District and County Councillors’ Report

It is heartening to report on positive local initiatives like services on our doorstep at the Melbourn Hub, and the social support organized as part of Meldreth Cares -Community Support, against a back-drop of tough times for many people; the significant increase in uptake in free school meals being just one sign of the times. Apparent to the eye on a daily basis is the failing state of roads and pavements.

Thank you for your various questions, offers and concerns; we will always do our best to find answers and people who can help.

The Vaccinators return: Melbourn Hub

The Vaccinators are coming again to the Melbourn Hub on Sunday 5th March 10.00-3.00pm. No need to sign up; just come along for Covid and flu jabs, health checks, lifestyle advice and childhood immunisations.

Free School Meals

Requests for free school meals have increased by 24% in the past sixteen months. Please search ‘Cambridgeshire Free School Meals’ to find out more about support and how to access it , or feel free to get in touch with us. SCDC keeps an updated cost-of-living support information on its website; please search ‘South Cambs Cost of Living support’.

Meldreth High Street

Hopefully by the time you read this the worst of Meldreth High Street will have had some serious patching done. It has been an awful winter with horrific potholes proliferating.

Very recently, we met our Highways team on site once again to look at options for longer term remedial work, following consideration of a new ‘surface dressing’ which we’d hoped would be the next stage. The fact that the surface of the High Street is already quite high means that any surface dressing treatment would raise the height of road close to that of pavement level, creating new problems, especially flooding; frustratingly therefore that option has been ruled out. Clearly the High Street needs a complete digging up and re-creation, but the estimated cost of this is astronomical and beyond the reach of available budget. We will of course continue to work closely with the Highways team to seek a workable strategy.

This summer, Fenny Lane will be resurfaced as it meets the standard for surface dressing treatment. Good of course but we’ll see a very frustrating contrast with the High Street.

The awful legacy of under-investment in maintenance over decades and the policy of ‘managed decline’ has no easy answers and, frighteningly, it is replicated all over the county. It was more than ten years ago that the state of the county highways network was considered so bad as to warrant a study of the overall cost of bringing it up to a decent standard of repair. Sadly, adequate investment was not made when times were less challenging than now.

County Council budget

Government announced its ‘financial settlement’ for councils just before Christmas and proposed that CCC’s ‘core spending power’ (the overall revenue funding available for council services) should increase by 9.5%, less than the current rate of inflation. Half of that 9.5% derives from the council’s power to raise council tax, in other words, the Government expects local council taxpayers to shoulder a lot of the extra costs.

The County Council has set a balanced budget for 2023-24, in the face of a national funding settlement which takes no account of Cambridgeshire’s population growth. The Government’s decision to move its fair funding review back for a further two years leaves Cambridgeshire with a formula which takes no account of recent population growth, and in some cases, that review bases funding on population figures which are more than twenty years old!

The budget seeks to bridge a potential funding gap for the coming year of £21.4M, even after finding more than £10M of additional savings or income, in the face of levels of inflation not seen for forty years, along with rising costs for energy and essential services. The budget also outlines how the Council plans to spend more than £15M in one-off funds from reserves next year including;

 £1M to continue free school meal vouchers for eligible children.

 £1M into highway schemes including rural roads drainage.

 £1M investment into flood mitigation.

 More than £1.3 into libraries.

 £380,000 investment in community services.

The council’s new ‘triple bottom line’ approach to the impacts of budget proposals has seen increased investment in biodiversity improvements, and in ensuring all new schools are built to net zero standards.

The budget sees band D properties paying an additional £73 per year in council tax, although more than half (64%) of the county lives in homes rated band C or below and would see rises of between £49 and £65 per year. In total this would raise £17.8M towards setting a legally balanced budget for 2023-24 and help to mitigate the costs of adult social care. Statutory children’s and adult social care combined, where acute needs have risen, make up about 80% of the council’s expenditure.

Support Home-Start with the Turtles

Home-Start Royston, Buntingford and South Cambs provides support to young families in our communities. A fundraising Aquathon will take place at the Royston Leisure Centre on the evening of Sunday April 23rd. Susan is organizing the South Cambs Turtles team for the second year event; she comments; ‘We are swimmers of all abilities. A swimsuit and enthusiasm for supporting Home-Start is all that’s needed.’ Please get in touch if you’d be up for taking part.

See: https://www.home-start.org.uk/home-start-royston-south-cambridgeshire.

