The annual ‘Friends Of Whittlesey Library’ (FOWL) Quiz is planned for Friday March 17th – further details will follow (Time & Costing)
The evening will include a Fish & Chip Supper….
Watch this space….
For this very special annual event – view the Straw Bear Website for information & history.
Click Here ©®
Many thanks to our own correspondent for the photo’s…..
©RG
Thanks to our ‘correspondent’ who sent the following after attending WTC meeting this Wednesday.
Good that PCSO Green and Froment were in attendance – and the reaction received was positive.
Police Matters.
Illegal parking in Windmill Street.
Anti-social behaviour has decreased over recent weeks.
Kings Dyke Bridge.
Information is almost ready to put out to contractors so they can submit tenders. Decision on selecting contractor should be made in the spring.
Planning.
There were no major planning applications.
Neighbourhood Plan.
Progressing. The questionnaire is almost complete.
Route 63 Cycleway.
The new gate was installed in December. It was vandalized soon after but was repaired immediately. It is hoped that the gate is robust enough to dissuade further efforts to damage it.
Commonwealth Day.
Whittlesey Town Council has received a flag.
Peterborough Local Plan.
Councillor Bristow was the only Councillor to have studied this document. He reported that Peterborough City Council intends to build 27,000 homes by 2036.
4,700 of these have already been built.
PCC also intends to invest heavily in public transport and employment opportunities.
The document is very lengthy and, apparently, lacking in excitement.
Budget Proposals.
Councillor Dorling submitted the following information:
Precept – £171, 015
Currently WTC is underspent on this year’s budget and estimates it will be £20,000 “on the right side of budget” by the end of the year.
Good to hear that the ‘Kings Dyke-Bridge’ is progressing…I wonder !!! when the Bridge is built, whether the Anti-Social Doom Mongers will eat humble pie and give those who made it happen the credit it will deserve – Of course ‘when’ it is built?
Happy Bear Days Connie & Hotel Owner Daughter -Diddy
in the Wallace & Grommit Scooter.
I am pleased to have received several comments about my article last week about ‘Fly-Tipping’ – The reported issues spotted in/around our area.
As I explained taking ‘miss fits’ through the criminal prosecution system is lengthy and expensive.
Magistrates/Courts give out minimum fines in many cases, as the riff raff claim poverty in most cases.
Catching people in the act is also difficult.
At least one very small piece of good new, is that the Government is introducing law to make car drivers/owners responsible for Litter thrown out of vehicles – back to the same issue – who police it and getting evidence that will stand up in court – sorry – sounds good but I doubt if many people will feel the force of the law.
At least in my picture – ‘people’ had left their rubbish by the bin.
Moving on – I read that FDC are proposing a 1:8% increase in their ‘Tax’ for the forth-coming year – which is ‘just’ under the threshold that doesn’t attract Government asking questions.
Cybercrime Conference.
Good afternoon The Cambridge Community Safety Partnership are funding a Cybercrime Conference which will be taking place on Tuesday 24 January 2017 from 17:00-19:00. This event is supported by Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridgeshire Constabulary, the Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner and Cambridge City Council. The event is being held in a 400 person lecture theatre at Anglia Ruskin University so all welcome. Places for the Cybercrime Conference can be booked through Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cybercrime-conference-tickets-30291843720
The agenda can also be found using the above link.
Kind regards Jason Ablewhite – Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner.
It is an unfortunate fact ‘Most’ people do not take cyber crime seriously.
Besides nearly ‘everyone’ wanting to know our personal details, I am probably as guilty as the rest – and I am a pretty good electronics engineer.
So called legitimate companies, Google™ Microsoft™ and Facebook™ to name a few, have so much information about us, that we have probably forgotten it even exsisted.
Whilst the above companies Big Brother tactics are worrying they aren’t as downright scary as hackers who are out to take control of your PC/Tablet/Phone/Keyboard, Webcam or router.
Although I am unable to attend the Cyber Conference, I hope that maybe someone can and maybe give some feedback.
There are many ways to protect yourself and limit what companies like Google™ tracks your every move/keystroke and website ever visited – there are ways to stop it.
There are ways to stop companies recording what you say.
There are ways to prevent ‘Hackers’ watching you through a webcam.
There is of course one sting in the above – our Government (Free Speach and all) want and are bringing in legislation for Internet Providers to record ALL activity people use for 12 months.
Off course the argument is national security – and the old ??? if you have done nothing wrong then there is nothing to be afraid of.
Life is complicated enough I can well understand why some people try and remain Off The Grid…..
