Cllr Roy Gerstner – Community Activist

We/You  had our County Council Elections in May – and look what has happened in 2 months.
YOUR elected County Councillors have voted themselves a ‘vast increase’ in their so-called allowances.
They have an independent pay review committee, who’s members are very eminent, high ranking ex public body members.
The Country Councillors took NO notice what-so-ever of this committees recommendations.
This is NOT democracy at all – some excuse from the leader Cllr Steve Count smirking away on his photograph is a blatant smack in the face to anyone who voted.
I made it known at the CCC elections that I was voting for None of the Candidates.
There is history – about 6 years ago there was a similar foray of issues concerning CC expenses and allowances – but it was shelved just prior to the elections at the time and some other issues of governance.
Whilst I may be a ‘little’ sympathetic to the whole issues surrounding ‘allowances’ does not take away this group reported as having secret meetings to stitch up the vote prior to it being debated – again is an affront to local democracy.

An answer would be that ALL Councillors throughout the whole country be ‘paid’ allowances the same – irrespective of where or how wealthy that Council may be.

Of course ‘whistle-in the-wind’ this will all be forgotten about in days/weeks or months whilst other issues come to the for-front – I for one did not like one bit this ‘Slap-In-The-Face’ against democracy – Shame on all of them – and NO excuses.

The leader Steve Count would have received a rise from £21,000 to £25,000 under the independent pay review – instead he voted himself a rise to £31,745

Try arguing this with Nurses who have had a 1% pay rise year-on-year for the last 4 years.
Sorry County Councillors – responsibility – there is no comparison between what you do and what a Nurse does.
No wonder the majority of people think Politicians are Fat Cats.

Jesting only, yes I do manage some quality time off now and then, so this is what I have been up too in the last couple of weeks…

Amongst the memorabilia (Junk to some) hanging on my garage wall is a 1960’s replica Ship Wheel, which needed a lot of TLC to get it back to the condition above (Done by me)
Beside the Wheel are 10 tonne shackles – used on ships to secure heavy items.

Below the Ships Wheel is our 2012 Queens Jubilee Bench (Oak) which I planned to donate at the time to a Whittlesey Group/Church – However when Connie saw it she decided she wanted it – This also has had some TLC and all looks good now.

Before anyone asks the answer is NO – I am not doing anyones project similar to the above.

WHITTLESEY & DISTRICT BUSINESS FORUM

Falcon Hotel, London Street, Whittlesey, Peterborough, PE7 1BH.

General meeting Wednesday: 19^th July, 2017.

At Falcon Hotel 6.00 for 6.30pm

A busy agenda which includes

Guest Speaker; Martin Hughes from Barker Storey Matthews on Business Rating Matters.

Guest Speaker Cllr Dee Laws – Engagement with the Whittlesey Neighbourhood Plan and public meeting.

Some ‘Spam’ is just so obvious, but someone here in Whittlesey did click on the attachment with the below and caught a very nasty virus.

1/ Not expecting anything from the originator – guitar-academy from Russia!
2/ Not addressed to a named customer
3/ Double coma – I am sure UPS know their grammar

From – support@guitar-academy.ru

Dear Customer,
We can not deliver your parcel arrived at July 09.
Postal label is enclosed to this e-mail. Please check the attachment!
Yours faithfully, ,
UPS Support Manager.

After reporting yet again, that I had been shown an e-mail via Cllr Ralph Butcher that the defunct – out of order – out of action (4½ months) Toilet was to be fixed at long last – well you guessed it and I won’t take bets… It is still closed.
But wait (Sunday @ 13:00) I am reliably informed that (1) one of the other usable toilets is playing up big time with some sort of ‘Electrical malfunction’ it works sometimes and not at others. I could make some further comment but believe its a waste of my and your time.
By the way one of the ‘excuses’ I was told that the toilet had not been repaired was:
They (FDC) had received no complaints about it, so it now looks like if the slightest thing goes wrong we (The public/ratepayer) have to initiate a ‘complaint’ first before anything might be done….What a stupid idea if I ever heard one.
Still if that’s what they want YOU know what to do 01354 654321 is the general nwumber
Still we shall see what next week brings.

