February 2024

5 Buckden Roundabout February 2024 From your District Councillor Dear Residents, I always find February a difficult month – it starts to feel that spring is on the way, but invariably we then get a load of bad weather. Looking ahead, I am excited about the possibilities that the coming year holds for us. Together, we can continue to build upon our achievements and address the issues that matter most to our residents. Whether it's enhancing community facilities, promoting sustainable practices, or supporting local businesses, I am committed to working collaboratively with the Parish Council to ensure that our shared vision for the future becomes a reality. BUCKDEN FLOODING Buckden has unfortunately faced another bout of flooding, with the most severe incident to date occurring on Tuesday, January 2nd, resulting in the flooding of a house on Taylors Lane. I want to express my gratitude to all those who contributed their assistance during this challenging event and extend my sincere condolences to those directly affected by the flooding. While our community is now better equipped to handle such situa- tions than in the past, especially compared to instances where several houses were flooded on the High Street, and residents had to evacuate for extended periods, the personal impact of flooding remains significant. The Lead Local Flood Authority, HDC, and County Highways have been notified and will collaborate to analyse and implement les- sons learned from this incident. Additionally, we await recommen- dations from an environment agency report commissioned last year, focusing on preventing similar flood events in the future. The results are expected at the upcoming LLFA meeting. Work on the High Street and Silver Street looks to have been suc- cessful, but we seem to still have a bottleneck on Taylors Lane and Hardwick Lane area. I have asked HDC and County to work togeth- er so that they are more proactive in maintaining hot spots, and this has been successful on Silver Street this time. Going forward there are suggestions that introducing lots of small flood mitigations will be effective. Flood Wardens identifying hot spots and reporting debris build up would be helpful - once the rains come it's too late. Please volunteer or nominate a fellow resident if you can. In conclusion, it is imperative that we confront flooding as a united community. The collective response and assistance witnessed are commendable, and although progress is being made with each occurrence, there is always room for improvement. Together, we can continue to enhance our preparedness and response to miti- gate the impact of future flooding events. BOYS NEED BINS One of our youngest District Councillors has been championing Prostate Cancer UK ’ s “ Boys need Bins ” campaign, which high- lights the growing numbers of those who suffer with incontinence issues as a result of prostate treatment. Nathan Hunt, who is the Liberal Democrat District Councillor for Huntingdon East, is promoting a campaign to provide sanitary bins in male toilets across the district. I am humbled to find that Nathan, who is not of the generation who have need of prostate checks, is pas- sionately advocating for the well - being of those in my generation who do. Currently, all HDC operational buildings have unisex/disabled toi- lets which contain sanitary bins and offer an option to any man working at HDC who needs it without embarrassment. In addition, One Leisure will include sanitary bins in all male toilets across the one leisure estate. This cost - effective measure aligns with the Prostate UK campaign, advocating for legislation to mandate the provision of male hygiene bins in men's toilets. The primary goal is to cater to the specific needs of men dealing with incontinence and those utilising stomas. I hope other organisations will take up the cause. https://tackleprostate.org/boys - need - bins - campaign/ Finally, I want to emphasise to our male readers the importance of maintaining prostate health. Regular screenings play a pivotal role in detecting potential issues early on. While it's tempting to pro- crastinate when it comes to medical tests, it's in your best interest to take proactive steps for your well - being. Don't delay—act now to prioritise your prostate health. DISTRICT COUNCIL APPROVES NEW COUNCIL TAX SUPPORT SCHEME Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) agreed a new Council Tax Support Scheme for the district at a Full Council meeting on Wednesday 13 December, 2023. HDC committed to reviewing the Council Tax Support Scheme as part of its Corporate Plan and sought the views of residents and stakeholders to help inform its development. The new support scheme will bring a simplified approach that will be easier to understand, access and manage. It will provide in- creased levels of support of up to 100% of the council tax bill for households on the lowest incomes. The scheme is also designed to work better with the Universal Credit system, and will support families, carers, and applicants who receive a disability benefit, along with taking away the need for constant changes in council tax bills by providing a fixed amount of support based on income bands. The Council Tax Support Scheme for pension - age applicants is set by government and will continue unchanged. Those in receipt of council tax support do not need to contact HDC as they will automatically transition people to the new scheme. The new Council Tax support amounts will appear on the annual Council Tax bill. For more information about Council Tax support, please visit: https://www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/benefits/council - tax - support/ 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 Nathan Hunt - Liber- al Democrat District Councillor for Hun- tingdon East