Liberal Democrat Community Newsletter

We are writing to you, as your councillors and campaigners for our interlinked cluster of villages, to keep you informed of local issues involving the District and County Councils. If you would prefer not to receive this email newsletter, please reply asking to be removed from the distribution list. If you know of someone not receiving this email newsletter who would like to do so, please ask them to email philippajhart@btinternet.com, susanvandeven5@gmail.com, or jose@josehales.me.uk.

BOUNDARY CHANGE CONFUSION: ARE WE MOVING TO NORTHEAST HERTS?

As reported previously, boundaries are changing for District wards, County divisions and Parliamentary constituencies. Electoral areas are being adjusted in order to reduce the number of elected representatives locally and nationally.

To clarify, all of our villages will remain within the county of Cambridgeshire and the District of South Cambridgeshire, and will continue to be represented at and administered by South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridgeshire County Council. People will continue to pay Council Tax and receive services from these two councils.

The proposal that is causing confusion is the new Parliamentary Constituency, to take effect at the 2020 elections, whereby Melbourn, Whaddon, Bassingbourn-cum-Kneesworth and other villages to the southwest would join Royston and various Hertfordshire villages to form a new constituency to be named ‘‘Northeast Hertfordshire’. The new ‘South Cambridgeshire’ constituency would take in Foxton, Shepreth and Meldreth. For the ‘Northeast Herts’ Parliamentary Constituency there is no change to the administrative borders of Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire counties, but its newly elected MP would be responsible for representing the interests of people living in two different counties.

It is important to respond to the consultation because this can influence the outcome. One suggestion is that Meldreth should also be placed into ‘Northeast Herts’ to help accommodate tweaks elsewhere in the ‘South Cambridgeshire’ constituency. The consultation favours on-line responses though public events take place in Cambridge on November 10 and 11. The consultation closes on December 5. All information is here:

2018 Review

BREXIT AND TRADE DEALS: WHERE ARE WE NOW?

As a matter of huge concern for the many South Cambridgeshire businesses and organizations who’ve told us that they rely on the free movement of people and access to the EU single market; for South Cambridgeshire residents with personal family connections across Europe; or for young people who had hoped for the option of working and living in Europe, we are doing our best to stay informed on the nuts and bolts of the implications of Brexit.

Royal Holloway Professor of Organizational Studies Chris Grey, who in the run-up to the EU Referendum gave several local talks on ‘How would post-Brexit Trade Deals Actually Work?’ has kindly agreed to speak again on ‘Where are we Now?’ All welcome upstairs at the Shepreth Plough on Wednesday 7 December, 7:45PM. Grab a pint and come on up. A second talk is scheduled for February 11, Foxton Village Hall.

Professor Grey’s latest ‘Brexit Blog’ reflects on yesterday’s High Court Ruling regarding Parliamentary sovereignty and the triggering of Article 50 and can be found here:

http://chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/the-implications-of-high-court-ruling.html

FOWLMERE ROAD HEYDON/A505 BOLLARDS: CAN’T SEE THEM

Thanks to people living in Heydon who have been in touch about poor visibility at the Fowlmere Road/A505 junction. We’ve asked Highways via the on-line reporting system if reflectors could be checked and improved. You can check this website anytime to see if a problem you are concerned about has already been reported; if it has not you can log it directly. You can also see other faults reported by other people.

http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/info/20081/roads_and_pathways/10/roadworks_and_faults

Or just google Cambridgeshire Report a Fault and follow the instructions.

DEVOLUTION: CENTRAL GOVERNMENT DICTATES THE TERMS

Inherent contradictions in Government’s offer of devolved authority abound. While combining local authorities in certain configurations seem practical – Cambs and Peterborough is now the proposal, not Cambs/Suffolk/Norfolk – Government’s determination that we should have a mayor means that powers currently resting with councils will be transferred upward to a new layer of government – the elected Mayor’s office. Powers and sweeteners have been attached by Government on the condition that a Mayor is in the mix. The Mayor would be elected in May 2017; the decision goes to Cambridgeshire County Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council this month.

OPEN DATA: CAMBRIGESHIRE

There is a vast amount of data about Cambridgeshire in the public domain: click on http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/info/20132/research_and_statistics and explore.

