Soham On-Line - Local News 2008

The first in-store police office in Cambridgeshire is now open for business. The police office in Soham's Budgens store - only the second of its kind in the country - will allow shoppers to discuss concerns with beat bobbies. It was officially opened on Monday 3rd March 2008 by South East Cambridgeshire MP Jim Paice and will be open three times a week, twice a day for a trial period. The hours may be extended later. Soham's full-time police station was closed in 2000 because it was not "cost-effective".

Councillor Chris Palmer, Chairman of Soham Town Council, said: "We used to have a full-time office in Soham, with about six officers here, but that seems like a very long time ago now. I think it's vital to have somewhere in the community to tell police about incidents and general worries about crime, so I'm glad that is now the case again." He added: "It's an issue on which we've campaigned for many years, so we're delighted that it's finally happened."

The opening day saw more than 60 schoolchildren visit the office for a talk from police. They had their fingerprints taken for fun. Jonathan James, owner of the Clay Street store and a former Special Constable, was one of the driving forces behind the community police office. He said: "It will bring the police into the heart of our community. This base for the neighbourhood policing team will mean the community of Soham will be able to access officers more readily and in a familiar environment."

Mr Paice said: "This is a great example of the police and the local community working together. "Having a permanent police presence in the centre of Soham will provide reassurance to local people and help to deter the kind of anti-social behaviour that has proliferated in recent years." Inspector Alan Savill, who runs the Ely District Police Force, said: "The office was established after listening to residents' views during panel meetings and after local officers asked for a way in which to be more involved in the community and visible in their areas. "This is an ideal opportunity to come and meet the team and take positive crime prevention measures, which will allow officers a far greater opportunity to reduce crime, as well as apprehend offenders and recover stolen items."

The office opening hours are: Wednesday 9.00am-10.00am and 1.00.pm-2.00pm, Thursday 9.00am-10.00am and 1.00pm-2.00pm, Friday 2.00pm-3.00pm and 6.00-7.00pm.

Disappointed Soham residents have had their hopes for a railway station for the town dashed after plans for more than 100 new homes went on display. They were optimistic that the project for 120 homes on land between Station Road and Spencer Drove would include a new station after it featured on the plans. But architects managing the project claim they were simply meeting East Cambridgeshire District Council requirements and had no plans to include a station in their planning application. "An illustration of a 'new' station was included on the plans and some residents went away with the impression that if they approved the development, a station would be included," said resident Donna Martin.

Chris Exley, managing the development for SMC Architects on behalf of developer City and Regional Estates said, however: "The request from East Cambridgeshire District Council was to indicate what could potentially go on the site, but that won't be included in a planning application as we don't own the station site or control what goes on it." Network Rail has also confirmed that it has no imminent plans to build a station in the town. But an East Cambridgeshire District Council spokesman said council officers had advised the developer that the station site was safeguarded and cycle paths and footpaths between a potential station and the new estate should be examined.

More than 170 local residents turned out on Friday and Saturday to examine the provisional architectural drawings for the estate which would run parallel to Mereside. "Common themes were concerns about flood and traffic management, but there is a long way still to go," said Mr Exley. He added that the plans would go to a second consultation before a planning application is submitted in June 2008. "We were very pleased with the turnout," he added, "and some residents were very informative on the history of the site." The area was previously allocated for employment use by East Cambridgeshire District Council, but plans to reclassify it for residential use are now under discussion.

SOHAM TOWN FORUM

Soham Town Forum has begun its tenth anniversary year by installing a new committee. An extraordinary meeting which took place on Thursday 17th January 2008 saw Town Forum member Donna Martin elected as Chairman, Robert Peacock elected as Vice-Chairman, Rosemary Aitchison enrolled as Minutes Secretary with Maureen Hardingham as Assistant Secretary and Chris Scurrah as Press Officer. Representatives to act as liaison between Soham Town Council and the Forum are yet to be named, and the committee is still seeking a Treasurer and Events Co-ordinator.

Twenty councillors and residents attended the meeting, which was held in place of the Annual General Meeting, due to East Cambridgeshire District Council announcing the withdrawal of their administrative support in November 2007.

After previous discussions, it had been decided prior to the meeting, that the format of the Forum should be changed to bring it in line with its original aims. Donna Martin, incoming Chairman and one of the founding members, said that the Forum had originally been set up as an open meeting and a regular opportunity for Soham residents to discuss local matters with their Town, District and County Councillor’s. She said that the relationship with Soham Town Council, East Cambridgeshire District Council, and Cambridgeshire County Council had been set up to be reciprocal and that the Forum should also provide an opportunity for Councillor’s to discuss local matters with residents and gauge local opinion. It was time she said, to get back to grass roots.

