Click here to view decision and new boundary Boundary Review – new boundary
Author: Clerk
Policing Precept Consultation
The Commissioner is proposing to increase the policing part of the Council Tax by £1 per month per household – £12.00 per year (based on a Band D property)
The press release can be found on our website – http://www.cambridgeshire-pcc.gov.uk/say-police-funding-cambridgeshire/
The survey itself can be found at – https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/W3CD8P3
Cambridge Local Plan – Public Consultation
District Council Contact Numbers
Ways to contact us
Do it online
You can use one of our self-service forms to pay for it, apply for it and report it online. If your query doesn’t fall under one of these categories you can also contact us 24 hours a day using our online form.
Have you received exceptional service, If yes, please be aware we have a staff recognition scheme, which you can use to nominate a member of staff and they may receive an award.
Other ways to contact us
If you couldn’t find what you were looking for online, you can contact us using the details below. Our contact centre is open between 8am and 5:30pm, Monday to Friday.
Benefits | benefits@scambs.gov.uk | 03450 450 061 |
Fraud hotline | fraud@scambs.gov.uk | 0800 7311 892 |
Building control | buildingcontrol@3Csharedservices.org | 01480 388 240 |
Revenues
– Council tax – Business rates |
03450 450 064
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Rents | rents@scambs.gov.uk | 03450 455 216 |
Environmental services
– Refuse – Licensing |
env.health@scambs.gov.uk | 03450 450 063
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Elections | elections@scambs.gov.uk | 03450 455 214 |
Housing / homelessness | duty.housing@scambs.gov.uk | 03450 450 051 |
Housing repairs
(24 hour service) |
0800 0851 313
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Planning | planning@scambs.gov.uk | 03450 455 215 |
Automated 24/7 Payments Line
(Council Tax, Rent, Business Rates, Sundry Debt Invoices) |
03450 455 218
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Press Office (for media use only) | communications@scambs.gov.uk | 01954 713289 |
Facilities management | facilities.management@scambs.gov.uk | 01954 713067 |
For all other enquiries | scdc@scambs.gov.uk | 03450 450 500 |
Emergency Out of Hours Numbers (after 5.30pm):
07799 691 010 – Dangerous Structure Enquiries (Building Control)
0845 609 5437 – Environmental Health Emergency
0845 609 5438 – Homelessness Emergency Service
Complaints and feedback
If you wish to contact us to make a complaint, please view our complaints and feedback information.
If you need to send something to us, here is our postal address:
South Cambridgeshire Hall
Cambourne Business Park
Cambourne
Cambridge
CB23 6EA
Christmas Bin Collections
Changes to bin collections this Christmas and New Year
Residents of Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire are being urged to check their bin collection dates this festive season, as the regular collection days are changing due to the extended bank holidays.
Date of usual collection | Revised collection date |
Monday 25 December | Wednesday 27 December |
Tuesday 26 December | Thursday 28 December |
Wednesday 27 December | Friday 29 December |
Thursday 28 December | Saturday 30 December |
Friday 29 December | Tuesday 2 January |
Monday 1 January | Wednesday 3 January |
Tuesday 2 January | Thursday 4 January |
Wednesday 3 January | Friday 5 January |
Thursday 4 January | Saturday 6 January |
Friday 5 January | Monday 8 January |
Monday 8 January | Tuesday 9 January |
Tuesday 9 January | Wednesday 10 January |
Wednesday 10 January | Thursday 11 January |
Thursday 11 January | Friday 12 January |
Friday 12 January | Saturday 13 January |
The Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council Shared Waste Service will resume normal service from Monday 15 January. From that day, collections will return to their regularly scheduled day.
Cllr Rosy Moore, Cambridge City Council’s Executive Councillor for Environmental Services and City Centre, said: “It’s vital that most of us recycle at Christmas as we use enough corrugated cardboard to cover The Eden Project Biomes over 11,000 times. So, all those boxes that presents have been delivered in can be flattened and broken-up to fit loosely in a blue bin. We can also recycle cardboard toothpaste boxes, toilet roll inner tubes and toothbrush packaging plus boxes for face cream and other toiletries. Christmas cards without glitter can be recycled in the blue bin and glittery bits can be cut up to be re-used as gift tags next year, otherwise they have to go in the black bin.”
