Cllr Roy Gerstner – Community Activist

Thanks to RD who informs me that on the 26th Feb I stated that the owners of the Norwich & Peterborough BS was the Yorkshire Bank, it is in fact the Yorkshire Building Society, my apologies…I do try and be as accurate as possible, so again my apologies.
Those customers who have yet to move their accounts should they wish to do so, are advised to open new accounts asap.

Several crimes happening in our locality, it is a matter of ‘lock it’ or ‘loose it’ – low life in general look for the easiest target, Cyber crime is still at the for-front of crime even in our real local world, including 3 reported more senior folk being victims of crime recently.
I am hoping to attend a Cyber security seminar at Cambs Police HQ at the end of the month.

There is a full Whittlesey Town Council meeting this Wednesday, with some updates on local projects.

As mentioned last week, we are presently in Sarawak – Northern Borneo, this a part of Malaysia, we were last here in 2004.

We were joined by our nephew and enjoyed the local delicacies including something like a giant ‘Papadum’ – the one shown had oysters embedded in it.

Another fantastic experience of being with rescued ‘Orangutans’ – I have made some small donations over the past years and was very pleased to revisit the park, where they have 28 of these marvellous animals.
Most are rehabilitated to live locally within the limits of the local jungle, one of the females ‘Suduku’ is still here from our visit 13 years ago now being 46 years old, they are tempted with fruit and coconuts for visitors twice  a day, there is no guarantee they will come – especially if they have enough food in the jungle.
 

Sorry for the delay in my weekly update – been partially ‘Off the grid’ – travelling to visit family in Malaysia.
Since my last posting about ‘A deposit scheme for cans, bottles & plastic’ I am pleased to inform that MP Steve Barclay has sent me a letter – unfortunately I can not read it here in
‘Malaysia’ but when I am able – will of course place his reply here.
Some slight good news on this front – being that The Coca Cola Co® are having a re-think in possibly supporting the plan – however other Big Businesses are lobbying hard not to introduce a scheme in England and Wales. Why is it that dozens of other countries including some poor third world places – have brought in laws to stop millions of tonnes of this waste being dumped into landfills, seas or just fly-tipped.
Big Business and money are holding this scheme back – I will continued to fight and highlight this issue.
Read much more about the issues and arguments –
Litter Heroes
Click Here

If you support and think England should join dozens of other countries with a Deposit Scheme why not write to MP Steve Barclay with you views.
http://stevebarclay.net/contact/

This week also saw the monthly Whittlesey Business Forum meeting, which I support 100%, the group is now getting more involved in what and how not only businesses are being affected, but our town folk that rely on the success of these businesses.
Of course nothing new in that Banks and Building Societies closing down – it has been around for a considerable time –  and the ‘cull’ is not over yet.
Lloyds will be closing in Whittlesey this May, there is a somewhat waiting time now at the Nationwide and I am told appointments are needed. The N&P owners – Yorkshire Bank are offering 25 months ‘free’ banking to businesses who move accounts to them.

Still no news coming from Abellio on any enhancements or improvements to Whittlesey Railway Station – my friend AO is ‘still’ the only ‘friend’ of Whittlesey Railway Station – no one else has joined in as yet….I am contacting Cllr Simon King to see if he has
any update – Don’t hold your breath.

Finally – I understand there may be an emergency meeting to consider the future of the Whittlesey Christmas Extravaganza – more delays to follow once confirmed.

         
Happy Holidays continue – next to Sarawak Northern Borneo – to visit and support the
Oranutan Sanctuary in the Semenggoh National Park – last time in November 2004.
A surreal experience.

Invitation to quiz teams, social event, and a good night with a Fish & Chip supper included (Or Chicken if preferred) BYO Drinks…. Raffle Prize Draw.

The poster quotes: The questions are easy if you know the answers

My quote: The answers are easy if you know the questions and I should know….
as I have set the questions!

Ha Ha – Is this the end of Whittlesey Streetlife™? I see that in order to register/sign up,
‘they’ want you to sign up 9 other people in your area/vicinity in a period of 21 days in order to validate your registration.
Sounds very much if’y to me. You do the recruiting – they will have some ‘angle’ to flog stuff to you at your expense for sure.
So although as all know not a fan of Streetlife – mainly because of the anonymity of the people using it – I think now I will actually miss my daily infusion of the comments?

At least one kind person sending reports to me and the public whilst I am away – thanks.

Of course more people could attend these meetings and hear first hand on how your council debate?
So I see from the report some fairly good news, in that £40,000 has been placed into the reserve fund….WTC for many years was the ‘poorest’ council in Fenland, either not raising enough when they were able too and had no assets as such, the proposed purchase of a stand alone Council building has been gone over before – there are some advantages but there well maybe a burden of debt involved – I can not see ‘how’ there is no cost to the precept ? – surely all council funds are the taxpayers funding!

So I also see that the deaths knell is in store for the Whittlesey Extravaganza unless maybe the Business Forum takes it over….there is a lot of work involved, rules/regulations and insurance to consider, although I have attended several, the feedback which I received was that it didn’t bring a great deal of business into the town and was always dependent on the weather? Still we wait and see.

Streetlife™ – see my previous post – well, well well – under the ‘New owners’ – Nextdoor™
It was meant to be a neighbourly get-together – but the takeover of the UK’s Streetlife™ website by America’s Nextdoor™ has left many British users deeply unhappy with the new arrangements.
Under the new owner – subscribers are NOT allowed to hide behind false/mickey-mouse™ names and will have to register a ‘real name’ and address – under these circumstances I may well sign up myself? – I wonder how many ‘Streetlifers’ will migrate having to disclose their name and address…..
See the whole story on the BBC Click Here

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.
Many thanks to our correspondent who sent the following observations.

