Tag: cambridgeshire county council

  • Councils say more time is needed to explore devolution

    The councils that serve H&I are among a group of local authorities that have told the Government more time is needed to explore options for local government restructuring. 

    Before Christmas, the Government announced ambitious plans that will involve changing the way local government is organised. It will essentially see two-tier councils abolished and replaced with unitary councils. Cambridgeshire’s local authorities were invited to think through their new structure last month, and had until last Friday (21 March) to present their interim plans to the Government. 

    In response to that deadline, six out of Cambridgeshire’s seven councils signed a joint letter outlining where they all stand with the process. While it does not set out exactly what the Government asks for, it states the authorities are “working closely and effectively together” on proposals but more time is needed. The leaders of South Cambridgeshire District Council, Cambridgeshire County Council and Cambridge City Council are included as signatories. 

    Approaching ‘with an open mind’

    The letter, addressed to Jim McMahon OBE, the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution, said: “A working group of officers from all our authorities is also meeting regularly to develop a shared evidence base that can inform subsequent proposals.  

    “We are entering into Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) with an open mind and spirit of wanting the best for all our residents and for the local area as a whole. Not all of us would have chosen this path but we accept that it is the path we are on.”   

    It added: “We are not currently in a position to respond to all the points raised in your [invitation] in the time available.  

    “Our councils have been focused on setting legal budgets, driving efficiencies and improving services. Pre-election period begins on 25 March and local attention is now turning to Mayoral and County Council elections which may have a bearing on the development of our LGR plans.”  

    The Councils say further work will take place “at pace” after the local elections. A statement released alongside the letter adds “when the time is right” further discussions will also be held with residents, Members of Parliament and other partners including the police, NHS, fire service and town and parish councils. 

    Idea ‘really stinks’ 

    Cllr Ros Hathorn speaking at Cambridgeshire County Council’s debate about Local Government Reorganisation, also referred to as devolution.

    Councils across Cambridgeshire held meetings last week to debate the concept of devolution and their responses to the Government. At Cambridgeshire County Council’s meeting, Cllr Ros Hathorn said the plan “really stinks” and likened it to “putting a bomb under the local authority” at a time when it is facing many challenges. 

    She said: “We have so many challenges we face as a council, fixing the roads, adult social care, children’s social care, special educational needs, getting children to school, it is so difficult. This is not unique to Cambridgeshire, this is across the entire country.” 

    “And what has the Government done? The Government’s idea of the best way to fix this is just to put a bomb under local authority, so that all we are going to talk about is ourselves for the next three years, it is just ridiculous.”

    The County Council’s chief executive has previously said that the estimated cost of local government reorganisations across all of the councils is anticipated to be “at least £18.6million”.

    However, Councillor Richard Howitt (Labour) said this was a “once in a generation chance” to affect local government in the area, adding that it was important to “get it right”.

    He said: “The idea that we live in one of the most centralised states in Europe and that we should try and devolve power locally is a powerful and good idea and therefore we must seize the opportunity in my view in order to do it.”

    4-day week query

    Cllr Bridget Smith raised concens about devolution plans with MPs at a select committee hearing.

    During South Cambridgeshire District Council’s debate, the leadership were asked what would happen if the 4-day week becomes a permanent fixture as the Council will be abolished and replaced under the plans. A public consultation on the trial working arrangement closed on Sunday night (23 March), and the analysis is expected to be made public in the summer. 

    The Council’s leader Bridget Smith explained the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations (TUPE) would deal with how staff transfer to a new organisation, no matter what their terms of employment are.

    She said: “These are processes we have used before, I think we used it with the waste service, with the shared planning service, so I think we have got considerable expertise within the council for managing these situations.”

    Additional reporting from the Local Democracy Reporting service.

    READ MORE: Devolution process begins for Cambridgeshire

  • No H&I roads included in Council’s £59m repairs plan

    Cambridgeshire County Council says over £59m will be spent on highways projects this year – but none of the cash is earmarked for H&I. 

