Charlotte Cane Tel. 742509
District Council Notes (Aug / Sept 2001)
| October / November 2001 |
Your District Councillor |
Charlotte Cane Tel. 742509 District Council Notes (Aug / Sept 2001) |
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Cambridgeshire Health Authority wants to merge the East Cambridgeshire Primary Care Group with the Fenland Primary Care Trust. This will mean that decisions about local health services, such as GPs and dentists would no longer be taken locally. I have not found anyone in the district who supports the Health Authority’s plans. And 97% of the GPs in the district have rejected a merger with Fenland. The Health Authority’s proposal were rejected at packed public meetings in Ely and Burwell in August. Local GPs and other health workers joined members of the public and East Cambridgeshire District Councillors in calling for local services to be run locally for local people. The majority of speakers wanted East Cambridgeshire to have its own Primary Care Trust, but failing that said it should merge with one of the Southern Trusts. East Cambs Councillors at the meetings said that some excellent work had been done by the East Cambs Primary Care Group, like the ‘Walk Tall, Don’t Fall’ campaign, to prevent falls by the elderly. And that it would be easier to build on the success of this work with a continuing East Cambs Primary Care Trust than with a merged organisation. Most people in East Cambridgeshire use Addenbrookes, Hinchingbrooke, Ely, Newmarket and the West Suffolk hospitals. Most people in Fenland use Peterborough, Kings Lynn, Doddington and Wisbech hospitals. It would be hard for a merged Fenland/East Cambridgeshire Trust to successfully work with so many organisations. The deadline for commenting to the Health Authority on this proposal is Wednesday 10th October. There is a postcard enclosed with Out of Reach, which you can sign and post to the Health Authority to let them know your views. Or you can sign a petition by calling me on 742509 and I’ll bring it round. Or you can write direct to Alan Burns, Chief Executive, Cambridgeshire Health Authority, Kingfisher House, Kingfisher Way, Hinchingbrooke Business Park, Huntingdon, Cambs, PE29 6FH. The decision will be made at the Health Authority’s board meeting on 17 October at 1.00 pm held in their headquarters in Huntingdon. This meeting is open to the public, if you would like an agenda please contact the Health Authority at the above address. The East Cambridgeshire Community Safety Partnership has published its Annual Report and would like people’s views. This is a partnership between several organisations, including the Police, County Council, District Council, East Cambridgeshire Primary Care Group and the Probation Service. It aims to work with people within East Cambridgeshire to reduce crime. If you would like to see the report, I have a copy or you can get a copy from Martin Blake, Corporate Strategy Manager, East Cambridgeshire District Council, The Grange, Nutholt Lane, Ely, CB7 4PL. The report shows that burglary and vehicle crime rose between 1999/2000 and 2000/2001. In 1999/2000 there were 192 burglaries, which rose to 202 in 2000/2001 (5.2%). Vehicle crime rose from 602 in 1999/2000 to 691 in 2000/2001 (14.8%). This was a very significant increase especially when set against falls in crime nation-wide. Across the UK burglary fell by 8% and vehicle crime by 7%. The Partnership was active in getting a grant from the government towards installing CCTV cameras in Soham and Ely. As well as covering the two town centres, these cameras will cover the public car parks. The cameras will be monitored 24 hours a day, so they should lead to a fall in vehicle crime once they are up and working. The Partnership has been going for two years during which it has worked with many people. For example, the Drug Action Team has tackled problems arising from the illegal use of drugs. The Domestic Violence Forum has sought to identify the extent of this crime, to support victims and to train people in how to work with victims of domestic violence. The Community Safety Partnership also have a fund that gives grants to help start community safety projects. This has helped fund several things including a Community Warden Service run by Age Concern, setting up a child contact centre and an initiative to re-build and expand Neighbourhood Watch. Fortunately crime rates in East Cambridgeshire are very low, so people do not need to fear crime. But for those few who are victims of crime it is very upsetting so it is important that we all work together to reduce the opportunities for criminals to act. There are several ways in which you can help the Community Safety Partnership to reduce crime in our area. Please complete the survey in the Annual Report, come to our Community Safety day on 20th October (details from Martin Blake) and support your Neighbourhood Watch. If you are part of a Group with an idea for reducing crime that needs some funding to get going, contact Martin Blake for details of applying for a Community Safety Partnership grant. My next Councillor’s Surgery will be at Swaffham Prior Village Hall on Thursday October 18th from 7.30-9.00 pm. These Surgeries are an opportunity for you to come and discuss any District Council matters with me and I also have a selection of leaflets giving information about Council services and Planning matters as well as a copy of the Local Plan. Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat Councillor for the Swaffhams and Reach |
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