Kings Dyke Bridge.
Tim Watkins from Cambridge CC addressed the council at length.  To sum up:
Ground investigation works are complete.
Compulsory Purchase Order documents are being made ready. it is envisaged (still) that a CPO will not be necessary but the possibility of using one provides a good bargaining tool.
it is estimated that a contractor will be named in July.
Network Rail, “a very large organisation” could cause delays for various reasons including line closures and access to land and air space. One Councillor suggested that the railways should be re-nationalised as Network Rail is not an easy company to work with.

Public Forum
Mr Gray Esson of Street Pride addressed the council at great length and described possible future.  These include the use of a beet-cutter as part of a new display.  Brightly coloured bicycles were also mentioned.

Another gentleman made a succinct and impassioned plea for the council to undertake a tree-planting scheme in and around Whittlesey and villages.  Councillors greeted this very short address with enthusiasm   It was mentioned that Whittlesey has indeed lost a lot of fine trees over recent years.

Lattersey Nature Reserve
There will be a Partnership event on Sunday 28-05-17

Finance and Policy Committee
Councillor Dorling estimated that, by the end of the financial year, WTC should be able to deposit £40,000 in the Reserve Fund.  The council bank account will be moved from Lloyd’s to Barclays, given that Lloyds are closing the Whittlesey branch.

Community Road Watch
At Station Road and at the A605 in Coates, a large number of vehicles have been recorded breaking the speed limit. This includes one driver who was clocked at 49 mph. This was at a time when children were making their way home from school.  Companies and individuals have been contacted.

Whittlesey Extravaganza
The Extravaganza committee has given notice that all its members have decided to withdraw their services.  There will be no Extravaganza this December unless a new body of people take up the reins. Whittlesey Business Forum will be meeting to discuss possibilities.

Commonwealth Day
WTC has a flag and might fly it on 13-03-17

Proposal Announcement
“Members have agreed to proceed with the potential purchase of a suitable building to house the council offices of the clerk and meeting rooms.
The council would then own this property rather than paying rent therefore creating an asset. There is no additional cost to the public via the precept.”

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.

Maybe not many have knowledge of ‘The Bobby Scheme’ it is a support unit for:
Victims of crime
Vulnerable elderly people
People who are prone to repeated crime
The Cambridgeshire Bobby scheme does outstanding work in helping these victims and potential victims of burglary and is strongly supported by Cambridgeshire NHW. Please consider the below request to help sustain its valuable work
Read more on the Bobby Scheme website Click Here

Cambridgeshire Bobby Scheme Seeks Public Votes

The Cambridgeshire Bobby Scheme is urging local residents to vote for them in the Hopkins Homes Cambridgeshire Charity Vote with the hope of securing an award of up to £7,000.
The public is being asked to vote for their preferred charity from a choice of six shortlisted organisations. The three causes who receive the most votes will be presented with donations of £7,000, £2,000 or £1,000 depending on the level of support they receive.

All you have to do is between today February 6^th and February 24^th, click onto Hopkins Homes website to www.hopkinshomescharity.co.uk,  click on Vote Now, tick The Bobby Scheme and add your postcode [ to prove you live in Cambridgeshire].
The vote is a fantastic opportunity for you to support our work.  We are always seeking funding to continue our service and should we be awarded the £7,000 it will make an enormous difference to helping vulnerable people – the elderly, the vulnerable, the disabled and domestic abuse victims, feel safer in their home.

PLEASE do support us and vote, and circulate to all your colleagues, friends and relations and ask them to vote for us as well.

Read more on the Bobby Scheme website Click Here

THANK YOU
Best Wishes
Shirley Simpson Trust Manager
Cambridgeshire Police Shrievalty Trust
The Bobby Scheme
Yaxley Police Station
1 Queen Street
Yaxley
PE7 3JE
01480 413311
07718 118994

They have helped and supported many elderly people in the Whittlesey area.
Please spend a few minutes in helping them get their grant – Thanks – RG.

Updated 08-02-17 @ 0500 utc
Train operator Abellio has agreed to sell 40% of its Greater Anglia rail franchise to Japanese firm Mitsui.  The line has been run by Greater Anglia since 2012 and the company renewed the franchise in August.
It says the deal will result in a £1.4bn investment over nine years, with new trains and average journey times reduced by 10%.  The rail union RMT said Britain’s rail network was being sold off like it was a “dodgy car boot sale”.

I have attended many meeting over the last few years…There have been several/many promises made by what was called Abillio Anglia – None of which has come to anything yet!!!
Now that the mighty Mitshui have taken a good chunk will we now maybe see some investment coming to Whittlesey – I wonder.
Read the story on the BBC Click Here

Updated 08-02-17 @ 0500 utc

“How do you build an online community that isn’t an echo chamber and doesn’t descend into an ugly shouting match?
Make it local, is the answer from two neighbourhood networks, one British, one American, that are getting together.

America’s Nextdoor will announce this week that it is buying Britain’s Streetlife in a multimillion pound deal.
Both companies were founded around the same time and have been on a similar mission – to build social networks concentrated on neighbourhoods with the aim of helping people with practical tasks.”

Streetlife like many other ‘Social Media sites’ started off with good intentions but as they themselves quoted  How do you build an online community that isn’t an echo chamber and doesn’t descend into an ugly shouting match?

So now they have been bought out by the USA (not the other way round)
We wait and see what if any enhancements or improvements they make, one thing it can not stop is ‘some’ of the stupid posts that appear regularly – still it provides a bit of entertainment – as many times stated – Social (but not anti-social) Media does have a place in our modern society if used sensibly.

I note that on SL their customers have now 13 days to re-register under the ‘new’ name….

Read the complete story on the BBC Click Here