Foster caring

Cambridgeshire County Council seeks residents who would like to make a real difference to the lives of a child or young person by becoming a Foster Carer. Applicants must be over 21 years of age, have a spare bedroom, and be willing and able to provide a stable and loving environment in which a child or young person can thrive. Foster Carers can benefit from local training and development, generous pay and benefits and 24/7 support from a Supervising Social Worker, as well as local support groups and networking opportunities. Information at: www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/children-andfamilies/fostering-and-adoption Alternative contacts are: Email fostering@cambridgeshire.gov.uk tel 0800 052 0078 Text FOSTERING to 60777

Combined Authority Precept: supporting bus services

A precept from the Mayoral Combined Authority of £12 per year per Band D property has been agreed, to ensure continued subsidy for bus services restored following the Stagecoach cuts last year. The Combined Authority was able to step in before Christmas to provide a six month subsidy for a large number of threatened rural services but this was from financial reserves and it was always known that a longer term solution would be required. Effort now needs to go into improving bus ridership so that in the longer-term large subsidies will not be required.

Support for Ukraine : it all starts with a spare room

Under the Homes for Ukraine programme, around 740 people from Ukraine have so far arrived in South Cambridgeshire, with approximately 400 more in Cambridge. The programme allows UK residents to sign-up to host guests who are often women and children who have fled the war in Ukraine. Between the two areas, a total of almost 500 hosts have already been providing housing to guests. However, since the war in Ukraine continues and it is not safe for many families to return, there is an ongoing demand to provide them with a safe place to stay.

Under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, hosts sign up to provide a home to guests for a minimum of six months. However, around 20% of current hosts are not able to continue beyond that initial six-month point and hence, the guests who have been staying with them would benefit from alternative accommodation locally, so that they can continue to build on the relationships and community connections they have already been able to make. SCDC and Cambridge City Councils have therefore launched a joint campaign to recruit extra hosts.

Anyone who can offer a spare room and warm welcome is being asked to text:: ROOM to 88802 so that the councils can support them through the process and match hosts to guests who have already started to settle in the local area. Hosts receive comprehensive support from the councils, along with a £350 monthly Government ‘Thank you’ payment. Both councils are also offering extra opt-in monthly payments to hosts of £150, in response to feedback about rising costs of housing guests, particularly over the winter months.

Anglian Water information for residents

Following our meeting with Anglian Water last month about issues in our area, AW provided some basic public information, to be followed as soon as it’s available with updates on the specific issues we asked about. AW advised as follows:

‘Keeping the community informed of our works: To keep local residents informed about what we are doing locally and provide updates on our works to resolve any issues in the area, we provide open access to our interactive ‘In Your Area’ map. This map, through filtering map layers at the top right, allows you to see details about sewerage and drainage issues, maintenance and improvements, roadworks, reservoirs, key sites and private pumping stations.’

‘Reporting issues: To report an incident, including pollution, call us at any time on 03457 145145 or contact: www.anglianwater.co.uk. If you need extra help, contact the AW Priority Service or ring 03457 919 155.

National Lottery funding

Funding of up to £10,000 is available for activities through the National Lottery Awards for All programme. See: www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/ under10k

Zoom Cuppa : Mondays 5.00-6.00pm

We’re always available to help answer any questions or concerns. Please feel free to contact us anytime, or come along to our Zoom Cuppa surgery.

Susan van de Ven, County Councillor, and Jose Hales and Sally Ann Hart, District Councillors

Catalytic Converter theft

Catalytic converter theft in Cambridgeshire is at an all-time high. The number of catalytic converters stolen from cars across the county has risen by 141 per cent in the past four years. In 2022, thieves stole 758 catalytic converters, an average of two a day, compared to 314 in 2019.

With 133 further thefts recorded up until 31st Jan this year –more than four a day – Cambridgeshire police are urging residents to call in any suspicious behaviour around vehicles so that it can be acted upon as soon as possible.

Catalytic converters are found in the exhaust system of every car and reduce the output of toxic gases and pollutants. Stealing them has become popular because they are not easily identifiable when sold on for the metals found inside them. Toyotas and Hondas have been predominantly targeted but other vehicles including Lexus, Mercedes, Mazda and Volkswagen have also been affected.

The police believe that there are several groups of people coming from out of the county to carry out these thefts. It takes as little as a minute for criminals to remove a catalytic converter and on many occasions, victims are unaware their vehicle has been targeted even though it was sitting on their driveway. Vehicles that sit high off the ground are particularly vulnerable and thefts occur most frequently in car parks.

Look out for vehicles jacked up (especially in the middle of the vehicle). Listen out for the sound of metal being cut. There may be a vehicle nearby with the engine running and two or three people involved. But please do not approach or disturb the suspects; they have been known to be violent in the past and may even be carrying weapons. Instead, call the police on 999 and share the vehicle number plate and any other details that could help to identify the suspects.

