Road Works in Barton

Reminder that resurfacing work will take place on Kings Grove next week. This will be similar to the work on Comberton Road. Access to Kings Grove will be limited and controlled by the Highways team. There will be a period when no traffic will be allowed on the road during surface spraying and surface laying, so please liaise with the workforce and plan accordingly. (Note that resins are used that can damage tyres and paintwork, so you would not want to drive on the new surface until you are allowed to by the team.)

You will also see advanced warning signs for Greenways works starting 22 April. Milestone are the contractors and they will set up a compound on the recreation ground carpark for the duration. Most of the Barton works will be similar to those in Comberton last year and will last about 19 weeks which is end of August beginning of September.

The gifts, the hidden phone and the headteacher

We were contacted by a concerned mum recently who was worried her daughter was being groomed or exploited.

The woman from Huntingdonshire said she had seen an increase in her daughter’s phone use and she had received mysterious gifts – including phones and designer goods. The teenager’s change in behaviour had become more intense and she was being hostile when challenged.

Other calls include one from a worried dad in South Cambs, who discovered his 12-year-old daughter had been speaking to people online using a hidden phone, and a headteacher in Fenland who said a boy had confided in him that he was being exploited to sell drugs by his friend.

Cases like these are flagged up to our dedicated Child Exploitation Hub every single week and our officers work hard to safeguard children, but we can’t do it alone. You may think children aren’t exploited where you live or it won’t happen to those you know – but these cases prove differently.

Do you know the signs to spot this Child Exploitation Awareness Day?

Please take the time to speak to your children, those you care for, or family and friends, about any concerns you have. One conversation could be a start towards making a real difference.

Concerns can also be reported to us, like the parents and headteacher did here. Find out more information about child exploitation on our dedicated web pages.

 

Black Mazda on Car Park

We urgently need to contact the owner of the black Mazda parked on the recreation ground car park close to the High Street fence. This area of the car park where it has been parked for a number of months is required for a temporary compound. If anyone knows who the owner is or how to contact them could they please let the Parish Council know.

Owner of Black Mazda Recreation Ground Car Park

Will the owner of the black Mazda parked on the recreation ground car park near the fence by the High Street please contact the Parish Council. Access to the area where it is parked is required in the near future.

2025 Barton Parish Plan: Share Your Voice!

As Barton and the surrounding county continue to evolve, we are committed to ensuring our own plans for the village reflect the needs and aspirations of all residents.

Last year we announced our intention to update our Village Plan for Barton, setting the vision for the next five years. To shape this plan, we are inviting all residents to participate in an online survey. This is your chance to share your needs, values, and ideas on what should be preserved within our community.

The Barton Parish Plan survey will be accepting submissions from the 10th March 2025 until 21st April 2025.

To complete the survey, please visit:  2025 Parish Plan 

Keep an eye out for updates on the village website and noticeboards around the village over the coming month. To assist those who would like some help with the online questionnaire, we will be holding drop-in sessions in the Village Hall on the following dates:

  • 21st March, 11am-1pm
  • 11th April, 11am-1pm

Your input is invaluable in shaping the future of our community. We look forward to hearing from you!

Barton Greenways Works to Start in April

The detailed plans and Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders (TTRO) are now available on the website. The works are due to start in April and last until August. These include alterations to junctions at Kings Grove, School Lane and High Street, and installation of raised tables, speed humps and a zebra crossing on New Road and Comberton Road. There will also be changes to speed limits. Work will also continue on Barton Road into Cambridge with temporary speed restrictions as the cycle path and pavement is widened.

 

 

Chimney Fires

There have been two chimney fires in Comberton last week with the cause being debris build-up in the stack. The fire service recommends have chimneys swept once a year if you have a regular fires.

Road Works Coming Up in Barton

There are more road works coming to Barton. Barton Greenways works will start in April. Firm dates will be posted nearer the time. These works are likely to cause significant disruption as they will take place along New Road, Comberton Road at the ends of Kings Grove, School Lane and High Street.

The other work likely to start in April is micro-surfacing of Kings Grove. This treatment is similar to the Comberton Road work and is weather dependent.

 

Police and Crime Commissioner News

Sexual Violence Awareness Week 2025: Supporting Survivors Across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

Sexual Violence Awareness Week, which runs from the 3rd – 9th February, serves as a reminder of the important work undertaken by our local services and charities in providing vital support for those affected by sexual abuse and violence.

