every little helps...

No, not the Tesco advert, but the fact that local businesses need all the help they can get to survive. We lost the battle for Thriplow's Post Office, but the shop and Post Office in Whittlesford keep going.

One problem is that people can sometimes park outside all day, ignoring the parking restrictions, which means that someone driving past and looking to pop in can't find a space and drives off somewhere else.The parking restrictions sign is showing its age - and isnt very clear - and so I've been asked to see if we can get a new one.

The District Council's budget

I believe in being careful with ratepayers money. I've spent a long time in the public sector, and whether it is gathered by tax or by rate, it all has to come out of someone's pocket. I've seen plenty of waste over the years, whichever party is in power. But I've worked in the private sector as well, and they can get it wrong just as much!

So I had to think hard last month about how to vote on the proposal to put the district council tax up by 4.9%. The thing is, South Cambs gets very little in grant from the government, because we are a prosperous area. We also have traditionally had a low rate, and that isn't always a good thing, because the poorest people in a community are the ones who often need council services the most.

I see my work as a councillor as helping people when they ask me to, but also keeping an eye on what is being spent in Cambourne. I can do that because I am chair of the governance committee - which includes audit. We will be watching the pennies in the coming year, as everyone else in the country will be too.

Shedding light on Thriplow

I've been asked to see if we can get additional street lighting in a road in Thriplow. It is a dark corner, and I definitely needed a torch when I went over one cold and freezing night last week to check it out with the people who live there. As there is an unlit car park area nearby we may be able to use that as an argument to help get something done. But street lighting is a complicated area, and this will take time, so keep that torch handy!

(ps We did get the lights that had gone out in Heathfield fixed- see August's postings - eventually!)

LAP or LEAP? good news on play equipment at Heathfield

Residents living at Heathfield had asked me to help resolve how much equipment the developers should be required to provide for the playground there. The provision of this play area was a condition of planning approval for the development, but the agreement only provided for a LAP (local area for play) whereas people consider that a LEAP (local equipped area for play) is what is needed.

For a level of development like this, the deal should have specified a LEAP, but that isn't what the documents say so the developers are doing what the contract requires of them. I've taken this up with the planning department in the district council, and discussed whether anything can be done AND we may be able to use an element of the sports budget to add to and upgrade the equipment that the developers will pay for. If we can get moving on this, by the time the spring comes, the children of Heathfield can LEAP in their new playground!