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NEW
CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL
The Council was
delighted to greet Mayor of Ely, Sheila Friend-Smith, at our third AGM
on January 12th 2009 when Robin Pearson took over the role of Chairman
from his father Tony. We are grateful to Tony for all his hard work and
dedication without which Prickwillow Village Council would never have
got past the starting post. He leaves us in good shape to carry on in
his footsteps and we wish him every success in his new musical ventures
that are taking up all of his spare time at the moment.Grateful thanks also to Wendy Wilson who steps down as Secretary but remains a Council Member. Angela Shipp, who took over as Treasurer from Doug Langston during our second year, continues in that role. Jackie Petts is now Secretary. Two Members have stood down, Pat and Doug Langston, but we are delighted to welcome new Member, Richard Raine.
Back left to right: Mike Wilson, Edward Rice, Wendy Wilson, Dave Simpson, Richard Raine. Front left to right: Jean Pearson, Jackie Petts, Tony Pearson, Mayor of Ely, Sheila Friend-Smith, Angela Shipp
CITY OF ELY WAITS - A
LOTTERY WINNER
From medieval times up to the beginning of the 19th century, every British town and city of any note had a band of Waits. They evolved from the bands of Night Watchmen who patrolled city walls and blew on the loud instruments with which they were provided, to sound the alarm in case of danger or attack.
Because Ely was a Monastery without city walls their services were not required, but thanks to National Lottery funding, our Chairman, Tony Pearson has redeemed the situation and formed Ely's very own band. The Ely Waits will be enhancing all future civic occasions, leading the Mayor's procession, etc.
Several towns and cities have revived their Waits who today are costumed Early Music Groups.
You can find all about them on http://www.waits.org.uk – the website of all those that have been revived.
There are 5 members of this new group and the target year is 1650. Musicians think in musical periods and this date marks the end of the Renaissance. Much good music was written before that date so there is plenty to choose from. When playing outside, Shawms, Sackbutts and Percussion can be heard with the odd bit of Recorder floating over the top.
HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE ELY MASTER PLAN
The consultation
period is under way and finishes on May 30th. You can view the
Ely Master Plan on the Council's
web site and complete a comment
form on line. Printed copies are available from the Council
Offices at the Grange, or Jackie
Petts has a small stock.
WHY THE MASTER PLAN IS NEEDED
The existing Local Development Framework (LDF) is inadequate in that it only identifies what needs to be achieved, but does not tell us how to bring it about in a sustainable and coherent manner.
Our population is growing - we have no choice but to build more homes, Government insists that we do. It is up to us whether we take control of the situation to the best advantage of our community, while preserving all that's good about what we have, or get it done to us by developers with no such priority, motivated purely by personal profit.
We need something on paper that everyone can understand that shows us where incoming business and industry can go, were the large retail outlets, already desperate to come here, might be sited, where best to put our new housing stock, where sports and leisure facilities would be best accommodated. how to regenerate the city centre and the riverside and where to establish a new country park. All of these things are interlinked and depend upon each other if they are to become reality.
The Ely Master Plan does this job for us
Currently half of East Cambridgeshire’s working population (about 18,000 people) travel to work outside of the district every day and probably spend a lot of their money while away from home as well.
A large number of them are highly-qualified people - a recent skills audit of commuters leaving Ely for Cambridge and London confirms this. It also reveals that an overwhelming majority would work locally if the right sort of jobs were available.
The Council thinks that bringing employment to East Cambridgeshire would be the best solution for all of us for many reasons. Most importantly it would help attract the funding we need to provide the improved roads, schools, clinics, sports and entertainment facilities that our growing population requires and instead of degenerating into a dormitory for highly stressed commuters we could return to being a cohesive community of people living, working and playing locally.
Certainly it is not just the District Council who think this the intelligent way forward - Cambridgeshire Horizons, a source of Government cash, are supportive too. They funded the town planning professionals who have produced Ely’s Master Plan More can be expected if we make sensible decisions now.
This is a long-term plan - the Council needs to know what you think.
WHY THE MASTER PLAN IS NEEDED
The existing Local Development Framework (LDF) is inadequate in that it only identifies what needs to be achieved, but does not tell us how to bring it about in a sustainable and coherent manner.
Our population is growing - we have no choice but to build more homes, Government insists that we do. It is up to us whether we take control of the situation to the best advantage of our community, while preserving all that's good about what we have, or get it done to us by developers with no such priority, motivated purely by personal profit.
We need something on paper that everyone can understand that shows us where incoming business and industry can go, were the large retail outlets, already desperate to come here, might be sited, where best to put our new housing stock, where sports and leisure facilities would be best accommodated. how to regenerate the city centre and the riverside and where to establish a new country park. All of these things are interlinked and depend upon each other if they are to become reality.
