Nominations open for annual red carpet arts event

Nominations for South Cambridgeshire prestigious arts awards have opened as the hunt begins to find the district’s most dedicated community volunteers.

Anyone living in South Cambridgeshire who inspires communities to get involved in arts, culture and music could be the next winner and residents are being urged to put forward people in their communities who give up their time for free.

At the 2011 awards, winners ranged from Siobhan and Tim Lihoreau, a couple who won a gong for organising a 100 strong choir for all ages in Cottenham, to Hilary Gretton, a volunteer from Bourn who edited 'Inspirations', a community arts magazine for people with disabilities.

The awards were set up in 2009 to celebrate people, and groups, in South Cambridgeshire who enrich the arts scene. The fourth annual award ceremony in 2012 – supported by media partners Cambridge News – will be held on 28 March at Swavesey Village College, and nominations are being accepted until Wednesday 29 February.

To nominate an individual, or group of people, who have made a lasting impression on the arts in South Cambridgeshire communities, please download the nomination form from the Council’s website – http://bit.ly/rHJ2rR – or contact Andy O’Hanlon on 01954 713343.

Councillor Tony Orgee, South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Chairman, said: “The awards are a great way of bringing together South Cambridgeshire communities to celebrate the work our unsung heroes carry out for the good of others. The people who give up their time for the good of their communities rarely get the credit they really deserve so I would urge please get in touch if you know of someone, or a group of people who have gone that extra mile in the name of the arts. Please remember that it can often be what seems to be a very small contribution that can often have the biggest effect on people’s lives.”

We’re dreaming of a green Christmas

Residents are being asked to go green and recycle as much as possible this Christmas as the amount of waste created by households always goes up during the festive season.

Nearly 5,000 tonnes of waste and recycling was picked up from homes across South Cambridgeshire after the festive break last year - equivalent to the weight of around 600 double decker buses – so South Cambridgeshire waste chiefs are urging residents to help make sure it's a bumper season for recycling.

Each tonne of waste sent to landfill costs the Council £56 in taxes, and by recycling extra waste produced this Christmas residents can protect the environment and taxpayers' pound.

To help people slim their black bins and recycle the extra waste created this Christmas, South Cambridgeshire District Council's waste team are giving festive advice:

• Food Waste - Don't throw food in your black bin - instead create delicious meals, home compost it, or put food waste in your green bin. Visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com for ideas.
• Real Christmas trees can be cut up into small pieces and put in your green bin or can also be taken to local household recycling centres at Milton and Thriplow for composting.
• Wrapping paper - please put wrapping into your blue bin, but not in the paper caddy. Plastic or foil wrapping paper cannot be recycled and should go in your black bin.
• Christmas cards - These can go in your blue bin, but be super green by cutting them up and using them as present tags for next year.

Councillor Sue Ellington, South Cambridgeshire District Council's cabinet member for environmental services, said: "I would like to thank all our residents for the fantastic effort they have put in this year as they are some of the top recyclers in the country. To keep up this record please take a moment and do your best to recycle as much as possible so we have a bumper season."

For further information on recycling, and full details of Christmas and New Year bin collections, please visit www.scambs.gov.uk/bincollection.

Don’t fall fowl of food poisoning this Christmas

Give presents and not food poisoning by following some top tips this Christmas – that’s the message from South Cambridgeshire health bosses.

To show residents the safest ways to store and prepare food this Christmas a display fridge has been set up in the reception area of South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Cambourne offices. Top tips include:

• Check your fridge temperature regularly – fridges should be no warmer than eight degrees
• Store cheeses and pate in plastic boxes
• Don’t overfill your fridge – it stops the cold air circulating
• Put raw meat and poultry at the bottom of the fridge in a deep dish to catch any juices.
• Don’t rely on your nose - open food shouldn’t be kept any longer than three days
• Clean soil off raw vegetables then put them in a bag, inside a salad drawer.

 
And when it comes to the Christmas turkey, follow these tips for a safe festive feast:

• If you buy a frozen bird, make sure it is fully defrosted before you cook it – in a fridge allow 10 to 12 hours defrosting per kg, in a cold room allow three to four hours per kg and at room temperature allow around two hours per kg.

• Remove giblets as soon as you can to help speed up the defrosting.
• Put the bird in a deep dish to hold thawing liquids – these should be poured away without splashing worktops or cloths as it can spread bacteria
• Don’t wash your turkey – this may spread bacteria around which would otherwise be killed off during cooking – and...

            ...cook any stuffing separately rather than inside the bird.
            ...work out the cooking time in advance by asking your butcher or
                    checking retailer’s instructions on the packaging.
           ... if there aren't any, preheat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF, Gas Mark 4)  – and...
            ...allow 45 minutes per kg plus 20 minutes for a turkey under 4.5kg.
            ...allow 40 minutes per kg for a turkey that's between 4.5kg and 6.5kg.
            ...allow 35 minutes per kg for a turkey of more than 6.5kg.
            ...check that the meat is steaming hot all the way through – there should be
                     no pinkness to the meat and juices should run clear.

Carol Archibald, South Cambridgeshire District Council’s food safety team leader, said: "Christmas is a time for getting together with family and friends and sharing good food and good cheer. Unfortunately it is also a time when some people fall ill due to food that is not cooked thoroughly, or because it has been stored incorrectly. We want to make sure that people have a very happy and healthy Christmas this year so if you are in any doubt whatsoever please follow our helpful hints and tips."

