The Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough has signed-off plans for bus services that “put communities first”. The move will be the biggest overhaul of the bus network in 40 years.
Dr Nik Johnson, who leads the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, has officially announced he will franchise the bus system. Officials say this will bring local services under greater public control and create a more reliable, affordable and passenger-focused network.
‘It’s high time for change’
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The Combined Authority will set fares, routes, timetables and service standards. It will work with contracted private bus operators to ensure services are implemented and work effectively. The first publicly-funded routes are expected to launch by late 2027.
Mayor Dr Nik Johnson said: “This is one of the most significant moments for local public transport in decades.
“For too long, private control of buses has meant ever-dwindling, unreliable services which don’t meet passenger need, are less and less affordable and often require millions in public subsidy just to keep key routes going. It is high time for change.”
Franchising ‘puts communities first’
A three-month public consultation was held last year and found 63% of the 1,600 respondents were in favour of franchising. The alternative option put forward was an Enhanced Partnership model, which allows closer collaboration with operators – but left key decisions on the bus network, like service levels, in private hands.
Dr Johnson added: “Bus franchising puts communities first. It gives us the power to design a network that works for the people of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, with better routes, more frequent services, and a focus on connectivity, not just what’s profitable for operators.
“This won’t happen overnight – franchising is a long-term project, and we have 40 years of poorly-regulated dysfunction to undo. But this decision is a major step towards a properly joined-up, high-quality public transport system that delivers faster, more reliable, and convenient journeys.”
Landlines in the UK are going digital, and BT is working with Neighbourhood Watch to help Histon & Impington residents understand changes being made to the telephone system with the switch to fibre broadband.
The existing analogue technology which has supported phone and broadband services for decades is being retired and switched off.
In future, landline users will be able to make calls in exactly the same way as they do at the moment, but the technology behind the scenes, known as ‘Voice over IP’, will use an internet connection.
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BT believes these digital landlines will be easier to maintain and provide a better service for customers.
Local support
To make sure everyone knows about the change, charities are working with BT to communicate how households will be impacted and what they need to do as a result of the Digital Voice switchover.
Neighbourhood Watch will be running an event at Histon Library from 11am-2pm on 10 March, to support local residents to feel confident and safe with the change.
They are looking for two volunteers who are “good communicators” to work at the event, and BT is offering a selection of training dates on Tuesdays and Thursdays, to help prepare the volunteers for the event.
No technical expertise is required, just a willingness to chat to people about the switch and get completed surveys from them.
Neighbourhood Watch is also seeking volunteers for Soham, Sawston and Milton Road in order to complete the list of areas covered in Cambridgeshire.
To volunteer, contact rosslyn.allen@ourwatch.org.uk
The biggest shakeup of local government in a generation could mean the District/City boundary between Histon & Impington and Cambridge being removed, and South Cambridgeshire District Council, Cambridge City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council all being dissolved.
Devolution
A Government white paper published before Christmas revealed ambitious plans that would see a “transfer of power out of Westminster” to elected Mayors and other strategic authorities.
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As Cambridgeshire and Peterborough already have a democratically elected Mayor leading the Combined Authority, they will potentially be handed more responsibilities.
The Government says the transition in Cambridgeshire should be complete by April 2028, and Jim McMahon, the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution who is leading the re-structure, has now written to seven Cambridgeshire councils formally inviting them to work together and explore devolution options.
They have until the middle of next month to come up with a framework for delivering all public services from fewer unitary authorities, rather than the current two-tier system of district and county councils.
Ministers say this will deliver “simpler, more sustainable, local government structures” that will “increase value for money for council taxpayers”.
For residents, once the devolution transition is complete it could end confusion about which Council is responsible for which services.
Currently problems with bin collections, for example, must be reported to South Cambs District Council, while other services, such as roads, are among the County Council’s responsibilities.
500,000 is the magic number
The Government is recommending that each unitary authority should cover a population of around 500,000 “to achieve efficiencies, improve capacity and withstand financial shocks”. But it has accepted there may be exceptions.
A natural partnership would be between South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridge City Council, who already share services such as waste and planning. As one councillor explained, the shape of the geographic area covered would go “from being a ring donut to a jam-filled one”.
South Cambridgeshire District Council headquarters. Photo: SCDC
However, the population of the City and District Councils combined would only cover a population of 300,000 – nowhere close to the 500,000 recommendation.
