Geoff has been in touch with Council officers about the encampment on the Babraham Road Park and Ride site by a group of travellers - expressing the hope that the normally extended legal process to get removal can be speeded up for everyone’s sake. This is not a legal site and these folk need to be moved on to one as soon as possible.

Geoff has been in touch afresh with County Highways to report significant damage being carried out by contractors working in a number of locations across the ward to verges outside houses. Bad enough we have endured a severe winter so far but now some of these people are just blindly tearing up verges and running away, this has to be stopped.

Geoff in his role as County Communities Spokesman - has spoken out against the payment of both significant bonus payments to Top bankers but also argues that the pension scheme set up in a time of plenty for the former top Boss of RBS - is both immoral and obscene in a time of severe economic distress across our Country - when more and more ordinary families are being confronted with unemployment through no fault of their own - have to wait to get meagre support from the State, worry about their Home and indeed whether they will ever work again.

The Payment of a pension pot worth nearly 700k a year to one man who presided over abject failure and greed cannot in any measure be justified - and if the man had any sense of personal responsibility at all - would gladly stand and say i cannot accept this level of payment from the taxpayer who now have a majority share in his former Bank

Geoff who is both a rail enthusiast and rail user - is also a member of Railfuture a group who actively campaigns for the future of our Rail Network - was not surprised to see a report just published which shows that compared with the majority of our European neighbours - fares are high. This has not been helped by the current Government’s announcement before Christmas which indicated that they wanted the rail user to move from providing 50% of costs to 75% - so that only 25% comes directly from the Exchequer. The fact of the matter is - that this Government talks green - takes credit for ordering new trains when in fact it is private industry and bankers who are increasingly taking the strain as we have seen with recent announcements about the new Inter City Express project.

Most European Countries are not only investing more in electrification schemes but it is the State Government who make political choices to provide direct state funding for such improvements, Governments in the UK dominated by short term Treasury thinking and attitude frequently dodge long-term strategic and economic decisions and either move them into a “siding” or pass it to other groups to foot the bill - Unfair and totally illogical if you are going to support a sensible green investment strategy for the longer-term!

Geoff has written in strong terms to a Senior Manager at the County Council - over the attitude displayed by junior staff towards his request to erect pro-active signs on Cherry Hinton Road and Queen Edith’s Way in order to support the local shops on Wulfstan Way.

This has now gone on for nearly three months and I am sick of being given the run around in order to help these shops - which in a difficult economic period need all the help they can get. The County Council is there to serve residents who not only supply council tax but pay their wages. There is a desparate need for a culture change within the Council.

Geoff has complained bitterly to BT at the time it has taken them to respond too a request to carry out repairs and clear up the damage caused by vandals when a kiosk opposite Netherhall School was attacked earlier this month. The damage was discovered on a Sunday morning and contact was made with BT - a week later still no sign of a visit or the broken glass cleared away.

This surely cannot be the level of customer service which one expects from a blue chip company who presumably want customers to be able to access a facility which makes them money.

Following news from the National Audit Office that the Warm Front scheme is simply not helping the most who need it to support their energy bills - I have been in contact both with South Cambs MP - Andrew Lansley but also the Liberal Democrat front bench in the Commons. It is simply not acceptable in this day and age - that so many folk have to make hard choices between eating and heating. This has to be challenged at every possible opportunity and with the General Election in the offing - Candidates from across the spectrum must come up with the appropriate answers to take action once and for all.

Following a meeting of the South Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats - Geoff Heathcock was selected to stand again at the forthcoming County Council elections for Queen Edith’s as their Prospective Candidate.

Geoff has had a varied involvement within the County Council having been first elected in 1993 - serving as Social Services Spokesman, Transport Spokesman and then two years as Chairman of the Health @ Adultsocialcare Scrutiny Committee. In 2007 he was appointed Shadow Cabinet Member for Health, Communities and Adult Socialcare.

He has also had periods of service on both the Cambridgeshire Fire Authority and Police Authority.

Following the meeting of the County Health Scrutiny Committee last week - I have now written to the Chief Executive at the County Council and to Cambridge MP - David Howarth to investigate aspects of how this whole issue has been dealt with - and additionally requested that David raise the problem now with the Health Secretary - Alan Johnson at the earliest possible opportunity.

I continue to be very anxious about this home - having been alerted to the fact that many of the 18 residents have still to hear what their future care arrangements will be, this is absolutely appalling - given as things stand the home is due to close in Mid April.

I would wish to assure residents - that whenever i come across damaged footpaths or pot-holes on the highways, i usually take photographs’ and pass them to County Highways at Whittlesford who inspect, carry out temporary repairs and will make a permanent job of things after April - when the new budget year begins.

This is not ideal but atleast then Highways are aware of problems. During March I shall be doing a walkabout across the ward with officers - to pin point where we have significant issues - so that they are added into the repair work later in the spring. One of the worst pot-holes near the junction of Fendon Road has been temporarily closed in the last couple of days.

It is probably more than likely than not - that after a sustained period of cold weather, we shall have more street lighting that develops faults, more footpaths and sections of road which have holes and cracks, I am keen to be aware of these sorts of problems and if you come across dangerous sections, you either contact me or speak to Highways at Whittlesford who will ensure inspection and repair, we don’t want to wait until there has been an accident.

I am increasingly concerned at the number of people I get to hear about - or read about in the local newspaper who are not claiming what they are entitled too in terms of cold weather payments, heating allowances and the like and suffer significant hardship during what has been one of the coldest periods for nearly 20 years.

I also appeal to residents who know of folk who live on their own to call in and check on them periodically - make sure they have good supplies of food, hot drinks and that heating is working, this is all part of being good neighbours but also ensures we have no tragedies that could have been avoided on our doorsteps.

If any other help is required - then would constituents please get in touch immediately.

Following a long delay  for seemingly a whole list of reasons - the bollards and pedestrian haven were finally repaired on Hills Road - and we have light at this location once more but this should never be - if the County Council really got stuck in quickly and effectively to dealing with these problems. The good news is that following a discussion with the Police, a culprit for the damage has been located and his insurance company notified that there will be a bill to pay.

Good news for the local taxpayers.