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Category Archives: County Council

Community Gritting

Local Volunteers can help keep their community moving in freezing weather by taking part in the Community Gritting Scheme.

Under this scheme, the Parish Council agrees specific routes with the County Council  which are important to the local community. Our community currently has 3 volunteers who assist with gritting footpaths, to cover all the routes identified more volunteers are needed.

Volunteers can sign up to grit these routes using equipment provided by the County Council. If you would like to know more information or wish to sign up please read the Community Gritting Training pack.

You will need to complete the registration form at the back of the training pack and email to highways@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Hard copies of the training pack and application form are available from the Parish Office on request.

 

 

Essential Maintenance on the A14 and M11

We have recieved the following information from Highways England:

Subject to weather conditions, we plan to start the following work in the New Year:

  • Repairing the road and structure on the A1307 Hungtindon Road heading in to Cambridge at junction 31 (Girton), starting on Monday 4 January for 4 and a half months.
  • Resurfacing the A14 eastbound between junctions 32 (Histon) and 33 (Milton), for 5 nights from 11 January.
  • Replacing the centre reserve vehicle safety barrier on the A14 east and westbound between junctions 31 and 34, from 11 January to March.
  • Resurfacing the northbound exit slip of junction 13 of the M11 (with the A1303), which will take place over 5 consecutive weekends (Friday night to Monday morning) from Friday 22 January.

Work which we have already started and remains ongoing includes:

  • Refurbishment of Huntingdon Road bridge leaving Cambridge, which will take 4 and a half months.
  • Geotechnical repairs at A1307 Huntingdon Road, near Grange Farm, and at junction 33 (Milton), ongoing until early next year (we expect minimal disruption as the majority of the works are off the road)
  • Resurfacing of the A14 eastbound between junctions 26 (Hemingford Gray) and 29 (Bar Hill), which will resume on Monday 4 January and take 5 nights.

On the A14 we will be working between 20:00 and 06:00, with the M11 work between 22:00 and 05:00. This may result in delays for local road users and through traffic for which we apologise.

We have written to residents and local businesses and residents affected by the works and we would be grateful if you would publicise the works to your parishioners through newsletters and other communications where appropriate.

To keep road users at a safe distance from the works, we will need to close the roads to traffic during the night. We will put a clearly signposted diversion route in place and you should leave extra time for your journey. There will be some daytime lane closures with 40mph speed limits in place while the centre reserve barrier is incomplete in short sections.

We will do our utmost to complete the works as quickly as possible, avoiding disturbance and keeping noise to a minimum. These works, which started in November 2015 will, once complete, result in a smoother and safer A14, better bridges, and clearer directions to Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

We will keep you informed about further works.

We want to make your journey as easy as possible during this time. Our e-mail alert service gives details of closures and diversions near you. You can sign up at www.highways.gov.uk/east_subscribe.

If you have any enquiries please contact the Highways England Customer Contact Centre on 0300 123 5000, or by email to: info@highwaysengland.co.uk.

 

 

Have your say – Milton Road & Histon Road – better bus cycling and walking trips

We have received the following from The Greater Cambridge City Deal team:

Initial consultations on better bus, cycling and walking trips for Milton Road and Histon Road in Cambridge are taking place from 14th December – 15th  February 2016.

The Greater Cambridge City Deal is asking for views on initial ideas, including:

  • new bus lanes
  • better foot and cycleways
  • relocation of parking and
  • changes to some junctions along Milton Road and Histon Road

Full information is available online from Monday 14 December. A delay has arisen with the publication of the printed consultation leaflets and questionnaires for Histon Road and Milton Road, which means these will be available slightly later than planned.  As a result the consultation has been extended by two weeks to 15 February. This will not affect the timing of reports to the Assembly and Board next summer.

Leaflets will be distributed to households and businesses near Histon Road and Milton Road, households further afield will receive postcards. The leaflets and postcards will be delivered as soon as they are available.

