A Councillor's Comments - September 2004

At the July 2004 meeting of the Town Council some very important and disturbing events were discussed. First was the disgusting behaviour, including some acts of criminal damage, of some young people on the night of the Village College Prom, which the police had difficulty in controlling. I am sure that the parents of these youngsters would be shocked and ashamed if they knew what was done. Second was the criminal damage done to the newly repaired skateboard park. This damage will cost of £650 to repair, following £2200 for the first repair. Luckily the CCTV cameras were able to record the damage being done, the police might be able to take action. Because users of the ramp did not do the damage, and it would be unfair to punish the innocent, the Town Council decided to do the repairs. Don't forget that the Town Council's money comes directly from the Council Taxpayers. What will happen if further criminal damage is done? Certainly there is a strong feeling in the Council that it cannot continue spending these large sums of money and the skateboard park will have to be removed.

On a happier theme, the Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue Service gave a presentation on their new policy of risk assessment, which will produce a more flexible approach to their service. This will ensure that their resources are more sensibly deployed for the 21 st century, rather than in the way decided for the 2nd World War. This policy will also allow them to be more proactive in fire prevention and life saving. For example they are now prepared to advise anyone in fire prevention in the home, by doing a survey of individual houses. You only have to contact them to request this service.

The Town Council has been asked to support MAGPAS in starting up a Community First Responder scheme in Soham. A Community First Responder is a volunteer who has been trained to use an Automatic External Defibrillator and other medical aids to assist the Ambulance Service respond quickly to life threatening emergencies, mainly heart attacks, where their prompt action can save life. They are called out to such emergencies in their local area at the same time as the ambulance and they can arrive at the scene a minute or two before the professionals, thus making a major difference to the outcome. The Town Council is very supportive of this scheme and is considering ways it can help. MAGPAS is looking for more volunteers to help either as a Community First Responder, fundraiser or co-ordinator as well as donations to this very worth while charity.

The Council had hoped to be able to discuss the more detailed proposals being put forward by the developers of the new housing on the former Shade common. However, they had already been asked by East Cambridgeshire District Council to re-submit their proposals, so we will have to wait to make our comments.

Tony Hinsley
Soham Town Councillor