The good weather tonight saw hundreds of people with many children enjoy the festivities around the Market Place. My friends and I did a bit of Litter picking but everywhere was pretty clean.
Nice carols played by the Salvation Army Band.
Part of the meeting, there is a CCTV report giving the Councillors and public a monthly update, at this meeting was the Police & Crime Commissioners outreach worker Emily Gutteridge.
In the CCTV report –
Incident 3 “28th October 2015 at 19:59 , The CCTV Team observes a group of youths possibly using an illegal substance whilst sat in the skate park at the Manor Leisure Centre. Police control is informed but all officers are busy at other jobs so unable to attend”
Councillors and the public are very concerned about this incident/report.
Having been involved with Policing/Neighbourhood Watch/Criminal justice system for many years, I fully understand ‘how’ the Police prioritise jobs……I would have thought this incident would have been fairly high on their Radar.
We have a ‘small’ team within Whittlesey, and of course they are not always around 24/7.
But I think incidents like this do no good what-so-ever in the publics confidence.
After my previous posts and ALL the comments on SL© about speeding along North Bank,
Here we are today, with the Camera Van waiting for the speeding motorist.
Like many good law abiding citizens, try not to speed at anytime.
Today I am doing 34 mph which if I had someone behind me – wouldn’t be fast enough?
The Camera Van had gone somewhere else an hour later, and guess what, I am doing 40 mph and the naughty lady in her BMW overtook me!
(Click on picture to enlarge)
Further to last nights brief update. As ‘most’ are aware, FDC approved this application last year. WTC decided due to public concerns to look into whether there would be any grounds to appeal, WTC have taken Legal advice (at a cost) as to their chances of taking the decision to a Judicial Review. At last nights meeting we were informed that although there were some grounds/issues which could be challenged, the advice was that WTC only had a 10% chance of succeeding in their challenge.
However all is not totally lost !!! – or is it?
We then heard that the alternative was to ‘Call in the Planning application to the Secretary of State, councillor Boden informed us that there were possibly 5 reasons that could be used/identified. Information on how the ‘Call in’ process works can easily be found by ‘Googling’ .
Now the big ‘question’ – even ‘if’ WTC decide to ‘Call in’ the application what can be achieved…..Nothing is the answer, and why….The best the Minister/Planning Inspectorate can do is to send it back to FDC Planning Committee.
Once an application has been ‘approved’ – even though at present not all the conditions have been signed off…..It is almost impossible to get the application over-turned….
So why bother then…..I ask….as I don’t know?
However all is not lost?
It is my understanding that when Showfields application was approved, there was a ‘lot’
of conditions placed upon them. One being the 106 agreements, they are basically designed to mitigate the impact that would arise from a development. Money towards. schools, transport and other services, with the size of the development, the 106 contributions would be a fairly large amount I would imagine.
This money then has to be ‘clawed’ back on the price of the housing.
Again not being an expert on these matters, the type of housing and development to satisfy
all the conditions – may cost far in excess of what profit there maybe in developing the site.
106 in many ways is negotiable and ‘we’ hope that FDC do not fold in, as they have done with other developers in vastly reducing the 106 contributions.
More tomorrow, further to earlier reports, at tonights WTC meeting, Cllr Boden advised the Council, that after taking Legal advice, there was only a 10% chance of succeeding a challenge to FDCs decision to grant planning permission to the Showfields site.
Therefor it is my understanding WTC will not be pursuing this route.
Showfields Promo
Probably the top ‘concern’ to us all. I ‘hear/read’ what the latest is in ‘SL©’ from the anonymous ‘Fenman’ – some valid points, but….Mr Fenman has either not fully understood the last 2+ years of arguments and of course Planning Law.
When (the previous Town Councillor) ALL rejected the application, FDC planning committee also rejected the application.
Mr Rose went to appeal. We had a very active SAG – Showfields Action Group armed with a war chest of £20,000 to fund the legal battle, the appeal failed and ‘we’ all thought it would go away for a while. Many previous applications over the last 30 years.
No Mr Rose and his legal team came back with an amended application which addressed most of the ‘issues’ for rejection.
FDC planners and committee had ‘little or no grounds’ given the ‘information given to them but to ‘approve’ the application. There was NO further £20K raised to fight the case
Months and months later, public meetings, WTC sub-committee, we/I hope to hear tonight at WTC monthly council meeting whether/if/maybe/not there is any chance (risks involved/costs) any ‘opportunity’ to challenge the planning applications decision process.
