monthly meeting. Deirdre Bethune noted that, as this was the only committee that David was currently on, he should remain on it if he wished to remain a member of Olney Town Council. It was agreed that he would stand down from the Development committee but join one of the other committees that meet quarterly.
There was no report this month, since elections had recently taken place. On behalf of OTC Debbie Whitworth thanked all candidates who had stood and congratulated Peter Geary, Keith McLean and David Tyler as new Ward Councillors.
Jane Brushwood reported that good progress had been made on the new community building with work taking place at weekends and Bank Holidays. She praised the accommodating nature of the building company. Agreement had been reached with the developers of the padel court as to the plans to be submitted to MKCC. Following the previous decision to name the building Scorers Community Centre the council had belatedly realised the term ‘scorers’ could be associated with drugs use and ‘dating’. After much discussion it was decided that the building will be called The Rec Community Centre.
Debbie Whitworth reported that Mark Butterfield had recommenced the river water quality tests, and the usual seasonal rises were being observed. The exception was in the Ecoli tests, which were producing results of nil CFU (Colony Forming Units). This is most bizarre, she said, as the levels being recorded downstream of Olney were huge. The samples are tested by the same lab, so the Olney results have been flagged for further investigation. A joint meeting with multi-agency stakeholders and MP Chris Curtis had been cancelled due to the local elections, but it would be rescheduled in the near future. The ability of Anglian Water to effectively deliver water in and waste out of new developments is a key question.
Visits by the security company employed to patrol the recreation ground during the summer have commenced. Jane Brushwood said that the cost of employing them throughout this summer would be beyond her delegated authority and asked if the council wished to renew the contract. Debbie Whitworth said that many residents had said that although the security personnel could not solve every issue, their presence did make a difference. Sarah Rowe observed that Friday afternoons after school tended to be ‘pretty bad’ and Deputy Clerk Rob Mungham said that it became noticeably worse once exams were over. It was agreed to request a presence for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, plus Bank Holiday Mondays.
Mary Prosser suggested this ought to be the role of the mayor, but Jane Brushwood said, although the mayor would be in attendance, it might be nice to get other people involved. Rob Mungham said that in his previous career working in schools, events such as tree planting had been performed by the youngest student and the oldest resident, although he appreciated that getting the oldest resident to turn out on a cold November night might be problematic. Deidre Bethune suggested perhaps the resident who had lived in the town the longest. It was decided to invite suggestions from residents.
Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) is a statutory set of financial and governance documents that all parish and town councils in England must complete and publish each year. The AGAR for OTC has passed internal audit and will now be sent to the external auditor.
The annual Armed Forces Day afternoon tea will take place on 23rd June at 3pm. Debbie Whitworth said the attendance in recent years had been down to single figures and was reaching out to any past or current serving personnel who might like to attend.
A new tractor is required for the maintenance of the Yardley Manor fields. A used machine would cost between £10k and £12k, and a brand new one £35k to £40k. The clerk will investigate getting funding from the Sect 106 budget, preferably for a new one.
The next meeting will be held on Monday, 1st June at 7pm in the Olney Centre. If you would like to contribute to the Open Forum section at the start of the meeting, or any time the mayor deems appropriate, please contact the Town Clerk, townclerk@olneytowncouncil.gov.uk.
There was standing room only in the public gallery at the June meeting of Olney Town Council (OTC), due to the recent public order issues at the Recreation Ground. A number of residents had asked to speak in the open forum at the start of the meeting.
First to speak was a resident of Carey Way, who said that both OTC and Milton Keynes City Council (MKCC) continue to disregard the mounting pressure put upon residents due to inconsiderate and dangerous parking in the Austen Avenue and Carey Way area. No maintenance had been carried out in recent years, and the roadways and paths are in poor condition, suffering from subsidence, she said, and are not suitable for the large volumes of sports and visitors’ parking. She suggested that, in advance of a funded longer-term solution, OTC should temporarily reopen the Nursery Field football pitch for managed overflow parking during peak visitor periods, as had historically happened for events. It is town-owned land, she said, and protective rubber matting could be used if the surface is not ‘concrete hard’. East Street Community Centre, owned by MKCC, could also be used for parking if the relevant bodies could liaise. Parking on those fields could be properly managed by volunteers for the upcoming Rugby 7s tournament, she suggested, and also for the benefit of the other sports clubs and residents in the area. She said she recognised that both OTC and MKCC had limitations, but they should consistently lobby for a solution, as that was why residents had voted them into office.
