For Foxton, Heydon, Melbourn, Meldreth, Shepreth and the Chishills

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 susanvandeven@yahoo.co.uk.

MELDRETH AFFORDABLE HOMES: APPROVED, WITH CONDITIONS

A planning application for 22 new affordable homes off Whitecroft Road has been approved by South Cambs District Council, with amendments reflecting local residents’ strong concerns about traffic problems in that part of the village.  Details of a new pedestrian path on the south side of Whitecroft Road, and all planning conditions: http://scambs.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=768&MId=5453&Ver=4

OLD POLICE SITE, MELBOURN: PLANNING APPLICATION

The old police site in Melbourn High Street has been the subject of much discussion over the past several years, since it was sold to a housing association.  Now a planning application has been submitted to South Cambridgeshire District Council for 13 affordable houses and a community building on the site.  Details are on the  South Cambridgeshire  website, and representations can be made to the district council until May 1st.  This includes:

demolition of the existing buildings http://plan.scambs.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/WPHAPPCRITERIA

erection of 13 affordable dwellings and a community building http://plan.scambs.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/WPHAPPCRITERIA

SPEEDWATCH IMPASSE

Last week’s Melbourn and Bassingbourn Police Panel meeting heard a challenge from Great Chishill’s Speedwatch team:  after years of monitoring traffic speeds and now with a strong bank of evidence about persistent speeding problems in the village, what do the police and county highways propose to do about it?  The team have come up with sensible suggestions which Susan will put on their behalf to the county council.

M11 ROUNDABOUT CYCLE PATH

A new high specification cycle path will be built from the new development at Trumpington Meadows, following the smaller bridge over the M11 just north of the M11 roundabout, and joining up with the A10 at Hauxton, so that cyclists will be able to avoid completely the M11 roundabout.  We’re told this should happen in 2013.

NEW ROAD, GREAT CHISHILL

Thanks to people who have been in touch about the very poor state of New Road. Clearly short-term repairs in recent years have proven a waste of public money.  The county council’s budget now contains a provision for a £90 million investment in highways maintenance, though it is expected that this will serve mainly to prevent further deterioration – the highways network has been chronically underfunded.  Nevertheless if significant money is to be spent the question arises as to how it will be strategically rolled out.  A long-term plan for New Road has been requested from the Highways Department.
COUNTY TRACK BETWEEN ARMINGFORD CRESCENT AND HALE CLOSE, MELBOURN

Following the county council’s unannounced clearance in February of many years’ overgrowth on its access track between Armingford Crescent and Hale Close, which was halted mid-way due to local concerns about vulnerabilities of access to private properties, a meeting has been held with County Estates and residents to consider what steps should be taken next. 

It was proposed by residents, Jose and Susan that rather than continue on with the clearance work, as the county council would like to do, the council should go back and determine whether its legal rights to the neglected track are in fact intact, which if so would remove the imperative for any further clearance work.  The council was also asked to investigate the rights of residents in making good the natural physical borders to their back gardens, demolished by the county’s contractor.  Follow-up will be reported once we hear back.

BUS CHANGES ANNOUNCED BY STAGECOACH IN POST-SUBSIDIES SHAKE UP

Stagecoach has announced changes to its commercial services county-wide, along with earlier than anticipated withdrawal of some of its subsidized services, following the county council’s announcement of a subsidy withdrawal schedule that does not tally up with the bus operator’s wider contractual parameters. These unexpected changes mean that many parts of the county face new gaps in public transport which the council is being asked to address, though there is no extra money in the council budget for these new gaps. 

The announcements do not affect the Stagecoach 26 running through Foxton, Shepreth and Melbourn, but are part of a pattern of consolidation of bus services in rural areas.  The 31 and 128 are due to lose their subsidy in 2013 and 2014.  More detail at: http://susanvandeven.mycouncillor.org.uk/briefing-note-bus-cuts-and-next-steps/

The impact of bus changes on one student, Warren Wilson, who is visually impaired and therefore depends on public transport, is described at http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Royston/Partially-sighted-student-fears-impact-of-bus-cuts-26042012.htm. 

SHEPRETH PLOUGHSHARE

Efforts toward a community-run pub are being coordinated by the Shepreth Ploughshares group, whose website is http://www.sheprethploughshare.co.uk/.

