Safer Melbourn

cambridgeshire

www.melbourncambridge.co.uk/safermelbourn/

Street Fouling by Dogs

Once again there have been complaints about irresponsible dog owners in the village who allow their dogs to foul in public places, particularly around the Primary School. Under the Clean Neighbourhoods & Environment Act 2005, this is an offence and carries a fine of up to £1,000, or a fixed penalty up to the maximum.

Toxocara canis

Dogs’ mess contains a natural parasite called Toxocara canis, commonly called Roundworm. The roundworm infection is spread by the parasite’s eggs in the faeces. The dog owner is unlikely to notice any signs of this. However, the Toxocara eggs, once on the ground and in the soil, are invisible and are quickly spread by earthworms and insects. The parasite eggs can remain active for many years, long after the dog mess has weathered away.

If the eggs are swallowed by a child or adult, through hand to mouth contact, the worms hatch out and burrow through the gut wall, spreading into the blood stream. They may then enter body tissues. Symptoms of an infection include stomach upsets, sore throats, dizziness, nausea, asthma and epileptic fits. If they enter the eye they can cause permanent blindness, a condition, which affects 100–200 people each year in the UK.

Immediate clearance of any dog faeces will avoid the eggs being spread. There are 17 bins throughout the village and dog owners are asked to use these dog bins to deposit the excrement. If a bin is not available the dog faeces should be taken home and disposed of in a hygienic manner. Do not put dog mess in the green or blue rubbish bins. Remember to wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. We thank the majority of dog owners in the village who act responsibly, but the minority are unfortunately tarnishing the image of the majority of pet owners.

Policing

Emerging Issues

Bassingbourn/Melbourn Area Neighbourhood trends Total crime in our area has increased slightly compared to the previous three month period (141 offences vs. 137 offences) and also increased compared to the same period last year when 126 offences were reported.

Dwelling burglary offences have increased to 14 from a usually low base. Offences of this type are continuing to occur in villages to the west and south west of Cambridge and are receiving priority attention.

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) levels have decreased in comparison with the previous period (76 incidents vs.134 incidents) but also in comparison to the same period last year when 127 incidents were reported.

Melbourn

(Melbourn, Gt Chishill, Lt Chishill and Heydon) Crime Offence levels in Melbourn have increased compared to the previous period (34 offences vs. 30 offences) but decreased compared to the same period last year (41 offences).

Dwelling Burglaries have remained stable with 3 offences in both this period and the previous. This is a slight decrease from last year when 4 were reported in the same period. There was no pattern between the three offences.

There were 5 Theft from Vehicle offences, which is a slight increase from 4 offences in the last period. Tools were targeted in 3 out of 5 of the offences.

To help pinpoint problems and find practical solutions to reduce anti-social behaviour in the village, Melbourn’s Practical Solutions Group (PSG) has recognised that a less formal and more inclusive approach is required to achieve its aims. This group remains multi-agency, and can work with and include Melbourn residents (young and old). If you are affected by ASB would like to be involved in this worthwhile project then please get in touch by using the contact form at; www.melbourncambridge.co.uk/ problemsolving or phone 01763 221323

ASB ASB incidents in Melbourn have decreased compared to the previous period (30 incidents vs. 56 incidents). They have also decreased compared to the same period last year (41 incidents).

There were 8 calls from Vicarage Close, 4 of these from the same house over a few days in November where youths keep knocking on an elderly occupant’s door.

There were 4 calls from residents at The Moor complaining about youths congregating in the area shouting and generally causing a disturbance.

Melbourn panel meeting of 17/01/2012

Priorities Agreed Tackle anti-social behaviour associated with vehicle use in Melbourn and Bassingbourn

Tackle road safety issues to include excess speed, obstructive parking and use of mobile phones whilst driving.

Support South Cambs District Council to reduce ASB in Vicarage Close sheltered accommodation complex. Next Neighbourhood policing panel meeting Tuesday 17th April at Melbourn Village College Door open from 7pm for 7:30 start All welcome

The Cambs Police Funding Dilemma

At the Neighbourhood Panel, the Police Authority (Jayne Wright) gave a presentation on the future budget outlook. The Government is encouraging all local authorities not to increase their council tax for 2012–2013. A one-off additional grant of £1.5m is being offered to the Police Authority to avoid having to raise the policing part of council tax to fund services in 2012/2013. The grant is for one year only and there is no certainty for additional funding in future years without involving an increase in council tax to pay for the services.

The dilemma is whether to raise council tax from April 2012 or take the grant and leave the new Police and Crime Commissioner with the decision either to raise council tax significantly from April 2013 or accept a further £1.5m per year in police cuts (equates to the loss of some 37 police constables).

