Tuesday 29 November 2011

Police at Arbury Court tomorrow

The police are holding their monthly drop in session at Arbury Court tomorrow morning. To quote from them...
Just a reminder that next Wednesday, 30th November some of your local officers from the team will be in Arbury Court between 11am – 1pm to hold a police surgery. If you have any concerns or issues, please do come and tell us.
Alternatively, if you cannot make our police surgery, you can always send us an Ecops message or phone our non-emergency number, 101.
Please do remain vigilant and let us know if you see anything suspicious. If you would like to do this anonymously, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

You can subscribe to email updates from the Police using the eCops service, follow the link to sign up.

Wednesday 23 November 2011

North Area Committee: Update on Woodhead Drive/ Milton Road Junction Improvements


Update from Cllr Ward regarding Tree Works Application and other suggested improvements at the Milton Road junction of Woodhead Drive.

The improvements to Milton Road/ Woodhead Drive junction, relate to trees with a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) (38/1988). These are unusual circumstance in that ordinarily the Council would not TPO its owns trees, however, when the land was transferred to City Council ownership, this also transferred the TPOs.

As works were proposed, an application was considered on the basis that the City Council was an external applicant, and the Council therefore followed the established process for determining TPO decisions.

Attached below is a link, which shows the proposed works, neighbour letter and consultation drawings:


The application was also included on the planning application register that is circulated weekly.

As there where no objections, the application was determined at Officer level.

Tuesday 22 November 2011

Lib Dems Act To Help Families Plagued By Speeding Drivers


Speeding drivers and inadequate traffic calming measures have made life a misery for families living on a Cambridge road.

For years residents of Fen Road, East Chesterton have been plagued by cars racing along the road and heavy lorries bouncing across the speed bumps.

Now the city’s Liberal Democrats have scrutinised the issue and come up with a number of ideas to solve the problem.

They are taking their findings to Cambridge City Council’s North Area Committee on Thursday (November 24) and again in January to give residents the chance to have their say.

Cambridgeshire County Councillor, Ian Manning, who represents East Chesterton and campaigner, Clare Blair who lives in the ward have set out their ideas in a document which will be presented to the committee.

And it has been endorsed by Cambridge MP, Julian Huppert, who represented East Chesterton on the county council for eight years.

Ian said: “This has been a blight on our ward for a long time. In order to fix the problem, we are asking the whole area committee and all parties to support our push for solutions.”

Julian said: “Families living in this road have been plagued by speeding drivers for many years and traffic calming measures have failed to address the problem.

“I applaud Ian and Clare on the work that has gone into this document. I hope residents will take this opportunity to make their views known so that a solution can be found quickly.”

A year ago, at Clare’s request Cambridgeshire County Council highways officers drew up a scheme to improve traffic calming measures and prevent cars mounting grass verges to avoid speed bumps.

The scheme could cost around £150,000 and it is hoped this could be funded from the Northern Area Corridor Transport Plan.

Clare said: “This is certainly the most important highways issue affecting East Chesterton.

“Yet despite raising this issue with officers and the county council Cabinet for many years, no solution has been acted upon.”

Other solutions suggested in the document prepared by Ian and Clare include:

  • an alternative route out of Fen Road to remove lorry traffic;
  • minor environmental improvements;
  • a footpath over the railway crossing to allow children to walk to school rather than be driven.
PDF attachment with the plans is available here.

Sunday 20 November 2011

E-Cops - 101; Single Non-Emergency Number For Police

The following update has come from e-Cops;


"I wanted to let you know that you can now contact Cambridgeshire Constabulary on 101 for all non-emergency calls. The 0345 456 456 4 number will remain in use alongside 101 for several months to allow people time to get used to the new number.

The change comes part of a national programme to make 101 the single non-emergency number in England and Wales, giving residents an easy-to-remember number to contact local police wherever they are.

The call system is designed to recognise where you are calling from and connect you with the local police service. If you did not want to speak to your local force, or the force area you are in, you will be given the option to be connected to different one. 

The number change does not affect the way that calls are handled and we will continue to take non-emergency calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

Please continue to call 999 when an immediate response is needed because a crime is happening, someone suspected of a crime is nearby, or someone is in danger.

Kind regards,
Superintendent Mike Brown
101

http://www.police.uk/101 - Details on 101 and the national roll-out"

Friday 18 November 2011

Primary School Applications


The County Council is currently reminding parents across Cambridgeshire who have a child born between 1st September 2007 and 31st August 2008 that they need to apply to the school they wish their child to attend from September 2012.

The application process opened on the 14th November and parents have the choice of returning a paper form (which can be obtained from The Grove, King's Hedges Primary School, of in fact any Primary School) or applying online via the Counties website;

http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/admissions

The completed form needs to be received by the Admission Team before 15th January.

Applications received after that date will be dealt with last which could mean some children will not only not receive a place at one of their preferred schools but they might not even get a place in the school in the catchment area in which they live.

