Your District Councillor

Charlotte Cane Tel. 742509       e-mail ccane@cix.co.uk

District Council Notes (April / May 2002)

Unfortunately on Tuesday 2^nd April, when many people got their Council Tax bills, Capita’s switchboard was broken and callers couldn’t get through. The problem was fixed by the Wednesday, so I hope that none of you were severely inconvenienced. We have asked Capita to ensure that they have back-up plans if similar circumstances occur. On the subject of Council Tax, although East Cambs collects the Council Tax we only keep about 11 pence for every 1 pound that you pay. Most of your Council Tax – 76 pence in every 1 pound – goes to the County Council, 10 pence in every pound to the Police and 3 pence in every pound to the Parish Council.

The pressures of homelessness in East Cambs are steadily increasing. So moving people out of temporary accommodation into a permanent home has slowed down dramatically from an average stay in the hostel of 11 weeks up to 14 weeks. This has led to an increased use of bed and breakfast accommodation. It also highlights the pressure to build more new social housing. This year our housing association partners, with funding from East Cambs, have already completed 50 new homes and have more in the pipeline.

East Cambridgeshire kerbside recycling collection has broken the 2,000 tonne barrier of materials collected, this is an increase of 300 tonnes (16.5%) on last year. The biggest increase was in the last quarter up 101 tonnes (21%) on the previous quarter. The large increase was due to the amount of glass and cardboard collected after the Christmas and New Year holiday period. Just a reminder of the materials that are collected: Newspapers, Magazines, Junk Mail, Telephone Directories, Yellow Pages and Cardboard. Also collected are Cans and Glass, which need to be put into separate bags.

You will all have noticed that fly tipping is getting worse. Please can I remind you that Cleanaway will collect any bulky household items. Just ‘phone 01353 863864, and you will be given a day for collection. Or you can take items direct to a household recycling centre at Grunty Fen, Pools Road, Witchford, Ely; Milton, Butt Lane, Milton, Cambridge; or Newmarket, Depot Road, Newmarket. If you see anyone fly tipping you should never approach the person, but if possible take the registration number and report it to the Council on 01353 616335. An officer will always investigate and look for evidence and take photographs before removing any evidence found. If there is enough evidence, we report it directly to the Environmental Agency who have the powers to prosecute. If you want to report an abandoned car, please ring 01353 616283.

Local Agenda 21 has made enormous progress in promoting sustainability in East Cambridgeshire through policy and practical projects such as Ely's farmers' market. The LA21 Action Group, which has a membership of over 50 local people and organisations, aims to push forward sustainability in the district and works on issues such as transport and reducing rubbish. The group’s latest challenge is to make links with the emerging Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) and Community Plan. We rely on the local people who join this group to help us to improve the environment and the way we live in East Cambs. Please let me know if you would like to join the group and I will give you details of their future meetings.

One of the first meetings of East Cambridgeshire’s Shadow Local Strategic Partnership took place on Thursday 25^th April in ECDC’s Council Chamber. Over twenty key organisations, which work within the district, attended the meeting including the Police Authority, the Primary Care Trust, representatives from the voluntary and community sector as well as representatives from the private sector. One of the key tasks for the LSP will be to bring together existing strategies and action plans, which relate to the district, so that an over-arching community plan for the district can be developed. Subsequent meetings of the LSP will be held in September, December and March 2003 with the aim of establishing a formal LSP and a Community Plan for the District by June 2003.

As my second child is due in July, I have now stood down as Leader of the Council. My Deputy, Councillor Donald Adey also decided to stand down. The new Leader will be Councillor Valerie Leake, who represents the next door ward of Bottisham, and the new Deputy is Councillor Sheila Friend-Smith, who represents the Ely West ward. At the Council’s Annual meeting on 21^st May we will elect a new Council Chairman and Vice-Chairman, I will let you know who they are in August’s edition of ‘Out of Reach’.

The trial anti dog-fouling scheme undertaken in the villages of Little Downham and Haddenham has been a success. Veronica Avory our Dog Warden worked with the Parish Councils to locate the bins in area’s that have a dog-fouling problem. The Parish Councils buy the bins and the District Council empties the bins free of charge every week, sometimes twice depending on the location. We are now looking for more Parishes to join the scheme.

I shall be taking maternity leave from 15^th July through to the end of August. If you want to raise any queries or concerns about East Cambridgeshire District Council during that time please contact Caroline Coates on 01353 616354 and she will help.

Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat Councillor for the Swaffhams and Reach

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