The Conservatives take Control of East Cambridgeshire District Council

 Age Concern Cambridgeshire Urges Local Pensioners to Claim their Cash

Age Concern Cambridgeshire is launching 'Your Rights', the annual campaign to encourage older people to boost their income by claiming the money benefits, which are rightfully theirs. Money benefits available include Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Attendance Allowance. Older people are still the group most likely to miss out on benefits cash - either because they don’t realise that they are entitled, don’t know how to claim, or feel there is a stigma attached to claiming and would rather ‘make do’.

Ruth Rogers Information and Communication Manager at Age Concern Cambridgeshire said: “It’s appalling that so many older people are struggling to make ends meet while huge amounts of benefits cash are going unclaimed. We would urge all older people in the area to call us for more information or call our Freephone helpline number on Tel: 0800 009966. It could really improve their weekly income.”

To help publicise 'Your Rights', Age Concern Cambridgeshire are holding a drop in event at The Viva Centre, 7 Churchgate Street, Soham on Monday 23rd April 2007 from 12.00pm – 2.30pm. As well as information about money benefits there will be representatives from the services that Age Concern Cambridgeshire provides such as Mental Health Advocacy; Home Help; Visiting Scheme; and Insurance Products. Refreshments will also be available. We will also be in the outpatients entrance at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge on Wednesday 11th April 2007. So please come and see us and look after 'Your Rights'.

For further information about Age Concern Cambridgeshire visit www.accambs.org or contact Ruth Rogers on Tel:01354 696650 or alternatively Write to: Ruth Rogers, Information & Communication Manager, Age Concern Cambridgeshire, 2 Victoria Street, Chatteris, PE16 6AP.

 Official Statement on the Sale of St. Andrew's Church Hall Sale

Given the local media coverage over the past few weeks, it is unlikely to have escaped your notice that St. Andrew's Church Parochial Church Council  (PCC) has reached the difficult decision to sell the St. Andrew's Church Hall site.

Few could disagree that the hall is in a desperate state of repair. The reason for this is that St. Andrew's Church simply cannot afford to maintain two buildings - the church itself and the hall. People in the town stopped booking the hall for discos, youth clubs, sporting activities and other events long ago in favour of using better facilities such as the sports centre or the some seventeen other halls in the town. With no money coming in, there was no money to improve the building. Latterly the hall was leased to an auction firm for a small monthly sum, which barely covered the cost of insurance, electricity, water and heating.

St. Andrew's Church has long needed to install basic kitchen facilities and a toilet in order to meet the needs of today's congregation and, to do so, needs to re-order parts of the church building. There are no other public buildings in Soham without toilet facilities and it certainly makes it very difficult for some people to attend church. A kitchen would enable us to hold fundraising and fellowship events, both very important to the life of a church. The magnificent organ also needs completely restoring and it is sensible to do this while the re-ordering and building work takes place, all of which will make St. Andrew's Church more accessible and mean it can be used by other organisations within the community for meetings and events too. It will also mean that we can host concerts and dramatic productions, which is a very exciting prospect. This work is expected to cost in the region of £300,000 and a development fund has already been set up to meet this target. Indeed, the wonderful bible reading marathon, the Bible Bonanza, completed in May 2006 raised more than £5,000 for this fund. This modest re-ordering is being done to open up the church for the whole community throughout the week, not just the churchgoers and not just on Sundays.

However, St. Andrew's Church now has additional expenses. An architect from English Heritage has been to look at the ever-deteriorating condition of the roof and has worryingly said we need to spend £300,000 to replace it as a matter of utmost urgency.

With all this in mind the PCC has had to look at how it can generate more funds and the answer lies in selling the redundant hall, which, at present, is only costing the church money. The sale would mean we meet the needs of a 21st Century congregation - be they those attending a Sunday service, baptism, wedding or funeral - and secure the roof for centuries to come.

The Church Hall site went onto the market with Estate Agents, Cheffins, in the autumn of 2006 at a guide price of £350,000. Anyone interested in purchasing it was welcome to put forward a bid - be they local people with a desire to retain the site for the town or housing developers. There was so much interest that it went to sealed bids. Any interested parties were asked to put forward their bid by the middle of December 2006. In the end seven bids were received, all from housing developers. As the Church is a charity it must, by law, accept the highest bid.

