Who's poo are you?

I thought it was high time that I drafted another dispatch. But, unfortunately, it is in regards to a rather sordid subject.

My wife and I were enjoying a stroll at Cawdle Fen (we like to refer to it as Dawdle Fen, ha ha) when we happened upon a wooden pillar adorned with something or other.

From a distance, we wondered if it may be a small Avant-Garde art installation placed there to lighten the mood of passers-by in these difficult times.

But as we drew nearer we saw that it was, in fact, a large collection of dog turds disagreeably dangling from a hook.

Where does one begin?

To have the consideration and foresight to bring a poo bag, pop your dog's poo in the bag, but to then think that the best course of action is to hang it from a wooden post for all to see is baffling.

Since becoming more alert to the poo predicament I have seen them swinging from trees, tossed in hedgerows and ditches and, possibly my favourite, sitting proudly on top of a public bin, rather than being placed in it.

I realise that picking up your dog's still warm doo doo while he or she looks at you (no doubt thinking "ha ha, you have to pick up my poo") is probably not your favourite past time, but we love you for it, and merely implore that you finish the task off with a flourish by placing it in a bin, or taking it home.

Apparently the most environmentally friendly manner of disposal is to flush it down the lavatory.

ANDREW BIRLEY, Ely dog lover/poo hater


Energy farm

I am supportive of the role that solar farms can play as part of delivering this renewable energy supply and recognise the attractiveness of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to the solar farm market.

However, I am also clear that to be acceptable the scale of potential schemes and their impacts must not be significantly detrimental to the surrounding landscape and nearby communities.

This is why I have responded to the Sunnica Energy Farm consultation saying I believe that the scale of the Sunnica proposal as a national infrastructure project requires it to be exemplary in avoiding such detrimental impacts.

But the scale itself seems to make the impact disproportionately high as the scheme currently stands.

I note the landscaping elements in the proposal, but I am aware of significant concerns amongst nearby residents. These need to be addressed.

As Mayor I am delivering the Cambridgeshire Autonomous Metro (the CAM) an innovative, sustainable, mass transit system.

The vision for the CAM network set out in the Strategic Outline Business Case includes a regional connection from Cambridge East to Mildenhall in Suffolk, based on the principle of a fully or largely segregated route.

The proposed Energy Farm (and cable corridor) is sited between Cambridge and Mildenhall and although the exact routes of the project have yet to be decided I am anxious to avoid any conflict with the potential route and operation of the CAM.

I fully expect the proposal to make any necessary provisions to facilitate the potential CAM route.

JAMES PALMER, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough


New retirement village smell

My son, who lives in Ely, sent me your article about the smell at the site beside the jam factory in Histon proposed for a new retirement village.

In the article you say there is an absence of complaints from
locals about the awful smell and perhaps we are all immune to it.

This is not the case. We have complained for years (we have lived here for 38 years, backing onto the site).

Others in our road have complained too but I think we have all run out of steam having been fobbed off with excuses over the years.

We live with the terrible smell from the effluent plant. The parish council has planted an orchard in the field at the bottom of our garden right next to it and the smell is really unpleasant when the wind is in the right direction - not really the nice
place to sit that was planned.

Many years ago we were offered a trip around the plant, which we did. Although they had capped the effluent tanks and also added new tanks over the years we did find there was an
open drain which was very smelly.

We think they might let off the smell deliberately at times - particularly in the night.

Probably worse in hot weather but I suppose you notice it more then.

BARBARA ROE


Praise for schools during pandemic

High praise for Isle of Ely Primary School - they have and continue to work above and beyond.
KATE SPENCER

Isle of Ely Primary School have been fantastic. Live lessons all day with daily assignments that are handed in and feedback given.

Plus my daughter's teacher has a video call with her once a week to check how she's doing. They've done an outstanding job.

SARAH PAYNE

Ely College have been amazing. All live lessons, new tech including breakout rooms, whiteboards, quizzes, kahoot.

I’m full time working from home and it’s been stress free. Weekly assemblies, lots of communication including feedback on student engagement. Well done all!

VICTORIA SUMPTER

Schools are all doing their best and my heart goes out to teachers not being able to do the job they love.

The challenge is that they are all doing different things. We get 30 mins live lesson at the end of the day and a list of work to complete for the day with 2 pre-recorded lessons.

The toughest part for us is that the live lesson is without video cameras on - so we can see the teacher but not any other children - with an only child this doesn't help with the feeling of isolation/separation from friends.

KAREN WILSON


'Waste of taxpayers money'

Mixed reactions to the news that an £800,000 improvement scheme for the Lancaster Way roundabout on the A142 near Ely is underway.

Yet another planning balls up! Why put a cycle track on the right-hand side of the road from Ely when the villages are mainly on the left?

Traffic lights near the roundabout on a very busy commuter road kill the businesses in Fens every time.

We need traffic to flow; put a better infrastructure in place and businesses may invest in Fenland.

JOHN BARLOW

Is this going to be similar to the previous roundabout development which caused weeks of delays into Ely and resulted in a filter lane that isn’t a filter lane and is basically just a slightly wider road that developers should be embarrassed to put their name to?

A waste of taxpayers’ hard-earned money. Hopefully lessons have been learnt.

ED BESWICK

Ah, absolute carnage on the roads around Witchford again.

ANDY JOHNSON