If you discover that a catalytic converter theft has already occurred, you should call the non-emergency 101 police number and report the crime immediately. Alternatively, you can report the theft online by going to the homepage of the Cambridgeshire Police website and select ‘Report’

You can contact Neighbourhood Watch by phoning Graham on (01763) 260358, or by emailing nhw.meldreth@btinternet.com.

Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire

Aquathon

Home-Start are very aware that everyone in our local community, like us, have found it hard to raise funds over the past few years and we really want to help you raise funds for your school / organisation / club through our Home-Start Aquathon event.

If you need to raise funds for equipment, a project or a trip, we can help you. All you need is a team of 6 swimmers to swim in relay on the night and gain sponsorship. Our Aquathon will take place on Sunday 23rd April between 6.00pm – 10.00pm at Royston Leisure Centre. Any sponsorship gained will be split 50/50 between Home-Start Royston, Buntingford and South Cambridgeshire and your school, organisation, club or maybe even Meldreth Matters! So pick your swimmers from teachers, PTA members, coaches, leaders, children, parents, family members and come and have some fun.

We will organise paper sponsorship forms and online funding pages for your team. It is not a race, so please come along and have fun! Then your organisation will receive 50% of the sponsorship money raised and also know that you are helping Home-Start to continue their work in our local community with families who are struggling with day-to-day life. Contact Tracy on 01763 262262 or email events@hsrsc.org.uk for more information and the necessary forms if you would like to get involved.

Home-Start 40th Anniversary Concert

Home-Start invites you to join us for our 40th Anniversary concert, ‘Celebrating Voices’, led by the wonderful Linda Bance, on Saturday, 4th March. Come and enjoy a brilliant mix of singing styles from four local choirs; Foxton Singers, Lift Off Choir, Reed Choir and WomenSing choir. Our amazing Poet-in-Residence, Jude Simpson, will be hosting the event, and local author Sarah Harrison will join us to recite one of her poems.

The concert will be held at St John the Baptist Parish Church, Royston, SG8 9LG; doors open at 6:45pm for a 7:30pm start. There will be a licenced bar available and a raffle. There is free parking at the Health Centre car park opposite the church.

Tickets are £10 for adults, £7 for U13s - to book your tickets please call 01763 262262 or email events@hsrsc.org.uk And just by booking your ticket/s, you are helping Home-Start continue their work supporting local families in the community – so thank you!

Tracy Aggett Fundraising Events Support Manager

Meldreth Village Hall: Volunteers

The Trustees of MVH are on the lookout for volunteers to fill vacancies on the Board of Trustees. We also have a number of big projects coming up for which we would appreciate some general help; we are also looking for some help with fund raising for future projects!

Trustees

Firstly we need a Treasurer and a Minutes Secretary. These roles are voluntary but not incredibly demanding. The Trustees meet up to 6 times a year and each meeting takes on average two hours.

As Treasurer you will be ensuring that the books are balanced and can produce a financial report at the end of the year. Our current Chair is very experienced with this role and is very happy to provide assistance and training to anyone who may wish to takeover. No previous financial experience is required.

The Minutes Secretary takes the minutes in the Trustees meetings and produces the minutes after each meeting which are then circulated via email. They may also work alongside the Chair to create an agenda. No secretarial or previous similar experience is required but access to a computer and email is essential.

For any information or to enquire on either of these roles please contact the Chair (David) via 07749 850026 or email david@coton.me.uk

Fund Raisers

We are looking for volunteers to help with a big fund-raising programme we are aiming to start early in 2023. We have a number of projects in mind over the next two or three years but we'll need to raise the money. If you feel that you can help us as a member of the Fund-Raising Committee, we would love to hear from you. No experience is required but if you do have some, we would especially like to hear from you. If you don’t want to be on the committee but are prepared to just to give a couple of hours here and there, we would also love to hear from you. Please contact: villagehallmeldreth@gmail.com .

General volunteers

We plan to paint the outside of the Hall in the early spring and are looking for people to help. The current plan is to split it over a couple of weekends to ensure that the whole building is painted. We will request help again nearer the time but if you feel that you do fancy wielding a paintbrush for a few hours in March/ April, then please do get in touch with the Trustees either through David, the Chair or Andrew on: villagehallmeldreth@gmail.com Thank you and the more the merrier!

Meldreth Warm Hub

Meldreth Warm Hub is FREE for everyone!

