The latest full council meeting of Cambridgeshire County Council took place this morning at the Burgess Hall in St Ives. Lots of absentee Conservative councillors, and Cllr Sebastian Kindersley in the chair replacing Cllr Derek Giles who was unwell.

There were five motions from councillors up for debate.

1. A motion from Conservative councillor Mark Goldsack from Soham & Isleham on surface water flooding. I spent a lot of time with Cllr Goldsack in the days before the meeting to turn this motion into one which reflected current facts and could be agreed by all sides – which it was.
2. A motion from Independent councillor Tom Sanderson from Huntingdon West on welcoming refugees from the terrible situation in Afghanistan – again passed unanimously.
3. A motion from Labour councillor Richard Howitt from Petersfield in Cambridge on the failure of the Government to fix the crisis in social care – passed by a majority, with Conservative councillors voting against.
4. A motion from Lib Dem councillor Lucy Nethsingha from Newnham in Cambridge proposing to work with partners to set up funding to provide reduced cost access for children from low income families to out of school activities – passed by a majority, with Conservative councillors abstaining.
5. A motion from me supporting the development by partners including the County Council of a Land Use Framework for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough – passed by a majority, with Conservative councillors voting against.

The meeting also agreed various changes to the council’s Constitution, and adopted a parental leave policy for councillors. We received the annual reports of the Pension Fund Committee and the Local Pension Board, answered a question about East West Rail, and also (in confidential session) agreed the appointment of a new Chief Executive of the County Council to replace the retiring post-holder Gillian Beasley.

Bird keepers across Cambridgeshire are being urged to follow strict national bird flu measures announced by the Government.

The new legal precautions are in place to help keep domestic birds and the wild bird population safe this winter.

To find out more please read here https://orlo.uk/bird_flu_H09DX

The following planning application in the Sutton division has been published by East Cambridgeshire District Council.

21/01531/FUL
Little Downham
3 Third Drove Little Downham CB6 2UE
Construction of replacement dwelling following demolition of existing dwelling.

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

• online using the council’s public access web page (the link above);
• by email to plservices@eastcambs.gov.uk;
• or by post to the Planning Department, The Grange, Nutholt Lane, Ely, CB7 4EE.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will become an Enhanced Response Area for tackling the Covid pandemic.

Local leaders have welcomed the Government announcement, which follows an approach from both Councils and the Director of Public Health. Infections across the area are rising, especially in the 60+ age group. Rates are currently higher in most areas than in January’s peak.

The new status takes effect from Monday, and will last for at least five weeks. It allows the Council to push for additional support to:

• Accelerate and target 12-15 vaccination roll out to key areas and schools where infections are highest.
• Accelerate booster vaccinations for eligible groups who have had their second vaccination more than six months ago.
• Increase vaccination rate in areas with the lowest uptake.

The Councils will also enter into further discussions with the Department for Education about additional measures it can use in schools. In the meantime they will continue to:

• Encourage secondary school teachers or pupils who are household contacts of positive cases to take daily lateral flow tests.
• Advise schools that face coverings should be worn in secondary school communal areas, and that meetings should happen virtually where possible.
• Encourage anyone who is a household contact of a positive case to take daily rapid tests, until a negative PCR test is received.

For the general public government funded additional communications will also begin from next week. These will:

• Recommend wear face coverings in crowded and enclosed areas where you come into contact with people you do not usually meet.
• Remind people to get their vaccinations, test regularly and particularly before attending events, meet with others outside their households in well ventilated spaces and wash hands regularly and well.

More information here.

The pandemic is nowhere near over. Rates in Cambridgeshire are well above the national average. Our National Health Service is already stretched. We are now in a very serious situation, and this move by the Council and the Director of Public Health is both necessary and welcome.

The following planning applications in the Sutton division have been published by East Cambridgeshire District Council.

21/01397/FUL
Little Downham
Head Fen Farm Head Fen Pymoor
Proposed three-bed dwelling (following removal of barn).

21/01554/FUL
Mepal
28 Meadow Way Mepal CB6 2GJ
Construction of two storey side extension.

21/01555/CCA
Sutton
Reservoir Short North Fen Drove Sutton
Use of existing mineral processing area and plant for proposed new eastern reservoir development (planning application reference CCC/20/052/FUL).

21/01546/FUL
Witcham
Pond Farm 21 High Street Witcham
Demolition of existing agricultural barn structure, construction of new dwelling, single storey extension, carport and amenity land.

21/01571/FUL
Witcham
8 The Slade Witcham CB6 2LA
Construction of single storey front porch and single storey rear extension.

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

• online using the council’s public access web page (the link above);
• by email to plservices@eastcambs.gov.uk;
• or by post to the Planning Department, The Grange, Nutholt Lane, Ely, CB7 4EE.

The following planning applications in the Sutton division have been published by East Cambridgeshire District Council.

21/01536/FUL
Mepal
Low Bank Farm Low Bank Mepal
Construction of residential dwelling.

21/01522/FUL
Sutton
38 Mill Field Sutton CB6 2QB
Garage conversion with new windows and door.

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

• online using the council’s public access web page (the link above);
• by email to plservices@eastcambs.gov.uk;
• or by post to the Planning Department, The Grange, Nutholt Lane, Ely, CB7 4EE.

An electric bike ride from Cambridge to Swaffham Prior took place yesterday to mark the global climate change conference, COP26. 

Cambridgeshire County Council and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority organised the event. Riders saddled up in Cambridge before heading the nine miles to Swaffham Prior. 

The fifteen riders then had the chance to tour the new energy centre at Swaffham Prior. Construction has just started on a new network to bring green energy to up to 300 homes in the village, replacing their current oil heating.

A tour this afternoon round part of the area proposed by Sunnica for their colossal (and controversial) solar farm and battery storage stretching for miles across the East Cambridgeshire and West Suffolk countryside.

Cambridgeshire County Council has already expressed its concern to the Secretary of State about the scale of what is proposed. Our tour began at The Ark Church in Isleham, then took in Freckenham, Red Lodge, Kennett, La Hogue, and Chippenham – and that was just part of this massive proposal. We saw some of the fantastic views, working farms, stud farms and other parts of this wonderful area which will be hugely affected if the Planning Inspectorate approves the plans.

Council officers are expecting that Sunnica will submit their planning application to the Secretary of State around Friday 12 November.

Many thanks to Catherine Judkins and fellow local campaigners, and David Carford from the County Council, for giving up their time to talk through the scheme on site.

BBC Newsnight were in Swaffham Prior today to film a segment about the community heat project currently under construction.

A clip of my interview is on my Instagram feed here.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on care home residents and on their friends and families and staff, says Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Healthwatch. Their new survey records your experiences and challenges over the last 12-18 months – and asks what life is like now.

The survey aims to capture the experiences of residents and their families. Whether it’s a good or bad experience, Healthwatch says it can use your feedback to improve services for everyone.

Responses will be anonymised and shared with NHS and local authority care teams in our area. Hearing your experiences helps them learn from the challenges and prepare better for the future.

Find out more, and complete the survey, at https://www.healthwatchcambridgeshire.co.uk/news/2021-10-12/tell-us-your-care-home-experiences