However, after the closing date for bids, East Cambridgeshire District Council, at the request of two of its Councillors who represent Soham, asked the PCC to defer a sale until 31st January 2007 so it could attempt to raise funds to purchase the site (though it is unclear whether its plan was to refurbish the current hall, demolish it and build another or build a car park on the site). As a goodwill gesture, the PCC agreed to wait until the end of January 2007 before accepting an offer. East Cambridgeshire District Council was unable to find funds but it offered Soham Town Council £5,000 to look into grants so it might be able to purchase the site. Soham Town Council then requested the PCC delay any sale by a further three months.

Understandably the PCC was placed in a very awkward position. The developers who had bid for the site had done so according to the rules - rules which the PCC had agreed to adhere to. The PCC was legally bound to go ahead and accept the highest bid (which, as stated before, as a charity it must do) but waiting for Soham Town Council to gain grants which were not finally forthcoming would probably result in the loss of any chance of a sale. St. Andrew's Church would then be unable to carry out any of the work needed to ensure the Church continues to beat at the heart of this community for years to come. Therefore the PCC has accepted the bid from the developer and the sale will proceed.

It has saddened everyone involved in the sale that it has become such a fiercely and sometimes negatively debated issue but it is hoped that this statement will clear up any confusion.

 St. Andrew's Church Hall Site is Sold for Residential Development

Religious leaders in Soham have been accused of driving a wedge between the Church and a Town over the sale of a disused hall and land right at the centre of the High Street.

The committee at St. Andrew's Church in Soham ignored a plea by Soham Town Council, Soham Town Forum and East Cambridgeshire District Council to hold fire for three months while the Council consulted the public and tried to raise funds to buy the hall for the community. Now the church will sell the hall to a developer who is thought to be paying around £540,000.

Councillor, Colin Fordham, who represents Soham on East Cambridgeshire District Council and who launched the campaign, warned "The Church Hall was originally paid for by the whole community almost 80 years ago and the people who have made this decision will be blacklisted for ever. This decision to sell has created a serious wedge between the churchies who were for the sale of the land and the townies who were against it but we won't stop fighting. We are getting a petition together and we will fight this all the way. To me, this news is terrible - it's like the death of someone I know and an insult to the older members of the local community who paid to have the Hall built for the Church in the first place."

Councillor, John Palmer, who also represents Soham on East Cambridgeshire District Council, said he was appalled by the decision to sell. "To go ahead without a public consultation is shameful. I would have thought they would have had more sense and would have considered the community as a priority first. There was a tremendous amount of support to keep it for the community. It was not as if the Church would have lost money. You always look on the Church as the centre of a Town, but what they are doing is driving a wedge between the Church and it's Community." Councillor Palmer wanted the Hall to be restored to its former use as a centre for community events, which it last hosted more than 10 years ago.

Local traders have thrown their weight behind a campaign for a community buy-out of Soham's Church Hall site. Robert Peacock, Chairman of the Soham Association of Commerce & Trade (SACT), which represents many of the town's 400 businesses, said: "We support a community buy-out. It's a vital site in the town centre that could be put to good use. We have been told that there could be room there for parking for about 60 cars as well as a new hall, which would be essential for the town's future." He added: "Soham is expanding and this is the only space left in the town centre that we can use. People from the surrounding villages need to use their cars to come into Soham and if there isn't car parking then people will end up going to Newmarket and Ely – meaning our businesses lose out".

Soham Town Councillor Peter Beer said: "I am gutted but in my heart of hearts I was expecting this." He added that "it would have been a huge mountain to climb" to try to raise money to buy the site. "I was by no means sure it would have succeeded," he said, "but we could have made an attempt. I do think, however, that the cards were very much against us".

Soham Town Councillor John Kirkham said: "I am deeply disappointed by this decision. We obviously want to find the money the Church urgently needs, and we know that raising it will be a daunting task for Soham. All we have ever asked for is a few months' grace to give us a fighting chance of preserving this unique site for the community".

