My budget speech as Chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Environment & Green Investment Committee

It is an enormous privilege to speak today as Chair of this Council’s Environment & Green Investment Committee in support of this first Joint Administration budget.

Our Joint Administration agreement committed us to work towards a greener, fairer, and more caring Cambridgeshire. I believe firmly that our budget proposals today are a significant step on that journey.

Flooding and the risk of flooding has been very much on the minds of Cambridgeshire residents, particularly since the events of December 2020. Much of that work sits in Highways but the Environment & Green Investment Committee also has a major role to play.

I have already spoken today about the cooperation that is needed across public and private bodies to take effective action on flood protection. This spirit of cooperation is reflected in the draft Local Flood Risk Management Strategy, and its associated draft Action Plan with tasks assigned to many of those bodies. These documents have been issued for public consultation, comments have been received, and we are currently reviewing these, prior to finalising the plan. Councillors from the Group opposite will be involved in that work.

And that cooperative spirit is also evident in the ongoing work of the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Flood & Water Partnership, which I chair. Now that the revised Local Flood Risk Management Strategy is approaching completion, I have opened up discussion with other members of the Partnership  about the potential to refocus its work towards overseeing the schemes in the Action Plan.

Shared planning and priorities will enable the best use to be made of every partner’s resources, including our own. Our new £14M Just Transition fund will be a key part of this process.

We have included £150,000 for the coming year in our budget to continue the Community Flood Action Programme beyond its initial year, and allow this excellent initiative to expand, engaging more residents in working alongside us to protect their communities. During this year, I attended the first visit of the Floodmobile to the community of Alconbury Weston, and on Thursday next week I look forward to its visit to my own village of Sutton.

Our Joint Administration agreement also undertook to look for ways to promote biodiversity and increase Cambridgeshire’s natural capital. Cambridgeshire is one of the most biodiversity-deprived counties in the country. We inherited a commitment from the outgoing administration to a 20 per cent biodiversity net gain, but no baseline from which to measure it.

We moved quickly in-year to allocate £109,000 towards staff capacity, a biodiversity audit, and site repairs; and we have now added £105,000 to the budget for the forthcoming year to develop the actions required for the biodiversity commitments in our Climate Change & Environment Strategy, and to ensure the best biodiversity and natural capital benefits are gained from the council’s own public assets.

We will also be funding an investigation into establishing an Active Parks Unit within the council.

I have mentioned climate change. Our revised Climate Change & Environment Strategy was referred unanimously from the Environment & Green Investment Committee, and I hope it will receive unanimous support here later today. Our budget includes a commitment of £340,000 in this coming year, and reducing sums for the two years after that, to support the delivery of that strategy and help reduce carbon emissions on the part of the council and of Cambridgeshire more widely.

Our capital budget sees work progress on the many excellent energy schemes in Cambridgeshire—from those currently under way, to those in their exploratory stages. Swaffham Prior’s Community Heat Scheme. Smart Energy at St Ives, Babraham, and Trumpington. Energy projects at Stanground and Woodston. Solar at North Angle and Fordham. Support to get schools and communities off oil, and to improve the carbon efficiency of council assets and services. And continuing significant investment in decarbonising 69 council owned and occupied buildings. All council buildings will be taken off fossil fuels, and low carbon heating solutions installed, with investment expected to be recouped in full from savings delivered on the council’s energy bills.

This council also continues to work with the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority on improving fixed and mobile internet connectivity.

I also want to say a few words about the council’s County Farms working group, which I chair and which reports into the council’s Strategy & Resources Committee. The budget reflects the hard work the farms team is doing in securing increases in rental income, along with capital investment at Lower Portland Farm at Burwell in particular, and potential opportunities across the county. The county farms team have had a challenging few years, and I very much hope the council corporately will continue to support them and recognise their valuable and much appreciated work.

In conclusion, I would like to thank the absolutely excellent officers who report to my committee. They have been quite frankly a joy to work with. And I would of course also like to thank my vice chair and Independent lead member, Cllrs Nick Gay and Stephen Ferguson, and the members of the Environment & Green Investment Committee for their commitment to this vital area of the council’s work.

This is what I said about council tax in the debate at Cambridgeshire County Council today.

