Cllr Roy Gerstner – Community Activist

Prior to Wednesday’s WTC meeting a group photo was taken of most present and some past Councillors.
(RWT photography)

Back row l-r ( C = present Councillor 2019) (X = previous Councillor) (CCC = Cambs CC)
(C) Mrs Kay Mayor. (C) Eamonn Dorling. (C) Roy Gerstner. (C) Alex Miscandlon. (X) Martin Curtis. (C) David Davis. (X) Ralph Butcher. (C) Bob Wicks. (CCC) David Connor. (C) Chis Boden. (C) Ray Whitwell.

Front row l-r (Clerk) Sue Piergianni. (C) Alan Bristow. (C) David Mason. (C) Mayor Julie Windle. (C) Mrs Dee Laws. (X) Mrs Rita Jolley.

2019 Councillors not present (C) Victoria Lang-Whiston. (C) Gary Munns.
Photo courtsey RWT Photography.

Several have asked! why I was not in the offical photo of the ‘opening’ of the ‘new’ Council Offices – Peel House, or at the offical launch of the Street Pride project on Grosvenor Road.

Well in the first instance we were on holiday and I do not wish to publize to all and sundry we are away! and secondly yes I was at the SP launch of the ‘Beetcutter’ but was taking photo’s at the time of the offical ones being taken.

Here is one of the wonderful places we (re)visited this October. (Grand Canyon USA)

A very good presence of The New Queen Street Surgery – Patients Participation Group, supporting today’s Flu Clinic, several other local organisations also in attendance…
Whittlesey library & Learning Centre, The (Wisbech) Rossmini Centre & Peterborough Samaritans.

I just wanted to let you know about the pending changes to the way prescriptions are being ordered. Currently patients have the option to order their repeat medication by selecting the appropriate option when calling the surgery and leaving a voice message.
For some time now this has become  increasingly difficult to manage as often, due to the changes in medication and their names patients find it hard to pronounce the medication they are currently on, this increases the risk of reception staff getting it wrong.
Further, on many occasions patients will leave messages asking for the particular colour of the tablet, this results in a member of staff calling the patient to determine what medication they are asking for, this then prevents reception staff from receiving incoming calls to the practice. Frequently patients will  request medication without leaving  their name or date of birth, which again makes it difficult for the reception team.

Therefore,  as from the 4^th November this option will be removed from the telephone message. I have attached the poster which will displayed in the waiting from Monday advising patients of this change. Further, a message will be added to the right hand side of the prescription slip advising patients they will no longer be able to order their medication over the phone.  This will be added to the script shortly.
Also a notification will be added to our website, again this will be completed by the middle of next week.

Stopping Telephone Requests Poster

At last Wednesday’s WTC meeting, WTC/FDC & CCC Cllr Chris Boden (also the leader of FDC) quoted during a discussion on the ‘Growing Fenland’ & ‘Future For Fenland’ documents and consultations – The ‘By Pass’

Mr Steve Hodson a well known and respected businessman and member of the Business Forum has quoted the following….

“A new Relief Road” that the line of the new road be extended from the Morrisons Roundabout.
This extends the Relief Road dramatically and is not likely to happen.
The evidence for this is that Cllr Count advised Peter Baxter and others at the recent meeting in Whittlesey that any By Pass was a “PIPE DREAM”

In addition, I do not think you were able to make such a suggestion as a properly convened meeting of the Whittlesey Growing Fenland Group was not present.  It is a decision that the Town Council cannot make.
“I suggest you call a meeting as soon as possible of duly authorised group to consider this final report”

(RG) When I met MP Steve Barclay some 3 years ago and poached a similar question on ‘a proper By Pass’ for Whittlesey he said :-
“The criteria for a By Pass using the Governments formula of ‘Cost Benefit’ would require Whittlesey to build in the region of 8,000 houses.”

So – I well accept Cllr Bodens – aspiration(s) he unfortunately has only lived in the area a relatively short time – we have been told/asked and promised all sorts of infrastructure/supermarkets (commercial decision) and country parks, none of which for various reasons have not come about to date….
I, like many in Whittlesey share aspirations for all sorts of better enhancements, but achieving these ‘goals’ is a challenge.

Above photo WTC/ RWT photography.