October 2018

Are you in favour of the Parish Council paying to reinstate first half hour free parking at Broadway Car Park, and for each household contributing to the cost?

As announced at the Parish Council meeting on 22 October 2018, the results are as follows:

Yes: 410
No: 78
Total: 488

Eight spoilt voting cards were also received. These had either been amended to change the question before voting or both boxes had been ticked. In addition, four voting cards were received late.

South Bucks District Council advised that the Parish has a total of 2,535 houses and unfortunately the valid votes received did not reach the 20% threshold for the referendum. As a result, the Parish Council is not able to take this proposal further.

It is clear, however, that there is strong support for change in respect of the car park and as such the Parish Council is keen to explore other options in order to support local residents and shops.

The Parish Council has learnt from this process and acknowledges that posters should have been put up earlier and that improving communication channels with residents is crucial as the use of the Farnhams Magazine does not seem to have worked this time. The wish to improve communication is key in the decision taken in September 2018 to launch a Parish Council Facebook page and this is expected to happen in the next few weeks.

The Parish Council has been asked why voting cards were not placed in shops and the library etc. It was important for the integrity of the process that the delivery of voting cards was controlled to ensure households were completing only one and that they were only completed by the residents who would experience the increase in Council Tax.

Clerk to the Parish Council
24 October 2018