Dedicated campaigner

The opponents of traffic calming, the High Street insurgents, the traffic talibans will not let up. On this occasion I am on the opposite side but I take my hat off to this complainant, recorded in the Beds Highways customer service bulletin (carefully anonymised I would add). They are determined...

I am writing a letter of complaint about the speed humps that run though Cranfield... Bedford rd/High street.  5 ramps I have to bump up and down 6 trips in+out of cranfield a day that's 30 up and downs to my car suspension daily.  I have just purchased a new car I have had this Car for 1 week +3 days and its now broke .... COIL SPRING !!  The car is a few yr old with 20k on the clock In normal cases this is far to soon for a coil spring to go.   I consider my self a careful driver especial with my new car and do take the ramps at slow speed, My car is not the only one my neighbour 2 doors away has a land rover who's suspension has gone on the right hand side of his vehicle (visibly).   These Ramps need to be assessed!  I have now fitted cctv in my car to record my every movement any more suspension problems with my new car I will take legal action.

Cry from the heart

We do cats in Broad Green. Great personal hygiene, very engaging and they aren't dragging you over to the HSRG or the triangle at 6.30 on a winter morning for a spot of business. So we felt very strongly this cry from the heart from "anonymous" in Bedfordshire...

Calling all animal lovers , On Thursday 26th September our loved 2-year old tabby cat got run over and killed. Now while this is horrible these things do happen but we had a witness that his body was collected by Central Beds Council and when we called them they said they don’t scan cats for microchips they are treated like general waste and his body would have just been dumped like any other waste.  What was even more furious is he had a collar on with my number !!

We never will get closure and be able to bury him.

There are laws for dogs to be scanned but not cats, we are trying very hard to get the laws changed but need as many signatures as possible.

Please take 30 seconds out of your day and sign the e-petition located http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/53894 also if you have Facebook or Twitter please share to your friends and family.

We also have a Facebook page dedicated to this campaign - https://www.facebook.com/catsarenotrubbish please like and share

It’s a long shot but we are determined to get the laws changed

Thank you for your time

Any old iron...?

I don't know if we have any scrap metal dealers or motor salvage businesses in Cranfield or its further reaches but new measures to regulate these companies might help to make metal theft more difficult. I know St Peter and St Paul church has had lead nicked in the past  and  every so often all the lineside copper wiring disappears from a bit of railway near you bringing services to a halt.

CBC is now the focal point for local scrap metal regulation. They say:

Central Bedfordshire Council is ready to take on licensing powers for scrap metal to help in the crackdown on metal theft.

The new Scrap Metal Act 2013 came into force on 1 October 2013 and requires every scrap metal dealer to have a licence - operating without one will be a criminal offence.

It replaces the previous registration system and under the new legislation the definition of scrap metal dealers is extended so it now includes motor salvage operators too.

Cllr Brian Spurr, Executive Member for Sustainable Communities, Services, explained the changes. He said: "We’ve been saying for some time that a solution to crack down on metal theft couldn’t come soon enough. This new ability to regulate who is and who isn’t a scrap metal dealer will help to improve operating standards as well as cutting down those who deal in scrap illegally."

"Previously, scrap metal dealers were required to register with us and to keep records of purchases and disposals. Now however, we have been given enforcement powers to revoke a licence and inspect sites to really cut down on any illegal activity. Doing this means that we can protect responsible dealers and improve the reputation of the trade."

He added: "Trade in criminally obtained metal is costing the UK economy around £770 million a year in costs to business and damage to the nation's infrastructure, so this is a step in the right direction. "

Poppies for 1914

The PC recently and regretfully turned down an application from the RBL for a £500 grant  for poppy seeds (for next year WW1 centenary marking)  because we needed more information. See the info from the RBL website, below. 


I  think the PC should encourage individuals in the village including individual members of Cranfield RBL to buy a packet each and scatter. I would also back them buying them from Marshalls (not B&Q) in exchange for a donation from Marshall's which I'm sure could be arranged. Keep our village shops alive.  



13 September 2013 
The Royal British Legion is delighted to announce the Centenary Poppy Campaign, which originated in the Greenhithe and Swanscombe Branch of the Legion, will be rolled out nationally in partnership with B&Q.

The national campaign will see the Legion asking the public and local authorities to purchase Flanders poppy seeds from B&Q to plant on their own land. The funds raised by the campaign will go towards the £1.6million the Legion spends each week on vital care and support to the Armed Forces community.

The idea for the campaign was initiated by members of the Greenhithe and Swanscombe Branch of the Legion, who are now working alongside the national charity to implement the scheme in communities across the UK.

