update from peter topping on district and county matters
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Keeping busy I serve on the Health Committee for the County and am vice- chair of the Audit Committee. I have kept asking questions about the collapse of the £800m NHS care contract for the elderly across the county and what that means for people. At the District Council I hold the corporate and customer portfolio. After a meeting with young people, listening to their concerns, I was pleased to set tackling mental health, and better transport, as key challenges for the District Council. Supporting the community After winning funding for Whittlesford Warriors football equipment from the District Council’s Community Chest I am hoping we can do the same to support the Scouts and their caving equipment bid. Here they are showing a section of it to Whittlesford Parish council. Though the County roads budget has been cut, I work with highways on making improvements. I have had meetings about the busy A505 and have supported Whittlesford parish council in meetings with the police and the county engineers to help local farmers access fields. I think that we can improve safety along Duxford Road from the Guildhall using newer technology than speed bumps. In the autumn I visited local schools to discuss their admissions policies and plans for the future. One of those meetings was at William Westley, with our local MP Heidi Allen, who wanted to see for herself the excellent school – and after the meeting she handed out lots of prizes in assembly and announced the
Transcript
Keeping busyI serve on the Health Committee for the County and am vice-chair of the Audit Committee. I have kept asking questions about the collapse of the £800m NHS care contract for the elderly across the county and what that means for people.
At the District Council I hold the corporate and customer portfolio. After a meeting with young people, listening to their concerns, I was pleased to set tackling mental health, and better transport, as key challenges for the District Council.
Many thanks to those who sponsored my moustache. Growing it raised nearly £400 for men’s health – but it had to go – on orders from Annie!
Supporting the communityAfter winning funding for Whittlesford Warriors football equipment from the District Council’s Community Chest I am hoping we can do the same to support the Scouts and their caving equipment bid. Here they are showing a section of it to Whittlesford Parish council.
Though the County roads budget has been cut, I work with highways on making improvements. I have had meetings about the busy A505 and have supported Whittlesford parish council in meetings with the police and the county engineers to help local farmers access fields. I think that we can improve safety along Duxford Road from the Guildhall using newer technology than speed bumps.
In the autumn I visited local schools to discuss their admissions policies and plans for the future. One of those meetings was at William Westley, with our local MP Heidi Allen, who wanted to see for herself the excellent school – and after the meeting she handed out lots of prizes in assembly and announced the results of school elections.
Getting in touch . . . I work with Thriplow and Whittlesford Parish Councils and the Heathfield Residents Association to resolve problems and help improve the quality of life for people living locally.You can contact me on 07825 876582, or email me at [email protected] can see what keeps me busy by going to www.petertopping.blogspot.com or even follow me on twitter @petertopping
By the way…I have lived in Whittlesford now since 2004. Though we are hoping to sell our house in West End, our plan is to buy locally – so I have a continued interest in seeing the village grow sustainably.
The local update newsletter from Peter Topping, your District & County Councillor
A flick of a light switchWe have to work with the owner of Welch’s lorry depot on the A505 to reduce the impact on us.I have asked if he would turn off the illuminated roundel on the side of the building that was facing the A505 (and bedrooms in Knights Orchard) and he has agreed. It goes off at 7 pm from now on.
News in briefTravellers I got the county to plough the edges of land at Pampisford to prevent further unlawful trespass. Then we had travellers from Belgium on the station car park in December, but they went in a week. Au revoir!
Planning (I) Cemetery Thanks to all those who sent in their views to the Planning Inspector on the burial ground bid. I spoke at the Planning Committee and it was voted down 10-1 but has now gone to the Planning Inspector. There will be a site visit in March. Planning (II) TickellThe Planning Inspector is due to give his view on the kitchen put up at the Tickell. I attended a January site inspection. Middlemoor Rd triangle After some delays, the County Council has given me an undertaking to put a footpath across the triangle at Middlemoor Road. This part of the village is growing, and access from here to the school, shop, Post Office and recreation ground is along roads with sharp corners and no pavement.
There has been strong demand for the new affordable housing almost complete along Newton Road. Now a bid to build along the A505, behind Royston Road, is being put forward. The scrapyard on Station Rd may finally be on the move, leaving a big site for houses, and the County Council is again keen to build at the end of Orchard Terrace, and explore other sites it owns. Although delayed, there will be 16 houses when the weigh-bridge goes from Mill Road.
The challenge for Whittlesford over the next few years is to manage this growth, making sure we have the infrastructure (roads, schools, and other things like playgrounds, buses and cycleways) and to be sure that some of the houses are affordable. Because there is no doubt houses will sell here as fast as they can be built, and developers know that. I am pleased that the parish council is working on a Neighbourhood Plan, and I will make sure the District and County Councils work with us, to grow the village sustainably, and not ruin it.
