New Village Plan--need members for the team

Palmer Trust announcement--seeking Trustees

Annual Parish Meeting 2021 -- reports

Here are links to two versions of the reports and slides presented at the Annual Parish Meeting on 19 April. You can choose between either a PDF version (3.4 mb) or a Powerpoint version (6.6 mb).

http://www.whaddon.org/parish-council-files/APM-presentations/APM-slides-2021-web.pptx

http://www.whaddon.org/parish-council-files/APM-presentations/APM-slides-2021.pdf

There's a lot of information in there about what has been going on, so do please download these files and take a look.

Vaccination news

The following message from Orchard Surgery, Melbourn, was passed on by our County and District Councillors:

Our local vaccination hub in Royston started vaccinating our patients last week, focussing initially on patients over the age of 75. This week we have invited all those over the age of 70 to book an appointment.

If you are over 75 years old, a patient at Orchard Surgery, Melbourn, and haven't yet heard from us, please now contact us to arrange your appointment. If you have received a text message invitation, you can book through this. If you have received an invitation letter from the NHS, you also have the option to contact the phone number they give to arrange vaccination at one of the mass vaccination centres such as the Grafton Centre or Stevenage.

If you have an NHS letter please ring the number in the letter.

If you haven’t had a NHS letter please ring Orchard Surgery on 01763 260220

Whaddon: Latest Coronavirus Lockdown

Don’t forget that with the new Lockdown, if you need any support to get food,  your medication, help or advice, please contact one of your Parish Councillors below, or email coronavirus[at]whaddon.org, or email the Parish Clerk whaddonparishcclerk[at]outlook.com 

This may especially apply to those people who are judged to be ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ and will receive a letter from the NHS.

You can also put requests and questions into the Parish Council post box at the Village Hall, which we’ll check every few days.

Most of the local pharmacies will deliver your medication if you need regular supplies. Please contact your regular pharmacy or check on-line.

Your Parish Councillors

Bridge Street and Ridgeway Close

Anita Birch – 07748 908164  Email - anitabirch1[at]hotmail.co.uk
Deb Townsend – 07388 033616 Email - debtownsend2007[at]btinternet.com

Church Street, Town Farm Close and St. Mary’s Close

Joanne Hart – 01223 208009  Email - jev7459[at]btinternet.com
Nigel Strudwick – 01223 207434 Email - ncs3[at]cam.ac.uk

Meldreth Road

Will Elbourn – 01223 208955  Email – w.elbourn[at]btinternet.com

Tony Milton – 01223 207105 Email – asm27[at]cam.ac.uk

Cardiff Place, New Farm and Old North Road

Lee Ginger - 01763 262430  Email – lee.ginger[at]btinternet.com

Keep well, observe the rules and you’ll stay safe!

Whaddon Parish Council
7 January 2021

Whaddon: Coronavirus Community Response for Tier 4

With the news that South Cambridgeshire is to go into Tier 4 from Boxing Day, once again please remember that the Parish Council is your local Coronavirus Community Response team. Our advice, support and medication delivery role will resume for the time being. Hopefully, most people will have a supply of medication to get through the first part of this but if you are having any shopping difficulties, need advice or are unable to get your medication, please let one of us know.

This may especially apply to those people who are judged to be ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’.

If you do need support or advice, please contact one of your Parish Councillors  listed overleaf; or email the Whaddon Parish Clerk –  whaddonparishcclerk[at]outlook.com; or send an email to coronavirus[at]whaddon.org

 You can also pop requests and questions into the Parish Council post box on the side of the Village Hall, which will be checked every few days.

 Remember that most of the local pharmacies will deliver your medication if you need regular supplies. Orchard Surgery, Well Pharmacy (Melbourn), Tesco, Boots, Lloyds and Bassingbourn Pharmacy all provide this service. Please contact your regular pharmacy or check on-line.

