Cllr Roy Gerstner – Community Activist

Lets get some good news out of the way – finally (I hope) – Ramsey Road will be resurfaced and ‘some’ of the dangerous humps and bumps sorted out near ‘Here comes Harris’ –
The road has always suffered from subsidence due to drying out of the soil….. there are materials which other countries use ‘RoadCem’ -…….-……..-……        Watch Video
That can sort out issues like we are having, this has been put to Cambs Highways – who as per usual are not prepared to even have a trial of this material….
The work is now due to start next week (03/09/18) after some nearly 2 years of delays……!

After nearly 12 months of campaigning and complaining – our Zebra Crossings are due a lick of paint – now all is not as simple as that – Cambs Highways need to send men to measure up the Zebra – and then calculate how much paint will be needed – well I never –

Nice ‘jollies’ for those @ Highways considering they do most other jobs/work by desk top calculations….
I would have thought Zebra’s were a standard size?
Still after all my lobbying I should not be complaining – lets see what sort of job they do.

Now we come to the almost ‘weekly’ hearsay (which I do not subscribe) – I was informed that there were more on-going issues regarding the Kings Dyke Bridge Crossing.
I also have the ‘latest’ and only issue of The Stonald Ward Matters that councillors have delivered to that area (more later) – which brings their ward residents more or less up to date of what’s happening at the negotiation table –
I agree there can not be a running commentary on day-to-day events surrounding this project – however after some 5 – yes 5 years of protracted negotiations there should have been better communication for ALL concerned instead of ‘hearsay/social fake news’.
Others (including councillors) have told me – the whole project should have been handled differently.
As my updates (on a regular basis) confirm – there will be a statement towards the end of September from Cambs CC – When a much better idea of the ‘Costs’ of the project may well be know – (My guess is it will make eyes water -)

Ken C

Good to see ‘my’ and our good friend Kenny Carrington back at work after a protracted time off work due to an illness – Kenny and ‘his’ workers at The Community Payback Team’ do fantastic work in/around our area…. Nice to have a good talk and catch up with him today….
Government ‘politics’ have not always worked well – and hiving off parts of the probation services has not worked well in some areas. Kenny informs me that our area is doing fairly well….
That said of 30 ‘customers who was supposed to turn up to do their ‘Payback’ – only 8 arrived – the others knowing there is not much redress if they do not turn up….

Don’t forget St Andrews Fete on Bank Holiday Monday – hopefully the weather will hold up..

A nice few days away last week for Connie and I @ Hintlesham Hall in Suffolk.

Well I notice that ‘most’ of our councillors and officials are enjoying a deserved holiday during August, however I also note that after several attempts to highlight the state of our Zebra Crossings in town at Town Council meetings – Nothing (I would have been surprised otherwise) that ‘Nothing’ has transpired – no paint has yet arrived….
Likewise the resurfacing of Ramsey Road, which now is well over 15 months overdue, and every time the subject is raised we get the same answers – I know that Councillors are asking and making representation, but I always go back to our ‘Old’ Ex Leader of FDC – Alan Melton who often quoted –
Who is working for Who Here….

Bedlam again on Thursday ay Market Street/Station Road whilst temporary traffic lights were being installed.
Today for only a short time – the removal of scaffolding around the Old Building opposite the town hall – Some call it the Monastery – however at this weeks Whittlesey Society meeting – the Chairman quoted that there is no such records of a monastery in Whittlesey.
Still nice to see the renovations after many months of work – again not quite complete as there has now been found a ‘painting’ on one of the interior mud walls….

Theft from our shops is a common occurrence (shrinkage in the trade) and local supermarket KESHCO is no exception – it happens several times a week.
Owner JK has very good CCTV and has caught many light fingered customers.
In the end ‘we’ the honest law abiding public end up paying as the price of goods has to reflect -Shrinkage’
A year or so, I witnessed a low life with a purpose built trench coat that had pockets inside to store (6) bottles of spirits. When I gave him ‘a look’ he very aggressively asked me what I was starring at! – He was caught before leaving….

Time for a Holiday….

Local work by GM saw the Hero (2) signage repainted a number of years ago, of course since then the Pub has long been closed and is now a state of the art Vets.
It is said that when Sir Harry Smith returned via railway to Ely thence by horse to Whittlesey, he was greeted by several thousand locals.
It is said that he past by what was the original ‘Hero of Aliwal’ on Station Road.
The print above show his return to his house on St Marys Street.
Plenty of further reading at Whittlesey Museum.

This afternoons talk at The Eastrea Centre by local historian Maureen Watson centred around ‘Sir Harry Smith.

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A number of months have passed since planning permission for a Co-Op supermarket (Lincolnshire Co-Op) was given.
The site remains untouched, it is my understanding that the same group are completing two other projects and when these are completed, they will then start on
Whittlesey site.
The fuel tanks are still in situ and these will have to be removed along with some other de-contamination of the top soil.