Temporary road closure, Buckwood Lane

There has been a request submitted for an emergency temporary road closure at Buckwood Lane to enable work on the ditches, gullies & grips.

The times and dates notified are that the closure will be effective 09:00 on Monday 06 June 2016 through to 15:30 on Thursday 10 June.2016; limited access may be allowed at certain times according to signage.

Proposed temporary road closure

September crime statistics

Figures courtesy of Bedfordshire Police

Only three of the six parishes received so far; others will be added when available.

Overnight closures, Dunstable Road Studham/Whipsnade

In order for works to be carried out on the BT overhead cables, closures are expected for five nights between 1st and 7th September 2015 on the section of Dunstable Road running from the roundabout on the B4540 down towards Studham.

July crime figures

Figures supplied by Beds Police

June crime figures for the ward

Figures courtesy of Bedfordshire Police

Domestic burglary is down (only a single instance across all six parishes) compared to the trends seen over the last couple of years, although theft from motor vehicles and/or interfering with motor vehicles is significantly up.

Shoplifting from the Co-Op in Caddington appears to be a recurrent theme over recent months, and there is one other geographical area which is becoming a hotspot for petty criminal behaviour in its own right - further discussions will be had on this topic.

Open Church Sunday 21 June 2015

Around 130 churches across Hertfordshire & Bedfordshire will be opening their doors to the public on Sunday 21 June for Open Church Sunday.

Participating churches within this ward include:

• St Mary Magdalene, Whipsnade   [12 noon until 4PM, post code LU6 2LL]
• St Mary the Virgin, Studham  [10AM until 5PM, post code LU6 2NW]
• St Mary the Virgin, Church End, Kensworth  [10AM until 4PM, post code LU6 3RA]

All three churches are historical buildings with a long history within their respective communities.  It is expected that light refreshments will be available at each church and Kensworth is also offering a small exhibition of local history photographs.

Crime report summary, May 2015

Collated from Bedfordshire Police summaries by parish

Events on Studham Common

It was enjoyable to attend the Mayfair on Studham Common a couple of weekends ago; the turnout was impressive and I hope that everyone enjoyed the afternoon.

For anyone living in the area, the village picnic is scheduled for 21 June - further information available from the Friends of Studham Common.

April crime statistics [Caddington ward]

Table prepared from crime report summaries supplied by Bedfordshire Police

October crime figures

Summarized figures from Bedfordshire Police

One of the two burglaries in Hyde concerned dog kennels being broken into; gun dogs had been stolen, one of which has been recovered and with a named offender.

Studham had only one recorded crime during October, plus two incidences of anti-social behaviour.

Kensworth continues to see persistent problems with issues like vehicle crime and criminal damage and Caddington's problems with domestic burglary remain.

Summary of August 2014 reported crime figures

Summary of July 2014 reported crime figures

It is good to note that none of the six parishes suffered from some of the higher domestic burglary incidences that have been seen in recent times.

Mini motor-bikes continue to show up in the anti-social behaviour incident lists for Caddington and Slip End; there were two separate abandoned vehicles in Hyde and a number of reports of noise, nuisance neighbours or rowdy behaviour in Kensworth.

Crime snapshot across the ward

I have received the monthly crime figures for June covering the six parishes in the ward.  It is interesting to note the differences between each of the villages and their respective surrounding areas.

Whipsnade - two recorded crimes, a theft from a car and criminal damage to some National Trust signs.  There were no domestic burglaries in June and no recorded anti-social behaviour incidents.
Studham - six recorded crimes including two domestic burglaries.  There were no recorded anti-social behaviour incidents.
Hyde - one recorded crime (burglary other) and one ASB incident.
Slip End - thirteen recorded burglaries, including four domestic burglaries and four burglary other.  Three ASB incidents.
Caddington - five recorded crimes, none of which were burglaries.  Seventeen ASB incidents, nearly all of which relate to nuisance caused by mini-motors.
Kensworth - seventeen recorded crimes, including one domestic burglary and one burglary other.  The highest single category of crime was violence against the person, mostly relating to ongoing issues and disputes.  There were six ASB incidents, spanning various types of nuisance behaviour.

The Kensworth figures are obviously the most unpleasant reading, although it should be borne in mind that a single incident can trigger more than one recorded crime, and Kensworth is a classic example of a Parish where the actual geographical limits of the parish cover a far greater area than perhaps people appreciate compared to just the village centre.  Slip End is also suffering from a spike in burglaries and Police operations continue.

The overall picture is that these communities remain low crime areas and pleasant places to live.  However, any incidences of crime or anti-social behaviour are obviously not to be welcomed and the Police continue to target resources to keep these figures to an absolute minimum.  Everyone should remember to stay vigilant, keep doors and windows secure and report anything suspicious to 101.

Neighbourhood Planning in Studham

Further to my previous post, I was happy to accept an invite to Studham tonight to talk about how they might start to put together their Neighbourhood Plan.

I am pleased to report that a good number of people turned up to the meeting, and half a dozen or so of them have agreed to form the core of the new steering group; some others do not feel able to commit to the main group but have indicated a willingness to assist with certain tasks.

It is clear that the residents love their village, and I am sure that they will be able to form a plan which will guide and enhance future planning decisions in Studham.

Caddington ward, In Touch May 2014

 

Studham consider a neighbourhood plan

Two meetings were held in Studham recently, one on a Saturday morning and one on a weekday evening, to discuss Neighbourhood Planning and whether this could be of benefit to Studham.

The aim of neighbourhood planning is to enable detailed planning guidance to be prepared at a very local level; it is an excellent opportunity for communities to take an active role in the future development of the places they care so much about.

The overwhelming consensus was that this could be an exciting way forward for Studham.  The Parish Council will be the qualifying body which puts legal weight behind the plan but it is by no means just a Parish Council exercise.  A steering group will be formed and will function best if it contains a truly representative cross-section of Studham residents.  I would encourage everyone within the parish to keep an eye on the noticeboards and parish council website, and get involved when they can.

Parish Council meetings reminder

Slip End and Studham each have their monthly meetings tonight, taking place in their respective village halls from 7PM.

Caddington have adjusted their schedule so that they now meet on the second Monday of each calendar month, not the first.  So there is no meeting in Caddington tonight, the next will be on Monday 10 February.