Parish Council contacts

Bridge Street and Ridgeway Close

Anita Birch – 07748 908164  Email - anitabirch1[at]hotmail.co.uk
Deb Townsend – 07388 033616 Email - debtownsend2007[at]btinternet.com

Church Street, Town Farm Close and St. Mary’s Close

Joanne Hart – 01223 208009  Email - jev7459[at]btinternet.com
Nigel Strudwick – 01223 207434 Email - ncs3[at]cam.ac.uk

Meldreth Road

Will Elbourn – 01223 208955  Email – w.elbourn[at]btinternet.com

Tony Milton – 01223 207105 Email – asm27[at]cam.ac.uk

Cardiff Place, New Farm and Old North Road

Lee Ginger - 01763 262430  Email – lee.ginger[at]btinternet.com

Keep well and stay safe!

Whaddon Parish Council
24th December 2020

Coronavirus Community Response--November 2020

The Parish Council is in the process of distributing a note to every household in the village not on the email system. This is the text.

If you need further copies of the note for passing to others about whom you are concerned, a copy is available for download on the village web site.

---------------

With the new November Lockdown, please remember that Whaddon Parish Council is your local Coronavirus Community Response team. Our advice, support and medication delivery role will resume for the next month or so. Hopefully, most people will have a supply of medication to get through most of this period but if you are having any shopping difficulties, need advice or are unable to get your medication, please let one of us know.

This may especially apply to those people who are judged to be ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’, who will soon be getting an advice letter from the NHS.

If you do need support or advice, please contact one of your Parish Councillors listed overleaf; or email the Whaddon Parish Clerk – whaddonparishcclerk[at]outlook.com; or send an email to coronavirus[at]whaddon.org

You can also pop requests and questions into the Parish Council post box on the side of the Village Hall, which will be checked every few days.

Remember that most of the local pharmacies will deliver your medication if you need regular supplies. Orchard Surgery, Well Pharmacy (Melbourn), Tesco, Boots, Lloyds and Bassingbourn Pharmacy all provide this service. Please contact your regular pharmacy or check on-line.

The pharmacies have reported that they are now very busy, so for the next two weeks, please only collect your medication if you really need to.

Parish Council contacts

Bridge Street and Ridgeway Close
Anita Birch – 07748 908164
Email - anitabirch1[at]hotmail.co.uk

Deb Townsend – 07388 033616
Email - debtownsend2007[at]btinternet.com

Church Street, Town Farm Close and St. Mary’s Close
Joanne Hart – 01223 208009
Email - jev7459[at]btinternet.com

Nigel Strudwick – 01223 207434 Email - ncs3[at]cam.ac.uk

Meldreth Road
Will Elbourn – 01223 208955
Email – w.elbourn[at]btinternet.com

Tony Milton – 01223 207105 Email – asm27[at]cam.ac.uk

Cardiff Place, New Farm and Old North Road
Lee Ginger - 01763 262430
Email – lee.ginger[at]btinternet.com

Keep well and stay safe!
Whaddon Parish Council

Information regarding Coronavirus--March 2020

The Parish Council is in the process of distributing a letter to every household in the village. This is the text.

If you need further copies of the form/note for passing to others about whom you are concerned that is mentioned in this message, a copy is available for download on the village web site.

---------------

Things have moved on quickly and large-scale self-isolation is now a reality for many. I am writing an update to all villagers to give further reassurance and advice on how we can may be able to offer assistance.
 
All up to date information on the virus can be found on the Government NHS website (address below), which is full of advice and information:-
https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response.
 
Self-isolation – don’t be afraid to ask for assistance
We are already starting to see some villagers and families self-isolate and we must all be aware of our neighbours and the fact that they will not be able to leave their homes. Obviously the elderly and vulnerable will be especially hard hit as their advice is to self-isolate for a lengthy period. So please contact those that you may be concerned about now, either in person, by telephone or by popping the attached note through their door, with your contact details.
If you or they are not on the village email system, if possible, please join or get them to join. It is so much easier for us to contact everyone quickly by email.  Your details will be strictly managed by the Parish Council under the General Data Protection Regulations and will not be passed to anyone else. To be added, send an email to emaillist@whaddon.org.

