Vulcan - farewell

 

Well its been and gone.  If you had your big thick ear muffs on a few Saturdays ago you missed it. Though they would have needed to be pretty thick to keep out the vulcan howl. Next year is the last chance to see Big Bird somewhere and the following link might help vulcantothesky.org

Big Bird over Broad Green

Police beat

Police reports are copied in below. Readers should note that parish councillors last night reported at least two serious incidents (details not fully confirmed) that are not in this report. We are writing to the local inspector asking why these have been left out.

21st September – Criminal damage has occurred at the recreation ground in Cranfield whereby graffiti has been carried out on the shelter.  This graffiti is permanent and will not wash off.  There is no cctv and no witnesses.

27th September – Wood End Road, Cranfield.  Power tools were stolen from an outbuilding at the location.  There is no cctv and no witnesses.  A crime prevention visit was offered but this was declined.

1st October – Cranfield University.  At a work place location at the university a passport and driving licence have been stolen.  The items were left out on a desk and there were many visitors during the day.  There was no cctv and no witnesses.

6th October – Mill Road, Cranfield.  A burglary occurred at the location in which a jemmy was used on the wooden front door.  Numerous high value electrical items were stolen.  House to house enquires were carried out but there were no witnesses and no cctv.

6th October –Washingleys, Cranfield.  A burglary occurred at the location in which entrance was gained by an insecure gate and insecure kitchen door.  A lap top was stolen.  House to house enquiries were carried out but again no witnesses and no cctv.

10th October – Lincroft, Cranfield.  Theft from a rented property in which the tenant left the property but had removed the hot water cylinder tank in the airing cupboard.  On-going investigations are being carried out.

15th October – Theft from Budgens in which a large amount of alcohol was taken.  There was no cctv and no witnesses.

Anti-Social Behaviour Incidents

22nd September – Noise nuisance following a party at Cranfield Football Club.  No action taken.

27th September – Holywell Road, nuisance motorcyclists at location.  Officers attended the scene and there was no trace of the bikes.

28th September – Flitt Leys, parking obstructions were reported with residents having problems getting their vehicles out.  Officers attended the scene and on his arrival there were no obstructions.

9th October – Cranfield Lower School, incident was reported of dangerous driving in the location of the school.  Details were taken from all parties and the matter was dealt with by restorative justice.

11th October – Lincroft, Cranfield.  Reports of a vehicle that may have been abandoned.  Vehicle was checked out and all in order.  Registered to a local owner.

11th October – Millards Close, Cranfield.  Reports of on-going neighbour dispute.  Both parties visited and no further incidents reported.
 

A night at the movies

Andrew Pearson writes; The Manor House Music will be preforming as a quartet at Cranfield for an evening of movie themes on 10th November 2012 starting at 7.45pm. Tickets are £10 (£5 for students) which includes a glass of wine or a soft drink.

They are a small pool of chamber musicians who play together as a quartet. The various members also play with the country's leading orchestras - including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic, the Philharmonia Orchestra and the Academy of St Martins in the Fields. They play and record with many other chamber ensembles, individually touring across the globe and appearing in many classical and film soundtrack recordings. http://www.manorhousemusic.co.uk/

Henry Chilver

On behalf of the Parish Council i attended the Memorial Event at the university for the former VC Lord Chilver. I heard a lot about Henry in my early days In Cranfield from a friend on the parish council and my other half who both worked at the uni. Opinions will vary about his style and legacy. I was struck however that there was only on brief mention from several speakers of Cranfield village - a reference by Henry's son John to Mrs Goodfellow who provided daily help at Cayley Lodge. Nice that. Oh and to Mrs Hatton from North Crawley who also lent support.

But apart from that nothing. The result was, I believe, a long period of estrangement  between the village and the Campus made worse by the very (at the time) busy airfield.  Unskilled parachutists landing in your back garden didn't help relations.

Do I know you?

Cllr Alan Bastable worked hard to build some bridges and he was responsible for setting up the airfield (now the university) liaison group between CU and the parish council. That helped.

But we are indebted to the present Vice Chancellor Sir John O'Reilly  who has been very pro-active in relations with the PC. He has presented to the PC, and personally given us a guided tour of the campus.

I bet not many people in Cranfield know that in the early 1950s the then principal of the College of Aeronautics was actually on the Parish Council.

Traffic calming

First things first. Traffic calming always causes controversy and no two precept payers will agree on what they like or don't like. An Amey rep visited Cranfield last week and met with parish council reps and issues were discussed. As far as we can see the features are being built according to spec which was thoroughly consulted on. Some people may not like having to wait while the bus loads up at the war memorial but it was all in the plan. Views are divided on whether the tables slow people down. Evening speed checks will be needed for that.

The biggest impact of the work at present is on Cranfield North End due to the closure of Mill Road. If you want to go through the village you have to drive along Crane Way and turn right at Bedford Road. This is almost impossible at busy times. Ive ended up going round the airfield.

It should be worth it though because Coop corner is one of the worst junctions I've ever lived near not made any easier by people who park unceremoniously on the bend. They know who they are.

Tables still to come in the High Street. Deep Joy as one of my regular readers would say.

