Mobile COVID testing is coming to Ely tomorrow (Thursday 10 September) and Sunday 13 September to make it as easy as possible to get tested if you have coronavirus symptoms.
Pre-booked tests will be carried out at The Hive Leisure Centre, A10, Ely on both the above dates from 10:00AM to 3:00PM.
Book online on the NHS website or by phone on 119.
Get tested if you have
What’s your individual contribution to air pollution in the UK?
Take the short quiz at https://calculator.cleanairhub.org.uk/quiz to find out!
The following planning applications in the Sutton division have been published by East Cambridgeshire District Council.
20/01119/FUL
Little Downham
1 Townsend Little Downham CB6 2TA
Single storey rear extension – conservatory.
20/01120/FUL
Little Downham
1A Townsend Little Downham CB6 2TA
Single storey rear extension.
20/01130/FUL
Mepal
Low Bank Farm Low Bank Mepal
Agricultural store.
Further information can be found on the district council’s planning pages. If you would like to respond formally to the council about any planning application, comments should be addressed to the district council and not to me. Comments may be made
Do you know what your blood pressure is? Have you heard about BMI? Why is it important to know these numbers?
‘Know Your Numbers’ week runs from 7 to 13 September this year. To look after our health, here are some numbers we need to be aware of.
Blood pressure: high blood pressure put a strain on our arteries and organs, which increases our risk of developing serious problems such as heart attacks and strokes. Ideally the blood pressure for an adult should be kept below 120/80mmHg and generally no more than 140/90 mmHg. To learn more, the NHS website has information about blood pressure test and the British Heart Foundation explains the risks of high blood pressure and how to keep your blood pressure under control.
Cholesterol levels: cholesterol is a fatty substance found in our blood. We need it to stay healthy, but too much of it also increases our risk of heart and circulatory diseases. According to the NHS, the healthy level of our total cholesterol should be 5 or below, with various types of cholesterol, good or bad, being kept at different levels. The BHF website also provides detailed information about the causes, symptoms and treatments of high cholesterol and how to lower the cholesterol levels.
Blood sugar levels: high blood sugar levels can make us ill. And regularly having high blood sugar levels for long periods of time can result in permanent damage to parts of our body such as the eyes, nerves, kidneys and blood vessels. You might have heard about a test for the HbA1c level, which is a test for the average blood sugar level, and the fact that the target blood sugar levels differ for everyone. While a normal HbA1c target is below 42mmol/mol for a healthy adult, the HbA1c level for people with diabetes to aim for is below 48 mmol/mol. The NHS website gives more information about high blood sugar. Please visit Diabetes UK website to find out if you’re at risk of type 2 diabetes, how to reduce your risk and how to look after yourself if you have diabetes.
BMI and waist size: body mass index (BMI) is a measure that uses our height and weight to work out if our weight is healthy. For most adults, an ideal BMI is in the 18.5 to 24.9 range. Use the BMI calculator provided by the NHS website to check if you have a healthy weight. You can also use it to check your child’s BMI. Maintaining a healthy weight have great health benefit. The NHS also suggests that regardless of your height or BMI, you should try to lose weight if your waist is:
If you like to find resources and support in keeping a healthy weight, visit NHS One You website. Or join the NHS CPCCG to take on the BMI challenge on www.bmicandoit.co.uk and make healthy changes.
NHS Health Check: would you like to find out your numbers? Ask your GP for advice. If you are aged between 40-74 you may be entitled to a free NHS Health Check. To find out whether you are eligible, talk to your doctor or go to www.nhs.uk/conditions/nhs-health-check/
In Cambridgeshire the free NHS Health Check is also delivered by Everyone Health and they have resumed face-to-face appointments at their community clinics. Visit Be Well Cambridgeshire for information or contact Everyone Health on 0333 005 0093.
Cambridgeshire County Council has produced a guide to support parents and young people as they transition back into formal education.
