That was the week...

Biggest dairy – Britain’s biggest dairy is set to be built at Aston Clinton if plans by Anchor Butter owners Arla get the go ahead. The company said the factory would employ 500 people, cost £150m to build and be the first dairy in the world to process a billion litres of milk a year.

Leading question – Bucks County Council defended the questions it poses to candidates undergoing equality training. They include “If you’ve never slept with a person of the same sex, how do you know you wouldn’t prefer it?” and “Is it possible your heterosexuality stems from a neurotic fear of the same sex?” Protestors said the questions were too intimidating.

Nurse jailed – A former theatre nurse at Stoke Mandeville Hospital who was more than three times over the alcohol limit at 11 o’clock in the morning when her car mounted the pavement and killed a grandmother, was jailed for eight years. Jacqueline Loosley, 47, of Stokenchurch was on her way to an alcoholics’ meeting. Her lawyer said her drinking troubles began after she suddenly “flipped” in the snowy weather last winter when it took her eight hours to get to work. She told Aylesbury Crown Court: “There’s no punishment you can give me that matches the punishment I give myself every day.” Her victim, Judy De Gelas, 59, was a school secretary at Wycombe’s Royal Grammar School. Her two grandchildren were also badly injured.

Mixed messages – Transport Secretary Philip Hammond visited Buckinghamshire to see what all the High Speed Rail fuss was about, and confused everyone with mixed messages. Local Tories attending a private meeting with him came away convinced that he planned to route the train through untouched countryside in Amersham, but local journalists who spoke to him afterwards said he implied he would move the route. Officials later said that High Speed Rail would happen but not necessarily on the Amersham route so far indicated.

Businessman’s sad end – Peter Lucas, the millionaire former owner of the successful Bucks company the Lucas World of Furniture, died after becoming addicted to drink and drugs, his inquest heard. The 56 year old had it all when he inherited the company 30 years ago and lived the high life. But his body was found in the grounds of his estate at Little Horwood the day after he had gone out in the freezing cold in thin clothes. It’s thought he became disorientated and collapsed in bushes. He died from hypothermia.

Misjudged benefits – Wycombe Council was one of only a handful of councils in the country to overestimate the amount of money it would pay out in housing benefits according to new figures. It’s an indication that the town is surviving the worst of the recession. It will refund £2.3m to the Government.

Ryder pick – High Wycombe golfer Luke Donald was picked as a wildcard player for next week’s Ryder Cup by captain Colin Montgomerie and, as self-effacing as ever, said he thought Paul Casey would get the place ahead of him. He’ll be staying with his parents in Beaconsfield in the run up to the tournament at Celtic Manor.

High speed revolt turns the air blue

At first the Transport Secretary Philip Hammond and his officials thought they would be able to brush aside a handful of well-off Nimbys complaining about the proposed route of the £17billion high speed rail link between London and Birmingham.

But after visiting the Chilterns today Mr Hammond knows his problems run much deeper.

His plans to gouge a massive high speed rail link through such true-Blue areas as the Chalfonts, Gerrards Cross, Amersham, Great Missenden, Wendover and the Aylesbury Vale have caused real upset among Conservative activists.

The chairman of Aylesbury Vale Conservative Association has already said he will resign if the High Speed 2 (HS2) route crosses his area. More than 90 per cent of Tory councillors, on both district and county councils, have expressed opposition, and some wealthy supporters are said to be ready to divert their funds from the party to launch a legal appeal.

On top of that, conservationists who work to maintain the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – many traditional Tory supporters – are in no mood for compromise.

All of which puts some heavy Tory MPs on the route of the line in a difficult dilemma. Attorney General Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield) and Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham) are cabinet members whose constituencies are directly affected. So too is Europe Minister David Lidington (Aylesbury) and the Speaker John Bercow (Buckingham). Under pressure from constituents, Mrs Gillan has already indicated it could be a resigning issue.