Other options, such as bringing neighbouring East Cambridgeshire District Council or Huntingdonshire District Council into the fold, are likely to be considered. But there is a chance these councils would feel better aligned with their other neighbours.
Is now the right time?
Speaking before councils received their invitation to start their devolution discussions, County Councillor Ros Hathorn questioned whether now the right time is to announce and “force through” the biggest changes in local government in 50 years. When she spoke to HI HUB, the County Council was in the throes of budget setting and had confirmed local elections will still be held in May.
She said: “If I had a five year term like the Labour government do, the last thing I would do is essentially land a bomb in the whole of local government right now. This is what is happening here with devolution…
“I appreciate there is a strong argument for forming unitary councils. But the way it is being done, the way it is being forced through, and the notion it is going to save lots of money I think will be demonstrated as being utterly naive.
“There is no time to go out to public consultation and absolutely no time to do this democratically. If you want to do something like this properly, you do it by consultation and you do it with evidence. You don’t just allow council leaders and chief executives to handle something as important as this.”
Councillor workload
Another of Ros’s concern is that councillors could have a larger area to cover and would be representing more residents. She said: “There’s going to be fewer councillors and these individuals will be less connected to their areas as they’re going to have bigger patches to cover and greater responsibilities.
“What people should be worried about is that in the unitary authority there’s going to be so much work that councillors are not going to be able to do other jobs. They’ll basically have to become full time councillors and there is a risk you will lose diversity among the people elected.”
Martin Cahn, a South Cambridgeshire District Councillor representing H&I, commented he feels there are “so many unknowns” when it comes to the Government’s vision for devolution. Speaking at the same time as Ros, he said: “The Government is telling us this process is going to be voluntary, but there’s a feeling this is actually more ‘compulsory voluntary’.”
He also pointed out that Cambridge City Council does not have any Parish Councils, and questioned whether some form of local authority will need to be created at this level of local government too: “If we have one unitary authority, should there be a Parish Council covering the city?
“Will they want to reorganise the parishes around the edge where there are new developments? For example, Darwin Green, Trumpington, Eddington etc. – should there be some kind of co-ordination across these areas?”
He added: “I see the logic in devolution, but how it will work is another matter…”
Potential obstacles
Cllr Bridget Smith, the leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, outlined a potential predicament related to years of work on the Local Plan – the long-term strategy for future developments that all councils have to deliver and spend years working towards.
She told a select committee last month: “I have been working on a Local Plan jointly with Cambridge City Council for six years now and it has cost millions to get this far. If I unitarise [with the Cambridge City Council], our local [population] numbers would be somewhere over 300,000.
“If I am forced to include another council to get me up to 500,000, I will have to throw that local plan in the bin and start all over again. That will have serious impacts on this Government’s aspirations for growth in one of the key areas for bio-med and knowledge intensive industries because there won’t be a Local Plan, and I will have to start all over again on a call for sites…
“… So there are unforeseen or unintended consequences to some of this, which I really hope the Government is going to listen to.” While she accepted the Government wants to move forward with plans to reorganise local government, Cllr Smith said she wanted to fight for the cause of “smaller unitaries”. These, she feels, would “maintain connection to local places” which is important when considering new planning developments.
Tight timeline
The Government is already moving ahead with its devolution timeline. Neighbouring Norfolk County Council and Suffolk County Council are among the local authorities to have already agreed to join the Devolution Priority Programme.
The Cambridgeshire councils have been given until March 21 to submit their interim plan or plans to the Government for review. Following feedback, full proposals are to be submitted by November 28 of this year.
While other local authorities have decided to postpone elections this May, Cambridgeshire County Council has confirmed theirs will still go ahead on May 1, 2025. Voters will also take to the polls on the same day for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayoral election.
Elections for the shadow authorities that are created are proposed to take place in Spring 2027, with the vesting day for new unitary councils a year later.
Additional reporting by Hannah Brown at the Local Democracy Reporting Service
Local residents are stepping up their challenge to Cambridgeshire County Council to resolve “worsening” parking problems on streets around Park Primary school. The school has now reached full capacity and traffic to the site has increased since these issues were first raised in 2021, heightening local concerns about the safety of active travel in the area.