Cllr Mark Howell, South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, said: “It’s a really busy time of year, but amongst all the festivities I’d urge people to double check their bin collection days. If you’re unsure, just head to our website where you can find your collection date using your postcode, or check the middle of the Winter 2017 edition of South Cambs Magazine. I’d also like to remind residents that we no longer need them to use paper caddies, and all waste paper should now be placed straight into the blue wheelie bin. It means recycling things we get more of this time of year, like envelopes and non-metallic wrapping paper, is now easier.”
Office Closure
The Parish Council office will be closed from Thursday 21st December 2017 to Monday 1st January 2018 (inclusive)
Newsletter – December 2017
Newsletter – December 2017 – compiled by Councillor Croucher
The Parish Council hopes everyone has had an enjoyable Christmas and New Year break! In the period before Christmas the Parish Council was busy reflecting on the support it has received in the past 12 months and looking forward to the opportunities and challenges of 2018. We hope for positive progress on extending the 30 mph speed limit along Station Road and, maybe, a resolution of the boundary review between Willingham and Over.
Christmas trees
Last Christmas the Parish Council re-introduced a Christmas tree and lights to the Village Green. They were much enjoyed by everyone. This year the tree and lights were in place from early December – we hope you have taken the opportunity over the holidays to walk to the Green to enjoy the spectacle. The tree has been generously donated by a local resident, Mr Coe, to whom we offer our grateful thanks. We also thank the volunteer Councillors and family members for giving up their time to set up the tree and lights – this year they discovered that a rodent had been nesting in the fuse box! The fuse box needed some tidying up before any connections could be made.
You may have also noticed that another Christmas tree has been sited on the front of the Public Hall, using a wall bracket which will remain in place for use in future years. This tree has been supplied through sponsorship supplied by the Co-op Store. The Parish Council hopes this will brighten up one part of the High Street.
The Parish Precept, 2018-2019
The Parish Council’s Finance and General Purposes Committee met during December to review the parish’s financial situation, decide on the budget for the coming 2018-2019 financial year and propose a precept requirement to the District Council. Lead Councillors identified a budget for the coming year of £180,367. This sum would cover the parish Council’s current activities and also allow for funding for new initiatives. Key items include an increased level of support for Over Day Centre, recognising that a large number of users are Willingham residents and that the Centre is losing considerable funding support from the County Council, the introduction of a structured monitoring programme of nitrous oxide emissions from vehicles on the High Street, and the revision of the Parish Plan.
After further discussion the precept request was agreed at £119,950, an annual increase of just over 2%. The difference between our budget and precept requirements was covered by taking forward income and unspent balances from the current financial year.
Recent activity
Walkers using Pound Lane will note that hedge trimming and verge tidying works have been completed. At its December meeting the Council awarded small grants to support the Salvation Army’s Christmas activity and the ongoing work of the Fen Edge Twinning Association. Council also agreed funding to replace security lights on the Ploughman Hall which had been vandalised.
Paper caddy upcycling and wood-burning stoves
As you are probably aware the District Council is no using paper caddies as part of its recycling activity. Used paper should now be placed directly into the blue wheelie bins. The District Council is also running an upcycling competition for the most imaginative re-use of a caddy.
The District Council also notes that the increased use of open fires and wood burning stoves is generating more chimney smoke, A new practical guide to improve the efficiency of wood burning stoves , reduce fuel costs and decrease impacts on health can be downloaded from the District Council’s website.
Proludic Sport
Proludic supplied much of the equipment on our very successful playground. Some of this equipment is for use by keep fit enthusiasts. The benefits of using this equipment can be maximised by downloading videos and individual workouts from the Proludic website (www.proludic.co.uk).
Newsletter – November 2017
Compiled by Councillor P King
I joined the Parish Council fifteen years ago to try and help improve our village and in some respects this has happened but, sadly, it is not the case on all issues. On some we seem to be moving backwards.
Traffic
A subject of regular and entirely reasonable complaint is that there is too much through traffic and far too many HGVs. The Parish Council has lobbied continuously for improvement but the Highways department at our County Council do not listen or perhaps do not wish to hear. As one parishioner pointed out at length last month, after being trapped in Tesco’s car park for an hour, not only do they do nothing to help, but they are not even very good at communicating issues. It does sound like a department that could use some new blood. We will keep lobbying our County Councillor, please do the same, the more emails he receives, the more likely we are to see some action, timothy.wotherspoon@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
On the same subject the Parish Council is trying to gather solid data. We installed two Nitrous Oxide test kits at central locations to measure emissions. These are quite simple devices consisting of test tubes that can tell us the NO2 levels in the atmosphere. They are mounted above eye level on street furniture. Sadly one has been stolen. What conceivable use or value it could have is unclear but if you do see someone looking vacantly at a test tube and wondering what to do next could you let us know please, which brings me to the next subject.
