Brampton News
SKATE PARK OPEN AGAIN
Good news. Its open again. The District Council have declared it fit for purpose. The trip hazard seems to have sorted itself out, perhaps simply because it is now warmer
If there are any future issues with safety pl. contact Janet or Ramune in the parish office either at the Memorial Centre or on 454441.
Last updated: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 2.44 pm - More information or comments: Tel: 01480 454441,
A New Community Centre On RAF Brampton?
The Little Theatre on the base is in the balance. Will it survive or be sacrificed to make way for more houses? This gives the Parish Council a dilemma. There have to be new changing rooms so that Spartans can use the large green space at the centre. What else should be provided?
If the Theatre survives it will want to recoup some of its running costs by making space available for things like parents and toddlers group, there might be a friendly drop-in centre for new residents to meet other recent arrivals, there might be youth theatre training, band practice, etc.The Trust will need to work very hard to make ends meet.
But if the theatre does not survive then what should the village provide? At its most receent meeting the Parish Council decided to adopt a defensive strategy and form a small group to think through the needs of a community of 1,500 souls, plus some overflow use from the rest of the village. If you have any thoughts please forward them to clerk@brampton-cambs-pc.gov.uk or ring 456555.
Last updated: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 2.44 pm - More information or comments: Tel: 01480 456555, email
Beware Phishing Emails
There has just been a glut of new phishing emails, the following text is typical.
Dear Customer,
PayPal is constantly working to ensure security regularly screening the accounts in our system. We recently reviewed your account and we need more information to help us provide you with secure service. Until we can collect this information, your access to sensitive account features will be limited. We would like to restore your access as soon as possible and we apologize for the inconvenience......
The email asks you to Sign In to your account, but you goto a very strange address:-
'http://landroverklub.hu/hirdeteskepek/.uk/webscr.htm'.
Do not sign in!
An example of the full email can be seen by following the web link.
Last updated: Tue, 14 Feb 2012 4.40 pm - More information or comments: Tel: 01480 454486, email web
Cambridgeshire Warm Homes Healthy People
A number of agencies in Cambridgeshire are providing extra help to support people at risk of poor health due to severe weather this winter.
Please see the web link for the help that is available.
There may be a need to satisfy eligibility checks to receive some of these services and we will help with this process.
For more information please contact
01945 589953 or 01223 714433 or 07880 781624
Last updated: Thu, 09 Feb 2012 5.25 pm - More information or comments: Tel: 01223 714 433, web
Cold Closes Skate Park Again
The skate park has been closed again, but this time we hope it will only be for a few days. Concrete is beginning to show at the bottom of the ramps. This has been reported to the District Council who have spoken to the contractor who made the recent repairs. He thinks the ramps could be lifting because he has removed the foam inside which had been acting like a insulator and with the cold weather the metal has contracted or there could be ice under the ramps which has lifted the edging. This has happened on another site he did in Wales but as soon as the weather warmed up the metal moved back down again so we are going to give this a go and re- inspect later in the week.
We obviously need to keep the gates locked for now but will update this message when we have more news.
Last updated: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 5.19 pm - More information or comments: Tel: 01480 454441,
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Update From The Alconbury Airfield, February '12
January saw the first planning application for the Airfield. This will see the creation of a separate new entrance for construction traffic away from local villages, the creation of roads, lighting and landscaping inside part of the Enterprise Zone area of the site, and the demolition of some buildings in a bad state or of low heritage value.
Meanwhile over 2,250 trees and shrubs have been planted along Ermine Street in a scheme jointly designed with the local parish councils. A community tree planting event planted 500 of the smaller trees which will help the landscape develop and change over the next few decades. These trees are the first of over half a million planned for the site.
Urban&Civic are also planning soon to publish a report which pulls together feedback and next steps from the Design and Discovery events in September. This will be followed by public meetings later in the Spring to share the next stage.
If you want any further information contact Rebecca.
Last updated: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 9.39 am - More information or comments: Tel: 01480 413141,
A14 Composting Site - Latest
The new owners of the pyrolysis plant, London First Power, have been installing different equipment. The intention is the same, to make electricity from small pellets of wood and sell it to the national grid. This might start to happen by around Easter.
As far as the composting yard goes the existing compost which has been sitting there is all earmarked for farmers as soon as they call for it, expected during February, so we might expect some renewed smell as the heaps are broken into. No waste is being brought onto the site and as yet the necessary licences to do so have not been transferred.
