mepal

Play areas in the district to re-open

Following guidance from central Government, East Cambridgeshire District Council will be re-opening its outdoor play areas on Saturday 4th July. East Cambridgeshire District Council maintains 19 play areas throughout the district and provides a range of facilities for a variety of ages from toddlers, to juniors and youths. The council has undertaken a thorough inspection of all play …

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Diocese of Ely praised for its running of faith schools across East Anglia

The Diocese of Ely, which runs 27 primary schools across East Anglia, has been praised by OfSTED for its “wholehearted commitment to improving life chances of children”. Government inspectors have praised the ‘journey of systematic improvement’ at the Diocese of Ely Multi-Academy Trust (DEMAT), saying the quality of education in many of its schools had …

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MP Lucy Frazer announces "additional £3.1 million" for SE Cambs schools

School funding will remain at the top of Lucy Frazer’s agenda, the MP promises Spotted in Ely, announcing “an additional £3.1 million” for South East Cambridgeshire’s schools. This week Ms Frazer said that once the government’s new National Funding Formula was fully implemented, primary and secondary schools across her constituency would get a funding boost …

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East Cambs schools face further staff losses and funding cuts, unions warn

Cash strapped schools across East Cambridgeshire face a funding crisis, with all of the district’s colleges set to have their budgets slashed and teaching staff reduced in the next four years, unions warn. Figures released today predict that in real terms 88 per cent of schools throughout England face crippling budget cuts by 2020, with …

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Parents and teachers protest school cuts at "Fair Funding" picnic

Parents and teachers alike have voiced their anger and concern about cuts to school budgets during a picnic at an Ely primary school this afternoon. The Lantern Community Primary School was among numerous schools and colleges nationwide to host “Fair Funding Picnics” today, organised by the National Union of Teachers (NUT), the country’s biggest teaching …

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Have your say on major expansion plans throughout East Cambs

How do you feel about 11,400 new homes being built across East Cambridgeshire in the next 19 years? That’s one of the proposals set forward by East Cambridgeshire District Council, which yesterday launched its second public consultation to hear public views on its draft Local Plan. The plan also says Soham’s town centre is “under …

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Back Hill WILL be gritted if temperature falls below zero – but grit may not stop roads from icing over, council warns

Back Hill and other routes in East Cambridgeshire are now back on the winter gritting route, following a major public outcry. As well as reversing its policy on night time street lighting, Cambridgeshire County Council has decided to restore last winter’s gritting routes – but it warns that even gritted roads can become icy in …

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Petition launched to "restore gritting to Ely roads"

Plans to give major Ely roads the slip when it comes to winter gritting have been met with an icy response from the city’s Liberal Democrats, who have launched a petition to “restore gritting to Ely roads”. Ely Liberal Democrats plan to raise the issue during a meeting with Cambridgeshire County Council tomorrow (Tuesday). In …

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East Cambs schools face funding crisis, with huge cuts to budgets and staff by 2020, unions warn

East Cambridgeshire’s schools, already some of the poorest funded in the country, will lose teachers and suffer a funding crisis unless they receive a major cash boost, the country’s biggest teachers’ unions warn. Cambridgeshire’s schools already receive £600 less per pupil than the English average, with £4200 a year being spent per pupil – some …

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Students taught to stay safe

Pupils from primary schools across East Cambridgeshire recently visited Ely Fire Station to learn about staying safe at home and outside. Eight different workshops were set up, during the week long event, covering road safety, the internet, railways, animal safety, water awareness, fire safety, buying of safe goods and antisocial behaviour. The special programme, known …

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Decision NOT to grit steep Ely street during predicted cold snap is met with a frosty response

One of Ely’s steepest streets will NOT be gritted this winter, leading to major concerns about carnage on the roads. Spotted in Ely can reveal that Back Hill, one of Ely’s busiest routes in and out of the city and also one of its steepest, will NOT be gritted this year. While some weather forecasters …

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Winter gritters slashed by a THIRD – councillor warns lives could be put at risk

“Savage” cuts to winter gritting routes across East Cambridgeshire could leave villages isolated and put lives at risk, Lib Dem councillor Lorna Dupre warns. Writing on her blog today, the district councillor for Sutton and county councillor for Coveney, Little Downham, Mepal, Pymoor, Sutton, Wardy Hill, Way Head, and Witcham attacked a decision to slash …

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Allow extra time for tractors – and only overtake when it's safe, say police

Think tractor when driving around East Cambridgeshire is the message from police – and only overtake when it is safe to do so. The A142 is particularly congested with agricultural traffic and high sided vehicles at this time of the year. Police are advising drivers to be extra patient and take special care along this …

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