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Following increasing concerns regarding the rat population on the Village Green and surrounding area, the Parish Council has reviewed its arrangements with its current pest control contractor. Having taken advice from alternative pest control contractors, an emergency visit has been made today and all boxes re-baited. A further follow up visit will be made next week.
Thanks to all residents who have kept us informed on this matter.
the best of the old with a sprinkling of the new.
Sunday 3rd Sept is this year’s date for the popular community cycling event, the Strawberry 50. Since it started two years ago, 1200 people have taken part and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. All are welcome; lycra or jean clad, five or eighty years old, tootlers and pootlers or strava bunnies – this event really has something to appeal to all.
The choice of distances remains the same; the 55 or 28 milers follow South West Cambridgeshire’s quietest and prettiest routes and the 14 follows the traffic free busway from H&I’s Recreation Ground to Swavesey Green and back.
New for this year:
Same old favourites
There’ll be homemade cakes on route, free maintenance and bike checks, medals and certificates for the U11’s, a great, friendly atmosphere, free massages at the finish and great sign-posting and marshalling. We do our very best to be inclusive so keep the entry prices low – the cost for the whole family on the 14 miler is still only £10.
Bookings are now open for the 28 and 55, it’s turn up on the day for the 14.
Please spread the word. The Facebook page is The Strawberry 50 and the website address for detailed information and to reserve a place on the 28 and 55 is strawberry50.co.uk.
This event is organised by Friends of the Rec in partnership with Histon and Impington Bicycle Club with support from Tucker Gardner and Rutland Cycles.
This really is a great day, please do join in.
A scheme similar to street parties with the aim of allowing children to play out in the street safely in a closed road area. The scheme launched in Bristol has been making its way around the country has made it to Cambridgeshire. More information can be found here http://playingout.net/
The scheme is to be held in the College Road area of Impington on the following dates:
10 June 4pm – 7pm
23 June 4pm – 7pm
16 July 3pm – 6pm
11 August 3pm – 6pm
8 September 4pm – 7pm
30 September 2pm – 5pm
Following a recent post on HI People, please see the update below taken from the May edition of the Girton News:
Residents will be aware of considerable activity relating to sewage pumping stations in the village. While the PC has had no direct notification of the issue, we have now been able to glean the following: as a result of a collapsed sewer in the region of the Oakington Road bridge it has been necessary to switch off the pumps at the nearby pumping station and at Redgate Road and Girton College. Sewage is being tankered away from two of these locations. Anglian Water is pulling out all the stops against considerable technical difficulty to locate the problem. They will then attempt a temporary by-pass of the blockage so that the pumps can resume their work. The blockage will then need to be dug out and repaired. It is not known how long any of these activities will take as the location and extent of the collapse is still unknown.
More information and regular updates can be found on the Anglian Water Website
The first authorised Graffiti Art workshop has been arranged for Saturday 13th May near to the Guided Bus stop in Impington.
The Public Art Working Group has asked for the following to be posted:
Are you young and aged 12 or over?
This is a public art initiative, in conjunction with the County Council, to encourage engagement with the youth of our villages. A great opportunity to create your own masterpiece under the guidance and expertise of a renowned graffiti artist!
Pitch up from 11am. We will be preparing the wall from 11am to 1pm, then the first workshop will follow from 2 to 4pm following a break for lunch. If you are staying the whole day bring a packed lunch, tea coffee and juice will be provided.
All materials supplied
Bring your enthusiasm – we need you!
For information and to grab your place please contact Kilo Sinstars at kiloSINfba@hotmail.com
Bus companies have been advised
Following a recent report of rat sightings at the duck platform on HI People Facebook page, we alerted our contractor who visited the area yesterday. On inspection of the bait stations, we have been informed there is no evidence of rats currently on the Green but several burrows of water voles.
Water voles are often mistaken for brown rats, they have glossy brown or black fur and black eyes. Their ears are rounded and almost hidden, and they have a dark, slightly furry tail.
Water voles are rapidly declining in the UK and are fully protected under section 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981(as amended). Schedule 5 of this Act makes it an offence to intentionally damage or obstruct access to water vole burrows. Future works and maintenance to this area of the Brook and the Platform will be carefully considered.
Did you know, ‘Ratty’ in The Wind in the Willows was not a rat, but a water vole!
We warmly welcome another variety of wildlife to add to our ever-growing Village Green.
The Parish Council has applied to Reef TV to take part in their exciting Village of the Year 2017 programme.
Histon & Impington are going to be unique in our area, as we are 2 villages with only one single Parish Council, so that may attract some attention during the process. We now have to do some work on preparing the application form provided as they need to find out more about our villages. A couple of Councillors will make a start on this and a resident with skills in this area has very kindly offered to help with preparing the document to be judged. Part of the process is to identify what we would do with the £10,000 prize money if chosen as eventual winner! Applicants are encouraged to think creatively on this as it may form part of the judging criteria so if you have any great ideas, please email clerk@hisimp.net
We should hear by 26th May if our application to progress to the final 76 villages in the competition has been successful. Successful villages will be filmed during June and July for the broadcast.
If you are interested in contributing to this exercise, please contact the Parish Office on 01223 235906 or by email as above.
We have been told that EEG (on behalf of Anglian Water) is programmed in to clean the sewers around Station Road, Poplar Road and Kay Hitch Way on Saturday 4 Mar 17. They will arrive on site at about 6.30 pm on Saturday evening. The work should take no more than 3 hours.
We have just received the following from our Tree Warden:
Please be aware of possible dangers walking beside wooded areas when its windy. There maybe a risk of falling dead wood and in extreme cases trees either fracturing or becoming uprooted after the severe winds yesterday. There are a number of trees near cyclepaths and highways so please also be extra cautious when driving or cycling around the villages.
Inspections will be carried out on Parish owed open spaces over the next few days
From Monday 27th February, most households across the district will have a change to the day bins will be emptied, to the sequence in which their black or blue and green bins are collected, or to the time of their collection
Every household will receive a leaflet detailing the bin changes and a spring 2017 collection calendar shortly. These are also available to collect from the Parish Office
Collection dates up to Tuesday 21st February for Histon & Impington:
Tuesday 31st January – Blue and Green
Tuesday 7th February – Black
Tuesday 14th February – Blue
Tuesday 21st February – Black
Change in Schedule – it would appear there is no blue bin collection after 14th February until 10th March. Please note extra recycling will be collected on your new bin day if left next to the blue bin in a cardboard box or returnable container
Friday 3rd March – Black
Friday 10th March – Blue and Green
Friday 17th March – Black
Friday 24th March – Blue and Green
Friday 31st March – Black