Thanks the British Forces News for taking a keen interest in the history of the Plough and in particular its popularity amongst ex-servicemen in years past.  A programme now being filmed on the history of local pubs will soon be available for viewing via the Ploughshare website.

SHEPRETH WILDLIFE PARK RESIDENTS’ EVENING

The Wildlife Park’s annual Residents’ Evening takes place 10 May between 4-7PM.  For more information please contact the park via http://www.sheprethwildlifepark.co.uk/.
CAMBRIDGESHIRE WINDMILL AND WATERMILL CONFERENCE

Great Chishill hosted the Cambridgeshire Windmill and Watermill Conference on April 11^th.  This has been documented on video at www.greatchishillwindmill.com.  The transfer of the mill from the county council to the new Windmill Trust is due to take place shortly.

SUSTAINABLE PARISH ENERGY PARTNERSHIP

The Shepreth, Meldreth and Melbourn Sustainable Energy Partnership would like to thank local people for their support and interest in the Alternative Energy Show held at Melbourn Village College earlier this weekend.  This is a community-based project and SPEP would be pleased to hear from anyone who would like to get involved, in any big or small way.  More information Surinder’s website: http://surindersoond.mycouncillor.org.uk/shepreth-spep/. You can also ring Surinder on 07920 428183 or Ray Pritchard on 01763 260701.

FOXTON LEVEL CROSSING SAFETY: PUBLIC MEETING 21st MAY
Dave Ward, Managing Director of Network Rail’s Anglia Route, will provide an update and answer questions on safety improvement to Foxton Level Crossing, at Foxton Village Hall, 7:30 PM, 21st May.  Students from Melbourn Village College’s BBC News project have been invited to report on the meeting.  All welcome.

FOXTON LEVEL CROSSING SIGNAL BOX

Members of the Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Rail User Group will be visiting the signal box at Foxton level crossing on May 11^th in order to understand issues relating to pedestrian safety. This will be followed by a visit to Cambridge Station signal box, which is connected to the Foxton signalling system. 

Network Rail has said, in response to Susan’s queries on the Foxton signalling system, that some changes will be made to CCTV camera arrangements which currently operate for the purpose of capturing vehicle movements, but not pedestrian movements.  More information at the Rail User Group’s newly upgraded website: http://melbourn.org.uk/railusergroup/

CONGRATULATIONS TO MELDRETH’S STATION MASTER

The Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Rail User Group would like to congratulate David Piggott on his outstanding service award from First Capital Connect.  Thanks to the Meldreth and Melbourn Local History Groups for a photo montage created for the occasion, highlighting last year’s ‘Marvelous Meldreth’ piece from the Letters Page of the Daily Telegraph.

FCC’s Customer Services Manager Keith Jipps has reiterated his thanks to the Rail User Group for efforts on the station gardens, which he said have been the catalyst for reducing and eliminating car parking charges at Meldreth and Shepreth respectively.

All welcome for gardening at Meldreth Station on Friday June 1^st, 11AM onward with a picnic lunch break, to refresh platform flower tubs and the Meldreth Primary School Flower and Vegetable Patch.  Dates for Shepreth and Foxton Station gardening will be arranged shortly.

SURINDER’S SURGERY

Meldreth, Elin Way Community Room: 7 May, 7PM

Shepreth, Village Hall Meeting Room: 14 May, 7PM

ELECTIONS: MELBOURN, HEYDON AND THE CHISHILLS

Elections take place on May 3^rd for one of the two South Cambs District Council seats for Melbourn, Heydon and the Chishills.  District council elections are held in thirds; county council elections are held once every four years.  Details are at http://www.scambs.gov.uk/CouncilAndDemocracy/Elections/default.htm.

Sincerely yours, 

Susan, Jose and Surinder

Susan van de Ven, County Councillor

Foxton, Heydon, Melbourn, Meldreth, Shepreth and the Chishills

Contact details at www.susanvandeven.com

Jose Hales, District Councillor, Melbourn, Heydon and the Chishills

Contact details at www.josehales.com

Surinder Soond, District Councillor, Meldreth and Shepreth

Contact details at www.surindersoond.mycouncillor.org.uk
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