Great River Great Ouse hosts its first annual River Rinse

Posted on 28th September 2022 by communications

Sunday morning was a beautiful early autumn morning perfect for the first of this year’s Buckingham River Rinses.

Members of the public, Buckingham Town Council staff, councillors and volunteers from the Stowe Sub Aqua Group met at the University car park ready to start cleaning the stretch of river from Tanlaw Mill up stream to Fishers Field.

Stowe Sub Aqua Group, who have been volunteering for many years on the project, went in the river and pulled out traffic cones, branches, wire baskets, pipes and general litter. Volunteers litter picked along the river bank and as well as general litter, found a tv that had been dumped.

Cllr Robin Stuchbury, Chairman of the Town Centre & Events Committee had the following to say: “another successful day with many different people turning out from within the community, in partnership with Stowe Sub Aqua, the green spaces team, officers and councillors. All working together to improve our river environment again this year. It’s a constant theme of the Council to look after our aquatic wildlife, and great River Great Ouse.”

If you would like to get involved and help keep our stretch of the River Great Ouse free of debris, we will be meeting on Sunday 9^th October in the Bourton Park car park, Bourton Road at 10:15am. We will be working from the bridge at the bypass up stream towards the cricket club. Litter pickers, gloves and rubbish bags will be provided.

Enter Buckingham Dog Show

Posted on 11th August 2022 by communications

Classes are £1.50 each (cash only, to be paid on the day):

Cutest Puppy 5-12 mths
Fabulous Fella
Gorgeous Gal
Best Rescue Dog
Most Like Its Owner
Golden Oldie 7yrs & Over
Waggiest Tail
Junior Handler 16yrs & under

The winner of each class goes through to Best In Show.

Classes will be judged by our event sponsors Kimberly Cox Dog Training and Woofs and Washes, with prizes supplied by Arden Grange.

Alongside the classes will be a number of stalls from local doggy based businesses and charities - from food to fun! If you'd like to be involved please email events@buckingham-tc.gov.uk for more details.

Be involved for the bees: Buckingham In Bloom Competition is now open!

Posted on 14th June 2022 by communications

The gardens and baskets/containers must be visible from the kerbside. Judging will take place mid July. The Judges will be looking for colour, variety of plants, overall design, whether it attracts insects and other wildlife, garden maintenance and planting schemes which achieve sustainability.

Chairman of the Town Centre & Events Committee, Robin Stuchbury said: “be involved for the bees! Improve your garden and gain an opportunity to win this year’s Buckingham in Bloom contest. Every entry contributes to a greener more pleasant environment for not only yourselves but the whole community.”

Entry forms can be downloaded from the Town Council website or picked up from the Tourist Information Centre and the Buckingham Library Closing date is Friday 1st July.

New #QuickLitterPick station in Chandos Park

Posted on 25th May 2022 by communications

Buckingham Town Council has installed a new Quick Litter Pick Station in Chandos Park following the success of the first one which was launched in Bourton Park in 2021. The Council has joined with many communities and organisations across the UK to work to reduce litter and the impact of single-use plastics. The Council no longer purchases single use plastic items for events and for use within its offices and has implemented a sustainable purchasing policy. As plastics and some other materials do not decompose the Town Council also undertake regular litter picks in an effort to remove risks to wildlife, clean up the town and encourage others to dispose of their rubbish appropriately.

The Quick Litter Pick station Bourton Park in 2021 has made it easier for residents and visitors to help out, even if it’s just for a few minutes in reducing litter levels and protecting the environment.

Buckingham Town Council has received requests from residents and community groups asking how best they can get involved in safely clearing any litter they find while out and about and from there, the Quick Litter Pick initiative was born.

