25 years of the Cranfield Trust

The work of the Cranfield Trust is probably more relevant than ever at the moment. It is 25 years old this year and its  600 volunteers are professionals from the commercial sector who donate their time and expertise to help charities with management issues.  

I was particularly struck by the offer of support in the context of the current economic melt down and the impact on many charities that have seen public funding support slashed - despite doing vital work. 

The volunteers mentor and advise, helping local charities to develop new skills as they work through processes such as writing a business plan, or offering guidance on, say, IT, finance or human resources.  The Trust also has a network of regional project managers to work with charities identifying individual needs, ensuring that projects are unique and meet specific requirements. 


The Trust's website states:

Alongside the rest of the voluntary sector, we are preparing for the impact of public sector spending cuts as they start to come through. Working with over 200 non-profits a year, we have already seen a wide range of problems as a result of the recession, and know that many voluntary sector organisations will face tough challenges as spending cuts start to bite.


If you are struggling with any of the following:
   • Managing cash flow
   • Forecasting and scenario planning
   • Setting appropriate performance indicators
   • Reviewing strategy and business plans
   • Retaining and managing staff resources
   • Facilitating merger or collaboration talks

Then call us right now to arrange for free, professional support on  0844 8003390.


Find out  about free consultancy services for the charity and not-for-profit sector.  

We can help you act decisively to manage key areas of concern and ensure you still reach the people that need you most. Our highly skilled, business volunteers bring a fresh perspective and seasoned eye to tackling short term issues that will help provide long term stability.

Police cadets

Interested in Beds police cadets?  Catch up on 26 February - see below from Beds Police facebook page

Unfortunately, the Bedfordshire Police Cadet Information Evening due to be held this evening has been postponed. The evening has been rescheduled for Tuesday 26th February, 6:30pm at Beds Police HQ, Woburn Road, Kempston, MK43 9AX. We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused.

Due to the high level of interest, places are currently limited. To book your place in advance or if you would like any further information please contact the Recruiting department on: 01234 842398.

The new front line

Check out this report in Beds on Sunday online for information on Bedfordshire Police's new budget which Police and Crime Commissioner Ollie Martins says will protect our frontline PCSOs. That's police community support officers who are what you see on the streets, in the schools and in the shops these days. They are the new front line. 

I'll be joining other town and parish councillors on 21 Feb to hear Ollie Martins outline his vision for the future. I'm hoping the new budget means we can step back from suggestions of parishes "funding" a PCSO as I've never been convinced that will work. The price of retaining PCSOs, who used to be centrally funded, is an increase in the police precept bringing in an extra half million pounds in revenue.

This money will be used out there, on the streets and in the community and sounds a bargain.

More CBC feedback

Some further feedback from Sustainable Communities at CBC:

They say the Development Brief will be referred back to Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 6th March. If the Development Brief is endorsed and recommended to the Executive Committee it will be considered on 19th March. The Executive Committee will consider whether to adopt the document as technical planning guidance, meaning that it will be a consideration for any future planning applications for the site.

The officer adds: "We appreciate your comments regarding the importance of Council departments acting together, rather than as separate sections. I can assure you that Central Bedfordshire Council Planning and Children's Services are fully coordinated with one another, working closely throughout the planning process."

Wind energy and rights of way

Interesting comment from a parishioner who has been in contact about rights of way and wind turbines. His (anonymised) submission to FCC is below.




I have learned that the airfield has dropped its objection to the wind farm on the grounds that it might interfere with a future radar service. I expect that has been shelved indefinitely, given the decline of airfield traffic & the non-appearance so far, of the much-desired business-jet traffic. They are, however, objecting on some other operational grounds, though one of the FCC staff told me that they thought that they had covered all possible aviation issues with the CAA/NATS beforehand.

The CBC RoW team have effectively objected to the placement of the turbines close to existing RoWs, my missive merely serves to add to that argument. I also know that SUSTRANS who paid for the National Cycle Route 51 (this has been redirected down Rectory Road since about 2009 owing to washaway near Holcot Wood) and the British Horse Society are also in the loop as they also have clear interests regarding placement of turbines and/or redirection of routes needed by the latter.

FYI the Cycle Route 51 is about to get restored to its former glory with an injection of cash from CBC or SUSTRANS (I'm not sure which).