If you may be in need of help, please either email us or contact one of your designated Whaddon Parish Councillors listed on your contact form.
If you can volunteer to give help or can keep in touch with to someone, please email us your details or contact your designated Parish Councillor

Village Hall and meetings
At present the hall remains open but the Village Hall Trust is following  government advice at all times. Many hall events have been cancelled or postponed however. All hall users will be expected to thoroughly clean surfaces and utensils in the kitchen with hot water and washing up liquid both before after any food preparation.
There will also be an increased hall cleaning regime and any volunteers who can assist with a rota for this would be most welcome. Please contact Anita Birch on 07748 908164.  
 
But if anyone feels unwell please do not attend any event or meeting in the Village Hall
 
The Whaddon Golf Centre is now closed until further notice.

Annual Parish Meeting in the Village Hall

Monday 15th April, Refreshments from 19:30; meeting starts at 20:00

Dear Villagers

I should like to invite you to the Annual Village Meeting to be held on Monday 15th March at 19:30. This is a general meeting where we talk about the work of the Parish Council as well as the District and County Councils. We shall also discuss other topics that affect the village as well as hear updates from the Village Hall Trust and the clubs and groups who are active within Whaddon.

Although it’s not a Parish Council Meeting, we invite everyone to ask questions of the Councillors, many of whom will be present, as well as to make suggestions and enquiries.

I look forward to seeing you on Monday evening, the 15th.

Regards

Lee Ginger
Chair Whaddon Parish Council

Agenda

1. Parish Council review
2. SCDC and County Councillor reports
3. Village sign
4. Telephone box replacement
5. Footpaths
6. Neighbourhood Watch/Speedwatch
7. Alfred John Palmer’s Trust
8. Website
9. Village Hall and Recreation Ground update

together with reports about activities

1. Q & A session  

Party In The Barn Success

The organisers of the Whaddon PITB 2018 are delighted to announce that the event made a fantastic profit of just over £2,000. A big thank you to all those 130+ party people that attended, the various volunteers, as well as the individuals and organisations that gave generous donations. A particular mention and thank you must go to DJ Steve Cross who provided his time and night club set up for free, and who made the evening an extra special party.

Thanks to the generosity of all concerned, the following organisations have received donations; Whaddon Village Hall & Recreational Ground Trust (£750), Whaddon Cricket Club (£500), Arthur Rank Hospice Charity (£250), Fertility Network UK (£250) and Leuka (£250).

Three "thank-you" letters from the non-village charities can be accessed here.

Changes to Mobile Library stops and timings

The pattern of stops for the CCC Mobile Library has changed. We are now visited on the third MONDAY of every month, but there is only one stop now, on Meldreth Road, and it's from 10:00 to 10:30.

The Village Calendar has been updated, as has the entry on the web site (under Cambridgeshire County Council).

The CCC page about Mobile Libraries is now at https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/libraries-leisure-&-culture/libraries/mobiles/

For Whaddon, go to https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/meldreth-road-whaddon/.

Thanks to Joan Pascoe for drawing this to the webmaster's attention.

Party in the Barn revived

The Party in the Barn, dormant for several years, is making a return. See graphic below for details of tickets.

PLEASE NOTE THAT WE ARE STILL ACCEPTING EMAIL VOTES ON THE SIGN.

If you haven't expressed your opinion before, do send any more votes/comments to ncs3[at]cam.ac.uk as soon as possible please.

The absence of the village sign is very obvious. Last year the sign was removed for investigation and possible repair, and the result was not good: the cracking etc in the wood rendered it beyond reasonable repair. This year the Parish Council has been looking towards getting a replacement.

