Community matters

Boundary changes

County Council Division boundaries have now been announced: From the May 2017 elections, our area is split in two, with Melbourn and Meldreth joining Whaddon and Bassingbourncum-Kneesworth in a new ‘Melbourn/ Bassingbourn Division’. Meanwhile, Shepreth, Foxton, Heydon and Great and Little Chishill move into a new ‘Duxford Division’ together with Fowlmere, Thriplow, Duxford, Whittlesford, Pampisford, Chrishall Grange, Ickleton and Hinxton.

District Council Ward boundaries are now being considered by the Boundary Commission, for change in 2018. Currently the proposal is for Melbourn, Meldreth, Shepreth and Whaddon to join into one twomember ward, and Foxton, Fowlmere, Heydon and Great and Little Chishill to join into one one-member ward.

Parliamentary constituency boundary proposals, to take effect in 2018, have now been announced and are out for consultation until 5 December. These add yet another dimension to the mix: Melbourn, Great and Little Chishill, Heydon, Whaddon, Bassingbourn and Kneesworth and other villages from south-west South Cambridgeshire would join together with Royston and North Herts villages to form a new cross-county border constituency called ‘North East Hertfordshire.’ Meldreth would be part of a new ‘South Cambridgeshire’ constituency.

More information including how to respond to the proposal is available here:

https://www.bce2018.org.uk/ node/6484?

From the Parish Clerk – Sarah Adam and Chair of Melbourn Parish Council

The new Melbourn Parish Council is up and running. The first meeting was held on 10th October 2016. The new Council agreed that its meetings should be recorded and put onto the Parish Council website the following day, so people unable to attend meetings will be able to hear the discussion. Councillors also agreed to introduce ways of working to avoid the need to have any discussions in private (in camera).

The community was informed money is very tight for the rest of the financial year (until the end of March 2017) and potentially for the following year too. The Council will be discussing setting its budget for the financial year during December and January, so please come along if you want to put forward your views on what the Council’s spending priorities should be.

The Council needs to keep a very tight rein on its spending. To do this, it agreed to suspend the committees which normally look after specific areas (such as cemeteries, and highways) and to make all decisions on spending money at the Full Parish Council. This means that many fuller Parish Council meetings are being held than normal, so please look on the website or Notice Board for the revised timetable. A decision as to whether to re-instate the committees will be made for the beginning of the new Civic Year in May 2017.

Councillors have used the first meetings to identify the main issues facing the new council. They agreed the principle of setting up Working Parties to investigate what has gone on, and report back to the full council for discussion. The first Working Parties are looking at the car park spend so the Council can deal with the additional money demanded by the contractor, and how to revise the Council’s Code of Conduct so that the Council functions in an ethical and transparent way. Both of these Working Parties have a mix of Councillors and non-Councillors to increase openness.

The contested election in September was the first in Melbourn for over 30 years. People have commented on what at first sight, seems to be a low turnout at 28.1%. However, the South Camb’s District Council electoral officer said: “Other recent parish by-elections in South Camb’s villages have seen turnouts that vary between 8% and 28% depending on the level of engagement in the community, and turnouts of between 15% and 20% are quite usual. Therefore 28.1% exceeded expectations and was a very good result for Melbourn, as of course by-elections will never have the same lure as a major election.”

The Parish Council will continue to work over the coming months to make sure that all Council actions and discussions are open, accountable and transparent.

