Make a Change Become a Councillor

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The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) is calling on all community heroes to step up and become a local parish councillor at the 2022 elections.

What do councillors do?

Local councillors are the champions of their community who invest time in local projects and issues to the benefit of residents and the neighbourhood. Councillors attend to local needs of residents, local groups and businesses, make decisions on local services, collaborate with district and borough councils to adhere to local needs, and progress vital projects to invest in the future of the community.

What do councils do?

Councils lead on community services such as footpaths, public seating and litter bins, but also larger projects such as the running of local transport, leisure services, youth services and climate change initiatives. These activities are funded by a local tax, called a precept which is determined by the council.

How long does it take?

NALC’s Local Councillor Census Survey found that councillors put aside, on average, three hours a week for council work. Council work often includes attending meetings, engaging with residents and speaking to local groups and bodies on behalf of the council.

Can I stand for election?

You must be:

  • A British citizen, or a citizen of the Commonwealth, or the European Union
  • 18 years of age or older
  • Live in an area that is served by a local council

How can I get involved?

Contact your local council at or visit www.nalc.gov.uk/elections to find out more.

HILTON PARISH COUNCIL JOINS NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO URGE RESIDENTS TO MAKE A CHANGE AND BECOME A COUNCILLOR

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Hilton Parish Council is taking part in a national campaign to encourage residents in England to stand in the 2022 local elections.

 

The aim of the Make A Change campaign is to call on people – especially those undiscovered community heroes – who are passionate about our local area to put themselves forward to be elected to sit on a local parish council as a councillor.

 

Today, there are 10,000 local councils in England, with 100,000 councillors. They are the heroes of their communities and give residents a voice on the decisions the council makes. With this campaign, we want to let prospective councillors know that through the work of a councillor, they can make a real difference in our community.

 

The work our council does is both exciting and rewarding. An integral part of this work is the job councillors do: engaging with local people, groups and businesses to find out their needs; making decisions on the services and projects the council should take forward; and getting involved to ensure services are meeting the community’s needs.

 

We are now asking people who want to improve the quality of life for their fellow residents to see Hilton Parish Council as a tool to make that change and stand for election.

Ivy Cutting

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In March most years, the Parish Council organises an ivy-cutting party to try and keep on top of the growth that threatens to strangle our trees.  Because of lockdown last year, rather than organise the normal working party, we encouraged volunteers to do some ivy cutting on their own.  In the event this proved surprisingly successful, a lot got done and people appreciated the flexibility of carrying out the work to suit their busy lives.  Let’s use the same format once again in 2022.

If you are willing to work unsupervised, I would like to invite you to contact me so that I can give you a few brief instructions and co-ordinate the effort across the village.

Although it is up to you just when you carry out the work, the plan is to make the period Saturday 12th to Sunday 20th March ivy-cutting days.  If you can spare some time; 30 mins, an hour, or longer, please contact Ian Stott:

 

Green Bin Collection

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Message from Huntingdonshire District Council
BIN COLLECTIONS: Our waste and recycling collections will resume on Monday (21 Feb). As a result of Storm Eunice, however, we will not be collecting green bins on Monday and Tuesday next week to catch up on those bins missed today (Fri 18 Feb).
If your grey bin was not collected today then it will be collected on Monday and if your blue bin was not collected today, it will be collected on Tuesday.
If your green bin was due for collection on Monday or Tuesday, then it will be collected again on your next garden waste collection date.
Thank you for continuing to support our bin crews.

Heavy Commercial Vehicle Prohibition on B1040 Hilton – Decision

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The decision meeting between the CCC Traffic Manager and our County Councillor was held as planned on Monday 14th February. At this meeting, the decision was taken to implement the proposal as published.

The full decision notice can be read here: B1040 Hilton Decision Record 220214

 

Proposed Heavy Commercial Vehicle Prohibition on B1040 Hilton

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We have received communication from Cambridgeshire County Council to state that they received an objection in response to the published proposal, so this matter will need to be resolved via the Council’s Delegated Decisions process.

This means that all representations are to be determined by the Council’s Traffic Manager in consultation with the local County Councillor on Monday 14th February 2022. You can view the report that will be considered via this link – DDM 14-02-22.

