Councillors back plans for Swavesey short stay car park
Plans to put a short stay car park at Swavesey for The Busway have been backed by local councillors. Cambridgeshire County Council's Cabinet have agreed plans to build the short stay car park to pick up and drop off users of the nearby Busway stop.
A car park was originally planned for the site but had been deferred to keep costs down. Now the Swavesey stop has proved highly popular since The Busway opened, the plans have been reviewed and new proposals drawn up. It is proposed to build a facility that would have a disabled parking pay; a path to The Busway and an area sufficient for turning and parking of around 10 vehicles.
County Councillor Mandy Smith, Local Member for Papworth and Swavesey, said:
"The Busway has been highly successful and obviously people are finding it useful in Swavesey. We have listened to local members and local businesses who have told us about the traffic bringing people to use The Busway. This new facility should make it even easier for them to access this brilliant transport link. I am pleased that the Council has listened to local councillors and the public and proposed this new parking facility."
Be bright, be seen as the nights draw in
Road Safety Officers at Cambridgeshire County Council are urging all road users to take extra care on the roads once the clocks go back this weekend. The change of the clocks means it will be darker in the afternoons, when many people are making their way home from work or school. The darker conditions make it harder for pedestrians and cyclists to be seen by other road users.
Parents are being encouraged to make sure they and their children 'be bright, be seen' by attaching reflective strips to their bags and coats or other clothing. Cyclists are also reminded that they must use lights during hours of darkness and should ensure their bike reflectors are clean and clearly visible.
To support this message, Richardsons Cycles is providing reflective bands to be given to children at selected primary schools around the county, along with advice for parents from Road Safety Officers.
Local County Councillor John Reynolds, said: "It is very important that pedestrians and cyclists ensure they can be seen when making journeys in the dark, but it is equally important that other road users are extra vigilant in the knowledge that pedestrians and cyclists will be harder to see. All lights should be fitted to the bike, and although helmet or head torches are useful, they can be potentially blinding for other road users."
Websites: www.dft.gov.uk/think or www.camcycle.org.uk/resources/lights
People given a choice over local highway improvements
Cambridgeshire County Council's Cabinet has approved a new approach which will give local people a real influence over minor highway improvements in their community. For many years the County Council has contributed towards a jointly funded programme with district councils. Typically around £200,000 is made available each year and it is anticipated that a similar amount of money would be provided by the County Council next year.
The level of interest from district councils has reduced and the county council is now looking at ways to make the cash available directly to communities at a local level. Successful projects would be those which would provide improvements considered to offer benefit to the local community. Parish councils, community and residents groups and charities would be eligible to bid.
Bids would be invited up to a maximum of £10,000 per bid with an expectation that the bidder would provide some level of financial contribution to the overall cost - with a minimum contribution of 10% anticipated. Bids will be assessed by an advisory panel of County Councillors for each district area of Cambridgeshire. The panels will take into account the views of parish councils and district councillors, before making recommendations to the county council for funding.
Local County Councillor John Reynolds, said: "Local people know best what is needed in their community and this is an excellent opportunity for them to put forward ideas for improvements to the highways network which would benefit everyone in their area. This is a real opportunity for the local community to have a genuine influence over what goes on in their area and to work in partnership with the county council - localism at its best."
Successful projects could include better signing and lining, speed reduction measures, dropped crossing points, a new bus shelter or improved street lighting. Following Cabinet approval bids will be invited in November with the Member Panels sitting in January. The future maintenance of improvements constructed to County Council standards would remain the responsibility of the county council, but the running costs - perhaps electricity for street lights - would be met by the bidder.
County Council to co-ordinate work to further improve safety on A1307
Cambridgeshire County Council is co-ordinating work to further improve the safety record and to cut accidents on the A1307. The County Council has endorsed plans to bring together community, campaign and interest groups within and outside of the county to form a partnership which will develop proposals for improvements on the road.
The group will work to support the development of further accident reduction and road safety measures and to help ensure they have maximum impact on communities living alongside and close to the route and on motorists using the road. Work has only just started, but the group is expected to include County, District and Parish Councillors and representatives from existing campaign and safety awareness groups - including the Access A1307 group.