Just been to have a look, as they are setting up, however, a miserable drizzle has just started…maybe blow away later, a few people got ‘prime seating’ but they are in competition with Mens Final @ Wimbledon and the British F1 GP @ Silverstone.
I’m out to late lunch at my favourite ‘Mama Tree’ @ Guyhirn.

Next Event……

This morning went out for a Mega Litter Pick on my Mobility Scooter, I covered 8 miles along Thorney Road, the whole of North Bank and the Cycle Route 63/Kings Dyke back to Whittlesey 3 hours! – Now I was somewhat limited as to what I could collect – so before anyone tells me I missed some!!! – Yes I left considerably a lot more than I could collect.
I finished up with (2) extremely heavy full bags which all I can carry. I must say I don’t think I’ll be doing North Bank again, I was a hindrance to the traffic and found their speed somewhat intimidating.
     
By the time I got back to Whittlesey it started to drizzle, I did call in at the very busy ‘Hermitage’ Bric & Brac lots of stalls.
I was hoping to go to the Coates Village Fete – but didn’t trust the weather but anyway I hope all went well for them, as this is the first year that they have secured the Village Green again after a few years absence – due to H&S and Insurance concerns/costs.
Upsetting to see what appeared to be a ‘young’ Muntjac deer recently road killed along Peterborough Road.
Muntjac were brought from China to Woburn Park in Bedfordshire in the early 20th century. They are now widespread and increasing in number and range. Deliberate releases and escapes from Woburn, Northamptonshire and Warwickshire led to the establishment of feral populations.
Some claim Asian Muntjac has been named Britain’s most dangerous and destructive deer.

Tomorrow Sunday is ‘Music On The Square’ see previous post.

Next week will see my special 10 year anniversary of ‘Litter Picking’ have I seen any difference – YES – more to come.

Last night (Friday) 15 vehicles were either broken into or attempts to break – in happened in the early hours, various places around town.
Fortunately some wide awake public spirited public reported to the Police some suspicious character.
Apparently the Police were on the scene pretty sharp and someone reported the Police Helicopter was also hovering overhead (That early in the morning).
The Police have apprehended someone in connection with these break-ins…

One elderly campervan in Quinion Close lost a SatNav other vehicles lost items including cash, mobile phones and books.

How many times do we have to advise people not to leave anything of any value on FULL display in their vehicles….asking for trouble.
More information on vehicle crime go to Cambs Police Website Click Here

We shall start with the ‘small’ but significant record – my article on the WTC meeting attracted near 2,000 hits over a 24 hour period, the site regularly has over a thousand but never reached this dizzy height before.
My thanks today to LD where we had a very productive 1½ hours of issues she is not being able to either resolve or engage with her councillors!
The lack of visible policing in Whittlesey at times leaves the place like ‘Cowboy Country’ – example again today Friday where numerous vehicles were reported flaunting the Pedestrian Area. So far even producing photographic evidence doesn’t appear to provoke much needed action – that said our PCSO’s have said that they have ‘Ticketed’ vehicles – but they didn’t catch the vehicle transporter parked outside Barclays in the Disabled Bay for some quite considerable time (longer than going in the bank – Honest Guv)
How about something positive for a change – memories are short politics and social media – many forgetting what they wrote….well lets give FDC’s contractors a bit of a pat on the back for a change – this year most areas are looking much better than they have in previous years, I can say on our own estate, they have at least tried much better and spent more time than previously – Thanks and my it continue.
Earlier this evening saw ‘Hundreds’ on the Market Square – Flash Limo’s and all dressed in their finery – An Americanism – Its ‘Prom Time’ which has occurred over the last few years.
I noticed the ‘Ice-Cream Man’ ….well after SR’s complaint to the council on Wednesday about the volume of music at the event on the Market Place – he was lucky to hear the music – as The bloody Noisy/Clattering/Polluting Ice Cream Man at the last event I couldn’t hear the music – so moved off – what a Racket – Get ride of him somewhere else please.
This Sunday of course The Music on the Square continues.

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.

The agenda published yesterday, 4 members of the public + CC David Connor in attendance. Cllrs Garrett, Bristow & Whitwell none attendance.