Wednesday 16 November 2011

County Tories Making Money On Children’s Cycle Training


Cambridgeshire Tories have been accused of making money out of teaching youngsters to cycle even though the full cost of the courses are funded by the government.

The Conservative-run County Council has started charging schools £15 for each pupil taking part in its cycling schemes – Bikeability and Safer Cycling – despite receiving a government grant to pay for the training.

In the past, the cycling courses had been offered free of charge to Year 5 and 6 schoolchildren.

Susan van de Ven, Lib Dem Shadow Cabinet Member for Transport has questioned the county council on why it has suddenly decided to raise money on the back of the cycle training schemes.

She is worried that schools will not be able to afford the new charges and youngsters will no longer receive the training.

She said: “Bikeability, which is delivered by trained professionals, has full funding available from central government, so the steep county council admin charge makes no sense.

“Safer Cycling is delivered by volunteers, often school teachers and parents. Schools don’t understand why they are suddenly being charged this fee. The cost of £15 per head is prohibitive for many schools and there is a real concern that cycle training take-up will drop off.”

Cllr Sarah Whitebread, Lib Dem Spokesperson for Climate Change, added: “‘Habits taken up at an early age have a good chance of sticking, and walking and cycling bring so many benefits.

“I’m very keen for the council to find a way of making primary school cycle training more accessible. We want to encourage youngsters to see cycling as a viable means of transport so that they continue riding as adults.”

Monday 14 November 2011

Huppert’s Victory As Government Gives Extra £10m For Schools


MP Julian Huppert is celebrating victory after today’s (Thursday, November 3) announcement by the government that it will be giving Cambridgeshire schools an extra £10.2 million.

Julian had been pushing for more money for the county’s schools which are among the lowest funded in the country.

He joined MPs from across the county to campaign for extra funding and raised the issue in the House of Commons.

In February, Education Minister, Michael Gove promised Julian a review the county’s grant allocation – and today he announced the county would be among 100 benefiting from an extra £500 million to provide more school places.

Julian said: “This is good news for Cambridge and Cambridgeshire as a whole.

“It goes some way to addressing the major shortfall in funding which puts the county’s schools near the bottom of the pile compared to other local authorities across the country. Even with this payment, however, the county is still £25 million short of the national average and we cannot afford to be complacent.  

“But in allocating this money, the Minister has recognised that our region is experiencing rapid growth and that we are facing a severe shortage of school places in the city and across the county. It’s a start in giving our children the education they so rightly deserve.

“The fight is far from over, however, and I will continue until Cambridgeshire is put on a par with the rest of the country and receives the money from government to which it is entitled.”

Liberal Democrat Peter Downes, Cambridgeshire County Council’s Shadow Cabinet Member for Education said: “I am pleased that Cambridgeshire’s plight has been recognised by the government and it has been chosen to receive this extra money.

“Our schools have suffered from years of under-funding by successive governments and finally steps are being taken to address that.

“I hope that the coalition will build on this and allocate Cambridgeshire schools the money they need to meet the growing demand for places across the county.”

Saturday 12 November 2011

Changes To Whippet Bus Service for Arbury


Whippet Coaches have informed the County Council that they will be making changes to services 14 and 21. The 14 is relevant to us in North Cambridge and will from the 5th December have a revised route; currently this is via Bridge Street and Histon Road, and will switch to Victoria Avenue and Milton Road. It will also serve Howgate Road in Arbury.

Timetables are available from Whippet, although sadly when I checked their website to put together this post the 14 Service seems to be completely missing (and the only service that mentions Arbury is the T4 Free Bus to Bar Hill Tesco!).

Hopefully all will become clear before the changes happen on the 5th!

Whippet Coaches are contactable on 01954 230011.

Real-Time Passenger Information (on Milton Road)


The County Council is currently rolling out it's RTPI project across Cambridge. This is the system you see on bus stops with the electronic signs that tell you how many minutes till the next bus arrives; this information is either based on the busses actual location (via a tracker installed on it) or is just the repetition of timetabled information.

I have been asked to express a view on the order in which the bus stops along Milton Road should be upgraded with RTPI. The view I have expressed is that the Downham's Lane and Union Lane stops, based on north/south traffic, are the two I'd like to see upgraded next.

If you have a different view let me know and I'll pass it on.

Councillor’s Victory As Lords Back Campaign To Help Students


A Cambridgeshire County Councillor’s campaign to get a fairer deal for part-time university students under the government’s education loans scheme cleared another hurdle last night (Tuesday, November 1).

In the House of Lords, the government agreed with the Liberal Democrat amendment for the move, clearing the way for it to be written into the government’s Education Bill and become law. It was then also supported cross-party in the Lords.

Dr Belinda Brooks-Gordon teamed up with former Cambridgeshire County Council Liberal Democrat leader, Baroness Sal Brinton, to make sure part-time students were not discriminated under the scheme.

