Community Newsletter
Liberal Democrat Councillor for Bassingbourn, Litlington, Melbourn, Meldreth and Whaddon Learn more
by Susan van de Ven on 30 September, 2022
Big month, difficult times
September has been particularly overwhelming, with big news in very difficult times for many people. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns about local services and we’ll do our best. There’s lots of support in our villages – often it’s just knowing where to find it.
Stagecoach withdrawal of 915 and many other Cambridgeshire bus services
It’s impossible to overstate the distress expressed by so many people at the prospect of losing the 915 bus, which Stagecoach has announced it will be withdrawing from 30 October. This service connecting Royston, Melbourn, Shepreth, Foxton, Harston, Hauxton, Trumpington and Cambridge is a private commercial service, and this is a purely company decision. Like many public transport operators, Stagecoach has benefitted from government financial support during the pandemic. Along with the 915, Stagecoach is cutting another 17 Cambridgeshire services.
Thank you to everyone who’s taken the trouble to tell their story: Why is the 915 vital for me? Please do add your circumstances to the paper petition which you’ll find at the Melbourn Hub – thank you.
‘I travel twice per week on the 915 to Addenbrookes for hospital treatment; I rely on the 915 to care for my elderly mum two villages away; I need the 915 to get to the surgery in Royston; this is a link for me from the 17 bus from Steeple Morden connecting to Royston for the 915 so I can reach my mum in Melbourn. I am disabled and cannot walk to Meldreth Station. I cannot afford to travel without my bus pass.’
Melbourn resident Diane Wilson, with her guide dog Zen, absolutely depend on the 915. ‘Should I lock myself in my house and be isolated and miserable, or go out and live?’
We have been relaying the circumstances of local people who stand to be devastated by this bus cut to the Local Transport Authority – the Mayoral Combined Authority. The head of transport has responded:
‘Thank you for writing and expressing the undoubted concerns of residents about the proposed withdrawal of bus services affecting Melbourn and surrounding hinterlands. I share their concerns and the mayor has expressed his anger at the way Stagecoach has behaved. The transport team are now seeking to recover the situation. New tenders for every withdrawn service have been published and circulated and in around three weeks’ time we should be able to work through the tenders and put together a revised network and timetables, which we intend to commence on Sunday 30 October, the day after Stagecoach’s last day of operation on the withdrawn routes. Of course, we cannot guarantee to restore every link – it depends on what tenders we receive, and we are bound by the 1985 Transport Act.’
Mayor Nik Johnson has published the following statement:
Urgent appeal for foster carers
Please. Spread the word. Thank you.
https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/news/urgent-appeal-for-foster-carers-across-cambridgeshire
Cam Vale Bus User Group Meeting
Thank you to those who’ve written to us about the 17 bus which connects the Mordens to Litlington, Bassingbourn, Whaddon, Meldreth, Melbourn and Royston – and currently links with the 915 for onward travel to Cambridge and A10 villages. This service is run by A2B, not Stagecoach.
Fortunately, the 17 bus continues to run, albeit with a different schedule designed to attract more riders. A Cam Vale Bus User Group meeting will be held at the Bassingbourn Old School Community Centre on October 12, 11AM. Everyone always welcome, whether or not you currently ride the bus. Any questions please ask. Lifts are being arranged where possible.
Royston and District Community Transport: Drivers needed
This fantastic organization provides essential lifts for people who would be otherwise unable to travel. Volunteer drivers are needed, especially for the Melbourn and Meldreth area – can you help? Please ring 01763 245228, if you think you might be able to help or would like to learn more.
Meldreth Marvels
Sociable local cycling from Meldreth every Tuesday morning, gathering together from Bassingbourn, Royston, Orwell, Melbourn, and elsewhere. Please let us know and we’ll put you in touch with the organizer.
Melbourn Greenway: please support these public events in October
For all keen to seen improvements to walking, cycling, scootering and equestrian connections along the A10 between Cambridge and Royston, please come along and take part in one of these events to give your local knowledge and views on the detail of the Melbourn Greenway plans:
Bassingbourn School Crossing Patrol Officer: still vacant
This vital post supporting safe walking to school and college is still vacant. Please get in touch via contact details on the job advert, if you might be interested or would like further information: https://susanvandeven.mycouncillor.org.uk/2022/08/15/bassingbourn-school-crossing-patrol-officer-vacancy/#page-content
Ivy Farm Bridge – new rights of way consultation
Consultation documents, which include legal documents for the creation of rights of way which would allow pedestrian passage over the Ivy Farm bridge crossing the A505 between Royston and Bassingbourn, are expected imminently. If you would like a personal note to be alerted, please let Susan know. Documents and information on how to respond will be posted on the Bassingbourn and Litlington Parish Council websites.