Longstanding concerns
The absence of an adequate vehicle drop-off area at the school is at the heart of the problem, leading to motorists using nearby streets to park and walk their children to the school.
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Private grass verges are being damaged, say residents, as motorists try to avoid blocking the routes of cyclists and pedestrians. “This is becoming urgent”, one told the Council, “with buggies forced into the road and cyclists having to avoid reversing traffic.”
The Council is being asked to first acknowledge how the situation has arisen and then to make progress on resolving it.
As a result, Narrow Close sees 20 to 30 vehicles turning around and parking there on each school day.
Call for action
Residents say that neither the school nor the Council has made a formal traffic and/or safety assessment of the present situation, and the Council is not contemplating any changes to the facilities provided to the school.
They suggested that Council officers make a site visit to see for themselves the conflict between walking and cycling, and motor vehicle flows.
In a letter on behalf of a group of residents, Dr. Alan Jones is now escalating resident concerns, asking the Leader of the Council, Cllr Lucy Nethsingha, for her views on “whether the Council should be held accountable for its stated intention to provide on-site drop-off to all parents (120+ vehicles).”
He told HI HUB that these concerns were first raised when the plans for the site were drawn up: “Many in our community raised objections in writing that the bays around the turning circle did not seem adequate for when the school reached full capacity, but the County Council did not change its plans.
“We are now trying to get the County Councillors and the appropriate Officers to agree whether the facility provided by the County Council is indeed fit for purpose. If it is, then we would ask them to help us and the school to bring it into full use as originally envisaged.
“If it is not fit for purpose, then we would like them to work with us to redesign the on-site facilities to accommodate what was promised in the planning documentation.”
Action promised
Apologising for delays in addressing the issues, Jeremy Smith, Head of Sustainable Transport and Strategy is now proposing to meet residents in person at the site to see the situation for himself.
He has replied to Dr Jones saying: “Given the time that has passed and how things have moved on it might be best for us to meet on site as you suggested in your letter, and with a member of the Council’s road safety team, to discuss the matters raised further.”
A diseased tree that fell across a fence and footpath in Homefield Park, damaging two properties, has prompted a further review of the health of other trees in the area.
The tree was suffering from honey fungus disease, which would not have been visible before it fell, but the review has found that six sycamores nearby are dead or dying from sooty bark disease and must be removed.
An arboricultural expert has indicated that the removal of those trees will expose three more sycamores located near the fence line, properties and footpaths to winds, making them more liable to fall. They too are likely to succumb to sooty bark disease at some point, and their removal is also being recommended.
Other trees in the area could be allowed to grow into the space, and the site could be replanted, potentially with disease resistant trees.
The new work, which will cost up to £9,000, must be done as soon as possible due to the potential dangers to the public and the likelihood that the diseased trees would spread sooty bark disease to others.
This means, like other urgent work on the site done in 2024, it is likely to take place during the bird nesting season.
As the nine trees earmarked for removal are all covered by a Tree Protection Order, consultations may be needed with both residents and the ‘tree officer’ at South Cambs Council. Permission for the work from South Cambs is likely to take 6-8 weeks , which would run into the start of the bird nesting season.
The Parish Council has pledged that “All necessary checks would be taken to ensure there were no nesting birds or other issues, and work would not proceed if anything was found”.
The pre-school, which looks after children aged between two and four years old, has been run from the Salvation Army building on Impington Lane for around 40 years, and this change means that the church will now also be responsible for its day-to-day management.
Firm foundations
The Ladybird pre-school currently has an Ofsted rating of ‘Good’, has 24 children on its roll and opens for three mornings a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Under the new management, it is planned to extend this to four mornings a week.
Previously, Ladybirds has been run by a management committee of parents and staff – providing education through play, in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS) – and, since the closure of Stepping Stones and Squirrels, is one of few such settings in the village. After what the church leaders describe as a challenging 18 months for Ladybirds, it is hoped the new link with the Salvation Army will provide the support and backing that comes from being part of a larger organisation.
Community support
Majors Rob and Georgina Symons took over Histon Salvation Army in 2018. On the church’s link-up with Ladybirds, Rob said: “Our mission is to support communities in meaningful and practical ways and early years education is such a crucial foundation for a child’s development.
“The pre-school already had an extremely good reputation. We look forward to building on its existing strengths and ensuring it continues to thrive.”
