Cllr Roy Gerstner – Community Activist

Everything you need to know about the planning referendum in Whittlesey this month.

Please read article in todays Peterborough Telegraph© also look at WTC Website for more information.

Click Here

Today I joined the ‘Teams’ meeting for the Patients Participation Group @ New Queen Street Surgery. A good engagement with the practice, some good news – NQS statistics in comparision with National figures, were above the national averages for both number of patients being offered appointments and also a slight better figure for face to face appointments. There are some new staff in place, however advertisments for Doctor(s) is ongoing.
I asked whether testing for bloods etc could be carried out at Doddington Hospital instead of the City Care Centre – this will be looked at.

At Queen St Church – Sat 11^th Feb.  Doors open 6.30 for 7pm start.

Screening – “Mrs Harris Goes To Paris” (Cert PG)

Comedy / Drama – Starring Lesley Manville

In partnership with the House of Dior, “Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris” tells the story of a widowed cleaning lady in 1950s London who falls madly in love with a couture Dior dress and decides that she must have one of her own. After she works, starves, and gambles to raise the funds to pursue her dream, she embarks on an adventure to Paris which will change not only her own outlook, but the very future of the House of Dior.

You are all warmly invited to come along to our warm and cosy building for a top-class movie screening plus refreshments served during an interval. No charges made for admission, however we do have operating expenses, not least for heating and lighting and the required video licence, so we request that you pay what you can afford please. Screenings through the winter months.

I am not saying there was NO vandalism in Whittlesey during my teenage years, but it was very rare and the chance was the Police had a good idea who had done what.
A visit by our ‘locals’ to the usual suspects would normally produce the miscreant(s),
who may well have been dealt with at our local magistrate court – Whittlesey Town Hall

What a (relatively) innocent world we lived in during the 1960’s – Whittlesey had just developed an Industrial Estate off Station/Benwick Road and the units were not occupied during the summer of 1968.

The cost was not over expensive but on Paper-round money represented nearly 3 weeks wages to attend.
No camera, no problems and what a wonderful event – we still can put on good events, year on year, our ‘Volunteers’ supported in most cases by Whittlesey Town Council put on so many events……ever thought of helping out….come on – it doesn’t take much.

ps the Ten Thousand expected – did not happen –
(click on pictures to enlarge)

© https://www.ukrockfestivals.com

Lattersey –

I was asked ‘why’ most of our local taxes are going up by either cost of living inflation or the maximum allowed by the government – in particular the Police precept (tax).

I would say most weeks another survey or consultaion hits my inbox – some (not all)
I publish and attempt to get you the electorate to have an opportunity to have
|YOUR SAY|.
Most of these surveys/consultaions can be ‘boring and somewhat lengthy, and people just can not be bothered.

We are rapidly approaching local elections in May and I have been sent the latest Conservative Newsletter asking  to ‘tick’ pre-determined boxes – clever questions which require limited answers.

However I will give credit where due – Both Whittlesey Town and Fenland District Councils have NOT put up local precept/tax for many years –
However it is not only the Conservatives (some of whom want tax increases) who have kept these increases at zero, myself and others have also lobbied and  fought to keep at zero increase.
The same can not be said of Cambridgeshire County Council which at best is somewhat dysfunctional (as I|’ve said on a number of occasions).

I see that Cllr Steve Count now states that if the conservatives were in control at Cambs CC there would be a ‘Zero’ increase – Sorry again for having a go at Cllr Count – It never happened before when he was leader of the majority conservative Group.

Back to the Police Precept : – I wrote an e-mail to :- Cllr Edward Leigh
Chair and independent co-opted member Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Panel asking him for further information as to how much, if any weight is given to the consultaion which took place re- Police funding increases.

He wrote back to me the same day (Friday) :- The Panel meeting did examine the consultation report, expressing concern about the relatively small number of responses, and poor representation of women and younger people.

Nevertheless, the consultation responses provided some degree of evidence that the majority of the public do want funding to be increased for policing (though still below inflation).

About 1% of the voting population of Cambridgeshire bothered to express their views on the implending increase. Some 66% were in favour and supported an increase and 33% were not supportive, a very small sector of respondese.

So – when people complain (myself included) of our never ending Tax increases, ‘we’ are partly to blame….and I go back to the argument that sometimes we are overloaded with these surveys and consultaions that the mere thought puts people off.

Elections at best 35% turnout for local elections – 65% not bothered or apathetical at best.

I am grateful to Edward Leigh for sending me the following links where if you have a spare 10 minutes can read all the reasoning and answers to the consultaion and its outcome.

The consultation report is available here:
https://democracy.peterborough.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=543&MId=4691&Ver=4

The specific report is here:
https://democracy.peterborough.gov.uk/documents/s48961/23%2002%2001%20-%20Appendix%202%20-%20Precept%20Survey%20Report%202023-24%201.pdf

There is an article on© The Peterborough Telegraph Click Here about the increase Police precept.

Many groups have contact with The Whittlesey Charity – sometimes applying for grants.

Just for information Graham Abblitt has stepped down following a very short period of time as the Clerk to Whittlesey Charity.

The new Clerk to Whittlesey Charity is Mary Johnson and for any future contact please use the following:

email:  clerk@thewhittleseycharity.co.uk

The recommendations for Whittlesey can be viewed at the end of this article.
Further information can be seen of the FDC Website – RHS/Downloads

Click Here

View direct and zoom better by Clicking Here

Appendix_5_-_Whittlesey_Recommendations

My apologies for the later posting, the monthly Whittlesey Town Council –
Councillor Surgery will be taking place at ‘Peel House’ Saturday 04th February.
09:30 – 10:30
Cllrs in attendance will be CCC/FDC & WTC Cllr Cris Boden and WTC Cllr Haq Nawaz

I am aware that there are residents who have pre-booked.