    The Council has set out how it plans to spend the money, and has released details of 57 road repairs that will be prioritised for major works in 2025/26. However, the 10 listed for South Cambridgeshire doesn’t include any forthcoming projects for the village. 

    Dodging the potholes

    Impington resident James Wiltshire recently shared a post on social media about the size of the potholes he navigates with his two sons on their cycle rides to and from Park Primary School. Their route takes them along Cambridge Road to Station Road and then either up the High Street to Narrow Lane or they go on the main road and along Glebe Way.

    However, he told HI HUB: “When I cycle with my two boys, I often feel an increasing sense of fear for their safety. Their smaller size, less developed cycling skills, and limited reaction time make it challenging to navigate the numerous potholes. 

    The road surface at the entrance of The Coppice, Impington. Photo: James Wiltshire

    “We constantly find ourselves swerving and weaving to avoid them, which increases the risk of one of my boys either hitting a pothole and falling or, worse, swerving into the path of a vehicle – particularly on busy roads like Glebe Way. 

    “What concerns me even more is the growing number of potholes and the lack of consistent repairs. When repairs are carried out, they often seem like quick fixes, and the problem inevitably resurfaces in no time.”

    James said one at Vision Park was addressed after help from H&I County Councillor Ros Hathorn. Another at The Coppice was logged on an online reporting system but the case was closed and the repairs were not carried out. 

    A £1bn problem

    When the Council’s highways and transport committee last met on 4 March, Councillor Neil Shailer said the authority was putting funding towards proactive preventative work to try and stop potholes before they form. 

    Cambridge Road, Impington, is part of the cycling route James Wiltshire takes with his two boys to school. Photo: James Wiltshire

    Over £28.7m is due to be spent on carriageway structural and preventative work, with a further £7.2m due to be spent on structural and preventative work on pathways and cycleways. While the investment seems significant, Ros explains it is needed after years of Governments cutting back funding to local councils. She says road repairs are an estimated £1bn problem for the county – the equivalent of the Council’s entire annual budget.

    On a more positive note, she says if the Council continues in its current direction there will be noticeable improvements to the roads in five years. “To be where we need to be” could take between a decade and 15 years. The highways team has also been restructured to focus on maintenance and ensuring quality repair works have been carried out. 

    A new “Report a Fault” app will be launched later this year, replacing a dated system that was commissioned more than 25 years ago in 1998. “I have hopes the new system will be groundbreakingly more efficient,” Ros says. Users who report a road fault through the app will be kept updated through the process of its repair.

    Back to Histon and Impington

    Ros also explained many areas across the county need capital repair works carried out – this is expensive long-term, planned and high value work. She said councillors rejected last year’s list of repairs because “there was no strategy, logic or prioritisation”. 

    County Councillor for H&I Ros Hathorn

    She said: “This year there is a strategy and a clear ranking process. That is irritating if jobs in your area aren’t chosen but at least there is an underlying fair and rational approach. It also means that work is fixed in leaps and bounds. When the work arrives it can make a big difference but it can take years for it to be your turn.”

    While H&I may need to wait for its turn to come around, she said in the meantime the Vision Park raised table has been fixed and she “has been promised” the one at The Coppice will be addressed. Ros also has confirmation the tarmacked over gully by the raised table at Impington Lane will be repaired and a road closure has been ordered for the top of Station Road to investigate drainage issues. 

    Additional reporting by Hannah Brown, from the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

    READ MORE: Marking a community’s deep-rooted love for its trees

  • Safety investigation launched after Busway collision

    A health and safety investigation is now underway after a 13-year-old boy was injured in a collision on the Busway. The incident happened on the afternoon of 4 March near Orchard Park. 

    The boy, a pedestrian, was struck by a single decker bus travelling in the direction of Cambridge. He was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital by ambulance in a “serious condition”. An update from Cambridgeshire Police today (13 March) explained he “remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital” and his injuries are “not life-threatening”.

