...a thing as lovely as a tree

We're being told that the annual tree inspection on the Lawn in Whittlesford needs to include a documented log of the assessment of the state of each individual tree, for public insurance purposes.
Something else for the parish council to pick up on and something we must do given the tragic accident in Peterborough last year when a tree branch snapped and fell on the people sitting below.

Old Bill Update

Went to the Neighbourhood Policing Panel at Sawston, representing Whittlesford and also Thriplow. Main points from the meeting:
- police have issued 12 parking tickets in the first quarter of the year (Jan - Apr) in Station Road, Whittlesford and will continue to target (see pic at left taken following day);
- regarding over-loaded vehicles on Station Road police ask for information, even if it is that X type of lorry goes past at Y time on a certain day. Then the police say they will try to be there to witness the offence;
- 7 out of 21 offences in Whittlesford for the quarter were actually making off without payment offences from the two garages on the A505. Police say this type of offence is rising and they need to get on top of it;
- police will continue to patrol Heathfield near the Iceni building on late evenings -  I fed back that local residents had noticed the police patrols.

Interestingly, there were eight burglaries in Shelford area, then an arrest (in London) and suddenly, no burglaries. Police observation - crims. often choose to work the areas they know, time after time.

Mind how you go

yellow lines, commuters, and car park prices at whittlesford station

I've had fed-up emails from fed-up people, both residents and commuters, saying that if only the outrageous cost of parking in the Whittlesford station car park could be reduced, commuters would not park on the corners of the Moraine and Knights Orchard, making the places easier for residents to get out of without being run over.

I'm not so sure, in that if Whittlesford was cheap to park at, more people would catch the train and potentially those empty spaces along Station Road would be taken up by other commuters wanting to save even the reduced price of a ticket. I think it is the economic law of demand.

So the answer is to get the county highways to agree to put yellow lines on the corners of these roads - as there are on Station Road itself. We are trying to fix a meeting with highways at the moment, and Tim Stone, our county councillor, is on the case.

Blue lamp update: Sawston Neighbourhood Policing Forum

Well attended and brisk session last evening to discuss local crime and anti-social behaviour issues with Inspector Savage and his high-quality team. Went there representing Thriplow and Whittlesford.

Lot of concerns about people parking on pavements, in front of schools, speeding through villages and using mobile phones while driving. Also rogue traders pestering people on the doorstep. Police distributed 17 tickets in Whittlesford last quarter - mainly at Station Road. The two houses burgled in Whittlesford in late December/early January. Police regretted that they haven't caught the culprits but they did mount patrols following on from that and identified some high-risk houses and gave advice to people in the village about crime prevention.

Insp Savage confirmed that he is in close discussion with planning enforcement officers at South Cambs about the scrap-yard at Station Road Whittlesford - I can confirm that because I saw him in South Cambs HQ the other week!

Interesting presentation delivered by Sawston Village College youngsters about vandalism and litter in the area, and an urge to action to get it sorted.

In some ways, we should be thankful that generally speaking crime is low in this part of the world, because we have strong, active and reasonably prosperous communities.

Crasbo's and Asbo's, ABCs and DPPOs

A long time ago when I was a Hong Kong cop I learnt to say "move along son - or else" in colloquial Chinese. These days, things are a little more complicated for our boys and girls in blue. Go here to see explanations for the penalties that the police can impose.

I went to an evening session this week attended by parish and district councillors put on by the South Cambs Crime & Disorder Reduction Partnership. The purpose was to help us to understand more about what can be done to tackle anti-social behaviour. The team of very switched on and articulate police officers - led by Insp Savage from Sawston - talked us through the various routes by which bad behaviour is tackled, including housing schemes and the district council. The fire service were there too, because they also do a lot of this, trying to curb arson.

Yes, some of it was complex, and there are surprisingly small numbers of ASBOs issued in Cambridgeshire, but at the same time you can see why it is worth making the effort and focussing attention and strategies on some of these youngsters before something serious happens and they are inside the criminal justice system, and re-offending and all the rest of it.

