What's in a name? Council McCouncilface among suggestions for new name of Bucks unitary authority

District councils arranged “extraordinary meetings” this week to discuss the next steps towards launching a single unitary authority in Bucks.

Earlier this week, Aylesbury Vale District Council met with leader Angela Macpherson telling the BBC following the meeting that AVDC preferred the three councillors per ward option for the new-look authority.

This is in contrast to Bucks County Council leader Martin Tett who told the BBC that BCC preferred the two councillors per ward option.

On Wednesday evening, Chiltern District Council met for an equivalent meeting.

Chiltern district councillors considered naming the new authority “Bucks Council” amid fears Buckinghamshire Council would suggest it also covers Milton Keynes.

Leader of the Chiltern district council Isobel Darby, jokingly suggested Council McCouncilface – referring to a polar research ship which was named “RRS Boaty McBoatface” following a public vote.

Cllr Darby said: “The name – that’s a big debate. Council McCouncilface?

“Or perhaps more sensibly Buckinghamshire or Bucks Council.

"Those seem to be the names that are coming up via the leaders at the moment.

“There is an argument that Buckinghamshire includes Milton Keynes, and therefore it should be Bucks Council.”

However councillor for Penn and Coleshill, Julie Burton, said abbreviating Buckinghamshire to Bucks would be a “sad day” for the county.

She said: “After being around for about 1,000 years I would hate to see the name Buckinghamshire disappear.

“It will be the senior council running our whole shire, and I think it would be a really sad day to call it Bucks.”

Councillor for Holmer Green, Mike Smith, added: “My small contribution to this is as long as it doesn’t contain county, I don’t particularly care.”

The four district councils - Aylesbury Vale, Wycombe, Chiltern and South Bucks, as well as Bucks County Council, will collectively decide on a name for the new authority.