At the South Cambridge Area meeting this week (7th November), police agreed two new priorities:

• attending the Morley and Queen Edith’s Primary Schools and Homerton Children’s Centre to crack down on illegal or dangerous driving and parking
• cycle theft in Trumpington, as there has been a big increase in the last few months, mainly in Hills Road

They will continue with these objectives from the last quarter, slightly adapted to take account of offenders moving from one area to another:

• moped misuse in Queen Edith’s and Cherry Hinton
• anti-social behaviour and drug misuse in Cherry Hinton

Thanks to Mrs Ann Winter from Queen Edith’s, who addressed the meeting about the problems experienced with bad driving and parking in Godwin Way (the road where Queen Edith’s Primary School is). The petition for yellow lines on the Godwin Way/ Close corner now has nearly 50 signatures: do sign it if you haven’t already. Thanks to Layla Vandenbergh, who has put it on line on the County Council’s website: http://epetition.cambridgeshire.public-i.tv/epetition_core/view/GodwinParking. I have paper copies to sign if anyone would like one.

I attended a hearing of Cambridge City Council‘s Licensing Panel, which granted a premises licence to Sainsbury’s for its new store on the Cambridge Leisure Park. The store is not trading yet, but is likely to open early next year, underneath the budget hotel — and opposite Tesco’s.

As explained in my previous post, the Leisure Park was designated a cumulative impact zone.because of high levels of booze-fuelled crime in the Hills Road/ Cherry Hinton Road area and a high number of places selling alcohol – 17 on the Leisure Park alone, plus wine shops and off-licences nearby. This means that new drinks licences are only issued if the applicant can demonstrate that their operation will not make existing alcohol-related crime worse.

Premises licence applications are not well publicised, and they go through automatically if there are no objections. When I first heard about this one, there were no objections on file, so I put in my own. I did this because first: I cannot see how a new store selling alcohol can avoid making the alcohol-related crime worse, and secondly: because I thought the proposed finish time of 11 p.m. was too late. I asked that if the committee were minded to approve the application, that the drinks sales should stop at 9 p.m., as does the Sainsbury’s in St Andrew’s Street.

There have been three other objections: one from the manager of the Essentialz shop on the Hills Road Bridge, one from the chair of the Rustat Road Residents’ Association, and one from the police. The objections performed a function, as they enhanced the dialogue between the police and the supermarket, so that by the time of the meeting yesterday, the application had been amended for the better, including an earlier closing time of 10 p.m. (for the drinks sales, not the store). There was also an undertaking to provide security guards on Friday and Saturday nights, and to have the alcohol area locked with shutters outside licence hours. There will be no strong beer or cider on sale and Sainsbury’s will operate a policy of asking anyone  looking under 25 to show ID. They will join CAMBAC, (Cambridge Businesses Against Crime).

The police and the residents’ association were satisfied with the changes and withdrew their objections, but the hearing still went ahead, as there were still two objections sustained.

I am impressed with the provisions that have been put in place and I hope they work. Sainsbury’s assured us that they have a national pricing policy and are not likely to get into a price war with Tesco’s (also on the Leisure Park) – but there are other outlets nearby and I hope they behave responsibly too.

We shall wait and see.

police car

E-Cops report that there have been thefts from vehicles in Queen Edith’s recently.

Cars in Topcliffe Way, Beaumont Crescent and Hills Road have been broken into. The police comment: ‘Items taken in some of these crimes include property that has been left on show inside the vehicle. Please make sure you do not make your vehicle a target, by removing property from within when you leave it and always lock and secure it. These offenders are usually just opportunists who will spot something left inside the car and that will be enough for them to gain entry and steal that item in the process causing damage to your vehicle.’ It’s so easy to forget to remove or hide something.

Bikes have also been stollen in Hills Road and there was an attempt to break into a property on Queen Edith’s Way.

The police will be at the November South Area Committee (Cherry Hinton Village Centre) to report in more detail on what is happening locally and to propose their priorities for the coming season.

If you would like to receive regular updates from our local police team and have an e-mail account, why not sign up for e-cops. Visit http://www.cambs-police.co.uk/myneighbourhood/ecops/

Amanda and 20mph sign

There was a lively discussion on the Queen Edith’s 20mph trial at the Cambridge South Area meeting on Monday night. The meeting was held at the Cherry Hinton Village Centre for the first time, and was well attended, with many people there specially for either the 20mph item on the agenda or the policing session.

Mr Richard Preston from Cambridgeshire County Council Highways Dept was there to report and listen, and at my request, the police stayed on for the discussion.