Last updated: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 5.55 pm - More information or comments: Tel: 01480 456555, email
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Local Author In Demand
Local author, Ron Richardson, has had his first book published. It is a fictional tale of life under the Romans. The book has been very well received. He has appeared on Huntingdon Community Radio and BBC Radio Cambridgeshire and has been asked to come back again. Following a book signing event in St Albans he has also been asked to give a talk about The Romans to a school in St Albans. Ron is also waiting to hear about the book being turned into a film. If you want to know a bit more about the book ring Ron on 43 16 19 or follow the web link.
Last updated: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 6.33 pm - More information or comments: Tel: 01480 43 16 19, email web
Repairs To A14 Viaduct - Implications For Brampton
The Highways' Agency is to strengthen the A14 viaduct as it crosses Brampton Road. This involves replacing one girder at a time with a more meaty one. There will be traffic restrictions and some night closures. The work is expected to take around 3 months.
To start they need to spread a net to protect the East Coast Main Line. This involves the line being closed for trains. As there is no longer a "dead" period on the line during the night work is unlikely to start until after the Christmas shut down, though discussions are continuing.
The "crunch point" for Brampton is that the replacement girders are deeper. This means that there will be height restrictions on Brampton Road. IT IS HOPED THIS WILL NOT PREVENT DOUBLE DECKER BUSES FROM COMING THROUGH, but this is not yet certain.
Roadside height restriction notices will be placed on Thrapston Road. Given the problems of turning an HGV round it is not anticipated that any driver will ignore the notices a second time. Watch this space for updates.
Last updated: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12.42 pm - More information or comments: Tel: 01480 456555, email
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Computer Phone Call Scam Updated
How many of you have had the phone call "We have noticed you have a problem with your computer"?
This is a scam, they will ask you to type some text and you will get a screen full of result they claim are errors. Then charge you (I've heard of £100!) to "fix it". Except it wasn't broke!
The web link will take you to a Microsoft Security Centre article which will give more information. You will also find links to Microsoft tools to ensure all is well.
Note: I have just recieved another call, please remember that a company will never ring you about a computer problem unless you contact them first!
Last updated: Wed, 25 Jan 2012 3.08 pm - More information or comments: Tel: 01480 454486, email web
Skate Park Open For Business Again
Title says it all really.
The contractor has finished all repairs except for painting the undersides. The weather was just too wet last week for him to complete this final task.
The contractor will return end Feb/Mar to paint the undersides. He will use red oxide, which will distinguish this from previous painting.
This is all good news and the steel ramps have been saved for now and will last again for some years.They will be inspectied periodically.
Well done HDC!
Last updated: Tue, 24 Jan 2012 6.02 pm - More information or comments: Tel: 01480 456555, email
Brampton Surgery - Feedback
Are you a patient of Alconbury & Brampton Surgeries?
Your patient group - ALBRAM - Needs you!
The Surgery is working with our Patient Participation Group, Albram, to encourage patients to give their views about the services we provide and any changes or new services being considered.
We would like to ask the opinions of as many patients as possible. So, we are asking if people would like to provide their email address. That way we can contact you every now and again to ask a question or two. If you would like to become involved please email c-pct.albram@nhs.net or call the surgery and inform reception.
Patient Survey
We are also requesting patient feedback through our Patient Survey.
This will be conducted during the month of February.
To complete a response form please visit our new website www.alconburybramptonsurgery.co.uk
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the ALBRAM Committee for their ongoing commitment and support of the Surgery.
Last updated: Mon, 16 Jan 2012 7.15 pm - More information or comments: Tel: 01480 454 050,
RAF Brampton Phantom Fighter Jet Moving On
Brampton's Phantom XT914, for so long at the entrance to our RAF base, is to return to its former base in Suffolk to be restored.
The jet will be broken down into sections to be transported by lorry to the Wattisham Heritage Museum.
The Phantom was used by the Royal Air Force's 74 (Tiger) and 56 (Firebirds) squadrons at the Suffolk airfield before it was retired from service in 1992.
This example went on to stand as "gate guardian" at RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire before heading to us in 1997.
Wattisham Heritage Museum curator said the aircraft would undergo refurbishment before going on display at the airfield.
