December 2024

5 Buckden Roundabout December 2024 From your District Councillor Dear Residents and Parish Councillors, This month, I thought that it would be helpful to address the recent media reports regarding the means testing of winter fuel payments and its implications for our local community. Regardless of our opinions on the new government's means testing of winter fuel payments, Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are unlikely to change their stance due to the motion against it at HDC ’ s October Council Meeting. Most important- ly, HDC can only control the limited services it provides. The motion from the Conservative group was part of country - wide political initiative and, in my opinion, mixing local and national politics. It seems easy to forget that the Conservatives lost over 300 councillors back in May. Bringing this bundled motion to Coun- cil was a Westminster manoeuvre. It seems that our Westmin- ster Conservative politicians continue to let their local govern- ment councillors bear the brunt of their political strategies. We lost some good Tory councillors back in May because be- haviour like this encourages the public to vote along party lines rather than for their best local representatives. In my opinion mixing national and local politics is unwise. I think that we can all agree from a community perspective it's im- portant to encourage those who are entitled to claim pension credit to do so, as it is a gateway payment to winter fuel allowance. To claim Pension Credit, residents can ei- ther: • Claim online: Visit the GOV.UK Pension Credit page and apply online if you al- ready claim State Pension and there aren't any children or young people included in your claim. • Call the Pension Credit claim line: Call 0800 99 1234 (textphone 0800 169 0133) and they can fill in the appli- cation for you over the phone. Lines are open Mon- day to Friday, 8am - 6pm. • Apply by post: Print out and fill in the Pension Credit claim form or call the claim line to request a form. Send the claim form to the Pension Service. You don't need a postcode or a stamp. I hope we can work together to ensure our local governance remains focused on the needs of the community that the dis- trict council can directly control. National Cycle Network – Proposed Grafham to Brampton Quiet Way Pilot Update This proposal aims to enhance the National Cycle Network, by creating a route between Buckden/Brampton and Grafham that offers a safe, traffic - free spaces for families, less mobile individuals, walkers, and horse riders to enjoy. Where off - road paths are not possible, on - road sections must have low traffic speeds and volumes to ensure safety and comfort for all users. I attended the Grafham to Brampton Pilot Quietway Councillor Briefings on Friday, 25th October. Councillor feedback seemed incredibly valuable to Sustrans in developing a deeper under- standing of the local context and concerns related to the pro- ject. The presentation and discussion appeared to help allevi- ate some of those concerns among Councillors. There seems to be a strong willingness to find the best solution for Grafham, Brampton, Buckden and neighbouring communities. What this means for residents is that Sustrans is committed to a transparent and collaborative approach. They are currently finalising dates and venues for the community drop - in events. Once these are confirmed, a resident update letter will be dis- tributed. This will ensure that residents are kept informed and involved in the ongoing development of the project. Please try to attend a drop - in event if you can. Considering proposals holistically, the Quiet Way is being pro- posed alongside HDC's Priority Natural Landscapes initiative, aiming for larger, interconnected habitats of 40 to 100 hec- tares. For residents concerned about over - development in Grafham, Buckden, and Brampton, a Quiet Way might offer an additional, unpublicised benefit by potentially restricting de- (Continued on page 19 ) Figure 1 – The National Cycle Network around Buckden