Amanda Taylor

Are you considering a street party to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee or the Olympics this summer?

Cambridge City Council is waiving its usual road closure fees for parties in Cambridgeshire marking the Diamond Jubilee or the Olympic Games. The application process has been simplified too, to make it easier for people to mark the two big events. Anyone who would like to hold a party can contact the City Council on 507176, or visit the Council’s website on this topic.

People putting on the party as part of a group might also want to consider applying for a grant to help pay for it. The South Area Committee has funding for community events, and should contact the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation to find out how to apply – telephone 41535, or email info@cambscf.org.uk.

50 THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE KNOWN ABOUT JUBILEES

The Queen is the oldest monarch to celebrate a Jubilee. But who was the youngest? Find out here:

The following press release was issued earlier this week.

Outreach workers are hoping to extend a successful project and take more drinkers off the streets of Cambridge. The £33,000 scheme, backed by Liberal Democrats on Cambridge City Council, would increase the number of successful detox programmes offered to alcoholics who cannot maintain normal out-patient treatment. 

Street Outreach and Mental Health Team workers have asked for half the funding from Cambridge City Council and half from the GP consortium, Camhealth following successful working with street drinkers which has led to 30 a year treated under the detox programme. If both partners agree to funding this number could be increased to 50.  The money would pay for a Project Worker to support the Community Psychiatric Nurse. 

City Councillors Catherine Smart and Tim Bick, responsible for housing and community safety respectively, are set to approve extra funding from the city council and are hoping Camhealth will follow their lead.  

“Over the past two years, these community detox programmes have built an impressive track record,” says Cllr Smart. “It now looks like we can capitalise further on the effectiveness of the Community Pyschiatric Nurse with a modest additional investment. “With support from the city council we can increase treatments to at least 40 a year. If Camhealth come on board too and make this a full-time position, we could make it at least 50.” 

“Alongside education and training, interim accommodation and housing, these detox programmes fit into the Council’s endeavours to rehabilitate those often seen on the streets, sometimes creating a nuisance by their behaviour,” says Cllr Bick. ”I don’t think there’s a more sustainable alternative. One more individual getting their life back on track is one less potentially living on the streets: it’s a win-win approach.” 

Rachel Everitt from the charity, Crime Reduction Initiatives, which manages the Street Outreach Team said: “”Our nurse does really positive work and secures some great outcomes. “But the time-consuming engagement and follow-up work with clients tends to hold back the capacity of his clinical role. “With a Project Worker to support him, we think we can significantly increase the number of successful detoxes.” 

Subject to Council protocols, the city council will provide an immediate 12 months grant for half of the Project Worker’s costs paid for from budget under-spending elsewhere. It plans to assess the impact as part of a major review of policies to combat anti-social behaviour from the street life community in October. 

CONTACTS: Catherine Smart – 07531 800495        Tim Bick – 07720 413173    Rachel Everitt – 01223 366292 or Rachel.Everitt@cri.org.uk

Once more the majority of the planning applications this week relate to trees, some of which have been damaged in this winter’s storms and so need reducing in size to protect them for the future.

11/1586/FUL 19/01/2012   79 Blinco Grove CB1 7TX  Single storey extension to the rear of the property. Delegated  Decision 

12/0048/FUL 18/01/2012   181 Queen Ediths Way CB1 8NJ  Single storey front and side extensions, and two storey side and rear extension plus loft extension Delegated  Decision .

12/010/TTPO 19/01/2012   35 Cavendish Avenue CB1 7UR   1 x horse chestnut – reduce and shorten the ends of both of the branches on  this twin stem by approximately 25% (4-5m) cutting back to suitable growth points.  Delegated  Decision    

12/016/TTPO 16/01/2012   74 Cavendish Avenue  CB1 7UT    T127 – Horse chestnut – to reduce by 30% as it currently stands at 30ft in height.  Delegated  Decision

12/017/TTPO     16/01/2012   11 Mander Way CB1 7SF T2 – Large Hawthorn – crown reduction by 30% re: regular maintenance and pruning of the tree. Delegated  Decision

12/018/TTPO 17/01/2012  172 Hills Road And 170 Hills Road CB2 8PQ  T1 – Lime: Reduce by 30% and re-shape.   T2 – Sycamore: Pollard to 15 feet. T3 and T4 – Lime Trees: Reduce by 30% and re-shape.  T5 – Acacia: Reduce by 30% and re-shape. Reason for work: Excessive shading. Delegated  Decision

There are several applications this week 3 relating  to trees and 2 quite different ones.

12/0016/FUL 12/01/2012 Addenbrookes Hills Road  Extension of 655 sqm to the existing Theatre block providing two major trauma operating theatres, anaesthetic, recovery and preparation rooms, ancillary staff room and office, access corridor, associated plant room, landscaping, and secure cycle parking provision at Keith Day Road, Addenbrookes Hospital to serve as a Major Trauma Centre for the eastern Region for a temporary 8 year  period.  Delegated Decision

12/002/TTPO 10/01/2012  172 Hills Road  CB2 8PQ   Sycamore – reduce to old pollard points to alleviate severe decay   3 Limes – previously pollarded specimens to reduce by 30% due to re-growth poles breaking out. Delegated Decision 

12/0025/CLUED  12/01/2012   The Mowbray Bed & Breakfast 32 Mowbray Road CB1 7SY Application for a certificate of lawfulness under Section 191 for an existing use  as a Bed and Breakfast Delegated Decision .