Two pretty crucial points: Asbos are for adults too, and a lot of unpleasant behavior which comes under the banner is caused by adults, even people in their sixties and seventies. Half of the referrals are about grown-ups. Secondly, there isn't a great deal of crime round here and we should be thankful for it. I think a number of us attending had the terrible events in Leicstershire which have been in the news this week at the back of our minds

The really useful thing was understanding a bit more about the various penalties and actions that can be taken, so that if we need to ask the police for help, we have a basic knowledge.
Next Monday is the neighbourhood policing panel at Sawston V C.

Local Policing priorities

Forgot to post this last week - went along to the Sawston sector neighbourhood policing meeting - a quarterly meeting between the police, headed by local inspector Chris Savage, and various parish councillors, district and county councillors. One key point is that this is a pretty safe area, in terms types and level of crime. Issues raised for Whittlesford and Thriplow:
- recreation ground at Whittlesford being regularly patrolled but the youths hanging around seem to have moved into the Lettice Martin Croft/Butts Green area near the garages. Police agree to broaden their patrols;
- track between Whittlesford and Thriplow. Youngsters on trial bikes tearing up and down. Police (aka e-coppers Chris and Gary) collared a few recently and marched them back to their parents for a few well-chosen words of advice - quiet since then say the police;
- break ins at the village shop storage in Thriplow and a farm in Whittlesford and on the recreation ground at Whittlesford. Police crime prevention people agree to visit to give some advice. Thriplow also hoping to get South Cambs to help with the costs of the anti-theft devices.

Cycle safety at Whittlesford station

Following my meeting and phone conversations with National Express's local stations manager, they have now put posters up reminding people of how to guard against cycle thefts and vandalism, offered a cycle branding session if people are interested, and increased British Transport Police presence at the station. So fingers crossed we won't see scenes like this again!

Keeping an eye on one or two fields in the area

In the middle of January I had a busy week liasing between local businesses and parish councils, South Cambs planning enforcement officers and the district's legal team, and Andrew Lansley's office.
The reason: a couple of fields in the area need to be closely watched to make sure that they don't - overnight - become illegally occupied by travellers. It would be wrong for all sorts of reasons to have people living on the edge of a major road with no facilities, bypassing all planning rules, and south cambs has done a lot to provide proper traveller sites.

The aim was to ensure we could get a High Court injunction, backed by all levels of democracy ie parish, district, MP, having done the prep work very quickly as needs be. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Trains and trips!

Back to work after the Christmas break - and back to plenty to do too on the district council front.
I had an interesting meeting at a very frosty Whittlesford train station with the area manager from National Express and the crime prevention officer from British Transport Police. We talked through the concerns that commuters and people living in Whittlesford have raised with me about crime and disorder at the station late at night, and also the parking on nearby streets now that the prices have gone up again. There has been more vandalism this week inside the waiting room that was smashed up completely 18 months ago. Every time the walls are cleaned up, they get scribbled on again (as in this pic). Some very positive ideas from the meeting, especially from the policeman. National Express will put up cycle safety posters, will increase the number of patrols their staff do in the evening, and will continue to increase the lighting levels at the station. Meanwhile British Transport Police will liaise with Sawston police team to see what local intelligence exisits re the station and also do some surveillance.

I have been asked to explore whether we could instal grit bins near the shop and Post Office in Whittlesford, like they do in Thriplow, so that pavements could be gritted as well as the roads, keeping it safe for people heading out in the icy weather. I'll raise it at the Parish Council next week - if we can supply the bins, then the county council will apparently supply the grit. But we would have to do the gritting ourselves - an interesting test of public spiritedness if it can be done, but one that might save a few nasty falls and trips!

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!)

CCTV for Whittlesford Station - National Express say "no"

I've had a reply from National Express. No reason given but no CCTV plans for Whittlesford station.