The litter pick stations in Chandos and Bourton Park contain 5 individual litter pickers and a supply of bin liners and can be accessed by anyone with the code for the lock. Anyone who would like the code can call (01280 816426) or email the Town Council Office or Buckingham Tourist Information Centre (01280 823020) during opening hours. The access code is the same for both stations and will remain unchanged. Any collected rubbish bags can be placed in the nearest litter bin or left by the side of bin and the Town Council’s Greenspaces Team will collect during their park inspections.

When you’re dealing with someone else’s rubbish the best way to clear up litter is with litter pickers. Keeping the litter at a distance from your body can protect you from broken edges and any unwanted germs that might be lurking.

Cllr. Warren Whyte, Chair of Environment Committee has already been out to have a go and said: “Following the success of the Bourton park Quick Litter Pick Station, I am delighted to help launch the new additional location in Chandos Park to help keep our wonderful parks clean and tidy.”

The new Quick Litter Pick point in Chandos Park is located by the bridge to the University.

The Quick Litter Pick point in Bourton Park can be found near the Bourton Park Car Park and Multi-Use Games Area in Buckingham.

Green Spaces team clear up after Storm Eunice fells trees

Posted on 3rd March 2022 by communications

While some significant storm damage took place with the arrival of Storm Eunice, the Buckingham Town Council green spaces team were on hand over the weekend to monitor Town Council buildings, parks and trees, closing areas of land where necessary and working to clear debris and fallen trees as quickly as possible to minimise disruption to residents and visitors in Buckingham.

Although the exceptional wind speed during Storm Eunice meant it was unlikely that there would be no damage at all, the team was pleased that due to a careful tree monitoring program and good fortune only a very limited number of Town Council maintained trees sustained damage.

The Bourton Park car park, and a small section of Brackley Road Cemetery, remained closed early into the week after the storm to ensure public safety while tree works took place. Some repairs, including to a wall in the cemetery are still ongoing.

A number of other trees, not on Town Council land, have fallen into the river, historically, and in the recent storm. The Town Council strongly requests that landowners remove these obstructions to the watercourse as quickly as possible and are happy to facilitate access to their own land to help do so where necessary. All trees obstructing, or at risk of obstructing the river have been reported to the Environment Agency.

Chair of the Environment Committee, Cllr. Warren Whyte, said: “we encourage all Riparian Owners (waterside landowners) to undertake a cleanup of any river blockages as soon as possible now that the river level is back to normal.”

Cemetery tidy up before spring maintenance

Posted on 15th February 2022 by communications

A warm start to the year means that grass cutting will start earlier than usual across Buckingham, including at the Brackley Road Cemetery.

The Council asks that any items laid on the grassed areas be moved, and any old Christmas wreaths or flowers be disposed of to help our operatives cut the grass safely. Anything left on the grass after 7^th March 2022 may be moved, and any temporary items disposed of, in order to allow the work to take place.

Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

Celebrate Buckingham Day Postponed until 4th September

Posted on 7th July 2021 by office

Celebrate Buckingham has been postponed until 4^th September, following the delay in lifting Covid regulations until 19^th July. Buckingham Town Council has decided to postpone the event which was planned for this Saturday until Saturday 4^th September.

Celebrate Buckingham is being organised by Buckingham Town Council and the Buckingham Society to celebrate the range of voluntary organisations who are serving the town, enable local groups to raise funds and recruit volunteers, and to bring residents together.

The event will take place in Bourton Park where you will be able to see the robing of Buckingham’s Mayor Cllr Margaret Gateley. There will also been the presentation of civic awards and the Town Council awards which will be presented by The Buckingham Civic Society and Mayor Cllr Margaret Gateley. Two long serving councillors who retired in May will be made Honorary Freewomen of the town. Bouncy castles, food vans and entertainment will be provided.

Cllr Robin Stuchbury, Chairman of the Town Centre & Events Committee said: “I hope to see as many people in September as were intending to join us in July, so that we can all mark the personal achievements of groups and organisations as well as individuals together celebrating what’s best about Buckingham and its wonderful community.”

