Cllr Roy Gerstner – Community Activist

The extra-ordinary meeting of WTC regarding the Planning of the Showfields site was an excellent meeting – all (about 70) agreed that WTC deserved appreciation in holding the meeting. All WTC councillors attended with the exception with apologies from Cllrs Windle and Garratt. The meeting was well structured (agenda) with clear and precise explanation to the attendee’s, around 10 people spoke, including myself, and corrected (thanks) about the reasoning about the previous appeal. Yes the Planning inspector took the ‘Flood Risk’ as the main reasoning, but did not discount the other material reasoning, ie Traffic and Infrastructure.

After the public forum, two excellent presentations by Cllrs Cris Boden and Martin Curtis explained the way forward.
Cllr Boden explained the risk factors of either a Judicial review (including the cost risks) and/or ‘A call-in of the decision by the Secretary of State.
or both, he explained the route is not clear cut but believes there are several grounds which need exploring. Cllr Curtis, gave more details into the Planning issues surrounding this application.

The motion to set up a Working Group, Cllrs Boden, Curtis, Jolley and Mason to explore and report back to WTC at full council at the October meeting was passed unanimous – (One abstention) to decided which route to take.

Tuesday 08th September 7pm The Christian Church – Broad Street Whittlesey.
Discussion on the ‘Showfields Planning application ?

News on the troposphere! – is that One Whittlesey Town councillor has put in an objection to FDC in regards to the Sainsburys amended application which I understand concerns their ability to be able to deliver 24/7 from the store – Why? – whether this councillor has objected as a private individual or in his councillor capacity I do not know….

What a difference a bit of sunshine makes…..yes it ‘appears’ that everyone was very pleased and happy with yesterdays event. (Whittlesey Summer Festival).
What perhaps the SL-ers don’t quite realise that the event has evolved over many years, the event organisers spend most of the year getting everything sorted, the only thing they can not guarantee of course is the weather, and that came good in the early morning.
I spent most of the day litter picking and sorry to say found it very rewarding (Sad)….

A fair amount of rubbish – luvely jubbly I like – Street Pride Boys relaxing and all the fun in and around our Town Square/Market Place….

Like many others – thanks and congratulations to ALL the organisers and event staff.

Showfields Promo

There is an extraordinary meeting of Whittlesey Town Council on
Tuesday 8th September @ 7pm – The Christian Church Broad Street.

Discuss what can be done to challenge the already approved (FDC) planning of the Showfields development ….

I will be attending.

Yesterday I was invited and attended a ‘Fenland Round Table’ event in Wisbech, put on by CCVS (Cambs Community Voluntary Services) – I was the ONLY attendee from Whittlesey – NO Councillors or other community Group from Whittlesey.
Part of the round table talk was ‘Wisbech Community Lead Development’ Yes WISBECH is getting £1,000,000 (That’s a Million) to spend from EU Funding, this is because ‘they’ have ‘statistical’ evidence that they have a higher proportion of ‘people’ in need or areas of social deprivation (The Waterlees area).
For Whittlesey residents – Waterlees has had a ‘vast’ amount of money going into the area.
There could be funding for ‘other’ rural areas under Cambridgeshire Fens LEADER Program… I wonder if ANY of our elected representatives will be there/part of/fight the case for Whittlesey to get some of this Lovely money.
ps…I am not sure if this is ‘Another Million’ that Wisbech !!!! is getting!!

There was some 25 attendees, mainly from Wisbech, & Chatteris – and ME (Whittlesey).

(Click on photo to enlarge)
Unfortunately I am unable to attend the LEADER event, and in any case I am NOT an elected representative – If YOU think Whittlesey should be represented – I suggest you contact your councillor and ask if they will represent YOU…..

Preparations in hand for Sundays event, the fork lift was out yesterday moving the ‘planters’ around.
Another good event with many organisations doing their bit to make the event a success… See you there…say ‘Hello’

(Click on photo to enlarge)

From KC correspondent…

Hi Roy,

Attached is a photos of the rubbish been dumped along the Green Wheel and also the latest demolition carried out on the security barrier blocking the cycle route 21 to Stanground Lock. These people doing the damage just don’t appear to understand that the longer the workmen spend repairing the fence, which is distracting them from the Whittlesey Wash Barrier Defence. This will now probably mean that the completion date will be later thus delaying the route 21 to be officially opened for everyone else.

Wanton damage and regular small time Fly-Tipping….
(Click on photo to enlarge)

Tomorrow 3rd September is Merchant Navy Day, this is being commemorated at Fenland Hall by FDC. I spent some 25+ years at sea. I am proud to have supported our armed forces in various conflicts around the world and in my younger days being part of the Red Cross support group in various zones, including Vietnam, Eritrea, Bangladesh and Biafra to name a few. Towards the end of my career I was the Senior Support Engineer on Cruise Ships. Tomorrow is our tribute to the vast number of Merchant Seamen who lost their lives in 2 World Wars.
In WW2 over 30,000 men were lost – a death rate that was higher proportionately than in any of the armed forces.

The contractors for our Grass cutting and some garden services have not only been ‘Fired’, their HQ/Container in March was set alight last night (Fired)….it is believed that the culprits were looking for vehicle keys, but none are kept in the container.
There is to be a ‘new’ contractor – who I understand put in a ‘cheaper’ bid…..Looking overall at the ‘Landscape Groups’ work and record…I for one have complained on a few occasions about the ‘poor’ delivery and service we have had in Whittlesey…

Anyone fancy a cheap, well used, not very well maintained mower….don’t apply here….go to The Landscape Group…..ps, the 12 foot mower which cuts large areas like the Manor Field is out of action….

This is what ‘my’ frontage’ looks like – Not been maintained for well over a year…..No prizes here for a well maintained council/public area…. NIL POINTS….
(Click on picture to enlarge)

Here is some further information received this morning (01st Sept)

Click on Picture to enlarge….

After Sainsbury’s eventually received full planning permission for the supermarket and country park in June 2015. We all breathed relief however this was tempered by the news that Sainsbury’s then asked for an amendment to the planning permission. This was submitted as a non-material (minimal) change and it was thought would be passed without difficulty. However, Fenland District Council consider this to be a material change and therefore refused the amendment. Subsequently, Sainsbury’s have re-submitted the proposed amendment and we now await the decision of FDC in this regard.
One of the issues being, they want the store to be able to make home deliveries on a 24 hour basis…this by any standards is a Major change not only to its original plan, but the implication of ‘noise’ that could be generated by vehicles moving about…..again we wait and wait and wait….