From 2012 eligible part-time students will be able to borrow the full cost of their tuition fees for the first time. Students become eligible to start making repayments four years after they begin their studies instead of the three years originally planned by the government.

“I am absolutely delighted,” said Cllr Brooks-Gordon. “The Lords have supported this move which gives part-time students the same rights as enjoyed by their full-time counterparts.

“This will make such a huge difference to those people struggling to get a university education against a backdrop of financial hardship. These are the very people that we need to help and this change will make it possible.”

Cllr Brooks-Gordon and Baroness Brinton were both mature students at Cambridge’s Churchill College and fully admit what without support they would have struggled to achieve their qualifications.

“I was determined that part-time students, many of whom are single parents, mature students or disabled, should not be discriminated against in the loans system” said Dr Brooks-Gordon, a Reader at Birkbeck, University of London and past tutor at the Open University.

Part-time students make up 40 per cent of undergraduates and Cambridge is national hotspot for part-time students including Anglia Ruskin, the Open University, and Cambridge University."

Baroness Brinton said: "It was clear when I made the case repeatedly in the House of Lords that the Government’s original proposal was bizarre and illogical.

“The Lords and now the government have backed our proposals and cleared the way for these changes to become law. That will bring a great deal of relief to many part-time students and hopefully encourage others to embark on courses that might otherwise have been completely out of reach.”

Wednesday 9 November 2011

Local Councillor Drop-In Surgery This Saturday!

Do you have a local issue you'd like to discuss with your local Councillor? Maybe you have a view on Councillors allowances, changes to the library services, or what you'd like to see your Council (either City or Council) doing in King's Hedges?

This saturday from 10am until midday you can come and talk to us at the Arbury Community Centre.

No need for an appointment, just turn up!

Friday 4 November 2011

Be Bright, Be Seen As The Nights Draw In


Road Safety Officers at Cambridgeshire County Council are urging all road users to take extra care on the roads once the clocks go back this weekend.

The change of the clocks means it will be darker in the afternoons, when many people are making their way home from work or school. The darker conditions make it harder for pedestrians and cyclists to be seen by other road users.

Parents are being encouraged to make sure they and their children 'be bright, be seen' by attaching reflective strips to their bags and coats or other clothing. Cyclists are also reminded that they must use lights during hours of darkness and should ensure their bike reflectors are clean and clearly visible.

To support this message, Richardsons Cycles are providing reflective bands to be given to children at selected primary schools around the county, along with advice for parents from Road Safety Officers.

Matt Staton, Road Safety Officer for Cambridgeshire County Council, said: "It is very important that pedestrians and cyclists ensure they can be seen when making journeys in the dark, but it is equally important that other road users are extra vigilant in the knowledge that pedestrians and cyclists will be harder to see."

Simon Haydn, Bikeability Project Officer for the County Council, added some extra advice for cyclists: "All lights should be fitted to the bike, and although helmet or head torches are useful, they can be potentially blinding for other road users."

Wednesday 2 November 2011

Councillors' Allowances Rise Rejected As Process Was Flawed

A controversial decision to raise county councillors’ allowances by 25 per cent has been thrown out after it was found that the process was flawed.
 
Mistakes made by the Tory-run Cambridgeshire County Council have wasted over £5,000 of public money and means the whole process must go back to square one.
 
The decision is a victory for Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats who had voted against the increase and campaigned to overturn the decision.
 
It came after former Liberal Democrat councillor, Clare Blair, called the issue into the council’s Standards Committee today (Tuesday, November 1) claiming the process broke the rules of the council’s constitution and government legislation.
 
Committee members agreed after discovering that the council had made serious errors in the process of appointing members to the Independent Remuneration Panel which recommended the 25 per cent increase in members’ allowances and failing to advertise its report for public comment.
 
Cllr Blair, a former Cambridge City Executive Councillor who represented East Chesterton, spoke at the Standards Committee meeting calling the whole process into question.
 
Later she said: “This whole process was flawed. The Conservative administration made one mistake after another by rushing this matter through the council.
 
“This is has been a terrible waste of public money. Now the process must begin again. I hope ordinary residents will also consider joining the new Independent Panel and that the Conservatives will see that a 25 per cent increase at this time is totally inappropriate.”
 
In the meeting Lib Dem group leader Kilian Bourke said: "To retrospectively ratify this decision would almost certainly lead to a judicial review, which could end up costing the council as much as the 25 per cent pay rise itself.
 
Later he added: "I welcome the fact that the 25 per cent increase will now be overturned, although the Tories should not have voted it through in the first place. The increase was totally inappropriate at a time of wage freezes, redundancies and cuts to frontline services and the public have made their anger at this decision clear.
 
"I want to thank the 3,000 people who supported our campaign to have the increase reversed. I have no doubt that the weight of public opinion contributed to the decision to scrap the report."
Published and promoted by Andy Pellew, Mike Pitt, Neil McGovern, Simon Brierley and the Cambridge Liberal Democrats, all of 16 Signet Court, Swann Road, Cambridge.

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