I am sure we are all waiting for some decisions?
Many people have all agreed on one aspect, the whole charade is – Who has the deepest pocket’ – and I would say given FDC’s record Mr Rose has the deepest pocket!
So every now and then it’s time to be a bit less serious – Now I have a story…It is called…
‘Esmeralda – The Emu – Egg’
‘Esmeralda’ came about around 10 days ago, born near Stratford-Upon-Avon, she is beautiful, emerald coloured and weighed 562 grams…. What will we do with such a colourful egg?.
‘Esmeralda’ is around the size of 6 large chicken eggs, so we decided to ‘Bake Off’ and make a very special Cake.
Connie (My wife) hasn’t made one of these for around 10 years!!!!…The cake is an Austrian ‘Gugelhupf’ (several spellings) …. some know it as a ‘Marble Cake’ Pic 1 shows the size of ‘Esmeralda’ sitting on a collectable ‘Sooty Egg Cup’.
We now need some serious ‘tools’ 
to tackle the job in hand….More Info
needed, and sure enough there are plenty
of helpful advice on YouTube™
Charge up the drill and make sure all the
‘bits’ are sharp enough to tackle the job.
Carefully drill a ‘pilot hole’ – not too bad..
Only ‘One Hole’ – this takes great expertise – the boy scouts always used ‘Two Holes’
It takes a lot of patience to get all the ingredients out….Next the ‘secret mixture’ for a ‘Classic Austrian Gugelhulf’
Sometime later – ‘Esmeralda’ is transformed into the ‘Classical Cake’ ours with ‘ Cocoa Swirl’.
Moral of the story could read……
Cake built from Australian Emu Egg
Cooked by Connie…Malaysian Chinese
For Roy of Austrian decent
My Grandmothers maiden name was’ Brandhoffer’
My descendants were the ‘Hapsburgs’
We will enjoy our very special cake.
Wishing all my followers and friends
A Very Happy Christmas, A Prosperous and
Healthy New Year.
Thank you for all your help and support.
Roy & Connie
(As usual click on picture to enlarge)
More about Littering issues, Former News night host said UK streets leave him depressed and angry. A recent report found Britain has made little progress at tacking this issue in 12 years.
‘The famous irritable broadcaster is patron of anti-litter group Clean Up Britain.
See the complete article Daily Mail© from 02nd December
http://dailym.ai/1Xwpnd4
Nice photo – but don’t see a Litter picker in his hand?
Maybe ‘Paxo’ should come to Whittlesey – we could show him how its done!
Talking constantly about how our town expands without ‘any’ improvement in its infrastructure, for many years, dozens and dozens of back yard/garden developments have happened. There was a period when the government gave guidance that this was unacceptable, but this didn’t last very long. Naturally if you or I owned a large garden I dare say we would all look into the potential.
When numerous developments took place along Station Road, everyone went through, even if it was argued that there were too many properties/over development.
The latest being along Station Road.
Most people know I am ‘passionate’ about keeping our town & villages clean and tidy, it also has been proven that when areas are kept clean, crime and anti-social behaviour reduces as well – When I came back from Peterborough this afternoon I saw sofa’s/settee’s just dumped in an area close to the centre, Coming back along Storeys Bar Road towards North Bank, I counted 7 different piles of Fly-Tipping, this is always a ‘favourite’ place for the low life to dump their rubbish. We have to be grateful that 
FDC still has a rapid response team – We are NOT Fly Tipping Free, as we are NOT Litter free, but between several individuals/Street Pride/and other groups we try and keep our town and villages in reasonable condition. We have even noticed LESS Dog Muck recently, but again we are still not totally 
and never will be free of these problems.
I am sure if people travel around they must notice how bad other areas are.
So although no longer on the management side of Street Pride, my commitment to the group in carrying on (For nearly 9 years now) Litter Picking and Rubbish collecting is still one of my pass times – (I find it very therapeutic)
On a windy morning around 12 of us turned out starting along New Road, we went our various ways, the group collected around 10 big bags of litter/rubbish.
I am very pleased that I only collected around half a bag from all the streets in/around the town itself, which proves the Street Cleaners are doing an excellent job – well done.
