SCAN text Dec 2005
A very Merry Christmas to all our regular readers of this text-only version!
Front Cover:
Make Your Mind Up!
CALL TO THOSE WHO WANT A BMX / SKATE PARK
If you want somewhere in Stilton to do this (picture), come along to the Church Meeting Room on 21st December and have your say !
RIDING ON - STILTON RACERS WILL CARRY ON
PAPERBOY WANTED! - JOIN THE SCAN DELIVERY TEAM
POLICING SURVEY - GIVE YOUR VIEWS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF REGIONAL POLICING
BRICKS & WORKS - LOCAL GIRL’S MERCY MISSION TO SRI LANKA
CHRISTMAS (NUT)CRACKER - LIGHTHEARTED FUN !
The Parish Pump – Local News:
New deliverer needed!
Would YOU like to join the SCAN team of deliverers who defy the weather and fierce dogs (!) every month to make sure that SCAN gets through? We need someone to deliver SCAN in Oak Farm Close, starting as soon as possible. The copies are delivered to you each month. If you are ever unable to make your delivery (eg you are on holiday) we hope you can find a substitute, but if not we are able to make alternative arrangements for that month.If you are able to help please contact Olive Main (241206) or email:
Halloween
Anticipation turned out to be worse than the reality; there was some silly vandalism, and a sad attack on the decorations of young children. One family had grown their own pumpkins, only to find them stolen and smashed on the road. Other pumpkin lanterns suffered likewise, to the sorrow of their very young owners.
There seems to be an air of spitefulness in all this, which links up with the widespread removal of posters advertising village events. Even those informing people of the cancellation of the fireworks were removed within a short time. Somewhere in our community we have a small number of sad, disgruntled people.
A Damp Squib!
4:30pm on Sunday Nov 6th. Sinking into a sea of mud on the new playing field, rain lashing down, wind howling, there was only one decision - cancel the fireworks display. This was the advice of Kimbolton Fireworks who were to provide the display; only the night before they had had a serious incident at Wicksteed Park and were understandably cautious.
Thank you to everyone for your support and understanding. The Parish Council's insurers cancelled the premium, Kimbolton did not charge their cancellation fee and the generator hirers were also generous. The real sufferers were Leon (who had cancelled another 'gig' to be in Stilton) and the Guides and Scouts whose families will be eating burgers and rolls for many weeks.
We will be back in 2006, perhaps with a festival of music and fireworks to inaugurate the field. Also, we have booked Saturday Nov 4th so that we can postpone until Sunday 5th if we have to.
Christmas Refuse Collection
In case you didn’t receive your Newsletter from HDC, you can now put kitchen waste in your garden bin. This includes ALL food waste - even the turkey! But please wrap it up in old newspaper to stop your bin smelling. This new facility is the result of significant investment in high-temperature composting to kill off harmful bacteria.
This year, for the first time, all three bins will be collected as normal over the Christmas break (see box-out below for dates). So work off the plum pudding with some healthy exercise in the garden!
Your old Christmas tree can be chopped up and put in the garden bin - otherwise leave it next to the bin. Just be sure to take ALL the tinsel and baubles off it first!
Regular Refuse Collection Bye Laws
If you use blue refuse sacks rather than wheelie bins, please note that your refuse should not be put outside your property before 8pm on the evening prior to collection, which starts at 6:30am on Mondays.
Village Maintenance
Stilton Parish Council "walked" the village one Sunday in October to list all the small jobs that need doing to maintain tidiness and safety. This list goes to both the County and District Councils, who generally make good such defects as and when they can. The consensus was that, at present, there is not a great deal to be done by the local authorities to improve our village.
Dog fouling remains an issue, but only individual dog owners behaving responsibly can solve that issue. Stopping nuisance car parking that causes inconvenience to neighbours and other road users is also up to each car owner. Property owners whose gardens border the footpaths are reminded that they are responsible for cutting back growth and weeds to keep the footpaths fully open.