David Grech has very kindly made a number of preliminary sketches of a possible new version. These have been whittled down by the Parish Council to three, and now it is up to the village to decide. On 14 October, 1 to 3 pm, we will be displaying the three final candidates in the village hall. The images will be printed in A1 format, so you can get some idea of what the signs might look like from a distance. The designs are also given below. Clicking on these images will give you a larger version.

The basis for the design is "Wheat Hill", the origin of the name for the village, and since the village church is at the highest point in the village, David has shown the tower at the top of the "hill". The other elements are of course ones that we tend to associate with the village, Whitsun (the oak leaf), the fountain in Bridge St (the pump), and the coprolite industry (symbolised by the dinosaur).

It has to be said that the designs include a dinosaur as before, even though recent research suggests that the coprolites that so figured in the 19th century history of Whaddon are now thought to be the remains of marine animals, and not these large reptiles...

Nigel Strudwick and Randall Scott

×

Version number one

×

Version number two

×

Version number three

From the latest e-bulletin from South Cambridgeshire District Council

South Cambridgeshire District Council is changing the way used paper is collected from residents for recycling.

From 11 December, residents won’t need to use their caddies to recycle paper anymore.

From that date, residents should place their used paper directly into their blue wheelie bins instead. This used paper will still be recycled after being sorted from other materials at our facility near Waterbeach.

Residents can keep their caddy to use for anything they like. Alternatively, they can be recycled by being dropped off at the nearest household waste recycling centre. They should not be placed into wheelie bins.

The decision to withdraw the paper caddy service was taken at South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Cabinet meeting in September. The decision will save taxpayers money and simplify the recycling process for residents.

Because of this upcoming change, the District Council will not be delivering any new paper caddies. If they are lost or stolen before 11 December, residents can begin putting paper in their blue bin.

More information can be found here: https://www.scambs.gov.uk/recycling

Villagers may have seen that the yellow cabinet for the defibrillator that the Parish Council has acquired has been installed at the Village Hall. I need to tell people that it is NOT yet operational. The device will need to be checked and the ambulance service informed so that its presence can go on the 999 database.

Once this process is satisfactorily completed, the Parish Council will provide every household in the village asap with full details of what to do should someone in the household be suspected of having a heart attack. The first thing will still be to ring 999.

Nigel Strudwick

Dear all,

Firstly, a huge thank you to you all for your superb efforts so far in raising awareness about the Boundary Review’s proposed parliamentary constituency changes. I was delighted to see so much representation from my southern villages on the Boundary Commission website.

The Consultation has now moved to phase 2. This is a 4 week period in which the Boundary Commission publish all feedback received and ask people to give their views on it (so asking people to comment on other people’s comments!).

On the Consultation website www.bce2018.org.uk, the Commission has separated feedback into comments (green dots) and counter proposals (yellow dots). I’ve attached a screen grab below to illustrate. During this phase it’s important to remember that Boundary Commission Guidance specifically asks people to take into account knock on effects to the region when commenting on proposals. Whilst it’s great to have representations that explain why your village doesn’t want to move, we need to show an awareness of how staying in South Cambs will affect the rest of the region.

With this in mind, I formulated a counter-proposal (yellow dot) that demonstrates how my southern villages can stay in South Cambs without affecting other areas adversely. The more support this proposal gets, the better chance of success.

If you want to stay as part of South Cambs please could you ask your villagers to log onto www.bce2018.org.uk, input my constituency office postcode of CB23 7QJ and show support for my yellow dot proposal by clicking on it and giving feedback? The consultation closes on 27th March.

I really don’t want to lose your important villages from my constituency.

Thank you for your help.

South Cambridgeshire District Council are changing the dates our dustbins are collected, from Friday to Wednesday, with effect from the end of February--so our first collection under the new schedule will be the black bin on Wednesday 1 March. The dustbin type will alternate every week from there on.