We will be informed of the outcome of the meeting in due course. Alternatively, you will be able to access the decision via the above link a few days after the meeting.

Works to the Ware, Graveley Way

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Hilton Parish Council has been awarded a grant from the A14 Legacy Fund to improve the bank of the Ware in Graveley Way. The bank of the Ware along Graveley Way has eroded over the years and has previously exposed underground electrical cabling. If this erosion is allowed to continue there is a danger that the road will be compromised.

The scope of these works has now been agreed with the Parish Council, Highways England and the Highways Department of Cambridgeshire County Council. The plan is to install galvanised steel posts in the pond with a pile driver, 1.8m apart from each other and 1.2m away from the tarmac. This will run from the Tithe Close end of the pond all the way to the footpath at the Potton Road junction. Concrete gravel boards will then be inserted between these posts with a timber capping board running the entire length of the wall. The area between the tarmac and the gravel board wall will be backfilled with soil to match the existing verge height and then seeded upon completion.

These works will be carried out in short sections under stop/go boards traffic management. The materials have been ordered, and the start date is 1st February 2022.

A1307, junction 24 – slip road lighting renewal

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Information has been received from National Highways to advise that they will be carrying out essential lighting renewal work to the A1307 slip roads at junction 24. Once complete, drivers will benefit from improved lighting as we continue through the winter period.

They plan to complete this work over 10 weeks between Monday 24 January and Wednesday 30 March, working between 8pm and 5am on weeknights only, weather permitting.

Closures and diversions

To carry out the work safely, there will be a lane closure on the roundabout at junction 24 from Monday 24 January. They also need to close each of the slip roads, which will be done in phases, as set out in the table below:

 

Closure points Dates Diversion route
A1307 junction 24 eastbound exit slip Monday 14 February to Monday 7 March

 

 Traffic will be diverted to junction 26 and return.
A1307 junction 24 westbound entry slip Tuesday 8 March to Monday 21 March Traffic will be diverted to junction 26 and return.
A1307 junction 24 eastbound entry slip Tuesday 22 March to Tuesday 29 March Traffic will be diverted to junction 23 and return.
A1307 junction 24 westbound exit slip Wednesday 30 March to Friday 22 April. Traffic will be diverted to junction 23 and return.

 

No work will be carried out over the Easter bank holiday between Thursday 14 and Monday 18 March.

How to find out more

To find out more about road improvements they are carrying out across the East of England, please visit their website at https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-work/east/.

If you would like more information, please contact National Highways on 0300 123 5000, or by email at  .

20/00164/OUT Planning application for rural exception housing for up to 16 houses on Church End, west of Wychwood

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Hilton Parish Council is considering the steps that could be taken to challenge the decision to approve the rural exception housing scheme on the land at the end of Church End. The next step would involve seeking legal counsel from a barrister which will cost between £3,500 and £4,500, with no guarantee that this would overrule the decision.

When the development was proposed, the overwhelming majority of those parishioners who expressed a view were against the proposals and although it was approved by Huntingdonshire District Council (after appeal and the threat of legal action by the applicant) the Parish does not have a right of appeal unless it looks to a judicial review.

The advice from the solicitors is that the case is worth pursuing and the next spend would clarify from counsel regarding a number of points that would inform potential grounds to challenge this decision. The following steps would depend on the strength of the counsel’s advice, but may include taking the matter to full High Court judicial review which may incur further costs of circa £30,000 to £40,000. The funds for these costs could be raised through a crowd funding scheme, which is what has happened in another parish.

The Parish Council appreciates that in these COVID times parishioners may be reluctant to attend a meeting in person and would therefore welcome your input via email to either the Chairman, Peter Balicki at  or our Clerk, Nicola Webster at in time for our meeting on Thursday 20th January 2022.

We would like to know if:

1) you think the Parish Council should continue to object to the scheme and spend £3,500 to £4,500 on obtaining counsels opinion

2) you would be prepared to contribute to the higher spend if opinion is that we should continue to challenge by way of a crowd funding scheme.

Village Sign

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