If you have concerns about any areas of the village or any other matter connected to village life, please contact The Parish Clerk or the newly appointed Assistant to Parish Clerk, Claire Littlewood. The Parish Office is open Monday to Friday 9am – 1pm and 2pm–4pm. Email: parishclerk@melbournpc.co.uk or Telephone: 01763 263303 option 3 for the Parish Office. Sarah Adam, Melbourn Parish Clerk Cllr Norman, Chair - Melbourn Parish Council

Practical Solutions Group: Please remember that if you have any concerns – or ideas – about challenging community issues, the Melbourn Practical Solutions Group is here to help. This is a group of parish, district and county councillors, Melbourn Village College, representatives from Youth Services, the Children’s Centre and Police, who try and pool resources and ideas for constructive purpose. We meet every couple of months, always at Melbourn Village College where we are now supported by two fabulous student Community Prefects, Hannah and Alex. If in doubt, please get in touch with me (as County Councillor I chair the group) and we can at least try and point you in the right direction. Pedestrian/cycle link to Shepreth via Cambridge Road: By the time you read this, work will be well underway at least on the new high quality off-road pedestrian/ cycle path connecting Melbourn with Shepreth at Dunsbridge Turnpike. Funding has come from central government via the Greater Cambridge City Deal, which is tasked with transforming the way people choose to travel, particularly for short distance journeys. This is just one of the many segments of the overall ‘A10 Corridor pedestrian/cycleway’ project which has been working its way down from Harston. AstraZeneca’s very kind contribution for A10 path maintenance will come into effect after this and the rest of the A10 project up to and through Harston is completed. The final big link that still needs funding is the Melbourn-Royston stretch, and the A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign will be continuing to support this effort in earnest. Melbourn Community Edible Gardening: This project taking place on the grounds of Melbourn Primary School hit the ground running from Day One, last spring. Many thanks to everyone in the community who has been involved in supporting it, particularly those who have offered their time on a weekly basis to help run the hands-in-the-ground work. Now closing off at the end of the year, it is great to report that a new polytunnel has been erected on the school recreation ground and there are plans afoot to get gardening again come spring. It has been wonderful to hear directly from the families taking part and who have caught the Green Thumb Vegetable Bug – and to know that sweetcorn has been munched away on the spot!

The project has been made possible through a grant secured by the Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Community Rail Partnership. Its early success has given us the chance to apply for further funding to retain professional support for a little while longer. If you would like to get involved in any way, please get in touch!

Sessional Youth Worker

Flexible, part-time youth work positions available in Melbourn From £9.50/hour • A chance to find out whether a career in youth work is for you • Real-world experience to reinforce youth work or social work studies • Potential for career development • Opportunity to share a special skill or interest • Flexible, part-time hours - no minimum commitment, contracted and bank staff positions available You need to be 18 years old or over with some experience of working with young people (on a paid or voluntary basis). Volunteer roles are available for those with no experience. For more information or to apply, contact Lisa Steeples on lisa.steeples@ groundwork.org.uk or 07702 941440 www.groundwork.org.uk/cambs – @groundworkcandp Melbourn Parish Council would like to express their thanks to Herts & Camb’s Ground Maintenance and Norbury’s Building and Landscaping for the upcoming improvements they are making to the public area at 83 High Street, at no expense to the residents of Melbourn.

Compliments about Melbourn Village College students: At a recent Board meeting of Royston and District Community Transport, we heard about the excellent service provided to get students home at 4PM following the after-school Enrichment programme. A number of volunteer drivers were in attendance at the meeting and heaped praise on the students, whom they described as ‘polite, courteous, inquisitive, and great fun.’ What a credit to their college and community! Citizens Advice Bureau at the Hub: The CAB reports that take-up of its free service at the Melbourn Hub is very good indeed. That it obviates any need to drive or use the bus or train to access services elsewhere speaks for itself. The CAB service is available on the first and third Thursdays of the month, from 9:30-12 noon. Mind at the Hub: A grant from Cambridgeshire County Council continues to fund this community outreach work by Mind in Cambridgeshire. Drop-in sessions are free of charge, and you can arrange a time by ringing Mind on Tel. 01223 311320. Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award: Every year Melbourn Village College Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award students have found their way to the Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Rail User Group gardening scheme, where there are always slots to fill that tick the ‘Volunteer’ or ‘Skills’ requirement. Please do get in touch if you’d like to explore any ways that you can help at the station gardens and fulfil one of your Duke of Edinburgh requirements at the same time.