Hi all,

 

Looking after the Daffodils

 

A number of people have approached me with concerns about the large number of Daffodils that are being damaged by the current cable works. We have been working with County Broadband on this issue. It is inevitable that County Broadband’s contractors have and may continue to disturb bulbs in the village whilst the new full-fibre village broadband network is built.

 

County Broadband have been very collaborative and they are keen to minimise disruption caused by the works. To rectify this their Communications Director has agreed to make a donation on behalf of their business which will subsidise a replanting programme in the autumn. The objective of this programme will be to fully restore any areas which have been disturbed by the works, in good time for the next flowering season. I have also had conversations with representatives of their build team and their contractual partners delivering the network and both parties are completely committed to ensuring that daffodil flowering is not permanently disrupted.

 

We are currently agreeing dates with County Broadband for the Autumn replanting programme, and they have agreed to buy bulbs and lend us some workers to plant them where needed. On top of this they are also keen to further subsidise the cost of the 2022 Daffodil Weekend and will be looking to ‘sponsor’ and support Daffodil Weekend in some way - we need to work out what this will be but my thinking is it should be for something that protects and enhances the village infrastructure (so I am thinking particularly about the verges). Additionally where they are digging at the moment they are planting new bulbs (it is the wrong time of year but some may survive).

 

County Broadband would like to also thank all residents of the village and the surrounding villagers for their understanding during the works and would ask that residents stay tuned for essential communications relating to works nearby to them, with links to road closures and other installations of fibre cables nearby. I have also been assured that once works are completed, any reinstatement or restoration to carriageways and footpaths or grass verges will also be undertaken by their contractors and site checks will be performed by their supervisors to ensure this is fulfilled.

 

I hope this allays some of your concerns - please get in touch if you need any more information from me or from County Broadband.

 

Best wishes

 

Paul Earnshaw

Chairman, Thriplow Daffodil Weekend