Cllr Roy Gerstner – Community Activist

Luckily? – we do not suffer too much from either, but like ‘crime’ Whittlesey is not free from people who seem to enjoy ruining our environment.
  
Kings Delph – where it would appear the ‘owner’ of this ‘boat’ runs his car across the grass, over the daffodils to service the boat. The picture only shows some of the damage – I dare say the daffodils will survive  – but that’s not the point.
Pictures A.H. – thanks.

Here we are today (Monday)  along Blackbush Drove, someway passed the Railway Crossing with a variety of Garden and other rubbish.

I will report and hopefully FDC’s rapid response team will deal with it.

For more information have a look at Street Prides own website. Click Here

                                                                      ©Street Pride

At the Latersly Nature Reserve, located at the top of New Road. Sixteen volunteers turned out to litter pick both the roads / highways and the reserve. A grand total of 20 bags of rubbish were collected plus other objects.

For a better ‘understanding’ of the process of a Neighbourhood Plan, see this flow chart with accompanying information.
As previous post there is an update being given at this Wednesdays WTC Full Council.

Click on picture to enlarge.
Depending on software, clicking a 2nd time will enlarge further.

Photograph courtesy RWT Photography.

As promised yesterday, here is ‘some’ of my 10 minutes of ‘fame’ – chat with Steve Barclay MP, you will notice ‘how’ intently I am paying attention and listening to every word of Mr Barclays response to my 3 main questions.
Here is the précis (No recording or notes were taken).

1/ Where are you with the European Referendum.

Where MP’s are accused of sitting on the fence, I am not – I am for leaving (exit).
The reasons are several  but mainly ‘Democracy’.
(RG understanding that Brussels is making most of the decisions).
It is not necessarily about immigration, in Wisbech for example many Europeans have been working well.

2/ Is everything in place for the Kings Dyke Crossing Bridge.
This has been primarily a Council lead project, I have supported the scheme from the very beginning.
Is all the money in place for the scheme.
As far as I am aware yes, but again the Council (Cambs CC) are the main lead on this.
Given as yet ‘we’ have not been told the ‘full’ cost, as tendering is still being sought, how can all the money be in place not knowing the ‘full cost’
At this point a Whittlesey Councillor, gave the same answer as I had from Cllr R Butcher several weeks ago, that any ‘shortfall’ – Cambs CC would ‘find’ the money.

3/ All (most) of Whittlesey are wanting a By-Pass – how does this happen.
Whittlesey (Councillors and Public) have to be able to demonstrate the cost benefits of a scheme, for example for every £ spent there has to be a benefit coming back of a £.
Mr Barclay exampled the Wisbech – March Rail Link, when the scheme started , there was only 60p benefit for every £1 cost, and therefor the scheme is not deemed viable.
Now, there is a figure of £3 benefit for every £ spent – thereby making the scheme viable.
(How it went from 60p to £3 was not explained to me)
When someone produces a 2 page document, highlighting All the benefits a By Pass would bring to the area, (£££ Benefits as above) I would be in a position to take it forward.

We briefly spoke about my role on the periphery of the criminal justice system.
I thanked Mr Steve Barclay for allowing me some of his very valuable time.

Your MP holds regular surgeries within his constituency – details are available from WTC and from Mr Barclays website. Click Here

Whittlesey Osteopaths are moving from their present location to the Market Square.
Monday 18th April. There is a planning application for change of use of the building.

Full-Council-Agenda-13th-April-2016
Agenda for next weeks meeting.
Several items of interest.
I plan to attend and will publish a précis afterwards.

I attended the meet up (as a guest!) at the Conservative Club, for todays public and business engagement. Mr Barclay did spend around 10 minutes with me and I questioned him on 3 major items, which I will report in my next post.

Out of interest Steve Barclay visited me some 4 months before he was even selected to stand as a MP for NE Cambs. We swapped views and ideas.
I was (1) of only 2 people to attend and vote during the short listing for our prospective MP who was not a paid up member of the Conservative Party. I was and am very grateful to anyone who allows open debate and democracy.

I have covered some of this previously, however as the elections draw ever closer 05th of May for us in Whittlesey. The turn out for the last elections were extremely low less than 20% bothered to vote. It is very unfortunate that it is being ‘fought’ on party political grounds. I had my reservations when Sir Graham Bright was elected as Cambs PCC, but having met him several times, I am very impressed with the performance of both himself and his office have operated.
Like the rest of the electorate, I haven’t a ‘clue’ to the candidates running in this election.
It is a very responsible position, both in regards to Finance and holding the Chief Constable to account. He is NOT responsible in the way the Police operate.

Click Here For more information, most being released from April 13th
I understand there is an article in the Peterborough Telegraph this week.

Member of Parliament Mr Steve Barclay is in Whittlesey tomorrow – Friday 08th April.
He plans to do a ‘walk-about’ to ‘meet’ people around town – sometime after 13:15
Got a ‘question’ or issue you would like to bring to his attention.
You know were to find him….

Picture Cambs Times©

Myself and P.D. went to support FOWL – Friends of Whittlesey Library, some 40+ Adults with their children (some dressed for the occasion) for the Disney© film ‘Frozen’.
A very worth while event for school holidays, and good to see the Library being used for community events….well done FOWL.
The next event which is well advertised will be The Opera Dudes on Saturday May 7th at the Library – Tickets available from the Library.

This photo taken opposite ‘Tesco’ in Wisbech yesterday.
Abandoned vehicles come in varying forms from the one shown here on the left, to those like in a previous post along Snoots Road.
1/ If a vehicle is being driven on the highway without proper documentation, it is a Police issue.
2/ If a vehicle is parked on the road, without proper documentation and is NOT a danger to anyone it is a DVLA issue.

3/ Our vehicle reported here several weeks ago and my research has been very exhaustive. The owner is NOT local, the vehicle has a ‘SORN’, and should NOT be parked on the highway.
It now has a notice posted on the wind screen and is a DVLA issue.
As I said before, the windows are partly open.

Fenland District Council (FDC) will have vehicles removed, if it is NOT a Police issue.
Could be a danger to the public, they have a contractor, who is based in Cambridge.
The contractor removes the vehicle ‘FREE’ of charge to the council and ratepayer (At present).
Unfortunately the wheels!!! at the DVLA appear to move very slowly in respect of this type of problem.

Below, an untaxed vehicle along Ramsey Road – a few years ago, the DVLA quick to ‘Clamp’ rogue vehicle within a couple of days, maybe before the ‘Cutbacks’?

I have advertised this earlier, however it is important that we in Whittlesey area are included in this type of consultation.
The 9 week consultations is about Minor Ailment Schemes, Prescribing of Gluten-free Foods and Prescribing Baby Milk.
This may not be of every ones interest, however, like many ‘changes’ could be the ‘thin edge’ of what may come in the future.

There will be a short visit to Whittlesey (Manor Leisure Centre) on 09th May between 14:00 to 15:30

To fill in the questionnaire (5 minutes) can be found online @ Click Here

Consultation meetings in the past, have been poorly attended, and this is one reason why, some other groups have missed our area out.