The County Council's Road Safety Team regularly reviews the accident record of county roads following serious accidents and following a recent double tragedy on the A1307, the team is currently looking again at any additional measures which could be introduced within existing financial resources to further improve the road's safety record.
Work already carried out includes reduced speed limits on some stretches, improved signing and lining, traffic island realignment, installation of a static safety camera, a road safety campaign to influence driver behaviour and 'accident blackspot' warning signs to alert drivers to the number of accidents on the route.
Local Councillor Tony Orgee, said: "The County Council has already carried out a programme of safety improvement work which has halved the number of accidents on this road in five years. While I am pleased with the impact of those improvements, we want to continue to work with local representatives and communities to assess what other improvements could be introduced and to make suggestions for other changes and to help us set priorities for the work given the current budget situation faced by Cambridgeshire County Council."
It is anticipated that members of the group will be appointed in November with the first meeting taking place in January.
Government announce extra funding for school places
Local County Councillor John Reynolds, said: "CCC is committed to ensuring the highest quality education for all pupils in the county and to providing that education in the most appropriate location and this extra money is a welcome boost towards helping us achieve those ambitions. The County Council has a good track record in providing sufficient school places to meet demographic increases, but ongoing increases continue to represent a major challenge."
www.education.gov.uk/inthenews/inthenews/a00199879/allocation-of-extra-500-million-to-address-the-shortage-in-pupil-places
Cambridge schools celebrate completion of new buildings
Primary schools in Cambridge are meeting the demand for more places with the completion of several extensions and refurbishments.
Colville Primary School in Cherry Hinton has extended its buildings, enabling it to double its intake and cater for a total of 420 pupils. The £3.6m scheme includes new nursery accommodation, two speech and language classrooms, six Key Stage 1 classrooms and an activity studio.
Abbey Meadows Primary School in Galfrid Road has extended its buildings in a £3.3m project which means it will be able to take up to 630 pupils. The new accommodation comprises nine classrooms, a library, and a new playground and toilets.
A new school - Queen Emma Primary School - has been created in Gunhild Way to cater for the additional needs in the south of the city. The £7m school is a two-storey building consisting of 14 classrooms, a library, new playground and gardens and other accommodation. The school is part of The Queen's Federation - along with neighbouring Queen Edith Primary School.
Cherry Hinton Primary School - formerly an infant school - has had £1.1m spent to provide an extra class and multimedia suite, together with the refurbishment of existing facilities which will enable it, over time, to cater for the full primary age range of 4 to 11 years.
The former Cherry Hinton Junior School has also become a primary school - Bewick Bridge Primary - following a £4m programme of new building to provide 10 classrooms, with a new activity space and studio, together with associated accommodation and new playgrounds.
Plans have been approved to enable St Matthew's Primary School in Norfolk Street to cater for up to 630 pupils in 12 new classrooms, break-out spaces,
new playgrounds and landscaped outside areas. £4m has been made available to fund these changes.
Local County Councillor John Reynolds, said: "I have been greatly impressed with the way the County Council has risen to the challenge of providing more school places in Cambridge in response to rising demand. These new facilities are modern, efficient, well-equipped and capable of meeting the needs of the 21st century. They will benefit children, teachers and governors for many years to come."
Major plan for county's future gets green light
The future is looking brighter for sustainable housing and economic growth in the county as a major plan has been given the go ahead. The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Minerals and Waste Plan has been signed off after years of hard work and consultation led by the county's planners and following an in-depth examination by an independent planning inspector. Its key aim is to ensure that up to 70,000 new homes expected to be built in the next 15 years can be delivered as sustainably as possible.
The Plan has been shaped by years of close working with local businesses and communities across the county and has been developed by Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council. The documents identify the best sites for sourcing construction materials such as sand and gravel for new housing, and waste management facilities for dealing with waste arising from future construction, new businesses and households in the county over the next 15-20 years.
The Plan also has a focus on protecting the environment and improving biodiversity. This includes increasing wildlife habitat in the county through quarry restoration, opportunities to source building materials close to major new infrastructure developments to reduce the need to transport heavy materials over long distances, and providing the best recycling centres to make it even easier for residents to recycle.