The campaign, which will be officially launched at the beginning of October, will see the UK awash with poppies during the centenary period in commemoration of all those who lost their lives in the First World War.

The Royal British Legion's Director of Fundraising, Charles Byrne, said:

"The Royal British Legion is pleased to confirm we are rolling out the Centenary Poppy Campaign, across the UK, and in partnership with national retailer B&Q.

"The idea to distribute poppy seeds to commemorate the centenary of WW1 originated in the Legion's Greenhithe and Swanscombe Branch, who are working with us to establish this campaign on a national level.

"We want to see members of the public making this campaign their own in their local communities, working in collaboration with local government, schools and community groups, and we will be taking discussions forward with central Government to engrain this campaign in the centenary commemorations."

Graham Mentor-Morris and Phil Berry of the Greenhithe and Swanscombe Branch said:

"We are over the moon our campaign is now being developed on a national level, with support from a national retailer. Not only will the Centenary Poppy Campaign commemorate all those who gave so much during WW1, but also raise vital funds for the Legion.

Men's breakfast

I'm not quite sure what "Men's Breakfasts" are all about but they happen from time to time around here.

Here is the latest from Andrew Pearson


"There is another Men’s Breakfast coming up.  Gary Chester writes:
 

We have another men's breakfast coming up on the 19th October. Arrangements as previous. This time we have Tim Beacon from Medical Aid International speaking about the work of his organisation supporting the Aid efforts round the world in particular Syria and Africa. He will be flying in from Africa so will have the up to date stories . The venue as before is Wooton Church. Breakfast will be served from 08:30 and will cost £5.

"If any of you would like to go please let me know.  I shall attend myself and we can sort out lifts etc. nearer the time."

contact Andrew at Andrew.Pearson@eemua.org

The old ticker

Here's the minutiae of clock maintenance as recorded in the draft minutes for the burial grounds committee last night. Hopefully we will get the old ticker running smoothly again, before very long.
 

The gubbins

1.     Smith of Derby writes to advise that following the annual service, the pendulum spring in the clock is twisted and that it is a vital component in respect of timekeeping, as it maintains the pulse to the clock mechanism. The spring requires replacing, which Smith of Derby would manufacture from new and replace within the pendulum chops.   Gerry O’Mara has agreed to remove the existing spring and send it to us to use it as a pattern if this Council approves the purchase. Further, it has been requested that Smiths supply a switch unit for the automatic winding system which could be fitted when fitting the new pendulum spring. The price to manufacture and install a new pendulum spring, along with a new switch unit, would be £537.00 (Five Hundred and Thirty Seven Pounds) plus VAT.   This quotation is given subject to Conditions of Contract.   All prices quoted are based on the information received to date and are valid for a period of 90 days from issue.

Not just a pretty face

A quiet night

Parish council tonight, in short.

Dr Noel attended and failed to persuade us that defibrillators are either a bad thing or useless.  We have had the offer of two locations and are backing Budgens.

We've allocated £737  for repair of the village pump. If you think this is  a bad idea come along to the full council on October 23 and say your piece.

We're aiming to paint the railings around the memorial garden before Remembrance Sunday.

Chair Delise Ball had been in  touch with the Royal British Legion in Kent and they explained that branches would receive seeds  free for scattering to mark the outbreak of WW1 next year.

The PC surgery on Wed 13 November will be focused on the proposed skateboard.

The church clock mechanism will be repaired  and we are looking at quotes to repair the church wall.

A quiet night all round, we finished early and I saw the last 10 minutes of Man United and Shaktar Donetsk (1-1)

When Marston Hill was too hot to open

We now have some feedback on the Great Marston Hill Shut Down. I have to say, I'm indebted to Lee Baldry, deputy head of highways contract service delivery at Bedfordfshire Highways. He gives an informative and sympathetic response to the issues I have raised. He writes as follows:

Hi Cllr. Spurr, Cllr. Clark and Cllr. Pollock

I'm a little concerned not to have been circulated this message before - has something gone wrong in our comms somewhere? I was aware of one complaint at the time concerning gatemen and the works period itself - which was addressed at the time of the works (July). However, post-completion, may I presume that the issue becomes one of explanation/reassurance?

If so, I will try to comment as helpfully as I can. I have copied Cllr. Pollock's observations in bold, with my comment following each.

1. In early July Amey closed Marston Hill for a day for resurfacing. There was not, as far as I was aware, a TTRO and they only put up signs saying "closed for one day over the next two weeks".
I do know a TTRO was published, but I will have to check the precise date (sorry I don't have it immediately to hand).