The next resident spoke more specifically about the activities at the bathing place and the surrounding areas, which he believed have now escalated from a nuisance to a matter of public safety. It is not a new issue, but one that has been building for a number of years. Residents and sports clubs are now having to deal with inappropriate parking causing obstruction to emergency vehicles, human waste on playing fields, drug paraphernalia being left in public spaces used by children, dangerous behaviour, including motorbike riding on the rec, and incidents of public disorder and violence, including fights which require police intervention. It is not sustainable to expect volunteers or residents to deal with the situation, he said. It is only a matter of time before someone is injured, or worse, and when that happens, the question will quite rightly be asked whether enough was done to prevent it and who was accountable. The key issue is a lack of direction, he thought, but also a lack of prioritisation, as it does not seem to be being treated with the seriousness required for public safety. There needs to be a straightforward answer to one question, he said: Is OTC actively encouraging or discouraging (the use of) the area? Also, why was security not in place that weekend, and why were facilities such as additional bins not in place? With the summer approaching, residents are now looking for visible action rather than more discussion, he said.
Next to speak was a long-term resident of Timpsons Row, who noted that Google Maps had assigned the postcode for the sports clubs on the recreation ground to outside his front door because it could not identify Timpsons Row as a cul-de-sac. He said that earlier in the day, on Bank Holiday Monday, the position was busy but manageable, but at 4pm the atmosphere changed. He now regularly sees cars pull up outside his house and dispense nitrous oxide gas from large canisters into balloons. He has also witnessed drug dealers walking around with large wads of money, selling cannabis and cocaine. On a lesser point, he said that the grass is being damaged by the use of disposable BBQs, noting that this problem appears to have been overcome at Emberton Park.
The next resident said he was angry and upset and blamed the council. Five or six years ago there had been an open-air meeting where all of this had been discussed, and nothing had been done since, he believed.
Finally, ex-OTC councillor Jim Cooper spoke, saying he was also very angry that Olney is being turned into a ‘seaside town’ at weekends and Bank Holidays, but there is very little that OTC can do about it with its limited powers. The big power lies with MKCC, he thought, and members of OTC should not be subjected to the abuse that had been pumped at them on social media. They are doing their best, and it’s not an easy job, having done it himself, he said. The council cannot stop people from entering the recreation ground as there are many entrances and exits. It had erected signs forbidding alcohol, BBQs, and bathing in the river, but it could not be expected to police them. Would the residents present be prepared to stand up in front of the gangs and tell them they could not bring alcohol, he asked. The security firm that OTC has engaged has very limited powers and cannot arrest offenders. Likewise, the police can do very little and only attended on the Bank Holiday Monday when there was a report of a knife being used. Where will the money come from for enforcement and policing, he asked? Drugs are not a new problem in Olney, as in the past, regular dealing took place at night on the Market Place. The problems now being experienced began during Covid, when someone from London promoted the riverbank as a destination on social media. It had now got worse, but he appealed to the public not to take out their frustrations on the councillors who are trying their best.
David Tyler had sent apologies for absence. There were no declarations of interest. At this point the majority of members of the public present left the meeting, thereby missing the later agenda item where their concerns were discussed.
Mayor Debbie Whitworth read a prepared statement. Debbie said OTC fully appreciated the concerns expressed in person, via email, and on social media regarding the unprecedented numbers of people congregating over the Bank Holiday, all of which were being taken seriously. A multi-agency stakeholder meeting was requested at once, consisting of Thames Valley Police (TVP), the MKCC Head of Parking, the MKCC Antisocial Neighbourhood Team, and the MKCC Environmental Crime Unit. All stakeholders agreed on the need for the meeting, which would take place imminently. Debbie had been in regular contact with TVP, and the focus of the meeting will be on enforcement against antisocial behaviour, as well as the drugs and human waste aspects. It will also look at the enforcement of the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), enforcement of parking violations, traffic management and emergency access, environmental protection, seasonal litter management at the rec and elsewhere, and proactive police patrols rather than reactive ones. This will not only be for this summer but also forward planning for the future, she said.
