This press release just in from the City Council:

For local residents wanting to know what’s on and for the millions of
national and international visitors planning a visit to Cambridge
throughout the year, the Visit Cambridge website is their first port of
call.

“The new Visit Cambridge website is a fantastic resource for residents
and visitors to Cambridge alike. It offers lots of useful information
about all sorts of events and activities in the City and further afield
that will be really useful for residents, and will give tourists very
clear information about staying in Cambridge whether in hotels, B&Bs or
College accommodation. And it gives local businesses the chance to
showcase themselves. Cambridge is a wonderful City and the new website
reflects its status as a historic and modern and vibrant place to live,
work or visit”

A new campaign by Cambridge City Council is urging people not to give money to beggars, but instead to the charities that help beggars. Charities Wintercomfort, Cambridge Cyrenians, and Cambridge Link-Up have all backed the initiative.

By giving to charity instead of beggars, residents may help minimise antisocial behaviour, because it is thought that one of the reasons the city remains a draw for homeless people from elsewhere in the country is because begging is so effective, and this leads to an in increase in anti-social behaviour on our streets.

Cllr Tim Bick said: “Money to be made from begging is one of the main reasons given for Cambridge being a draw for homeless people from other parts of the country and why the city has a disproportionate share of nuisance behaviour on the street.”

Those of you who were at the most recent West/Central Area Committee will know that the committee approved a police priority aimed at reducing antisocial behaviour around the Fair Street/Burleigh Street/Fitzroy Street area. However many people do not know what actually constitutes antisocial behaviour.

Antisocial behaviour is any conduct that can cause people to feel harassed, alarmed or distressed. Here are some examples:

Noise
loud television or music
shouting or yelling
persistent alarms
excessively loud or frequent parties
dogs persistently barking

Intimidation and harassment
verbal or written abuse
threats of violence
assault
property damage
keeping an aggressive dog

Hate behaviour directed at a person’s:
race or nationality
gender
sexual orientation
disability
faith

Environmental antisocial behaviour
dumping rubbish and littering
vandalism
dog fouling
graffiti
abandoned vehicles

Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Team
Tel: 01223 457950 – email: asbsection@cambridge.gov.uk
The ASB Team deal with ASB affecting Council properties, and ASB of all kinds affecting the wider community, including problems in public spaces. The Team works closely with other sections of the Council (like housing and environmental health) and other organisations (like the police). If we feel your issue will be better dealt with by another Council service or outside agency, we will help you in notifying these services.
Please remember, any information you provide will be treated in the strictest confidence. As a witness you will not be identified unless you have given us permission to do so.

Many of you will be aware that Cllr Andrea Reiner opposed a recent planning application by the Hilton Doubletree for a two-storey extension along the Cam. Andrea spoke at the Planning Committee meeting alongside colleagues from Newnham to urge rejection of the application, stating that the plans were not appropriate for such a sensitive area of the city. Fortunately the Planning Committee rejected the application.

The Hilton Doubletree has lodged an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate regarding its planning application.

Details of the appeal and how to submit a comment can be found the Appeals area of the Planning Portal – see www.planningportal.gov.uk/pcs.

The deadline for comments is 27th September.

Be sure to quote the PINS reference for this appeal: APP/Q0505/A/12/2179861/NWF.