The following events are scheduled for 2008:
The condition of the Common has continued to decline. A proper mowing regime has not been implemented. In consequence chickweed, thistle and nettle infestation has seriously increased. Many of the newly-planted trees appear neglected with nettles impeding the flow of water and nutrients. Some of the trees have been vandalised with branches and bark torn away. Litter remains a constant problem.Most Local Authorities used powers under the Commons Act 1899 to prepare and implement a management plan for their commons. Cambridge City Council has not used these powers. However, the Council recently engaged the Wildlife Trust to help prepare a Management Plan for Midsummer Common and other green spaces in the town. A draft of this Management Plan for Midsummer Common has been delivered to the Council and FoMC has submitted its own views to the author.
Legislation has long protected English commons from vehicular access. The fence around Midsummer Common stops vehicles entering and parking.However, there is a gate to let service vehicles access the Fort St George pub and Midsummer House restaurant. Unfortunately, this gate is too often left open and other vehicles ignore the Council notice and enter and park illegally on the Common. The Council has promised a solution to this problem but we are still waiting.
The two main fairs on the Common - Midsummer Fair and Strawberry Fair - are over for another year. They were both enjoyable events. Midsummer Fair has a long tradition and is enshrined in statute (see history). The Council does a grand job in managing this fair. Strawberry Fair has its own independent organising committee and the Council merely gives it permission to use the Common.Problems with Strawberry Fair in recent years caused the Council to impose conditions this year and the organisers did their best to meet these and run an orderly event. Unfortunately, there were many off-site problems that affected local residents. FoMC has reported these to the City Council with suggestions as to how they might be resolved if Strawberry Fair is to continue next year.
Commoners have a right to graze cattle on most Cambridge Commons. There were 8 Red Polls on Midsummer Common last year. This year a herd of 11 appeared. That was good news - we all began to enjoy their presence. They were moved to another Cambridge Common before the Fairs arrived in May but most of them returned to Midsummer Common in September. They left again in October - eventually for the slaughter house.
Potentially dangerous trees on Cambridge commons are beeing felled - see the City website. Midsummer Common lost 6 trees and FoMC collected £1,400 from its members and friends to have them replaced by 3 Black Poplars, 2 Dutch Elms and 1 Horse Chestnut. The Council has written to FoMC, extending its thanks for this donation and promising a summer watering programme for the trees.
Nettles are becoming all too common on Midsummer Common. Nowhere was this more evident than around the newly planted trees - see the pictures on the left.The City Council has left the nettles unattended for too long. So two FoMC members took it upon themselves to clear the offending weeds. Suitably protected and with much pulling and digging they cleared the nettles and left them in piles ready for collection by the Council - see the pictures on the right.
FoMC held its AGM on the 18th March. The usual formalities took place - a financial report and the election of officers and committee members. More interesting, perhaps, was a report on achievements in the past year and a forward look into the year ahead. There are a number of challenges ahead and these are described in the minutes.
The FoMC Secretary, Barry Higgs, organised a ‘thistle pull’ last year to help clear the Common. It had been well supported with 12 helpers but the task proved challenging and in a morning’s work only the area to the south of the path from Parsonage Street to Cutter Ferry Bridge was cleared. However, as this was a discreet area it would allow comparison to be made this year with other areas where the thistles were simply mown.
To comply with the Disability Discrimination Act, the Council has decided to remove or alter some of the pinch points controlling access to the Common to make them passable by those persons using wheelchairs or mobility scooters and those with wide pushchairs. FoMC has submitted its views to the Council (see the submission).
