Cllr Roy Gerstner – Community Activist

 A great deal of ‘misinformation‘ being banded around on ‘Social Networking sites’ about the ‘Safety Enhancements’ carried out on Church Street.
I have lived ‘off’ Ramsey Road for nearly 40 years and am more than ‘qualified’ to make a comment.
When this road was built, cars, lorries and buses did not exist…..Now dozens of HGV’s, a number of buses and LOTS of cars use this road daily.
The very narrow area by St Andrews Church and ‘The Letter B’ has always been a very dangerous place to pass – as a vehicle, cyclist or pedestrian.
Before the Social Networkers’ get over-heated, they should have asked, ‘Why’ – the simple reason is Safety.
Now, we have to wait and see….. I can report that already there has been 2 minor accidents… Why …because drivers are not paying attention to the new road signage and NOT giving way to the priority markings. Just before I took this picture a poor lady cyclist was coming from the Pondersbridge direct quite happily, until a car coming the other direction DID NOT Give Way and nearly had her off.
I agree it is still a big problem for HGV’s and for vehicles coming out of London Street.
Lets see what happens and report any issues through our Council/councillors – so we can report back to Cambridgeshire Highways who designed this ‘enhancement’
As always my contact details are at the top of the page…

An engaging meeting with the Police & Crime Commissioner Sir Graham Bright, today in March, a full report will be given to the Whittlesey Neighbourhood Group at their meeting on Tuesday 24th March @ 7pm at Grosvenor House (Whittlesey Town Council offices)
Why not come along and see what NHW get up too…..

Peter Davies, Sir Graham Bright (PCC) and Roy Gerstner (Chairman Whittlesey NHW)

New play equipment coming to the Manor Field, should be ready for the summer.
Kudos to Cllr Gary Swan who promoted this initiative, with a contribution from Whittlesey Town Council (Our ratepayers contribution) I hope that it is well used and looked after.

With several Town & District/County Councillors, ‘retiring/standing down’ in the forth coming May elections, (Whittlesey & District) .
I have had for some time the ‘Big Picture’ as far as some replacement candidates are concerned. However it would not be fair on anyone if I divulged names & wards until nominations close on April 9th as at this moment I have not completed my own paperwork!
I am expecting a Full House of conservative candidates, a sprinkling of Labour & Ukippers, possibly a few ‘Greens’ and highly possible ONE Independent..!

I don’t normally use this forum for ‘National politics’ – but ‘we’ minions at local level, get humped in with those higher echelons when it comes to ‘dirt’ – we’re all the same some public would have us believe!
MP claimed £17 on expenses for the cost of a Remembrance Day poppy wreath.
Sarah Champion, Labour MP for Rotherham, billed the taxpayer for the tribute as “office costs”, describing it as “necessary expenses (© BBC News)

Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps has said he “screwed up” in a recent interview when he suggested he never had a “second job” while an MP. Mr Shapps admitted he had “over firmly” denied continuing his writing career – under the pen name Michael Green – when he entered the Commons in 2005. (© BBC News)

It seems to go on – and – on – and – on…. what trust does the electorate have when after years of expense scandals is never ending.

Just so our Whittlesey electorate are not misinformed on such places at ‘Streetlife’ – I have never been paid to be a councillor, I have never claimed any expenses whilst being a councillor and if I was ever elected as a District councillor NONE of my expenses would go to any political group to help fight elections/run an office/pay an official – In fact I would go as far to say, I have donated/sponsored many good causes from my own resources whilst being a ‘local councillor’ and will do so in the future, irrespective of my being elected or not in the forthcoming elections….SO get the message please – NO DIRT HERE….

Next week I have a ‘slot’ to meet Cambridgeshire Police & Crime Commissioner.
I have over many years had various contacts with the ‘old’ Police Authority and more lately the PCC.
I have regularly lobbied for ‘more’ visible pro-active policing within our area.
When I chaired and ran the ‘Police Forums’ our success in getting more Officers in Whittlesey was our main aim. However with Government cut-backs (and more to come), we lost most of our PCSO’s (like or not) however we were left with what is now termed at Geographic Officers (A Senior Officer and a PCSO) I am please to say today we are back to a Senior Officer, a Full PC and (2) PCSO’s.
I will be lobbying Sir Graham Bright to keep Whittlesey Police Station open as an operational base. I will lobby to keep or even increase our base establishment.
I will actively promote our excellent Neighbourhood Watch Volunteers and ask for his continued support.
If you would like me to make any point or question, please get in contact with me before PM / Wednesday 18th….
Details at the top of the page.

