Return to Contents pagePerennial Topics
An examination of the Parish Council Minute Book reveals that the same issues recur regularly and require decisions and action by the Council. Several are identified below under the headings
New Housing & Village Development
The War Years 1939 to 1945
The Parish Paths Partnership
The Village Pond
The Recreation Grounds
Law & Order
There follows a sequence of extracts from the Council Minutes to illustrate the type of business that was transacted over the years.
NEW HOUSING & VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT
Particularly since the Second World War and the introduction of Town & Country Planning legislation the Parish Council has played an active role in planning village development. Some of the key events are recorded below.
1920 Village council housing scheme proposed
1946 Old peoples homes proposed
1952 Mains sewage system installed (Extended to whole Parish in 1953)
1953 Chiltern Road houses built.
1956 First block of new council houses built
1961 Old people's bungalows built in Church St.
1967 Housing development at Tatlers Hill, Baldways, The Dean & Abbotts Way
1967 Wingrave Village Plan published (Casson, Conder & Partners)
l970 New water main laid
1971 Bell Leys developed
1973 Development of Twelve Leys proposed
1974 New School completed on Twelve Leys (Old School leased to community association)
1980 Church Rooms sold for housing
1990 Development at Old Manor House approved
1991 A.V.D.C. published Rural Areas Housing plan and issue Draft Local Plan for next decade.
1994 Parsonage Farm housing development. Housing on Bell public house site
THE WAR YEARS 1939 - 1945
Not many items in the minutes reflect the passage of the Second World War. The first is a note in 1936 that facilities for the treatment of air raid casualties were being considered.
During the war the Czechoslovak Government - in - exile was located in the Manor House and Dr. Benes, the exiled President, lived in the Abbey at Aston Abbotts. In 1944 Dr. Benes donated funds for a bus shelter to be erected at the Handpost (i.e. Wingrave Crossroads).
In 1939 a survey of accommodation was carried out to find out how many children could be billeted in the village. The election of Councillors was suspended for the 'duration'.
In 1941 a Local Defence Committee was formed with members representing the Police, Home Guard and Air Raid Wardens. There was some concern that the A.R.P. volunteers were "not yet adequately equipped". The Fire Parties were stood down in 1946.
In 1942 all the iron railings in the village were collected for scrap metal except those around the Moat, Church & War Memorial.
War Weapons Week raised £4,024 in 1941 and Salute the Soldier Week raised £3,500 in 1944.
Celebrations marking VJ Day in 1946 included tea for the children.
After hostilities were over in 1947 there were complaints that German prisoners of war were causing over crowding on the buses.
THE PARISH PATHS PARTNERSHIP
In 1992 an initiative was launched by the Countryside Commission to be known as the "Parish Paths Partnership". This aimed to involve local Councils in the management of rights-of-way in their areas.
Buckinghamshire County Council was one of the first Highway Authorities in the country to enter into an agreement with the Commission to set up a county scheme.
Wingrave with Rowsham Parish Council decided to become involved in this scheme and over several months a survey of the rights-of-way within the Parish boundary was carried out by Reg Walker. The project involved the repair and renewal of stiles, making footbridges across streams safe, clearing overgrown paths and laying hard core on very wet areas along the rights-of-way. This was done with the help of volunteers and paid for by a Parish grant from the County Council. This scheme is still underway and will take many months and a great deal of work to complete. The generous co-operation of our farmers is gratefully acknowledged.
A specially constructed notice board will be set up in the village with a map of the rights-of-way as far as the Parish boundary.
THE VILLAGE POND
At a meeting held in July 1899 the Parish Council were of the opinion that:
"the village pond requires cleansing and they are willing to do it but in consideration of the short supply of water in the Parish think it would be a great pity to get rid of it just at present so the Farmers and others may take advantage of it as some generally do for thatching etc. therefore ask you to postpone your order for at least a month to six weeks otherwise it may greatly inconvenience some persons."
The Pond was cleaned out in 1911, 1935, 1943, 1947, 1965, 1976 & 1990. The Moat on the Recreation Ground also had to be cleared until it was filled in during 1953. The Scouts built a shelter on the Pond in 1977 but this had to be rebuilt by 1988.
The Pond (and the Green) were registered as open spaces in 1967 and the Parish Council's ownership was finally determined in 1978.
In 1992 the Pond was planted with oxygenating plants to restore the ecological balance and steps were taken to control the growth of water fern
THE RECREATION GROUNDS
In 1910 the Parish Council took over management (which included inviting tenders for sheep grazing) of the Recreation Ground. But it was not until 1924 that Lord Dalmeny (later Lord Rosebery) gave the Recreation Ground "to be owned managed by the Parish Council". In 1926 parts of the Ground were set aside for tennis courts and a bowling green. The remainder was used for grazing and playing cricket and football (not without disputes about the changeover dates). The original Bowls Club pavilion was erected in 1930 to be replaced by a new one in 1966, Bye-laws were approved in 1931 and a public urinal was erected in 1932. In 1946 it was decided to build a Fire Station but this was demolished 32 years later in 1978. A new pavilion and swings were proposed in 1950 and play equipment was added in 1977. The Moat which was adjacent to Moat Lane was filled in in 1953. Football was permitted on Sunday after 1971.
Because of growing pressure on the Recreation Ground a plan for additional sports facilities to be known as Wingrave Park was proposed in 1987. Pratt's Charity Field on the Winslow Road was leased for this purpose in 1990 for 21 years. Planning permission was confirmed in 1991 and 150 trees planted. Bye-laws were drafted in 1992 and discussed in 1993. Wingrave Park was handed over to the Recreation Committee for day to day running in 1994.
LAW & ORDER
One of the first acts of the Parish Council was to appoint Parish Constables; "only fit and proper persons to apply". In 1912 two sets of hand cuffs and staves were purchased for their use.
In 1923 the request for a Resident Magistrate was refused.
Parish Constables were not appointed during the war years because sufficient Home Guards and Special Constables lived in the village. The Neighbourhood Watch scheme was introduced in 1987.
In 1966 vandals broke the goal posts on the Recreation Ground. The culprits were ducked in the Pond by members of the Football Club. Increased vandalism on the Recreation Ground was noted in 1992 and the Commemorative seat on the Green was damaged.
In 1993 the bus shelter at the Wingrave cross roads was vandalised for the second time following extensive refurbishment.