It includes answers to some of the common questions parents ask every year, such as transport, attendance, and free school meals.
The guide also covers the Test & Trace process, and the expectation on parents to help protect school staff; and gives some ideas on how to help their child fall back into a school routine.
The guide is online at https://www.cambslearntogether.co.uk/asset-library/Welcome-Back-to-School.pdf
Volunteers with Sutton Timebank are among the first to be formally recognised for their contribution to the community during COVID in a new monthly Commendation Scheme.
The scheme has been established by the Chairman of Cambridgeshire County Council to recognise the hard work and commitment of members of the community who have volunteered their services during the pandemic.
Sutton Timebank and the other nominees will receive a special certificate and their details will be published in an online roll of honour on the council website.
I nominated Sutton Timebank for the enormous contribution it has made to our community, and details of this and the other nominations to date are at https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/council/county-councillors/chairman-of-the-council/chairmans-commendation-scheme
More nominations will be made over at least the next six months.
Households across Cambridgeshire will soon have the opportunity to club together to buy and install solar panels at a reduced price.
The County Council and District Councils have joined forces with Solar Together as part of the initiative to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. From Tuesday 1 September households and small and medium-sized enterprises can register for free and without obligation for the group-buying scheme. When they register online for their complete solar PV system, applicants will be asked questions about their house, roof, and electricity usage.
The County Council will then arrange an auction with pre-vetted installers on Tuesday 6 October. The auction is a reverse auction, meaning the lowest bid wins. The winning bid sets the price for all solar systems and battery systems. All installers are pre-vetted and must comply with certain criteria to guarantee the quality of the offer.
After the auction, applicants will receive a personal recommendation based on their registration details. They then have six weeks to decide if they want to take up the recommendation and proceed with an installation.
Solar panels turn sunlight into electricity. In order to use this energy, the panels mounted on a roof need to be connected to an inverter using cables. The Solar Together offer is for a complete service, including all equipment, survey, installation, monitoring and warranties. Afterwards households or businesses will automatically generate their own electricity from the panels on their roof.
Households that already have solar panels installed can also register to have battery storage added to their existing solar panels to maximise the benefits of their system.
www.solartogether.co.uk/cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire County Council’s mobile libraries are set to make a comeback on Monday 21 September.
The fleet will be headed by two brand new vehicles.
The service will be returning to its regular stops, but unfortunately access to the vehicle is limited to help keep staff safe, so customers will need to choose books in advance.
How to order your books in advance
Choose the mobile library as a pick up point, and order as far in advance as possible to ensure a selection is ready and issued for you to pick up from your stop – ideally a week in advance, but the service will do its best with forms received after this.
If you have any queries contact the team MobileLibraries@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
The following planning applications in the Sutton division have been published by East Cambridgeshire District Council.
20/01078/FUL
Little Downham
The Cottage Hundred Foot Bank Pymoor
Demolition of existing two-storey dwelling and replacement construction of two detached three-bedroom dwellings.
20/00861/FUL
Little Downham
13 Lawns Crescent Little Downham CB6 2TT
Two storey and single storey rear extensions.
20/00862/FUL
Little Downham
20 Eagles Lane Little Downham CB6 2TG
Internal and external alterations.
20/00899/HEN
Little Downham
Wigeon House Downham Common Little Downham
Construction of single storey rear extension which extends beyond the rear wall by 7m, has a maximum height of 3.97m and an eaves height of 2.45m.
Further information can be found on the district council’s planning pages. If you would like to respond formally to the council about any planning application, comments should be addressed to the district council and not to me. Comments may be made
Weekly rates of Covid-19 cases per 100,000 population, up to week 17–23 August (data extracted 26 August 2020).
Note: Rate per 100,000 resident population, crude rates calculated using mid-year 2019 population estimates. Last updated on Wednesday 26 August 2020 at 4:04pm. Figures are from pillar 1 and pillar 2 testing.