Local County Councillor John Reynolds, said, "After several years of close working with local communities and businesses in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and a tough examination by the independent planning inspector, it is great news that the Plan has been given the go-ahead. It will make a real difference to the lives of residents in Cambridgeshire and confirms our view that the right way to plan for growth in the county is to work closely with local communities. Its key aim is to make sure that any new development in the county is delivered in a way that doesn't negatively affect local communities, now or in the future.
The Plan puts forward 70 sites for mineral extraction and waste management across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. The Inspector has given the go-ahead to all of these sites with the exception of one site to the south of Addenbrooke's Access Road in Cambridge. This site was put forward by planners for a state of the art recycling centre to enable existing and new communities in and around Cambridge to recycle as much as possible.
After much consideration, the planning inspector recognised how much work went into the choice of site but rejected it on the grounds of protecting the Green Belt and the historic environment of Cambridge. The Inspector did however recognise the need for such a facility to improve present provision and to cater for planned new development. He therefore strongly encouraged the Councils to work together to identify a suitable site through their respective plans.
The County Council will look to work closely with the City and South Cambs as they progress with reviewing their local plans during the next year to explore potential options to address this need for the Southern Fringe area in line with the Inspector suggestion.
The Minerals and Waste Plan is due to be adopted by both Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council in early 2012.
To find out more about the Plan, go to www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/environment/mwplan.
Appeal for more adoptive families
An appeal has been made by Cambridgeshire County Council this week for more families to come forward and offer a home to children waiting to be adopted. Figures released today show that 80 per cent of looked after children in Cambridgeshire who were adopted during the year were placed within 12 months of the decision being made.
Government statistics also show that 14 per cent of looked after children in the county were placed for adoption last year, ranking Cambridgeshire 62nd out of 149 local authorities. Cambridgeshire's success is partly down to a partnership agreement signed in July with Coram - a national children's charity and specialist voluntary adoption agency - in response to the Government's call for local authorities to improve their adoption services. Cambridgeshire County Council is looking to intensify its efforts to recruit more adopters for vulnerable children waiting for adoptive families.
The Council's adoption service particularly needs to find more families who may be able to parent children with more complex needs. In Cambridgeshire there are currently 51 children waiting to be adopted - 34 single children of various ages and 17 in sibling groups of two or three whom the Council wish to keep together. Most of the children have complex needs such as developmental delay, physical disability and uncertainty about their long term development resulting from complex family backgrounds of mental ill health, substance abuse during pregnancy, neglect and domestic violence.
Local County Councillor John Reynolds, said: "I am pleased with these figures. They illustrate our commitment to securing positive outcomes for young people in Cambridgeshire. But we are not complacent, and believe that with improved planning and decision-making we can reduce delays even further.
"An important initiative towards achieving this was the partnership agreement the County Council signed in July with Coram - a national children's charity and specialist voluntary adoption agency. We are confident the partnership will result in improved practices and fewer delays. I would urge anyone interested in adopting to come forward." As part of national Adoption Week this week, the County Council is urging people to come forward to offer a home to children waiting to be adopted. Anyone interested should call 0800 052 0078. An adoption social worker will be available to give information and answer any questions about adoption.
TRADING STANDARDS' NEWS
Making sure vitamin sales are ‘healthy’
At Cambridgeshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service we have seen a sudden rise in complaints from older residents and their families on their behalf, about the pressure selling of vitamin pills over the telephone.
Some residents have had calls from people alleging to be doctors telling them that they must buy certain vitamin pills to protect their health. Others have been receiving persistent calls to the extent that they have felt bullied into buying these pills, only to find they have been sent more and more, resulting in mounting costs. In fact, some residents have parted with hundreds, even thousands of pounds.
The advice from Trading Standards is to never agree to anything on the spur of the moment, either on the phone or at the door. If the company is using high pressure selling techniques it often means their products aren’t good value. Take your time to think about it. Talk to friends or relatives if it involves a lot of money. Particularly when it comes to vitamin pills (or any form of medication), it is important to speak to your own GP to make sure the products are suitable for you.