The sign onsite was an advance warning, which was attempting to provide the courtesy of an early warning of the impending works. Since these works, we have reviewed matters and found that in fact a sign of this type isn't as helpful to folk as much as we hoped. In essence, it is better to offer a reliable date - albeit perhaps at shorter overall notice - than it is to offer a longer notice, but less surety about the precise date.

Therefore, current advance notices should benefit from this point of learning. Essentially the message should be "closed xx/xx/xx" and erected around a week in advance.

I hope this accords with your views and shows the lessons learnt from instances such as this.

2. I assured callers that these closures were normally 9.30 to 3.30 to assist schools and the Cranfield "rush hour". Road remained closed  until after 6.30 pm 
This was a problematic shift, owing to the very high ambient temperatures that day (11th July). Essentially the road closure noted the high ambient temperatures, but perhaps not as high as those found in the road pavement that day (heat storage, basically). This meant that the new surface materials did not cool as quickly as foreseen, and accordingly that the road could not safely be re-opened as planned until sufficiently cooled.

3. There were no diversion signs put up
I'm disappointed to hear this, as it is contradictory to other messages we've had. I think a more in-depth check might be needed and I have copied in the relevant colleague.

4. We have had a number of complaints about Amey in recent years but this is one of their more cavalier acts.
Please let me know what these are so that I can investigate them from a Contractual perspective.

5. We need to find out if CBC finds their action unprofessional and unacceptable, why they did not follow correct practice and what assurances can we have that they will not behave in this way again.
The Council investigates complaints, and if shortfalls are identified robust corrections are put in place. I don't have evidence that the work was conducted unlawfully, but I do accept that the work on this occasion overran its allotted period and I have explained the circumstances surrounding this. I think this is an isolated case, but equally the risk is valid to address.

The complaint regarding gatemen was resolved and essentially the decision to begin the work (despite the risk of overrunning due to latent heat in the road pavement) was made for quite supportable reasons; since the resurfacing project was necessary. However, I do apologise for the overrun and any disruption it may have caused.

6. Incidentally there is no sign of Amey coming back to put on the road markings.
We investigate opportunities to minimise lining on new surfacing mats, as this can have a demonstrable link to reducing vehicle speeds. However, if this was the intention then perhaps Amey colleagues should have let you know this in advance, so that you were not chasing something which wasn't intended.

By copy to colleagues I will check what the next steps are.

I hope this offers a useful reaction in time for your Parish meeting.

Heart start for cadets

@207Sqn: Congratulations to Cpl north and Cdt kersey on getting their heart start Certificate !! #bedsandcambs #heartstart #cadets - well done

News from #cranfield air cadets

Grey power!

What do old/older/elderly people get up to in the village? A small group of crusties hang around the parish council giving off about Flitt Leys and grass cutting and youths.

Some of the crustiest go to Chicksands as CBC councillors. They are so crusty they have crusts on their crusts.  

Others do Hands across Cranfield, short mat bowls (and perhaps long mat bowls for all I know) and go on facebook and go cycling (he knows who he is) but not up Marston Hill, these days!!!

But Aragon Housing and Healthwatch Bedfordshire are running this enterprising event in Flitwick on Thursday week, the 10th October.  Looks interesting and useful.  Hopefully anyone going in their car will offer a lift to the non-car owners. Good luck.

For more info contact;

Nikki Dalrymple
Project Co-Ordinator
Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire
Capability House, Wrest Park, Silsoe
Bedfordshire, MK45 4HR
Tel: 0300 303 8554
nikki.dalrymple@healthwatch-centralbedfordshire.org.uk 
www.healthwatch@centralbedfordshire.org.uk 

lol as they say

Delivering Cranfield Expresses to the uni houses on Saturday there was evidence of new students moving in.  Cranfield's are older, postgraduate and often have family with them. Quite a few are from abroad. Anyway I thrust a Cran X into their hand when I encountered them and said "Welcome to Cranfield" you might find this useful. What they make of rows about Flitt Leys is anyone's guess.

For a flavour of the more conventional student experience check out ITV2 on a Monday night focusing on Bedfordshire. The first of three parts was last night. Anyway the freshers hits Beds and who knows what embarrassing scenes the documentary makers have captured on camera. Or as somebody said on my face book page recently. 

"The great thing about being over 40 is we did all our stupid stuff before the internet." 

lol, as they say.