Despite disappointing speed tests showing that drivers have not changed their behaviour much, here was general support for continuing with the lower 20mph limit, but there were also emphatic demands for two things that would make it work much better:

• better signage (painted areas on the road or flashing signs)
• police enforcement

There was a request for the lower limit to be extended to the whole of the estate, a change which councillors are happy to take on board. We limited it to Gunhild, Godwin and Wulfstan Ways initially, on the grounds that these roads had schools – but the point of a trial is that you can learn from it and make changes.

Mr James Woodburn of the Cambridge Cycling Campaign presented some very useful evidence, explaining how Portsmouth had brought in 20mph speed limits across 94% of the overall road length. They had taken a much more holistic approach, getting police buy-in from the beginning, making signage really prominent and giving much more information about the trial before it began. The result had been very good adherence to the lower speeds.

We asked Inspector Kerridge what enforcement there had been and what the police could offer us for the future. He didn’t give us a direct answer about what enforcement there had been (I suspect none) but explained the police had needed to do some research first about the viability of enforcing a 20mph limit. But he did say: ‘Can we enforce 20? Yes we can!’ and explained the approach he would like to take (talking to people and advising them if they were driving at over 20mph, following that up with a letter, before actually ticketing), while making it clear that the police would not enforce every 20mph limit without local requests to do so in areas where infringement was a particular problem. So: halfway there.

Mr Preston from the County Council told us more signage would cost about £500 (the cost of a painting gang) and that interactive signs could cost up to £5,000. The County had initially been trying not to clutter the area up with too many signs and taken a low-key approach – but in v iew of our comments would look favourably on local requests for more signs … if funding could be found. That may mean we have to fund them from Area Committee funds.

Mr Preston will report back on what we said on Monday to a joint county/city transport committee, and it is expected that the lower limit will remain. We evidently have more work to do on securing the better signage and police enforcement, but Monday’s meeting was a constructive sharing of what’s needed to improve the scheme. Thanks to all those who came along to speak, especially Claire from Godwin Way and Jim and James the Cycling Campaign, and to everyone who sent in surveys, or made comments on the Queen Edith’s  Facebook page.

Oh … our trial appear to have made the news!

BBC News

BBC News (Cambridgeshire)

On Monday at the South Area Committee meeting in Cherry Hinton, police agreed to adopt a new priority in the south of the city –mini-mot0 misuse. This is in top of an existing priority to address anti-social behaviour in Cherry Hinton.

The south sector neighbourhood police attend the Cambridge South Area meetings three times a year to present reports on their activities over the past season, highlight any trends, and to agree priorities for the coming season with councillors and the public. Anyone can come to these meetings and raise concerns. Monday’s meeting was held at the Cherry Hinton Village Centre for the first time, and there was a good attendance, with many clearly there specially for the policing item of the agenda.

The police start by presenting statistics, to inform the priorities. Mr Richard Taylor, a regular attender of council meetings and a campaigner for greater openness and accountability from public services, asked a number of questions about the stats, particularly about how they were broken down and why only certain types of crimes were included. He also asked about police surgeries and made some suggestions about how the police could tell people about these meetings in their own publicity. You can read Richard’s own account of this part of the meeting at his blog.

Various concerns were raised, including drink and drug abuse and I brought up under-age drink sales as I have had complaints recently. But it was bikes and mini-motos that were the burning issue. Councillor after councillor spoke of people riding on the pavement when they shouldn’t, and youths riding mini-motos recklessly in residential areas, terrorising innocent pedestrians.

The police were asked why, if they can run a campaign against cycling without lights, they can’t address other bike-related misdemeanours that harm other people, such as riding on the pavements.

Granted, as one of my fellow Cambridge Cycling Campaign members pointed out, most cyclists are law-abiding and some pavements are designated dual use – but the cyclists who break the rules give the good ones a bad name.

So I’m pleased to report that the police agreed to add a new priority: to concentrate on mini-motos and cycling misuse in Queen Edith’s and Cherry Hinton. If you notice any, please don’t hesitate to report it to them – telephone 03454564564.

A useful tip from Cllr Russ Macpherson, who knows about these things: Don’t worry if you don’t know the exact make of motorbike, as few people do. But make a note of the colour of the bike, as the colours are closely linked to the makes of bike. Clothing can also be quite distinctive, so try to give a good description of what the rider’s wearing.

DID YOU KNOW that approximately 2,500 bikes are stolen in Cambridge every year? So welcome to a helpful initiative to safeguard Cambridge bikes.