The Parish Council is meeting with the District Council's tree officer to look at a planting scheme for the new playing field. In the long run the Council wants to complete the “avenue” of trees and street lighting leading up to the new field. There are also 2 or 3 dead trees to be replaced.
Fencing and hedging the school dyke and further fencing at Barn Close Play area both wait on the contractor. There are a number of road name signs needing replacement. The Parish Council is organizing weed killing in a number of areas and will repaint some of our property.
(Advert)
Stilton Over 60's wish everyone a Very Happy Christmas - and a thank you for all the support we receive throughout the year!
GREY BIN DAYS: Mon 12th & Tue 27th Dec
GARDEN BIN DAYS: Mon 5th & 19th Dec, Tue 3rd Jan
RECYCLING DAYS: Fri 2nd & 16th & Sat 31st Dec
Make Your Mind Up Time!
YOUTH FACILITIES IN STILTON by Cllr Peter Mitchell
The survey carried out last year showed that there was a lot of interest in a Skate Park or BMX Track and an all-weather Games Unit. Since then there have been a lot of meetings, with people from the District Council, Parish Council, Playing Field Committee, Youth Leaders and the like to discuss what can be done to provide something in the village.
TIME TO GET REAL
We have now reached a point, on the BMX/ Skate track, where we need to know more precisely what it is you would like. The cost of the facility will depend on what we put on it. Also, we will need the people who want to use it to raise 10% of the cost. The Parish Council have agreed in principle that we can have a site on the new playing field, the location to be defined later. There are some sources of funding whom we would like to contact but we need to have a more detailed plan to put before them.
COME AND TELL US
So this is an invitation for the YOUNG PEOPLE OF STILTON to come to a meeting to decide what it is you want. We expect to have someone from a local Skate Park/BMX Track company to give a talk about what is possible. There will also be Youth Leaders from the village, myself and a couple of people from the District Council. We will be there to answer any questions and to listen. Alison and Carol will run the meeting.
This is your chance to let us know what it is you want and how many of you want to be involved in fundraising so that we can really make this happen. Please, come along and have your say!
Let us know that you are coming, if you can, so that we can arrange places. If you can't be there, you can still let us know what you think; your contacts are:- Carol on 242389 and Alison on 242642.
NOT FORGOTTEN !
For those of you more interested in the Games Unit, this has not been forgotten but we still have some hurdles to cross before we can put a possible scheme to you.
Peter Mitchell
The advert:
Want a BMX / Skate Park in Stilton?
then
COME TO A MEETING
Wed 21st Dec 7pm Church Meeting Room
· Meet the right people
· Tell us what you want
· Find out what’s possible
· Ask questions
· Tell us how you can help
Don’t miss this chance to get what you want!
High Street Beat – Police Report
CRIMES 12th Oct - 8th Nov
· 1 attempted shed burglary
· 1 possession cannabis
· 1 theft of a bicycle
· 1 theft of a caravan (later recovered)
· 1 criminal damage to a vehicle
· 6 other calls for service whichwere not of public interest.
SCHOOL PARKING 7-11th Nov
Issues of school parking throughout the area were investigated and parents who parked in a dangerous or obstructive way warned. Anyone who persists will be ticketed. “Obstruction” means preventing someone in a wheelchair or with a pushchair from using the footpath.
STAY OFF THE YELLOW
This positive action coincided quite fortuitously with a complaint made to the police from Stilton. Problems of illegal parking in the centre of the village will also be tackled in the near future. Offenders parking on the yellow lines will be warned, and their numbers noted. If anyone persists in parking illegally they will be ticketed. BE WARNED!
NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICING TEAM
Over 30 people attended the meeting on Nov 17 at which Sgt.Shaun Ryan introduced our new policing team. He emphasized that their aim is to be accessible and visible. Visibility will be fostered by the regular patrols of both Wendy Ellis and Barry Chamberlain. They won't just be in their cars or in the police van, but also on foot and on their bicycles. They will maintain close links with “key stakeholders” - the Parish Council, local businesses, the school - but Sgt. Ryan pointed out that we are all stakeholders and we must keep in touch with our team. Report anything that concerns us, don’t turn a blind eye.