I

Famous last words

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Next Wednesday there will a presentation by Tom Ashley, Turnberry Planning Limited relating to 1 – 2 High Street, Cranfield, before the parish council meeting. 

The innocuously named "1 and 2" refer of course to two longstanding eye sores just as you enter the village from the south. These houses have been derelict for as long as I can remember and pleas to the university (the owner) to do something have always come to naught. At one point the PC offered to fund landscaping and tree screening if the uni wouldn't knock them down. 

Now they are to be demolished to make way for about 20 odd houses to be built as part of the site allocation programme. This is the same document that allocated 135 houses "and a school" to Central Motors at the other end of the village. 

Surely this housing development will be straightforward?  Famous last words

Polite response

Polite response from Mr Alderson's PA acknowledging my letter. I expect that's all I'll get for now as they know I'll blog the response in the interests of open government and informed debate.


I acknowledge receipt of your email to Gary Alderson, Director of Sustainable Communities, in respect of the Development Brief for the   "Central Motors" site, 135 houses plus a school,  off Flitt Leys Close in  Cranfield.  I can advise that the Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny meeting will take place on 6th March 2013 and the Executive meeting will take place on 19th March 2013.

Please be assured that officers from both Planning and Children's Services are working together towards a satisfactory outcome.

Consultation on wind energy

We understand it's still not too late. The closing date for responding to the Consultation questionnaire for the CBC guidance note on wind energy development was today but I believe that submissions will still be read and taken account of. Peter Gardner who came to the Parish Council meeting last week has kindly provided a word doc which can be filled in and emailed to CBC. He points out that the one on the council's website is a pdf file that cannot be filled in on-line. I.e you print it off and post it (or maybe fax if you have that niche technology.)

For a copy email Peter at peter.gardner@indecon.co.uk

Don't forget FCC are coming to the parish council meeting on Wed 6 March  and the Parish Council surgery will be looking at wind energy the following week 13 March.

Cranfield 1930 - historic

Cranfield Lower School, Spring 1930. Another gem from the Lord archive.They all seem well turned out but I don't know if this was special because the photographer was coming. The real gold dust is overleaf (see below). All the names have been written in offering a great opportunity for family genealogists.

Traffic management scheme in Court Road?

I think some direct appeal to decision makers is needed over the Flitt Leys Close proposals. I have written to the head of Central Beds Sustainable Communities  (planning in pounds, shillings and pence)below
 






Dear Mr Alderson:
I am writing in a personal capacity as a Cranfield Parish Councillor and as a resident of the village. You will be aware that the 17 January Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee's approval of the development brief for the "Central Motors" site, 135 houses plus a school,  off Flitt Leys Close in  Cranfield is highly controversial.
I attended the meeting and heard a mixture of incredulity and scathing criticism from members. My fellow parish councillor Roger Baker addressed the committee and pointed out the "frenzied jostling" for parking and drop off points that already takes place outside the current lower school (Cranfield Church of England Academy) site in Court Road. Despite this, the committee subsequently approved the brief following an amendment proposed by ward councillor Ken Matthews that a traffic management scheme should be introduced in the event of an application for a school. We heard assurances from officers that this was practicable along with the possibility of allocated parking spaces for Flitt Leys residents authorising parking on the footpath ("on-off" parking). You will; be aware that a proposed health centre will also use Flitt Leys as an access.

This news has been met with consternation in Cranfield. I am not surprised, therefore, to learn that the Central Beds Council Executive has sent the proposal back to Suscomms OSC for a second look. One of our ward councillors, at last week's parish council, explained that this had occurred because there was confusion about whether members were voting  for a "school"  or a "school site".
Personally I cannot see what difference this will make. I hope officers will reconsider their earlier advice and remove the school from the development brief. The only feasible outcome of a second look is to reject the development brief if it contains provision for a school or site without alternative access.
Then Central Beds; Learning and Children Services needs to take a step back and start thinking about the desperate needs of the Academy; for expansion on-site or relocation. Sooner or later Cranfield will host another 500 plus houses with a significant impact on school places. We need a strategic plan with different arms of the council (planning and education) talking to each other. The Academy needs  a range of relocation options which factor in accessibility. Neither the school nor the community needs a major public service for small children  with a single access  through a narrow residential corridor.

And, in the meantime, perhaps we could have a traffic management scheme introduced to Court Road to show how effective this is, as a solution.