“As Government financial support for local authorities has been cut, councils have had to turn increasingly to council tax to help plug the funding gap and keep those services going. Indeed, Government actually expects them to do so, and includes council tax increases in the ‘increased spending power’ it keeps telling councils it has given us.

We are all acutely aware of the current pressures on household budgets. Far from the promise that after Brexit we would see cheaper fuel for our heating and hot water, £350M a week for the NHS, and cheaper food in the shops, residents across the UK are facing frankly terrifying utility bills, a nine per cent rise in National Insurance, and an onslaught of food price rises.

In Fenland, residents can expect an average increase in their energy bills of £600 this coming year. Remove the £150 discount for homes in Bands A to D, and the Government’s £200 enforced loan, and that’s still a rise of £4.80 a week.

A man on the average Fenland male salary will also pay around £4.80 a week more in National Insurance this coming year, and a woman on the average Fenland female salary will pay over £2 a week more.

And while inflation is quoted officially as 5.4 per cent, this grossly underestimates the real cost of inflation for people with the lowest incomes. Prices of ‘value’ product ranges in supermarkets have soared. Rice, for example, has increased from 45p to £2 per kilo in the last year—a 344 per cent increase—while the number of value products on the shelves has shrunk.

(Huge credit for exposing the real levels of inflation for poorer households to campaigner Jack Monroe, whose ‘Vimes Boots Index’ of the real cost of inflation for low-income families has been picked up by the Office of National Statistics who are now considering how to present inflation figures more realistically.)

When Government punishes lower income families like this, no-one relishes adding a council tax increase to residents’ burdens, but the financial situation we have inherited from the Group opposite is dire. The Joint Administration is proposing an additional £1.19 a week in council tax for those living in Band C homes. The group opposite supports three-fifths of this increase. The point of difference is therefore is the remaining two-fifths—48p a week.

But nearly two thirds of residents in Fenland live in Band B or Band A homes. That 48p a week will be 42p per week at Band B. 36p per week at Band A.

For those with single person discounts, or local council tax relief, the increase will be even less, and we have done our best to compensate lower income households with our household support fund and commitment to free school meal vouchers in school holidays.

While protecting lower income families from the worst of the council tax increase, we will therefore at the same time be more likely to be able to protect the council services on which they rely, as we continue to work to resolve the horrendous financial situation we were bequeathed by the previous administration. That’s fairness in action.

By contrast, the Conservative amendment makes the budget gap in future years even worse, and puts council services at greater risk for residents who need them most.

This Joint Administration committed to a greener, fairer and more caring Cambridgeshire, and we are delivering that.”

Cambridgeshire County Council’s Full Council today set its budget for the year starting in April.  

The budget closes a projected £22.2 million gap using efficiencies, savings, and the government’s one-year financial settlement. It also starts to address a projected gap of more than £80 million over the next five years.

The County Council share of council tax will increase by 4.99 per cent – 1.99 per cent for general services, and a 3 per cent rise for Adult Social Care. This will mean an extra charge of 90p per week for a Band A household, £1.04 per week for a Band B household, and £1.19 for a Band C household. The increase in Band D is £1.34 per week, which will still leave the County Council’s council tax share below the average for shire counties.

The increase comes at a time when many families are struggling with increases outside the council’s control, such as National Insurance, energy bills, and food price rises. The council’s budget therefore offers a safety net for those least able to pay.

The budget offers support through

• The Household Support Fund – a one-off £20 payment open to all 39,000 Cambridgeshire people on universal credit, as well as extra help for specific bills or replacement of essential items such as cookers, washing machines or fridges.
• Continued funding for Free School Meals throughout the school holidays – £15 per week for each eligible child.
• A 100 per cent council tax rebate for care leavers until they reach the age of 21, and a targeted fund to support them, if they need it, until they are 25.
• A £1 million ‘catch up’ fund to help children catch up on activities which help them learn skills, build self-confidence and make friends.

In addition, the council’s business plan pledges to deliver a ‘just transition’ towards a more equal and sustainable Cambridgeshire. 

The council’s business plans also includes:

• A £2.9 million countywide programme to support older people living in their own communities and homes for longer – part of a proposed investment in a new vision to create a fairer and more caring Cambridgeshire.
• Increased investment in projects which support biodiversity and access to open spaces.
• More investment to improve safety on roads, and the accessibility of footways and bridle paths.
• A continued roll out of the Real Living Wage, not just for lowest paid council staff but working with contractor and supplier organisations to make this aspiration a reality as soon as possible.

You can watch the full recorded debate on the council’s YouTube channel here.

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority are considering changing one journey on the existing Ely Zipper bus timetable. They have written to Haddenham, Stretham, Wilburton and Witcham parish councils with three options.

The first Zipper journey into Ely currently leaves Witcham at 06:52. It is scheduled to arrive at Ely Tesco at 07:15, but normally arrives at 07:12. This leaves only two minutes before the train departs from Ely railway station at 07:14.  If the bus arrived at Ely Tesco at 07:07, there would be seven minutes for passengers to catch the 07:14 train. 

The options are as follows:

1. Zipper to start from Haddenham at 06:45 but no longer call at Witcham Monday to Saturday.
2. Zipper to start from Haddenham at 06:45 and no longer call at Witcham Monday to Friday, but the existing journey starting from Witcham at 06:45 would operate on Saturday.
3. Leave the journey as it is at present and make no change.

All other journeys would remain the same and the bus would continue to call at Witcham as it does at present. 

The Combined Authority says that continuing to serve Witcham on the amended journey would lead to an increase in the contract cost, and there is not enough money to do so at present. The three options would not increase the cost of the contract. 

The bus company has advised that it is exceptionally rare for any passengers to join the bus before the Spar Shop in Haddenham High Street (Hop Row) on the first journey of the day. Last year they very occasionally picked up one passenger in Witcham on a Saturday morning. During the week they never collect anyone there.

If you use the Zipper from Haddenham, Stretham Wilburton or Witcham, and have a view about the options for the first journey of the day, please do let your parish council know.

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

22/00103/FUL
Little Downham
Land rear of 47-53 Ely Road Little Downham
Demolition of the existing agricultural barns and erection of two dwellings and associated works.

22/00106/FUL
Sutton
44 Bellairs Sutton CB6 2RW
Proposed front extension (part single storey and two storey).

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.

22/00085/FUL
Sutton
35A The Row Sutton CB6 2PD
Proposed demolition of existing conservatory and erection of single storey flat roof extension and associated works.

22/00098/FUL
Sutton
Durnford House 7 Station Road Sutton
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.

22/00042/FUL
Sutton
1 Link Lane Sutton CB6 2NF
Conversion of existing garage to annexe accommodation and construction of alterations to the infrastructure.

22/00057/RMM
Sutton
Land rear of Garden Close Sutton CB6 2RF
Reserved matters for appearance, landscaping, scale and layout for 51 homes including public open space of previously approved 17/01445/OUM outline planning application for up to 53 houses to include public open space and details relating to access.

22/00058/ADI
Sutton
21 Ely Road Sutton CB6 2QD
Installation of internally illuminated fascia and projection sign (retrospective).

21/01787/RMA
Witchford
Land parcel south of A142 Common Road Witchford
Reserved matters approval for development of six dwellings and associated landscaping, drainage and ancillary works, of previously approved 18/00820/OUM outline planning application for up to 116 dwellings with noise barriers, public open space, landscaping, sustainable drainage system (SuDs) and vehicular access points from Common Road and Manor Road. All matters reserved except for means of main vehicular access.

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.

Tomorrow East Cambridgeshire District Council’s Finance & Assets Committee was to be asked:

The draft budget outlined a number of proposals, including

• Stopping saving up to repair or refurbish the A10 Leisure Centre, but spending the money on ‘other leisure providers across the District’
• Creating a £100,000 fund for its ‘CLTs’ (East Cambs cut itself adrift from the Combined Authority’s CLT programme and is going it alone)
• Increasing the Council’s share of council tax by £5 per year for a Band D household – up from £142.14 to £147.14

However, late on Friday afternoon we were told this entire recommendation is to be scrapped. Instead, a proposal will be made by Conservative councillors Anna Bailey and Bill Hunt, deleting the entire recommendation.

The effect of this is that the Finance & Assets Committee will make no proposals at all to the Council’s budget meeting on 22 February.