These changes are being made due to the need, as ever, to save money due to the government’s desire to cut back on money to local councils. Collections are now to be shared with Cambridge City Council, and the need to merge some routes that are close to the two area boundaries has been the driver of the change.

The SCDC web site has yet to be fully updated with the details, but you should all have received a flyer through the door recently.

At last it would appear that the future of Bassingbourn Barracks has been decided. The following is taken from a statement in Parliament yesterday, recorded in Hansard:

Heidi Allen (South Cambridgeshire) (Con)

I thank the Secretary of State very much for his statement. May I just clarify whether the barracks at Bassingbourn in my constituency, which has been closed for some time, will now receive personnel from Burgoyne barracks in 2019, RAF Henlow in 2019, Weathersfield in 2020 and Chilwell station in 2021? I understand that from an email that has just arrived on my phone. If that ?is the case, that is an enormous and very welcome uplift in the number of personnel at Bassingbourn. May I have a contact in the MOD, so that the local authority can start to plan education, schools, GP surgeries and so on?

Sir Michael Fallon

Yes. This is good news for Bassingbourn. I can confirm the gist of what my hon. Friend said. Bassingbourn will be one of the key receiver sites for some of the units that are now on the move. She said that she would like a contact in the Ministry of Defence, and I suggest that she contacts the Under-Secretary of State for Defence, my hon. Friend the Member for Milton Keynes North (Mark Lancaster).

Full Hansard report

As published in the August issue of the Whaddon News, a number of data recorders were placed around the village for a week in May. These data have now been analysed. Below are links to various PDF files giving the original report, and extended versions of the three analyses in the report.

• The Report
• Analysis of data by day and time
• Analysis of data by day and speed bands
• Analysis of data by day and time bands

A reminder that we shall be holding the Whaddon Annual Parish meeting on Monday 18th April 2016 at 19:30 for 20:00 in the Village Hall. It’s not a Parish Council meeting but will be chaired by myself. Light refreshments will be available and the agenda is as follows:

• Update from the PC
• SCDC Councillor reports
• Eternit housing proposal
• Neighbourhood Watch/Speedwatch
• Whaddon Archives
• Broadband
• Alfred John Palmer’s Trust
• WVH&RGT update together with reports about activities at the hall (Table Tennis, Cricket, coffee mornings and Mostly Gardening clubs)
• Questions & Answers

I look forward to seeing you there.

Lee Ginger

Chair, Whaddon Parish Council

Stay well this winter

In the past year as many of one in four residents in Cambridgeshire visited A&E when they could have used an alternative service or looked after themselves at home.

Each visit to A&E costs the local NHS £87, and that’s before any treatment is given. When you look at the figures, this costs the local NHS over £4million a year. In turn this is the equivalent cost of 677 hip replacements, or 287 liver transplants or 115 more dementia nurses.

Using A&E when you don’t need to can also have a knock-on effect to the rest of the hospital, as busy A&E departments resulted in 500 cancelled operations and procedures because a bed was no longer available, and longer waiting and referral times.

But you can help
· Stay healthy – get a flu vaccination if you are eligible
· Look after others – check on elderly friends, relatives and neighbours especially in spells of cold weather, help them to keep warm and have the medication they might need
· Be prepared – get your prescriptions in early before the holidays and see your pharmacist or GP for any issues you might be putting off
· Choose the right service – your local pharmacy can provide confidential, expert advice and treatment for a range of common illnesses and complaints, without having to wait for a GP appointment.

For help with finding local NHS services visit http://www.cambsandpeterboroughchoosewell.co.uk/

Cambridgeshire ACRE was commissioned to carry out a Housing Needs Survey in Whaddon Parish in March 2015. This survey was carried out on behalf of BPHA (a local Housing Association), South Cambridgeshire District Council and the Parish Council.

The document is now available on the village web site.

Whaddon Parish Council is looking for a new trustee for the Alfred John Palmer Trust.

