Report from Cambridgeshire County Councillor Firouz Thompson for Over News March-April 2024
Dear residents, it’s spring and it’s nice to have the lighter evenings return. It’s a good time for the town to shake off the winter chill and embrace the outside, we have some amazing routes by the lakes near Over and the guided busway, which you can walk and cycle.
Budget proposals
The council agreed its budget in February, prioritising funding to improve the condition of roads and footpaths, social care, and support for vulnerable communities.
This was a difficult budget process as many residents continue to feel the squeeze from cost of living pressures, but the council also faces significant cost increases. A balanced council budget for the coming year is no mean feat after more than ten years of national underfunding, when so many county and unitary authorities are struggling.
Those on the lowest incomes are also those who are often most reliant on services provided by the council. The county council had to close a gap of £37.4M, with 75 per cent of the Council’s net spending now being funded from Council Tax. Councillors have prioritised a number of key areas, based on residents’ feedback from last summer’s Quality of Life and budget survey. The budget
- Sustains critical adults’ & children’s social care services.
- Includes record levels of highways funding to strengthen and improve the standard of roads and pavements, including tackling potholes, weeds and gulleys—in direct response to residents’ concerns.
- Prioritises support for vulnerable communities, including continuing to providing holiday supermarket vouchers for those children most in need.
The council agreed a Council Tax rise of 4.99 per cent—2 per cent for Adult Social Services, and 2.99 per cent for general services—raising £17.5M of local income to help maintain and protect critical services for the most vulnerable communities. For the majority of residents in Band A-D properties that will mean an extra 99p to £1.48 a week.
Full Council
Councillors were saddened to hear the announcement at the start of the year of the death of Cllr Mac McGuire, the councillor for Yaxley & Farcet in Huntingdonshire and the longest-serving member of the County Council. Mac served on Cambridgeshire County Council from 1985 to 1992, and then again from 1997 until his death over the Christmas holidays. An election to fill the vacancy on the council will be held 0n Thursday 21st March.
Meanwhile, two councillors – Cllr Ryan Fuller (St Ives North & Wyton) and Cllr Keith Prentice from St Neots have recently moved from the Conservative Party to become independent councillors. Cllr Prentice has joined the Independent group that is part of the council’s Joint Administration.
The composition of the various committees on the council will be adjusted to take account of these changes, and then readjusted once Cllr McGuire’s replacement in Yaxley & Farcet is known.
ADULTS & HEALTH
Measles update
With cases of measles rising in some areas of the country, the council is asking everyone to check their MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccination status and get vaccinated if not up to date.
Measles is a highly infectious illness which can be very unpleasant and sometimes lead to serious complications. Two doses of the MMR vaccination give long-lasting protection against measles.
In the UK, the MMR vaccination is given as part of the routine childhood vaccination schedule. The vaccine is free, available from GPs, and anyone can catch up at any age on missed doses. An alternative MMR vaccination is available which does not contain pork products.
Walk-in vaccination clinics are taking place across Cambridgeshire. These are for anyone over the age of one year who is not up to date with their MMR vaccinations. More information at https://www.cpics.org.uk/measles
Individuals should check their vaccination status if possible before attending one of these clinics. Vaccination records are in a child’s personal health record (red book). Adults can check if they have been vaccinated with their GP or vaccination records from childhood.
NHS dentistry under the spotlight
The county council’s Adults & Health Committee scrutinised the provision of NHS dentistry in Cambridgeshire at its meeting on Thursday 7 March.
In recent years the availability of NHS dental care has shrivelled to almost zero, with many practices closing their doors to new NHS patients or ceasing to provide NHS dental care altogether. Dentists say that under the current contract, it is no longer financially viable to offer NHS procedures because of a lack of Government investment. One in five people have resorted to ‘DIY dentistry’ and 4.4 million children in England have not seen an NHS dentist in at least a year, leading to a 17 per cent increase in tooth decay-related extractions in children.
In February NHS England published a joint NHS and Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) ‘Dental Recovery Plan’ to try to address the growing crisis. This includes
- a ‘new patient’ payment of between £15 and £50 (depending on treatment need) to treat around a million new patients who have not seen an NHS dentist in two years or more
- focus on prevention and good oral health in young children and an expanded dental workforce
- advice for parents and parents-to-be on taking care of baby gums and milk teeth
- one-off payments of up to £20,000 for dentists working in under-served areas for up to three years.