Tales from Brummagem

I have written plenty about Amey and their lack of responsiveness. Hopefully by the time the traffic calming is all finished they will prove me and all the other critics wrong. I believe Cranfield's own great wall of China - the steeply rising table coming into the village from Marston Hill, has been adjusted. I'm also hoping that the build up of water around the centre of the village is a temporary feature. So members of the jury are still listening to the case and have still to retire to consider their verdict. Normally in a court of law you are not allowed to know about previous convictions. But here in the Court of Cranfield we want to know the whole story.

So, readers might appreciate this tale from one of the leafier parts of Birmingham concerning Amey no less. The lack of consultation is a familiar and worrying feature. 

You can read it on the Birmingham Post website. 

Life after digital

Things you learn: I hosted the Preen collection at the village hall this morning as their normal staff member had a health emergency. People would turn up with old style TVs with big fat backsides (the TVs that is) and say: "Do they take analogue?"

Well as a matter of fact they do but I wasn't sure why. Anyway, I spoke to Dan the Man from the Van about this and he pointed out that if there is scart socket capable of taking a digi box an old analogue TV is quite capable of chugging on in the digital age.

Does the electronics industry tell us this? Like hell they do - analogue is over they say, get a new telly quick. But it means that perfectly good kit goes to landfill or the crusher.


Good haul for Preen this morning both from home pick ups and in the village hall. Electronics and furnitiure. A big thank you once again to the VH management committee for making the hall available. A review of some of the items is below. Visit Preen on the web

Big H

WE are looking at quotes following a request  for one set of rugby posts to be erected in Broad Green to allow the area to be used for rugby practice. I think are open spaces should be available for as wide a range of recreation as possible as long as they don't clash.

What on earth is S106?

Parish councillors last night were strongly critical of government plans to offer developers scope to reduce what are called "section 106" agreements attached to new housing. These are aimed at helping  a community cope with the increasing demands imposed by large scale building.

For instance the Home Farm approval includes money and resources for education, health and transport in addition to a community building. Some people might say we could lose the community building (I'd say no) but the contributions for health and education are vital. 

So in the consultation going on at the moment about these proposals we are saying "Full 106". It isn't the bits and pieces of civic obligation that are holding up Persimmon but plain bad business practice and that is up to them to sort out.

On that, by the way, there is no news of "Persimmon-lite" a second planning application probably not involving the Goodman Land and Dension Land (which provides the access to Court Road.) Watch this space...patiently LOL

You can comment on material on the blog by attaching a comment, below. Alternatively you can email me directly on cranfield1985@gmail.com 
I sometimes share these comments (anonymised) on the blog. 

Traffic calming

A parishioner writes about the traffic calming:

After reading your article in the Cranfield Express I would like to give you some feedback regarding the roadworks at the junction of Crane Way and Bedford Road. 

I think that the traffic calming measures are a good thing but they have made a bit of a mess of the pedestrian crossing. When crossing Crane Way at the junction in the past, there were lowered kerb stones on both sides of the road. 

As part of the roadworks they have raised the kerb stone on one side! This means that anyone with a buggy or wheelchair has to either bump down onto the road or do a detour to get across. 

This change was totally unnecessary and I can only imagine it was a mistake as they seem to have catered for pedestrians/buggies/wheelchairs at all of the other junctions they have adapted.

Millennium Park

Central Beds has checked the condition of the benches at Millennium Park. They have stated:


"Due to the condition of the benches, we will be removing the benches as soon as possible and replacing three of them, there may be a short delay between removal and replacement.

"In looking at the condition of the benches and considering future durability and up keep, it has been decided to replace the wooden benches with recycled plastic  including one with disable use considerations.
  
"Benefits of this are:

• Weather and decay resistant
• Vandal resistant
• Safety regarding children climbing on them.
• Can not be struck to make a loud noise annoying neighbours.
• Brown / black colour
• Cost and easy to install.
• Comfort to use in the British climate."

No doubt this will be up for discussion.

MUGA - sports facilities in the village

My proposals for 're-launching' the MUGA - to be discussed at parish council tonight

The multi-use Games Area funded as part of an original Mid Beds DC programme was opened in 2005 after several years searching for a site and then planning its development.

It is hosted by Holywell Middle School and historically was run by Cranfield Village Sports Association (CVSA) made up of reps from the parish council the district council, and its successor unitary authority, local sports groups and the school.

The school has exclusive use during school hours but other groups can use it outside these and in school holidays. Initially there was strong use, not just from Colts but netball and also tennis and some casual five aside.

However difficulties in management and a growing belief that the surface is unsuitable for young footballers has led to a decline in use.  In addition the CVSA is now not functioning.  Under the current school management there has been strong interest in working in partnership with other stakeholders and it is time to review the management and governance of the whole facility.

I would propose therefore:

1.     A site visit hosted with the agreement of the headteacher for CB councillors, PC reps and sports reps from the village – especially the Colts

2.     The clerk to write to CBC to establish how they see their “stake” in the facility being represented and enhanced.

3.     The treasurer to supply the PC with an up to date set of accounts, details of bank account and identities of trustees and signatories.

4.     The headteacher to provide a brief summary of his own thoughts on the potential development of the MUGA and how this will integrate with the school infrastructure

5.     A special one-off meeting of PC, CBC, sports reps and school reps to identify

·       A sustainable governance structure

·      A practical booking facility and costs

·      Regular grounds maintenance timetable

·      An achievable set of improvements and pathway towards them