12/009/TTPO 09/01/2012   282 Hills Road CB2 8QE  T78 – Lime – crown lift all round by removing the long thin drooping branches from the lateral scaffold branches, trim back from telephone cable to clear approximately 1.5m, remove epicormic growths from trunk and limb structure, shorten back small branches over hedge and adjacent garden that are growing from the semi mature basal suckers, remove deadwood, crown thin by approximately 15%, leave canopy shaped and balanced and clear all.  Delegated Decision

 12/011/TTPO 12/01/2012   5 Sedley Taylor Road CB2 8PW   T4 – Birch x2 – (southern tree) to crown lift over pavement to 2.25m, remove small rubbing sub-branches in contact with main stem. To shorten the extended lateral branch on the house side by 2-3m to recue end weight and maintain a reasonable clearance from the front of the house. (Northern tree) – to reduce the lateral stem on the house side as above, remove one or both of the twisted rubbing stems on the road side in the upper crown to reduce the risk of stem failure over road. T1 – Beech – to remove lowest lateral branch over vegetable patch below only. To increase water and light permeation.  Delegated Decision

 As you might expect there has been less planning activity than usual over the last couple of weeks. The first of these applications came through last week the other two are new.

11/1463/FUL 28/12/2011 East Anglia Centre Addenbrookes East Anglian Centre Long Road CB2 0PT Installation of gas fire condensing boiler plant in place of existing steam generated heating. Delegated Decision 

11/1535/FUL  04/01/2012 4 Topcliffe Way CB1 8SH  Extensions to existing house Delegated Decision  

11/517/TTPO 05/01/2012 Morley Court Baldock Way CB1 7UU

T1 – Prunus – remove previously cut branches, remove small limb on right hand side growing into adjacent tree

T2 – Acer – remove previously cut branches on 1st low limb on right hand side and smaller branch above

T3 – Acer – remove previously cut branches and rubbing branches on the right hand side

T4 – Acer – remove previously cut branches, remove 1st low limb over footpath and secondary branch growing over corner of roof

T5 – Prunus – remove previously cut branches, remove lowest half of branch over footpath

T6 – Prunus – remove previously cut branches, remove 1st limb over footpath. Remove 1st limb over footpath. Remove 1st secondary limb over car park. Small limb adjacent – remove lowest half of branch over footpath                                      Delegated Decision 

Jean was a member of HMB last year and has posted this edited report from a current member: 

“Liberal Democrat councillors on the Housing Management Board were very sorry to find themselves having to vote for an average rent increase of 8.3%. A lower increase would have forced the council to slash expenditure on tenant services and council house repairs. But the increase will mean extra hardship for tenants just above the benefit line.Tenant representatives didn’t support the increase. That was perfectly understandable.

 But neither did the Labour councillors, who moaned about it but didn’t suggest any alternative. And it was the Labour government, back in 2002, which imposed the “rent restructuring methodology” that is still in effect and which has forced the latest increase on us. 

Changes in the way Housing funding is structured mean that next year the City Council may finally get enough extra freedom not to have to slavishly follow government rules but this year there isn’t any such option.”

There were three applications in the week before Christmas, apologies for the delay in posting them here.

11/1443/S73 21/12/2011   25 Babraham Road CB2 0RB Variation of condition 2 of permission 11/0763/FUL to use the building as sleeping accommodation  Delegated Decision .

11/1549/FUL 23/12/2011   Shemran 12 Red Cross Lane  CB2 0QU  Increase in roof height and dormer window  Delegated Decision 

11/1553/FUL 23/12/2011   31 Godwin Way CB1 8QW First floor rear extension and alterations to existing ground floor roof  Delegated Decision 

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After a lovely mild autumn, it is now  feeling appropriately wintry for December!

Which calls to mind an idea first put to me last summer when the temperature was a balmy 82 degrees. It is a creative scheme to help the vulnerable elderly.

The people who came up with it are the creative folk at Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (CCF), a charity that matches grant givers to groups or individuals in need of funds.

Here’s how it works:

Most people over 60 receive a Winter Fuel Payment of between £100-300. It’s what is called a universal state benefit, so everyone eligible for a pension gets it. I know it is much appreciated by many older people, who need the extra money to heat their homes properly, yet I hear some people say they are comfortably off and can manage perfectly well without state benefits.

Here is an answer for them. If they prefer to give the money to help someone less fortunate, they can donate their Winter Fuel Payments to the CCF’s Winter Fuel Fund. The Fund will go to charitable projects for older people – for example, it might pay for an old lady to go and have lunch at a day centre one day a week, or for an outing. People can register their interest on line at http://www.cambscf.org.uk/the-winter-fuel-fund.html; or email Sam Weller at sam@cambscf.org.uk.

Hills Road Sixth Form College recently applied for planning permission to demolish their existing sports pavilion on Sedley Taylor Road and build a new one. The application was considered at the recent South Area meeting on 7th November.

Many residents of Sedley Taylor Road have concerns about parking and access to the existing sports pavilion and playing fields, and fear that the new pavilion could increase these difficulties. There has been a well supported petition, and residents met the College before the application to express their concerns. So parking and traffic were very much in councillors’ minds at the meeting, and although the application was approved, one of the conditions was that the College submit a travel plan including measures to discourage private motor vehicles and to encourage other means of transport. The travel plan has now been received. Here it is: HRSFCtravelplan

I have asked that it come back to the Area Meeting for consideration.The next meeting is on 9^th January, at the Cherry Hinton Village Centre and begins at 7.30 p.m. The travel plan is the third item on the agenda.