Cllr Roy Gerstner – Community Activist

Well as usual a ‘funny’ week…with lots going on, plus the ‘sorry state of affairs’ @ The Whittlesey Conservatives – more on this later.’
Planning meeting, Full Council meeting and a visit from a potential future candidate…yes someone might be up for it.
An invite from ‘another’ political group to have a ‘talk with’ – well I’ll talk with anyone – but never fear I started as being ‘Independent’ and hopefully will remain ‘Independent’ – I and my friends value my ‘Independence’.
The very ‘sorry’ state of some of our roads (again) and how about a bit of ‘paint’ on our Zebbra Crossings’ – looks like a Zebbra with NO stripes….

Good to see that after over a year of refurbishing – the Whittlesey Vets have moved into their state-of-the art facilities on Church Street the site of the ‘Hero of Aliwal’
Also opened now for a couple of weeks – on Broad Street a shop called ‘Saxon Muscle Click Here for their Website
this is where Sharman Quinny was located – at least another shop now occupied.

The Friends of Whittlesey Library (FOWL) Quiz last night was enjoyed by all so I am informed – I set the questions and was Quiz Master for the evening. The event was a sell out, very good Fish & Chips supplied by the Royal Fish Bar – High Causeway
http://www.causewayroyalfishbar.co.uk/
Funds raised during the evening go towards events and enhancements to our Library.
Next … as per the poster on the left….
Another good event being put on during the school holidays and only £1
The ‘Friends’ are always looking for ‘help’ – as little or as much as people can spare. They are like many other groups in our town – a small group of dedicated volunteers – which I am also proud to be involved with.

One thing I forgot to mention on my Council report – WTC will be putting ‘Music on The Square’ again this year and further details will follow….

Various reports from partners & FDC…

Click on Pictures to enlarge….

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.

Agenda to this meeting was published on this site – 10th March
10 Councillors in attendance – absent Cllrs Mrs Mayor, Jolly, Curtis and Garratt.
6 Members of the Public and 2 PCSO’s

Points of Interest:
Police & CCTV Report : PCSO Michael Froment attended and gave a report the same as reported to the NHW meeting on Tuesday evening. (See previous post NHW)

PCSO Froment informed us that he would be transferring to re- train as a fully fledged PC and would hope to return to Fenland
in the future – A new partner would be found for PCSO Green

Presentation by Mr Steve Bass FDC Senior Environmental Protection Officer
Air Pollution in Whittlesey.
This subject has been mainly driven along by Peter Baxter who has been championing the issues in/around Whittlesey on Air Quality for a considerable time.
Mr Bass unfortunately was suffering from cold/flu and we couldn’t hear him very well.

The main thrust of ‘measurement’- was that of diffusion tubes – in essence giving ‘very basic’ results – Mr Bass stated that from records and monitoring there were no concerns in or around the Whittlesey area. (Mr Baxter disagrees with this).
To measure more accurately – more expensive equipment is required (He quoted £10K -£15K) or to hire – however he said there was no budget or justification to have this equipment.

Some questioning about EV Chargers (Electric Vehicles)
None supported by FDC – although a few private installations. (See below)

Questions from Councillors were few – mainly to do with pm 2.5 (particulate matter 2.5mm) which can affect peoples health. Mr Bass said that he thought there to be little or no concerns about pm 2.5 (Although no conclusive measurements made)
Public Forum: Mr Gary Hook gave a short insight on the traffic issues, that the closing of the A605 last week due to a burst water main caused to residents on Snoots Road.
The amount of HGV’s using Snoots Road during the period the A605 was closed.
R.G. –  Highlighted that ‘some paint’ was required on all of our ‘Zebra Crossings’
I also highlighted that the Government has £££M millions available to local authorities to install EV Chargers and there is no excuses that Fenland is lagging behind many other authorities.
I also covered research into Air Quality monitors and how Peterborough has better than basic equipment.
Air Quality on the news today + Peterborough parkway has illegal level of pollution says government see article on this weeks….  Peterborough Telegraph

Town Council Finances: A healthy surplus (underspend) for the year gives the Council a buffer for future finances. Kudos given on the -2.7% precept for 2018/19 – and that ‘Social Media’ in Whittlesey had got their maths wrong (again).
Must Farm: Scoping for a state of art visitor centre is moving forward – application for Lottery Funding will go ahead (£9M) – in conjunction with P’boro Museum & Flag Fen.

Straw Bear: Again rumours are incorrect – Straw Bear will be going ahead – there is much work being undertaken in respect of future ‘funding’
New Council Offices/Chambers: Councillors and we public were shown outline plans for the ‘The Old Police Station/New Council Offices’ – looking very impressive and an excellent asset to the town. Councillors were mindful about keeping the project to their budget.
CRP: Community Rail Partnership – with meetings scheduled for
20th & 28th March with the AGM on 26th March – more on this to follow. The recent clear-up undertaken at the Railway Station.
Still much more to do.
Syrian Refugees: The Council voted unanimously to allocate the (2) x 3 bedroom flats above the ‘New’ Town Council Offices to (2) Syrian Refugee Families. This they said would be financed Central Government funding to the sum of £75,000 over a 5 year period.
This also made good financial argument.
Water Tower Play Equipment: Progressing forward and Councillors voted unanimously to support this with a £4,000 donation.
A605 Closure: Council will be writing a letter to Anglian Water – that their contractors had left a ‘A’ road closed for 3 days – when more urgency should have been given to get the road re-opened ASAP after the repair work.