Last updated: Wed, 18 Jan 2012 4.00 pm - More information or comments: Tel: 01480 456555,
GOOD NEWS -Skate Park Ramps To Be Repaired This Coming Week
As many will know, some of the skate park ramps have been coned off. This is because they were found to be dangerously thin. It was feared that they would have to be thrown away and new ramps sought. This would be a major expense and a long delay before skating could resume. Now we have been told that the District Council has arranged for the ramps to be repaired instead. Their contractors will be working on this (gales permitting) between Tuesday and Friday of the coming week. After this normal service will be resumed and the skate park can go back to being a real asset for our village.This is wonderful news and the Parish Council is very grateful to the sterling work done by HDC on this.
Last updated: Sat, 07 Jan 2012 11.28 am - More information or comments: Tel: 01480 456555, email web
Revised Plans And Hopes For RAF Brampton
A special meeting of the Parish Council received a presentation from District Council planners at an extraordinary meeting on the 4th January.
The first changes involved minor adjustments to cater for special trees. Later versions showed how 400 houses could still be fitted in and yet leave room for the theatre to be retained.
There was also an update on the proposals for footpaths which was generally seen as an improvement.
There then followed a presentation by those seeking to keep the on-camp theatre going after the MoD leave the site at the end of 2013. Drawings of potentail layouts were provided and the presentation stressed the value to the village of retaining an arts presence, listed the professional help that they are receiving and gave their ideas as to how the project could be financed.
Last updated: Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12.10 pm - More information or comments: Tel: 01480 456555, email
Street Light Replacement
Cambridgeshire County Council are changing all their 50,000 street lights over the next 5 years.
News just in is that Brampton is scheduled for May/June 2012.
Last updated: Tue, 20 Dec 2011 10.43 am - More information or comments: Tel: 01480 456555, email
A14 Closures Between Spittals And GMC
The Highways Agency has advised that there will be road works from 13 January 2012 on the A14 between Junction 23 (Spittals Interchange) and Junction 24 (Godmanchester).
The works will involve repairs to bridge joints and the carriageway surface adjacent to these joints on the River Ouse Bridge, River Ouse Viaduct and the two Cow Lane bridge structures at Junction 24.
The works will be undertaken with full weekend closures of either the westbound or eastbound carriageways. It is due to be completed by 11 March 2012 (weather permitting). There will also be some weekday overnight closures.
Last updated: Mon, 02 Jan 2012 8.23 am - More information or comments: Tel: 01480 456555, email
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Quicker Buses From Huntingdon To Science Park & Central Cambridge
Monday to Fridays 0710 & 0740 direct to St. Ives then along the busway.
Return buses leave Drummer Street 1725 & 1745.
Monday to Saturday evening departure times have changed. Now leaving Drummer Street at 2005, 2105, 2205, 2305 & 0005.
This is by way of an experiment. If sufficient people use it it will be retained - if not it will be axed.
Spread the word.
Last updated: Tue, 01 Nov 2011 5.52 pm - More information or comments: web
Changes To The Skate Park Rules And Code Of Conduct - Advance Notice
Young people have been involved in the management and care of our skate park.
Responsible Youth Forum skaters are concerned about damage to ramps.The District Council has had to make repairs.
Youth Forum member wish to avoid accidents. Older, more experienced users travel fast but observe skate park etiquette and are aware of the space needs of others. Many younger children appear unaware of the dangers of obstructing someone already embarked on a ride. Older users have helped younger ones learn necessary skills. But some have not become more aware or observed safety.
The Parish Council is introducing new rules. UNDER 10s WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO USE THE PARK AT OFF-PEAK HOURS. Other rules help ensure our facility is used in a way that protects both users and equipment.
In Spring, Youth Forum will publicise workshops for younger users to help develop skills and to keep themselves and others safe.
We hope parents will help support the new rules to keep children safe and to respect the equipment.
Last updated: Tue, 25 Oct 2011 9.16 am - More information or comments: Tel: 456398,
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RAF Brampton - Village Response To HDC
Huntingdonshire District Council have published a draft Urban Design Framework for RAF Brampton. This will significantly determine the future of the site after the MOD leave. Brampton Parish Council have been consulted. Their formal report can be viewed via the web link.
Broadly speaking there were no fundamental differences of principle but many smaller concerns were listed.
Last updated: Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11.01 am - More information or comments: Tel: 01480 456555, email web
Older news items can be viewed here.