Neighbourhood Panels - a growing reputation
The next South area Neighbourhood Panel meeting is due to take place at the Gardiner Memorial Hall in Burwell on Tuesday, 6th January, 7.00 - 9.00 pm.
The meetings are participative and it would be good, particularly if you have issues which concern you about your locality, for you to come and have your say. From our experience to date, action will be taken to address the issue(s) !
900 people have attended Neighbourhood Panels in the 5 Panel areas within East Cambridgeshire during 2008. Audience feedback from the meetings indicates that the meetings are dealing with the issues which are important to each Neighbourhood Panel area.
The feedback (from 149 Audience and 85 Panel members) also indicates that the panels serve a worthwhile function in providing a forum for discussion of issues, with every expectation that effective action will be taken, although it has often been too soon to assess whether a positive impact has been widely-perceived in localities. Very few people who have attended a panel meeting have left with a negative perception, in fact almost everyone has been highly positive !
At the meeting on 6th January, feedback will be provided on the action taken on all of the issues of concern identified at the last meeting (on 7th October) including the priority issues of combating Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) in Burwell, combating burglary in the area, fly-tipping in specific areas (including the Fen at Swaffham Prior) and a review of speed limit zones in several villages.
The Parish Council have given their backing to involvement in the Speedwatch scheme to further address the issue of speeding. Volunteers from the Swaffhams are needed, with a view to their training taking place in late January.
A Newsletter summarising the outcomes from the last Panel meeting (in October) will be published by mid-December. If you have previously attended a Panel meeting, a copy of the Newsletter will be sent to you. If you haven't yet attended a meeting and you would like a copy of the October-January Newsletter, then please contact Alan Williams (The Neighbourhood Panel Coordinator).
A revised Neighbourhood Panel webpage is now available in the AZ section of the District Council's website www.eastcambs.gov.uk, including the local police Neighbourhood Profile (showing statistics for crime and anti-social behaviour in the area), the Minutes of the Panel (October 7th) and Action Group (October 13th) meetings and you can receive more information directly from Alan Williams,
Neighbourhood Panel Coordinator, ECDC, The Grange, Nutholt Lane, Ely, CB7 4PL, tel: 01353 616349