Bedfordshire Police to recruit 80 constables

Well its maybe good news but only to stand still. The only point I will make is about Commissioner Martins's  comment that the retirements were unexpected. The big surge in recruitment in the late 70s caused by a favourable pay review is now filtering through into 30-year retirements. Added to that is the fact that historically, police pensions were paid out of current revenue (not an accumulated fund) which meant as the number of retirements grew so did the financial pressure. Crazy. 

From BBC

Eighty constables are being recruited by Bedfordshire Police over the next year after more officers than expected left during the spending cuts.

The force is about 50 below strength and 32 more officers are leaving soon.

Police and Crime Commissioner Olly Martins denied the force had got its sums wrong, saying the number of officers that recently retired or left after 30 years was unanticipated. Chief Constable Colette Paul said the force had recently been "stretched". Since 2010, the number of officers at Bedfordshire Police had been reduced from 1,248 to 1,092 up until March this year.

Cemetery space fear

Hot news

 Almost half of England's cemeteries could run out of space within the next 20 years, a BBC survey suggests.

And a quarter of 358 local authorities responding to the BBC said they would have no more room for burials within a decade.

Cemetery experts warned of a looming "crisis", while managers called for a change in law to allow graves that are more than 75-years-old to be reused.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said the issue was "under constant review".
BBC Local Radio approached 699 local authorities - 358 of which responded.

 

Many of the councils surveyed, including those in Gosport, Mole Valley, Crawley and Rother, said they had five years or less before they ran out of room. Other areas - such as Tandridge district council in the South East - said they had already run out of space.

Full story BBC News

In Cranfield we should be OK thanks to farsightedness by parish councillors particularly Delise "Dee Eagle" Ball the chairwoman of the PC.  The extension is now ready for use and within the next year will take its first interment. Ground prepared and cut, road constructed. We are looking at extending the water supply.

Cranfield cemetery - our mark on the land

When Dr Noel speaks...

Please note that Dr Noel, no less is to address the PC tomorrow night about defibrillators. He is, I believe, agin them and is concerned that we are for them. And tomorrow he will elaborate on his concerns. At the moment we seem to be making some progress on finding a suitable location but we will listen to Dr Noel and you are welcome to come and along too.

Crawley Road closure

Talking of TTROs - here's a heads up.

 

Please be advised that the Proposed Road Closure of Crawley Road, Cranfield has been delayed due to land issues.
 
The works will now takes place from 27th November to 4th December 2013.
 
Apologies for any inconvenience caused.
 
Regards
 
Gareth Hughes
Network Coordinator | Bedfordshire Highways
Amey

Small mercies on Marston Hill

We all know Marston Hill is a long steep road, a bit of a hairpin and the only practical way in to Cranfield from north and east. We also know that when it's closed we are stuffed. So the closure with hardly any prior announcement in July, by Amey until late in the afternoon caused huge problems. And no one, at Amey or CBC,  seems to want to explain when on earth was going on. 

I've written to CBC today as follows:

(In July) Amey closed Marston Hill for a day for resurfacing. There was not, as far as I was aware, a TTRO and they only put up signs saying "closed for one day over the next two weeks".

A number of people contacted me and I ascertained from Amey it would close on the 11 July. I assured callers that these closures were normally 9.30 to 3.30 to assist schools and the Cranfield "rush hour".

To my horror I discovered that the road remained closed  until after 6.30 pm  with massive congestion down to Salford as university traffic tried to find a way out of the village. There were no diversion signs put up and at RGR garages on the High Street I was told there were constant callers looking for directions. 

It was, in short, a shambles.

We have had a number of complaints about Amey in recent years but this is one of their more cavalier acts. We need to find out if CBC finds their action unprofessional and unacceptable, why they did not follow correct practice and what assurances can we have that they will not behave in this way again. It would be useful to have feedback for the parish council meeting on Wednesday evening.

Incidentally there is no sign of Amey coming back to put on the road markings.

Having said that, there was evidence today of some road markings being applied. We should be thankful for small mercies.  

Cranberry up a weekend in Cranfield

Ok, there's not much to do in Cranfield you say. It's Dull and it's Boring. Well not on Saturday 23 November with the plans for Operation Cranberry.

The Bedfordshire and Luton Local Resilience Forum (www.bllrf.org.uk) will be holding this year's annual emergency Assistance Centre exercise (named Exercise Cranberry) at Cranfield.  

And you can take part...

