From our District Councillor
EAST CAMBS DISTRICT COUNCIL has now set this years level of council tax. There
will be a 2.5 % increase. The band D levels in the ward are as follows. Reach
£l238-94p, Swaffham Bulbeck £l240-65p, Swaffham Prior £1241-10p.
With East Cambs budget for next year having now been finalised and following several rounds of talks across the county we are able to confirm there will be a Cambridgeshire Countywide concessionary fares scheme providing free bus travel for the "over 60s" and other groups who qualify for bus passes within the boundaries of our district. From 1st April 2006, the old (pre April 06) Cambridgeshire and Peterborough scheme will be replaced with a new scheme that enables free travel on local bus journeys within the district boundary where you live. It will also allow travel at a reduced fare (compared to the full adult fare) on journeys that cross your district or city boundary in Cambridgeshire. Passes can only be used after 9.3Oam, Monday to Friday and all day on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays. Blind or partially sighted residents with bus passes will be able to travel free on any journeys within the county boundary. Bus passes are available for the following groups:
- Pensioners (men and women over the age of 60);
- People who qualify for the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance and the War Pensioners Mobility Supplements;
- Those registered deaf;
- Those who are without speech, and can provide medical evidence;
- Those who are prevented from obtaining a driving licence on medical grounds;
- Those registered blind or partially sighted;
- Those who have a learning disability which includes significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning;
- Those who have long term loss of the use of both arms. Leaflets explaining the new scheme together with detailed route maps are being published and should be available for distribution next week.
Reach Fair will soon be upon us. Unfortunately this year we will not have the use of the field at Rogers Road, Swaffham Prior for car parking. But hopefully a field will be available at Swaffham Road, Reach.
If this proves to be the case it will be well sign posted, thus avoiding parking by the road side in Swaffham Prior.
So let us hope for a sunny day and once again a very enjoyable Fair day.