Georgina, who is already on the pre-school management committee, added that the move “felt like an obvious transition”, continuing, “it feels like a God-given gift to our church. It’s a joy being able to spend time in the setting.
“There is a need for early years settings in our area, and this is a great opportunity to invest in our community, and for the preschool to be part of something bigger, where there is holistic support available for the family.
“Rather than just being a group who hire our building, they are very much integral to our ‘service to others without discrimination’ that is part of our mission as a church. Caring for, nurturing and supporting our Ladybirds families is a practical outpouring of our mandate to love God and love others.”
Sarah Stonham, joint leader of the pre-school said: “We are excited about this new chapter and are dedicated to maintaining and enhancing these facilities which parents and carers have come to trust. Our setting allows us to get to know families really well and we look forward to working hand in hand with them to make a lasting impact on young lives.”
At a Parish Council Planning Committee meeting next week, members will be aiming to agree a date and action plan for a review of the Histon & Impington Neighbourhood Plan, which was adopted in 2021, setting out an agreed framework for future development of the village.
A Full Parish Council meeting during the same week will consider further financial support for training the village’s traffic management operatives, who volunteer to support road closures associated with village events such as the Feast and Remembrance Day. The meeting will also consider proposals for further tree felling at Homefield Park.
The Full Council meeting takes place on Monday 17 February and the Planning Committee meeting on Tuesday 18 February. Both meetings are in the Community Room at the Rec, starting at 7.30pm. All Histon & Impington residents are invited to attend to listen to the debates, andany resident wishing to address either meeting should contact the office to request a slot. Email clerk@hisimp-pc.gov.ukFor more details, see the Full Council agenda pack hereand the Planning Committee pack here.
Severe traffic jams on Bridge Road Impington could continue until 10 February due to planned ‘Utility Repair and Maintenance Works’ by UK Power Networks.
The main road over the bridge by the football ground is down to a single lane and three-way temporary traffic lights are in place at the junction of the B1049 with New Road.
The works are causing huge tailbacks and anger among local residents reporting severe delays in both directions.
Google Maps is proposing diversions down Station Road and Impington Lane to avoid the lights and the jams.
Residents’ anger
When the works were set up, some residents took to social media to try to warn others of the “chaos”. One reported that setting up the lane closure began at 7.30am on Wednesday 5 Feb. Another commented “by 9am [I] couldn’t get out from dropping daughter off at IVC so ended up turning around and going toward Milton P&R to access the A14”
The problems continued much later in the day, with a report of traffic backing up to the Holiday Inn at 4.45pm and another resident commenting that “the whole system failed as we approached them at about 7.30pm!”
A cyclist passing the queues during the morning rush hour on Thursday 6 February said: “The road into Cambridge is backed up a very long way. I can’t imagine how any motorist is going to get to work on time.”
UK Power Networks have apologised for the inconvenience caused by the roadworks, recognising that “this is a busy area”. They explained: “Our engineers have repaired an underground electricity cable, so traffic lights are being used for everyone’s safety until our contractors finish resurfacing the road.
“The site is due to be cleared by 10 February, but this will be done sooner if at all possible.”
Work to replace two sets of children’s swings in the play area at The Green has been completed, with all now fully open to the public again.
Contractors for the Parish Council began work on replacing the swing sets on 24 January and completed the job this week, having removed the old sets and assembled the new equipment. Weather conditions allowed for the replacements to be installed on schedule and the work was undertaken in fenced-off areas.
Removal for safety
An annual external inspection of the play area at The Green and the Rec last August found several issues with the old swing sets and basket swing, giving them a high-risk rating and leading to the seats on all the swings being removed straight away.
The inspection found that parts of the timber on the structures had rotted, connecting lugs (on the chains) were worn in some cases, there was damage to the surface beneath the swings, and grass mats were missing or loose.
Metal replacements
Swings back in action at the Green.
Quotes were sought initially for removing the posts and replacing them with new wooden ones, with metal feet to prevent them rotting in the future.
But when the costs of replacing the entire wooden sets with metal sets were found to be comparable, and this option to be easier to maintain and covered by covered by a longer guarantee, the Council chose this instead.
Correction 10/2/25: The basket swing at the Recreation ground Play Area has not yet been replaced as the Parish Council is still deciding what equipment is going where.
