As stated previously – what success for a community website – I am humbled by the numbers that visit this site – some on a very regular basis.
Not a great deal trending this week – it is Christmas and New Year and hopefully everyone has had an enjoyable time.
Many personal highlight this year…..one being my ‘official retirement’ at 65 from the PCC office as a ‘Independent Custody Visitor’ something I have been very proud to have been associated with….giving both confidence to the public and police accountability.
Ensuring all those in Custody are treaded fairly when being processed – I remain part of an Appropriate Adult Scheme
Among many other ‘milestones – being the 50th anniversary of the Opening of Whittlesey Swimming Pool – I being the 1st member of the public to access the pool and then re-enact the history this year in May.
Many holidays with my wife Connie, many weekends away in the UK and a fantastic 5 weeks in Alaska and Canada in July/August. My 65th birthday in Madeira.
Our recent 40th Wedding Anniversary – celebrated with friends and family at the wonderful colonial hotel – The Majestic’ in Kuala Lumpur.
My ongoing ‘Community Activist’ campaign – remains ‘Independent’ of political influence…I have attended and reported to the public and electorate on many Whittlesey and Fenland meetings that I have attended, some reports given by friends have kept the public informed in a timely way of what is happening at these meetings.
Many Councillors are uncomfortable with my presence and reporting – why – as usual ‘some are afraid of being held accountable.
One of my disappointments are that ‘Elected Councillors’ do not attend that many meetings outside of their ‘official meetings’ – all of course are entitled to holidays and may be unwell, but some do not even send their apologies for their absence, I find this rather insulting to electorate and public.
So what will 2017 bring to our town and villages…. maybe the start of the much awaited ‘Kings Dyke Crossing’ we all hope so.
Will there be any progress in the building of a Supermarket – don’t hold your breath.
Will the country park ever be built – don’t know but again don’t hold your breath.
Improved transport service -which some Councillors have been trying to get for some time – seems to have gone off the radar!
The moving forward of the Whittlesey Neighbourhood Plan – is happening but no one has actually put a ‘Cost’ of it – and it will be sometime before it becomes a reality.
Meanwhile our town continues to expand in the numbers of people living here.
There are good plans in place for schooling, but that is always subject to getting the projected numbers correct – something that went vasting wrong in Peterborough.
Our Health services are ‘just’ about coping – will that be the case in 12 or 24 months time.
The closure of our Police Station and the town ‘loosing’ its Neighbourhood Policing Team.
The conflicting information being sent from the Police & Crime Commissioner and the Fenland Policing team leaves a lot to be desired!
Many other emotive subjects I am sure will all rear up again during the year…..
Our town has many attributes, one outstanding being the numbers of Volunteers who help make our town what it is – all these people do so by ‘giving’ a lot of time and effort and trying to maintain, improve, make good and make safe our community – I applaud them all and thank every one of them – because without these people our town would not be what it is today – I and many others are passionate about our town – and we are all proud to be part of it.
Certain things are going to happen like it or not – Local Rates will go up – The Brown Bin Tax will come into effect and I note that ‘Tesco’s planning application for land behind the New Queen Street Surgery – took NO NOTICE what-so-ever of WTC members concerns of all housing and not bungalows – FDC see nothing wrong with this – so the usual No one
taking notice – it sometime makes me think – is it really worth the effort!
From this To This – Just one of many successes
I wish all and everyone a Healthy, Prosperous and Happy 2017 where ever you are.