    ‘Aware and investigating‘

    Meanwhile, the Health and Safety Executive has confirmed the collision is on its radar. “We are aware of the incident and are investigating,” its spokesperson said. 

    Stagecoach East previously acknowledged one of its vehicles was involved but a spokesperson explained it would not be appropriate to say anything further at this stage.

    Cambridgeshire County Council, which is responsible for the Busway infrastructure, said it is working with the emergency services and other partners as “a full investigation is underway”.

    Parish council discussion

    Ros Hathorn, H&I’s councillor for Cambridgeshire County Council, has included Busway safety in her update for the Parish Council meeting on Monday (17 March).

    In it, she said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends involved in the tragic incident on the Busway in early March.

    She explained that this month a court case involving the County Council and the Health and Safety Executive will come to the High Court.

    She said: “I am pushing for local safety issues to be listened to and have heard rumours about new safety measures including fencing off ‘break throughs’ which will reduce the connectivity between the two sides of the Busway.

    “So far I haven’t been able to get a clear response on what is planned.”

    READ ALSO: Pedestrians punched by cyclist near Busway

  • Boy, 13, taken to hospital after Busway collision

    A 13-year-old boy was taken to hospital with serious injuries following a collision with a bus on the Busway at Orchard Park. The incident happened on Tuesday afternoon (4 March) at around 3.45pm north of King’s Hedges Road. 

    A Cambridgeshire Police spokesperson explained the collision was between the boy, a pedestrian, and a single decker bus travelling towards Cambridge. While the East Anglian Air Ambulance was called as part of the emergency response, the boy was transported by road to Addenbrookes hospital in a “serious condition”. 

    “There were no other injuries and no arrests,” the police spokesperson confirmed. 

    Cambridgeshire County Council explained the Busway, and the path that runs alongside it, were closed in both directions with diversions in place throughout the evening. The Busway reopened yesterday morning (Wednesday). 

    A County Council spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with the pedestrian and their family. We’re working with the emergency services, and a full investigation has commenced.” 

    Stagecoach East confirmed the incident involved one of its vehicles and that its “first thoughts are for [the injured boy’s] welfare”. 

    A spokesperson for the bus company added: “Safety is our absolute priority. We will carry out a thorough investigation into the cause of this incident, working with the appropriate authorities.” 

    READ MORE: Windows broken at two homes on same Histon street

  • Devolution process begins for Cambridgeshire

    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.

    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

  • Council tax set to rise again

    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. 

    READ MORE: Mayor advised to go ahead with bus franchising

  • Pothole prevention back on the agenda

    Pothole prevention back on the agenda

    Melvin Way is back on a list of roads selected for re-surfacing, but of the 91 sites across the county now scheduled for some type of surface treatment, this is the only one in Histon & Impington.

    Five roads in the village were earmarked for treatment in 2022/23 when Micro Asphalt was due to be applied to prevent further deterioration and extend their life.

    Although ‘carriageway patching’ was done in Melvin Way to prepare a suitable surface for this work, when inflation squeezed the highways maintenance budget, other roads in the county were deemed to be greater priorities. The pavements were pre-patched and slurry sealed in 2023, but the roadway work was never completed.

    Limitations

    While other streets in Histon & Impington may appear to be more deserving of surface improvements than Melvin Way, County Councillor Ros Hathorn pointed out that Micro Asphalt treatment is “like a thin layer of butter – if the potholes are too deep it won’t work”.

    She told HI HUB: “It is really important to stress that this is not a ‘resurface’, and that this type of treatment is cheap and cheerful and simply not available to Pepys Terrace, Milton Road or Impington Lane as they are in too poor a state of repair. This is intended to stop the decay of roads in a relatively good state of repair. It can’t fix roads which are too far gone.” 