Education in Cranfield

Looks like some forward planning here  from CBC - see below. There are nine  principles for the provision of new school places. The press release doesn't state them all so I am hoping that siting school places in accessible locations is among them. Cranfield desperately needs a strategic plan for education instead of the present ad hoc, stop-stop (stop-go would be an improvement) system.

I had to dig this info out of the CBC website because when the CBC email link opened it was just a page about school admissions.  Useful and worthy but not what was on the tin. Just call me Bill Gates.








Policy principles for how the council will provide new school places to meet the needs of the growing local population were approved by councillors today (Tuesday 5 February) at a meeting of the council's Executive.

With approximately 2,100 new homes being built each year, for the next five years, an estimated 6,000 extra pupils will need a school place. The set of nine guiding principles approved by councillors today, will guide the council when it comes to making decisions about how best to meet this increase in demand. Further consultation will be undertaken on specific proposals, whether the new places are provided by creating a new school, by expanding a council school or an Academy.

The nine principles cover things like providing local schools for local children, supporting the expansion of successful and popular schools and ensuring schools are the right size to be financially and educationally stable. The principles are in line with the council's wider educational vision to increase parental choice, raise standards and help every child reach their potential.

In addition to approving these plans, councillors also reaffirmed their support for the council's School Organisation Plan, which will see more than £ 100 million spent on building and extending schools over the next five years.

Speaking after Executive, Cllr Mark Versallion, Executive Member for Children's Services, said:

"We will be investing heavily in new school places over the next five years, and these principles will help us make the right decisions when it comes to meeting local demand. It will also ensure that the process is fair, transparent and easy to understand."

"Education in Central Bedfordshire is changing, but at the heart of everything that is happening is a commitment to improve the educational experience for all our children and young people. Anyone who wants to find out more about what's happening locally should go to our website. There's a wealth of information online, including two short videos which outline some of the reasons behind the changes. You can find out more on our website."

The requirement for a school

For the Cranoraks here are the full minutes of the discussion at CBC's Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 17 January. See my highlights where it refers to the the site being identified for a school at the last moment. We are still trying to drill down to where this last minute change came from. More to the point, if a school is not built, does that mean the land is available for housing? Who put the school in there?

We went through a lengthy site allocations process with the Parish Council eventually backing Central Motors over the airfield on the weight of numbers, three years ago. But there was never any question of a school going in there, at the time. See further below, the minutes of the Parish Council planning committee meeting from November 2009.

Agenda item - 17 January 2013

Land Rear of Central Garage, Cranfield, Development Brief

• Meeting of SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES OVERVIEW & SCRUTINY COMMITTEE, Thursday, 17 January 2013 10.00 a.m. (Item 79.)

To consider the draft Development Brief prior to consideration by the Executive for adoption as technical guidance for Development Management purposes.

Minutes:

The Head of Development Planning and Housing Strategy introduced a report that outlined the development brief for the Land Rear of Central Garage, Cranfield.  An additional paper was also circulated to the Committee that provided a response to several issues that had been highlighted at the Chairman’s Briefing.

In accordance with the public participation procedure a member of the public was invited to speak.  The speaker raised issues as Chair of Planning for Cranfield Parish Council including:-

·                    Development in Cranfield should be sustainable.

·                    Access to the proposed development site from Flitt Leys Close was insufficient.

·                    Access for residential cars.

·                    The proposed location of the school was unacceptable.

In addition to the issues raised by the speaker, Cllrs Matthews and Bastable raised the following additional concerns:-

·                    The potential unsuitability of the proposed school site subject to a survey that was being undertaken.  The delivery of a school on this site would create issues relating to access.  It was noted that the requirement for a school on this site had only been identified at the last minute.  The Development Brief was imperfect but it was the best possible option for this site if the school could not be located on the west side of the development.

·                    The importance of adequate staff parking being made available on the proposed health centre and school sites.  It was suggested that a lack of available parking would result in parents using the village hall car park or parking on the road.  The roads in the area were narrow and the development brief would make access more difficult.  It was noted that the NHS presently did not have the funding available to deliver a health centre. 

·                    Council policy stated that drop-off points would not be permitted outside of schools, a suitable traffic management scheme would be required however if a school were provided, otherwise access would be sub-standard.

·                    Although access through Flitt Leys Close was imperfect the proposed traffic management scheme did go some way to alleviate concerns.

