Cllr Roy Gerstner – Community Activist

Picture taken this morning at around 09:28

At last night’s WTC council meeting, Mr Bernard Gray-Esson (Vice Chairman Whittlesea Street Pride). Highlighted the increase in reported Fly-Tipping within the area. He told the council that it was all well, reporting and the Street Scene/Rapid Response acting – there needs to be a more pro-active roll in catching and making an example of those responsible.
The latest being found by RB again near Lattersley Hill and Turning Tree Road
Mr Gray-Esson reported on the (2) latest events, which were well advertised, both events he said were dis-appointing in that NO members of the public attended.
The events being The Clean up at the Railway Station and Clean up for the Queen event, both being well supported by Street Pride members. As usual a ‘lot’ of rubbish and litter was removed on both events.~

Cllr Mrs Mayor reported that she was disappointed that other than herself, NO other councillor attended the Railway clean up.
She reported that there is an open meeting regarding Railway issues and a presentation will be held at Fenland Hall – Wednesday 16th March between 18:00 to 20:00

(Thanks to RB for the photos)

Tomorrow (10th) CCC are holding a planning meeting of which the proposed Kings Dyke Crossing will be debated. Cllr R Butcher attended a site meeting with CCC planning dept today (09th) ….. Whilst the group were there, (only a relatively short time) the gates closed 8 times, including 2 quite lengthy delays.
Maybe more coming tomorrow…..watch the news.

09th March @ 22:00 – So not only North Bank closed until further notice, but Kings Dyke crossing is due to close tomorrow (10th) night.

There is quite a lot to cover, therefor several parts will be published over the next couple of days.
8 members of the public attended, there was no demonstration from members of Street Life© in regards to the Showfield development.
Mr Bruce Smith (pictured this evening) gave a brief but intense presentation to the council and public.
Also attending was Mr Martin Whitwell the land owner of the proposed development site.
The important part was that Mr Smith has served notice to Sainsburys© about their contract obligations. Sainsburys© have 28 days to respond.
Over 5 years of hard work, Mr Smith pointed out that both he and ‘Whittlesey’ had little or no support from the MP Mr Steve Barclay.
Fenland District Council (FDC) has decided not to hold an independent inquiry into planning matters concerning this application. ( RG – Letters about this will come later)
Mr Smith said “He was not driven by financial gain”
He is actively looking at other retailers and there has been some communication.
If another retailer were to come on the scene, there maybe scope for the Land for the Country Park, to be gifted by Mr Whitwell.
Mr Smith was passionate in perhaps incorporating some of the ‘Must Farm’ artefacts in what he hoped ‘could’ be a museum and heritage site within the Country Park.
This ‘vision’ was supported by a number of councillors.
It was also stated the Peterborough Vivacity had already a done deal on many of the artefacts. Cllr Butcher informed that it takes 5 years of more to prepare things like ‘boats’
before they can be displayed.
There is also the road infra-structure around the area to be sorted out.

RG – This is a very long haul ahead still – but it appears that the passion from Mr Smith lives on.

I started this website/blog long before (Years) StreetLife© came into being.
I hope(d) it would be an informative, without being overly political platform.
My continuing stance as being ‘Independent’ from political party influence.
Not only (me) but at least 10 of your WTC councillors DO NOT take part in any form of debate on SL© – why – I have asked some of them and their answers are (like it or not).
That ‘some‘ of the ‘silly/childish’ comments they have no time to get involved in.
The few councillors that do post, make in general a very good case.
However as I have reported on many occasions, some quite nasty brutal exchanges have taken place, where no one came out a victor.
There are on SL© a number of ‘Trolls’, who enjoy winding people up on SL©,
SL along with other social media (That includes ‘Faceless Book’) do have a place in our modern world. Many high profile people have come off social media for the reasons above.
I pay for my website, (SL© is more or less unmoderated).

As I have said so many times before, please read ALL before making comments.
I am very open to Constructive criticism, open to debate and contactable (even when away).
I do not force people to come and look at my website, no more than I am forced to go to SL© – I question – NO Whittlesey Councillor keeps not only their own area/ward fully, updated with issues, concerns and information.
I am not a councillor but I DO try and keep people informed with facts as I and in some cases my friends and supporters find them.
This website regularly gets between 200 to 400 hits/views a days – Heh that’s not bad for
the regular underdog like myself.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me in the past, present and future.
I/we are back to a cold Whittlesey this week.

