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Parish Council

Jottings from CC

 Swavesey Parish Council News

ANNUAL PARISH MEETING
The Annual Parish Meeting was held on Tuesday evening 8 May. 16 parishioners attended. Chairman of the Parish Council gave a report on the past year's activities of the Parish Council, including an update on the current project to extend and refurbish the Memorial Hall.

Representatives from the Galon Charity and The Frere Cottages Charity were present as well as your District Councillor and County Councillor.

GRASS VERGES
As you can see, wooden bollards have now been installed in the damaged verges along Middlewatch. It is hoped that these bollards will stop vehicles overriding the edges of the verges and enable the grass to grow back and stay there.

PONDS
The Swan Pond and School Pond will be sprayed with weed killer again this year and will then be cleared of the dead vegetation.

RIGHTS OF WAY
Due to the Foot & Mouth disease outbreak the annual maintenance work to the public rights of way has been delayed. During June the grasscutting contract was able to start and the full programme of maintenance work is expected to start during July/August.

DIAL A RIDE
From 6 June the dial a ride service is now able to offer improved service to Bar Hill and Cambridge, for Swavesey and the surrounding villages. Further information on this new service can be found separately in this month's magazine.

FORTHCOMING MEETINGS
Monday 20th August 2001, 7:30 p.m., Memorial Hall
Monday 24th September 2001, 7:30 p.m., Memorial Hall

Members of the public are welcome to attend Parish Council meetings and will have an opportunity to speak at the end, subject to the Chairman's discretion.

 Jottings From Your County Councillor

I would like to start by thanking all those who took part in the election - who delivered leaflets (for any party) who knocked on doors, or who simply went to the polling station on 7 June. What is worrying, of course, is the 35% of people in the Willingham Division who chose not to vote. This is an increase of 10% on four years ago and part of a disturbing trend. I am not an advocate of compulsory voting; rather that as we have a right to vote, we also have a right not to vote, but I remain concerned that so many people feel it is not worthwhile taking part in the democratic process. For a few weeks before an election and for a few days after, the size of my majority is extremely important, but for four years it will be my duty to represent everyone in the Willingham Division regardless of whether or who they voted for. For the record, the Conservatives were returned to power in Cambridgeshire, with an increased majority on the council.

We have changed to a new style of government, with the old committee system being replaced by a cabinet (similar to Westminster) consisting often numbers. One of our first tasks will be to draw up a new three year service plan, which will set out priorities for service development and for expenditure during the next council. Unless there is a complete change of heart by government with regard to the Area Cost Adjustment (about as likely as finding Little Green Men on Mars) then I suspect that we will continue with the same policy - namely to try to hold increases in council tax without cutting services. Time will tell whether we will succeed.

One of these issues which did arise during the campaign was the surface dressing between Over and Willingham. Despite using the same recipe as on previous days, for some reason the tar refused to set; although not in the same league as the debacle in Swavesey last year, a number of cars did suffer damage, which is very regrettable.

I am always available for consultation, either in person or by phone, letter or e-mail. I can be reached at the address or telephone number below.

Shone Johnstone
31 Pippin Close, Over CB4 5UA
Tel: 01954 202392
e-mail: shona.johnstone@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

DOORSTEP SALESPERSONS

Cambridgeshire Trading Standards regularly receive enquiries from consumers complaining of activities of doorstep salespersons. These range from itinerant traders offering to lop trees, repair roofs, tarmac drives, to alleged house security, gas and electronic supply experts and high-pressure double glazing salesmen. The common complaint is excessive payments being requested for poor quality goods or services. To help combat this problem and offer assistance in particular to the elderly and vulnerable, surrounding Trading Standards Authorities have joined to promote The Doorstep Initiative.

The main purpose is to advise and educate consumers on their rights when approached by sellers on the doorstep. As from July this year, a Doorstop Hotline telephone number - 0845 6044466 (local rate) will be available for you to seek advice and information. The Doorstep Initiative also seeks to work with and keep other agencies informed of rogue traders involved.

Cambridgeshire Standards offers the following advice:

Do not be pressurised into having work done that you do not want or need even if the trader tells you it is urgent.

If you are considering spending a large amount of money on goods or services, always shop around and obtain 3 quotes for any work before you choose a trader.

Never pay large amounts of cash. Insist on writing a cheque so that in the event of a problem, Trading Standards officers can trace the person that received your money.

Always get the name, address and telephone number of traders, so that you and Trading Standards have somewhere to contact should anything go wrong.

Be a good neighbour. It you see work being carried out at a neighbour's house, check that your neighbour knows about the Trading Standards Campaign.

If you are suspicious, call Trading Standards on 0845 3030666

or E-mail trading.standards@camcntv.gov.uk.

FLY TIPPING IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE

Q. What is fly tipping?

A. Fly tipping is the anti-social, costly and environmentally damaging dumping of household, commercial, construction or other waste in our countryside and towns.

IT IS ILLEGAL AND FLY TIPPERS ARE PROSECUTED.

Q. Are there penalties for Fly tipping?

A. Yes. Offenders can be fined up to £20,000 or face imprisonment. However, the courts cannot convict without evidence.
BEFORE ANY ACTION CAN BE TAKEN THE OWNER OF THE LAND WHERE THE FLY TIPPING HAS TAKEN PLACE MUST BE IDENTIFIED.

Q.Who should I ring to try to find out who owns the land?

A. Your District/City Council should be able to check whether the land is in public or private ownership.

Q. Who can prosecute fly tippers?

A. The Police, the Environment Agency and your local District/City Councils can prosecute fly tippers.

Evidence has to be carefully documented to achieve a prosecution - dates, eyewitness statements, photographs and any address details found in the dumped material.