Mr Hammond has still to make a final recommendation that will be put to public consultation next Spring. He’s been told in no uncertain terms it’s not too late to change his mind.

That was the week...

Mrs Speaker speaks out – John Bercow, the Buckingham MP and House of Commons Speaker, is under increasing pressure to “rein in” his wife Sally, whose comments on her Twitter page are causing fury among Tory MPs. They said that Mrs Bercow was “undermining” the Speaker’s independence by Tweeting comments that include describing Chancellor George Osborne as “mental” and calling for the resignation of David Cameron’s spin doctor Andy Coulson.

Heritage sell-off – As Buckinghamshire County Council confirmed it would be shedding over 500 of its staff in the coming four years, word leaked that it was planning to “sell off” or hand over to volunteers some of the heritage and museum sites in the county it is responsible for. The council is neither confirming nor denying the leak.

“Defective oysters” – Former TV sports presenter Jim Rosenthal sued celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal after he fell “horribly ill” from a meal he ate at Blumenthal’s award winning restaurant, the Fat Duck in Bray. The restaurant admitted that the oysters in the Oyster and Passion Fruit Jelly Lavender were “defective” and had been infected by sewage. Former Wycombe schoolboy Mr Blumenthal was said to be “immensely sad” and had apologised. The restaurant has already paid £6,000 in personal damages to Mr Rosenthal’s party of four, which also included boxing promoter Frank Warren.

Motorway din dimmed – A residents group that’s spent ten years fighting for measures to reduce noise on the M40 finally achieved victory when the Highways Agency said it would resurface the motorway between junctions 3 and 4 – Loudwater to Handy Cross in High Wycombe – with the very latest anti-noise material.

Theatre revamp – High Wycombe’s Swan Theatre reopened after a £1m refurb in the hope of taking some of the gloss off the opening of Aylesbury’s new theatre, Waterside, next month. The revamp includes new seats and ventilation system. The two theatres first big clash comes at panto time with the Swan featuring Eastenders star Steve McFadden in Aladdin and Waterside mainlining Cilla Black in Cinderella.

That was the week...

Youth clubs’ reprieve – Plans to sell off every youth club in Buckinghamshire, with the exception of one in High Wycombe and one in Aylesbury, were put back for the time being until the extent of council cuts are known. There remain fears though that most youth clubs will close next year as buyers are expected to be few and far between. The county is already carrying out a consultation on drastically reducing the number of day centres it runs.

Business rallies – While the public sector prepares for cuts, a survey showed that privately run businesses in Buckinghamshire are recovering. A survey for the BBC said more new businesses were launching and more jobs being created. Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce confirmed that business was recovering although there are fears it may stall in the first part of next year.

Bucks patricide – A 22 year old law graduate was found guilty of murdering his father and burying the dismembered body in the garden of their home in Drayton Parslow. Mark Alexander denied killing 70 year old Samuel Alexander, and tried to deceive neighbours into thinking his father was still alive and living in London. But neighbours alerted police who began investigations.

Housing block – The Aylesbury area is going back to the drawing board in planning its future. The council never liked the idea of mushrooming its population by building nearly 27,000 new homes by 2026 imposed on it by the last Government. Now the new Government has scrapped the target, councillors say they want to build less than half that and are seeking permission to start again. Neighbouring South Oxfordshire has already abandoned plans to build over 5,000 new homes, leading housebuilders to warn of house shortages in the area in the years to come.

Street lights plea – The AA began a campaign to switch on the switched-off street lights of Buckinghamshire. As dark nights return, the council has switched off 1,600 lights to save money. The AA say road safety is being put at risk and energy saving lighting should be introduced instead.

Honorary degrees – Roald Dahl’s widow Felicity, former Olympic swimmer Adrian Moorhouse, musician Edwyn Collins, Wycombe Wanderers owner Steve Hayes and the chief constable of Thames Valley Police Sara Thornton all received honorary degrees at Bucks New University during a week of graduation ceremonies.