The Group Station Manager says, in his reply to me:

"I am aware of all the individual crimes that have unfortunately occurred in recent months and have spoken with the British Transport police personally regarding these. The crimes that are subsequently reported to the BTP are also discussed on a regular basis at the areas Crime &
Disorder Reduction Partnership, monthly meeting."

The Crime and Reduction Partnership is a committee that the District Council is a key player on - so I shall be seeing what happens if I can get this issue raised there. And perhaps I need to up the ante a bit with some demonstration of local support!

Trick or Treat!

One of the pleasures of living in a village like Whittlesford is the fact that it is a community in all sorts of different ways.

Lots of youngsters from tots to teenagers called this evening, parents in tow with torches keeping an eye on things, so the whole place had groups of ghosties, monsters and zombies going around. On a misty dark night with all the trees rustling in the wind Whittlesford can look both spooky and even a bit exciting! The kids were in some pretty scary masks and things, but were polite and wished us a "Happy Halloween!"

Campaign for CCTV at Whittlesford Station

To give your views and support the campaign, click the link below.

Link to survey

Read the story so far

I am trying to persuade National Express to install CCTV at Whittlesford Station. As it has recently won the franchise to operate at Whittlesford, now is a very good time to press for improved amenities. I recognise that for some the sight of CCTV cameras is unwelcome, and shows how "watched" we have become as a society. On the other hand, in certain locations, CCTV is recognised as an effective deterrent.

I have talked informally with British Transport Police officers, and the view they hold is that given the location of Whittlesford Station, and its growing usage, CCTV would be a sensible security measure.

My argument is that the station is a village amenity that increases Whittlesford's attractiveness as a place to live. Many families have children taking the train to school. The station allows us to be in Cambridge in ten minutes at the week-end, as well as offering a relatively good service to London. While it is a busy station at peak times, it is very isolated at night, because of its location. In the last 18 months there has been: serious vandalism to a passenger shelter, which was left for many weeks with all its windows smashed and glass all over the floor, damage to a number of bikes this summer, and, most recently, the ticket vending machine on the platform has been raided for its cash. Two months later, it is still wrapped in police black and yellow tape.

My concern is that these incidents add, little by little, to the sense that the station is a place to be wary of late at night, not a place where bikes can be left, and so on. I think that CCTV cameras in the car park and in the environs of the station itself would act as a deterrent and increase safety.

Whittlesford and Heathfield by night

Last week saw three power cuts lasting over an hour on each occasion affecting the Station Road area of Whittlesford. Local residents are asking what EDF are doing about the Duxford substation, which seems to be the problem. And so am I.
Meanwhile, street lights in the Woburn Place area of Heathfield are out of action, making it awfi' dark down there, and I've been asked to help by someone who tripped over. Having taken a look, I'm not surprised. The county fixes the lights, and I've spoken to the very helpful Rachel in the County Council lighting engineers office, who need the go ahead from Thriplow Parish Council, who have to meet the cost. I'm checking with the Parish Council on what we need to do to bring the lights back on. Fiat lux!

Neighbourhood Policing

I attended the briefing from Sawston police team last Monday to listen to their update on the local crime situation and plans for the next few months, and to talk to them about our concerns, including vandalism at Whittlesford station, anti-social behavior late at night using cars and mopeds, and the need for parking enforcement.

I spoke to Inspector Savage who said they would work with British Transport Police to step up patrols round the station in the evenings, and assured us they will take action on people using vehicles for anti-social behaviour. British Transport Police confirmed to me that the number of incidents is rising and would support a move to have CCTV at this increasingly busy station.
I reported back to Whittlesford Parish Council, and we had a discussion about NeighbourhoodWatch, where people who want to get one going are not too sure how to go about it, or how much the police will help. I have spoken to the crime and disorder people at South Cambs who tell me that Community Support Officers have been tasked to help, so I am on the case with PC Iain Perry to find out more.
(And here is a pic of policing, Hong Kong style, from 25 years ago!)