Cllr Roy Gerstner – Community Activist

The above is (similar) to what someone who is on ‘Community Payback’ Service and given when they are convicted of crime(s) – On Probation at this present moment in time in Whittlesey are 40 such ‘people’ – frightening well maybe – these are the ones that the Police and Criminal Justice system have caught and processed – which is good news.
Now we come to Policing – well this has been brought up many times (our Police Station being ‘temporary closed’) both at Town Council and other levels.
I hope to have an update later next week….

Pity that the good old blighty weather – drizzle on/off…spoilt the event a bit.
Not that many people considering a BYO event…I was there for an hour from the start until 15:00 –  I did hear yet again that the social media trolls were moaning as they do – that the event was not advertised well ….. maybe they should share something useful for a change!!!!!

 
Nice music by ‘City of Peterborough Concert Band – Only about 65 people there at 14:45
©RG
Still you could have paid £150:00 to attend the Queens Birthday ‘Picnic’ on The Mall – with heavy rain – a wash out.

©BBC

Well advertised – Music in our ‘Market Square’ this afternoon @ 2pm….not sure if I’ll be there, as weather looking a bit unstable…anyway I hope it is well attended and remember it is ‘FREE’ – well sort of – as your Town Council has paid for the event – Enjoy….

Talking Music – 50 years ago (again) – Here I am ‘Winner’ of the then annual Peterborough Music Festival – which was held over 3 days in either May or June – Happy Days…..

After Thursdays ‘Flag Pole’ dedication – Today – ready for tomorrow the celebration of QEII 90th birthday – a special flag flying from the New Flag Pole – absolutely fantastic…

Organised by Cllr Julie Windle, with invitations to the other 13 WTC Councillors, (2 at the surgery) – None of the others turned up! – A few from another group + 4 Community Payback Boys and their Supervisor (Mick Barry) and myself about 12 in total.
Rubbed down and primed/undercoated the 5 seating/benches along the Bower/Towpath this morning – all H&S complied with. Swept and cleaned the weeds around the benches.

I then went off on my therapeutic litter picking campaign and found the usual good full bag of everything that ‘Low Life’ can not take home or put in the bin.
Found plenty of ‘Doggie stuff as well – I thought things were getting better but alas of recent it has started to come back again…

   
The before look…                          Cllr Julie Windle                 The Community Payback Team
   
Alan Hobbs                                    The Primed look               Nearly finished

Later this afternoon just 4 of us completed the top ‘Royal Blue’ gloss coat….
Myself, Cllr Julie Windle, Alan Hobbs and David Palmer.

 
David Palmer                                                       DP, JW & AH – I took the picture….

So the only graffiti artist I am inviting are Mr Banksy he is very welcome to add value to the benches….

As I have said many times – and will always give credit where it is due – there are ‘some’ Councillors working hard behind the scenes – when the public and others are not aware.
Today I had a meeting with Cllr Julie Windle – who is the Town Councillor for St Marys Ward. My main ‘issue’ is the for-ever on-going issue/problem with FDC’s contractors and the small estate I live on, I have had support on this from Cllr Kay Mayor as well.
One of the other issues is/was the very poor state of the ‘Bower Towpath’ – Cllr Windle has been on the case for sometime and received communication from FDC that the area would be tended too by today Friday – Yes by 16:00 this afternoon the situation is much better –
At least now people can pass either side of each other and we are not stuck with one way traffic…..Tomorrow weather permitting the 5 benches along the Towpath with be addressed.
So – nothing with FDC goes particularly quickly (As with my previous post – The toilet)..
But with enough lobbying and hacking away – some results are achievable….

We shall see what sort of result ‘we’ get at Ashline Grove.
Again on behalf of the residents of Ashline thanks to Cllrs Mayor and Windle….
Got a problem contact your Councillor No result keep on at them….

     
They even cleaned up most of the grass at the end…..why can’t this be done everywhere!!!!

So after more than  6 months out of action/service 1 of the 3 toilets + (+1 Disabled), is now back in ‘Action’…..I have raised this ‘issue’ many many times with Councillors, who being fair have also tried in vain for months to get it sorted…. At last Wednesdays Council Meeting Cllr Laws did state that FDC were now looking at a temporary fix…ready for the various events that are taking place on the Market Square this summer.
I did “Question” – would Wisbech or March have to put up with a toilet out of action for so long….No comment….

I think I can now publish photograph of the damage – some low life decided to have a small fire within the toilet….

Fire Damaged Toilet             More than 6 months out     All Green Lights –
No damage to the ‘Bowl’      of action                                  Ready to Go. 10th June 16

Lets hope that the low life leave out toilets, gardens, plants and flowers alone…..

Today at 14:00 there was a dedication of the ‘new’ Flag Pole – Revd Nigel Whitehouse along with some of the Whittlesey British Legion members welcomed the new addition to the War memorial site.
As my earlier post this week: Well done to everyone involved – the new addition does the
War Memorial, Veterans and Whittlesey proud.

As usual ‘click’ on picture to enlarge….
©RG

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. 

FC-Agenda-8th-June-2016

Meeting as per Agenda, except Representative from Vivacity not able to attend.
4 members of the public in attendance.
3 Councillors gave apologies Cll’s Mayor, Garratt and Bristow.
Presentation By Street Scene Officer Sally Mitchell, highlighting that some ‘Human excrement had been found in St Marys, + large quantities of Dog Pooh along ‘The Walk’.
(16 piles in one visit). Kings Dyke Layby on-going issues.
An excellent presentation by Mr David McCandless from ‘Roadwatch’ explaining the what it is all about.
I have worked with David when he was very active with ‘Speedwatch’ – this is slightly different and not in conflict with one another.
Check out at Click Here for Website

At the Public Forum, Mr Steve Robertson and Bernard Gray-Esson spoke highlighting issues carried over from last month.
I spoke about:
Speedwatch
The Manor Field picnic benches and the Payback Team. (See previous posting).
The issues about Neighbourhood Watch Signage (See previous posting).
The on-going issue of the ‘Toilet’ being out of action for over 6 months.
We were informed that a temporary fix will be in place in time for events taking place.
The on-going ‘Grass Cutting issues/Challenges especially on Ashline Grove.
The totally wrong mower being used on the Manor Field.

I am not sure if any notice is ever taken from issues raised by the Public Forum – however there is ‘some’ slight progress after months of lobbying about the Kings Delph Layby.
CC Ralph Butcher has been with County Highway officials to ‘look’ at the layby and perhaps see if there is a way of tidying up the area.

Planning applications were discussed (2) recommended for refusal being:
F/YR16/0334/F & F/YR16/0375/F the rest went through.

Cllr Dorling presented statistics for the Town Council Website which is developing better than planned
Cllr Boden updated members on the Boundary Review.

The Chair then invites Councillors to update each other on Ward Matters, as per normal there were not many…..surprising considering I raise ‘matters’ about the whole area on a near daily basis!!!!
Cllr Windle did invite fellow Councillors to help/assist in painting renovating the 5 benches that go along the Bower footpath and she did inform the state of the overgrown grass/weeds etc – I plan to go along and help this Saturday 09:30 (weather permitting)
Meet at Ashline Lock end.
Nearly – Not quite – 3 hours of Council Meeting……

There was NO update or mention of the Kings Dyke level crossing ‘Bridge/Flyover’.

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