Cllr Roy Gerstner – Community Activist

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 thought (incorrectly) there would be a ‘Big’ attendance at this months Town Council Meeting, especially with the Kings Dyke Crossing on the agenda? – Wrong – the ‘usual’ 7 or so ‘regulars’ turned up.
Mrs Deborah Slater gave a talk on progress of Defibrillators for All – It is going – really well, with 32 units installed around our area, including Turves, Coates and Eastrea. #33 is about to be installed on Abbey Way – Well done Deb – and her team –
The next project will be to have a Bus Screening program for younger people to screen Hearts – over 2 days at £5000 per day – 100 people a day screened but as Deborah quoted if that saves just one life it is well worth it. Lots of money raised by volunteers.

Mrs Cheryl Brook, The Interim Locality Manager gave a talk on Children Services within Cambs/Fenland, unfortunately we heard the usual – significant savings to be made by the organisation.

Whittlesey Post Office Modernisation – Has been delayed.

Financial allocations for various projects included £15,000 for professional services for supporting the ‘Neighbourhood Plan’ this money ‘could possibly’ be recovered at a later time if a grant was obtained.
Election costs (Last Years Election) were somewhat higher than previous elections, and some forward financial allocation may be required.
As previously reported ‘allegedly’ some vandalism on the Picnic Benches in the Manor Field.
The quoted repair for this is £130 – so thanks to the ‘Alleged’ Yobs who did this damage –
Cllr Alan Bristow informed the meeting that there had been some ‘miss information’ (That’s something new?) about children having to be bussed to Peterborough as there are not enough places here at our Primary Schools. Cllr Bristow informed that there was capacity at our Primary Schools and that New Road School was making plans to enhance their intake. No children need to be bussed to Peterborough, in actual fact, several children from outside Whittlesey attend Sir Harry Smiths

FDC Environmental & CCTV Reports…
      
      
As usual – click on pictures to enlarge.

A meeting about Hereward Community Rail Partnership will be posted up next item.

Cllr David Connor (Cambs CC Chair of Planning) attended the WTC meeting last night (14th Sept).
He updated Councillors and members of the public attending.
1/ Planning permission has been granted.
2/ Delays caused by Land Access nearby the crossing.
3/ Hoped these delays can be resolved by November.
4/ Once resolved (above) hoped that the Tender process will be returned by Feb 2017
5/ Tender should be in place by March 2017
6/ Work ‘could’ begin July 2017
7/ Completion and opening March/July 2018
8/ Any further ‘slippage’ could push back and delay.

There was a ‘light hearted’ comment of  ‘What If’ another Must Farm’ was discovered?
Cllr Connor committed to keeping WTC informed as to any developments as they occur and was invited to attend WTC meeting regularly to update Councillors.

You can see David Connor profile on the FDC Website – Click Here
Photo © FDC

As I have posted before…irrespective of ‘Social Media’ comments, this is the most advanced of any scheme in the past 50 years, that is not to say ‘something’ may well go wrong….Lets put it in context – This bridge is not the ‘Golden Gate’ or ‘Forth Road Bridge’
It is something ‘we’ have all wanted for many generations….
Lets hope the ‘Ralph Butcher Bridge’ will be built and I hope Ralph gets the honour of being able to officially open the Bridge!!!!!

Besides the well deserved congratulations to the Volunteers of Whittlesey-In-Bloom for their excellent results recently in the Anglia- -In-Bloom competition.
More than one Councillor brought to the attention of the meeting… the terrible amount of weeds in our paths/road edges. Cllr Kay Mayor informed that Cambs CC were scheduled to carry out another round of ‘weed spraying’ – this just highlights ‘Brown Weeds’ and not ‘Green Weeds’…..
Attached is a photo taken ‘today’ along a wall of the Ivy Leaf Club…..

McCarthy & Stone, applied and were granted planning permission to build a retirement complex (This is their main business) at the site of the ‘Bricklayers Arms’ in Whittlesey.
The planning was difficult in many ways, as the conservation officer for FDC suggested the application be refused.
Whittlesey Town Council and several of our Councillors lobbied to grant permission for the site. The application was eventually approved and everyone thought that this project would bring benefits and enhancements to the area.
It is my understanding having hear at last nights Town Council meeting that McCarthy & Stone have now withdrawn their interest in the project.
The planning for the site remains in situ – and it is possible (although doubtful) that McCarthy & Stone could sell the application onwards.
It is also my understanding that they have not actually purchased that land/property, which is still in the ownership of Enterprise Inns.