Policing: Our local PCSO’s gave a 25 minute update on issues and crime in/around Whittlesey, the main ongoing issue being that of Anti-Social behaviour around the Pinewood and Mortons Leam area’s, there are exclusion ‘contracts’ inplace with some ‘youths’ having to be home by 9pm. The PCSO’s appeared confident that the measures in place were working and if not there are further plans that can be implemented
.
Theft and break-ins are another issue, the main one being (5) five occasions that the New Road Recycling Centre has been broken into in the last 2 weeks. There is a new manager and the Police are advising as best as possible.
The traffic concerns on High Causeway was again high-lighted.

Public Forum: SR spoke about the excessive ‘sound’ coming from Music on the Square, travelling some ½ – ¾ of a mile on the last event and hopes this Sundays event will be toned down a bit.
I spoke on the Anaerobic Digester – Refusal at PCC on the 4th July. I thanked Cllr David Connor for his communications with me on this matter.
I also spoke about the for-ever ongoing ‘Closed Toilet’ issue as I had done last month and reminded the Councillor that this has been 4 months now – See end comment.
I spoke about the state of Ramsey Road – the now dangerous subsidence in the road in 3 or 4 different places and that the signage advising drivers was poor. – See end comment.

Other business:
The Community Road Watch Scheme – which only 4 months ago Councillors were extremely excited about, now seems to have gone off the boil, maybe had they done some research into the company and its directors – they may have found some very interesting facts and history behind the Community Road Watch Scheme.

Kings Dyke Crossing – Nothing new – as was reported on this website several days ago, there is a ‘2 week’ delay, the contract for the preferred bidder is expected to be signed in August.

Must Farm – Still on – going liaison with various stake-holders.

Neighbourhood Plan – Still on-going – there will be meeting in October to invited business, individuals and community groups. More closer the event.

Community Rail Partnership – Cllr Mrs Mayor read out a detailed report from Cllr Bristow, who appears to have been very active in his recently newish role in the Partnership – which is good he has done so. This will be a very long drawn out process and maybe little in return for Whittlesey – but then who knows, a better station, more trains …..
There is a public meeting in September and again I will post closer to the event.

Property Working Group – This is concerning the purchase and upgrading the Police Station to a community asset ‘Town Council’ building.
Cllr Bodden spoke in respect that he hoped that there would be as much transparency as possible to the public – as the project moves forward.
What was said – that the budget for the project (purchase and modifications) is in the region of £440,000

Read to Success Campaign – A successful campaign lead by MP Steven Barclay and supported by WTC and other Councils in Fenland

Ward Matters – Very little reported, which is usual and I find quite surprising having been contacted by many people with various issues and concerns – they having No success with their own Councillors – so why are these Ward Issues not reported at this meeting I wonder.

Notes – At the end of the meeting Cllr Ralph Butcher informed me and showed me an e-mail dated 12th July in reference to the ‘Closed Toilet’ – It states it will be fixed in the near future. That said – he showed me a similar e-mail last month- we shall see.

I understand that there is to be work on the subsidence issues on Ramsey Road, but there appears to be some disagreement as to who is responsible for the sink hole before the Ramsey Road level crossing – again we eagerly wait and see.

Next meeting 13th September 2017

The mandate that the PCC was elected (about 20% of the electorate) was for a Police & Crime Commissioner to deliver a ‘Fit for purpose’ Police Force.
Now after just a year Jason Ablewhite the PCC is looking at ‘joined up’ services with the Fire Service.
Now in the big scheme of things this might be a good idea – especially reading and believing the information from the link below. This is not his ‘idea’ it is a government initiative?

Until the PCC can run a better Police Service here in Cambridgeshire I am totally against the idea – maybe ‘if’ policing (especially in the Fens/Whittlesey) becomes better I may gell to the idea.
Jason Ablewhite you were elected in a very low electorate to run your office and hold the Chief Constable to account for Policing in Cambs – I suggest you do this first before even thinking of taking on the Fire Service (And their Union!)

Please go to the ‘link’ it will only take 30 seconds of your time….

Police and Crime Commissioner, Jason Ablewhite is asking for your views concerning changes to the way the fire and rescue service in Cambridgeshire is managed.
This follows new government legislation to promote greater joint working between emergency service organisations.
There’s a very simple, one-question survey which takes 30 secs to complete which you will find here:
http://www.cambridgeshire-pcc.gov.uk/get-involved/fire-governance-consultation/.

You can also find further information about the options available.