To view Cambridgeshire County Council land holdings, go to: http://my.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/?tab=maps

WINTER GRITTING SERVICES DIMINISH

County Council cuts continue and take on forms that affect an increasing arc of the county’s population. This year the winter gritting route is being significantly scaled back, omitting certain key roads, the new network having been worked out without consulting councillors. One of the key roads to be removed from the network is Heydon Lane, Heydon, where there is a year-round water run-off problem and where the average temperature is significantly lower than in the villages of the Cam Valley.

The funding that would have allowed the service to have remained as it was, was within reach at the February budget vote. The County Council Liberal Democrat group proposed going with Government’s allowed 1.99% council tax rise, which could have protected the winter gritting schedule and other services. That rise would have cost the average Band D council tax payer £22 per year. This was voted down by a Conservative/UKIP majority.

The very same decision about council tax rise, and further cuts on top of services already lost, will be made again in February 2017.

THE MONEY THAT COUNCILS SPEND ON YOU

As your councillors we need to understand the sources of public money to spend on public services for people we represent. While much council business attracts common support from across the political spectrum, there are clear political distinctions when it comes to finance.

Council spending on public services has always included a very large slice of Government ‘Revenue Support Grant’. This is money derived from national taxation. As we have been reporting to you, the Conservative Government’s policy, started by George Osborne, is to wind down Revenue Support Grant to zero by 2020. At the same time, the population is aging and therefore becoming more costly to care for, and there are inflationary pressures and population growth to account for – the latter particularly pertinent in areas of economic growth like ours.

Council tax is ever more important as a source of income from which to pay for public services like winter gritting, home-to-school transport, pot-hole repair, supporting people with disabilities, and so on. But it is a limited source of income. Central Government determines how much council tax your councils are permitted to raise – the present cap is 1.99% per year, with an extra 2% specifically for social care.

After the EU Referendum and a new national government in place, it was expected that the new Chancellor would introduce a new local government finance policy, in order to ease the acute financial pressure on councils that is now affecting everyday lives. However, not only is the new Chancellor carrying on with the policy of eliminating Government Revenue Support Grant; he is intensifying the pressure: Cambridgeshire is being offered a negative settlement, meaning that it would be asked to contribute to the financing of other local authorities out of its own resources. The Conservative Group on the Council supports this but was voted down by the Liberal Democrats and other minority groups at a key vote last week. However, the matter is certain to return.

VICARAGE CLOSE MELBOURN STREETLIGHTS: OBSTRUCTED OR NOT WORKING

Thanks to those who have taken the trouble to report the fact that many of the streetlights in Vicarage Close are not working or are of no use, being stuck in trees. Jose Hales is actively chasing the issue with South Cambridgeshire District Council, which owns the street and lighting.

TEACHER SHORTAGE IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE

Cambridgeshire is facing a teacher shortage. To help fill all available places for next year the County Council have organised an event for all Initial Teacher Training providers to make people more aware of all the options open to them.

A ‘Getting into Teaching’ event will take place at Anglia Ruskin University, 17th November, 6-8pm. All of the local providers are participating, whether they are offering school-centred places, PGCEs, B.Ed or internships.

For more information about Teach in Cambridgeshire: Tel 01480 379 039 or Schools.Recruitment@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

STATION COMMUTER PARKING IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS & PLANNING AHEAD

Commuter parking in Hall Close, off Station Road Foxton, continues to cause concern due to cars straddling pavements not designed to hold vehicles, and blocking pedestrian passage.

There is strong anecdotal evidence of rail commuter parking at many locations around Shepreth, suggesting the need for more substantial parking provision at the station. All three stations in our area are experiencing steady growth in footfall, with Shepreth the highest, presumably because the station is the most easily accessible.

The Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Community Rail Partnership is now working hard to bring the tools needed to modernize our stations, in terms of car and cycle parking, drop-off points, shuttle services, and all the features of modern transport interchanges that need to be in place ahead of the 2018 timetable when service capacity will quadruple.

SPECULATIVE DEVELOPMENT: MARLEY ETERNIT SITE

With the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan still suspended, speculative planning applications continue to place extra burdens on local communities and councils at a time when they are already stretched. Thanks to the District and County Council officers who have been working hard to support efforts by Meldreth and Whaddon in responding to the speculative application for 150 houses on the highly contaminated Marley Eternit site – and where the applicant is proposing not to meet the basic expectation of 40% affordable housing. We do not yet know when this application will go to South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Planning Committee.