On some further research this afternoon, maybe McCarthy & Stone did not see Whittlesey as ‘wealthy enough’ to move and build the planned complex?
Their share prices have gone down by some 19% in the last week and nearly 50% from their highs last year…. Maybe over stretched….or maybe just The Whittlesey Effect’

This is now the second site where quality building and mixed accommodation has not come to fruition – this other being the project at the old St Mary’s Hall on Station Road.

More details coming later in the morning….

Shock – Horror – Did I hear correctly that the Planning Application for a sheltered retirement complex at the Ex ‘Bricklayer Arms’ had now been withdrawn!!!!

Update on the Bridge over Kings Dyke – Interesting presentation by Cambs CC David Connor….

Police & Crime Commissioner coming to next months Town Council Meeting….

Seasonal rental fraud is an emerging trend with students looking for suitable accommodation around August, before the start of the new term. Fraudsters use a variety of websites to advertise available properties to rent, often at attractive rates and convenient locations. Adverts will seem genuine, accompanied by a number of photos and contact information to discuss your interest. Due to demand, students will often agree to pay upfront fees to secure the property quickly, without viewing the property, only to discover that the fraudster posing as the landlord does not have ownership of the property, or often there are already tenants living there.   Protect Yourself

• Only use reputable letting companies.
• Do some online research such as using Google maps to check the property does exist.
• Make an appointment to view the property in person.
• Always view the property prior to paying any advance fees.
• Look out for warning signs, such as landlords requesting a ‘holding deposit’ due to the property being in high demand.
• A landlord will usually conduct some due diligence on any successful applicant. Be wary of handing over cash without the landlord requesting employment or character references.

If you, or anyone you know, have been affected by this fraud or any other scam, report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk.

There is a phishing email currently in circulation that claims to be from the City of London Police. The departments that it claims to represent include the ‘Fraud Intelligence Unit’ and the ‘National Fraud Intelligence Bureau’. The email is titled ‘compensation fund’ and has a letter attachment that claims to be offering financial compensation to victims of fraud. The letter uses the City of London Police logo.   The letter states that in order for compensation to be arranged, the receiver of the email should reply disclosing personal information. It states that HSBC and the South African Reserve Bank have been chosen to handle the compensation claims. All of these claims are false.   The email and letter are fraudulent and should not be replied to.   Protect Yourself

• Opening attachments or clicking links contained within emails from unknown sources could result in your device being infected with malware or a virus.
• The City of London Police and the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau will never email you asking for you to disclose personal information.
• If you believe you have become a victim of this fraudulent email get your device checked by a professional and make a report to Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre:  http://www.actionfraud.police.uk

                               Saturday 08th & 15th October 2016 – Between 08:30- 11:00

The New Queen Street Surgery

Police & Crime Commissioner is visiting Whittlesey on Sunday 18th September as a guest of the North East Cambridgeshire Conservative Association…

Tickets £15:00 per person.
Maybe Mr Ablewhite had not made a decision about closing our Police Station when he accepted the invitation – or again maybe he had, but had not told anyone!
The decision has been made and I doubt if anyone can get it overturned.
Of course Mr Ablewhite is already a controversial figure, having been referred to the IPCC – The Independent Police Complaints Commission…. see the story in the Hunts post by

Clicking Here

Of course if anyone feels strongly enough – they can always ‘welcome’ Mr Ablewhite as he makes his entrance into the Conservative Club?

Photo © Hunts Post

Sue Ryder Hospice does a lot of fantastic work in the Peterborough area – which includes Whittlesey…please click on picture to enlarge and see what they are doing for their 25th Birthday.

                                Click on picture to enlarge…29th October 2016 @ 2pm

As there was no full council meeting in August, the meeting this Wednesday looks a pretty full agenda – I plan to attend….
Click below for WTC Full Council Agenda.

fc-agenda-14th-sept-2016

Unfortunately we have been away – ‘Bell Busk’ near Skipton and Manchester for the weekend….
Our correspondent reports…
A brilliant day for the festival – Whittlesey did us proud. Weather was perfect, lots of people, quite crowded at times.
Lots of smiling faces and children eating ice cream.

A perfect day for a festival.

Year on Year the event has just got better and better – hard work throughout the year for the organisers and all those involved….