All but one public organisation has proposed increasing their portion of the Council Tax for the upcoming financial year. If all of the amounts are approved, it means households in an average Band D property in Histon and Impington will have to pay £2,432 in 2025/26. The overall total is over £100 more than this year.
The current breakdown as it stands for 2025/26 is as follows:
Cambridgeshire County Council: £1,700.64 (Proposed)
South Cambridgeshire District Council: £175.40 (Proposed)
Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner: £299.43 (Approved)
Cambridgeshire Fire Authority: £87.21 (Proposed)
Mayoral Combined Authority: £36 (Approved)
Parish Council Precept: £133.32 (Approved)
County Council increase
Cambridgeshire County Council has proposed increasing its proportion of the Council Tax payment by 4.99% – the maximum possible without a referendum being called. This includes its contribution towards Adult Social Care services.
The Council’s Strategy, Resources and Performance Committee heard at its last meeting how the demand for services, increasing complexity of need, inflation and market failures meant there is a £35.1 million gap in its 2025/26 finances.
However its proposed plans for the upcoming year include a £52 million investment in highways maintenance. The Council says this includes £14.5 million for the day-to-day management of roads and an additional £20m for planned maintenance including pavements, drainage, road safety measures and cycleways.
There are also proposals for £3 million funding to cover inflation for local care providers, an additional £9 million to support children who need to be looked after and £4.7 million for home to school transport services.
‘…what choice do we have…?’
New Sshire Hall – home of Cambridgeshire County Council. Photo: Hannah Brown, Local Democracy Reporter
Cllr Lucy Nethsingha, Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “We didn’t want to put the council tax up, but what choice do we have when we’re facing a challenging budget. This reflects the position faced by councils up and down the country, and we’ve seen the national profile on key services such as special educational needs and disability services. This the same in Cambridgeshire.
“Between 2020 and 2024, there was a 70% increase in children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), cost increases in home to school transport and in autism services over the same period. We do not receive the funding from Government to meet the needs of the growing population in Cambridgeshire, so we must do what we can to deliver value for money in the services we provide, whilst investing in what matters most to our residents.”
The final decision on the increase will be made when the Full Council meets on 11 February.
4.9% increase for police
Residents’ contribution towards policing will also increase by 4.9%, which was unanimously supported by the police and crime panel yesterday (Wednesday). This means residents in a Band D property will pay around £14 more in the next financial year for police officers, bringing this annual contribution to just under £300.
When first proposing the increase, Cambridgeshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Darryl Preston explained how the county falls short because of Central Government’s current funding model.
He said: “Police funding is based on a woefully inadequate funding formula which results in our county remaining one of the lowest funded forces in the country. Since the funding formula was set, our population has grown by 11% and is forecast to grow much faster than the national average.
“At the same time, there are areas of the country which have maintained the same level of population and some areas who have seen their population reduce. Yet the way funding is allocated using the existing formula is outdated and does not meet our county’s needs.”
Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is proposing to increase its precept by just under £5 to £87.21. This will be debated next Thursday (13 February). Chief Fire Officer Matthew Warren said a long-term partnership which involved sharing resources with the Suffolk service is coming to an end. To break even, he said Cambridgeshire now has to find an additional £1 million.
Increased demand vs decreased funding
South Cambridgeshire District Council headquarters. Photo: SCDC
Both South Cambridgeshire District Council and Histon & Impington Parish Council’s increases work out to be around 3%. For a Band D property, the District Council will make a final decision at the end of the month on proposals to increase its precept by £5.09 to £175.40. South Cambs argues it is expected to maintain its position to be among the lowest 25% of district councils in the country when it comes to its Council Tax charge.
South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Lead Cabinet Member for Resources, Cllr John Williams, said: “It continues to be challenging for councils due to increasing demand for our services coupled with reduced funding.
“So, it’s a fantastic achievement for residents that we’re a financially sound Council – but important to remember we only retain a very small amount of the Council Tax we collect. Most of it gets passed on to other authorities – and we continue to do all we can to make the most of every pound we do receive.”
Histon & Impington Parish Council has voted in favour of increasing its Council Tax precept to £133.32. Meanwhile, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority is the only public body covering the village to freeze its contribution to £36. However, last year it tripled the amount and says separate funding for public transport has helped its finances.
