Cllr Roy Gerstner – Community Activist

Some commentators have said a waste of money, others say a leap for the future.
Each of Fenlands Market Towns were ‘allocated’ £1M each for improvements to their town, this funding from The Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority, came about under the watch of the previous Mayor Palmer.

March for instance have spent most of their money on enhancing the Town Centre.
Whittlesey, completed the much loved Herritage Walk, which credit to Cllr Dee Laws pushed forward, along with some improvements to the Manor Area, the yet safety upgrade to the Block Paving on the Market Place, and the hibernated Heritage Centre, which to date has not happened.

The proposed Mega Incinerator planned for Wisbech would be a “catastrophe” for the town, campaigners have said.
Why would this affect us in Whittlesey.

1/ There would be a good possibility that any waste (IBA – Incinerator Bottom Ash) would be processed at facilities already running from the Saxon Pit area.

2/ A vast increase in our already overloaded HGV’s passing along the A605, resulting in more pollutants and carbon.

Fenland District Council says it will not allow the developer behind the planned mega-incinerator for Wisbech access across land it owns.

The district council has been one of the leading opponents of MVV Environment Ltd’s plans for the 54-megawatt burner on a site off Algores Way.

Now the authority has reiterated to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, that it will not voluntarily allow ‘a right of access over Algores Way’ which is needed by the applicant behind the Medworth Scheme to build the incinerator.

A decision from the Secretary of State is due by Wednesday, February 21st.
In a statement issued this week the council said: “Fenland District Council has maintained its strong objection to the proposed Wisbech incinerator after the Secretary of State deciding the plan asked for an updated position on a specific aspect.”

In its reply, the council said: “Fenland District Council maintains its strong objection in principle to the proposed Medworth Scheme which reflects the significant concerns of the local community.

 

The council has been asked to update on its position regarding ‘a right of access over Algores Way,’ which is required by the applicant to carry out the plan.

“The council will not voluntarily give Temporary Possession Rights to the applicant given the council’s objection in principle to the development.

“The applicant is fully aware of this and hence the applicant has not made an approach to reach an agreement.”

RG Note : I strongly support the Wisbech Town Council, the residents group Wisbech Without Incineration (WisWIN)  and FDC in their objections to this proposal.

What was supposed to be a cost cuttung exercise – will now in fact cost us more…
They didn’t save what they thought they would, and actually increased their Carbon Footprint…..

We didn’t get this right’ admits county council over policy to end chemical weed killing.

At a meeting on Tuesday, council officers apologised for the way the policy change was handled and admitted the county council did not engage effectively with other councils and people in the county.

Chemical weed killing is due to start again across Fenland and the rest of the county after Cambridgeshire County Council admitted it had ‘not got it right’ on its policy.

The authority stopped using chemical weed killers last year, instead planning to only physically remove weeds if they “presented a hazard or nuisance” to people.

The county council said at the time of the change that it would save the authority £120,000 a year, would reduce its carbon footprint, and would reduce the use of “potentially harmful chemicals”.

Read the full story –  The Fenland Citizen

I complained, Whittlesey Town Council Complained, Fenland District Council Complained.