Police in the community
In 2022, there are only three Police Community Support Officers covering the whole of South Cambridgeshire, which consists of over 100 villages and a couple of towns.
We have invited the Police to attend two public information evenings this autumn:
All welcome.
EV charging provision
Questions continue to arise regarding EV charging provision, for residential properties without on-site parking and access to home charging. In a vacuum of national EV charging planning, this is not something that can be comprehensively tackled by the district or county councils.
South Cambs with its housing remit is looking at options for providing a limited amount of communal EV charging on suitable communal property in its ownership, as well as further information on charging solutions, for example the development of an app that tells you the nearest location for private property rented EV charging. It will be trialling communal charging points at Meldreth Sheltered Housing car park. The Greater Cambridge Partnership is looking at increasing grid capacity for South Cambs.
Meanwhile, we asked Highways about the rights of property owners without private off-road parking to connect a charging cable submerged across the pavement. The answer: ‘The Department for Transport is considering guidance but we haven’t had an indication of when this might come. Private householders can apply to put cables under footways through what is called a section 50 licence – example here. Home – Gul-e | No Driveway? No Problem!
Pavement resurfacing missed out – The Fillance and Elm Tree Drive
A few pavement stretches were missed out in this summer’s pavement resurfacing and will be done in the next round of pavement resurfacing, though that is not going to happen until next year, unfortunately.
Melbourn 20MPH zone
A formal consultation for a Melbourn 20MPH Zone – part of the Parish Council’s Local Highways Iniative to calm traffic along New Road and Mortlock Street – will be placed in the local press on the 5th October 2022. This will trigger a Statutory 21-day Consultation period whereby any interested parties may make representations to the Council either in favour or objecting to the proposals. The consultation period will close on the 26th October 2022.
New 40MPH zone, A1198 Whaddon-Kneesworth
The hard work by Whaddon Parish Council for a 40MPH speed limit along this key stretch of road is becoming a reality, with speed limit signs now up, and physical changes to the highway to encourage traffic to slow down to follow.
Meldreth Station booking office – necessary refurbishment works
The ticket office at Meldreth Station has crumbling walls and urgently needs refurbishing. This was to have happened pre-pandemic and is now happening starting on October 3rd. Unfortunately, the office will be closed for about ten weeks – but it is stressed that this is temporary and part of keeping a working ticket office in good order. The Meldreth ticket vending machine will be available for ticket purchase throughout this time. Staff along the line will be aware of the temporary situation at Meldreth Station.
The Meldreth Shepreth and Foxton Rail User Group regularly posts updates on its Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/meldrethsheprethfoxtonrail. Or join our mailing list by contacting railusergroup@gmail.com.
Pay and display ticket machine Meldreth Station Car Park
Conveying more news from our rail operator:
‘More people are opting to pay online, by app or by phone, and the card only machines are increasingly costly to maintain and upgrade, both in terms of hardware and software. We trialled the removal of machines at seven of our station car parks during the last year and no significant issues were raised. We’ve therefore taken the decision to phase them out over the next few months.
Car Park users will be able to pay using one of the alternative methods provided by our car park managers, APCOA. These are:
We are conscious that this will be a change in routine for those who do use the machines, so are working with APCOA to let customers know in advance via banners/posters, or stickers on the machines.
There is no change for Blue Badge holders – parking remains free.
We’re aiming to start this programme from the week commencing 17 October. The first stage will focus on car parks where there is no automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system. We will then take around four weeks to review the plan, and then the second stage will be at our stations where ANPR is in place.
We will review feedback through the project and will focus on helping people to move to the alternative methods as smoothly as possible.’
Workforce shortages and the Four-Day Week Trial
People now think differently about work-life priorities; nationally and locally it is harder than ever to recruit and retain staff. A three-month trial of a four-day week will begin in January for desk-based staff at South Cambridgeshire District Council. A similar pilot continues at more than 70 UK organisations.
In our own interactions with the district and county councils, as well as with a whole range of public services including rail and bus operators, health and care providers, schools, and many others, workforce retention and shortages are the headline concern hampering successful delivery of key public services.
A four-day week is when people work one less day per week but still get paid the same salary. A four-day week, which for a full-time employee at the Council would consist of 30 hours, can make an organization stand out from others and be more attractive to talent. It is also seen as a tangible incentive to encourage staff to stay.