CBC writes: "This will utilise Mitchell Hall and some other parts of Cranfield Airport. The exercise will take place on Sat 23rd November from 10:00 - 15:00. It will involve a Family and Friends Reception Centre being activated due to an aircraft incident. I am writing to let you know that it will be happening and as an invite to you, parish council members and any residents that would like to get involved I have attached the Assistance Centre Plan if you are interested in finding out more.

Mark Conway

Emergency Planning Officer

Public Protection

Central Bedfordshire Council Priory House, Monks Walk, Chicksands, Shefford, Bedfordshire, SG17 5TQ

Direct Dial: 0300 300 4439  |  Internal ext: 74439  |  Mob: 07932 754598 Email: mark.conway@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

So, that's Sat 23 November taken care of. If you want to see the Assistance Centre Plan email cranfield1985@gmail.com and I'll forward it. It's a PDF and I can't put it on the blog.Contact CBC if you want to take part. 

Agenda for Parish Council this Wednesday 2 October

Wednesday 2^nd October 2013 at 8.00pm

All members of the Committees are hereby summoned to attend for the purpose of considering and recommending upon the business to be transacted at the meetings as set out hereunder.

……….………………………….. Clerk of the Council

BUSINESS TO BE DONE

7.45pm  Dr M G D Noel – Advice relating to Defibrillator

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.Beds. Fire Service – supply of defibrillator 

1.2.Village pump

1.3.Railings in the area of the village pump – upgrade of the area

Reports - Correspondence - Agenda Items

2.    Environment Committee

2.1.Skate Park

2.2.Improvement of Memorial Green

2.3.Tree Survey

2.4.RBL – Poppy seed project

Reports - Correspondence - Agenda Items

3.    Burial Grounds

3.1.Baby burial area

3.2.Church Wall

3.3.Second water supply – Cemetery

3.4.Repairs to Church Clock

Reports - Correspondence - Agenda Items

4.    Planning Committee

4.1.General Planning Matters

Reports - Correspondence - Agenda Items

Silly place names

Silly place names - this is not a problem Cranfield has to wrestle with. Our nine letter name has three vowels adding flavour and intonation, robustly packaged up in six consonants. But an almighty row has broken out in Varteg in Wales which purists - AKA the Welsh Language Commissioner - has declared should be spelt correctly in the Welsh way Y Farteg (still pronounced Varteg)

I am naturally sympathetic to language identity even if it means time and trouble and takes up some resources. I have two objections to bilinguality in  Wales, however.

First, during our Welsh holidays phase of family life I felt that bilingual road signs were difficult to take in. As you approach a road sign, your eye is straining to pick up the message. When there is double the text and 50 per cent is indecipherable you are probably focusing on that sign (at the expense of the road)  for too long.  Just saying.

See below

Secondly I object when it means places are called Farteg. 

The blog had a good chortle with Dull in Scotland and Boring in the US recently. And we won't talk about the embarrassing place names in Austria and Germany. But I think Varteg needs to be saved  for the sake of common sense.

Aren't you glad you live in good ol' Cranfield?




Read more at BBC Wales

Cranfield Express christmas timetable

Santa by common agreement is the tiredest bod by the end of December every year. He is so pooped he could fall asleep in the reindeer's hay with a note pinned on his short  "wake me up next November". I reckon the next tiredest soul is Peter Hinson who edits and publishes Cranfield Express every year ( been doing it for the last 13 plus). Peter, partly at my urging will now publish a joint December-January edition.

The routine previously has involved December issue coming out on the last Thursday of November as normal and then an immediate deadline for the January one and then publication and distribution about two weeks later, in order to avoid the Christmas rush. But that is a killer schedule. 

So Peter has come with the following schedule:

"Adverts and copy for the November edition should be with me by Thursday October 17th and include December’s bits and pieces up to December 18th.

"The December/January Christmas edition will cover the rest of December from 19th December onwards and all of January. The deadline for copy and adverts related to this period is December 12th deadline.

Contact Cranfield Express on peter@cranfieldexpress.co.uk or for adverts adverts@cranfieldexpress.co.uk tel 01525 280262

Giving to Macmillan at the Swan

 

Well done, the organisers of the Macmillan Coffee morning at the Swan yesterday and the £300 plus that they raised. Only criticism was they didn't let It Happens in Cranfield and Movers and Shakers know. Well I'm sure it's on the 2Do list for next year. And, don't forget, you can still give by clicking on http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Donate/

Macmillan say:

"One in three of us will get cancer and it’s the toughest thing most of us will ever face. If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, or a loved one has, you’ll want a team of people in your corner supporting you every step of the way. 

We provide practical, medical and financial support and push for better cancer care. We are Macmillan Cancer Support"