This is a season of goodwill and attempts to treat people in a more civil way, though we mainly refrain from touching or removing hats when greeting someone, as used to occur a century ago.

It is a sad comment on current practices at Transport for Bucks and Bucks County Council that in our experience an increasing number of letters and email messages are simply ignored. We have been given to understand that there are guidelines for the number of days within which a proper response to a communication should be handled, but we have been waiting for some responses for many months.

The main issues relate to the increased road safety concerns following the moving of the post office in Naphill. Many months ago, BCC/TfB were asked what preventative action they intended taking, which did result in the comment that they would take none. We again asked them: “What action would you consider the parish council should consider?”, but have never since received any ideas.

Comments about staff changes or staff cutbacks should have no bearing on the matter, since those guidelines are for responses from a corporate entity, the management of which should surely be able to allow for organisational changes, yet still do what most people would regard as polite.

It is interesting to note that our Bucks County Councillor has intervened on a number of issues, with success on some but still silence on others.

Please, BCC and TfB, will you look at your ‘pending’ trays and have the courtesy to respond to us?

Roger Beavil, Chairman, Hughenden Parish Council