THE LAST MILE: SANTA CYCLE RIDE, ROYSTON SATURDAY 10 DECEMBER

The A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign will be pedalling around Royston on Saturday 10 December, setting off from Royston Station at 10:30AM and dressed in Santa gear. The purpose is to raise awareness of the urgent need for a safe off-road link between Melbourn and Royston. The overall Cambridge to Royston pedestrian/cycle scheme is progressing very well, with work now underway to connect Shepreth Frog End to Melbourn – and now the campaign is putting all its energies into the last mile.

JOLLY POSTIE A10 CYCLE GET-TOGETHER: 30 NOVEMBER

All welcome at the Jolly Postie Royston on 30 November, 7:30PM, for an informal get-together to share ideas and get caught up on what we can do to achieve the Melbourn-Royston cycle link.

WHAT ARE ‘GREENWAYS’?

This is a vision for the future, of a true network of attractive cycle and walking routes locally and across the district and county that could offer a transformative way of getting around – and helping to tackle the very serious and increasing problems of traffic congestion and obesity and associated ill-health. The idea has been generated by the proactive and community focused Cycling Team at Cambridgeshire County Council – more here:
http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/info/20020/cycling/666/greenways

HELP WITH SWITCHING ENERGY SUPPLIERS

The County Council is helping to deliver collective energy switching for residents. This is the opportunity to secure a good rate for your energy for the year ahead. We have tried and tested this in the past and found it to offer a good service.

A recent energy auction was run in October and the winning energy companies are Scottish and Southern Electric (SSE) and Robin Hood Energy. To access the competitive deals sign up on the link www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/cambsenergyswitch or via the Cambridgeshire County Council website. There is a helpline 0800 048 8285 if you have problems registering your interest.

VOLUNTEER DRIVERS ALWAYS NEEDED

Royston and District Community Transport is always looking for new volunteer drivers. This is a fabulous way of providing much needed service to local people who have no access to a private car and can’t manage – or have access to – public transport. For more information please ring RDCT on 01763 245228. And many thanks to all the people in our villages who already provide this wonderful support to fellow residents.

FOXTON ART EXHIBITION 19-20 NOVEMBER

All welcome at the annual Foxton Art Exhibition, to be held at Foxton Village Hall: November 19, 10:30-4:00 and November 20, 11:00-4:00. Admission is £2 per adult, free for children. Refreshments available. All proceeds go to Friends of Foxton School.

This award-winning event has grown every year, with many new artists represented. Please drop by and find out more at www.foxtonart.org.

HELP FOR REFUGEES: DROP-IN DONATIONS SHEPRETH VILLAGE HALL, 5 NOVEMBER 2-5PM

A collection point for essential items for refugees in the wake of the dismantling of the Calais camp has been organized by Hope Not Hate: this Saturday 5 November, 2-5PM, at Shepreth Village Hall. Emergency help for 10,000 people, including 1000 children, who have been caught out in the transition, is sought through donations of tents, ground mats, sleeping bags, rucksacks, and other basics. For further information please contact Philippa who is liaising directly.

DROP-IN ADVICE SURGERY

We are at the Melbourn Hub every first Monday of the month between 2:30-3:30 – next on November 7th. No need to book – just come along. We can always arrange to meet you at a time that is more convenient for you, or closer to home. Our contact details are below.

ANY ITEMS WE CAN HELP TO RAISE?

We would be delighted to address any concerns you may have, or help raise awareness of issues affecting our community via this newsletter.

WHAT WE STAND FOR

The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity. We aim to disperse power, to foster diversity and to nurture creativity.

You can learn more about or join the Liberal Democrats at http://www.libdems.org.uk

Sincerely yours,

Philippa, Jose and Susan

Philippa Hart, District Councillor for Meldreth and Shepreth
philippajhart@btinternet.com
Tel 01763 261255

Jose Hales, District Councillor for Melbourn, Heydon and the Chishills
jose@josehales.me.uk
Tel 01763 221058

Susan van de Ven, County Councillor for Foxton, Heydon, Melbourn, Meldreth, Shepreth and the Chishills
susanvandeven5@gmail.com, www.susanvandeven.com
Tel 07905325574
Twitter: @susanvandeven

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