Tim Stone

The Cambridge News published an article on 24th June about energy efficiency in Cambridgeshire’s schools.  According to the Carbon Trust we could save £1,000,000 a year.

The article failed to mention how much it would cost to re-fit schools to generate that kind of saving.  And it didn’t mention whether the County is doing anything about it already.  The implication was that it was doing nothing.

The answer to the first question about capital cost is a blank. As to the second, the county council is already doing something about the issue.  But not enough -especially when it comes down to new schools.

The County Council has made no progress towards fulfilling the government’s target for new schools to be ‘zero carbon’ by 2016. Read the rest of this entry.

Whay a great place to live!  See Cambridgeshire Together’s report on how you feel about the County:

www.cambsacre.org.uk/downloads/placesurveynationalresults_090702114609.pdf

The Imperial War Museum has for many years given free entry to residents of local villages on all but “event” days.  Because of financial pressures the museum had raised the possibility of charging for administering the scheme or giving residents low-cost tickets.

The Museum has now decided to make no changes to the existing scheme, so residents of Duxford, Whittlesford, Thriplow, Ickleton and Fowlmere will continue to enter free.  That will be a great relief to those many people who use the concession.

To join the Neighbours of Duxford, local residents need only to go to the main visitor entrance with proof of identity and proof of residence.  They then get immediate free entrance.  After a few days they are sent a plastic membership card valid for a year.

For details of events and activities, visit www.iwm.org.uk/duxford

Keep in touch - sign up for the Museum’s regular eflyer - http://www.patronmailuk.com/bnmailweb/PatronSetup?oid=109

Future events:
Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 July - Flying Legends Air Show
Tuesday 28 to Friday 31 July - Meet The Veterans
Sunday 2 August - The Duxford Classic Car Show
Sunday 9 August - Spitfire Day
Saturday 15 August - Burma Star Day

Progress on the pedestrian refuge on Cambridge Road in Little Abington.

The County Council’s engineers will be meeting county councillor Tim Stone, parish councilors and local residents this Friday 3rd July on site to discuss the modifications the county is proposing for the refuge and the surrounding roadway.

If everyone can agree then there is every likelihood that the project can be completed this year.

 We’re at last getting somewhere in improving the Flint Cross road layout.  It catches the unwary motorist too often - sometimes with fatal results.  Re-designing the junction keeps being pushed back because Cambridgeshire claims it has no money.

Engineers are currently working on a scheme to rectify matters.  Once their scheme has been costed there is to be a site meeting with the county councillors for Mellbourn and Fowlmere, Susan van de Ven and Tim Stone along with members of the parish councils of Melbourn and Fowlmere.  Fowlmere school is also interested because The Chishills and Heydon are within the school catchment area. Read the rest of this entry.

You might like to have a look at the Bishop of Huntington’s reflections on the first meeting of the new County Council.  You can find it at: http://bpdt.wordpress.com/

Accurate and to the point.  Let us pray that we can do better in future.

It remains a mystery to many on both sides of the council chamber why full council meetings get so steamed up.   We had a full day of the Audit and Accounts committee, of which I am chairman, on Friday with representatives of all parties working constructively and harmoniously together.  Outside the council chamber there is almost always a feeling that we are all trying to do our best for Cambridgeshire.  And we get along perfectly well.  Let people not despair; politics works.

Today is Armed Forces Day.

I had the privilege to attend a presentation of badges to eight veterans in Shire Hall.

The ceremony was conducted by local MP Andrew Lansley.  It was a valuable reminder of all that we owe to our servicemen past and present.  We may not all agree with the reasons in every case why and where they are sent to serve.  But we can have no doubt as to their professionalism and courage.  They do us proud.

Safety camera vans will be used in areas with a serious speeding problem.

This comes after 520 people responded to the survey conducted in February,
where 331 people were in favour of deploying safety cameras in areas with a
speeding problem and 189 people against.

Inspector Clinton Hale, from the safety camera unit, said: “I would like to
thank those members of the public who took the time to have their say about
this issue.

“We have made the decision that safety camera vans will now be used in
areas with a serious speeding problem but no history of serious collisions.

“Work is underway to identify the worst affected roads before safety camera
vans are sent out to those areas.

“The safety camera unit will be supporting neighbourhood policing teams
across the county when enforcing speed limits in areas that have community
concerns.

The Road Safety Partnership launched the survey after a number of people
wrote in saying they were concerned about speeding in their area and wanted
to see safety camera vans used.

You can get this news direct by signing in to e-cops.  Just go to:

 www.cambs-police.co.uk/myneighbourhood/ecops/
 

From Monday 15th June 2009, the non-emergency telephone number for
Cambridgeshire Constabulary is changing. The new number is 0345 456 456 4.
Please save this in your address books for future reference. The old
number, 0845 456 456 4, will continue to operate alongside the new number
until April 2011.
The move will allow people with call packages which provide free local
calls to benefit as 0345 numbers are classed as local calls.
Remember - in an emergency, always dial 999. You should dial 999 if lives
are in danger or if there is serious risk of injury, if a serious crime is
happening or if a criminal is still at the scene. In all other cases, and
for general enquiries, please call 0345 456 456 4. This number is
staffed by specially trained operators, 24 hours a day, seven days a week
including bank holidays.

Before he was defeated at the elections (a pity, because he was well regarded but that’s the brutality of democracy and his Lib Dem successor is very good) the out-going cabinet member for that sort of thing got one of the A 1307 Little Abington lights working.  Well it had taken him and his predecessors three years, so let’s modify the praise a bit.

Trouble is that it’s too sensitive and lights up without provocation.  That will be dealt with - preferably within three years.  As to the second light next to  the northbound carriageway: more delays.  The light still  isn’t connected to the electricity supply.  You can come to your own conclusions.