In the trial, service levels cannot drop if a four-day week is to be considered as a viable option in the longer term. The Council will keep a check on things like how long it takes to process benefits claims, Council house rent collections, the speed of determining planning applications, staff turnover, call answering times and more.
For more than a year, the Council has only been able to fill around eight out of every ten, or fewer, of its vacancies. Between January and March 2022, only around half were filled. There are currently 23 agency staff covering office-based roles, which should ideally be filled by people in permanent positions. Over a whole year, these agency staff could cost the Council more than £2 million. If the Council filled all these posts with permanent staff, it would cost about £1 million.
Not being able to fill vacant posts is hugely disruptive to services for residents – for example, when case officers change during the process of a planning application. Another aspiration of the trial is to investigate whether it would help the Council to attract a more diverse workforce. For example, for those families where childcare costs can be a big blocker from working, or those people with caring responsibilities, it could be a more attractive option than the traditional five-day working week model.
If you’d like to give your views, SCDC have published a new website page that contains a short form, which members of the public can fill-out if they want to ask a question, or make a comment about, our upcoming four day working week trial. Several officers from multiple services have access to the responses collected by this form and will be ensuring that a response is provided, where a resident has asked for one.
Difficult decisions: Cambridge ‘City Access’ proposal
A Cambridge ‘City Access’ strategy has been put forward by the Greater Cambridge Partnership, with the aim of improvements to public transport, reducing congestion, and improving the environment through lower emissions.
The premise: Following the introduction of a significantly improved and cheaper bus network in the wider area, a congestion charge to drive into and around Cambridge, focusing on the morning peak time, would be introduced. The GCP would fund the roll-out of the new bus network; thereafter the bus network would be funded by the congestion charge. This is being considered as part of a ‘once in a generation’ plan for a fundamental shift in how people get around.
While driving would get more expensive, the scheme aims make bus travel cheaper and more accessible – indeed, a key principle is for bus travel to be the most affordable travel option. Flat fares of £1 for travel in the city, and £2 from the wider area, are proposed. The bus network would be extended, vitally important in the villages and for those who rely on travelling with a bus pass.
Park and Ride sites would not sit within the congestion charge area.
There are many, many points of local detail and personal concern which are essential to flush out and bring to attention. So, we strongly urge people to take part in the public consultation, details of which will soon be made available. News so far:
Local recycling of small electricals: Melbourn High Street car park
Easy local recycling of small electricals at the Melbourn car park can take the following:
Anything up to 29cm in its largest dimension, which has a plug, battery or cable. If batteries are removeable, take these out and recycle them separately. Some examples of suitable items include:
Please note that smoke detectors, light bulbs, e-cigarettes, batteries, paints, chemicals or aerosols are not accepted.
Melbourn Timebank: Getting out There
This is a wonderful organisation for sharing ideas, favours and skills, and company, to which all are welcome. Find out a little more by coming along:
More at https://www.facebook.com/melbourntimebank/
Zoom Cuppa Surgeries Mondays 5-6PM
If you’d like to meet with your councillors by Zoom, to bring any concerns or ask any questions, please come along to our weekly Zoom Cuppa Surgery, now on Mondays from 5-6 PM. Please contact Sally Ann for a link: Sallyannhart@riskingonpurpose.com.
Anything we can help with? Issues we can raise?
We would be delighted to address any concerns you may have or help raise awareness of issues affecting our community via this newsletter. Any questions or concerns, please contact us any time – details below.
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. Learn more about or join the Liberal Democrats at http://www.libdems.org.uk.
Sincerely yours,
Susan van de Ven, County Councillor for Bassingbourn, Melbourn, Meldreth and Whaddon and District Councillor for Bassingbourn and Litlington,
susanvandeven5@gmail.com, www.susanvandeven.com, Tel 07905 325574
Sally Ann Hart, District Councillor for Melbourn, Meldreth, Shepreth and Whaddon
sallyannhart@riskingonpurpose.com, Tel 07791 233303
Jose Hales, District Councillor for Melbourn, Meldreth, Shepreth and Whaddon
jose@josehales.me.uk, Tel 01763 221058
Peter McDonald, County Councillor for Shepreth, Foxton, Heydon, the Chishills and the Duxford Division villages, Peter.mcdonald@cambridgeshire.gov.uk, Tel 07912 669092
James Hobro, District Councillor for Foxton and Fowlmere, james@hobro.net, Tel 07768706670
Leave a comment
Leave a Reply