Beyond the Bounds
Have Your Say
YOUR CHANCE TO INFLUENCE POLICE POLICY
Police authorities have been told by the Home Office to consider options to replace single county forces with mergers of between three and six forces. An eastern regional co-ordination group has been set up to reach a consensus on the future shape of policing and report to the Home Office by Dec 5 (though there is likely to be further consultation.) As part of this study, people in Cambridgeshire have the chance to say which option they favour, whether they need more information, or whether they want the county's police force to stay as it is.
The preferred options for Cambs are:
· A regional Eastern Force comprising Cambs, Beds, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk
· Strategic forces including Cambs, Norfolk and Suffolk, or Cambs, Beds and Hertfordshire.
Cambridgeshire's Acting Chief Constable, Julie Spence, said: “It is crucial that the communities we serve make their views known. Cambridgeshire is set to become part of a much larger police force. That does not mean that community policing will change, particularly in this county where we put great value on partnership working at every level.
“It is vital that we hear the views of those we serve who can best judge the likely impact on their towns and villages of the strategic decisions we will be called upon to make.”
To make your views known, simply complete the form below and return it to: Have Your Say, Dept of Corporate Communications, Cambs Constabulary, Hinchingbrooke Park, Huntingdon PE29 6NP
Don’t be put off by the early deadline - just say your piece!
(Note: on-line readers can go to: www.cambs.police.uk/haveyoursay/ to make your views known.)
(Advert)
St Mary Magdalene, Stilton - Wednesday Worship at Lunchtime
Holy Communion followed by a soup & bread lunch
Every 3rd Wednesday in the month 12:30 - 1:30pm
Dec 21st
Break the bread of fellowship with us in tranquil surroundings
Contacting our Local Police
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU...
Yaxley Office: 1 Queen Street Yaxley PE7 3JE
Call 0845 456 4564 and ask for the Yaxley office:
Ext: 4162: Yaxley Neighbourhood Policing Team Sgt. Shaun Ryan
Ext: 4171: Yaxley NPT Community Officers (Voice mail facility)
Stilton and Villages:
PC Wendy Ellis: 07753 577 502 (mobile)
PCSO Barry Chamberlain: 07921 094 828
Yaxley and Villages:
PC Sue Walker: 07889 499066
PCSO Gill Goodfellow: 07921 094814
email:- any of the community team using the following example format:
(Advert)
‘Contact’ - Worship together in our parishes
Opportunities for sharing themes and visiting speakers, as well as sharing together our worship gifts. As we have a variety of tastes there will be a variety of styles and formats, with the services at Stilton usually giving us a chance to share together in Holy Communion.
Also in term time there will be Sunday Adventurers.
Come and join us - invite a friend!
Bookworm – Library News
On Report
LIBRARY PERFORMANCE REPORT NOW AVAILABLE
READ ALL ABOUT IT !
We now have available to view at the Library a copy of the Library Profile for 2004/2005. This gives you a detailed report about Yaxley Library. It is intended also to give a rounded view of how each library in the service is performing in relation to others of a similar size within the authority. Do come in and read about how your library has been doing this past year.
GRAB A BYTE
The Library now offers a computer course called First Time Online. This is a FREE course designed to help you check your skills and find the best learning route for your needs. To find out more about this course, or to book a place, please come in and speak to any member of staff or telephone Matthew Hall on 07766 510217 or 01480 376140 for more information.
THE HIT PARADE
“Top Ten Titles on Request Nov 2005” is a list of Adult titles which have been requested during November. All these are available and you can request them from our catalogue.
1 P.D James - The Lighthouse
2 Alan Bennett - Untold Stories
3 Patricia Cornwell - Predator
4 James Patterson - Mary Mary
5 Nicci French - Catch me when I fall
6 Minette Walters - The devil's feather