Cllr Roy Gerstner – Community Activist

Agenda – looks like normal ‘business’ except for interest later on :
Update on ‘Showfields Development’ – will we hear what WTC are planning to do in respect of possible legal appeal.

(As usual click on picture to enlarge – click a 2nd time to enlarge further)
sorry about the quality – best I can do, since no longer a ‘councillor’ I don’t get sent the agenda electronically)

At last a Street Life© response from Cllr Boden regarding the Showfields ‘potential’ action on behalf of WTC – update at next weeks Council meeting – I hope to be there.

We celebrated our 39th Wedding Anniversary at the Alveston Manor Hotel in Stratford Upon Avon, excellent food and full of character. Good service all round.

Just don’t get it! – people complaining about ‘speeding’ all over the area.
Give me a speed gun – I’ll do it – one poster put up – where have you been Mrs….!!!
Here in Whittlesey ‘we’ have tried so many times to get a ‘Speed Watch’ group up and running – I’ve lost count. Tried over a period of around 6 or 7 years to get ‘just’ 6 members of the public to join – best we managed was ‘4’
Advertised all over the place – although ‘Street Life’ was not operating then.
Speed Watch has its +’s and -‘s – Public no too happy with getting zapped and a visit by the police. The last one I joined in was on my own with PCSO Moll, since then it has died’ a death.
So my answer to the Street Lifers complaints and offers – Get in touch with me – I’ll see if we can get ‘6 to 8’ like minded community spirited residents to form a ‘Speed Watch Group’.

There used to be 3 Speed Camera Vans operated by Cambs Police within Cambridgeshire.
There is now 1 Speed Camera Van shared between 3 counties – cuts to the police budget are to blame they said?

In answer to previous posts elsewhere, Oriental Gardens in Guyhirn was frequented by many local people, it ‘closed up’ some months ago and there has been the ‘usual’ rumour mongering as too its demise.
There has been activity by builders, I can say that it is now reopened under a ‘new’ guise as ‘Mama Tree’ it has been open a couple of weeks, a lick of paint and somewhat sparse furniture. I met a couple of businessmen coming out this afternoon and ‘they’ were happy with the food they had.
The restaurant has a ‘normal’ menu takeaway during Mon- Sat and a buffet on Sundays.

I/we have not tried it out and I am in no way making any recommendations – I’ll give it a go in a couple of weeks.
It is operated by ‘Mr Bento’ who runs the Imperial Bento in Peterborough.

Postscript : ‘Imperial Bento’ at Guyhirn (Also run by Mr Bento) has reopened as a ‘Cavery’

Maybe we can all learn something from this quote:

“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything”
George Bernard Shaw

™
Another housing development along Eastrea Road – almost opposite the Larkfleet development by Taylor Wimpey™ – This ex ‘Nursery/Glasshouses’ has been designated as housing development for a number of years, then of course ‘Tesco’™ came along and wanted ‘their’ Supermarket development on part of this land.
Originally there was to be around 70 houses or so, now it seems Taylor Wimpey are either getting cold feet, or sighting costs, in order we believe to put ‘More’ houses on the site.
I understand there may be a planning application coming in January 2016.
Of course, our FDC Planners and our Highways see nothing wrong in our current infrastructure – Traffic in/out of Whittlesey is bad enough – when will these people address the issues of potentially 1,000 houses coming in the next few years.

Further to my earlier post. A very brief ‘update’ was given – there is NO update, other than Cllr David Mason writing to Sainsbury’s and getting very little response.
I see the ‘knives’ are out again arguing as to who to ‘blame’ for the ‘Supermarket’ fiasco.
What the electorate have to remember is that Whittlesey Town Council/Councillors are consultee only on ALL planning matters.

Yes there are 7 Councillors who are FDC Councillors as well, it is primarily the ‘7’ to debate/convince and lobby.
Irrespective of Street Lifers blaming who-ever and everyone , I believe that the ‘fiasco’/behind the scenes dramas/personalities – would make a very good TV drama or better still a ‘film’.
I am in love with NO Supermarket – they are commercial organisations in business to make money.
I have and declare I have owned shares in Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons for many years – as a ‘small’ shareholder, the price of the shares I own are worth a lot less today than when I bought them.
Everyone knows that Supermarket retail business has changed dramatically over the last couple of years.
Martin B bravely sticks his neck out and believes Sainsburys will be built. Behind the scenes, I can tell you that the majority now believe that this will not happen.
I don’t know is my answer – business can change almost overnight, a new Chief Exec or CEO arrives and the whole ethos changes – it has happened before.

