Pleased to hear that NHS-funded IVF treatment has been reinstated in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

The decision has been made by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), the local NHS body that funds NHS services.

One cycle of IVF treatment will be funded with up to three implantations of embryos, giving people up to three chances of getting pregnant. 

The CCG suspended funding for NHS-funded IVF services in 2017 when the CCG was one of the most financially challenged health systems in the country. The CCG ran a public consultation at this time and decided to pause funding for IVF treatment and to review this decision at regular intervals. 

There is a national drive for the NHS to fund some level of IVF treatment. 

Overnight road closures 26 July – 3 August

Cambridgeshire Highways will be carrying out road works on the A142 between Ely and Chatteris, from Monday 26 July to Tuesday 3 August 2021.

Works will include changes to road markings and traffic signing.

To allow work to be completed safely and efficiently the council will be closing the road to all traffic between the hours of 20:00 and 06:00 each night (weekdays only). The work will be split into two sections starting from Ely and working towards Chatteris:

• Section 1: Ely to Witcham Toll (2-3 nights)
• Section 2: Witcham Toll to Chatteris (3-4 nights)

There will be a signed diversion route in place for traffic to follow for both sections. Access will be maintained to properties and businesses within the works area. However some delays may occur as residents may be required to follow the diversion to enter the site at the other end, depending on where works are taking place. Traffic management operatives will be on site to assist.

Due to the nature of the work there will be some noisier activities such as removing existing road markings prior to laying the new ones. This is unfortunately unavoidable; however, contractors will aim to complete all such activities as early as possible to minimise disruption to residents. As with all schemes involving road marking renewal, timings and dates are weather dependent and can change at short notice.

Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to guarantee that no EU citizen without Settled Status will fall victim to the Hostile Environment, as new figures show that more than half a million people were still waiting for a decision on their application when the deadline hit on Wednesday.  

The statistics, published today by the Home Office, show that, as of 30 June, 6,015,400 people had applied to the Government’s EU Settlement Scheme, but only 5,446,300 cases had been concluded – meaning there are 569,100 people still waiting for a decision.  

The backlog grew by 70% in June alone, as more than 400,000 people applied in the last month before the deadline, while the Home Office only handed out 175,000 decisions.  

Responding to the figures, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said:  

“More than half a million people who were promised that they could stay in the UK woke up on Thursday morning not knowing what will happen to their rights. Such a huge amount of anxiety and uncertainty is cruel and unnecessary.  

“Priti Patel was warned repeatedly that the Home Office wouldn’t be able to process all these applications by her arbitrary deadline, but she ignored those warnings and this is the result.  

“Her stubborn refusal to lift the deadline for Settled Status applications is now causing enormous confusion – not just for half a million EU citizens, but also for the employers, landlords and NHS staff who the Conservatives have turned into border guards with their Hostile Environment laws.  

“Priti Patel must honour her promise to EU citizens and guarantee that none of their rights will be reduced. And she must scrap the Hostile Environment to prevent them becoming the victims of a new Windrush-style scandal on an even bigger scale.”

Joint Administration at Cambridgeshire County Council votes to provide vouchers over holiday

Cambridgeshire County Council’s Children & Young People Committee has voted to provide a voucher scheme during the summer holiday for children entitled to free school meals.

The latest government grant is insufficient to cover demand across the county so the Committee has approved additional funding to support these children and their families.

The Joint Administration Agreement states: “We will maintain free school meals for eligible children during school holidays, and work with schools and partners to widen the network of breakfast clubs in schools during term-time.”

Liberal Democrat, Labour and Independent councillors in the Joint Administration voted to support the voucher scheme this summer. Conservative councillors abstained, even though the highest percentage of children eligible for free school meals (27.1 per cent) is in Fenland, represented overwhelmingly by the Conservatives.

I was re-elected today as Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee at the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority. This was on the toss of a coin after the vote resulted in a tie.

I’m looking forward to being at the helm as we implement a new way of working and holding the Mayor and Combined Authority Board to account. Following a review of scrutiny on the Combined Authority, carried out at our request by the Centre for Governance & Scrutiny, we’ve agreed to carry out its eleven recommended actions over the coming months. We hope this will make us more effective and scrutiny at the Combined Authority more meaningful.

I’ll be at the meeting of the Combined Authority Board on Wednesday to ask the three questions the Overview & Scrutiny Committee agreed to put:

• whether the new Mayor will now declare a climate emergency;
• how we will be involved in decisions about whatever replaces the CAM metro; and
• whether the Combined Authority will coordinate with its member councils in future when drafting responses to consultations such as the current one on East West Rail.

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

21/00734/AGN
Little Downham
Land east of Pheasant Roost Pymoor Lane Pymoor
Farm machinery storage.

21/00909/FUL
Little Downham
Land south east of 7 Cannon Street Little Downham
Two residential dwellings and associated works.