Ward Councillor Peter Geary was present to give this month’s report from MKCC. The council has ‘changed hands’ as a result of the recent elections, but this has not resulted in a huge change, since the council is now run by Liberal Democrats with Labour support, rather than the previous situation. The Council Leader is Jane Carr, councillor for Newport Pagnell, and many of the previous Labour cabinet members have retained their roles. Peter said that as Ward Councillors, he and his colleagues stand ready to do whatever is required of them as regards the recent antisocial behaviour issues, but he disputed Jim Cooper’s assertion that the ‘big power’ resides with MKCC, saying that both it and TVP had very few powers to deal with the issues.
Faye Carlisle was proposed, seconded and unanimously voted onto the council and duly took her place at the table.
Debbie Whitworth said the report had only been received earlier that day and did not include the recent events, so she declined to present it. She noted that both PCSOs were currently on leave with no standby available to attend the meeting.
Mary Prosser reported that the trustees of the Ann Hopkins Smith alms houses had recently held a soirée for residents where a presentation had been made to Jane Roberts, the retiring Secretary of 15 years, of a willow stripper used for basket making. David Chennells noted it was very civilised, in contrast to the events of four days earlier!
Debbie Whitworth reported that Mark Butterfield and the fishing association have continued to collect samples for the river water-quality tests. Electrical conductivity, which is an indicator of the presence of pollutants in the water, had risen to 900 microsiemens per cm µS/cm) which she described as appalling. Ammonia is at an acceptable level, and Phosphates slightly up, but Nitrates had risen from a safe 5 mg/L to an alarming 18 mg/L. High levels of Nitrates in drinking water nationally are a cause for concern, she said. Only three out of the possible eight species of river fly had been found, which is another indication of the poor health of the river. E. coli had once again been recorded as nil, which is suspicious, as high levels continue to be recorded in Turvey and Bedford. David Chennells said that this was obviously an error, as some level of E. coli will always be present in river water. Deirdre Bethune asked whether this would affect Riverfest, and Debbie replied that it wouldn’t, but any high levels recorded before the event would be notified to the organisers. Sarah Lowe noted that there had been several reports of foot lacerations over the bank holiday and wondered whether they could be due to broken glass in the river. Debbie said that Weil’s disease is a concern in that case. David Chennells said that although Weil’s disease is serious, it is also rare. However, it is known to be spread by rats, and the increase in discarded food waste will inevitably lead to an increase in the number of rats. It was unfortunate that the concerned residents who had attended the early part of the meeting had left and therefore missed the opportunity to volunteer to pick up the rubbish, he said.
Results for 09/04/2026 to 07/05/2026
*The 85th centile is the speed at which 85% of vehicles were traveling at or below
Colin Rodden had been looking at the detailed figures and noticed that a number of vehicles had been recorded at 30 and more mph in the 20 mph zone and wondered if it would be possible to get a PCSO with a speed gun to attend. Deputy Clerk Rob Mungham said the figures are forwarded to TVP, who decide the threshold at which to take enforcement action.