Here are documents in relation to Air Quality results – In Whittlesey.

You will find it interesting – that by these readings – Pollution levels have decreased by a large margin over the 7 year period measured.

Want to know more about Air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in UK (2017)
Visit Government Website Click Here

Date of next meeting: Wednesday 11th April 2018

The guy in the White Van was actually seen dumping this rubbish, the witness wisely did not approach Van Man – This is the result – Mortons Leam.

After my previous post of substantial Fly-Tipping along the Millennium Cycle Route near Ball Bridge – THEY have returned and dumped more rubbish…. this is how some people treat the environment. It has been reported, but if the land is privately owned it could be the land owner who has to remove it.

A good meeting even though many of our regular members still had the dreaded ‘Flu’ –
Since January, Secretary Robin Sutton and myself have had complete control of our own database within the system, this has allowed us to tidy up the membership.
We have 32 active members and 48 inactive members.
Pleased to have our PCSO Shane Green in attendance – who brought the group up to date with his work within the area, remember he not only covers Whittlesey, but our 4 villages and Benwick.
An example of Police resources – being that within Fenland there are 3 to 4 missing persons reported – every week, these are usually children and this takes up a lot of Police resources during a shift – fortunately these ‘children’ are found.
The usual issues were highlighted – Anti-social behaviour, Inconsiderate Parking and Identity Theft.
The ‘big push’ being ‘Bogus Police’ contacting people asking them to withdraw money.
The Police or you Bank will never ask you to withdraw money from your Bank.
One person in Whittlesey has already been a victim of this ‘Scam’ – please if you have elderly neighbours, please make them aware.
I have 90 year+ old neighbours who trust and open their doors to all the knock on it.

It would have been very nice and engaging if our (For-ever changing) Sector Inspector had made ‘some’ contact with us in Whittlesey – alas I’ve heard absolutely nothing….
See below his so called engagement with ‘Wisbech’.

Neighbourhood Policing message from Inspector Lombardo

Posted: Tue, 13 Feb 2018 15:55 by Susanah Farmer – Wisbech Town Council©

Most people in Whittlesey with not know Terry Jordan, I have known Terry for well over 10 years.
Terry has been employed by various councils within Fenland, and has been clerk to Manea Parish Council.

The excitement at Manea  makes our Town Council meetings somewhat mundane – that said I agree with Terry 100% that the public forum should be for either informing councillors of ‘things’ they may not be aware of – or asking questions of the council,
(Not always getting an answer is the norm – but write a letter or e-mail instead then)

Manea Parish Council clerk resigns over public’s poor behaviour at meetings and says ‘I’ve had enough’.

Mr Jordan told the Citizen© meeting of Manea council have become increasingly bad tempered over the past few months and he said: “I’m simply tired of all the nonsense as meetings which have become consistently confrontational with certain members of the public who appear to have no respect and simply chip in and make comments on decisions the council makes that goes against their opinion.
He said the 15 minute public forum at the start of meetings is open to residents to raise issues they feel need addressing by the council. But instead people are turning up and using it to have a go at councillors.

See the full story Fenland Citizen

Terry is also the Town Clerk to Wisbech Town Council
http://www.wisbechtowncouncil.gov.uk/

You will have all had your Council Tax Bill for 2018/19 – I suppose ‘we’ should be grateful for some of the ‘small’ increases. Yes the Police & Crime Precept has increased by 6.4% but the Commissioner did put out to consultation the proposed increase which was well subscribed to the increase.
Give kudos to WTC – Cllr Dorling and his team at The Finance and Policy committee ‘appear’ to have well stabilised local finances with a small buffer now for emergencies.
My gripe is with the County Council part of the bill.

The ever ‘smug’ Steve Count who is good at excuses and who made the lead on giving ALL our County Councillors at ‘massive’ increase in their allowances – which we are now paying for.

In February Councillors voted 34 to 23 in favour of adding 2.99 per cent to its share of residents’ council tax bills together with a further two per cent Adult Social Care precept – which sees the average Band D property having to pay £59.30 a year more.

With the ‘ever’ on going delays in the starting of the Kings Dyke Bridge crossing, there was already a shortfall in funding (No one quite knows how much £Millions) – I wouldn’t be surprised that when the contractors finalise their plans and costing it will be someway off the original estimates.
Someone will end up paying for this – and it will be the Ratepayer – nice to have the rest of the Cambridgeshire residents fund ‘our’ bridge’ and its potential overspend.
I wonder what excuses Cllr Count might have next time around.

Well it’s that time of the Year! – Our friends ‘Suntan & Timmy’ who have been in hibernation since September – It’s time to Wake up.
Having been our friends for 40 years, they have been very ‘good friends’ to each other over that time.
Suntan the female is around 70 years old and Timmy the male is around 60 years old.
Both I & Connie are always sooo pleased when we open their boxes – to find they have survived another year.
So now time to give them a little ‘TLC’ to get them going…

FYI – During their hibernation Suntan lost – 61 grams in weight and Timmy lost 27 grams in weight – wish I could do that!