21/00893/FUL
Witchford
Land south and south east of Kemuel Grunty Fen Road Witchford
To create a narrow scrape and pond between the Little Thetford Catchwater and Downham main drain.

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.

Cases

Covid rates in Cambridgeshire are lower than the national and regional average, but are starting to rise. This increase is mainly in the younger age groups. About 80 per cent of cases are the Delta variant. This is more likely to spread than the Alpha variant, as it is 40-60 per cent more transmissible. Hospitalisations remain low.

It is still important to wash hands, meet outdoors, ventilate rooms, keep social distance, and wear a mask as appropriate. This will help limit the spread of the virus.

Cases per 100,000 population, week ending 12 June

• Cambridgeshire 28 (up 79 per cent)
• England average 75
• East of England average 36

Vaccinations

There is growing evidence that two doses of the vaccine are effective at preventing hospitalisations from the Delta variant. This week anyone aged 18+ can now book their Covid-19 vaccination at www.nhs.uk

In Cambridgeshire, 71 per cent of people aged 18+ have received the first dose of vaccine, and 51 per cent have received both doses.

Testing

Up to one in three people have Covid without symptoms. So it is important to test yourself twice a week, whether you have had your vaccine or not. In particular, young people at secondary school need to test twice a week.

There are lots of ways you can access a test. These include regular sessions at venues across the county, and mobile rapid testing vans. See www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/rapidtesting for details. Some static sites have closed this week. These will be replaced by mobile pop-up sites in areas of high footfall.

Information

Do check the Council’s public health information messages

• on Twitter https://twitter.com/CambsCC
• online https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/coronavirus/coronavirus-covid-19-overview

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

21/00674/FUL
Coveney
21 Main Street Wardy Hill CB6 2DF
Single storey side extension.

21/00877/FUL
Little Downham
The Cottage Hundred Foot Bank Pymoor
Demolition of existing two-storey dwelling and outbuildings, and replacement construction of one detached three-bedroom dwelling.

21/00880/FUL
Little Downham
Mandalay Adventurers Drove Oxlode Pymoor
Proposed rear and side extension, single-storey and two-storey.

21/00230/FUL
Mepal
Site north of 15 Bridge Road Mepal
Install ultrasonic gauging system and kiosk for gauging purposes.

21/00808/CLE
Sutton
10 The Southerns Sutton CB6 2PQ
Conversion of existing garage to kitchen diner.

21/00870/FUL
Witcham
Land west of Hillcrest Mepal Road Witcham
One dwelling (phased development Plot 3) following outline consent 19/01045/OUT.

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.

Sensational gain in Chesham & Amersham

Congratulations to the Liberal Democrats’ newest MP Sarah Green! Sarah took the rock-solid Conservative seat of Chesham & Amersham in a spectacular by-election yesterday.

Until now Chesham & Amersham has never been anything other than Conservative. But a 16,000 Conservative majority is now an 8,000 Liberal Democrat one.

The increasingly extreme and out-of-touch Conservative Party is showing itself to be vulnerable in the traditional ‘blue wall’ South of England. Here in Cambridgeshire it has lost the County Council to No Overall Control. Liberal Democrats are now the largest party in a three-way Joint Administration. And it has lost the Mayoralty to Labour.

In South Cambridgeshire, the Conservative majority over the the Liberal Democrats at the last election was 2,904.

In South East Cambridgeshire, it was 11,490.

You can join the Liberal Democrats here libdems.org.uk/join-local

The next deadline to apply to Cambridgeshire County Council’s Innovate & Cultivate Fund is Sunday 1 August 2021.

The fund supports projects that strengthen communities and reduce pressure on County Council services, so that the Council makes a return on investment. The Council’s adult social care and children’s services are inviting applications. 

The fund is open to voluntary and community organisations and social enterprises in and outside Cambridgeshire, and public sector organisations in Cambridgeshire. Projects serving Peterborough residents are not eligible.

This round is for applications for ‘Cultivate’ projects (£2,000-£15,000) which build community support networks for vulnerable people. ‘Innovate’ grants (£15,000-£50,000) are currently suspended.

Pre-application advice

It’s a good idea to get advice before you put in an application.  Telephone advice appointments are available on Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 June – they last fifteen minutes, and must be pre-booked. They are available on a first come first served basis. Please book here.

Cultivate Project Ideas

Do you want to do something for your community but need some inspiration to start a project? The Council has advice for seven different project ideas to help you apply. Projects like these can help people remain independent and active in their community, encourage volunteering, and complement more costly Council services. You can find guidance on how to apply for a start-up grant for each of these projects here. 

1. Mobile Warden Schemes
2. Community Youth Worker
3. Digital Inclusion
4. Timebanks
5. Good Neighbour Schemes
6. Dementia-Friendly Communities
7. Men’s Sheds

You can find application forms and more information on the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (CCF) website.