You are invited to Have Your Say by voting on line at www.cambs-pa.gov.uk/hottopic.cfm or email to police,authority@cambs.pnn.police.uk

NON EMERgENCy PHONE NUMBER The new police Service number is 101. This replaces 0345 456 456 4, but this number will remain

MINICOM helpline for the deaf and hard of hearing, anywhere in the force area: 01480 422493 RNID TypeTalk is a national telephone relay service which enables, deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing and speech impaired people to communicate, to access the service dial: 0800 515152 Emergency 999

Six New Police Districts Across the County

Following completion of the initial restructuring of the Cambridgeshire Police Force, six new Police Districts are being rolled out to replace the previous structure of three Divisions across the County. Some £11m savings have been identified already to meet the £17m reduction necessary over the next 4 years. These large cutbacks in the Force are affecting some 30–40 senior posts and 152 police staff support posts but without any changes in local Police Constables and PCSOs. There remains much detail of the Districts and a review of necessary regrouping of villages and townships for policing yet to be finalised over the next few weeks. The emphasis is now focused on thinking about policing differently and more effectively, robust leadership, collaboration on major projects with Beds and Herts Forces and operational decisions on policing being taken at much lower levels in the rank structure.

Bassingbourn falls under the new South Cambs Police District which now has its own Commander – Chief Inspector Darren Alderson, with its HQ at Cambourne. He will have overall control of all South Cambs local policing resources (NPTs), emergency response and criminal investigation teams. Our NPT contacts for this area remain unchanged.

To view the new Police Districts go to our Cambs NHW Web-Site www.cambsnhw.org.uk and ‘Click’ or ‘Mouseover’ on the main menu New Police Districts for a dropdown menu of the districts and other associated topics.

Good news story

A few years ago a problem solving group was set up in Melbourn in response to the high number of youth antisocial behaviour incidents being reported in the village. This group was made up of county, district and parish councillors, the police, youth service, SCDC officers and neighbourhood watch. Its purpose was to understand the issues and find ways to deal with them.

Although today the make up of the group remains the same a better understanding of the issues has led to a transformation in its approach. The emphasis has changed from problem solving to exploring and implementing practical solutions.

The now Practical Solutions Group has just issued its 2011 review. Here are the accomplishments and challenges from that review. I think the following list shows how this group quietly works behind the scenes supporting and assisting the much-needed development of youth activities and services in the area.

Accomplishments Good liaison with Melbourn Village College (MVC) community, Police, Parish Council, Village Plan

Helpful communication generally in the community

Support for Melbourn Area Youth Development (MAYD), which has seen successful beginning for a new Youth Club situated on college premises

Support for community transport links to MAYD including five volunteer drivers and three volunteer escorts, thanks to Royston and District Community Transport

Support for extra-curricular activities at college, especially Basketball Club, Carnival Project at Vicarage Close, Meldreth Station litter pick and summer gardening

Administration is becoming easier due to written reports and bi-monthly meetings

The PSG is now becoming associated with its more constructive ‘Practical Solutions Group’ title, as opposed to the ‘Anti-Social Behaviour Problem Solving Group’ Challenges and Aims for coming year • Work on High Street car park moving forward • PSG can build and support certain links and activities on a modest scale, but cannot expect to be a cure-all • Continuing work with MVC in developing and strengthening community ties • Supporting the Parish Council in its work toward a community hub • Support Village Plan Implementation Team work • Continue to promote and support all work related to Melbourn Area Youth

Development, and other projects for young people such as those listed in ‘e’ above. • Keep a watching brief and aim to provide support on the issue of decent transport options for young people • Carry on with all liaison work To find out more about the Practical Solutions Group their website link is at www. melbourncambridge.co.uk

Dieting under stress

There are always many new diets emerging at the beginning of each New Year – it is a time for new resolutions that always fall by the wayside. Dieting itself can be stressful, without the added everyday demands we must cope with. So we thought this diet may be quite useful for our readers and one that can be easily adhered to! This diet is designed to help you cope with the stress that builds up during the day.

Breakfast 1 Grapefruit 1 slice unbuttered wholemeal toast Large glass skimmed milk

Lunch 1 cup cooked carrots 1 cup steamed spinach 1 cup herb tea 1 custard cream biscuit

Afternoon tea Rest of custard creams in packet 2 litres chocolate ice cream with nuts, cherries, whipped cream and chocolate sauce

Supper 2 baguettes garlic bread with cheese Giant Mexican or Hawaiian pizza 4 cans or 3 pints of beer 3 Snickers and/or 3 Mars bars

9 o’clock news Entire frozen desert eaten directly from the freezer

Rules for this diet 1 If you eat something and no-one else sees you eat it, it has no calories. 2 If you drink a diet Coke/lemonade with a chocolate bar, the calories in the chocolate bar are cancelled out by the drink. 3 When you eat with someone else, calories don’t count if you don’t eat more than they do. 4 Food used for medicinal purposes has no calories, e.g. hot chocolate, brandy, toast and ice cream. 5 Movie related foods have no calories as they are part of the entire entertainment package and are not part of one’s personal fuel, e.g. Malteesers, choc-ice, marshmallows, popcorn. 6 Broken biscuits have no calories. The process of breaking causes calorie leakage. 7 Things licked from knives or spoons have no calories if you are in the process of making something, e.g. peanut butter from a knife when you are making a sandwich, ice cream from a spoon when making a Sundae etc. 8 Food that has the same colour has the same calories, e.g. mushrooms and white chocolate, spinach and mint ice cream. Note: Chocolate is a universal food colour and may be substituted for any food colour.