    Drop in the ocean

    The newly announced plans to improve some of the county’s roads have been drawn up following the Government promise of £10 million in 2025/6 to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority for highways capital maintenance. It replaces the £2.3m potholes funding from HS2 cancellation, which has been withdrawn. 

    But the contribution that the £10 million will make to the backlog of highways maintenance in the region – estimated at £600 million – will inevitably be minimal, and £2.5 million of this has to be held back until the Peterborough and Cambridgeshire Councils have proved they will meet some criteria that have yet to be specified.

    READ ALSO: Pothole priorities to focus on personal safety | HI HUB

  • Life is good – but not for everyone, survey reveals

    Life is good – but not for everyone, survey reveals

    Photo: Mark Seton on VisualHunt.com

    Cambridgeshire County Council’s first annual countywide ‘quality of life’ survey has found that although happiness and health scored highly, loneliness in the county is much higher than the national average.

    Histon & Impington residents were among the 5,500 residents who took part in the survey, and South Cambridgeshire came out as the district with the most positive scores in eight of ten areas rated in the study. These included happiness, health, Cambridgeshire as a place to raise children, and ‘feeling connected to the local community’ – which was defined as the community within a 15-minute walk of home.

    Countywide, over 70% of residents said they feel happy, safe and have a sense of belonging, but the picture, especially among younger residents, wasn’t as rosy across the board.

    48% of respondents said they do not trust the County Council and 56% do not think it delivers value for money – though 46% said they did not know what services the Council offers.

    Younger people, renters, disabled residents and those from ethnic minorities reported more negative views and experiences. Loneliness was especially an issue for those in the 18-25 bracket, who also reported more struggles with their mental health.

    The survey will be repeated yearly so that the impact of changes in council decisions and policies can be measured. It will also show where its financial resources need to be focussed and enable funds to be reallocated if there are changes in residents’ responses.

    Given the Council’s budget gap for 2024/25, improving residents’ experiences will be more challenging than was previously expected.

  • Who you gonna call?

    Who you gonna call?

    From fallen trees to flooding, knowing who to call when things go wrong in the village is the first step to getting them put right. Denis Payne lists the most common incidents – and what to do about them.

    Knowing who has the authority to sort out problems that arise in public places is a useful starting point for resolving them, but with four levels of ‘local’ government and several other bodies involved, it’s difficult working out who does what and who to speak to if things need fixing.

    Local government

    Some of the issues are dealt with by ‘local’ government and other bodies paid for from our Council Tax, so here are some clues:

    The Parish Council – closest to us, 19 Councillors elected from Histon and Impington, and with offices in the village. They have few duties (i.e. things they have to do), but for us, among other things they provide the civic cemetery, recreation and play areas, and look after various areas of the village, including the Green. They’re our voice to higher authorities – particularly on planning.

    The District Council – based at Cambourne, with 3 Councillors for us to vote in. They collect refuse, manage most of the planning decisions, provide and manage housing, are responsible for the key drains, and other environmental issues (noise, pollution).

    The County Council – now based at Alconbury, with just one Councillor representing the village, Orchard Park and King’s Meadows. They provide essential social services for vulnerable adults and children. Schools and education (but not academies), maintain highways (but not the A14, M11) and dispose of waste (collected by the District Council). 

    The Combined Authority are based in Huntingdon, and the Mayor is elected by everyone in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Other members of the Board are appointed by Unitary (Peterborough), County and District (& City) Councils. They have funding from the Government, and our Council Tax. They support public transport, and are responsible for top level transport planning. They support and deliver a range of projects focusing on economic growth and helping to improve lives.

    Other key players

    Also funded by Council Tax are some emergency services:

    Cambridgeshire Constabulary – there’s a single elected Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire & Peterborough. On more day-to-day issues there’s a Chief, Deputy Chief and Assistant Chief Constable.

    Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue – is run by a Board of 17 Councillors appointed by the County Council and Peterborough City Council.

