Cllr Roy Gerstner – Community Activist

                                               Thanks Discovering Whittlesea©

From the Fenland Youth Radio Newsroom

November 1st marks a significant date in the history of the Whittlesey Emergency Food Aid (WEFA) has moved to a new home thanks to Fenland District Council and Freedom Leisure as an old football changing room has been renovated to store emergency food supplies for those in greatest need.
The Mayor of Whittlesey David Mason was joined by representatives of a number of organisations to officially launch the new venue marked with the cutting of a cake. A dedicated WEFA phone line has been set up and your details will be confidential 07375143146 Photo Courtesy Robert Windle RWT Photography / Fenland Youth Radio.

At our meeting today the 5 remaining members/committee decided that there will be
an AGM to be held on Tuesday 07th March 2023.
On the agenda for that  meeting will be whether the group carries on or desolve.
They need at least 2 or 3 more people, who are interested in our history and Mud Walls.

More closer the date.

If you would like to be a member or attend the March meeting please contact.
Mike Shearing – scorpionmike57@googlemail.com

Just a small selection of ‘Poppy Boards’ out on display around Town Centre & Garden of Rest.

The public who read my post(s) about the recent funding of the Heritage Centre,
having now being put in hibernation and the ‘suggested’ alternatives – would have read
ALL the Facts – Unfortunately I can only presume via the usual inaccuracies and false news on Social Media, many and I mean many have got the Facts – wrong.

All 4 Fenland Market Towns were allocated £1M from The Cambridge & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) – A committee was formed under what is known as
The Growing Fenland Partnership. In Whittlesey’s case consists of 3 Councillors and 5 Members of the Public.

A full consultation was given for the General Public to put forward ideas of what they wanted to do with the monies. I attach the report at the end.

The Heritage Centre is no more (for the short term anyway) – so some £455,000 was left to allocate for other projects.
Myself and Cllr Mason, with some supported by other Whittlesey Town Councillors put forward that this money ‘could’ be allocated towards our Manor Centre/Field/Sports and Young People.
However this was never an option from the original decisions from the consultation, plus ‘a’ Councillor indicated that due governance had not been followed correctly.

So last week the Growing Fenland Group (Whittlesey) had a meeting where Cllr Mason who asked to attend put forward the ‘Manor’ proposal, this received no support from those
attending. Their own option was put forward (Leveling of the Market Place/Must Farm artifacts to the Library/£200+K towards the next stage for Consultants to put together a case for The Relief Road/Bypass – + Manor Tennis/Netball Courts & Solar Panels Swimming Pool.

This option was voted through and will now go the the CPCA.

Disappointed – Yes very much so – however ‘We’ will carry on the campaign and hope that we will get support from ALL Whittlesey Town/Fenland/County Councillors in our quest for future funding.

There you have The Facts (hopefuly I’ve got them correct)

Some Councillors have received a vast amount of ‘abuse’ because of this decision – I do not wish anyone especially Councillors to be sujected to abuse – I’ve had it myself…
Have a grown up argument by all means… robust – yes – but abuse No.

Another excellent evening of music from The City of Peterborough Concert Band in aid of
The Royal British Legion.