Bassingbourn PC November 2021
County Councillor report
Covid: Cambridgeshire ‘Enhanced Response Area’ status
Unfortunately, Covid rates in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have been running so high that we are now an ‘Enhanced Response Area’ for tackling the Covid pandemic. Local NHS and GP services are severely stretched, as many people will have experienced personally – both as patients and as employees. We are now in a very serious situation, and this move by the Council and the Director of Public Health is both necessary and welcome.
Council meetings are being held virtually unless formal decision-making is required.
The new status runs at least through the first week in December. It allows the Council to push for additional support for rolling out vaccinations and encouraging face coverings and social distancing in crowded places.
More information here: https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/…/enhanced-response…
Thakeham and Local Plan ‘First Proposals’
As you know the Local Plan First Proposals do not include any new land in the general area identified by Thakeham for a South West Cambridge 25K home new town – apart from two sites in Melbourn totalling 140 new homes. As Nigel has reported, Site selection is based upon an overall framework of affordable housing, sustainability and water resource.
Please note that the public consultation on these First Proposals, which closes on 13 December, is also an opportunity for any new proposals to be added to the mix. Therefore, it’s important that any support for the First Proposals as currently outlined is voiced in the consultation feedback. https://www.greatercambridgeplanning.org/emerging-plans-and-guidance/greater-cambridge-local-plan/
Tower Close resurfacing
It’s good to report that our dedicated Local Highways Officer Simeon Carroll has managed to get Tower Close resurfacing onto a very competitive action list. Works are expected imminently.
Litlington Road path – siding out this week
Once again thanks to our Local Highways officers who have arranged for the overgrowing vegetation along the Litlington Road footway to be cut back in advance of the Bass Belle Ten Miler scheduled for late November. Siding out should happen this week.
Practical Solutions Group
The Bassingbourn PSG met virtually on November 4, hosted by BVC and joined by Mick Wakefield for the parish council (apologies to Julie Davis as the Google Meet link didn’t work for everyone), and representatives of the Barracks, Environment and Climate Action Groups, and County and District community development officers. It was good to compare notes and ideas for supporting young people in the community, including project funding streams. Next time we hope to book a time convenient for student leaders and the primary school.
Bassingbourn Barracks is looking for second-hand toys for a weekend playroom. This will shortly be put on social media (pending wording from Jon Ryan, welfare officer).
Half-hourly rail service to resume at village stations
Half-hourly train services will be restored for Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Stations from December 12 – where parking is considerably cheaper than at Royston.
Old North Road overhanging vegetation
I’ve asked the Local Highways Officers for assistance in getting the long length of overgrown trees between Swinnell Court and Bellevue Farm on the eastern side of the road cut back; this is being actively followed up with the private landowner.
LHI and Active Travel scheme
Thanks to Mike Hallett and Kirsty Carter for meeting County Council officers and me to discuss and suggest improvements to the County Council’s Active Travel scheme for Bassingbourn, which hopefully will form a bid for a government grant very soon. While there are obvious overlaps with the proposed LHI scheme (both include a 20MPH speed limit on routes to school), officers concur that there’s no reason not to pursue both applications, as neither one is guaranteed.
Anglian Water meeting and Bassingbourn
I recently met Anglian Water to discuss system capacity issues in our area. Key points arising:
- Treatment process at Bassingbourn Water Recycling Centre (thanks to Mike Hallett for the question): AW write, ‘I can confirm that there is no primary settlement on site, crude sewage passes directly from pumping stations into the activated sludge plant, which provides a secondary biological treatment (this is the “pasteurisation” which we discussed). The treated water then passes through two final settlement tanks where any excess solids are removed and the final effluent is discharged into the water course. This means that the water being discharged is fully treated to a very high standard, regularly monitored by us and reported to our regulator, the Environment Agency. We are not aware that the site has ever discharged untreated or partially treated sewage and the site has never had a regulatory sample failure. The site is fully compliant with its regulatory obligations under the discharge permit, granted by the EA. There are no concerns about capacity at these works.’
- Anglian Water welcomes supporting parish councils with regard to planning applications with significant implications on drainage.
- Anglian Water is working to anticipate the effects of climate change and the projection of high frequency severe rainfall events.
- Extra help: Anglian Water’s Priority Service Register is a free service that anyone can sign up to, should they need a little extra support of help. Customers can sign up on the Anglian Water website or through AW contact centres – it’s all here: https://www.anglianwater.co.uk/help-and-advice/water-care/priority-services/
The Unflushables – figure this needs as much advertising as possible!
Every year, Anglian Water clears around 40,000 blockages from our sewers alone. 80% of these blockages are completely avoidable but cause the more pollutions in the environment than anything else.
In the kitchen:
- Used water is the only thing you should put down your sink.
- Used cooking oil should never be poured down the sink. Instead recycle it, compost at home or wait until it is cool, pour into a plastic bottle with a lid, and take to a Household Waste Recycling Centre for recycling.
- Use kitchen towel to absorb cooled liquid fat from cooking pans and trays
- Leftovers, peelings and food scraps should never go down the sink. Use a sink strainer to stop them going down the plughole and empty into the bin or food waste bin. Peelings can be composted at home.
In the bathroom:
- The three ‘Ps’ (pee, poo and toilet paper) are the only things that should go down the loo.
- A bin is the best place for all your unflushable waste. Put one by the loo, so nobody’s tempted to flush rubbish.
- Put wipes, cotton wool, floss and cotton buds in the bin
- Use bags or toilet paper to discreetly dispose of sanitary products waste – again, in the bin
- Sink strainers are good at catching hair that could otherwise block the plughole in your shower or bath.
Reminder – Covid support available
- The Government has extended the financial payments available to help people self-isolate, until the end of next March. These payments support people who will lose income as a result of having to self-isolate and will struggle to pay their bills or buy food and essentials.
https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/coronavirus/coronaviruscovid-19-support-to-self-isolate
- A Household Support Fund (originally the Winter Support Grant) is now up and running – more information here: