Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is looking for local residents and business owners to get involved in a new online feedback forum to share their views and opinions about the work of their local fire and rescue service.
If this is something you think might interest you, do read more here.
And anyone who signs up before Monday 19 December will be entered into a free prize draw to win a £50 gift voucher.
East Cambridgeshire District Council has published the following related planning applications in the Sutton division.
22/01300/FUL
Coveney
Coveney Methodist Church Main Street Coveney CB6 2DJ
Change of use of redundant Methodist chapel to commercial use as an office.
22/01309/FUL
Little Downham
6A Third Drove Little Downham CB6 2UE
Temporary siting of mobile home to include timber cladding with raised decking platform to the frontage, alterations to agricultural building and external unit (retrospective).
22/01249/FUL
Little Downham
Wood Fen Lodge 6 Black Bank Road Little Downham
Conversion of a seven-bed guest house into two self-catering holiday lodges (retrospective).
22/01311/CLE
Little Downham
Unit W2 & W3 Black Bank Business Centre Black Bank Road Little Downham
Existing use at units W2 and W3 (B2 and B8).
22/01315/FUL
Little Downham
31 Matthew Wren Close Little Downham CB6 2UL
First floor extension above existing single storey side extension. Demolish part of boundary wall and erect fence.
22/01322/FUL
Little Downham
10 Matthew Wren Close Little Downham CB6 2UL
Single storey rear extension.
22/00525/VAR
Sutton
Land to north side of Mill Field Sutton
To vary condition 12 (floor area) of previously approved 21/00485/OUT for proposed residential development of nine dwellings access road, car ports, garaging, visibility splays and associated site works.
22/01296/TEL
Sutton
Ely Road Old Alignment Sutton
Proposed ARQIVA smart metering 1no. omni at 13.83m mean mounted on proposed 12m streetworks pole.
Proposed ARQIVA smart metering 1no. gps antenna at 12.4m mean mounted on proposed streetworks pole.
Proposed ARQIVA smart metering 1no. 3g omni antenna at 3.8m mean mounted on proposed streetworks pole.
Proposed ARQIVA smart metering equipment enclosure to be installed on a root foundation
22/01263/LBC
Sutton
22A High Street Sutton CB6 2RB
Proposed single skylight window.
22/00945/FUL
Sutton
Rathless 1 Church Lane Sutton
Replacement flat roof with a pitch roof and garage conversion.
22/01287/FUL
Witchford
7 Briars End Witchford CB6 2GB
Proposed single storey front/side extension.
You can find further information on the district council’s planning pages. If you would like to respond formally to the council about any planning application, please write to the district council and not to me. You can comment
Cambridgeshire County Council leaders have expressed disappointment that today’s Autumn statement from the Chancellor of the Exchequer does little to alleviate the financial burden faced by local authorities, putting at risk their ability to support the most vulnerable people and communities.
Like all other local authorities in England, the Council is facing a significant financial gap over each of the next five years, made worse by the impact of inflation, and a severe economic downturn. The County Council has already stated that its projected budget deficit for 2023/24 has doubled to £29m from its estimates at the start of the year, due to the unprecedented rises in inflation and the costs of goods and services
“Today’s budget – for that is what it is – does little to alleviate the issues that we and other councils across the UK are already facing,“ said Cllr Lucy Nethsingha, leader of Cambridgeshire County Council.
“Despite promises of increased support for both education and social care, with no certainty of sufficient new money, it is clear that the Government’s intention is that we use their suggestion of raising council tax by 5% to tackle some of the costs of the growing demand for our services. We remain concerned that this too falls on the shoulders of residents at a time when they are also struggling to afford to keep up with the cost of living.
“Once again, the Government has failed to address the most fundamental issue, the need for a Fairer Funding Review for local government, the lack of which continues to see Cambridgeshire being financially penalised. Having no longer-term certainty or funding settlement beyond the next 12 months further increases our risks at the same time as the demand for our services continues to escalate.
“Cambridgeshire has one of the lowest per capita funding levels in the country, and we will have to absorb inflation without any real terms funding increase to do so. Cambridgeshire, along with other County Councils, is faced with unenviable decisions about cutting services at a time when they are needed most. We echo the views expressed by other Councils, including both Hampshire and Kent County Councils earlier this week, in warning many councils risk bankruptcy without a clear long term funding solution.”
Cllr Elisa Meschini, Deputy Leader of the Council, added “This is, once again, a deeply disappointing financial statement by the Government. While we welcome the rise in the minimum wage, if the cost of this to organisations and businesses that provide us with service is not met by government it actually represents a further cut.
“Cambridgeshire has already had to deal with year-on-year funding reductions in each of the last 12 years, this cannot continue. Census information published just this year showed that the East of England is growing faster than anywhere else in the country – and Cambridge City was in the top three areas in the country for growth, yet this will not feed into our funding allocation for several more years.
“We are a net contributor to the UK economy and to the Treasury. The least we should expect is a commitment that funding will always increase to match growth, and as for the statement that the government is ‘recommitting’ to East West Rail – we’ve heard this before, and without funding it remains an empty promise.”
“All in all this does very little to support hard pressed families and vulnerable people and does not provide the certainty or investment needed by councils to support and protect our communities,“ agreed Cllr Tom Sanderson, leader of the council’s Independent Group.
“Our expectation for this budget was that there would be clarity, certainty, and a plan from Government for financial stability for local authorities, particularly following the recent and continuing economic turmoil which we have had to cope with,” Cllr Nethsingha added.
“Local government was and remains vital in supporting communities through a range of challenges, whether that was the Covid pandemic, the cost of living or climate crisis and in providing a welcoming and safe environment for people fleeing from Ukraine, or other war-torn areas. We were hoping for favourable changes to current local government settlements. Instead, we are once again faced with more cuts, greater risk and financial uncertainty.”
A reminder that the Greater Cambridge Partnership consultation on bus improvements and road charging is still live—and residents of East Cambridgeshire can have their say until midday on Friday 23 December.
The survey, information about the proposals, an interactive map, frequently asked questions, dates of public meetings, and ways to share your thoughts are all available at http://www.greatercambridge.org.uk/mc-2022.
There are three parts to the proposal.
(1) Transforming the bus network
From mid-2023, transformation of the bus network through new routes, additional services, cheaper fares and longer operating hours.
(2) Investing in other sustainable travel schemes
Investment in new sustainable travel schemes, such as better walking and cycling links, for areas in and immediately around Cambridge.
(3) Creating a Sustainable Travel Zone
A Sustainable Travel Zone with a road user charge for driving within the zone between 7:00AM and 7:00PM on weekdays. This would fund the bus improvements and other travel schemes above. The Zone would be fully operational in 2027/28 but only once the first bus improvements were introduced.
Most people would agree that the level of public transport in Cambridgeshire is grim, and that traffic congestion in Cambridge is a problem which will only get worse with more growth. Better public transport would certainly help families that cannot afford a car, or those who cannot drive due to youth or age or poor health who still need to travel around. Fewer cars on the road would make more room for on-road public transport such as buses to run more quickly and to timetable.
The proposals include a scheme of exemptions, discounts, and refunds for various types of traveller.
However, it’s easier to get a consensus about the problems than about the solutions.
Where does the money come from to improve local public transport? The Government refused to fund Cambridgeshire’s bus improvement plan. The Chancellor’s statement today was full of tax rises, not spending increases, as he looks for £35-60Bn of cuts. The leaked suggestion by the Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough of setting a Mayoral precept for bus services, was strongly opposed by some local council leaders. If none of these, and if not a road charge, where does the money come from for the uplift in public transport we need?
Are buses the right solution? My personal view is that I would like to see a light rail or tram-style network, like the one I used as a tourist in Bordeaux this summer. Rails in the ground, stations with platforms, inspire confidence that the routes will still be there in six weeks’ time, that we know to our cost isn’t the same with bus services. But how do we get from here to there?
Above all, as an East Cambridgeshire councillor, I want to see a solution that connects our district properly into the emerging network around Cambridge. All the energy in the development of plans for public transport to date—whether it’s the guided busway, or Cambridge Connect’s light rail proposal—has been directed in a curve from south east of Cambridge up to Huntingdonshire, leaving East Cambridgeshire increasingly isolated. To an extent that’s a choice by East Cambridgeshire, whose leadership prefers to sit on the sidelines and throw rocks rather than engage in serious dialogue with its neighbours. But it’s not good for East Cambridgeshire residents.
Any solution—whether the one currently open to consultation or something different—must take the needs of East Cambridgeshire residents (including those without a car) into account, and give them better, cheaper, and more convenient public transport access to work, education, health care, leisure and retail. I’m not sure that what’s currently on the table gets that balance right.
So it’s really important that East Cambridgeshire residents respond to the survey. That’s the official survey, at http://www.greatercambridge.org.uk/mc-2022
How would the proposals affect how you and how you travel into and around Cambridge? Would you benefit from the bus proposals? Would your travel plans become easier, or more difficult?
Do respond to the survey by the 23 December deadline, and email consultations@greatercambridge.org.uk if you have any queries.
Cambridgeshire’s Christmas Holiday Activities and Food programme is now open for booking.
Families in receipt of income-related free school meals can access a holiday scheme for up to 16 hours per child. The children will receive enriching experiences, a meal and snacks daily.
The County Council can arrange transport for those families who are unable to access the programme otherwise. Ukrainian and other refugee families are also eligible, as well as families struggling financially but not eligible for free school meals.
Check for details about the Christmas programme and book your child’s place. You’ll need to check availability with your chosen provider, and give them the code on your voucher. Here is how to claim your HAF voucher.
Holiday Schemes operating in East Cambridgeshire include
Mandatory housing measures for all poultry and captive birds have been introduced to all areas of England from today, 7 November.
The housing measures legally require all bird keepers to keep their birds indoors and to follow stringent biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks from the disease, regardless of type or size.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), are working to spread awareness of the current England-wide housing order and biosecurity advice that all bird keepers should follow, to help stop the spread of the disease.
Announcement:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/avian-influenza-housing-order-to-be-introduced-across-england
Latest situation:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/bird-flu-avian-influenza-latest-situation-in-england
Cambridgeshire Schools Forum met on Friday amid rising concern about the practical impact of ‘desperate’ financial pressures on schools and Academy Trusts, and agreed the need to bring concrete examples to the attention of local MPs. Recording of meeting here particularly from 1:10:00 onwards.
East Cambridgeshire District Council has published the following related planning applications in the Sutton division.
22/01218/FUL
Mepal
Pond Farm 3 High Street Mepal
Domestic out-buildings and curtilage alterations (part retrospective).
22/01219/LBC
Mepal
Pond Farm 3 High Street Mepal
Domestic out-buildings and curtilage alterations (part retrospective).
You can find further information on the district council’s planning pages. If you would like to respond formally to the council about any planning application, please write to the district council and not to me. You can comment
New legal changes laid in Parliament for approval mean that in future Mayoral elections will be carried out using the outdated First Past The Post election system currently used in English elections for Parliament and local councils.
This will prevent people exercising a second choice, which was how Cambridgeshire & Peterborough managed to oust its unpopular Conservative mayor James Palmer last year.
And starting with the council elections next May, voters will have to bring identification with them to the polling station.
According to the Electoral Reform Society, which has written about the Voter ID pilot schemes carried out in 2019, far more people were turned away from polling stations for not having ID than have been found to have committed voter fraud—the supposed reason for this change. And requiring voter ID can have a potentially disproportionate impact on certain groups.
The conclusion of the article studying the pilot schemes was that this change “poses a risk to democratic access and equality”.
There is no doubt why the Government is doing this.
The Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire is hosting a rural crime round table on Wednesday 30 November at Pidley Lakeside Lodge at 5:00PM.
This face to face event is an opportunity for local farmers, rural businesses, and residents to come together and find out what the Commissioner is doing with partners to help keep our communities safe.
Contributions by the Constabulary’s Rural Crime Action team (RCAT), Countryside Watch and National Farmers Union will provide the latest prevention advice, and offer the opportunity to raise any questions or concerns.
Please register your interest by emailing nicola.goddard@cambs.police.uk and a confirmation email including the agenda will be sent to you in due course.
Light refreshments and onsite parking will be available. Please note: this event is by invitation only.