Cllr Roy Gerstner – Community Activist

Monday at Hinchingbrook with Cambs Police.
Tuesday attended the Whittlesey Town Council – Neighbourhood Plan meeting, where community groups, businesses, and other community leaders viewed the proposed questionnaire that will go out to the general public possibly in the new year.
Wednesday attended the WTC planning meeting.
Friday meeting with Whittlesey new PCSO Shane Green along with NHW secretary Robin Sutton. A varied discussion on past and present issues that the NHW members have raised. We appreciate that Shane has to settle in to our town and villages and we hope that he being allocated to our area will be beneficial to all.
Meeting with the Prison reform group at Peterborough.
Saturday attended the FOWL Christmas Fyre at the Library/Learning Centre. All tombola prizes won.
Gift wrapping and Cakes went very well.
FOWL will be holding a Quiz next year
(Fish & Chip supper) what this space for more information.
A very good year for the small group of dedicated volunteers.
Sunday went out Litter Picking for 2 hours.

This Saturday 10:00am to 12:00 Get your presents wrapped and ready
                                     Free entry, in support of Friends of Whittlesey Library – FOWL

Disclaimer: These observations are not the ‘official’ minutes of the meeting, these are supplied by Whittlesey Town Council, normally (1) month following the meeting and can be viewed on their website.
I did attend this evenings meeting, where there was myself and one other member of the public in attendance.
I did speak at the public forum stating that the agenda had not been available on the Whittlesey TC website, it was pointed out to me that it was not a requirement to do so, which I was aware of and only wished to point out that the ‘Public’ expectations are that information is reliable and consistent.
The WTC website is administered by a 3rd party and possibility this item was missed.

Since there so many applications being received by WTC there will be Planning meetings now arranged outside of the ‘usual’ 3rd Wednesday of the month.

The decisions on these applications will be available on the WTC website when the minutes are approved.

The next meeting is on Wednesday 30th November at 10:00

Message sent by Charles Kitchin ( Police, Director of Public Engagement and Communications, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Many thanks to those of you who completed my recent Police and Crime Plan survey. With budgetary pressures set to continue over the next few years and the need to save a further £6 million by 2020/21, I am considering a small increase in the policing element of the council tax for 2017/18. This would be just under 7p per week (£3.60 per year) for an average Band D property which equates to an increase of 1.97%. Your opinion counts and I would be grateful if you could take a moment to complete this short survey and let me know your views.
Please click here for the survey.

Many thanks Jason Ablewhite Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

Local ex-businessman who has serious concerns that Councils at all levels have not taken on-board their own findings, has launched a Facebook© site….

https://www.facebook.com/fenlandfreeway/?ref=page_internal

or   Click Here – Opens in Web Brower

Peter has spent well over 18 months in researching various issues, concerns and documentation.

He has visited dozens of people, asked hundreds of questions and has a few answers.

This is the beginning of a ‘long haul’ and Peter is seeking support and any help.

Already receiving feedback….could this be the ‘catalyst’ to start things off I wonder?

What a great idea…it’s about time someone started to try and stir the authorities into action…the traffic situation in Whittlesey is ludicrous! Well done and good luck Fenland Freeway.

David Carter
A response from our MP…

So after much lauding of their website (Began this year), what is supposed to keep the public/electorate up to date and as far as advising of meetings is concerned and is a requirement (not necessarily on a website).
So if I heard correctly at the last meeting, there is supposed to be a ‘Planning Meeting’ this Wednesday – why is the Agenda not on the WTC website (21st @ 17:45)

It may be on their noticeboard outside of the office, or indeed may have been cancelled.
But when you start something – peoples expectations are that there is consistency in getting information.
Naturally if you are not concerned with what Council does – then it will not affect you…

So a correspondent asked me for an update on my article on the Village Notice Boards, which I published last week and more than happy to do.

Well after asking 4 Councillors on Why/reasons for spending some £1,600:00 of ratepayers money on what I and some others find  unnecessary on them being replaced. No answer was what I got – nothing to do with me I got, wasn’t at the meeting I got, (2) have been vandalised (Coates & Eastrea) I was informed.
Well as my photo’s taken this week show – no damage/or vandalism, I asked a resident in Turves/Three Horseshoes whether the (damaged/defunked) noticeboard was used/required to which he said no & no.
The ones that were installed in Eastrea & Coastes were as my understanding and memory tells me –  Community Notice Boards, for all organisations to use.
Someone told me that the Coates Noticeboard had been ‘High-Jacked’ by the Friends of the Church – just because of the notice within the Board.
And yes there are mechanisms in place to overturn/rescind a council decision, it only takes 4 letters to do so…..but is it worth it I ask – I do still maintain it is a waste of ratepayers money and we shall wait and see how long when installed the ‘New’ Noticeboards last !!!

