Cllr Roy Gerstner – Community Activist

I am very grateful to Cllr Dee Laws for getting on the case very rapidly re fly-tipping West Delph area. As stated in my previous posts YOUR elected Councillors should be YOUR first place to contact, I am a member of the Public – Yes with knowledge and experience, but I do not have the same resources as YOUR Councillors – that’s why they are elected to represent you.
I can lobby and help where I can and have my own friends and resources to drawn upon.
Back to the West Delph Fly-Tipping Issue. – the following was sent (with permission) from Cllr Laws yesterday and explains to all how to report this type of issue.

“As Ward Councillors we have all direct dial numbers and e-mail address for our local authorities and organisations.
I have contacted the Fenland District Council, Environment Agency North Level IDB and RSPB, all are involved with this dreadful fly tipping incident.
The first contact for any dumping of waste material in our watercourses must be reported to the Environmental Incident hotline 0800 807 060
or https://www.gov.uk/report-an-environmental-incident.
Details posted on Whittlesey Town Council Website – whittleseytc.com follow the link from ‘about your council’ and open Flood Warden Group tab.
Fenland District Council Street Scene Officer and automatically Rapid Response Team despatched.
North Level Internal Drainage Board alerted and our local Environment Agency office.
I will post a full report later.”

Last Nights update;

“I can confirm Fenland District Council Rapid Response Team attended on Monday 23rd May and took away what they could from Morton’s Leam bank, 20 X bags of organic waste.
North Level Internal Drainage clearing the remaining bags (approximately ten) from in and around the watercourse tomorrow – Thursday 26th May.
I am waiting for an update/report from the Environment Agency but understand they have been experiencing problems having gone live this week with a new telephone system and links.
It’s been a team effort as all of the authorities having been working together.”
DL

        In memory of my Dad 12-04-25 / 25-05-13

I’ll do my best, however as is known, I am no longer Chairman/Committee Member of Whittlesey Street Pride, a Prolific Litter-Picker only.

However there maybe other avenues to try.
If Fly-Tipping occurs on the Public Highway/Council Land or Property, then in our case Fenland District Council will remove it, there are many ways to report this.
1/ Via YOUR Councillor
2/ Via FDC’s Website http://www.fenland.gov.uk/
3/ Via FDC’s Phone Contact Centre 01354-654321

If Fly-Tipping occurs on Private land, then it is the responsibility of the Landowner to pay for or to remove it themselves.

In the case of Mortons Leam/West Delph and the Wash Area, some of this is owned by The Whittlesey Charities/and/or Whittlesey Wildfowlers and managed by the RSPB.
When Fly-Tipping has occurred here before, I/we ran into many ‘Brick-Walls, as to who was responsible for the land. There are regular Litterpicks in the area and Fly-Tipping has been removed in the past.

I will make further investigations…..
Last time there was 5 large barrels of ‘Blue Powdery’ material, which took a 4×4 to extract out – and we had to give up in the end.

Look what happened to P.D. (Fun only)

I was requested to carry out a Sound Level Survey along Peterborough Road recently.
The survey is a ‘snapshot’ and not a fully conclusive test, however the results are probably good enough for general purposes.
The survey was carried out by myself (UKAS Engineer Cert) using a calibrated Sound Level Meter (SLA).
The survey was conducted over a period of 7 days at the same 5 locations along Peterborough Road from the corner of West End Stores to the Kings Dyke level crossing.
The times of the surveys was at 08:30, 12:00 and 16:30 daily.
The survey was conducted in accordance to UKAS, NPL (National Physics Laboratory) and the HSE (Health & Safety Executive) standards.
The survey was conducted from the roadside and not from within houses or buildings

Results:
At no time during the survey did the Sound Levels exceed the HSE criteria.
Only on 2 occasions did the Sound Level exceed (peak) above −85 db(A) for a relatively short period.
On extrapolation of variables and taking into account both ± 1:5 db(A) calibration factor and uncertainty factors, the snap shot results show that there are no issues with the Sound Levels exceeding those set down by the HSE for safety of human hearing.

Note: There is a distinct difference between Sound and Noise Levels, this survey dealt with Sound Levels.