Dear resident,

We’re urging you to check your home security to help prevent a rise in burglaries over the winter months. Dwindling hours of daylight and the Christmas period often combine to result in more break-ins. In the three months from August to October last year, there were 569 dwelling burglaries in the county, compared to 628 during the following three months (November-January), a rise of more than 10 per cent. We are prioritising burglary as part of a new campaign called Operation Hunter and officers are combining prevention work with catching and putting offenders before the courts. As part of the operation, we’re also urging everyone to do their bit by taking precautions and making their home unattractive to burglars. Taking security steps at home and remembering to always leave your windows and doors locked is a great start but we would also ask people to keep their eyes and ears open and report any suspicious activity. Information we receive from the public is crucial and people should never hesitate to report something that appears unusual or suspicious. For more burglary prevention advice, see below or visit our web pages and online home survey tool at http://ow.ly/V6uf4 Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.
Regards,
Detective Chief Inspector Mike Branston

*Always keep doors and windows closed and locked or in a ventilated but locked position, even when they are inside the house.  Always check and lock doors with a key – never assume that just pushing up an internal handle will lock the door.

*Remove keys from window and door locks, but keep them in a familiar and safe place where all members of the family know where to find them in the event of an emergency.

*Never leave items such as keys, bags, presents and money on show through a window. *Consider the position of key racks or shelves next to a door and ensure that they cannot be reached through the letter box.

*Use timer switches to turn on lights and radios when you are going to be away from your house at dusk. *Consider the use of lights at the front and rear of your property that are activated when someone approaches.

*Consider the use of bolts and padlocks on side gates. Place the bolts at the top, middle and bottom of the gate, as just a top bolt might be easy to reach and open.

*A visible intruder alarm box can prove to be one of the biggest deterrents to an opportunist burglar, so consider installing a DIY or supplier installed system.

Next Neighbourhood Watch Meeting with Whittlesey Police in attendance will be at
7pm on Tuesday December 15th At WTC Offices – Grosvenor Road – opposite the ‘new’ bus stop.

This could be an extremely long post – but I’ll try and make it shortish.

All members of the WTC Planning committee were present ‘except’ for Cllr Alan Bristow who has ‘resigned’ (Planning). This leaves Lattersey Ward ‘unrepresented’ in the debate at council.
Only myself, Stephen Hodson and Michael Woolaston (Flood Warden) present from the public.
Mike gave a talk about the ‘on going’ concerns of flood risk at the Snowley Park development.

There was a presentation from Lou Mason-Walsh Principal Transport Officer CCC about ‘how’ decisions come about with reference to planning applications from the Highways Dept. There are robust guidelines (like it or not) in place. There was some good questioning from a couple of councillors, which (She) fended off very well.

Next came an update planning under reserved matters from David Wilson Homes in regard to some changes for the Snowley Park development.
FDC outline planning permission F/YR/14/0365 at land North of Snowley Park and Glenfields.
The revision is : amended documents received in relation to flood risk and drainage, highways, ecology and layout.
There was some tough questioning by (2) councillors and this turned into a ‘robust’ debate. Unfortunately as most know, this development has been passed by FDC.
There (is) as usual postings on Street Life regarding this – however ‘Most’ if not all the ‘Posters’ have not been to many if any of ALL the meetings – whereby this development was debated. I went to most – I agree to a certain extent that (we) in Whittlesey have been well stitched up by other none Whittlesey councillors, poor at times advice given by FDC’s planning dept and ‘inconsistent’ data from various government agencies.
‘Most’ if not ALL Whittlesey Town Councillors fought this development, but as Martin Curtis frequently states – ‘There has to be good planning grounds’ to refuse any application.
My views stated several times for this and the Showfields applications – that is/was a travesty for the whole of Whittlesey.
(Again as I frequently state we had a democratic election in May)

There was an update from Peterborough City Council withdrawing their plans to build (5) Wind Turbines at Willow Hall Farm near Thorney

There were updates on developments ‘Neighbourhood Plan, Taylor Wimpey and Sainsburys which I’ll cover in a while.

Naturally I have not reported ‘everything’ that was said in the 2 Hour meeting – if you are interested in hearing debate direct why not go to the meetings and hear for yourself.

Further to my correspondent reporting the knocked over signage (Post 23rd Nov)
Today he reports all is back in place and here’s a photo to show it.
So it is well done Cambs Highways for fantastic service.
Well done RB from Eastrea.

(Click on picture to enlarge)

Whittlesey library has been in various locations in the past 50 years.
Home now is on Market Street.
Recently there were what was thought to be minor issues with the roof.
On further inspection it was found more serious – plus asbestos had to be removed.
Repairs were made in September and once completed the library staff worked very hard to get ready for the reopening. Once up and running – on the very day it reopened it rained heavily and water came through the ‘repaired’ roof and ceiling, damaging the electrics.
The Library is ‘open’ but only part of it is in use.

If you would like to become a friend of Whittlesey Library (FOWL) please contact Jackie at
friendsofwhittleseylibrary@aol.co.uk