Melbourn village website: www.melbourncambridge.co.uk.

Susan’s monthly reports to the parish council are posted under parish council minutes. She also writes regularly for the Melbourn Magazine.

Village groups

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If you run a village group and would like help advertising an event or recruiting volunteer helpers, please let Susan know and she would be glad to include a few lines in her monthly community e-newsletter.

Street lighting work

The street lighting work has been dominating the winter months is part of the county council’s 25-year contract with Balfour Beatty to replace and reduce by about 11% the entire stock in order to run lighting more efficiently and cheaply. Unfortunately not everyone has received helpful communication from Balfour Beatty through their letter box, explaining what the project is about, and not everyone has had acceptable responses to queries and concerns. The County Council, who have contracted the work to Balfour Beatty, acknowledge that local councillors were not properly briefed at the outset of the project as to its implications. We are assured that all lessons learned by country contract managers and Balfour Beatty will be applied retrospectively, and I will be pressing for this to be followed through.

For background on the street lighting project: http://susanvandeven.mycouncillor.org.uk/2013/01/30/street-lighting-update/

For an update on difficulties: http://susanvandeven.mycouncillor.org.uk/2013/02/06/mounting-concerns-over-melbourn-streetlighting/

Infrastructure and Local Plan proposals

‘Where is the Melbourn Village Plan?’ I heard someone ask at the public consultation event on January 14th. In the age of ‘localism’ there is a decidedly disjointed quality in the way long-term planning is handled. While the Local Plan and its proposal for 270 extra homes in Melbourn is district council, not county council-led, any rapid and large increase in population demands supporting infrastructure and there are big questions to be addressed about funding gaps for transport, roads and schools.

A10 Corridor Cycle Campaign

A launch meeting for the A10 Corridor Cycle Campaign received overwhelming interest in improving cycling conditions in this area.

The meeting was supported by Jim Chisholm of the Cambridge Cycling Campaign whose depth of campaigning experience is invaluable, and Patrick Joyce, the County Council Cycling Officer.

The Melbourn-Royston stretch was identified as particularly vital for people who cycle to work. Similarly, another contingent reflecting the significant flow of cycling north toward Cambridge pointed out treacherous conditions along many segments of the route. The meeting felt that the overall distance between Royston and Cambridge is relatively short and should ideally by supported by good cycling conditions, which would present a multitude of benefits.

The Campaign will be soon setting up a website and aims to have an A10 Corridor Cycle Ride event in May, which in advance of the visit by the Tour de France should help to highlight the pleasures and challenges of cycling in this area. A large number of people have taken the trouble to email their interest in supporting the campaign, for which many thanks.

Luncheon Club: Friendship

Friendships in our village communities are often made outside of one’s usual circle.  The Luncheon Club – also known as the Melbourn and Meldreth Self-Help Group – brings together the very elderly members of Melbourn and Meldreth every Thursday for lunch and a chat, at the Vicarage Close sheltered housing community room, Melbourn.  If you could spare the time to collect and drop off a resident for an 11:15 start, and bring home again at 1:15, this would be greatly appreciated.  Please contact Susan (susanvandeven@yahoo.co.uk) and she will put you in touch with the coordinator for drivers.  And if you know someone who would like to attend the Luncheon Club, please let Susan know.

Royston and District Community Transport scheme

If you are elderly or mobility impaired, and need lifts to the doctor’s or to get shopping done, you could benefit from the Royston and District Community Transport scheme.  A fleet of volunteer drivers donate their time free of charge.  Passengers contribute 45 pence per mile; the minimum charge is £4 per journey of up to nine miles.  The scheme also operates a wheelchair-accessible 12/16 seat minibus and a four-six seat Multi-Purpose Vehicle.The service can be used for health care appointments, day centres, special needs clubs, social purposes and shopping.  If you require a lift – or would like to volunteer as a driver – please text or phone 01763-245228 between 9AM and 3PM Monday to Friday;  an answer phone will take a message if the phone is unmanned.  (Please don’t be put off by the answer phone – it does get checked!) You can also email the service at rct1@totalise.co.uk.