December 2023

5 Buckden Roundabout December 2023 From your District Councillor Dear Residents, As we enter the crisp and colourful month of November, I am pleased to present the Buckden District Councillor's monthly report. We seem to have missed the worst of the storms that have hit the country so far and I ’ m not aware of any serious flooding to date, which highlights that the works on our flood defences have improved our situation. That said, we now have highly saturated ground and it ’ s still early winter – I ask resi- dents to continue to report any flooding via: https:// www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/travel - roads - and - parking/roads - and - pathways/report - a - flood PUBLIC SPACE PROTECTION ORDER RENEWED A Public Space Protection Order was renewed with additional conditions on 12 October 2023 for a further 3 years. This re- mains in force to help manage irresponsible dog ownership across the district and specifically our Football Fields and Chil- dren ’ s Play Areas. The PSPO replaces the Dog Control Orders that were previously in place. You will be committing an offence if you: • fail to prevent your dog from attacking another animal (causing death or injury) • fail to prevent your dog from repeatedly straying • fail to remove dog faeces (poo) • do not keep a dog on a lead in certain areas • do not put and keep a dog on a lead when told to do so by an authorised officer • allow a dog to enter land where dogs are excluded and • are not carrying a suitable bag (or similar) for picking up and disposing of dog faeces and be able to show this if requested by an authorised officer. Offenders may be issued with a fixed penalty notice of £100 or a fine of up to £1,000 if prosecuted under the Anti - Social Be- haviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. Dog exclusion zones are areas where dogs are not allowed. They include all fenced - in children's play areas and also apply to some other green spaces. In the financial year 2022/23, HDC received service requests in relation to 63 dog control incidents and 29 reports of heavily fouled areas (dog faeces). Compared to the previous financial year, this was an increase of 15 service requests for dog control issues and 12 for heavily fouled areas. Additionally, in 2022/23 HDC received 103 reports of stray dogs, an increase of 20 re- ports from the previous financial year. I ’ d like to offer my thanks to the Parish Council and residents for all their efforts and support in helping to bring this change to Buckden. HUNTINGDONSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL ’ S CLIMATE ACTION RANK RISES In general terms being 96 th place in anything doesn ’ t sound that great, however, in a football analogy, being absolute bottom of the division and then your team moves to above mid - table is a great result. Hence, I'm really pleased to be able to say that Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) has climbed from last position in 2021 to rank 96th out of 164 district coun- cils for its work to combat climate change. It just shows how you can improve your outcome when you apply genuine focus and care. CEUK assesses councils across seven areas of activity, including buildings and heating, transport, governance and finance, plan- ning, biodiversity, collaboration and engagement, and waste reduction and food. Going forward we shouldn't be satisfied with this result. Cli- mate change is a critical issue that demands ongoing efforts and unwavering dedication, and there's always room for im- provement. Let's see what more we can achieve! HUNTINGDONSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL LAUNCH COMMUNITY GRANT TO BOOST BIODIVERSITY Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) is pleased to announce the official launch of its Community Grant Scheme, a trans- formative initiative designed to promote biodiversity and strengthen local communities in the region. Funded by Cambridge & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) and delivered by HDC, the Community Grant Scheme is a significant step towards enhancing biodiversity and environ- mental sustainability. Open to Town and Parish Councils, schools, and community organisations, this grant program offers an invaluable oppor- tunity for residents to make a positive impact on their local environment. Interested parties are asked to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). If your EOI is approved, our HDC Ecologist will conduct a site assessment in late spring/early summer of 2024. For those who secure a site visit, grant opportunities of up to £8,000 are available for projects aimed at improving biodiversi- ty. These projects encompass a wide range of activities, includ- ing but not limited to: • Tree/shrub planting • Hedgerow gapping - up • Wildlife boxes • Pond and habitat creation and restoration • Landscaping • Wildflower planting Expression of Interest submissions are open in two phases. The first window is open now until the end of November 2023 and the second opportunity will be available from January to Febru- ary 2024. For more details on the Community Grant Scheme, application guidelines, and eligibility criteria, please visit Community Biodi- versity Grant Scheme - Huntingdonshire.gov.uk or email the team, biodiversity.grants@huntingdonshire.gov.uk . Wishing you well, Martin Martin Hassall District Councillor for Buckden, Diddington and Southoe Executive Councillor for Corporate & Shared Services - Phone: 07480 798 342 Email: martin.hassall@huntingdonshire.gov.uk