A spokesman for the St. Andrew's Church said: "The decision to sell has been a difficult one for the Parochial Church Council (PCC), which is aware of the strength of feeling among certain members of Soham Town Council who feel the site should be used for a community project. However, it felt it was highly unlikely that funds for the purchase of the site could be found, with East Cambridgeshire District Council being unable to give assurances of adequate financial backing. The funds generated from this sale will be used for urgent repairs and alterations to the church building which will make it even more accessible to the whole community.  These will include installing much-needed toilet and kitchen facilities which the Church is currently lacking, providing space for community activities such as children’s groups, social events, concerts etc by opening up the west door and repairing and relocating the Church Organ as well as carrying out critical repairs to the roof.  The total cost for all this work is in excess of £600,000".

"Soham benefits from having a stunning Church at its heart which this and previous generations have worked hard to maintain and develop.  The PCC simply cannot afford to lose the opportunity to generate these crucial funds to continue to preserve this majestic building and ensure it remains at the heart of the town for centuries to come". The developer's bid is conditional on planning permission for housing being granted by East Cambridgeshire District Council.

What is a dial-a-ride service or a voluntary car scheme and am I eligible? If you've ever thought this then help is at hand. Cambridgeshire County Council has just published their indispensable Community Transport Guide for 2006/2007. And it's completely FREE. The guide explains exactly what community transport is and who can use it; how it works alongside conventional public transport; and lists by district details of all community transport schemes operating throughout Cambridgeshire. Laid out in an accessible reference format the guide is easy to read and understand. Three sections provide clear and concise information.

The first section describes the various types of community transport schemes throughout Cambridgeshire. Covering how they meet the needs of the communities they serve, how they operate and who can use such schemes. The section also has useful information on other modes of transport throughout Cambridgeshire. For example how to get information on bus and rail services and how to obtain a bus pass. It also has a full explanation of the concessionary fare scheme. The second section lists schemes by district and the type of scheme available. The third and final section lists details of other agencies involved in community transport. It also provides advice on transport for those with mobility difficulties.

A community transport scheme may serve your area and you may be eligible to use it. For instance it can be used to transport you to a medical appointment, or to the nearest post office or shop. The Community Transport Guide 2006/2007 is designed to provide you with information in an easy way. For a FREE copy of the guide contact Gavin Moulton on Tel: 01223 717755. write to Cambridgeshire County Council, ET1015, Castle Court, Shire Hall, Cambridge, CB3 OAP or alternatively E-Mail: gavin.moulton@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

 CAMTAD FREE Volunteer Training Course

A free training course for new volunteers to help the hearing impaired starts on Tuesday 17th April, 2007. It will run on Tuesday mornings for six weeks. CAMTAD, Cambridge Campaign for Tackling Acquired Deafness, runs hearing help sessions where volunteers clean, check and re-tube NHS hearing aids and advise on regular maintenance and best listening conditions. They also loan out equipment. They can help with hearing doorbells, telephone, television and household alarms. Training courses cover such subjects as the ear, types and causes of deafness, NHS hearing aids, procedures for assessment, communication methods and so on. If you are interested in the training course or would like to discuss it further please phone or fax Sue Hempstead or Sue Magee on Tel: 01223 416141 or write to Sue Hempstead at 8A Romsey Terrace, Cambridge, CB1 3NH. We welcome hearing impaired volunteers on the course and a loop system is provided.

Training is compulsory for our volunteers but there is no obligation to volunteer at the end of the course. Most of our volunteers help at monthly sessions but many help in other ways. The CAMTAD website gives further details of the charity at copag.members.beeb.net/copmoc/camtad.htm. CAMTAD would be most grateful for your co-operation as they are a small charity with limited means and depend on their volunteers to exist.

Note that there are Hearing Help sessions at Soham Weatherall's Health Centre from 9.30am to 12.00pm on the first Monday of every month (second Monday in May only). No appointment is necessary, but it should be noted that hearing tests are not carried out.

You don’t need legal experience or qualifications to serve as a magistrate – they come from every imaginable background.

You do need to be aged between 18-65 and able to sit for a minimum of 26 half-days each year. Magistrates aren’t paid, but many employers allow time off with pay, or you can claim a loss of earnings allowance. We welcome applications from all sectors of the community, especially those currently under-represented in the magistracy – younger people and people form ethnic minority groups.

We’re recruiting locally NOW. For an application pack call 0800 003 007 or go to www.magistrates.gov.uk. For local recruitment information call 01480 415024.

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