Dear Resident

This is the 17th of the regular electronic community newsletters from me as your local Liberal Democrat Borough Councillor.

I would very much appreciate any feedback you have on the content.

Please let me know if you:

– Wish to opt out of future editions.

– Know of anyone else in Elstow, Stewartby or Kempston Hardwick who might like to receive it.

 

Police and Crime Commissioner Election tomorrow

Whatever your views on this post and which of the candidates you are considering voting for, please turn out and vote. At the very least, it is an important opportunity to have your say on how the area should be policed in the future. It will be of no great surprise to you to read that I hope you will give your first choice to Linda Jack, but the important thing is to take the opportunity to vote.

 

Village-wide Issues

Elstow and Stewartby

a) Elstow and Stewartby sites in Minerals and Waste Core Strategy – a)   Rookery South in Minerals and Waste Core Strategy – I was unable to attend the FCC Environment Public Exhibition in Elstow on 6 Nov 12.

b) Community Safety – I am pleased to report that seven local residents attended the Borough Council’s Environment & Sustainable Communities Scrutiny Committee meeting on 11th October  2012 in Elstow. They took the opportunity to express their views on the level of community policing in the village.

c) Change of Ward Name to Elstow and Stewartby – The Borough Council has received 83 responses, every single on in favour. This will now be considered by the Borough Council’s General Purposes Committee at its 22 Jan 13 meeting.

Stewartby

a) Village Heritage – Hosted meetings with Parish Cllr Ed Hiam, Cllr Doug McMurdo the relevant Portfolio Holder and Ian Johnson the Borough Conservation Officer. Doug has had a positive response from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Doug has now managed to speak to Hanson’s Land and Planning Director who has promised a response. Doug has agreed to another meeting on 19 Dec 12. This is after he has met with Mayor Dave Hodgson and the Borough’s Chief Executive to review this issue.

b) Application for “Village Green” status for area behind Church – This is being progressed by Parish Councillor Jitka McAdam. If you want to protect this open space and have used it as an open space for recreation or play, please e-mail Jitka on j.macadam@cranfield.ac.uk saying you have done so and how long for. We especially need written evidence saying that it has been used for recreation or play for more than 20 years or so. If you can help in this way and the application is successful, this will finally completely secure the land from any threat of any inappropriate development.

c) Involvement by Bedford Borough Council of Stewartby Parish Council in issues affecting the Parish – At the Parish Chair’s request, I have arranged a meeting between him, Mayor Dave Hodgson and I on 26 Nov 12 to discuss how Stewartby could be better involved in decisions affecting the Parish.

 

Local Issues

Since my last Elstow, Stewartby and Kempston Hardwick Echo, I have amongst other local issues progressed the following raised by residents:

Elstow

a) Travellers on Elstow Brook – I have been in discussions with the relevant Borough Director regarding preventative measures on the site. Elstow Parish Council has agreed to contribute £400 out of its own funds. That along with the £2,063 from my Ward Fund will form around half of the current cost as estimated by the relevant Borough Director. He has asked his staff to put together a set of proposals for consultation with the Parish Council and I. Our contributions have meant they should be installed sometime early in the next financial year.   

b) The Swan development – As you know, I have formally submitted my objections to the application as currently designed. I have been told that senior planners are meeting today to review the report out together by a planner. I have not been told the recommendation, but have been told it is likely to be placed on the 26 Nov 12 Planning Committee Agenda. As that says to me it will be recommended for approval, I have told the planner I will expect a meeting with the Chief Planner before it is put on any Agenda.

c) Minor flooding on Wilstead Road – I have raised this issue with the Borough and am still awaiting an update.

d) Tree supports on Waltham Drive – At the request of local residents, I have arranged for some of these that were in a poor state of repair to be replaced.

e) Poor state of road on High Street/Wilstead Road – Works for this are in the 2012/13 Highways Programme. I have asked Highways for further details of what work is involved.

f) Tesco Express – Abbey Fields – One of my election promises was to work with Mayor Dave to get a shop on the Abbey Fields estate. Planning permission has now been given for a “retail unit” near the Health Centre. Highway works for this are in the 2012/13 Highways Programme. I have asked Highways for further details of this

g) Grass cutting on Wilstead Road – Local residents advised this had not been done. I arranged for the Borough Council to do a special cut and ensure the area is not missed out again.

h) Overnight parking by HGVs near the Abbey Fields estate – This is happening on a bypass lay-by and residents are complaining of being kept awake at night by the resulting noise from the cooling units. An initial response from the Borough Council is that as it is on a Highways Agency road, it is up to the Agency to consider this request. I will be following this up.

Stewartby

a) Flooding in Park Crescent and Pillinge Road – I co-hosted a meeting on site with representatives of O&H Properties, Anglian Water and the Borough Council. This meeting got agreement to:

– Anglian Water clearing the pipe near Broadmead Lower School.

– O&H Properties and Anglian Water providing to the Borough Council their records of their drains and pipes in Stewartby.

– The Borough Council clearing the culvert near the Broadmead Road bend.

Anglian Water is still to commit to a date for their clearing of the pipe near Broadmead Lower. At my request, Borough Officers are still working on compiling a complete plan of all the drainage pipes etc. in the village.

b) Manor Road, Kempston Hardwick – Volume and speeding of cars. An Automatic Number Plate Recognition Camera and an Automatic Traffic Counter were put in place on 12th and 13th September.  I am still awaiting the summary report by the relevant Assistant Director, but it is clear from the base data that the volume issue has been proven and that lorries regularly break the Weight Limit.

c) I am pleased to report that G Moore’s application that sought to allow operations to commence from 6am Mondays to Saturdays has been refused by officers under delegated powers.

d) Planning Application for land behind the Stewartby United Church in Park Crescent Ref: 12/01909/OUT – Residents have contacted me and are still doing so regarding an application made completely out of the blue by O&H Properties for six residential units on the land. I have advised residents to object to this application. A Borough Planning Officer has been in contact with me for timetable purposes asking if I would be happy with a refusal under delegated powers if that turned out to be the recommendation. I happily confirmed I would be. Watch this space!

e) Sir Malcolm Stewart Homes – Double glazing – Residents have been in contact with me regarding their high fuel bills and their crumbling window frames. Progress is being made and I have arranged a second meeting on 18 Dec 12 between Mayor Dave Hodgson, me, the Conservation Officer, a senior Planner and two Trust Representatives to decide on what window frames can be installed. Mayor Dave has been very supportive of my efforts to get Council support for this.

 

Covanta Incinerator

The Parliamentary Committee Hearings are continuing.

 

Ward Fund

As I have some money left for 2012/13, I asked Elstow Parish Council at its last meeting for ideas on what they wish to spend it on. It agreed that the remainder of my Ward Fund should be spent on a Jubilee bench – £1,000 and a contribution towards measures that will help prevent travellers getting onto the Elstow Brook site again – £2,063.

Contact me

Please don’t hesitate to contact me on any local issue by any of the following means:

Tel (day): 0131 448 4270

Tel (eve): 01234 857180

Mobile: 07910100240

Email: tim.hill@bedford.gov.uk

Web site: Web site: http://timhill.mycouncillor.org.uk/ or http://bedfordlibdems.org.uk/en/page/elstow-and-stewartby

   Leave a comment