A lengthy and rather circular discussion took place on this issue, often descending into angry and uncontrolled exchanges with some councillors talking over each other, with the result that very little could be heard at times. Mayor Debbie Whitworth frequently had to call the meeting to order, and only a summary is possible here. Deirdre Bethune noted that when the waste bins are full, bags of rubbish are being left by them. This is done with the best intentions, but then wild animals and birds split them open and scatter the contents, looking for waste food. She suggested notices requesting people to take litter home when bins are full. Later on, Jane Brushwood reminded councillors that the ground staff do not work at weekends, so if the bins get full on a Friday, they are not emptied until Monday morning, or Tuesday on a Bank Holiday. Did councillors want to pay for additional bins, overtime for ground staff or other litter collection? All this would come at a cost to the council and, therefore, to residents, she said. Deirdre suggested an organised volunteer force to pick up litter, since this currently happens informally anyway, with her and many other residents turning out early in the morning to help clear up from the night before. It shouldn’t be necessary, she thought, but it is ‘our town’, and she would be happy to hand out the litter picking equipment to volunteers. Colin Rodden observed that up to now the council had been ‘dumbing down’ (presumably meaning actively discouraging) visitors to the swimming area due to residents’ concerns about bad parking, drug taking, etc., because that was what it believed residents wanted. The council was being defeated by social media, he said, so was it now time to attempt to manage the situation by managing parking on the field and additional security? By doing this, the council would be seen to be facilitating visitors, so what do residents actually want? Debbie Whitworth suggested a forum with a few councillors and residents to find out what the majority of residents want, but in previous years, whenever the council has suggested charging for use of the (rugby club) car park, the majority of people have objected. Dan Rowland wondered if the council should hold an Extraordinary General Meeting with residents to gauge opinions, but Debbie advised waiting until after the multi-agency meeting to see what enforcement might be possible. An open meeting would probably not achieve very much, she thought, but a consultation, similar to that which had recently taken place re Johnsons Field, might be more productive. Regarding parking, Sarah Lowe said that although cars were parked on double yellow lines and on pavements, the newly painted double yellow lines on Fairfields and East Street were observed. David Chennells thanked Jim Cooper for his support and praised Debbie Whitworth for her proactive approach in contacting the agencies. He appealed to residents not to criticise those who are trying to resolve the situation. It was not unexpected that people would turn out over the Bank Holiday, but the organisation of the huge numbers was unexpected. It was literally an invasion that overwhelmed everyone, he said. Chris Shaw was frustrated by what he saw as a lack of enforcement, recognising that OTC and MKCC have limited powers, but he said it should be possible to issue tickets for illegally parked cars and for the police to prosecute for drug and alcohol abuse. ‘Bad behaviour creep’ is occurring, he thought, where there is a higher and higher acceptance of bad behaviour without action being taken. Peter Geary offered to find out how many parking tickets have been issued and wondered whether a residents-only parking scheme could be considered for Carey Way and Austin Avenue, the downside being that it is often legitimate visitors to residents who get ticketed. Sarah Lowe recognised that it is not a problem unique to Olney, and that Olney was targeted on social media on a particular day. The council needs a plan for action when the number of attendees reaches a critical level, she said. David Chennells thought that, as part of their intelligence-gathering, the police should be monitoring Snapchat to get early warning of gatherings so they can promptly shut them down. Peter Geary suggested liaising with the Parks Trust in MK, which manages the parks and waterfrontage in MK and regularly deals with large gatherings. On the subject of security, Jane Brushwood said that two security contractors currently attend from 4pm to midnight, Friday to Sunday and Bank Holidays, and do not attend in bad weather as they know it will not be necessary. This flexibility saves the council unnecessary expense. It will be up to the proposed forum to decide if addition levels of security should be provided, she said, but Chris Shaw was of the opinion that any increase must be justified by being effective, as there is little point in throwing money at the issue with no improvement. Christina Diamandopoulos was at pains not to demonise all young people, saying there are plenty of occasions when young people gather to have fun with no problems. Finally, Debbie Whitworth thanked the local shopkeepers for their vigilance in checking IDs and not selling alcohol to those who were clearly inebriated, noting that there had been many instances of shoplifting. It was agreed to set up a forum with a number of councillors and residents to go out into the community to look at options.
Jane Brushwood reported that good progress continues to be made on The Rec Community Centre, and completion is still scheduled for August.
There will be an open day for residents to look around the new community centre at Winterbottom Way on 4th July.
Due to low public attendances the Annual Town Meeting will henceforth be held on a Monday rather than a Friday.
The next meeting will be held on Monday 6th July at 7pm in the Olney Centre. If you would like to contribute to the Open Forum section at the start of the meeting, or any time the mayor deems appropriate, please contact the Town Clerk, townclerk@olneytowncouncil.gov.uk.
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