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Some of you may have wondered why our new local Policeman, Kevin Selway, who was appointed just last September, has been less than conspicuous around the village. The reason is simple; he has resigned - a fact which I only found out via unofficial channels. Were we too much of a challenge? Or was he disillusioned with modern local policing methods? I have as yet no news of any replacement.
The village has had a makeover this past month; fresh white paint has appeared on the Tarmac at road junctions, reinforcing our obedience to the Highway Code. The more cynically minded will say that this phenomenon signifies no more than the end of the financial year for the highways department, anxious to leave no budget unspent. Left unmarked in this access of enthusiasm, however, is the junction of Bow Bank with School Close, just 100 yards from the entrance to both school and preschool, where cars and kids mingle twice a day. I once asked the OCC for road markings here, to be told that 'road marking is generally reserved for junctions further up the road network hierarchy…the nature of the traffic is local, and motorists should be aware of the limitations of the junction.' The same authority that has invested £300,000 in new school buildings, partly with the intention of attracting more childbearing traffic.
Some further road news. Persistent protest about persistent floods in Cow Lane seems at last to be having some effect; the Lane will be closed for five days in mid-March for the County Council to clear and repair drains and ditches. Be prepared to detour. And a recent lurk by the speed detection device at the corner of Lodge Lane and the Hinton Road showed that the latter is no match for the by-pass; the fastest speed recorded over a two-hour morning period was 38 mph; disappointing, in a way.
Our diligent and highly respected street cleaner Robert Squires does a fabulous job keeping the centre of the village clean and tidy, but he is a busy man and can spare us no more than 4 hours a week. Impressed with his efforts, the Parish Council would like to bear responsibility for cleaning a wider area. We need a second Robert. We pay above the minimum wage; does anyone else want a part-time outdoors job?
The expected boundary exchanges between ourselves and KBS have temporarily fallen by the wayside. Government officials' workload is apparently such that these can now not take place before the May elections. We shall therefore need to elect or appoint the same number of parish councillors (7) that we currently have; but with Peter McGregor leaving the village and Jonathan Townsend expecting to, there will be two vacancies in May. We already have one interested candidate; we seek a second - but not necessarily any more than that! A third would mean an election, which, because of the vastly more elaborate election procedures now in place to safeguard against imagined fraud, will cost the Parish. Despite this necessary contingency however, the Clerk can report that (due entirely to prudent financial management) the Parish Precept is being reduced by £200 for the 2007/8 year. Rejoice!
For the past 5 years I have been driving the Buckland village minibus, ferrying local residents of Buckland, Hinton and Longworth to and from Faringdon and Swindon. From this month, I am no longer allowed to continue. Despite both NHS and BUPA medics declaring me fit to continue, and despite Swansea's willingness to extend my minibus licence for a further three years, the bus insurers say I'm just too old to go on driving passengers. As parish clerk and school governor, I have learned to accept the arbitrary rules and regulations by which we are regimented; but, to be frank, this particular one hurts…
Alan Boyce
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