If you do feel pressured to enter into an agreement over the phone, then you are usually allowed to cancel and return the goods up to 7 working days after you receive them.
Furthermore, if you agree to buy something face to face from a salesperson that calls on you in your home, and you agree to pay more than £35, you usually have 7 days to change your mind. By law the salesperson must give you a written notice of this right to cancel.
If you think you have been mis-sold something, or been pressured into buying a product or having some work done, our partner advice team, Consumer Direct, is here to advise you. It is a free, confidential and impartial government advice service, who can be contacted on 0845 4040506.
You can actually take steps yourself to help reduce the number of sales calls you receive by registering with the Telephone Preference Service. This allows you to opt out of receiving sales and marketing calls and businesses are obliged by law to abide by that. To register, call the Telephone Preference Service on 0845 070 0707 or register online at www.tpsonline.org.uk.
Furthermore, if you would rather people didn’t call at your door offering to sell you things or do work for you, we can provide you with a free ‘We’re not buying it’ sticker for your front door. Call Consumer Direct on 0845 4040506 and we will post one to you.
If you have internet access, visit our website, www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/consumer, for news on current issues we are addressing, advice and information.
Why pay when you don’t have to
Each month at Trading Standards we receive enquiries about things people have paid for that they could have got for free. In this article, we give advice on where you may be able to save unnecessary expense.
- Warranties and guarantees
- When you buy goods, whether on their own (like a washing machine) or as part of a larger piece of work (such as a new bathroom installation), by law those goods must be of “satisfactory quality” and be “fit for their purpose”. They must be of a standard that a person would expect, bearing in mind the price paid, and be free from minor defects, be as described, and last a reasonable length of time for a product of that type. So if, for instance, the normal life of a washing machine is 5 years and yours stops working after two years due to a defect, you may be able to claim for a repair or replacement from the business you bought it from. This is the case regardless of whether you bought a warranty or guarantee. So consider carefully whether a warranty gives you anything extra.
- Claiming from your debit card or credit card
- If you are in dispute with a trader, instead of taking them to court, find out whether your bank may be able to help you. If you paid for something on a debit card and there turns out to be problems with the purchase, many banks offer a ‘chargeback’ scheme where they refund you. Furthermore, if you pay for something worth over £100 and pay for at least some of it on your credit card, the credit card company is equally as responsible as the business that breaks its contract with you. So, if your holiday isn’t as it was described, if your new dining table arrives damaged, or if your new TV breaks down soon after purchase, you can insist that your credit card provider helps you if the shop won’t. This is even the case if you have paid off the amount you put on your credit card.
- Personal protection insurance
- We have received a number of reports about companies offering to claim compensation for the mis-selling of personal protection insurance on residents’ behalf, whether in relation to a loan, mortgage or credit card. This is actually something you can do yourself. The Financial Ombudsman has produced a leaflet which is available on www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk on how to make the complaint yourself. If you don’t have access to the internet, you can contact the Financial Ombudsman for advice over the telephone on 0800 0234567.
- European health insurance cards
- Even though some companies sell them, you can actually obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) free of charge which entitles you to medical treatment that becomes necessary, at a reduced cost or sometimes free, when visiting a country in the European Union, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein. This is limited to treatment provided under the state scheme and you will need to produce your EHIC card. Visit www.ehic.org.uk to find out more and apply.
- Legal advice
- There are many sources of free legal advice available to residents. Trading Standards, in partnership with Consumer Direct, offers advice to residents on issues with businesses. Visit www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/consumer to see how we can help you or call us on 0845 4040506. The Citizens Advice Bureaux offer advice on a wide range of issues including debt, benefits, employment, housing and family issues. Visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk or call 08444 111 444. Also, many people can get free legal advice under their home insurance policies; check yours to see if you can get assistance.
Contact John Reynolds
County Councillor John Reynolds
4 Holly Trees
Bar Hill
Cambridge
CB23 8SF
T 01954 200 571
F 01954 200 571
M 07720 379699
E john.reynolds@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
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