The Ely Master Plan does this job for us
Currently half of East Cambridgeshire’s working population (about 18,000 people) travel to work outside of the district every day and probably spend a lot of their money while away from home as well.
A large number of them are highly-qualified people - a recent skills audit of commuters leaving Ely for Cambridge and London confirms this. It also reveals that an overwhelming majority would work locally if the right sort of jobs were available.
The Council thinks that bringing employment to East Cambridgeshire would be the best solution for all of us for many reasons. Most importantly it would help attract the funding we need to provide the improved roads, schools, clinics, sports and entertainment facilities that our growing population requires and instead of degenerating into a dormitory for highly stressed commuters we could return to being a cohesive community of people living, working and playing locally.
Certainly it is not just the District Council who think this the intelligent way forward - Cambridgeshire Horizons, a source of Government cash, are supportive too. They funded the town planning professionals who have produced Ely’s Master Plan More can be expected if we make sensible decisions now.
This is a long-term plan - the Council needs to know what you think.
PRICKWILLOW
BROADBAND SERVICE SECURED
James Dening, whose newly set up, not-for-profit company, 4SG, has confirmed that arrangements to take over GCI's broadband service to Prickwillow have been successful. 4SG, has contracted with GCI to provide the necessary capital equipment to keep the current service going from now on, and from next month existing customers will be billed by 4SG.
James expects to be able to take on new customers probably from 1st April. He hopes that the current 2Mb service will be increased to 8-24Mb within about four months.
Click here to email enquiries to James.
ELY MASTERPLAN PUBLISHED
The much heralded Ely
Masterplan, which has already won a half million pound Government grant
to set the ball rolling, has been published. A further £100,000
is in the offing for a Country Park and we can expect some ‘quick wins’
at the beginning of this twenty year programme of development.
Key issues being addressed include:
a: A Southern link road running from A10/Angel Drove roundabout to the A142 North of Stuntney.
b: Removal of the sewage works from the riverside and the regeneration of that whole area, including Lisle Lane with lovely views across the river.
c: The regeneration of the railway station 'gateway' area with high quality housing and offices. Industrial units will go to expanded business parks at Angel Drove and Lancaster Way.
d. The Country Park (some of which may be one of the Masterplan's 'quick wins’) will run from the riverside, around Roswell Pits up to Thistle Corner, across Prickwillow Road and up to High Flyer farm, near Chettisham. It is thought that money from further up-market housing in that area will assist the funding of this.
e: Paradise Sports Centre and Swimming Pool to be replaced with shops, houses, park/play area to facilitate the development of a £12 million Leisure Village, incorporating an 8 lane pool, on land recently acquired by the Council to the North of the City. This is another possible ‘quick win’for the District.
f: More homes in the North of the City,
g: New primary and secondary schools.
h: Networks of cycle paths linking housing areas with the City Centre, riverside and country park - another possible quick win.
John Hill, Chief Executive of East Cambridgeshire District Council recently addressed the Ely Society on his vision for Ely. It was published in The Ely Standard. Click here to view.
Want to have your say? The District Council's Strategic Development Committee will be formally considering the Ely Masterplan on 26th March 2008. If approved, there will then be a six-week public consultation period. Click here to email for more information.
Plastic bottle collection begins on 1st April and you will soon be receiving your first clear polythene bottle collection bag.
ANY sort of plastic bottle can go into the bag provided you have cleaned it, squashed it and removed the lid. Regrettably, the Council can take only bottles and no other plastic container even if it appears to be made from the same material. Sorry - but that's the contract the District Council has with Veoila.
The new clear plastic bag goes out fortnightly with regular black box and green sack collections.
BROADBAND
FROM BT NOT ON THE CARDSKey issues being addressed include:
a: A Southern link road running from A10/Angel Drove roundabout to the A142 North of Stuntney.
b: Removal of the sewage works from the riverside and the regeneration of that whole area, including Lisle Lane with lovely views across the river.
c: The regeneration of the railway station 'gateway' area with high quality housing and offices. Industrial units will go to expanded business parks at Angel Drove and Lancaster Way.
d. The Country Park (some of which may be one of the Masterplan's 'quick wins’) will run from the riverside, around Roswell Pits up to Thistle Corner, across Prickwillow Road and up to High Flyer farm, near Chettisham. It is thought that money from further up-market housing in that area will assist the funding of this.
e: Paradise Sports Centre and Swimming Pool to be replaced with shops, houses, park/play area to facilitate the development of a £12 million Leisure Village, incorporating an 8 lane pool, on land recently acquired by the Council to the North of the City. This is another possible ‘quick win’for the District.
f: More homes in the North of the City,
g: New primary and secondary schools.
h: Networks of cycle paths linking housing areas with the City Centre, riverside and country park - another possible quick win.