If you think the Sound Level where you live maybe causing issues, I am more than happy to assist, I make no charges what-so-ever.
©RG

Catching up, I see the ‘usual’ negativity on our ‘local’ group, – fine everyones entitled to their views and opinions, but I’ve made it clear before about ‘hiding’ behind pseudonyms making sweeping statements….of course the negativity is not complaining….I am referring now to the Market Square and the recent events being held.
1/ The Busfest event was advertised on various media for well over a month prior to the event.
2/ Memories are very short again, lets look at my pictures of what we had in 2008

 
The George semi-derelict in 2008                  Post Office & Hinton & Hewitt for sale in 2008

Todays major investments in ‘our’ Market Square’ Ok – maybe not an Italian Piazza but it needed very deep pockets by Wetherspoons and Mr Barry Hubb.
I remember the vicious comments being made at the time Wetherspoons came to town, several of these people, were the ‘first’ to visit the ‘new’ George’ and I know are still very regular customers.
As said, it may not be everyones choice – but what is the alternative…..and by the way, I wanted the Buses moved to Queen Street, but I was told this was not a practical solution.

©All pictures Roy Gerstner

So trending on social networking (Don’t I just love them?) Complaining about the state of our Grassed areas….. this is an annual thing! every year ‘we’ get the same….issues.
FDC have changed their contractors (In reality a name change) – You get what you pay for….we used to get 14 ‘Cuts Per year’ – then it went to 12 – then back to 14 and now I don’t know….FDC and the contractors ‘normally blame the weather….’unseasonably mild etc’…
I agree that ‘when they do – the job – it is not a very good job….

Apologies, I received the information below on Saturday 21st May, when I went to sign the petition myself this evening, I saw that it was closed on the 20th. However I believe the community should still be informed….If you go to http://www.change.org (Horsey Toll Waste Plant) you will access a great deal of argument for refusing this application.
Remember it is a Peterborough decision.

Perhaps Whittlesey and Village residents should be much more concerned about the impending planning application for an ANAEROBIC DIGESTER Plant at Horsey Toll.
This is a Peterborough area, – Whittlesey Town Council are consultees only.
There are Pro’s and Con’s for these plants….but I and many believe that the Traffic Issues onto a main ‘A’ road will cause what is already a big issue.
I also believe that the applicants have under estimated the amount of vehicle movements that will be involved in keeping such a plant in operation.

Click on Picture to enlarge….

Here is the Agenda – I am hoping to attend.
Click on link below….
Planning-Agenda-25th-May-2016

Connie & I have been to the West Country for the last week, and besides visiting ‘old’ haunts, we were invited to see some of my ‘Not so Old Ship Mates’

 
(l – r) Captain Jeremy and Jane Attwater, I sailed with Jerry in 1973 and a few times afterwards. Next Captain (Farmer) John Peters again first sailed in 1973 and many times afterwards.
Finally Engineer Davie Murch from Bideford, still gainfully employed with SouthWest Water – mainly on the ‘Sewage’ side – Davie always a Happy man.

The Police are looking for this March man who is missing.

If seen please call 101

Thought I would take a look around just before the start of BusFest at 07:45, only to find that either our Street Cleaners had NOT done a very good job (Which is unusual) or they had not yet arrived.
I Litter Picked 2 bags worth of Saturday nights left overs before having another appointment elsewhere and left plenty along Queen Street and some around the Town Centre, when I left the first of the Vintage Buses were arriving along with some public.
Normally – Our Street Cleaners are on the ball – but not today for some reason….maybe they turned up later after I had gone…. Someone had moved all the ‘Planters’ ready for the Buses…

Whilst out early I saw that Network Rail had been busy most of the night, carrying out planned maintenance of the Level Crossing.
Similar to last week at Kings Dyke Crossing – a great number of vehicles, – either did not read the signage or could not read the signage as many tried to approach the Crossing to find it Closed For Traffic.
A number of vehicles then had to turn around at the junction of the Limes, 2 or 3 with trailers had great difficulty – READ the SIGNS…!!!

The website is have a few days holiday…. unless there is anything major that is….

Here One Day…..                                                       Gone The Next……
  
As reported on Thursday Morning, the ‘Dumped Settee and Chair’ close to Whittlesey Town Council Offices on Grosvenor Road, had ‘gone’ by Thursday evening….
I am giving ‘Kudos’ to Fenlands Rapid Response team, who have plenty on their hands all over Fenland, not just in Whittlesey and Villages.
You can report Fly-Tipping by various ways, one being on FDC’s Website Click Here
Of course there is a cost to us the Rate Payer, the more Fly-Tipped – The more it costs.

   
With BusFest coming to Town tomorrow, remember that the Ramsey Road Level Crossing will be Closed….. I am grateful to Cllr D Laws, who has been onto FDC many times regarding the ‘Out of Order’ Toilet behind The George. Cllr Laws informs me that FDC have now been given the Go Ahead – to get the work done, which they expect will be completed on or before 26th May 2016 – Thanks..