Channel record – Beaconsfield student Ed Bosson, 17, became the first person to cross the English Channel on a wakeboard – a skateboard adapted to skim the sea. He completed the crossing in two hours and two minutes hanging onto a tow rope attached to his father’s speedboat and fell off 14 times. “Pretty knackering,” was his tired but triumphant comment.

Will the rope snap in this county tug-of-war?

One of the unintended results of the coalition government’s policies could be to finally put paid to Buckinghamshire, one of Britain’s most ancient counties.

Chancellor George Osborne is adamant that the prosperous south east won’t be getting any government handouts in future...and that puts Buckinghamshire in the frame.

But one area that’s almost certain to get taxpayers cash to boost jobs and business, is a curiously named South Midlands area, which takes in Milton Keynes and Northampton.

And that’s led to an undisguised clash between the north of Bucks and the south.

For councillors in the north of the county, including Aylesbury and Buckingham, think they ought to throw in their lot with Milton Keynes and Northants; while in the south, councillors think it makes greater sense to develop closer ties with the Thames Valley area, which includes Slough and Reading and which is already one of the richest and most dynamic parts of the UK.

Many observers think that in the end they’ll probably both get their way, leaving the county evenly split and the county council going the way of the former Berkshire County Council....into the history books.

That was the week...

Coach crash hero – A coach driver was praised for saving lives after a passenger grabbed the steering wheel of an Oxford to London bus as it sped along the M40 near Beaconsfield at two o’clock in the morning. The driver grappled with the passenger while holding onto the steering wheel and slamming on the brakes. The coach mounted an embankment and turned onto its side but none of the dozen passengers on board were badly injured. A 21 year old male passenger, who ran off after the accident, was later arrested.

Court ban – High Wycombe court became the first in the country to ban people from taking food into the building because they say sandwiches, crisps and bottles of water can be used as missiles to throw at magistrates. The ban has been criticised by lawyers and witnesses who like to bring in packed lunches or snacks while they are waiting to give evidence at court cases and inquests.

Rider collapse – A horse rider was taken to intensive care at Wycombe Hospital after collapsing at the end of her showjumping round at Tring’s annual horse show. Twenty three year old Carla Perotton slid off her horse on the ground moments after completing the course. She was resuscitated in the ambulance. It’s thought she had a heart attack.

Schools return – Thousands of children returned to school while some of their teachers and governors contemplate whether to apply for academy status, which would give them more independence. There are fears that the richer grammar schools would gain more financially at the expense of the non-grammar schools in Bucks.

Pubs bought – The Bel and the Dragon chain of pubs, which includes two of the oldest in the area – the 11th century inn at Windsor and the 14th century bar at Cookham – were bought Joel Cadbury, the heir of the chocolate fortune, and his business partner. The chain also includes a Bel and the Dragon at Goldaming and Reading.

Park closed – A council closed a popular tourist car park and picnic area because of dogging and other “inappropriate behaviour”. The car park at Cobblers Hill, Great Missenden will remain open at weekends.

Tower appeal – High Wycombe’s parish church, All Saints, launched a quarter of a million pound appeal to rebuild its 500 year old bell tower. Death watch beetles have riddled the wooden beams and the masonry is crumbling.

Bright future – Wycombe Wanderers failed to hang on to their brightest prospect – England under 19 international Matt Phillips – when he transferred to newly promoted Premiership side Blackpool on the last day of the transfer window. But it was a good deal for Aylesbury born Matt and for Wanderers whose apprenticeship scheme he joined at the age of nine. The club received £325,000 and the promise of more cash in the future, while for Phillips it was a chance in a lifetime. “We didn’t want to stand in the way of Matt playing Premiership football,” said Wanderers owner Steve Hayes.

Thames piranha – An angler hooked a three inch pirhana fish – normally found in tropical fresh water areas – from the Thames at Marlow. And if you think that’s a bit fishy, wait till you hear the Marlow anglers’ name...Richard Salmon. But it’s all true and Mr Salmon has the picture to prove it.