Two good friends who have been a bit under the weather lately – Hope you get well soon.
Jackie Bullen. Jean Beaumont.
Informed that Mrs Enid Exton passed away last week. I lovely lady who always had time for a ‘chat’ – wife of Richard, she worked in the Co-Op for a number of years.
So, did you claim your 10% discount – (Big deal) on the up-coming Brown Bin Tax – I’ve been questioned about my terminology on this subject – however ‘any’ monies I pay to either central or local government is a ‘tax’ in one form or another, taxes very rarely go down, and we have yet to ‘hear’ what FDC and CCC will clobber us with – in this next financial year…. watch this space.
You have until Tuesday January 10th to get your discount.
I’m not finished on this subject – although I accept Cllr Simon Kings explanation on this ‘history’ of ‘Garden Waste’.
I also accept that half the councils in England are either planning or are already imposing the ‘Tax’
My mobility is none to good – I don’t do any home or ‘urban’ gardening anymore.
My ‘small’ wife has little choice now when doing our small garden – she cannot be expected to hump stuff to the ‘Tip/Recycling Centre’ and remember it wasn’t so long ago Cambs CC was looking seriously at closing quite a few of these down.
I and many others campaigned vigorously to keep Whittlesey Recycling Centre open.
Next – when I came to pay my ‘New’ subscription – boy did I have issues getting it done – No fault of FDC (As they had probably out sourced the payment) but after a frustrating 5 attempts finally ‘we’ are subscribed to take in effect from April.
Finally remember that it going to ‘Cost’ FDC/Ratepayer/Me/Us/You to set this scheme up – They (FDC) hope to recover that money – again I’ll be very pleased to be informed when this happens – and will naturally give space for it.
As commented on last week, Whittlesey (+Villages) are expanding – along with the rest of the country. An interesting statistic came this week, that The New Queen Street Surgery (I am on the Patients Group) now have 10,153 registered patients in 2016 compared with 9,815 in 2015 – we have only two health centres and I don’t know the figures for the Jenner Health Centre.
Some complain, but I will say 99% of the time NQS do their best to see people in a timely way – yes one may have to stand outside at 07:45 in order to get a same day appointment – I have done this many times – and have always been successful.
Interesting for ever ongoing report on Fly-Tipping with Cambs – especially hot spots like Bretton – we had the ‘usual’ do-gooding person – (Radio Cambridgeshire) who wants to educate Fly Tippers before taking any further action – when will these people wake up – educating riff raff will make NO difference what-so-ever.
(above – A street scene within Whittlesey).
It costs FDC a considerable amount of our money to remove Fly-Tipping and kudos to the Rapid Response team of FDC for their dedication in removing this blight.
However we then go too – A Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) is issued when someone is rarely caught – FDC and their enforcement may have done their bit – do these blighters take any notice of FPN’s I doubt it very much – I witnessed last yeat some blighter who had ‘dozens’ of FPN’s was he/she bothered no…..stuck two fingers up to the magistrates?
There is a Whittlesey Town Council meeting this Wednesday 7:30pm at Grosvenor House.
Farwell this week from Sunnier Climates – Nice.
As stated previously – what success for a community website – I am humbled by the numbers that visit this site – some on a very regular basis.
Not a great deal trending this week – it is Christmas and New Year and hopefully everyone has had an enjoyable time.
Many personal highlight this year…..one being my ‘official retirement’ at 65 from the PCC office as a ‘Independent Custody Visitor’ something I have been very proud to have been associated with….giving both confidence to the public and police accountability.
Ensuring all those in Custody are treaded fairly when being processed – I remain part of an Appropriate Adult Scheme
Among many other ‘milestones – being the 50th anniversary of the Opening of Whittlesey Swimming Pool – I being the 1st member of the public to access the pool and then re-enact the history this year in May.
Many holidays with my wife Connie, many weekends away in the UK and a fantastic 5 weeks in Alaska and Canada in July/August. My 65th birthday in Madeira.
Our recent 40th Wedding Anniversary – celebrated with friends and family at the wonderful colonial hotel – The Majestic’ in Kuala Lumpur.
My ongoing ‘Community Activist’ campaign – remains ‘Independent’ of political influence…I have attended and reported to the public and electorate on many Whittlesey and Fenland meetings that I have attended, some reports given by friends have kept the public informed in a timely way of what is happening at these meetings.
Many Councillors are uncomfortable with my presence and reporting – why – as usual ‘some are afraid of being held accountable.
