Your County Councillor

COUNTY COUNCIL LETTER

November 2000

MID-NOVEMBER

Last month my optimism about early action on speeding in our villages ran away with my pen. The cold reality of limited money for traffic calming has resulted in the prospect of really effective action in Burwell slipping back by probably a year or two. All depends on Government grant and the latest signs are depressing.

What happened at the County Transport Committee meeting last month was that the Burwell scheme, guest mated at a cost of about £235.000, was placed fifteenth in the County priority list (second in the East Cambs. area). The decision was to do the first seven projects, so that would then put Burwell up seven places for. year 2002/3 provided no new schemes with better scores arose meantime. Tantalising and frustrating it may be but at least we are in. contention next time.

Meanwhile, in a minor key, there has been a quick response by the Police to my request for speed checks on the three main entry roads to Burwell and the results will be useful extra evidence. Better signs warning of walkers crossing have been put up either side of the Devil's Ditch. There has been a decision to introduce more speed cameras and these will be placed at places where the Police think they will do most good. We do not know where yet.

The "T" junction at the top of Bell Road, Bottisham is being altered to make it safer and work is in progress as I write.

I am still very hopeful of a new cycle path from Lode to Swaffham Bulbeck next year as this comes from a different fund.

I am also carrying out a cycling and walking to school survey with the help of the staff of Bottisham Village College.

Lastly, on this topic, I am negotiating with Shire Hall about the possibility of a cycle/foot/bridle :path around the railway bridge on the Swaffham Prior to Reach road. This is complicated because the Prospect Trust is also involved.

The Police have been mentioned already, so this is a suitable point to update you on recent news.

First of all Cambridgeshire is recruiting 11 police officers per month. This will rise to 16 when new training places become available. The rate of 11 per month sounds helpful but remember we lost 107 last year through natural wastage and the freeze on recruitment.

In addition the Government has announced £30m. in each of the next 3 years for policing rural areas (half that for the remaining 6 months of this financial year). Cambridgeshire's share is about £562.000. More news on that later.

Between April and July, 2000: 855 fewer crimes were reported (3.8% down on previous year).

1403 fewer domestic burglaries -16% down

241 more violent crimes - 10% up.

411 fewer recorded vehicle crimes 10% down

Overall, Cambridgeshire recorded eleven and a half thousand immediate response incidents, nearly nine out of ten were:-responded to within the target time in rural areas.

The cost of policing protests against the activities of Huntingdon Life Sciences has cost approx Elm. so far, as well as dragging away officers from other duties.

James Fitch