John Hill, Chief Executive of East Cambridgeshire District Council recently addressed the Ely Society on his vision for Ely. It was published in The Ely Standard. Click here to view.
Want to have your say? The District Council's Strategic Development Committee will be formally considering the Ely Masterplan on 26th March 2008. If approved, there will then be a six-week public consultation period. Click here to email for more information.
PLASTIC BOTTLE COLLECTION STARTS IN APRIL
Plastic bottle collection begins on 1st April and you will soon be receiving your first clear polythene bottle collection bag.
ANY sort of plastic bottle can go into the bag provided you have cleaned it, squashed it and removed the lid. Regrettably, the Council can take only bottles and no other plastic container even if it appears to be made from the same material. Sorry - but that's the contract the District Council has with Veoila.
The new clear plastic bag goes out fortnightly with regular black box and green sack collections.
Since
the James Dening meeting about his proposals for a community broadband
service, our MP, Jim Paice, has informed us that BT have no intention
of upgrading the Prickwillow telephone exchange. This is very
disappointing because we had hoped that this might happen by the end of
2009. Regrettably, it now seems that residents have only
three options for accessing the internet - dial-up, 3 Mobile, or the
community scheme which will give us a high grade service, but at
considerable more expense than could be enjoyed if we had the same
choices as other people.
However, it is worth considering that the more of us who support the community scheme, the cheaper it ought to be and with the threat of BT taking over removed, it is a much better business proposition. If you wish to find out more from James - please click here to email.
However, it is worth considering that the more of us who support the community scheme, the cheaper it ought to be and with the threat of BT taking over removed, it is a much better business proposition. If you wish to find out more from James - please click here to email.
VILLAGE HALL BROADBAND MEETING
Current
GCI broadband subscribers and others who would like this service but
have been excluded because the system is running at full capacity at
the moment have been invited to a meeting in the village hall on
Wednesday 20th February at 8:30pm.
Local resident, James Dening, has set up a not-for-profit company that he claims can provide all of us with state-of-the-art, highspeed broadband at a similar price to GCI who wish to abandon us. However, he is looking for a contribution to the initial set up price from would-be subscribers.
Come and hear all about it and discuss alternatives on Wednesday 20th February. If you are likely to come, or would like more information, please email James Tel: 688314.
Local resident, James Dening, has set up a not-for-profit company that he claims can provide all of us with state-of-the-art, highspeed broadband at a similar price to GCI who wish to abandon us. However, he is looking for a contribution to the initial set up price from would-be subscribers.
Come and hear all about it and discuss alternatives on Wednesday 20th February. If you are likely to come, or would like more information, please email James Tel: 688314.
PRICKWILLOW VILLAGE COUNCIL WELCOMES MAYOR OF ELY
Ron
Bradney, Mayor of Ely, with newly elected 2008 Prickwillow Village
Council at the AGM 14th January 2008. Back Row from left to
right:
Tony Pearson, Pat Langston, Angela Shipp, Jackie Petts, Mike
Wilson.
Front from left to right: Edward Rice, Jean Pearson, Wendy Wilson and
Doug Langston.BROADBAND
MELT DOWN
Latest news on the Broadband debacle is encouraging. It seems that we are not as dependent on the goodwill of GCI or BT as we had all thought. There are affordable alternatives from mobile providers. Both Tony Pearson and Jackie Petts have heard independently that 3 (daft name) offers a reasonably priced and very efficient broadband service.
Tony is signing up and will be reporting back. Whatever happens we have to do something. We have a temporary reprieve, but GCI will be switching us off at the end of March if a financial deal cannot be struck with subscribers. ECDC are negotiating with GCI and they are also lobbying BT to update the telephone exchange so that the village could enjoy the full range of broadband providers. As yet BT have only suggested that they may consider an update in 2009.
We would very much like to hear your views. Would you be prepared to contribute towards the £7000.00 that GCI want to update their equipment? There are around a hundred of us. Click here to email.
District Council News
Which way next for Ely? Big decisions are being made about the future of our City and the Council really does want to hear what local people want. The Ely Master Plan will be out for public comment in a month or two with draft indications of where large, edge-of-town retailers will be situated, which parts of town will be allocated for further housing, where new sports facilities will go and how City Centre shopping will be extended and improved.
