Cranfield church clock

Still nothing from Smith of Derby about getting the clock going again. The village is timeless. As it were.

Waste disposal

We've had details about the next stage in the Energy to Waste proposals for the Vale. There are two candidates: BEaR and Covanta. Below is the latest  info, note the references to 'Boxborough':

Dear Councillors

 

The Bedfordshire Energy and Recycling Project has been set up to deliver a long term residual waste treatment contract for Central Bedfordshire, Bedford Borough and Luton Borough Councils. An alternative solution to landfill must be delivered to avoid increasing landfill taxes and potential fines for exceeding landfill allowance. 

 

Central Bedfordshire Council, on behalf of the Partnership authorities, have agreed to enter into a land option agreement on a site at Boxborough. The Partnership authorities intend to offer a parcel of land at the edge of Boxborough landfill to the waste industry for a waste treatment facility. The landfill site itself will continue to undergo full restoration as planned.

 

Following a detailed site selection process, Rookery South and Boxborough Landfill were identified as suitable locations for waste treatment facilities. Since this time, the BEaR Project team, on behalf of the Partnership, have been in negotiations with the landowners to secure option agreements to purchase both of the sites.

 

Following Executive approval to sign the option agreement the BEaR project team, on behalf of the Partnership, will now be concluding negotiations ahead of the option being signed by both parties.

 

The BEaR Project team will encourage the waste industry to put forward solutions and all proposals will be considered. No final decisions will be made on which site will be used or what sort of facilities will be built until 2011.

 

If you would like further information, please do not hesitate to contact me directly. 

 

Kindest regards

 

Jenny Goddard

BEaR Communications Officer

Central Bedfordshire

Tel: 0300 300 6613

E Mail: jenny.goddard@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

Outdoor gym

We have installed nearly £19,000 worth of open air gym equipment in Broad Green and the Recreation Ground to help villagers lead a healthy lifestyle. The equipment has been placed near to the children’s play areas so that families can use the park facilities together. As part of the promotion  we did a discreet photoshoot this morning. Peter, Jo and Jill were all great sports and gave it their best go. The full gallery will be in Cranfield Express next week. But above is an early peek of Peter Meadows  working hard on the 'cross-trainer'. 

Last night's parish council meeting

Quiet lane looks like its back on track. Central beds is making up the difference between the £4,000 set aside by Cranfield and the perceived cost of £10,000. We can now probe various other headaches/panics/obstructions. 

Amey reps outlined a variety of solutions to the traffic calming issues in the village. As previously discussed they include features at Mill Rd/High St junction, pelican crossings on the High Street and narrowing near the centre of the village/Court Road. There is also a proposal for a double roundabout at the Crane Way/Mill Road junction. This will all go on exhibition in the village in September for full consultation. 

The propaganda campaign about proposed 'Energy to waste' facilities (or incinerators if you prefer) is stepping up with exhibitions by Covanta  and a visit from BeAR project reps to the parish councils planned. 

No more meetings until September 2nd but I suspect there will be plenty going on.

Council meeting

Opportunity tonight for  a fuller discussion about the Quiet Lane issue and the mixed messages from Central Beds about how much it will cost. We are expecting James Gleave, the officer working on this to be present. 

Wednesday, 15^th  July 2009 at 7.00pm

 

All members of the Council are hereby summoned to attend for the purpose of resolving upon the business to be transacted at the meeting/s as set out hereunder.                                                                               

PLANNING APPLICATIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING AT 7.50PM.  THERE WILL BE NO OPPORTUNITY TO VIEW THE PLANS DURING THE MEETING

 

7.00pm:  Debbie Pointon - Traffic Calming

 

MEETING OF THE FULL PARISH COUNCIL 8.00pm

1.     TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: 

2.     TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL AND/OR PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS IN ANY MATTER

3.     TO CONFIRM THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING[S] [copy herewith]

4.     CLERKS REPORT

5.     REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES

5.1.  General Purposes Committee (including the Safety Sub Committee)

5.2.  Burial Grounds Committee

5.3.  Environment Committee

5.4.  Planning Committee

6.     CORRESPONDENCE

7.     FINANCIAL MATTERS AND ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENT

7.1.  S137 Grants:

7.1.1.     St Peter & St Pauls Church

7.1.2.     Colts FC

 

8.     REPORTS FROM CENTRAL BEDS COUNCILLORS (and any other representative)

9.     HIGHWAY MATTERS

Church Clock

The church clock's stopped. Time stands still in Cranfield.

We had a big power cut over the weekend in the southern end of the village (Shops closed etc) and this seems to upset the clock. Though it is, in fact, clockwork. The mysteries are beyond me.

I'll email to the clerk and alert Smith of Derby to have a look at it but first I'll contact the Court Road Clockman who just might be able to nudge it into action.

Not so Quiet Lane

I have to say I'm confused - this is the latest from Central Beds about the Quiet Lane.

We were told that a fully designated speed and/or weight restriction would cost several thousands of pounds more - not the concept of a QL itself. That was very clear. 

Hi All,

 

I just thought that i would send around an e-mail to clarify a few matters with regards to the Lodge Road Quiet Lane, from my notes of the meeting with the Parish Council on Wednesday 10th June.

