Environmental Concerns

Clubs and Societies, Environment, Letters to the Editor

I read with interest the article headed Buckinghamshire Council News (p26, Wendover News, January 2021) and wonder if other readers are also concerned at the apparent lack of consistency in priorities. Towards the end of the second paragraph it states “The new authority [i.e. Buckinghamshire Council] has declared that environmental issues should be given a very high priority.” Towards the end of the article, the priorities of Wendover Community Board are listed. None of the five bullet points include any environmental issues. The consequence of this is that, unlike neighbouring Community Boards, Wendover CB does not have a working group looking at how to best address environmental concerns in our area.

The Community Board’s priorities for 20/21 were set amongst the confusion of the first national lockdown, the establishment of Bucks as a unitary authority and the cancellation of local government elections. Much of the input was from the constituent Parish Councils, challenged to respond to the consequences of that lockdown. It is unclear what might occur regarding 2021 elections, but I would encourage all residents that, at each and every opportunity to vote, you ask candidates for Parish Councils and for Buckinghamshire Council to clearly state their position on environmental issues and what they will personally champion should they be elected. And please contact your incumbent councillors at parish and Bucks level with your concerns. Let’s hope that when the Wendover CB priorities are refreshed for 21/22, we see a clear commitment to playing our part in tackling the global climate crisis.

Our local community group, Climate Action Wendover, is already working collaboratively with Wendover Parish Council and Buckinghamshire Council. Our aim is to reduce Wendover’s carbon footprint, increase local biodiversity and improve our reuse and recycling. We’d be delighted to hear from anyone interested to find out more and get involved in our projects; climateactionwendover@gmail.com.
Paul Moring
Chair, Climate Action Wendover