In the year 2000/01 schools really will get a share of £2.3m new money. The increased budget for all services will be financed by government money, business rates, reserves and an increase in the County's share of Council Tax of 81%. The total Council Tax will still be well below the average of all counties.

A rumour apparently started in a Sunday tabloid is being circulated to Parish Councils warning them that the Government is considering abolishing them! The Deputy Prime Minister has responded by saying that Parish Councils" are an essential part of the structure of local democracy in our country and they will continue to play a vital in the life of our towns, villages and rural communities." I would rather believe the Government in this matter than the rumour-mongers. Newmarket and Exning councils recent arrival seem to me to add strength to Mr Prescott's stated attitude.

Rather more to the point is the undoubted potential threat to local Sub-POST OFFICES. .We know the Government intends to change the payment of pensions and benefits to an automatic credit transfer system in the year 2003. This change would mean payments through a bank at the expense of a local post office for those people like me who draw pensions or benefits at our village shop. You can imagine the storm of protest this has already raised among those people who are aware of these plans. Over the last years an average of 200 Post Offices have closed each year. You have only to remember REACH and SWAFFHAM PRIOR to recognise what I mean. Credit transfer could mean significant loss of business to those remaining - round here that is BURWELL,SWAFFHAM BULBECK,LODE and BOTTISHAM. My elected colleagues and I are mounting a campaign to save our Post

Offices and we hope we will get your support by signing petitions to this effect coming through your door or at the Post Office nearest to you. I hope to get support at Shire Hall soon and at EC DC we have already passed through a resolution on the 29th Feb. The Regional Lib-Dem conference at Ely took similar action a couple of weeks ago. Saving Post Offices is not. a party political issue for only one party but will be universally supported. Nether less, the Labour Government has been put under strong pressure by the opposition parties to think out the consequences of their plans and put forward additional measures to counter the bad effects so far foreseen. More news in the near future.

ROADS. The quarter million pounds to start the planning and design stage of the FORDHAM by-pass is most welcome. When built [2-3 years?] it will run from south of Fordham to the south end of the Soham by-pass running alongside the rail crossing the BURWELL -Fordham road.. The new cycle/foot path from the S.Cambs E.Cambs border beyond Douglas's car sales on the A1303 to the bottom of Bell Rd on the west side will now at last be built this year starting very soon. The rest of the path to Quy should follow before long just as soon as SCDC can make the money available. At LODE we shall get a proper path to connect Lode crossroads with ANGLESEA ABBEY. Lastly in this report, SWAFFHAM PRIOR will get it's path behind the lay by on Mill Hill this year also.