Thank you for your most recent posting, I respect your views.
My open invitation is for anyone to contact me with any concerns.

Like many sad things, the family of Hedgehogs in the field at the rear of me, have now disappeared, one got run over
Then we found another down the drain. During the campaign to relocate thousands of Hedgehogs a few years ago from the Outer Hebrides, I financially supported the group that were trying to ‘save’ them – alas I never heard what happened in the end.

Our Hogs and Hoglets, would go from garden to garden to see what was on the ‘menu’ – We would leave all our chicken left overs, they would chomp and munch for an hour or more.
Back and forth all night, they of course had competition from the local cat community.

By the way there is an extremely informative article on the BBC website about Ladybirds…… http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35603972 dated 5th March this year.

“He claims never to have seen deer there and I quote “only a few ladybirds”!.
Am I the only person who feels that this gentleman has no idea of how precious any wildlife is.”

Like many/most on Street Life© people ‘hide’ anonymously behind pseudo names.
I do not.
Will the ‘lady’ who is very active on SL© please read the article fully and correctly, what I said was…

At NO time did I see any ‘wild’ animals or birds nests ‘vandalised’ there maybe have been a few ladybirds.
At NO time did I see any deer, although Muntjac  have been seen at various times – they do not live there permanently?

Off course there is a proliferation of wildlife in the area.
The article was about the ‘one time event held’

Will you please correct your article on SL© I would very much hope so, I am on the same side as yourself, we are all trying our very best.
Gillie B my contact details are readily available – you are more than welcome to contact me, talk to me, phone me or meet face to face to better our town and villages.
Please, please read fully first before condemning people like myself.
Yes I am accountable for what I do and say, and have done so for the last 30 odd years as a campaigner and activist.
Thank you – I look forward to hearing from you.

I plan to attend.
The agenda includes a presentation by Mr Bruce Smith (Whiteacre Management) who is/was the developer in conjunction with other parties to develop land on Eastrea Road for a Supermarket, Business Park and Country Park.
Click on link below to see the full agenda.

FC-Agenda-9th-March-2016

As I only hold the ‘rank’ of  ‘Litter Picker’ now, I am unaware of ‘what’ is actually planned on this occasion.
What the FACTS are that Whittlesey Street Pride carry out regular Litter Picking in the area, I myself do so nearly every week when I am at home. I invite PP from SL to join me!!!!!
The last ‘Major’ tidy-up was in July 2011 organised by ‘Network Rail’
SP supported this event over a 3 or 4 day period (can not remember exactly).
(Click on picture to enlarge)

A full H&S and environmental impact assessment was carried out by NR prior to the event.
Altogether besides all the rubbish, 6 tons of ‘Bracken’ was removed. At NO time did I see any ‘wild’ animals or birds nests ‘vandalised’ there maybe have been a few ladybirds.
At NO time did I see any deer, although Muntjac  have been seen at various times – they do not live there permanently?
As far as I was concerned the ‘event’ was only partially successful in that even removing 6 tons of bracken to tidy and clear areas around the footpath and car park areas – this ‘only’ made a small effect to the whole area. Since NR did not engage with SP after this event, even though we requested it, the whole area regenerated back to normal within about 6/8 months.
The picture shows MP Steve Barclay and the NR Area Manager (who came by taxi and not on a train – he couldn’t find one?) Naturally they turned up for the photo-shoot and didn’t actually get their hands dirty.
As Whittlesey knows I am a big advocate of environment issues and SP past record (example planting over 1 million wild flower seeds) is well documented.
I am unaware of the present managements plan or commitment to these issues.
Only part of the land is owned by Network Rail, (PP on Streetlife©) the poster was I presume put up by Street Pride having got permission from Abellio Greater Anglia.

For your interests – FACT – there has been numerous attempts to gain planning permission for this land, up to 250 houses, concerns about, wildlife (Snakes) and access were the reasons WTC at that time recommended refusal – I am unaware of where this planning application stands at present but will attempt to find out.

Here it is….

The latest news re the closure is that we will open as planned on 11the March – we will then unfortunately have to close again on 16^th while the last of the work is done on the ceiling in the front of the building. We will open again at 12.00 on Monday 21^st – and (hopefully!!!) that will be it!
Cambs Library Services.