The future of the Maltings is a controversial issue. Should we return it to the City solely for community use, or would it be more sensible to lease it to a private company and use the proceeds to fund community arts and entertainment throughout the District?
Then there is the proposed Country Park. Plans envisage it running from the Riverside, up to Thistle Corner and on to High Flyer Farm land as far as Chettisham. Funding to come largely from outside sources.
If you have views on any of this, or entirely different ideas, let us know. Jackie Petts is our local District Councillor. She lives in Prickwillow and you can reach her on 687 966 or click here to email.
Feed back on how the new parking regime in Ely is helping, or hindering would also be very much appreciated.
Latest news on the Broadband debacle is encouraging. It seems that we are not as dependent on the goodwill of GCI or BT as we had all thought. There are affordable alternatives from mobile providers. Both Tony Pearson and Jackie Petts have heard independently that 3 (daft name) offers a reasonably priced and very efficient broadband service.
Tony is signing up and will be reporting back. Whatever happens we have to do something. We have a temporary reprieve, but GCI will be switching us off at the end of March if a financial deal cannot be struck with subscribers. ECDC are negotiating with GCI and they are also lobbying BT to update the telephone exchange so that the village could enjoy the full range of broadband providers. As yet BT have only suggested that they may consider an update in 2009.
We would very much like to hear your views. Would you be prepared to contribute towards the £7000.00 that GCI want to update their equipment? There are around a hundred of us. Click here to email.
District Council News
Which way next for Ely? Big decisions are being made about the future of our City and the Council really does want to hear what local people want. The Ely Master Plan will be out for public comment in a month or two with draft indications of where large, edge-of-town retailers will be situated, which parts of town will be allocated for further housing, where new sports facilities will go and how City Centre shopping will be extended and improved.
The future of the Maltings is a controversial issue. Should we return it to the City solely for community use, or would it be more sensible to lease it to a private company and use the proceeds to fund community arts and entertainment throughout the District?
Then there is the proposed Country Park. Plans envisage it running from the Riverside, up to Thistle Corner and on to High Flyer Farm land as far as Chettisham. Funding to come largely from outside sources.
If you have views on any of this, or entirely different ideas, let us know. Jackie Petts is our local District Councillor. She lives in Prickwillow and you can reach her on 687 966 or click here to email.
Feed back on how the new parking regime in Ely is helping, or hindering would also be very much appreciated.
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PRICKWILLOW
REMEMBRANCE DAY TRIBUTE A civil service was held for the first time on Armistice Day, arranged by Prickwillow Village Council and conducted by Chairman, Tony Pearson. Mrs Dawn Hopkin of Ely Road laid a wreath provided by The Royal British Legion. Neighbours will remember her late husband, Reg, who in years past organised the door to door poppy appeal. He had been a sub mariner and fought in World War 2. Tony Pearson laid another wreath on behalf of the Village. *****************
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The Village Council organised a door to door collection for Remembrance Day, something that the village has not seen for many years. Collectors were very touched by the generosity shown by so many village people. A fantastic £230.86 was raised.
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LOCAL MAN’S TRIBUTE TO PRICKWILLOW’S WAR HEROS Local craftsman, Marcus Pinion, of Kingdon Avenue, Prickwillow has cleaned the village war memorial and the names of the fallen can now be clearly seen. Marcus volunteered his services when he heard that the new Village Council was looking into the possibility of cleaning up the monument after many years of neglect. In the process of cleaning he discovered that some repair to the surface is necessary and he is consulting a stone mason in the hope that restoration work would be feasible. This project is the first in a series of improvements to the appearance of the village that the Council has in the pipeline. The names and details of the men commemorated on the memorial can be found on the British Legion's website. Click here to view. |
VILLAGE NOTICE BOARD Residents may have spotted the smart new notice-board on the roadside verge near the Village Hall. We have our Chairman, Tony Pearson and Secretary, Wendy Wilson to thank for negotiating the provision of this much needed facility with Ely City Council. This will be a great means of communicating to the village any amount of information and will be well-used by the Council. We are very grateful to The City Council for funding this. |
| PRICKWILLOW
MAY ELECTION SUCCESSES The village now has Councillors on both Ely City Council and East Cambridgeshire District Council. They each represent our Ward. Left, Jean Pearson, newly elected to the City Council. Far right, Jackie Petts, newly elected District Councillor, Ely East. They are pictured here with Sheila Friend-Smith, Deputy Mayor of Ely when she attended the Village Council meeting in May. Contact details: Cllr Jean Pearson, 01353-688275 jean_pearson@talk21.com Cllr Jackie Petts, 01353 687 966 jackie.petts@eastcambs.gov.uk |
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