The Police and Crime Commissioner is committed to tackling sexual abuse and violence within the county and supporting survivors, working alongside services that offer a range of support, from counselling and advocacy to practical support and crisis intervention.

This week, local organisations including Cambridge Rape Crisis, Peterborough Rape Crisis, Cambridge Women’s Aid, Peterborough Women’s Aid, and Cambridge Women’s Resources Centre, will be using social media and other platforms to educate, spread awareness, and highlight the resources available for those in need of support.

If you, or someone you know, is a survivor of sexual abuse or violence, help is available. The following organisations offer free, confidential support and accept self-referrals, meaning that anyone affected can reach out for support directly, without having to have made a report to the police:

Please visit the above websites to find out more about the services and support available in your area.

We encourage everyone to show their support for Sexual Violence Awareness Week by being aware of these resources and helping to break the silence surrounding sexual abuse and violence.

Let’s continue to stand alongside survivors and advocate for a safer future for all.

February: A Time for Love and Safety – Protecting Yourself from Abuse and Fraud

With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, February is often seen as a time when people celebrate their affection for one another through love and kindness. Unfortunately, this is not the case for everyone. Some abusers will use this time to increase their use of emotional and psychological manipulation, in order to further isolate and control their partner.

Some individuals may be embarking on a new relationship, and while the excitement of a first date should be thrilling, for some it can be a different story. If you find yourself on a date that feels unsafe, it is important to seek help immediately by calling 999.

Your safety should always be the priority.

Catfishing and Romance Fraud: Online Dangers You Should Know

In recent years, the rise of online dating has brought about new dangers, including catfishing and romance fraud.

  • Catfishing refers to when someone creates a fake online identity to trick you into believing you’re in a genuine friendship or romantic relationship. This often happens on social media platforms, dating apps, or even through messaging services.
  • Romance fraud, on the other hand, is a longer-term scam where perpetrators invest considerable time and effort into emotionally engineering their victims to gain their trust and then attempting to extract considerable funds or sensitive information.

As these scams have been on the rise in recent years, it remains crucial to be vigilant. If you’ve been a victim of catfishing or romance fraud, call 101 or 999 in an emergency.

Know that you are not alone and there is help available.

Accessing Support and Getting Help

If you have been victim of sexual abuse or violence, there is help available. The Victim and Witness Hub is a free confidential service which provides emotional and practical support to victims or witnesses to a crime in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, to help them cope and recover from the impact.

The Victim and Witness Hub supports all victims of crime, including those who don’t want to report their crime to the police. You can self-refer to the Hub by email or their freephone number, regardless of when the crime occurred.

The service is open to anyone living in Cambridgeshire who has been affected by a crime. This includes:

  • Victims
  • Bereaved relatives
  • Parents or guardians of victims under 18
  • Staff who are employed by a business that has been a victim of crime
  • Witnesses of crime

You can contact the Hub by calling: 0800 781 6818

Or for more information, visit their website at: Victim Services | Victim and Witness Hub

Don’t suffer in silence, help is just a click or call away.

Street Lights Changed to LED

As from 2nd January 2025 , Balfour Beatty will commence work on a county-wide LED replacement programme throughout Cambridgeshire.

This project represents a significant investment by Cambridgeshire County Council, with the intention of saving approximately 70% electricity consumption and carbon emissions, We will be replacing over 47,000 existing streetlights with new LED lights over 2 years, so approximately 2,000 lights will be replaced each month.

In general, you can expect the LEDs to be of equivalent brightness to the existing lights. We have carefully selected products to effectively light the road network to the required lighting standards. In Cambridgeshire, no specific lighting levels are required to be met for residential roads, so the new LEDs will as closely as possibly replicate the distribution of the existing lights. On traffic routes, the expectation is that the roads will appear to be better illuminated, however due to the way LEDs work and some innovative design work, the lights themselves should not appear to be any brighter, and in some cases may be less bright. I have attached a link below to our website where all information regarding the project can be found.

 

Planned Maintenance Areas 2023 | Lighting Cambridgeshire

 

While these works may not be favourable to all residents, we can only apologise for any inconvenience caused.