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Buckden Roundabout
July 2018
FROM YOUR DISTRICT COUNCILLOR
A week is a long time in politics and a month even longer, especially when it has half term and major rail disruption. Poor com-
muters, I have had to rescue my wife from St Albans, Bedford, Cambridge and Stevenage and that’s just in the last few days.
Many of you must also have been hit by this and I really would like to know how you have been affected, so that we have some
real evidence to use at the next relevant meeting. So if you were on the unmarked bus, where the driver did not know where he
was going, but thought it was Peterborough, but then left for Sandy, PLEASE send me a short email to tell me your tale.
Talking of evidence, Mark from Morris Close called me to say that 3 houses in Morris Close had problems with the Taylors Lane
stream. This follows a complaint at last month’s Parish Council about the same stream, but from higher up in Hardwick Lane.
Has anyone else had a problem? I really need to track this because the stream collects water from a vast area and needless to
say there are at least six big stakeholders/decisionmakers involved, starting with DEFRA. So whatever the solution is, it will in-
volve a lot of talking.
I have attended some very useful meetings this month:
There was a full HDC Council meeting on 23 May but there is little to report because the meeting was restricted to formal ap-
pointments to HDC Committees. Cllr Graham Bull was appointed Leader of the Conservative Group and Council; Cllr Richard
West was appointed as Chairman of the Council.
The Huntingdonshire Plan 2036 is currently undergoing a process of ratification, with an Inspector appointed and a series of
evaluations set for the week commencing 16 July and then 10,17 and 25 September. These are public meetings if you are keen
to find out what is in the future.
Affordable Housing was a key theme when Mayor James Palmer talked at Buckden Parish Council’s AGM on 22 May. The role of
Community Land Trusts is growing and a follow up briefing has been set for 3 July at Warboys. Is there anyone locally with ex-
perience of this? Any advice gratefully received.
Local Planning remains a big issue. We have a number of actual or potential sites in Buckden, Lucks Lane, Mill Road and Silver
Street In addition, there is a further development to the Waterpark at Paxton which falls within the Southoe and Midloe bound-
ary which will bring in 1000 visitors per day. I am researching and following up on all of these and how it will affect us.
I also went to the Buckden Village Hall Trust meeting where plans for the Village Festival were being finalised. Buckden is so
lucky to have so many committed volunteers behind the scenes and the event will be a great success.
Hamish Masson (Cllr) Buckden Ward, Huntingdonshire District Council
Mob 07876 035941, Hamish.masson@huntingdonshire.gov.uk
From Your Councillors
FROM YOUR COUNTY COUNCILLOR
The County Council continues its efforts to ‘transform’ the way services are being provided but the demand is increasing as re-
sources shrink. There is an increasing proportion of young children adversely affected by special needs and domestic upheaval.
There are more older people; this increased longevity, welcome though it is, brings with it greater adult social care costs.
Locally, roads are my main obsession at the moment! Working with other councillors, I am trying to get better management of
the central reservations along the A1 as the bushes and trees cause serious visibility issues at some points. We are also lobbying
Highways England to improve their road signage in relation to the current extensive roadworks and to find better ways of di-
verting HGV monsters away from unsuitable local roads. The reporting of pot-holes is almost a full-time task and I am grateful
to those local residents who do this as well.
My more serious long-term concern is in relation to the new road layout in the centre of Huntingdon when the viaduct comes
down in 2020. By the time you read this the public exhibitions will be over but if you want to know what is proposed, you can
see it in the Highways England web-site. I fear that Buckden residents wanting to get into Huntingdon via Brampton, which is
the obvious way, will come up against a serious traffic jam along the road between Hinchingbrooke House and the railway sta-
tion. I have put forward alternative constructive suggestions but it remains to be seen if these will be investigated further.
On a more positive note I have had a meeting with the County Cycling Officer and it looks as though improvements to the cy-
cling routes in West Hunts might be coming up the agenda. I am collaborating with local enthusiasts Amy Burbidge and Peter
Eméleus to carry this forward.
If you wish to raise any local matters with me personally and would welcome a face-to-face conversation, I come to the Aragon
Room in the Village Hall at 7 p.m. on the evening of the parish council meeting, the 2
nd
Tuesday in the month. At other times,
please ring me on 07765 833 486 or write to me at peter.downes@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.
Peter Downes