Interested persons should download the full announcement.

What is the Alfred John Palmer's Trust?

The Trust was established in 1927 with an endowment from Mary Palmer’s will. Its original purpose was to purchase coal for distribution to poor widows of Whaddon Parish. More recently the remit has been widened to include financial assistance
with other forms of heating costs.

What would a Trustee do?

The Trustees are responsible for administering the Trust Fund itself. The Parish Council will also be asking them to review the terms of the Alfred John Palmer’s Trust and to make recommendations regarding its future. In particular the Trustees will be asked to consider if the original aim is still relevant today and whether the beneficiary group should be widened. The workload associated with these duties is not anticipated to be large. The Trustees currently meet annually although it may be necessary to hold a few additional meetings while the terms of the Trust are considered.

The Local Government Boundary Commission is opening a consultation on some proposed changes to the boundaries for Cambridgeshire with 2020 in mind. You can find the basic page here, along with a history of the changes, and opportunities to comment. It also includes interactive maps of the changes.

http://www.lgbce.org.uk/current-reviews/eastern/cambridgeshire/cambridgeshire-county-council

[Updated Jan 2017 to reflect the latest state of the page]

Annual Parish Meeting Monday 20th April at 7.30pm

Just a reminder that we shall be holding the Annual Whaddon Parish Meeting next Monday (20th).

It's not a Parish Council Meeting but will be chaired by myself. It's your chance to hear reports about the work of the Parish Council, District and County Councillors, Neighbourhood Watch, Speedwatch, The Palmer Trust and the Whaddon Village Hall and Recreation Ground Trust, as well as updates from a number of the regular clubs who use the hall and playing field.

There will be opportunities to discuss any points from the meeting.

The meeting will be held in the Village Hall and light refreshments will be available.

Best wishes

Lee Ginger
Chair, Parish Council

The recent high winds resulted in many wheelie bins being blown over and, on at least one occasion, a bin was blown on to the road in Church Street. A motorist trying to avoid the bin hit the curb resulting in the tyre having to be replaced. Potentially something worse could, of course, have happened.

This was raised at Monday's Parish Council meeting (13 Jan 14).

If your circumstances allow, please try to takes your bin(s) in as soon as possible after they have been emptied. If you are working perhaps you have a friendly neighbour who might help.

A new vicar has been appointed. Please go to the St Mary's web page for more information (link at top of page).

The following update regarding the search for a new vicar for St Mary's has been provided by the Archdeacon:

The Parish Representatives and Patronal Representatives met on Friday for interviews at Whaddon, and we hope to be able to make an announcement soon.;

Further to the news of the change in speed limits in November, here is the press release sent then to the local media about the change.

SPEED LIMIT REDUCTION IN WHADDON

Motorists driving through Whaddon will notice that the speed limit has been reduced from 40 to 30mph. Villagers have for many years sought to have the limit dropped but bureaucracy always got in the way. Faced with a high level of speeding commuter traffic cutting through Whaddon en-route to the Meldreth, Melbourn, the A10 and the A505, the village chose not to take this lying down. Two paths were seen as the way ahead: the first was to collect speed data using the Speedwatch monitoring system. Whaddon and Bassingbourn were the first local villages to use this equipment back in 2009 and in the intervening years the data collected has been invaluable in understanding both the scale and location of the speeding problem.  The second was to understand the rules and to identify the people at Cambridge County Council level who had influence on village speed limits. Finally, the government’s localism agenda has played a part by giving parish councils a greater say over their affairs  The local view is that while rules and regulations rightly have a continued role to play in traffic matters so does the people’s voice which, in the case of the change in Whaddon, has been clearly heard.

The new 30mph speed limit will probably come as a shock to the commuter traffic that cuts through Whaddon but the residents have no doubt that the change is a blessing. The hope now is that motorists will observe the 30mph. Certainly Whaddon’s Speedwatch team will be monitoring the situation.