In response to the issues raised by the public speaker and other Members the Committee discussed the following:-

·                    The possible inclusion of on/off residential parking bays during specified hours that would allow normal movement along the road and use of the footpath. Further guidance was provided to Members in relation to proposed access/ traffic management approaches. 

·                    Whether a development could commence in the knowledge that it could create problems, specifically in relation to access to a potential school.

·                    The principles of the Council’s adopted Parking Strategy relating to the number of parking spaces to be provided per dwelling which had been applied to the development brief.

·                    Problems relating to the readability of the maps contained in the development brief and it not being clear if those sections of text highlighted in red were to be included in the brief or omitted.  It was clarified that those comments highlighted in red were to be included in the development brief.

The Committee discussed the possibility of a school being provided on the site and the impact this would have on safe accessibility.  Members discussed whether they could recommend the endorsement of the development brief in light of the uncertainty of the development including a school and the traffic problems that it could create.  It was not clear when the Council would know whether a school was required but it was noted that potential traffic management schemes could be discussed at the planning application stage if it was decided that a school was required.  The Committee also noted that if the development brief was not adopted by the Council, its absence would not prevent a planning application coming forward for a school on the proposed site.  Having an approved development brief in place would give the Council more control over the development of the site if the school was necessary.

RECOMMENDED TO EXECUTIVE

1.                  That a suitable traffic management scheme be in place in the event of a new lower school being provided.

2.                  That a single large play space be provided rather than several small play spaces.

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1 November 2009

1.1.  PCllr K Matthews reported upon Site Allocations – Cranfield

Last week (27^th October) the Sustainable Communities Overview & Scrutiny Committee at Central Beds endorsed recommendations of a specially constituted Task Group setting out proposals for residential and employment site allocations in the former Mid Beds area.

You will recall that the LDF Core Strategy was recently the subject of an Examination in Public, undertaken by a Planning Inspector.  The Inspector has now published his report and there are two significant implications for Cranfield.  Firstly, Cranfield has been designated as a Minor Service Centre with a possible allocation of 150-250 dwellings.  Secondly, the Village Settlement Envelope was extended to include the properties at 1&2 High Street and the immediate curtilage.

I attended and made submissions at two of the three meetings of the Task Group (and Alan Bastable attended and made submissions at their first meeting).  I drew the attention of the Task Group to the Parish Council’s response to the Talk to Mid Beds consultation in 2008 – namely that the Parish Council opposes all further development in Cranfield.  Nevertheless, the Inspector’s Report clearly indicates that Cranfield would be expected to receive further development in line with its designation as a Minor Service Centre.  In the circumstances I deemed it expedient to try to minimise any proposed development to the lower end of the 150-250 range.  In the circumstances, the Task Group has recommended the following:-

H104 (1&2 High Street) – development of 20-25 dwellings

H040 (Rear of Central Motors) – development of 100 dwellings and doctors’ surgery

H133 (Rear of High Street) – development of 25-35 dwellings

The Task Group thus supported the development of a total of approximately 160 dwellings in Cranfield.

In addition, E82 was supported – development of 10ha of employment land.

The recommendations will be submitted, firstly, to Central Beds Executive on 10^th November and then to Full Council on 19^th November.

Wind energy

There were several parishioners at last night's Parish Council meeting, concerned about the proposals for four wind turbines on the edge of the landfill site.

On the PC I am hoping that we can approach this from the point of view of looking at the health evidence. Obviously there are strong views about how turbines look but I suspect protestors will make less progress on these grounds. Health issues  might carry most impact, particularly the noise generated and guidelines on suitable distances from residential development.

We have no formal planning application yet but the Parish Council has put together a working party of parish councillors and concerned parishioners to collate information and identify the key concerns.

FCC are attending an open meeting of the Parish Council on Wednesday 6 March.

Please note that the Parish Council spring surgery will be the following week Wednesday 13 March and will, appropriately be around wind energy

Lower school worries

How on earth we plan lower school education in the village is anyone's guess. Major development was approved by an inspector a decade ago on the basis that the current schools could handle the extra children from new housing. But the Home Farm proposals required extra playing space as the current Lower School site in Court Road is so cramped. The solution was a field, a quarter of a mile away from the school, on the Home Farm site.

Under previous school leadership the governors explored access to the Recreation Ground but this went down in a village poll by about nine to one. Then the Parish Council discovered that Central Beds had been having private talks with the National Playing Fields Association to see if it could unpick the covenant on the land which the PC introduced (I will confess I opposed this at the time but it's looking a good bet at the moment).