We continue to welcome people to our Warm Hub at the Sheltered Housing room in Elin Way on Tuesdays and Thursdays 12.00noon-3.00pm. FREE hot drinks, cakes, and biscuits. We have many new plans for the Spring: FREE hot lunches, bingo, darts, board games, quizzes and knitting & crochet lessons. Or share your love of music and the arts with our group, or simply sit and soak up the friendly relaxed atmosphere. Any questions or ideas, please contact Helen 07787734973 or hmeridew@btinternet.com We look forward to meeting you

Helen Meridew Lead Volunteer

Meldreth Winter Emergency Food Bank

Meldreth Winter Emergency Food Bank is open at the Elin Way Community Room on Tuesdays from 10.00am-12.00noon, running till spring. No referral is necessary – just come along. Please feel free to contact the Food Bank coordinator Jo on 07572443522 for support if Tuesdays are difficult for you; another time to visit can be arranged.

Donations of food

Please leave any donations of food or toiletries in the box at the end of the drive, 62 High St (opposite Elin Way) or ring Jo on 07572443522. Thank you so much to everyone who has already popped something into the box! And thanks for cash donations received – these have really helped too. Contact Roger (07808235873) Thank you for your support!!

Meldreth Cares – Community Support (MCCS)

MCCS – Community Support

MCCS is coordinating the Meldreth Winter Emergency Food Bank and Meldreth Warm Hub. A huge thanks to everyone who is supporting these initiatives, whether through volunteering or donations of daily basics to the collection box outside 62 High St, or cash support (please contact MCCS Treasurer Roger James 07808 235873). Invaluable support has been received from our parish and district councils plus a core funding initiative for the Warm Hubs from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care System (our local NHS). Our Neighbourhood Zone Leaders are always on hand for a friendly chat by phone, and to help locate the support you’re looking for.

Contact details are below.

· Kneesworth Rd, West Way, Burtons & Fenny Lane: Bev Cottrell, 07773 592838

· Elin Way and Howard Road Zone: David Hollamby, 07732 106828

· Whitecroft Road, Chiswick End, Oakrits, Melrose, Marys Way, Westacre: John Crawforth, 07595 627684

· High Street, Flambards, The Grange, Woolpack Way, Station Yd & Rd: Lindsey McCaig, 07884 432345

· Bell Close and Gables Close: Cathy Walston, 07757 086380

· North End, Brewery Lane, Malton Lane, Cam Farm: Bev Cottrell, 07773 592838 and Ian Mitchell, 07726 936635

County and District Councillors Susan van de Ven, Jose Hales, Sally Ann Hart

Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Community Rail Partnership

Our Rail User Group meets next on Wednesday 8th March at 7.30pm via MS Teams. Some news: Cambridge South Station: GTR and Network Rail advise that this station now has approval and is expected to be built relatively quickly although there will be some construction impacts on our services. Network Rail will also update us on the Meldreth Road, Shepreth, Level Crossing ‘upgrade’ proposal, now scheduled to go to public inquiry. Rail Replacement Bus: We’ve discussed with GTR the fact that this service does not always work well and needs clearer signposting. GTR has promised to take action. Station garden: Thank you to all our station gardeners who keep the station platforms looking bright and cheerful. At Meldreth the additional garden area behind the station has been transformed by the Veg Club, including a recent snow-drop planting session. This has become a true community garden. Underpass: We are now working to coordinate those individuals and community groups interested in participating in the Melbourn-Meldreth Underpass refurbishment project, in terms of artwork and vegetation maintenance. If you haven’t heard from us and would like to know more, do please contact us.

Finally, an annual reminder that we would be delighted to support anyone looking for Duke of Edinburgh or any other volunteering experience at our station gardens; please just get in touch.

Susan van de Ven and Sarah Grove – railusergroup@gmail.com or sarahgrove.msfcrp@gmail.com

Facilities

Litter Picker Mick Taylor—(01763) 261118

Neighbourhood Watch Graham Borgonon—(01763) 260358

One Stop

Village Hall Bookings

Village Hall Chairman

Clubs & Societies

Sport

Church

Children

(01763) 262158, open 7am-10pm, 7 days

Julia Moore—meldrethvillagehall@gmail.com or 07403 462198

David Coton—07749 850026

Cycling Group John Rogger—(01763) 260809

Local History Group (01763) 260129; www.meldrethhistory.org.uk

Lunch Club Nikki & Julie—07599 292327

Melwood Cons. Group (01763) 232855; www.melwood.org.uk

Photographic Group www.melbourn-photographic-club.co.uk

Revelation Miriam Skuce—(01763) 262440

U3A Nicola Searle—(01763) 852738

Bowls Club Christine Piper Hatch—(01223) 263266

Croquet Club Janet Pope—(01763) 248239

Meldreth United FC 07930 650036

Table Tennis Christine Knight—(01763) 261676

Tennis Club (01763) 243376; http://cspark.at/Meldr2

Vicar Post vacant

Rev. Mary Price (01763) 261569

Bells Sandra Webb—(01763) 261451

John Price (Friends) (01763) 260048; www.foht.org.uk

Baby & Toddler Group

Councils & Govt.