Crime
It is true that we live in a relatively low crime area but that is little comfort to those villagers that are on the receiving end of burglary, theft, criminal damage or anti-social behaviour. Equally worrying is the apparent lack of police interest. They claim that they simply do not have the resources to deal with low level crime. You will find it difficult to get any response on the 101 number and even 999 calls do not automatically trigger a physical response. What we would recommend is that for non emergency problems you use the following link: https://www.cambs.police.uk/report/ the advantage of doing so is that your complaint goes on record and that if there are enough complaints action will be taken.
Meanwhile your Parish Council will continue to press for greater police presence and use the link to ensure any damage to council property is always reported. There is also a nominated police liaison contact, currently Councillor Carlton, who attends local police meetings and maintains contact with local officers.
Be Winter Ready
We put in a reminder last month that winter weather can be seriously bad for our health and recommended getting expert advice from your pharmacist, making sure you get your flu jab, stocking up your medicine cabinet and keeping warm with more information available at www.nhs.co.uk/staywell To this we would add advice from the energy suppliers to make sure that appliances are serviced and in safe working order, that you keep a couple of torches within easy reach and that if you do suffer a power cut you dial 105 for further information. Also can we ask that you keep an eye out for any vulnerable neighbours?
Christmas
Finally, to try and end on a more upbeat note, I am delighted to be able to tell you that Councillor Manning has agreed to take on the role of leading Green and Boundaries, ably assisted by Councillor Cook. And even better news, they have obtained a Christmas tree free of charge and will be installing it on the Green very shortly. Councillor Manning has said that he will hold the ladder as Councillor Cook puts up the decorations. Enjoy the tree and enjoy the holiday. The Parish Council sends very best wishes for Christmas and the New Year to all parishioners.
Newsletter – October 2017
Boundary Review:
Whilst many of you might think that Highgate Farm Store and adjacent buildings are in Willingham, you would be wrong. They are in Over, and most of the residents and businesses that are based there think that this is also wrong. They have petitioned for this area to be formally recognised as part of Willingham. The matter was reviewed by the Civic Affairs Committee at SCDC in September. The committee recommended refusal for change on the grounds that a sufficiently strong case had not been made and that the proposed new boundary conceded too much land, despite the boundary having been recommended by SCDC officers.
Geographically the Highgate area is joined to Willingham and separated from Over by about a mile of open space. As the petition from residents and the businesses operating there had requested local representation, Willingham Parish Council argued that it was their democratic right for this to happen. District Councillor Burling argued that the boundary had existed for four hundred years and should not be changed.
The SCDC committee recommended that Willingham and Over Parish Councils see if they could agree a smaller land change. WPC will certainly try but efforts in the past have met a brick wall. We will also be raising concerns about the procedure at the SCDC meeting.
Traffic:
Concern has been expressed by many in the village about the volume and type of traffic. The parish council is trying to obtain evidence about the extent of the problems, beginning with nitrous oxide testing at two locations. This will show whether the levels exceed national standards. Further testing may be done to measure particulates, noise levels and vibration. These are more expensive, but cooperation with neighbouring villages can reduce the costs, and could possibly lead to restrictions on heavy goods vehicles over a broader area. Meanwhile the parish council continues to liaise with local haulage firms to try and reduce the impact of heavy traffic through the village.
Bowls Club:
An application for a grant to help the bowls club resolve problems with the grass on the bowling green was approved. The council hopes the bowls club will continue to grow its support.
Waste Collection:
From 11 December papers and magazines must be placed directly in your blue bin. The separate caddy can no longer be used. The papers will still be recycled by the sorting centre.
Keeping Well:
Winter weather can be seriously bad for our health. Being cold can aggravate existing conditions and raise the risks of increased blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. However, there are many things you can do to stay well. Recommendations include, getting expert advice from your pharmacist, making sure you get your flu jab, stocking up your medicine cabinet and keeping warm. More information is available at www.nhs.co.uk/staywell
First World War Memorial:
The parish council previously agreed to commemorate the ending of the First World War. A special steel bench has been ordered and will be placed in the cemetery near to the war memorial.