In the background there was several years of uncertainty about whether Beds would go to two-tier schools. Recently the Lower School has adopted academy status which probably brings its own uncertainties. Now someone, somewhere is earmarking a site for expansion at the end of Flitt Leys Close, though governors have not made any decisions about the way forward. When it comes to parking problems Flitt Leys would be Court Road on a triple letter score. Pcllr Roger Baker has already described Court Road at 8.45 am as "frenzied jostling".

I have recently talked to the chair of the Academy governors and I know they are doing their best to find a solution to this problem. But they have been dealt a tough hand.

Flitt Leys

Under reports at parish council last night we learned that the Flitt Leys Close development brief  has been sent back to the Central Beds (CBC) scrutiny committee, which had approved it, for another think. The decision was taken at CBC Executive this week. It followed rising concern about a brief which allowed for a school or 'school site' (there is some significance in the distinction, I understand) in the residential cul de sac. 

Central Motors was identified as site for development under the CBC site allocation programme with 135 houses assigned. But its proposed access through Flitt Leys Close, also hosting a school and access to the proposed health centre has caused controversy. The close is already chocker with residents and takeaway patrons parking up.

Clearly the concerns of Cranfield have now reached the CBC bunker in Chicksands. But I can't see what fresh information councillors will look at which could possibly change their decision. Apart from the fact that most people think the whole idea is mad.

Parish council Wednesday 6th February 2013 at 8.00pm

BUSINESS TO BE DONE

7.45pm.  

In attendance: 

To receive apologies for absence:  CB/PCllrs: 

To receive declarations for Members in relation to: (a) Personal Interest or (b)   Prejudicial Interest in any Agenda item.

1.     General Purposes Committee

1.1.  Parking – report, PCllrs P Meadows and D Allan

1.2.  Cranfield University/Bus Services

Reports - Correspondence - Agenda Items

2.     Environment Committee

2.1.  Grasscutting Contract

2.2.  Skate park

Reports - Correspondence - Agenda Items

3.     Burial Grounds

3.1.  Memorial Garden

3.2.  Baby Area

3.3.  Churchyard Path

3.4.  Supply of pea-shingle for Churchyard paths

3.5.  Topple Testing – Churchyard

3.6.  Topsoil Storage

Reports - Correspondence - Agenda Items

4.     Planning Committee

4.1.  General Planning Matters

4.2.  Wind Energy Project, Brogborough – pre-application consultation.

4.3.  FW: Core Strategy - Consultation on Main Modifications

4.4.  The Development Strategy for Central Bedfordshire (Pre-Submission version) – comments by 25 February 2013

4.5.  The Community Infrastructure Levy (draft Charging Schedule) – comments by 25 February 2013

4.6.  Central Bedfordshire Council Draft Guidance Note 1: Wind Energy Development – comments by 11 February 2013

Reports - Correspondence - Agenda Items

Read all about it

Next year will be the 20th anniversary of Cranfield's monthly newsletter/village magazine.

It's become quite an institution in the village in its original Cranfield News version and then Cranfield Express. It was started by Allen Leach and Carole Jones who ran an energetic and successful typesetting business from an office in the High Street. It was warmly welcomed and set a high standard for local community publications. When they decided to take a different path in life a group led by current editor and proprietor Peter Hinson set up Cranfield Express in April 2000. 

As often happens, the original group (included myself) melted away and Peter was left at the tiller. And in the engine room. And in the for'ard hold and in the bilges when the leaks needed attending too. He has been doing it for 13 years now, 12 times a year and it is still a mainstay of village communication.

His persuasion techniques have roped me back into writing news and doing a monthly Parish Matters column. But it is Peter who does the heavy lifting, megabytes, gigabytes and terabytes, juggling macs, PCs and software. I get texts and emails from him at silly times though I don't read them at silly times. So every time it comes through the door you need to remember Peter slaving away plus the volunteers who get it out round the village. In the age of mass electronic communication, including blogs like this one, lots of stuff is under the radar.

Thanks to Cranfield Express it gets to you.

Round the houses

 

Hopefully this won't be a major inconvenience but watch out tonight, tomorrow, Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning: access to the M1 south via the A421 will be closed off. Looks like you will be taken back up to 14 and down again. Great early start to your day