We will also e-mail interested parties with a link to the project’s web pages, the online surveys and further information:

http://www.gccitydeal.co.uk/citydeal/info/2/transport/1/transport/8

http://www.gccitydeal.co.uk/citydeal/info/2/transport/1/transport/9

The consultation will be widely publicised through various channels, including leaflets and posters at key locations, press release and social media; a questionnaire is online and included in the leaflet. Staffed drop-in exhibitions will give residents the opportunity to look at proposals in more detail, ask questions and share their views:

  • Tuesday 12 January                   16.00 – 20.00      Mayfield Primary School, Warwick Road, Cambridge CB4 3HN
  • Wednesday 13 January             16.00 – 19.00      Chesterton Community College, Gilbert Road, Cambridge CB4 3NY
  • Tuesday 19 January                   16.00 – 21.00      St. George’s C of E Church, Chesterfield Road, Cambridge CB4 1LN
  • Wednesday 20 January            16.00 – 21.00      St. Laurence’s Roman Catholic Church, 91 Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 1XB
  • Monday 25 January                   16.00 – 20.00      Chesterton Community College, Gilbert Road, Cambridge CB4 3NY
  • Tuesday 26 January                   17.00 – 21.00      Meadows Community Centre, 1 St. Catherine’s Road, Cambridge CB4 3XJ

In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact us, should you require any further information.

The Greater Cambridge City Deal team

01223 699906

 

Essential works on the A14

We have received the following from Highways England:

We are working to repair the bridge crossing the River Cam near junction 34 (Horningsea) on the A14.

Subject to weather conditions, we plan to start work on Tuesday 15 December and finish on Friday 18 December. We will work overnight between 21:00 and 06:00 to ensure that we cause minimum disruption. We recognise that this work may cause some extra noise for you, for which we apologise.

We will need to close the A14 westbound while we are doing this work, between junctions 36 (Bottisham and A11) and 33 (Milton) during this time.

We will do our utmost to complete the works as quickly as possible, avoiding disturbance and keeping noise to a minimum. There will be a clearly signposted diversion in place, which will take you south on the A11, south west on the A505 and north on the M11 to re-join the A14 at junction 31 (Girton).

There will also be some overnight closures on the A14 in early January as part of a programme taking place this winter to improve the safety of the road between junctions 26 and 34.

We want to make your journey as easy as possible during this time. Our email alert service gives details of closures and diversions near you. You can sign up at www.highways.gov.uk/east_subscribe.

If you have any enquiries, please contact the Highways England Customer Contact Centre on 0300 123 5000, or by email to: info@highwaysengland.co.uk.

 

 

 

November Full Council meeting

The Full Council meeting in November had a packed agenda, see draft minutes here

Items of note include:

  • Kirstin Donaldson of South Cambs. District Council came to explain her new role as Development Officer for our locality. Access to her help should make a big difference to the Parish Council in getting quicker responses from the District Council in future when problems arise. The members were impressed with her enthusiasm and keenness to help with issues raised
  • The Council was pleased to be able to grant a donation to The Methodist Church of £500 towards their planned refurbishment. Their fund raising co-ordinator addressed the meeting with exciting details about the proposed works to provide more flexible and suitable facilities for community activities into the future. They have been encouraged to make a further application to the 2016-17 budget year
  • Also to grant £1,000 Public Art funding to the Friends of Histon & Impington Rec towards an exciting Samba dance performance event to celebrate the Brazilian Olympics
  • A consultation on budgetary matters was agreed and will be available on the Council’s website and in the next edition of HISIMP News. It would be great if people could provide feedback to help steer the Council on the difficult decisions ahead
  • The Council has agreed to support funding for an assistant to the village Older Person’s Co-Ordinator, Jean Newman. It is hoped that Jean will attend a Parish Council meeting early in the New Year to talk about her valuable role
  • Members heard about the plans to once again provide Christmas lighting in Histon and Impington over the Festive period.   Histon Chop Shop are very kindly donating proceeds from their Christmas Order Raffle to fund improvements to the lights next year

There will be no Parish Council meeting in December, with the next one due Monday 18th January 2016. It would be great to see some residents attend to see the Council in action. Debate on budget setting for the year 2016-17 will be well underway by that time and is bound to prove an interesting challenge in these changing times at higher authority level

All residents are welcome

 

Changes to the Citi8 Service from January

Stagecoach have announced that from January Citi8 buses will terminate at the ‘John Lewis stop’ (Emmanuel Street) and will not go on to the Railway Station or Addenbrookes. Return journeys will start from the Drummer Street Bus Station.