A £5 increase in Council Tax would net £155,576 in additional revenue in 2022/23. In recent years East Cambridgeshire has experienced a council tax freeze of Narnian proportions. Cllrs Bailey and Hunt are clearly keen for that to continue, meaning they expect to find that £155,576 somewhere else.

We’re waiting to see the rabbit they intend to pull out of the hat on Budget day.

Carbon footprints, decarbonisation funds, local area energy planning, Greater Cambridge’s emerging Local Plan, and digital strategies, all featured at today’s Environment & Green Investment Committee meeting.

A report on the carbon footprint of Cambridgeshire County Council, and of the county as a whole, was the first item on the agenda. 2020/21 was an unusual year, with Covid lockdowns and reduced economic activity. So it’s not surprising that the Council’s carbon emissions from its own sites and assets, and from its purchased electricity, were down twenty per cent on the previous year. Adding in indirect emissions, from the activities of the Council’s contractors and suppliers, the Council’s carbon emissions were down a staggering forty per cent. Much of that drop is likely to be temporary.

The most recent carbon figures for Cambridgeshire as a whole are from 2019, and show a steady decline.

Most of this is due to the decarbonisation of electricity generation for domestic, commercial and industrial use.

The next two items were reports from postgraduate students at the University of Cambridge. They are part of the CUSPE scheme – Cambridge University Science & Policy Exchange. This enables students to volunteer for a short term project to inform the Council’s policies and strategies. It’s good for the Council’s policy development, and good for the students too.

The first report was on the potential for a Decarbonisation Fund. This would help local businesses offset those last difficult-to-eliminate carbon emissions by buying locally generated carbon credits. It was clear to the students as they began work that what businesses also needed was reliable and trustworthy information. So part of their recommendation was for the Council to talk to partners about setting up a decarbonisation advice service. They also recommend the Council’s flagship energy project at Swaffham Prior to be first to put itself through the process of earning those carbon credits.

The second report was on the potential for creating local heating networks in Cambridgeshire’s market towns, to put large numbers of homes and buildings onto renewable energy. Huntingdon, March, and Ely were chosen as examples. In a way this was a more complex proposal. The next steps here will involve conversations with local planning authorities and the Council’s partners.

The Committee also discussed the officers’ response to the first proposals for the new Greater Cambridge Local Plan. One of the issues that attracted most discussion was the likelihood that formal sports facilities to serve the new population of the North East Cambridge area development would not be included on-site. It seemed problematic that a new community designed to accommodate very few cars would not locate sports facilities in easily reachable distance.

Finally there was a lively conversation about Connecting Cambridgeshire’s latest digital connectivity strategy. One element of this was preparation for the copper switch-off in 2025. Old copper networks will be phased out and start to be replaced with digital systems delivered over broadband connections. “This will affect all public services, businesses and domestic premises, making people even more reliant on digital connectivity and will require signposting and awareness raising, particularly among those who do not use mobile phones, or cannot access the internet,” says the report. Many homes still rely on this network. But so do a great many specialised applications such as alarm lines, payment terminals and health-monitoring equipment. Many older telephone systems, fax machines, payment terminals and alarms that do not have SIM card capability will no longer work after the 2025 deadline. Councillors including Cllr Ros Hathorn (Histon & Impington) weren’t sure everyone who needed to know was aware of this impending issue.

The County Council’s Environment & Green Investment Committee, which I chair, will receive the county’s latest carbon footprint report on Thursday 20 January.

The report includes the following comparison of carbon emissions between the Cambridgeshire districts.

It’s interesting to note the very obvious differences between the different districts. These include the huge contribution of LULUCF (that’s Land Use, Land Use Change, and Forestry) in East Cambridgeshire and Fenland. And of course the similarly very significant contribution of transport in Huntingdonshire and South Cambridgeshire. Without these two major pressures, Cambridge’s footprint is very much smaller – just one-third that of Huntingdonshire, which is the largest.

Given its current position, it will be interesting to watch Huntingdonshire District Council achieve its recently adopted target of net zero for the district by 2040. That’s just eighteen years away. If it can achieve this, it will be a considerable help to the county as a whole, where emissions from peat in the rural areas will be a real challenge.