May 2021

5 Buckden Roundabout May 2021 From your councillor From Your County Councillor The County Council has continued to maintain most of its meeting schedule via Zoom so the routine work has been maintained in spite of the lockdown. The County Council held (on March 16 th ) its last meeting of the current four - year cycle. The Council debated motions on : • the possibility of creating a ‘ Biosphere ’ in the Fens, (this was proposed by the Lib Dems and supported, with amendments, by the whole Council) • further clarity on the council ’ s investment policy in a company called This Land, (proposed by Lib Dems and rejected by majority group) • ‘ Real Living Wage ’ Calling for an improvement in the remuneration of our lowest - paid employees (proposed by Labour, rejected by majority group) • Thanks to departing councillors, (proposed by Lib Dems and supported by all groups) The last few months have been the strangest and, in some ways, the most demanding of my twenty years as a county councillor. The over - riding concern has been, as far as possible, to protect the population from the effects of the worst pan- demic this country has experienced for a century. Alongside that, there has been an expectation of ‘ business as usual ’. On top of all that the last few weeks have seen some of the worst flooding incidents for many years, as some Buckden resident are only too aware. The public, locked down from their normal work and pursuits, have been able to go out for a walk and this has given them the opportunity to identify many of the shortcomings of the powers - that - be, whether one of the councils or central govern- ment. So I have received more complaints than ever before about pot - holes, cracked pavements, blocked drains, dirty or incorrect signage, etc. All this at a time when getting the Coun- cil manpower to make good these shortcomings has been lim- ited. The County Council HQ is scheduled to move from Cambridge to Alconbury Weald. At the time of writing, Shire Hall has been emptied but there is uncertainty as to when the new buildings at Alconbury Weald will be ready for occupation. As the medical situation eases, every effort will be made to rectify the shortcomings of recent months, insofar as council funds allow. At the time of writing, the infection rate is dropping and the vaccination programme has been going well. By the time this Roundabout reaches you, the warmer weather and the recov- ery of local services will have helped to lift morale. But the public health message remains vital - respect the stated limita- tions, stay safe and keep well. My time as your county councillor ends on May 6 th when Coun- ty Council elections will take place. Until then I remain contact- able about any specific issues with which I may be able to help. I would just add what I have said to the Buckden Parish Coun- cil, namely that I have very much enjoyed the four years I have spent as your County Councillor and have been very impressed by the quality and commitment of your parish councillors. I hope, on a personal level, to keep in touch with Buckden which is one of the best places to live. Peter Downes 01480 509471 or 07765 833 486 peterdownes42@aol.co.uk The night sky in May Did you see the Supermoon on the night of 26 - 27 April? Supermoons occur because the distance be- tween the Moon and the Earth changes over time. The Moon ’ s orbit around the Earth isn ’ t perfectly circular, it is shaped as an ellipse. When the Moon is closest to the Earth on the same night as a Full Moon, it is known as a Su- permoon. Supermoons happen every year. The Moon can appear up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter and so it ’ s well worth a look! If you missed the Supermoon in April, there will be another bright Supermoon you can catch on 26 May. The next decent meteor shower this year is the Eta Aquariids. Not as prolific as the Quadrantids, which were visible in January, it is still worth a watch as it has a broad peak of activity for the week centred on 4 May. Coming from debris left behind by Halley ’ s Comet, its meteors often produce long streaks of light, or trains, which persist for several seconds. The Full Moon - photo by Alec MacAndrew