This is of major concern to The Parish Council due to its effect on the elderly, the less mobile, and patients alongside commuters and pupils travelling into the numerous schools in Cambridge. The Parish Council alongside Cottenham Parish Council and one of our County Councillors went to lobby Stagecoach on their decision.

Buses are deregulated so the County Council has no powers to intervene. It is purely a commercial decision by Stagecoach who cited congestion between the City Centre and the Station as eroding their ability to run a reliable, punctual service.

To access the Railway Station or Addenbrookes you will either need to use Busway Service ‘A’, or change in the Centre. Many other services will take you there including the Citi7 which used to link up – but we were given the tip of using the 13 towards Haverhill for emptier buses 😉 (but please check it suits your journey). Unless you only have a ‘Single’ it will be covered by your ticket.

 

November Full Council

The monthly Parish Council meeting will be held 16th November at the Community Room at the recreation ground, see agenda here

Our guest speaker is Kirstin Donaldson from South Cambs District Council who will be telling us about her new role in locality working. As the Development Officer supporting the communities in our north locality, Kirstin can be seen as a first point of contact by parishes for community issues

As for the rest of the agenda some interesting issues will be reviewed, including:

  • A half yearly look at grant applications
  • Agreement to the format of a consultation on Parish Council budget issues
  • Up-date on opportunities to purchase PCSO hours in Histon and Impington
  • Older Persons Co-Ordinator role and support needs
  • Purchase of an electric vehicle for groundstaff use around the villages

As always, everyone is welcome to attend our meetings, and refreshments are available from 7 p.m. There is no Council meeting in December.

 

County Council Public Streetlight Consultation

Somewhat belatedly, the County Council is now consulting on the overnight dimming and switching off of streetlights from April 2016, asking you to “Have your say on Streetlight proposals”.

Their press release starts:

“Cambridgeshire residents are being urged to have their say to join more than 60 other councils and further dim or turn off some streetlights at certain times to meet tough saving targets.”

There are more details on the County Council Website.

“Now residents can have their say by going to the online consultation at http://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/CambridgeshireStreetlightConsultation/ where they can complete a survey or ask for a paper copy by contacting the research team at research.performance@cambridgeshire.gov.uk. The closing date for responses is 11 December 2015.”

Seems a bit late but nonetheless the right thing to do. We’d encourage everyone to share their opinions with the Council.

 

Street Lights News

The County Council has a program to cut its costs because central government has reduced the funding for local government. As a part of this program it is proposing to switch off or dim street lights across the county between the hours of midnight and 6am.

The Parish Council has considered this and, given that the lights will only be switched off at times when people are at home and that research on the impact of such a change on crime is equivocal, decided not to challenge this.

It has made one exception and that is for lights which illuminate walkways where there is deemed to be a risk of injury if they were otherwise completely dark. The Parish Council has asked that such lights be dimmed and not switched off completely.

The Parish Council recognises that some residents may prefer better lighting through the night and suggests that the use of PIR lighting on individual properties would be a good way to respond to this.

(Note: not all lights in the Community will be switched off or dimmed. Lights on main roads and at junctions will remain lit. And many lights have not been fitted with the new controller technology and so must remain lit despite what CCC would like to do).

 

New website

INCREASING BIODIVERSITY IN THE VILLAGES

Tree across footpath behind Manor Park

Storm Eunice

Christmas Tree Chipping event Saturday 8th January 2021