Village Life With Jayne Whytock

The 'New Norm'

By Jayne Whytock

Well it’s August already; where has Christmas things will be a little better and families this year gone? Who would have can once again get together to celebrate. thought way back in January that We have to look to the future, the past has our world and our daily lives would happened and sadly we cannot change it, but have changed so drastically? To be we can learn from it as an individual and as a honest, for me the word ‘corona’ meant the man country. Mistakes have been made but this is driving a lorry who used to call every Sunday to something we have not faced in living memory. sell fizzy drink, known as ‘Corona Man’; it was the We have to learn to adapt and live in a different highlight of the week. world. Look for the good things that have come Now that word has taken on a whole new out of this. The volunteers who have given their meaning. Normally at this time of the year we time to help out their neighbours and strangers. would be either on holiday, looking forward to The friendships that have been forged and will one, or looking back on one. Now the furthest last a lifetime. The new hobbies and skills we I’ve planned to go is the hairdressers, who are have discovered. The prioritising of what is really now wearing visors, and handing out masks for important in our lives and the realisation that we protection. Going for a meal or a drink is like a can actually survive without the things that a few military operation of pre-booking, giving your months ago seemed so important. name, address, phone number etc. Hopefully when I write again next month, things Online shopping has become the new norm and will have improved even more and we can get my weekly highlights are the food delivery on a back to some sense of normality. We have much Saturday, the bin men calling on a Wednesday to look forward to, Bonfire Night, Hallowe’en, and and checking emails to see if the books, clothes Christmas. They may not be as before, but we will or wool is on its way (yes I have taken up knitting find a way of celebrating these events, because again after a break of thirty years lol!). that is what we do, we adapt and make the best Like so many, I’ve not hugged my children and of what we have. grandchildren for six months and have only seen Take care and keep safe and well. Oh, here them from a distance or on FaceTime. But no matter come the bin men, one highlight to check off how bad the storm is, it will pass and hopefully by the calendar!

Matters

STATION CAR PARK

PLANS ON TRACK

Plans to create new car parks at Manea and Whittlesea railway stations have taken a step closer to fruition with the appointment of a specialist contractor to develop the schemes. The new car parks are among the raft of improvements for Fenland stations being delivered through Fenland District Council’s Railway Station Masterplans scheme, funded by £9.5 million from the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority, led by Mayor James Palmer. Last month the council submitted a planning application for the 112-space car park at Manea station, and now Greater Anglia, which manages both Manea and Whittlesea stations, has appointed TTPP Construction Consultants to progress the development and design work for both sites. Both stations have already seen the installation of new platform waiting shelters through the Combined Authority funding and Section 106 contributions, with platform extensions among the other improvements in the pipeline. Cllr Chris Seaton, Fenland District Council’s cabinet member for transport and chairman of the Fenland Stations Regeneration Project Board, said: “Encouraging rail travel and making our stations more accessible to local residents, businesses and tourists are key priorities for the council, our partners and the Hereward Community Rail Partnership, so it’s great to see more projects forging ahead.

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“We are looking forward to working with TTPP Construction Consultants to deliver this key infrastructure work. The Fenland Stations Regeneration Project plan shows the station car parks will be completed next year, which will make a huge difference to local residents and rail commuters.” Mayor James Palmer of the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority said: “It’s important that local residents and businesses know they’re on the way to getting the benefit of the Combined Authority investment in regeneration. “We’ve put in a lot of money to make rail a more attractive and user-friendly option, with improved facilities across the Fenland stations. The car and cycle parking we’ve funded will help get ‘long haul’ commuters off the roads and into the trains, but I shan’t stop pushing for the reliable and frequent services that will give rail travel the big boost it needs to coax people on board.”

DON’T LOSE YOUR VOICE Local residents are being reminded not to lose their voice on decisions that affect them by making sure their household details are up-to-date. The annual canvass ensures that Fenland District Council can keep the electoral register up-to-date, identifying any residents who are not registered so that they can be encouraged to do so. With local elections taking place in May 2021, this is an important opportunity for residents to make sure they can take part. This year the council is running a Reformed Canvass which simplifies the process and makes it clearer for citizens. Households may also now be contacted in a number of different ways including by email, post and by phone. As part of the Reformed Canvass process, not all households will be required to respond as they have done in previous years. Those that are still required to respond will be encouraged to do so as soon as possible to ensure that the process runs smoothly and to remove the need for any further contact. For more information contact the council’s elections team via email at: elections@fenland. gov.uk or call 01354 654321

NEW WAYS TO PAY

FOR COUNCIL SERVICES Fenland District Council has introduced a new way to pay for council services, giving residents more choice and convenience when paying their bills. From July 13th, people have been able to make payments for council bills and invoices, such as Council Tax, at any Post Office and local shops which provide the free PayPoint service. Previously cash payments have only been accepted at payment machines located in the council’s customer service centres and community hubs, which are temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But now residents have the option to make payments at their local Post Office and at around thirty shops, petrol stations and newsagents, which display the PayPoint sign, across the district. Cllr Steve Tierney, the council’s portfolio holder responsible for customer services, said: “Introducing this new way to pay will considerably increase the number of available payment outlets in Fenland, giving residents more flexibility and choice about where to pay their bills. “Many Post Offices and PayPoint retailers are open seven days a week, with long opening hours and some for 24 hours. It means people will be able to pay for council services at a place and time that suits them, without being constricted to council business hours.” Paying for bills at Post Offices and PayPoint locations is in addition to being able to make payments via direct debit, online via www.fenland. gov.uk, the council’s contact centre on 01354 654321 and the council’s customer service centres and community hubs. To make a payment at a Post Office or PayPoint outlet, customers simply need to present their barcoded bill to the retailer and confirm how much they would like to pay. The retailer will then provide a receipt and the payment will be credited within three working days. For more information, visit: www.fenland.gov.uk/paypoint

VIEWS WANTED ON

NEW DOG CONTROL ORDER

Fenland residents are being asked for their views on the introduction of a new public spaces protection order to deal with dog fouling and dog control issues across the district. In April, Fenland District Council invited people to have their say on proposals to extend an existing dog control Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) by a further three years. But feedback from residents suggested adding Friday Bridge churchyard to the areas from which dogs should be excluded. Now the council is proposing to apply for a new PSPO with the area included, rather than extending the old one – and would like the public’s views. An online survey has now been launched for people to have their say – visit: www.fenland.gov. uk/dogs2020 The survey runs until Friday, August 7th. The PSPO outlines how the council will enforce dog control issues and encourages owners to clean up after their dogs, keep them under control and adhere to dog exclusion zones. Specifically, it imposes the following rules: • Dog fouling to be removed from any land to which the public have access • Dogs to be put on a lead when requested by an authorised officer • Dogs to be on a lead in some open play areas, public facilities, closed cemeteries, and churchyards • Dogs to be excluded from fenced/gated play areas and open cemeteries.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR... Dear Editor, Fear, stress and anxiety have all intensified for people with cancer during the current health crisis, which means people need Maggie’s now more than ever. Maggie’s relies almost entirely on voluntary donations, so the generosity of all our supporters, including players of People’s Postcode Lottery, is vital in allowing us to keep supporting those living with cancer, and dealing with the significant impact of the coronavirus on their physical and mental health, on their finances and on the lives of their loved ones. The support of players over the last twelve years has helped us to reach thousands of people across Great Britain living with cancer and I would like to send a huge heartful thank you to everyone who plays. Best wishes,

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