Author: Clerk

Dog Walking Field

Many parishioners have been dismayed to discover that the dog walking field will no longer be available now that the Government sponsored arrangement which allowed for public use of farmer’s land has ended. The Council have been in touch with the landowner, and it is not currently possible to extend the use of the field.

We are very aware of how much this will be missed and are actively seeking other arrangements. Unfortunately, the only Council owned land (the Community Orchard and land on Meadow Lane) is not suitable. If anybody knows of or can suggest alternate locations, please contact the Council and we will investigate how we can move forward.

MUGA – Multi-Use Games Area

Villagers will be aware that the new development in Rockmill End is proceeding, despite strenuous objections from the Parish Council. The only upside of this is that the developers have to provide “section 106 money” to fund community facilities in the village. The Council is looking at options for creating an all-weather floodlit MUGA on the Recreation Ground using some of this money. The aim is to provide a facility that can be widely used by all age groups, within the limits of what is feasible on a single area.

Plans are at an early stage. If you or your sports group might be interested in making use of such a facility, if you would like to be kept informed of progress, or have any questions, please contact Leisure & Amenities Lead Councillor Linda King.

Footpaths

Some footpaths in the village are currently impassable in places due to overgrown brambles and other vegetation. The Parish Council has no powers other than to ask residents and owners to keep the paths clear and will be writing to those identified.

Responsibility for footpaths falls to the County Council Highways Department and any obstructions should be reported via the portal at https://highwaysreporting.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/. Note that the County Council can remove obstacles which are causing a hazard to the public, and will bill the landowner for any work carried out.

New Councillor

Please welcome Simon Anderson to the Council. Simon was co-opted as a new Parish Councillor at this month’s meeting, filling the vacancy left when Stephen Mellows moved away from the village. Simon’s contact details are here. Our thanks to Stephen for his time on the council and good works as Lead Councillor for the Cemetery.

Police Public Meeting

The meeting organised by the Parish Council on behalf of South Cambs Police was very well attended and our thanks to all who came along to raise their concerns with Sgts Hilson and Priestly. The Council’s notes of the meeting and the police Community Plan are online under the “Police” News Category. Printed copies of the Plan are also available in the library.

Local Plan

After a marathon and probably record-breaking four and a half year inspection, the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan was at last approved by the District Council at their meeting on the 27^th September. This means it can now be given “full weight” in planning inspections and should mean an end to the rash of inappropriate developments in the village.

3^rd Defibrillator

The second village defibrillator, installed on the library, was used recently and then returned after travelling with a patient to Addenbrookes Hospital. For privacy reasons we have not been informed of the details of its use, but inspired by this the Council intends to add provision in next year’s budget for the installation of a third device somewhere in the south of the village.

WW1 Commemorative Bench

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of The Great War, the Parish Council have installed a memorial bench in the cemetery. This will be officially inaugurated as part of the Remembrance Sunday service at the War Memorial.

From the Parish Council

Anti-social behaviour

September’s meeting saw the largest number of parishioners attending for many years. Over 50 villagers came to make representation regarding the recent increase in anti-social behaviour, vandalism and disruption in the village and the apparent lack of police response. The meeting was also attended by PCSO Tony Martin, to respond and to take back the views of those there, including one who spoke eloquently on behalf of the many. After the public part of the meeting, many left and had separate discussions with the PCSO.

The Parish Council has been making strong representations with the Police to try and bring about a positive solution. We have met with local officers who agreed where time and commitments allowed additional patrols would be carried out within the village and we have seen some evidence of this in the past week or two.

The parish council is determined to bring offenders to justice and has held a more formal meeting with the police and arranged for a public meeting to take place. This should have happened beforef this publication.

This was an opportunity for you to raise your concerns directly with the police and hear what they are planning to do for you We would encourage residents to continue to report all incidents to the police so that they continue to have a clear picture of what is going on and where.

Traffic in Willingham

Following a meeting with Mick George, he agreed to pay for Community Road Watch (CRW) to conduct surveys on traffic through the village. Also, he will supply 2 interactive signs indicating actual speed for the village, and will monitor his vehicles to try to divert those that can use other routes.

The traffic logger was located by CRW on Earith Road midway between the southbound Vehicle Activated Signs. The logger shows typically nearly 5000 vehicles per week day in each direction, with a morning peak at 7.30am and evening at 5.30pm, both with over 900 vehicles per hour. Speeds were around 30mph at the peaks, but averaged 35mph from Earith and 38 Mph to Earith, with a peak speed reached at this point of 93mph! More information can be found at – www.roadwatch.org.uk/cambs/willingham/

Traffic monitoring by CRW collating HCV use was carried out in 2 hour sessions once a week over 4 weeks at differing times. The results were surprisingly similar with between 40 and 50 HCVs per session. This is more than one every 3 minutes on average.

The interactive speed signs should arrive soon and with additional brackets, these can be installed on Earith Road, Rampton Road and Over Road, relocated as needed.

A Site Traffic Enforcement meeting with our district, county and parish councillors, and representatives of the Northstowe planning officers was, disappointingly,  largely unproductive. The county council cannot prosecute any offenders of the planning conditions without complete evidence of non-compliance and they cannot look for this evidence themselves. Weight limits on the B1050 are unlikely to happen, though they will explore the possibility of a night time weight limit. Also, the traffic sensor monitoring is to be restarted which should give better evidence of traffic levels and types, etc.

Highways

Tim Wotherspoon, our County Councillor, reported that the pavements in Berrycroft and Newington are too far gone to be treated with slurry seal Therefore they need to wait till an appropriate budget can be found for a full reconstruction.

Regarding the B1050 alongside the river, he said the costs of the annual repairs are now so high that it may be viable to construct an alternative. This would need national funding which may be available from a Department of Transport scheme for disintegrating fen roads.

MUGA

Proposals to utilise some Section 106 funding to provide a MUGA (Multi Use Games Area) are progressing. This will cost around £180,000 and will enhance sports facilities in the village, making it comparable with neighbouring communities.