The look of the village has always been the responsibility of the Parish Council, and letters to parishioners are not unknown. Extracts from the Minute Book include:

June 1920 when it was "resolved that the Clerk write to the Executors of the late J Slayter calling their attention to the dangerous state of the derelict property owned by the late Mr Slayter and to enquire if they cannot have the evil remedied" Whether the words "evil remedied" was just flowery language or a intimation of the actual problem is, unfortunately, not clear.

Miss Robinson, of an address unknown, was written to in February 1921 calling her attention to the dangerous condition of her roof and asking her to "remedy the same".

George West was asked to have his hedge, which over hanged Water Lane, trimmed in October 1923.

The Rector, the Rev. H A G Blomefield was not immune to letters from the Council for on 26th March 1924 he, and P L Middleweek, were asked to trim their hedges which overhung the Narrow Lanes. Unfortunately Mr Middleweek did not respond and the Council subsequently wrote to the Rural District Council to ask them to exert some pressure on him to comply. Whether it was the same complaint or another the Council wrote again to Mr Middleweek, this time in October 1926 about a hedge causing damage in Lukes Close.

In August 1935 the County Council sought from the Parish Council a list of land that it considered should be reserved for "recreation grounds, allotments, burial grounds etc". The Council replied that it felt that the following should be reserved:

• land adjoining the present sewage farm for expansion
• "Shop Close" as a recreation ground
• land adjoining the churchyard as an extension
• the present allotments

With regard to the playing field the Council received a letter in February 1936 from Mrs Langley Taylor , Organiser for Buckinghamshire of the 'Playing Fields Day' who sought the Council to arrange a house to house collection on 31st March in aid of the "National Playing Fields Association". The Council replied that they would be more sympathetic to the call if the Association would offer advice as to how to get a playing field for the village!

In November 1936 the Rural District Council asked the Parish Council about the need for council houses in addition to those erected in 1930 in Church Road, and a reply was sent that some were needed and suggested that these be near the parish room. Two years later in August 1938 they again wrote, this time asking how many new cottages were needed for the agricultural population. The Parish Council replied that four cottages were needed. It is not known if the cottages requested in 1938 were actually built, but in February 1943 the RDC were looking forward for they asked "for a note of housing need at the end of the war and for any suitable sites". The reply was that twelve new homes would be required:

• 2 for agricultural workers
• 4 as replacements for unfit houses
• 6 for the increase in population

Mr Hickson's name was put forward as a person to be approached with a view to land being made available in Olney Road. No council houses were, in fact, built in the Olney Rd.

Strangely, when the same question was asked again in December 1945 the Council then said that NO homes were required. However, in March 1946 the RDC indicated that they hoped four new homes would soon be built.

By June 1950 the Council were in a position to recommend five suitable persons for RDC housing

After the end of the Second World War and the lifting of the various restrictions on the purchase of material a number of building schemes were started in the village. Six bungalows were erected in the middle of 1956 on the east side of School Lane. The Council became interested as the builders had numbered them 1 to 6 in sequence when they should have been 1 to 11 in an odd number sequence. As a consequence Mr Nursaw's house had to be renumbered from 1 to 13 and the School House from 3 to 15.

In November 1956 Messrs Charles Bros were building in Park Road and at the junction of School Lane and Church Road, whilst the County Council were looking for land to build a house for the District Nurse. This was eventually built in the Bedford Road.

Four new bungalows were built in early 1959 in School Lane becoming numbers 8 - 14 in an even number sequence.

The concept of preservable buildings, known as "ancient monuments", came in in April 1938 and the County asked the Council which buildings should be scheduled for preservation. It is surprising that the reply only mentioned the Old Manor House, now known as Yew Tree Farm that dated back to the 16th Century. Yew Tree Farm is in Park End.

Another innovation during the period of the Second World War was the implementation of the Town & Country Planning Act. In February 1944 the RDC sought from the Council a list of woodland and trees for preservation. The Council replied that they were "not aware of any woodland or trees other than an oak in Bancroft which is reported to have been planted to commemorate an event of historical interest".

Gun Lane, from just opposite The White Hart, had a number of old cottages on it which virtually sat in the gutter. In May 1965 surveyors told residents that properties would be demolished so as to widen the road , but gave a political reply, when challenged, to the Council in August that 'no demolition would take place if at all possible'

A bit further up Gun Lane Mr J Burgess wished to have a heavy plant repair facility in the field behind his bungalow, Local residents spoke against this at the meeting on 7th October 1968. It took until 21st May 1969 before the Council received the final plans to which they agreed by a majority of 5:1. Although a road was cut to the site it was never actually built as it seemed that the business was being carried on in Griggs Farm for a complaint was received about 'farm buildings being used as a machinery repair shop in contravention of agreement'. Nothing evidently was done about this for the same complaint was received on 20.3.1975 What evidently was not known was that a limited time planning agreement was in force until 20 March 1976

However, still in Gun Lane, the RDC was, in March 1970, accused of using the verges to store spare material which the villagers thought to be an eyesore. It seemed that nothing was done as in January 1972 the matter was raised again with the RDC being accused of making the village an untidy mess with dumps of material being left in Gun Lane, the High St, the top of Chicheley Hill and verges in general.

The question of a playing field for the village was raised again in May 1969, but the RDC said "no money was available to acquire one but, 'children had several fields available for playing in'". J W Cook & Son offered land for a play area near to the school in conjunction with a planning application but the Parish Council said it was not in the place shown on the village plan. Plans came and went until 28th March 1974 when Mr J Cook suggested a field in Perry Lane. This was agreed.

Things however did not go smoothly for it was reported in November 1974 that Milton Keynes District Council had refused planning permission!

The RDC had to provide 'a village plan' at regular intervals and held a special meeting (no 365) with the Council on 26th August 1970 to discuss the next one. This role was then taken over by Bucks CC It seemed however that not all went well for in October 1972 Council read about the one for that year in the local newspaper. They were understandably upset and demanded to know why it took a fortnight for the plan to get from BCC to the parish.

Planning applications of note were:

1. 3 dwellings and conversion of existing barns into dwellings in Gun Lane (agreed 12.7.1973)
2. Conversion of Church Road/Knoll chapel into car workshop (opposed 12.7.1973)
3. C H Smith motor yard. Backed MKBC in objecting to application (23.10.1976)
4. Objection to development at Griggs Farm (20.1.77)

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