Bridget Rinaldi—bridgetjrinaldi@gmail.com or Julia Moore—07403 462198

Brownies (1st Meldreth) Email: 1stmeldrethbrownies@gmail.com

Hartbeeps Kelly@hartbeeps.com

Meldreth Rainbows 1stmeldrethrainbows@gmail.com

Pre– and Primary School (01763) 260432; www.meldreth.cambs.sch.uk

Parish Council Please see details at end of Parish Council report

District Councillors

Jose Hales—07703 262649

Sally Ann Hart—07791 233303

District Council Offices 01954 713000; www.scambs.gov.uk/

County Councillor Susan van de Ven—07905 325574 www.susanvandeven.com/

County Council Offices 0345 045 5200; www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/

MP Anthony Browne; www.anthonybrowne.org/

Station Ticket Office Hours: Mon - Fri 7-11.15am, Sat 8.45am - 1.15pm Rail User Group 07905 325574; www.meldrethsheprethfoxtonrail.org.uk

Govia/Great Northern www.thameslinkrailway.com The Trainline www.thetrainline.com Stagecoach www.stagecoachbus.com/Cambridge http://www2.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/HighwaysReports/ Highways/ReportProblem1.aspx or in an emergency tel 0345 045 5212

Potholes, problems,Highways etc.

Streetlights (faulty) Report on SCDC website. For urgent faults use (01954) 713000 - Mon-Fri, 8am-5.30pm. Out of office hours: (01354) 65432. Give location, fault & SC or CCC no.

260220

Community Support for Dementia

Davina Biswell 07961 574104 or Stephanie Trayhurn 07710 198299

706050; www.cambridge-water.co.uk Crimestoppers 0800 555 111; crimestoppers-uk.org

Police 101; www.cambs.police.uk

S Cambs Fire & Rescue (01480) 444500; www.cambsfire.gov.uk

Melbourn Hub (01763) 263303; www.melbournhub.com

Taxi (Butler Meltax) (01763) 244444; 212223

For details of village groups & facilities see the Meldreth Today section www.meldrethhistory.org.uk.

Meldreth Matters Team: Chairman: Lesley Farbridge 261578; Editor & Layout: Kathryn Betts 268428; Proof-reading: Ken McLean 261243; Treasurer, Secretary & Trade Advertising: Beverley Cottrell 262176; Advertising Layout: Richard Burns 263121; Editorial Assistant: Robin Farbridge; Distribution: Lesley Pemberton 07798586875 and Maggie Smith 260378; Founder: Ann Barnes

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Occasional full page advertising features are also available on request. For all advertising enquiries, please email meldrethmatters@hotmail.com or telephone

Cottrell on (01763) 262176.

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Whaddon Road, Meldreth, SG8 5RL

Club Facili es

Licensed bar

Hall available for private hire for any occasion (compe ve rates)

Fully equipped gymnasium (annual subscrip on)

Snooker room, Pool table

Large children's outdoor ac vity area

Petanque pistes

Football pitches, changing rooms

Entertainments

1st Friday of the month

Melbourn Rock Club

One Saturday a month

Melbourn Rock Club

Rock and Roll Night

Every Thursday night

Eternit bingo—starts 7.30pm

Local gig venue

Big charity events during the year

Motorcycle Rally - Air Ambulance - Mini Chill weekend - Camping - Local Chari es

Club Charity - LUPUS

The Moor Melbourn

SG8 6EF 07163 223400 office@melbournvc.org www.melbournvc.org

A highly-rated community secondary school committed to ensuring every student achieves his or her very best through a rich and varied curriculum.

OFSTED (Sept 2017) confirmed:

‘An innovative curriculum that truly meets the needs of pupils’

‘The first school in Cambridgeshire to introduce Mandarin at Key Stage 3’

‘The school’s vision of Everybody is Somebody is evident in the support you provide for all pupils’

‘Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school’

Senior Leaders will be delighted to show around prospective students and their parents. For more information or to book your tour, please contact Karin Doyle – office@melbournvc.org