For further updates on the event, please check the Buckingham Town Council website www.buckingham-tc.gov.uk or follow the Council’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts using @buckinghamTC.

Bourton Park bridges to close for essential maintenance work

Posted on 30th June 2021 by office

This summer, four Bourton Park bridges will be closed, one at a time, to complete essential maintenance work. While the work is taking place the bridges will be closed to the public. Diversion signs will be in place showing alternative footpaths to cross the river Great Ouse.

Work is scheduled to start on 12th July and last 12 to 17 weeks in total. The schedule of work is as follows, although changes may be made if required:

Bridge 3 (near the Bourton Park paddock, also known as Fool’s Crossing) starting on 12^th July, closure in place for 2-3 weeks.
Bridge 4 (Otter pond) starting in late July to August, closure in place for 3-4 weeks.
Bridge 5 (near the footpath to Akister Close) in late August, closure in place for 3-4 weeks.
Bridge 1 (Bourton park carpark) in September, closure in place for 4-6 weeks.

The Town Council sincerely appreciates resident’s patience while the work goes ahead, and has taken steps to ensure that as little disruption as possible is caused.

Regular Bourton Park attendees Buckingham parkrun are making alternative arrangements to their usual running routes while the work takes place

Fun Fact Friday: Day in the Life of a Greenspaces Team Member

Posted on 24th June 2021 by admin

Our greenspaces team work hard to maintain our parks, keeping them clean and beautiful all year round. Craig, who is one of our longest standing Greenspaces Team Members has given an insight into what the team do.

What is a greenspaces team?

I believe that a greenspaces team is a group of people who are committed to keeping the greenspaces in their local area (Buckingham) maintained to a high standard to ensure that the public can enjoy them and are kept safe whilst doing so. It’s almost being like a green fingered Superhero; no job is ever to big or to hard when you take pride in keeping Buckingham a nice place to be like we do!

What does a typical week look like?

We always start the week off by doing park checks to ensure that the play areas and play equipment isn’t damaged from the weekend. From there, it really depends what jobs need doing for example, we could be at the cemetery preparing a grave, cutting the grass around the town and on the bypass, council facility refurbishments and or helping out at our events.

What is your favourite thing to do and why?

I am such a people person. I love interacting with the public whilst working, whether that be by helping a concerned member of the public or just talking to someone and making them smile. I enjoy my job and am proud to be a greenspaces team member.

If you would like to find out more about the parks and greenspaces that we manage, visit our Parks and Greenspaces Page – This page has also been extended with two new spaces to learn more about green spaces maintenance and volunteering.

Quick Litter Pick

Posted on 9th June 2021 by office

We’ve all had moments where we’ve spotted the littered remnants of someone’s night before and wanted to just get stuck in and clear it up. This year has been no different, and Buckingham Town Council has received requests from residents and community groups asking how best they can get involved in safely clearing any litter they find while out and about.

As only the most dedicated of litter hunters tend to carry around litter pickers at all times, the Town Council has introduced Buckingham’s first #QuickLitterPick point. This covered cage in Bourton Park contains 5 individual litter pickers and a supply of bin liners and can be accessed by anyone with the code for the lock. (Anyone who would like the code can call the Town Council Office or Buckingham Tourist Information Centre during opening hours).

Cllr. Sue Hetherington has already been out to have a go and said: ”The Quick Litter Pick is a great idea, it was easy to use and we had really positive reactions from the people we met while using the litter pickers. Everyone was keen to have a go! This project was originally started with previous Chair of the Environment Committee Ruth Newell, I’d like to send her a big thank you.” The Quick Litter Pick point can be found near the Bourton Park Car Park and Multi-Use Games Area in Buckingham.

This year Buckingham Town Council have taken a multi-pronged approach to getting litter under control, including more regular park bin emptying and raising awareness of the problem, particularly of broken glass which can easily cause harm to children and animals.