Meldreth issues
Police and traffic issues update
Two recent meetings, the Neighbourhood Police Panel and the Speeding Summit, provided a forum to bring local concerns to attention.
At the July 21st Neighbourhood Police Panel, News announced included the imminent departure of PCSO Emma Garwood, who is moving on to training as a Police Constable. We do not know when we will see a replacement come in for Emma, to join PCSO Lee Nutbeam, though the question was asked. There is some concern as the number of applicants does not match the number of PCSOs leaving, on a district-wide basis. The police acknowledged the importance of keeping on top of Anti Social Behaviour issues during the summer holiday period.
Metal and fuel theft was highlighted as the current major criminal activity in the area, with Meldreth among the most targetted villages. Thefts are happening on business sites rather than at residential properties.
At the Speeding Summit, we listened to a lot of reasons as to why speed limits cannot be reduced in a simple manner. For example, police and County officials want speed limits to be enforceable, so that speed limit reductions must be accompanied by ‘environmental changes’; and there is considerable expense even for minor changes, due to a variety of legal requirements. The audience of parish, district and county councillors was determined, however, to get the message across that something must be done. Great interest resulted in a demonstration of a Community Speedwatch project recently piloted in the Soham area.
At both the Police and Speeding meetings, Susan raised the matter of reducing speed limits around the Fenny Lane/Kneesworth Road junction, a site of repeated accidents and an area adjacent to a heavily populated part of the village. With this area outside the village framework, the national speed limit applies. Many residents have contacted Susan to express the view that the limit should be brought down to 30MPH -a view she supports, and will be working alongside the parish council to tackle.
Where ’s our warden?
Sheltered Housing tenants contacted Susan in late May, dismayed that after a long wait, they were still waiting for the appointment of a new Sheltered Housing scheme manage - what many people refere to as a warden. The restructuring of the warden scheme over the past years has meant that Meldreth’s long-time warden, Sally Miller, was moved elsewhere; a series of team wardens covering the Meldreth area has meant a lack of continuity — the very opposite of what is needed for elderly and vulnerable residents. Communication with South Cambs has been very poor and this has only added to residents’ distress.
Susan met up with residents at a June coffee morning and then relayed their concerns to housing staff. She visited again at a July coffee morning and will continue to stay in touch. While the issue of a permanent warden for Meldreth (and Vicarage Close, Melbourn, with whom a warden is to be shared) has not yet been resolved, a temporary position has been filled by Amanda Groves. Susan will continue to press for better communication from South Cambs.
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 £3.50 per journey. 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 regularly!) You can also email the service at rct1@totalise.co.uk.
Parish Council Flood Avoidance subcommittee update
We are delighted to report that we are moving swiftly and with enthusiasm in our continuing efforts to unlock secrets of Meldreth’s drainage system, following the parish council’s official creation of a Flood Avoidance Subcommittee. The subcommittee seeks to raise awareness, investigate critical points in the drainage network, and assist in the coordination of neighbourhood working parties to do light ditch clearing work on a little and often approach.
The first neighbourhood working party has been created in Chiswick End, where Julie and Peter Draper have coordinated the enlisting of able-bodied volunteers. If you live elsewhere in the village and feel that ditches and watercourses in your road are in a neglected state, and that a neighbourhood working party would be beneficial, please get in touch – and flag up too your willingness to get such a group underway, if possible.
Our small team recently began the task of investigating the historic ditches that connect the High Street and North End with the River Mel. These ditches are important because they are designed to take surface water away from the road and allow it to run away into the river – preventing the pooling of water on the road and around houses and other buildings. (You may have noticed the pooling of water around the Stocks during the spring rains – water unable to get away, when very nearby are historic ditches that used to take excess water down to the Mel but now in an unfit state.)
Mike Cooper of the County Council has been out to Meldreth to scout out and walk these ditches with us, and to examine connections between surface water drains and those ditches. Old maps unearthed by the Meldreth Local History Group and the River Mel Restoration Group clearly indicate where the historic ditches are located, and have given our group clear direction.
This first exploration indicates that some of the historic ditches are in a surprisingly decent state and that in some cases culverts and structures enabling connection to High Street surface water drains are in fine condition. The task of reinstating these ditches, to enable highway surface water to run off in the direction of the river, rather than pool up and clog street drains, seems very much in the realm of possibility. The beauty of this project is revitalizing a natural drainage system that once served the village well.
The question arose as to whether relieving High Street drains might have a knock-on effect on other related areas – for example Elin Way, Howard Road, Whitecroft Road and Chiswick End. But only time will tell.
Tips to keep in mind: If you are having your house re-thatched, please be aware that deposits of straw in nearby drains can cause serious blockages. Please don’t be tempted to put grass cuttings or other garden waste in ditches near or bordering your property. This will simply obstruct the flow of water.
Remember: The serious house flooding in Meldreth of July 2006 occurred as a result of blocked waterways, not Environment Agency flood risk areas.
Flooding at Meldreth Stocks
Susan recently met Mike Cooper, Highways officer, together with John Gipson, former Meldreth Parish Council chairman, at the Stocks, to try and determine what could be done to alleviate the recent flooding problem there and to understand how the drainage system there was maintained in years gone by. Two drains were cleared of muck and Mr Cooper then sent a jetting team in clear the drains further. Shortly thereafter we experienced heavy rainfall, and no flooding or pooling. Thank you to all who have been in touch.
The Flood Avoidance subcommittee has been highlighted in the June issue of South Cambs Magazine, and was mentioned on Radio Cambridgeshire’s morning programme on July 7.
Residents are invited to view maps and walk ditches, to find out more about what we have learned so far, on September 28th, meeting in the Green Room of the Village Hall at 2:00.
Disabled access to platform 2 at Meldreth Station
Susan was recently contacted by Scope regarding the problem of access to platform 2 over the pedestrian bridge at Meldreth Station. Indeed, in this day and age, it seems hard to believe that access should not be possible, especially in a village with a large school for children with disabilities. Susan has contacted Directions Plus to find out more about how to lobby on this issue.
Elin Way’s district council garage block
The new roof recently put on the Elin Way district council garage block has been an exercise of practical importance to nearby residents who wer not properly consulted when the first roof went on without proper planning permission, but also a symbolic exercise highlighting the fact that the local planning authority must keep its own house in order, going through the same required planning application process as anybody else.
Rather shocking news from the district council is that only one of these four brand-new garages is currently let out. Please get in touch if you are interested!