Naturally, Mr Bob Wicks, (Was Independent and is now Conservative) is a very regular attendee at Whittlesey Town Council meetings, and normally has some input at the public forum – this week the on-going issue of ‘speeding’ along the North Bank and ‘Overweight’ vehicles.
It was at last good to see (2) other prospective candidates at a Town Council meeting to actually see what goes on at ‘our’ council and not at the ‘Political Group meeting’. Unfortunately it was a pretty ‘quiet’ meeting.
However kudos to Mrs Julie Windle and Mr Chris Boden for actually coming along.
Of course maybe the Whittlesey electorate are unaware of Mr Boden’s ‘history’ – however
he ‘must’ be very experienced from his ‘past/present’ local community involvements?
I am somewhat confused however as Mr Boden ‘seems’ to change his political views – he sits on the City of London council, as ‘Independent’ and at the same time is a ‘member’ of the Conservative Party! – I am very confused!
Although I hear that Mr Boden has taken up a more rewarding role in the local Conservative Group….we shall see….!

So at least (3) Conservatives turned up, and (Nil/Zero?) Ukippers or Labour prosepctives turned up…..just put your name in the hat and expect to be elected….. maybe they know something I about the Whittlesey electorate I am unaware of…..

Yesterday 11th at the Manor Leisure Centre saw around 25 willing community spirited people, help Fenland District Council to co-ordinate a practice run in case of a local emergency. I would have liked to have seen more people, to put a bit of pressure on the organisers, however I think the exercise went very well.
One day, hopefully never, we may need these conjoined services, and the fact that FDC have had a dummy run (or two) is good for our community.
Many thanks to all those who came along and to FDC officials for a well organised event….

WE WERE ALONE

“When they came for the Communists
we were not Communists”
so we did nothing

“When they came for the Jews”
we were not Jews
so we did nothing

“When they came for the Social Democrats”
we were not Social Democrats
so we did nothing

“When they came for the Trade Unionists”
we were not Trade Unionists
so we did nothing

“When they came for the Liberals and Intellectuals”
we were scared
so we did nothing

“When they came for the Churchmen”
we were frightened
so we did nothing

“When they came for us”
we looked for help –  but we were alone”

(Martin Niemoller )

Negative Feedback (Not the electronic term!)

Here we go – the Bus Station move, I have written many times on this subject…..
Yes – when the idea (Cllr Mr Curtis & Cllr Mr Swan) was first brought to Whittlesey Town Council, I was very sceptical about the idea…(reasons to open up the Market Square and give the area an ‘Italian Piazza feel) (In the middle of winter!).
Like I have said, it was very well put out into the public domain, only (2) letters and No one came to a council meetings to put across their case of objections.
I asked for the planned Bus stop along Market St to be withdrawn – Road Safety and the one adjacent to the Buttercross again on Road Safety grounds. I also asked for a proper pedestrian crossing, this did not come about due to lack or funding.

I’ll give another example!!! of how something else similar came about….
When Whittlesey Post Office was on the Market Square was to be moved, there were 3 meetings/consultations….
At the first meeting around 10 people turned up.
At the second meeting around 5 people turned up
At the third meeting 1 person turned up – Me

I went to all three meetings……
When eventually the ‘Post Office’ moved to High Causeway, the day of opening there were almost ‘riots’ – the line of people waiting to enter was over 70, and this carried on for the first few days, the ‘Shop’ then re-arranged the inside and gradually things got better.
I went each day, (I was not a councillor at that time) and listened to the moaners and groaners…and asked ….where were you when then consultations took place, I got the same answer as we get now….I knew nothing about it!

We await with optimism …whether the ‘New Market Place’ will be a success or will it be a place for vandalism and littering…you and I will find out.

An article in the Cambs Times© this week, quoted FDC officers and councillors ‘debating’ whether ‘Dog Poo’ which is left by the irresponsible dog owners should be – yes – did I read it correctly ‘Posted back’ to the dog owner.
I have to say, even though apparently it has worked in some far off place….. There is NO chance of this happening here…. Where are the resources coming from! – Where is the money coming from! (All we hear is how efficient the Council has become) and lastly, I ask how many prosecutions have we seen by our ‘elite’ Street Scene Officers….for doggie offences Not many if any! – like Littering, Like Fly tipping, Like well !!!!

The law is complex and one must be ‘very’ familiar with ‘PACE’, I doubt very much if our officials/street scene officers have enough training…. I maybe wrong – I therefor ask them to prove it!.
The only thing worth recycling was the photos of Cllr Murphy and gang, which has been used that many times I can not remember.
I and many of the other Street Priders have cleared up ‘vast’ amounts of Dog Poo’ and bags that have been left as I said by ‘irresponsible dog owners’
I like dogs…. its not the dogs fault…..!!!!

I have the perfect signage for FDC – to use somewhere !!!!!
Some States in the U.S.A – are not quiet so politically correct as we are made too be….

Someone asked me how I think Ukip will do in Whittlesey!
The simple answer is I don’t know…..does anyone…..I believe that the Wisbech effect will not overly transgress to the Whittlesey area. At this stage I do not know how many candidates Ukip are proposing to put up, I do know they have a few – but where they will stand at this stage I do not know.
I would think that the Whittlesey Conservative vote will hold up well, as some Councillors have been very active with their electorate for the whole 4 years, and I would be disappointed if the electorate ‘punished’ these Councillors on a Ukip ticket.
I still believe it should be the ‘person’ not the ‘party’ – but ‘most electors see it differently.