 

At that meeting, a number of options for Lodge Road were discussed. These ranged from very simple solutions, to a full, legally-designated Quiet Lane. Those present at the meeting were informed that to go down the route of a fully, legally-designated Quiet Lane would be an expensive option, costing at least £10,000. As this was well outside the Parish Council's budget of £4,500, those present at the meeting agreed that going down a full, legally-designated Quiet Lane route would be impractical at this stage. It was therefore agreed the following package of measures would be delivered along Lodge Road:

• Entry and exit signage at either end of Lodge Road
• A review to minimise signage along Lodge Road where possible
• If possible, installing some 'Please drive carefully' and HGV advisory signs at either end of Lodge Road
• If possible, make all of Lodge Road a 30mph speed limit

In return for this, Central Bedfordshire Council would manage Lodge Road in a way that is consistent with a Quiet Lane, e.g. encouraging hedgerow growth. This committment would be made in writing. Simply, Central Bedfordshire Council would treat and manage Lodge Road as though it was a Quiet Lane, but Lodge Road would not be legally designated as such. This was agreed at the meeting on Wednesday 10th June.

 

Some of you have probably heard of the figure of £10,000 being quoted for a Quiet Lane. This figure was a figure that i quoted at the Rural Transport Partnership Forum Meeting on Tuesday 7th July as a likely minimum cost for the delivery of a full, legally-designated Quiet Lane. This figure is not a revised quote for Lodge Road from us, but was a re-iteration of the costs of a full, legally-designated Quiet Lane which i gave at the meeting on Wednesday 10th June. The cost of the planned works at Lodge Road are still set to £4,500.

 

Apologies for the long e-mail, but i hope that this has clarified a few things. As always, if you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me.

 

Kind regards,

 

James Gleave

Village Hall

Well done to everyone who organised the Cranfield Past and Present event yesterday at the Lower School in aid of the village hall. Specially Kathy and Marjorie. Fascinating event, although I got a bit cross eyed watching the lace making.  

Outdoor gym

We were alerted by a parishioner that the 'leg press' exercise machine in  the new 'outdoor gyms' in Broad Green and the Rec equipment is potentially dangerous to children who can lift it shoulder height and allow it to fall with a heavy hammer-like action. Roy Phillips and I have inspected it and agreed on  the hazard. 

As a purely interim measure we agreed that I would immobilise both pieces of equipment
(in Broad Green and the Rec) and put up notices explaining why and giving PC contact numbers.

The equipment can be quickly and easily reactivated when we have resolved this uncertainty.

In the meantime I tried out various pieces for the first time and they are quite simply brilliant. I'd recommend everyone to have a go.

Village Hall Fundraiser

I would urge everyone to get along to the Lower School for the Village Hall repair fundraiser tomorrow. Well done Marjorie C and her team for getting this event together at such short notice. And thanks to the Lower School for allowing their facilties to be made available. Its noon to 5 pm (if the illegal - but we'll ignore that - flyposted leaflet outside my house is anything to go by).

Brogborough landfill might have gone but the Vale is alive as ever with various plans for processing waste . There are two incinerator ('energy from waste') proposals - the home grown Bear project and Covanta's bigger scheme that will do Buckinghamshire's waste for them as well as our own. 

Now we have received the following from Northamptonshire-based company Infinis: 

"During the Marston Vale Landfill Community Liaison Meeting held at Stewartby Village Hall on 1^st July,  Infinis informed the committee that it is looking into re-using the Mirlees engines at Brogborough Landfill for Short Term Operating Reserve (STOR) generation on renewable biodiesel.   At the meeting it was explained that STOR generation is a scheme operated by the National Grid that allows them to balance the electricity system during periods of high demand. 

 

Since the meeting we have done further feasibility  work and have developed a project proposal.  As a result of the progress made, we were hoping to come and discuss the project in more detail with the Parish Council in order to gauge local views and allay any concerns that the Parish Council may have in relation to the proposed scheme.

 

To that end I would be grateful if you could advise us when would be a convenient time to meet the Parish Council.   We would be happy to fit in with one of the pre-arranged Parish Council meetings, possibly taking 30 minutes at the start of the meeting, or  at  a separate meeting if that is more desirable/convenient for the Council.

 

Infinis intends to begin drafting a planning application for the scheme.  Therefore discussing any issues with the Parish Council at the earliest opportunity would best allow us to make any changes to the application that may result from consultation with the Parish council.

 

I look forward to hearing from you with regards to prospective dates and times.  If you have any queries or would like to discuss anything further, please do not hesitate to contact me, my details are below."

At the moment (TBC) it looks like they are coming on September 2nd. 

(Not so) Quiet lane

Latest news has it that there is 'some confusion'. Let's hope that is it.

(Not so) Quiet lane

Can you believe it? Suggestions emerging from Central Beds that our quiet lane costs for Lodge Road may in fact be £10,000 not the approximate £4,000 we were told at then end of last year. Urgent enquiries going on at the moment. More soon. 

Exercising

The 'adult' exercise equipment is in, in Broad Green. There's already been some excited activity - positive as far as I can see. Now we have to get some parish councillors on it for a photo shoot. Well done Jo Stannage (committee chair) for putting this through. Any project like this seems to take an age because of bureacracy and red tape. 

Local development framework

We were told last week that at the enquiry in to the Central Beds Local Development Framework Cranfield University made a late proposal for Cranfield to re-designated as a 'Major Service Centre'. This could have meant anything from an extra 600 to 900 houses rather than the 150 to 250 which would be allocated as 'minor service centre' (current Central Beds designation).

We are currently debating days/events that should be marked by flying a flag from the village flagpole. There have been some highly imaginative suggestions including a parish councillor's birthday, the winter solstice and the clerk's poodles' birthdays (is that one or two?).  We are wide open to ideas.