    And finally:

    Greater Cambridge Partnership – has members appointed by City, District and County Councils and also business and university representatives. It’s funding comes from Government grants. Most times it is unable to act without the support of one or more of the Councils – who are therefore the final decision maker.

    Dealing with a problem

    As always, if it is an emergency, as someone is hurt or lives may be at risk, call 999. Most Councils only work office hours (and not weekends) so outside those hours you’ll only be able to report something – and it will take time to fix.

    Several problems could require police action but aren’t life threatening. In that case 101 is the number, but in Cambridgeshire you can jump the inevitable phone queue by using their new online reporting system at www.cambs.police.uk/ro/report/. Just click ‘Report’ on the left hand side of the home screen. Reports are dealt with in exactly the same way as 101 calls.

    What to do if…

    Here are some of the most common incidents that arise in the village – and what to do about them.

    Anti-social behaviour – is always a Police issue, so call 101 (or 999 in an emergency) or www.cambs.police.uk/ro/report/. Even if you think nothing will happen, do report it. The total amount of ASB influences policing patterns.

    Bin not collected – needs to be reported online after 3:30pm on the day of the missed collection, at https://forms.scambs.gov.uk/MISSEDBIN/launch

    Broken glass in play areas – the Parish Council has a ranger who will clear this (during work hours). Call 01223 235906.

    Fallen tree – if it’s blocking a road, it’s a highways emergency so call the County Council on 0345 045 5212 during office hours, or Police on 101 or www.cambs.police.uk/ro/report/ outside of those hours. Otherwise, it will be the owner who will need to deal with it. The Parish Council may be able to help find out who that is, so call them on 01223 235906.

    Flooding (roads) – it’s a highways emergency if the road is impassable so call the County Council on 0345 045 5212 during office hours, or Police 101 or www.cambs.police.uk/ro/report/ outside of those hours.

    Overflowing bin – on the High Street, report to a nearby shop. Elsewhere, report to the Parish Council on 01223 233577. Because these are cleared by the District Council it may take a while to get sorted.

    Potholes (and all non-emergency road faults) – have to be reported online at highwaysreporting.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/

    Power cut –going online is the quickest way to report a power cut and get updates.  www.powercut105.com/en/report-a-power-cut, or call 105.

    Seen something suspicious? – tell the Police on 101 or online at www.cambs.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/soh/seen-or-heard/

    Sewage issues – Anglian Water deals with these so call them on 03457 145 145

    Smell gas – call 0800 111 999. This is the National Gas Emergency Line and is staffed 24/7.

    Street light out – call 0800 783 8247 or report online at www.lightingcambridgeshire.com/contact-us/report-fault.htm

    Traffic lights – if all the lights are out, that’s an emergency so call the County Council on 0345 045 5212 during office hours, or Police 101 or www.cambs.police.uk/ro/report/ outside of those hours.

    Water leak (road or path) – Cambridge Water supplies water to the village, so call 0800 316 76 76.

  • Identifying care needs for the elderly in our village

    Responses to the online questionnaire could help shape future care and support for older people in our area. Photo: Cambridgeshire County Council

    People over the age of 55 in Histon & Impington are being invited to complete an online questionnaire to help gauge support needs for elderly residents. The aim is to help people remain living independently and happily in their own home for longer.

    A pilot of the Care Together scheme in East Cambridgeshire identified the need for early intervention initiatives such as more social groups for hobbies and exercise, as well as increased provision for local homecare and day opportunities for people over 65.

    The scheme is a Cambridgeshire County Council initiative being run in collaboration with local partners, community groups and residents. It has helped identify that support was needed for those older people living with long-term conditions and in need of longer-term care.

    The Council hopes the scheme will change the way care and support for older people in the community is commissioned and delivered in the future.

    Complete the online questionnaire here. The deadline for responses is 15 April 2023. If you don’t have access to the internet, call 01954 286 002 or 07771 545 674 (Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm) to answer questions over the phone or request a paper copy.