ParkThatBike is a social enterprise specialising in cycle parking. In their own words, they’re a ‘specialist consultancy working with UK local authorities to improve the nation’s cycle parking’. They are offering free cycle stands to local voluntary sector groups, charities, social enterprises and small businesses. Each stand holds two bikes neatly and securely.

SO: if you visit any small businesses, community groups, shops, pubs, offices, surgeries or churches and worry that your bike might disappear while you’re inside because there’s no cycle rack to attach it to, get in touch with the Bikerack Benefactors at www.parkthatbike.com, or phone 01594 for an application form.

The Cambridge offer is valid until March 2012.

County Council Highways officers are coming to the next South Cambridge Area meeting on 11th July to hear what we think of the 20mph speed limit trial in the Wulfstan Way area. Officers would like to make it permanent. The scheme has been running for just over a year and covers Wulfstan Way, Gunhild Way and Godwin Way, and the three cul-de-sacs in that area.

The Wulfstan Way area was chosen because it has a lot of of pedestrians and cyclists, and several community facilities – churches, schools, doctors’ surgeries and shops.

The police will be at the meeting too, so there will be a good opportunity to evaluate the trial – and to ask for more support from them in terms of enforcement. I have also had suggestions that the lower speed limit should be more clearly signed, a very valid point. Clearly those two things need to work together.

The meeting takes place on Monday 11th July at the Cherry Hinton Village Centre, starting at 7.30 p.m. Or if you cannot attend, please comment here or on the Queen Edith’s Facebook page.

I would also welcome views on other streets which would benefit from 20mph zones, as the Government has just relaxed the rules, meaning local people can get 20mph speed limits put in with much less bureaucracy and at lower cost.

Next Thursday’s South Area meeting has some important issues, including crime and disorder problems on Hills Road and near the Cambridge Leisure Park. It will also be setting policing priorities and hearing about a city council policy on licensing lap-dancing clubs, after which planning applications will be determined.

The meeting’s at Homerton College and starts at 7.30pm. It is open to everyone, but will be focussing on issues relevant to the south of Cambridge, Queen Edith’s, Cherry Hint0n and Trumpington. You can view an agenda on the City Council website.

Extending the cumulative impact areas on Hills Road and at Cambridge Leisure

Hills Road has 17 licensed premises – restaurants, cafés, off-licences, pubs and hotels plus one club. It now has more alcohol-related crime per hectare than Mill Road. 94% of it takes place on the stretch of Hills Road between the Catholic Church and the Hills Rd VI Form College.

The Cambridge Leisure Park has 17 licensed premises all close together – The Junction, 6 bars, 8 restaurants and the Tesco Express’s off-licence. It is the only area in Cambridge where violent crime is on the rise, much of it alcohol-related. The Leisure Park is designated as a ‘cumulative impact area’ –this means that if anyone wants to get a licence they have to demonstrate that it will not add to the crime and disorder/ public nuisance of a concentration of licensed premises.

The Chief Superintendent, Rob Needle, wants to extend the cumulative impact area to take in the bit of Cherry Hinton Road opposite the Leisure Park (running from Hills Rd to Clifton Rd), and to make the stretch of Hills Road running from town to Purbeck Road a new cumulative impact area.

As this would be a change to Cambridge’s Statement of Licensing Policy (read more about this here) the Council is inviting public comment. The consultation runs until 31st March 2011.

Please write to:

The Licensing Team, Refuse & Environment Service, Cambridge City Council, Cambridge CB1 0JH

or email licensing@cambridge.gov.uk.

Cambridgeshire Constabulary

Next Thursday’s South Area meeting will be discussing some important issues, including how the police spend their time.  The meeting’s at Homerton College and open to everyone. It starts at 7.30 and we anticipate the policing discussion will begin by 8 p.m. You can view an agenda on the City Council website.

The police come to the South Area meetings once every two months to put forward priorities for the next period and hear views from the public, including suggestions for new priorities. They are proposing to continue with their patrols in  Cherry Hinton High Street in response to complaints about anti-social behaviour. The police have in the past two months been able to move on troublemakers and address other breaches of the law. Although incidents have gone down, the police want to carry on with the patrols as they anticipate more anti-social behaviour as the weather improves. If you have suggestions for areas that need police action, come along and tell the police or, if you can’t get to the meeting, please let us know your views.

The meeting will also be discussing an extension to the cumulative impact zones at Cambridge Leisure and Hills Road and grants. After that it will determine three planning applications.