Social Media Trending is back to the ‘Usual’ – Bridge over Kings Dyke – well the misinformed are having another field day in their cynicism – On this occasion I agree 100% with Cllr Martin Curtis, in the respect that on this occasion – the Planning and finance of the Bridge is at the most advanced stage it has ever reached – (Note I have not said it will be built) – But unless there is another – monumental cock-up for example there being some protected Lesser Spotted Natterjack or similar or that the Ground survey (50%) which has not yet been completed – reveals something sinister – I and 99% of Whittlesey hope that the project does come to fruition and that the ‘Ralph Butcher Bridge’ will be built.

The Brown Bin Tax caused consternation this week when residents got notices left on their bins, well again the unfortunate misinformed had not read this website which contained a vast amount of information leading up to and during the decision process.
June 16th     June 20th     20th Oct – The Final Decision

I was the ‘only’ member of the Public to be at the FDC meeting to hear the Business case put before FDC Cabinet. See links above on how this issue progressed.
People have a choice – To Pay or Not To Pay that is the question!
I believe many who said that they would not pay will realise the inconvenience of having to dispose of their Garden waste legally taking it to the recycling centre.

And Yes I was totally opposited to this Bin Tax – but having heard the history, financial reasoning and future of garden disposal – I like many others will have little choice (To pay or Not To Pay) – This ‘Stealth Tax’

Have a Nice weekend….Roy G….

As I have often said Social Media has some uses in this modern day but Anti-Social Media does not – unfortunately the ‘Whining/Whinging/Moaning’ crowd have all of a sudden said lets be more ‘positive’ Yeh and how long will that last I wonder.
First good news….

                         
A fantastic evening again this ‘The 20th Rotary Quiz’ held at the Ivy Leaf…some 18 teams had an excellent evening, raised a good amount of money for ‘Life Sciences’ – our local Rotarian Stephen Hodson received an inscribed silver plate for his outstanding work over the past 20+ years of involvement. Of course the ‘B Team’ won again, and our lowly team
10th out of 18 so more or less in our usual position – looking forward to next year.
Must do better it said on the report sheet.

Another business putting investment back into Whittlesey….
The Fontanella family have had their Café/Restaurant open for some 6 years now.
What was Grays Sweetie Shop in the 60’s has become a well know eatery from far and wide, we met a couple from Mansfield in there yesterday and come to Whittlesey every 2 weeks, stopping by Fontanella’s
Well rated on TripAdvisor™

Even more Good News…..
Met some County Council Gents the other evening, they informed me that they were looking at ‘improving access for disabled over the Bower/Footbridge. at present mobility scooters can not go over the bridge because of the steps – I asked whether they had ‘Money’ to do the job, which they said if not now – then hopefully in April – lets hope so…

Estate Agents Sharman Quinny are about to move into their renovated property on Market Street, the ex Video shop next to Wrights, it is beginning to look as though retail property in Whittlesey is moving very quickly at present – it was only some 18 months ago, I reported over 8 empty retail/shops vacant in our town – excellent news.
With Bob’s Record shop below opening up this week – it has been a very good week….

As reported earlier, what was Joe-Joe’s and ex -security shop, is now being transformed into a ‘Specialist record Shop – Bobs’
Hope all goes well.

Bad driving happens daily, but today approaching the Hampton Round-about – White Van Man is in a hurry as always and seen here ignoring the Red Light….
  
Determined to overtake, did not slow and the accelerated through the Red Light……

Disclaimer: These observations are not the ‘official’ minutes of the meeting, these are supplied by Whittlesey Town Council, normally (1) month following the meeting and can be viewed on their website.

I attended the planning meeting, and unfortunately was somewhat disappointed that 3 items on the Planning Agenda had not been looked at by the Ward Councillors prior to the meeting.
At the same meeting some of the Planning Committee complained that they were not always informed of Planning Applications prior to the meeting.

Two or the more important plannings applications concerned the building of a wall and gates in the Manor View area and the modified/revised application to expand the ‘Falcon Hotel’
The decisions on these application will be available on the WTC website when the minutes are approved.

There were no further updates to  The Kings Dyke Crossing (Which was updated at the full Council meeting 9th November and reported on this website)

Some 14 members and 2 visitors attended the meeting on Tuesday evening.
Bill and Ivan came from Werrington NHW and gave a talk on how they engage with getting new members in the Werrington area. They also advised us on the types of crime they experience within their group area – a great deal different to that which in general is occurring within Whittlesey.

Chairman Roy Gerstner advised the group of our new PSCO is Shane Green who has been allocated Whittlesey as his patch. We will distribute details of PCSO Green in the near future.
Also announced was that Whittlesey NHW has a new sponsor – who will support the group in the replacement and new signage for 2017 more details will be sent to the membership.

Main issues reported back to Fenland Police was:
Alleged Drug Dealing at Aliwal Bridge on a regular basis
Inconsiderate Parking at Schools and Road Junctions
Vehicles using High Causeway during restricted hours/

Today Thursday, it was reported that there was a white male – ‘Begging’ along Syers Lane – near the Co-OP, it is illegal under the Vagrancy Act 1824 to do so, the act applies to all public places. I understand this has been reported to the Police.
It was NOT the ‘Big Issue’ seller who has a licence to carry out his/her business.