One of my disappointments are that ‘Elected Councillors’ do not attend that many meetings outside of their ‘official meetings’ – all of course are entitled to holidays and may be unwell, but some do not even send their apologies for their absence, I find this rather insulting to electorate and public.
So what will 2017 bring to our town and villages…. maybe the start of the much awaited ‘Kings Dyke Crossing’ we all hope so.
Will there be any progress in the building of a Supermarket – don’t hold your breath.
Will the country park ever be built – don’t know but again don’t hold your breath.
Improved transport service -which some Councillors have been trying to get for some time – seems to have gone off the radar!
The moving forward of the Whittlesey Neighbourhood Plan – is happening but no one has actually put a ‘Cost’ of it – and it will be sometime before it becomes a reality.
Meanwhile our town continues to expand in the numbers of people living here.
There are good plans in place for schooling, but that is always subject to getting the projected numbers correct – something that went vasting wrong in Peterborough.
Our Health services are ‘just’ about coping – will that be the case in 12 or 24 months time.
The closure of our Police Station and the town ‘loosing’ its Neighbourhood Policing Team.
The conflicting information being sent from the Police & Crime Commissioner and the Fenland Policing team leaves a lot to be desired!
Many other emotive subjects I am sure will all rear up again during the year…..
Our town has many attributes, one outstanding being the numbers of Volunteers who help make our town what it is – all these people do so by ‘giving’ a lot of time and effort and trying to maintain, improve, make good and make safe our community – I applaud them all and thank every one of them – because without these people our town would not be what it is today – I and many others are passionate about our town – and we are all proud to be part of it.
Certain things are going to happen like it or not – Local Rates will go up – The Brown Bin Tax will come into effect and I note that ‘Tesco’s planning application for land behind the New Queen Street Surgery – took NO NOTICE what-so-ever of WTC members concerns of all housing and not bungalows – FDC see nothing wrong with this – so the usual No one
taking notice – it sometime makes me think – is it really worth the effort!
From this To This – Just one of many successes
I wish all and everyone a Healthy, Prosperous and Happy 2017 where ever you are.
Firstly – since Anti-Social Media – does not – Let me congratulate and thank Whittlesey Town Council and Cllr Ray Whitwell for the installation of ‘Gating’ along Cycle Rout 63.
There has been a long ongoing ‘dispute’ over ‘access’ to this ‘Cycle-way’.
Along with several individuals and other organizations – hopefully a ‘reasonable’ conclusion has been reached.
We now wait and see – if wanton vandalism will re-occur on this site.
The ‘Boat Owners’ have good access from Funthams Lane, Cyclists, Horse riders and Dog Walkers can access easily from Stonald Road – My only concern now is that of course it can not be 100% fool proof – Motorbikes, Quad Bikes are also know to use the route – which they shouldn’t.
A great deal of negotiation, time, effort and Council money has been put into this project and I again congratulate the Councillors for this project.
I see on another ‘social media site’ that the impending planning application for ‘The Monastery’ has brought a lot of debate – and why not – except of course that many commentators – either do no research and very little effort before making ‘silly comments’
still on reading in the national press that a vast number of people get ‘depressed’ after being on ‘Facebook’® or other sites, maybe the same happens with our own Whittlesey Social Media Sites!- Going by the amount of negativity they post up.
Moving on – I see a good spat of debate again between ‘Daniel C’ and Cllr M Curtis….the last time these two had a good twang at each other I commented the score was 0-0 this time I would say it was 0-4 to Cllr Curtis….. it is very easy to get carried away – loose the plot and worst of all get facts -wrong…..been there and done it….!!!
Finally on my favourite subject of ‘Anti-Social’ Media –
I take great exception to someone called Dan Gliballs on SL® who on a post quote.
“Councillors will take a back hander and it will get approved”
I personally invite Mr Gliballs to contact me with ‘proof’ of his accusations.
I being an Ex councillor have been only accused of such only ‘once’ – when I threatened legal action the accuser withdrew their statement.
I have never been offered any inducement for anything in my personal or professional life.
May I suggest that unless the current councillors bring Mr Gliballs to account these’stupid accusations’ will continue.
There was a WTC Planning Meeting on the 21st December – Nothing overly contentious?
Finally what I call a very successful year on my website – most days 300+ a day and over the weekend up to 2,000 hits – speaks for itself – No other individual or Councillor keeps a personal update on such a regular basis as I have done and hope to do so in the future.
I can not do this by myself and my thanks to many friends who keep me and the public ‘informed’
Very Happy Christmas, A Healthy, Prosperous, and Happy New Year –
Roy & Connie Gerstner
Picture published with permission….. More News at the Weekend….