Proposals for the new agenda were discussed at length with all present being invited to contribute. It was unanimously agreed that the agenda should focus on current issues but that there remained a need for projects to report back to the community through the Forum. The key change to the agenda is the inclusion of Soham Association of Commerce & Trade (SACT), as an active partner, who approached the Forum for their support. The Forum agreed that the survival of trade and commerce in the town was vital to a thriving community. The Forum offered to support a local business event in the near future and proposed to help to make Late Night Christmas Shopping 2008 a success after SACT Chairman Robert Peacock declared that 2007 might be the last one. SACT will be reporting back to the next meeting to be held on Thursday 13th March 2008.

Other agenda items are to include, Soham Railway Station Campaign, Soham Community Hall, Local Car Parking, a Soham Magazine and Soham Vision - a project looking towards the future of Soham led by Town and District Councillors. All future meetings will take place in Hall 1, The Walter Gidney Pavilion, Fountain Lane, Soham, and all local residents have an open invitation to attend. It is hoped that local community groups will continue to feed into the Forum via a slot for Community Project Updates, with all local community groups being invited to submit a report for the AGM. The Forum maintains an 'Any Other Business’ heading on the agenda, which allows for new items and issues to be raised. Residents wishing to attend for the first time will be assured of a friendly welcome and an interesting evening of debate, discussion and action plans.

New St. Andrew's Church Website

www.sohamandwicken.org.uk

St. Andrew’s Church, together with St. Laurence’s Church in Wicken, now has its own website. On it you can find information about our worship and activities including news of special services and social events. You can also find out about weddings and baptisms and how to book them. There is a regularly updated calendar which has service times as well as meetings and fund raising events on it and a map to help visitors find us. You can even download Lodestar if you want to. We hope that it will be useful for visitors and newcomers looking for basic information and for our regular worshippers who can check for news and event details. Do have a look at it if you can and see what you think. If anybody has any ideas about other things that might be included please E-Mail the vicar, Tim Alban Jones MBE, at vicar@soham.org.uk or speak to Edward Green or Alison Evans at St. Andrew’s Church.

Thank you to our curate Edward Green for designing the website and doing all the technical bits! The content has been written by Alison, Tim and Eddie. Thanks too to Chris Scurrah for including St. Andrew’s Church on the excellent Soham On-Line Community Website www.soham.org.uk. Our site includes a link to Soham On-Line as well as to other local Churches and the Ely Diocese.

Want to communicate with your local Neighbourhood Policing Team???
Do you want to know what is happening in your local area???
Would you like to receive regular crime and community information that is local to you???

E-Cops is the answer!!!

E-Cops is an E-Mail scheme from Cambridgeshire Constabulary for your community. Cambridgeshire Constabulary is extending its successful E-Cops scheme to cover the Soham area. Your local Neighbourhood Policing Team would like to inform you what is happening in your area. E-Cops gives us an opportunity to do just that and gives you an opportunity to communicate with us.

Complete the on-line registration form by visiting:- www.cambs-police.co.uk/myneighbourhood/ecops/

When you sign up you will receive an E-Mail confirming that you have joined E-Cops. From then on you will be sent regular E-Mails from your local Police Officer. You will be able to respond to these e-mails with information and feedback.

Cambridgeshire Constabulary
Creating a safer Cambridgeshire

CCTV Texting Alert System

CCTV has been involved in partnership working for some time, but one of the most important partners we need to work with are members of the public. It is generally agreed that the most effective way of tackling crime, anti-social behaviour and terrorism is through a vigilant public who report suspicious activity. Members of the public, who see something wrong within an area covered by CCTV, will be able to contact the CCTV Control Room in Cambridge directly by texting 62288.

All messages will be acknowledged and CCTV Control Room Operators will prioritise the messages received and then carry out follow up action.

A couple of points to remember: always call the Police first to report a crime on 999 when life is in danger, a serious offence is in progress, a suspect is at the scene, there is danger of violence or damage to persons or property or there is a serious road accident.
0845 456 4564 should be used to contact the Police in all other cases, only then text the CCTV Control Room.

The text to CCTV should include the location (Street/Town) and what is going on e.g. 'High Street, Soham, Fight'.
Text messages to 62288 cost 12p on Vodafone and 10p on other mobile networks.

Stub It Out - For Good

Giving up smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health, and the benefits will start to show very quickly. Smokers who want to kick the habit can now get access to NHS services by contacting their local GP surgery in East Cambridgeshire & Fenland Primary Care Trust, or by calling the new ‘Quit Smoking’ Freephone Number - 0800 1690169. For the first time, all 17 GP surgeries within the local Primary Care Trust area now provide advice and support to any patient who wants to give up smoking through trained smoking cessation counsellors. If you are a smoker why not contact your local surgery to find out more, or call the helpline on 0800 1690169. Alternatively please call: Claire Mead, Healthy Lifestyles Co-ordinator on: 01353 654208. For further information about the Healthy Living East Cambridgeshire (HLEC) initiative please contact Kate Nichols on 01353 616349 or alternatively E-Mail: .

LOCAL NEWS 2008