Chinese Fujian delegation visits South Cambridgeshire

Government officials responsible for developing Fujian provinces on the South East coast of China have been on a fact finding mission to South Cambridgeshire to learn about planning for major new developments.

The main objective of the visit was to understand city planning and management, social security and public services, as well as developing leadership and strategic thinking for the Fujian delegates. As part of their trip they spoke with councillors and officers responsible for developing business and managing growth for South Cambridgeshire District Council.

There has been rapid development in Fujian provinces, and as South Cambridgeshire is one of the fastest growing districts in the country, the officials wanted to learn how the Council has delivered growth while maintaining the character of the area.

During a tour of the district the delegation also found out more about how new developments were planned so public transport links were provided when families moved into new homes – such as the Guided Busway that will provide a good link for the new town of Northstowe – and looked at how officers in South Cambridgeshire considered the environmental impact of new developments.

Jo Mills, South Cambridgeshire District Council’s corporate manager for planning and new communities, said: “I am really pleased we were approached by the Fujian delegation so they could come and see how planning is playing such a vital role in South Cambridge as part of their visit to Cambridgeshire. The discussion with the group of officials was mutually beneficial as it gave us a great opportunity to share our experiences. We were also able to explain the process of planning and delivering new homes and community facilities by working with developers during an economic downturn.”

Investigators warn ‘net closing’ on fraudsters

Two benefit fraudsters have been ordered to hand back almost £13,000 and told they must carry out nearly 400 hours of unpaid work by Cambridge Magistrates.

Mustafa Zaman and Christina Joyce are the latest cheats to be prosecuted for claiming benefits illegally and South Cambridgeshire District Council investigators have warned others the net is closing.

Mustafa Zaman, 48, of Willow Lane, Great Cambourne, pleaded guilty to two charges of failing to report changes in circumstances that affected his benefit entitlement. He had not told South Cambridgeshire District Council that he had started to receive Working Tax Credits and that his wife was a student. A review of his benefit claim found that the changes had happened, but had not been reported, causing Housing and Council Tax Benefit totalling over £8,000 to be overpaid.

He was sentenced to a 12 month community order, to include 150 hours of unpaid work, and told to pay £400 in costs on top of the overpaid benefits.

Christina Joyce, 38, formerly of Chieftain Way, Cambridge, pleaded guilty to four charges of dishonestly making false representations to the Council and the Department for Work and Pensions. She had claimed benefit as a single person but, following a tip-off, was found to have had a partner living with her since making claims in 2008. Had she been truthful about her circumstances when making her claim she would not have been overpaid over £4,900 in Housing and Council Tax Benefit and Jobseekers Allowance of £743, all of which must now be repaid. She was also sentenced to a 12 month community order, to include 240 hours of unpaid work. She must also pay £100 in prosecution costs.

Councillor Simon Edwards, South Cambridgeshire District Council's cabinet member for finance, said: "Our investigators work throughout the year to catch dishonest people who are trying to cheat the system and take money away from people in real need. We have had a run of successful prosecutions in December and our message to fraudsters is simple – the net is closing on you. Our benefits team are here to help people who are in genuine need, and we constantly remind people to inform us if there circumstances change."

People who suspect benefit fraud can report it by calling 0800 7311892 or visiting South Cambridgeshire District Council's website at www.scambs.gov.uk/benefitfraud.

Fly tipper punished for ‘potentially endangering human health’

Environment bosses have issued a firm warning to fly tippers after a heavy punishment was dished out to a Haverhill man who ‘potentially endangered human health’ by dumping pharmaceuticals by the roadside.

John Williams, 37, of Stockley Close, Haverhill, failed to appear at Cambridge Magistrates Court after three bin bags of dumped waste on New Road, Shudy Camps, were traced back to him by South Cambridgeshire District Council investigators.

Under interview by investigators Mr Williams admitted the offence – which included dumping a bag of prescription drugs that pharmacists have said could have proved to be a danger to human health.

Magistrates sentenced Mr Williams in his absence by fining him £2.500, costs of £600 were awarded to South Cambridgeshire District Council and a £15 victim surcharge was imposed.

In a second case South Cambridgeshire brought before Magistrates, Royden Newbigging, 60, from Cromwell Park in Over, was found guilty of unlawfully depositing waste and fly tipping by the side of a road in Boxworth.

Despite being issued with a warning and fixed penalty fine after dumping waste in January, Mr Newbigging repeated the breach in June with the waste being traced back to his home by the District Council.

He was fined £500 for the offence, costs amounting £470 were awarded to the Council and a victim surcharge of £15 was imposed.

Councillor Sue Ellington, South Cambridgeshire District Council’s cabinet member for environmental health, said: “Dumping waste is a mindless act that blights our rural landscape, but on this occasion it could have also proved to be dangerous for anyone who stumbled upon the discarded drugs. Packets of pills can look very inviting to children and could have caused problems for wildlife as well. I must praise our officers who act swiftly when fly tipping is spotted and we are stamping down on this type of offence. We always urge people to report waste that has been fly-tipped as soon as possible and if you catch someone in the act please report the details to the Police immediately. Fly tipping will not be tolerated and you will pay a heavy price if you ignore warnings.”

If you find waste that has been fly-tipped in South Cambridgeshire please contact South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Enviro-Crime Team on 03450 450500 or 01954 713407.

Contact South Cambridgeshire District Council

• Phone  03450 450 500.
• Fax  01954 713 149.
• E-mail  scdc@scambs.gov.uk.
• Website  www.scambs.gov.uk.
   

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