We have welcomed two new councillors in the past year being Luke Stacey, who replaces Ian Markham, who passed away just before our last Parish Meeting, and Cameron Burton who replaces Russell Forgham who retired in January after giving long service both as a councillor and managing our website.
The Pavilion was built by the Parish Council and leased to Castlethorpe Community Space CIC (CCS) which equipped it and let it to a tenant. The Pavilion opened in March 2025 and was very well supported by the village. Disappointingly though, the tenant was unable to make a commercial success and had to surrender the lease in July. It was then taken over by a second tenant who again enjoyed great support from the village in the first three months but then his custom dropped sharply and became unviable. CCS terminated the Tenancy Agreement after the non-payment of rent in January. A General Meeting of members of CCS was held on 5th February when a report was given to members - the meeting is still available to view on the Parish Council YouTube channel - and a new Board of Directors was elected being Catherine McDermott (Chair), Steve Bradbury (Vice Chair), Gordon Fleming (Company Secretary), Phil Ayles (Treasurer), Geordie Barrie, Debbie LLoyd, Matt Malloy and Luke Stacey. Unfortunately, when CCS took possession of the premises, it was in poor condition with the water disconnected. The new Board spent some considerable time clearing the tenant’s unwanted property and extensive exterior rubbish. It took six weeks for the Parish Council to get the water reconnected (the supplier wanted us to pay the tenant’s bill - we didn’t!) after which it was possible to have the premises, the kitchen in particular, professionally cleaned, damaged paintwork repaired and equipment serviced. This work is still in progress. CCS is now advertising for a new tenant. It is confident that, with the level of support previously demonstrated by the village, the Pavilion can be operated viably providing it chooses the right tenant. This will take time and The Pavilion is unlikely to re-open until late- June.
The Parish Council was successful in obtaining a National Lottery grant to install solar panels on the roof of the cricket pavilion and The Pavilion bar and cafe. We are now seeking bids. The Parish Council will own the panels and sell generated electricity to the tenant or back to the grid. Separately, the Parish Council has also been successful in obtaining a 50% MKCC grant to install solar bollards, like the two at the Thrupp Close end, along the sports ground footpath at the Lodge Farm Court end.
The Village Shop is also owned by the village through a Community Interest Company, Castlethorpe Village Shop Association CIC (CVSA), on land leased from the Parish Council. The shop was built in 2007 and extended in 2024 by CVSA using various funds and grants including ‘S106’ planning gain. CVSA also equipped the shop and then subleased it to Udi and Dina, who operate the shop and pay rent to CVSA but do not fund building work or major equipment. After the significant expenditure on the extension and new fridges and freezers, reported last year, funds have been recovering. Additional expenditure is in the planning stages and possible projects include an air conditioner which is in hand, rooftop solar panels, new external racking and awnings, improved CCTV coverage and some new signage. A new website at www.castlethorpeshop.co.uk has been launched and a recent survey shows residents have high levels of satisfaction. The CVSA Board of Directors is David Scott (Chair), Phil Ayles, Nicky Birchall and John Keane. Peter Clarke is the company Secretary. As the shop is run for the benefit of the village, there are always improvements needed at the shop as well as some maintenance and we require assistance with ideas, getting quotes and/or some handyman skills. This is an occasional rather than a regular commitment - please contact any Board Member if you feel you can help.
We came second in our class (villages with 500-1500 residents) in the 2025 Bucks and Milton Keynes Best Kept Village Competition. There were no bad scores, just a point or two off the maximum. We have entered the competition again for 2026. Judging takes place around June so please tidy where you can and pick up any rubbish. A group of residents, Lawrence Chapman, Mark Evans Dave Hinds and Ollie Sawbridge, have taken the village sign away to refurbish it. It will need a new post and frame. We are also progressing the Public Art funding to put some artwork, mosaics or tile-printed photographs, into the bus shelters. This is being done by Phil Ayles, Graham Flagg, Jacquie Ladyman and Matt Parry. Luke Stacey has planted two new trees at the sports ground. As Spring has arrived and trees and bushes are growing again, could I ask residents with streetlights on their boundary to ensure that their herbage does not obstruct the light especially onto the pavements.
Our Ward Councillor, Alison Andrew has been diligent in getting MKCC to repair the worst potholes in the village though immediately new ones appear. Alison has also been liaising with the West Northants Councillor about the repair of the bridge towards the Navigation and the resurfacing of the road. The Parish Council has purchased, with the aid of a grant, a Speed Indicator Device which has been installed on Bullington End Rd so three of our four entrance roads now have SIDs. The fourth is Station Rd which, because of the build-outs, average speeds are low though of course some drivers will race to get through the build-out before oncoming traffic. Dave Hinds is organising Community Speed Watch which uses a radar gun to report speeding drivers to the police. If you are willing to help even if only occasionally, please contact Dave. Please park considerately. Most of Castlethorpe wasn’t built for the car and that makes parking difficult in places but please think of other residents who need access.
Last year, I said that the Parish Council and residents were trying to get Gobbeys Field designated as a village green to ensure it could continue to be used recreationally, Unfortunately and inappropriately, the bulk of the field had been included in an MKCC Minerals Plan and this prevented its designation. This is a great pity especially as several people, especially Kay Sawbridge, Peter Clarke and Leo Dunwoodie, had done a lot of work to collect evidence of use. I want to stress that the designation would have been for continued recreational use. Residents are concerned about development (which is not a reason for village green designation). Gobbeys is outside the settlement boundary of the village and, unless a future MKCC Local Plan or even our own Neighbourhood Plan, proposes development, housing will not be permitted. MKCC has got a new Local Plan, the New City Plan, which is in its final stages of approval from a Planning Inspector. It does not affect Castlethorpe and doesn’t include Gobbeys for development! You may have read about the Government New Towns Plan which includes Milton Keynes. Each New Town is to have 40,000 houses. In addition to the MK New City Plan there is a ‘developer- led’ proposal which runs from Haversham to the Dips. The map shows the land boundaries of land owned or optioned to: Urban and Civic (Red); Taylor Wimpey (Blue); and Society of Merchant Venturers (Green). This would affect, though not include, Castlethorpe but the red area alone is some 8,000 houses. There is a consultation until 19th May on the draft new towns programme to which it is important to respond at www.gov.uk/government/consultations/new-towns-draft-programme The Parish Council will decide on its response at the May meeting.
Last year I said that several local parishes had written to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England to object to rural parishes being put in the same Ward as Urban parishes as the two have very different needs. Amazingly, LGBCE accepted our argument and we have, uniquely, a one member Ward for Hanslope, Haversham and Castlethorpe. Elections will be held on 7th May. Our Polling Station will be, as usual, in the Village Hall.
We are continuing to run free afternoon teas every other Wednesday in the village hall from 2pm to 4pm. We call it Communi-tea and we lay out tables together so that residents and their friends can talk. Do come but also, if you know someone in the village who doesn’t get out often and would welcome some company, perhaps you could bring them. Dates are 22nd April, 6th and 20th May, 3rd and 17th June and 1st and 15th July. There will then be a break over the summer holidays - back in September. We have done a lot this past year to make Castlethorpe a better place to live and I hope we will continue, with your support, to do so in this coming year. Philip Ayles Chair, Castlethorpe Parish Council
