Page 3 - Ickford Informer March 2022

Ickford Parish Council

th
he PC was due to have its regular meeting on 8 March. Making the
We knew that some councillors were not available but
T on arrival we realised that, due to illness, we didn’t have best use of the
enough councillors to form the necessary quorum. Therefore Ickford paths
we were unable to take any decisions. Minutes of previous
meetings are available from the clerk at present, due to the S PROMISED IN PREVIOUS
disappearance of the Ickford community website. AEDITIONS OF THE INFORMER,
Ickford Parish Council along
The PC are in the process of creating a new PC and village The final fourteenth problem stile with the local Ramblers Group
website which, we hope, will replace the now defunct previous have now made all footpaths in
one. Hopefully this will be up and working by the time of the Parish flat access which is
the next Informer. In the meantime, if you would like to be good news for the less mobile
contacted by the clerk when it is active please email her on amongst us.
ickfordpcclerk@gmail.com.
The last problem stile to be
We will also put something on Facebook about the new site. v
replaced by a gate can be seen
on the footpath emerging onto
the Shabbington/Worminghall
Road west of Peacehaven Farm.
Replaced footpath gate Many thanks must go to Bill
Piers, Jerry Mitchell and other members of the Ramblers’ crew
for their dogged efforts, from sweltering heat in July to freezing
cold in January.
Over the past few years the Ramblers have replaced 14 stiles in
HE IC K F OR D P A V ILION IS A V AIL A BLE Ickford with the following funding:
HE ICKFORD PAVILION IS AVAILABLE
T O H IR E OU T A G AIN . – Five replacement gates by the Parish Council,
TO HIRE OUT AGAIN.
T TAs with so many other venues the pavilion has been – three by Ickford Residents,
left mostly unused during the recent pandemic but is – three by the Ramblers Organisation,
now available to be hired. Although it hasn’t the floor – two gates following a Grant obtained by a local farmer,
space of the village hall it is suitable for smaller parties,
groups and classes. If you would like to hire the building – one from a resident of Oakley. v
then please contact: ickfordpavilion@gmail.com Peter Jordain (Vice Chairman, Ickford Parish Council).

Ickford Bridges From our viewpoint, Buckinghamshire Council have said that
they cannot do anything about the bridge itself as it is OCC’s
responsibility but have listened to our complaints that a large
OR JUST OVER A YEAR NOW COUNCILLOR JORDAIN number of the culprits are accessing Wornal Park.
has been liasing with colleagues from Tiddington and
FWaterperry Parish Councils to try to get something done One of the members of Bucks Council has organised a meeting
regarding HGV use of the Grade II listed Ickford Bridge. As you with Wornal Park management to discuss our concerns and
can imagine, this is a long drawn out process but we are trying request they take action to stop HGVs using the bridge. The
to make some progress against the odds. meeting will take place later in March and members of the
respective Parish Councils will attend the meeting.
The first problem we have is that there is no legal weight limit on
the bridge, only an advisory one. This means there is no legal Deanfield have responded to our complaints that their
route to stop lorries using the bridge. The police were initially contractors are using the bridges contrary to their traffic
interested and contacted a particular haulier some time ago management plan and have instructed their contractors not
but he replied saying there is no weight limit, only an advisory to do so. They have installed a sign in Tiddington, as you
width limit, and his lorries are less than that. The police then lost will probably have seen, and their banksman has been seen
interest so we can only rely on goodwill. Ideally what we would instructing trucks to turn right out of the site away from the
like to do would be to get proper restrictions implemented but bridge. Unfortunately there have been reports that some
this won’t be an easy task. lorries are turning right at the top of Worminghall Road towards
Shabbington before turning down Rocker Lane and then over
Ickford Bridge is actually the responsibility of Oxfordshire the bridge. If anyone witnesses this and can provide evidence
County Council and my colleagues from Tiddington and in the form of date, time, registration number or name on the
Waterperry Councils have received a positive initial response lorry, or even photos, then we can take this up with Deanfield
from their County Councillor. who are keen to keep their relations with the village as positive
as they can.
He has intimated that they may be able to install Automatic
Number Plate Recognition cameras at the bridge. Unfortunately We have also been in contact with Historic England who are
he hasn’t confirmed what they will do with any data generated responsible for listed buildings. Unfortunately they don’t seem to
by the cameras and has gone quiet after further chases. have any power to help. v

ourickfordnewsletter@hotmail.com 3 March 2022