Q. Who is responsible if rubbish is fly tipped on my land and where can the rubbish be legally taken?

A. You, as the landowner are responsible for lawful disposal. Fly tipped waste from private land (Includes business or trade waste) MUST be paid for and may be collected by the local council/private waste contractor and delivered to a commercial licensed waste disposal site.

Q. Who is responsible for Fly tipping that occurs on public property? (Roads, footpaths

etc.,)?

A. In most cases the District/City council have to arrange collection and removal (Including abandoned cars/tyres).

The County Council has to pay the disposal costs for dumping on public land.

Q. Where can waste be legally taken?

A. Householders are entitled to: Ring their District Council and request collection of certain bulky items (Subject to charge).

Take household waste free of charge to any of the Household Waste Recycling Centres. Contact the Environment Agency for useful advice.

Traders are entitled to: Take waste for a charge to the Trade Waste Recycling Centre at Buckden or licensed landfills. Have their waste collected by private contractors.

Q. When should the Environment Agency be contacted?

A. If there is a risk of pollution to water soil or air. If a watercourse is blocked. If the waste material includes hazardous substances.

THE THOMAS GALON CHARITY By John Shepperson

In previous issues of the Meridian Magazine, details of the Thomas Galon Charity have been published and I have briefly explained the origin of the Charity and the distribution of the income at the present time. However, the Trustees have asked me to write to you giving more information.

In 1528 Thomas Galon of Wilburton died and in his Will he gave instructions that the income from land he owned in Swavesey should be distributed each year to: "Inhabitants of the town of Swavesey aforesaid, for the relief, ease and discharge of all persons, husband-labourers and poor craftsmen dwelling in the town and not having lands or tenements or goods to the value of £20 and receiving no relief from the Parish."

To carry out his wishes, he stated that twelve Feoffees (trustees) be appointed. These were leading village elders and once appointed they were to serve for life. When their number had fallen by death to six, those remaining were to choose six more to return their number to twelve and comply with his wishes.

For over 200 years the income appears to have been distributed as Thomas Galon had instructed and by 1750 the rents received each year amounted to £20.

Shortly after that time, the Trustees began to spend some of the income in other ways and they decided there was a need to provide facilities for the education of the poor children in the village. In 1757 they built a School and for the first time started to pay a schoolmaster to teach the children of the poor - he was paid a salary of £6 per year. This continued for about ten years but by 1847 the School had been made into two cottages and these were given to the Trustees of the National School, to provide a home for their schoolmaster and schoolmistress.

In 1766 a hospital was founded in Cambridge, by a bequest of John Addenbrookes and in the following year a donation of £2-2s was made to the hospital by the Trustees. This amount was increased after a few years and was paid annually.

By 1800 rents had increased and the Trustees were then finding other ways in which they could distribute the income. Turf, and later coal for firing, blankets for the poor, plus payments in cash to those in need were made. Payments were also made to the local doctor to inoculate the poor when a smallpox outbreak occurred in the village. One such instance is recorded in 1819, which stated : "Jan 19th. Paid Robt Ellis of Willingham for inoculating 238 poor persons with the smallpox at the time that fatal disease was quite rife in the parish, £10-10s-0d."

The distribution of the income of the Charity continued in this way until 1876 when a new Scheme was introduced to help guide the Trustees. In this new Scheme the net yearly income was divided into thirds. From one third, up to £5-5s could be given each year to support a hospital which was of benefit to the residents of Swavesey and up to £15 each year could be given to support a "well conducted Public Elementary School in the Parish of Swavesey." The remaining two thirds to be spent for the "benefit of deserving and necessitous inhabitants of the Parish of Swavesey" on such things as clothes, bedding, fuel, medical aids hi special cases, ""s shall be considered by the Trustees to be most advantageous to the recipients."

For the next sixty years or so, the Trustees were able to follow this advice. Payments were made each year to Addenbrookes Hospital and these continued until the National Health Service was formed. Each year cash was given to the Trustees of the National School, to help with the education of village children but the largest part of the income was used to help those considered most in need - the elderly in the village. At that time every home in the village relied on coal to provide heating, so two and sometimes three allocations of coal were made each year to elderly couples, widows and widowers and when funds allowed tea and sugar were also given.

By the 1960's the 1876 Scheme had become outdated. Payments to the Hospitals and for education were not allowed as these were now State funded organisations. In an attempt to comply with the education clause, donations were made to the Church and Bethel Sunday Schools. Donations were also made to medical research provided they were charitable organisations.

By 1970 central heating was becoming the only heating source in many old people's homes so requests were being made to the Trustees for cash payments instead of the allocation of coal.

The time had now come for the Trustees to apply to the Charity Commissioners for a revision of the guidance in the 1876 Scheme to meet today's needs. Today, the Trustees can consider a request from any organisation that provides a service to Swavesey residents in need and can also themselves offer help in a variety of ways to any person, young or old in the community.

The Trustees are aware of the original intentions Thomas Galon had in mind when the Charity was first started and are willing to consider any requests for help. Anyone wishing to do so can approach the Clerk, or any Trustee and it will be considered in strict confidence.

The Clerk is:
Mrs Linda Miller, 10 Carters Way, Swavesey. Tel: 202982

The Trustees are :
Mr John Shepperson  Tel: 230313
Mr A R Parish   Tel: 231678
MrAClayton  Tel: 230425
Mr J W Chowings Tel: 230612
Mr D Morgan Tel: 230249
Mr G D Hendry   Tel: 230278
Mr K Wilderspin Tel: 230083
Mr S Amner  Tel: 201863
Revd Dr John-David Yule Tel: 231903