Archive for category: News

Barton PC received the below regarding CCC Highways weeding policy and action required.

 

Dear Parish clerk and chair,

 

I am sure you have become aware recently of the dreadful state of our roads, pavements and cycleways due to weeds. This is entirely due to a change in policy the current joint administration forced through in February of this year. As part of that change they promised to engage with Parishes and Towns, but we have seen no evidence of that at all. The County Council have stopped all cyclic weedkilling (ie annual spraying) as well as spraying before laying new surfaces such as slurry on footpaths. Residents across the county have asked us what we can do about it and we (the Conservative group) will present a motion to full council on October 18^th. If you agree that the state of our roads, paths and cycleways are unacceptable and getting worse due to weeds there are two ways you can help.

 

1/           Please sign and circulate this petition, to show those in charge at County Council the will of the people on this matter. This is the link, https://shorturl.at/dkFTZ

2/           Please consider writing as a Parish or Town body to object to this current change in policy and ask for a reversal.

 

Please write in your own words or below is an example template you can use to personalise and alter to fit the wishes of your council as they see fit. At the end are the relevant people and officers you should consider including.

 

To Cambridgeshire County Council

 

Please accept this formal objection on behalf of insert name of council to the change in weedkilling policy the County Council implemented this year. Our roads, cycleways and footpaths are in a dreadful state due to the explosion of weeds since your policy change. This has an unacceptable detrimental effect on the look, usability, and cost of repair to our highways. Our residents are angry at how you have made our community look. Those who attempt active travel are angry at the state of the weed ridden paths they must dodge. We are deeply concerned at the effect this will have on flash flooding, as gulley’s and drains become blocked by weeds. We also are aware of the poisonous danger posed to horses by the rapid increase in Ragwort in our area.. As a council we cannot understand the short-sighted financial nature of this decision, as short-term gain will be overshadowed by future repair bills. We are further dismayed that the County Council would implement such a devastating cut to a vital service with no consultation (or no meaningful consultation) with our council. This blatant attempt at cost shunting onto our council is unacceptable.

 

We therefore call on those whose decision this was, the “Joint administration” to reverse their disastrous policy. *

We ask that the chief executive Stephen Moir, takes urgent action to remove weeds across the County. (ku.vo1781170230g.eri1781170230hsegd1781170230irbma1781170230c@rio1781170230m.neh1781170230pets1781170230)

We ask that the Chair of Highways, issues a public statement to reverse this dreadful decision and explain the immediate actions the County Council will be taking to address this. (ku.vo1781170230g.eri1781170230hsegd1781170230irbma1781170230c@tte1781170230kceb.1781170230xela1781170230 )

We ask the monitoring officer to investigate how a major cut to services was allowed take place without engagement with Town and Parish Councils. ku.vo1781170230g.eri1781170230hsegd1781170230irbma1781170230c@nac1781170230nud.a1781170230mme1781170230

 

*(The Joint Administration is a pact between Liberal Democrats, Labour and Independents, please copy in their leaders, lku.vo1781170230g.eri1781170230hsegd1781170230irbma1781170230c@ahg1781170230nisht1781170230en.yc1781170230u1781170230, ku.vo1781170230g.eri1781170230hsegd1781170230irbma1781170230c@ini1781170230hcsem1781170230.asil1781170230e1781170230, ku.vo1781170230g.eri1781170230hsegd1781170230irbma1781170230c@nos1781170230redna1781170230s.mot1781170230

 

Bin collection changes

Many residents will have changes to their bin collections from week starting 18 September 2023. This could be a change to the bin day or to which bins are collected on a particular week. Bins may also be emptied earlier or later than they are now, so all bins need to be out by 6am on your collection day. The frequency of collections will not change. If your bin collections are due to change, you will receive a letter in the post. You can find out more and check when your collections will be at www.scambs.gov.uk/binchanges.

No, we’re not making it up, quishing is the latest trend used by scammers to get to your hard-earned cash.

The scam uses fake QR codes on parking machines, charging points, even restaurant menus. Once scanned, you’re taken to a bogus website where you innocently input your details thinking you’re paying for a service, when in fact, you’re sharing all your personal details with the scammers.

Our fraud and cyber security advisor, Nigel Sutton, has this advice…

–  Check… if the QR is on a poster in a public area, always check whether it appears to have been stuck over the poster, window, billboard. If the sign or notice is laminated and the QR code is under the lamination or part of the original print, chances are it’s more likely to be genuine

–  If in doubt… download the app from the official Google or Apple store or search the website on your phone, rather than scanning a QR code to take you there. It may take longer, but it’s more secure

–  Trust your instincts… if something doesn’t seem right, don’t share your details

We wanted to raise awareness about a concerning trend in Cambridgeshire – an increase in moped thefts. While our team is working persistently to catch those responsible, we believe it’s essential to support our community to take preventive measures to keep your mopeds safe and secure.

 

While we appreciate not everyone may have a moped or motorcycle, we would be really appreciative if you could share this information with anyone you know who might find it useful, but also be on the lookout for any suspicious activity and report it to us straight away – including anything you might capture on things such as video doorbells or home CCTV.

 

Here are some simple yet effective tips 👇

 

• Use a sturdy lock! 🔒 Consider using a disc lock for your front brake disc, or a grip lock to secure the brake and throttle controls.
• Park wisely! 🧠 Consider parking in well-lit areas with high foot traffic. Or if you’re parking at home, park in your garage or shed if you’re fortunate enough to have one! Remember to always remove your keys too!
• Invest in an alarm system! 🚨 Protect and trace your vehicle with a Thatcham-rated 1 or 2 alarm system equipped with tracking, immobilization, anti-grab, and movement sensors.
• Cover up! 👍 Instantly make your moped less attractive to thieves by using a cover. It also adds an extra obstacle, making theft more challenging. For an extensive range of security products approved by the police, visit www.securedbydesign.com/member-companies/accredited-product-search.

 

If you want more valuable tips and resources, feel free to visit our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3OAWgog

 

We take moped theft very seriously, and we’re dedicated to preventing it. However, we need your help too.

 

By following these tips, you can significantly reduce the chances of thieves targeting your ride. Let’s work together to ride safe and keep our mopeds secure 🛵

 

Kind regards,

Detective Inspector, Juliet Heald