Report: County Councillor (Hardwick div.)
District Councillor (Harston & Comberton)

Cllr Michael Atkins
April 2023

Highlights

Congestion charging referendum & C2C debated in Council
Civil Parking Enforcement
Zero-Carbon grants available
Latest on East West Rail
Contact details

News from the County

Congestion charging referendum

The Council refused to support a petition and motion calling for a referendum on any future congestion charging scheme. We continue to await the results of the recent consultation, which is expected in June, which I anticipate will clarify a lot of the current ‘noise’ on this subject and give myself and other Councillors some clear direction. If you have any concerns in the meantime, please get in touch.

Camborne to Cambridge busway (C2C)

The Council has approved the submission of a Transport and Works Act order to the Secretary of State for this scheme. This followed extensive debate in the chamber, including contributions from members of the public and parish councils. I’m very grateful to everyone who made the trip to Alconbury to make their voices heard. I supported an amendment to delay approval of the scheme to enable a comparison between it and the CPPF on-road route, but sadly this was not supported by a majority of councillors. I subsequently supported the progression of the scheme to this next stage. My speeches explaining my decisions are available on my facebook page (below), and the debate as a whole can be watched on youtube at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwbAi8Q9e5Q from around the 32m mark.

We expect that the secretary of state will hold a public inquiry into the scheme before making their decision. If you wish to show your support for the on-road option, you can get in touch with Cambridge Past Present and Future (CPPF) who are spearheading this work via https://www.cambridgeppf.org/appeal/save-the-coton-green-corridor

I have been in email contact with many residents about this issue, so please get in touch if you feel strongly about the matter.

Gigabit broadband coming to more residents

CityFibre have been awarded a £70m contract to roll out gigabit broadband to rural households across Cambridgeshire over the next few years. I know that some of our villages already have a gigabit network and have benefitted from not only the increased speed but also greater reliability in their internet connection. I am expecting more details from them in the coming weeks with information for our district.

Comberton VC switches on low-carbon heat network

I was delighted to attend the ‘switch on’ of Comberton Village College’s low carbon heat network, fed by ground source heat pumps across the site, which has replaced aging oil boilers as their primary heat source. It was particularly inspiring to hear from some of the pupils about their engagement with the project and their vision for what comes next at the school.

Investment in SEND education

The Council has received a £50m investment from the UK Government to support special education in Cambridgeshire. The service is under increasing strain from a large increase in identified need, and this investment will help transform the service to better serve our children and young people, and do so in a sustainable way. We are also expecting new special schools to be built in Gamlingay and Wisbech.

Civil Parking enforcement

The County Council is applying to the UK Government to take responsibility for parking enforcement in South Cambridgeshire. This will relieve the police of this responsibility which is difficult for them to combine with their other demands. Once approved by the Government, the Council will be able to take steps to clamp down on unauthorised and dangerous parking, which is frequently an issue in our villages.

More resources to tackle cost of living crisis

A further £7m will be spent by the Council through the Household Support Fund over the next 12 months to help struggling families. Approximately half will be spent on supermarket vouchers for families in receipt of Free School Meals to cover school holidays; the rest will be distributed via district councils and other trusted partners to people in need. Those eligible include individuals earning less than £20k per year, or couples earning less than £27k per year, with higher thresholds for families with children. As always, if you know of anyone at risk of poverty or who are struggling, please let your local Council or myself know so that help can be provided.

BFI Archive material available at local libraries

BFIReplay, a scheme to make historic video available to a wider audience in partnership with the British Film Industry, has launched at the Central Library, Cambridge. Residents can now easily access archive material across news, entertainment and advertising, which will be of interest to local researchers and anyone wanting a nostalgia fix!

News from GCP & Combined Authority

New CEO

The Combined Authority has appointed a new Chief Executive Officer, Mr Rob Bridge, who joins from North Northamptonshire. He is a Cambridgeshire resident who previously served as Chief Finance Officer at Fenland District Council. This will hopefully help stabilise leadership at the Authority after a turbulent period.

News from the District

Zero-carbon Communities Grant Scheme

Applications are now open for the fifth round of this popular scheme, for grant awards in the range of £1,000-£15,000 to reduce carbon emissions or engage the community with the issue. Please visit the website here for more details or to apply: https://www.scambs.gov.uk/encouraging-communities-to-go-green-with-a-grant-fund-project-celebrating-its-fifth-year/

Funding to decarbonise council homes

The Council has also been successful in a bid for £1.7m to decarbonise and improve the fabric of the district’s council houses, through improved insulation, new doors and windows, solar panels and heat pumps.

East West Rail

The Leader of the Council, Bridget Smith, recently wrote to the rail minister to invite him to come to the district to see for himself what the impact the new railway would have on some villages. A number of Parish Councils co-signed the letter and were disappointed when the minister declined the invitation because apparently he had already quietly visited South Cambs without engaging local representatives. Since then, we have had the announcement in the budget that the government is progressing this scheme. Bridget has therefore written again to ask him to reconsider his refusal to visit in the near future or alternatively for her to speak to him in London. We expect an announcement on the route in May.

Contact Details

Councillors and residents are welcome to contact me on any issue which is concerning them:

Cllr Michael I. Atkins
matkinslibdem@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/cllrmichaelatkins
07968 264637