The minimum value of dental activity under the dental contract will increase from £23 to £28. This will affect only a small number of contracts across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and any additional funding will need to be covered from the current dental budget of the local NHS Integrated Care Board.
Mobile ‘dental vans’ will be launched in rural and coastal areas, with at least one of these vans coming to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Cambridgeshire NHS has put in place a local Dental Improvement Plan, and identified the areas most in need as being Fenland, Littleport, Ely, and Peterborough.
Have your say on creating Healthy Places
Cambridgeshire’s public health team is inviting residents to have their say on how new and existing communities can be healthy, supportive and inclusive.
Work is currently under way to develop the Healthy Places Joint Strategic Needs Assessment for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. To inform this, the team has launched a survey asking for views on access to healthcare services, inclusive and accessible green spaces, opportunities for active travel and healthy play and leisure, and the provision of affordable healthy food options.
The survey is at https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/WNC1CB/ and is open until Monday 15 April at 5:00PM. It will take around 10-15 minutes to fill in and may be completed on behalf of yourself or someone you care for. If you would prefer to complete a paper copy, you can pick one up from your local library.
If you have any questions about the survey or the Healthy Places Joint Strategic Needs Assessment for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, please email healthinallpolicies@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.
CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
More pupils get first choice of secondary school
A greater percentage of Cambridgeshire students will be going to their first choice secondary school this September.
A total of 87.9 per cent have been offered a place at their first choice school—up from 87.1 per cent last year. The proportion offered a place at their first, second or third preference school has also risen, from 95.4 per cent in 2023 to 95.8 per cent this year. The total number of places offered this year was fewer than last – 7,220 compared with 7,413.
Supermarket vouchers
More than 23,000 supermarket vouchers were distributed during the February half term to eligible families in Cambridgeshire.
Ofsted inspection of children’s services
The council’s children’s services has been notified that we will be inspected under the inspection of local authority children’s services (ILACS) framework. This inspection will last for three weeks.
COMMUNITIES SOCIAL MOBILITY & INCLUSION (COSMIC)
Free data SIM cards for low income households
A reminder that Cambridgeshire Libraries are part of Good Things Foundation’s National Databank, O2 and Vodaphone scheme, which makes free data SIM cards or vouchers available to anyone aged 18+ from a low income household. Recipients can self-declare as eligible, and the support is available for a maximum period of twelve months. The data can be used with any SIM-enabled device.
This offer is available at a range of libraries, our surrounding libraries are: Willingham, Bar Hill, Cottenham. Ask library staff for more details.
ENVIRONMENT & GREEN INVESTMENT
The Environment & Green Investment Committee received the council’s carbon footprint report for 2022/23. As usual, this reports on the council’ carbon emissions, and the carbon emissions of the county of Cambridgeshire as a whole.
The Council’s total known greenhouse gas emissions in 2022-23 amounted to 99,104 tonnes CO2e. The largest share, nearly sixty per cent, was from waste, with construction materials second at nineteen per cent, and transport third at ten per cent. This is 46 per cent lower than the council’s baseline year of 2018/19.
For Cambridgeshire as a whole, the most recent year of data is 2021—the figures are published by Government. Total greenhouse gas emissions for Cambridgeshire that year were 6.78 million tonnes CO2e. Transport was the highest emitting sector in the county, accounting for 27 per cent of emissions, followed by land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF), at 23 per cent.
South Cambridgeshire produced the second lowest volume of greenhouse gas emissions per person in the county, mostly from Transport and Domestic. There has been a twenty-five per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in Cambridgeshire between 2005 and 2021. However, there was a 6.1 per cent increase in 2021 compared to 2020, because of the effect of Covid-19 in 2020.
Weekly Food Waste
The Government is moving towards weekly food waste collections across the country, with financial support to district councils for changes to collection of the waste, but not to county councils for disposing of it.
Any councils not taking up the arrangements would be ‘named in legislation’ as being exempt from these collection arrangements, until such time as their existing waste contracts expired. In Cambridgeshire’s case this is 2037, when the PFI contract at Waterbeach ends—a long time to wait.
After prolonged discussion between Cambridgeshire’s county and district councils, they have been able to agree to move to weekly collections, and avoid being listed in the legislation.
Wisbech incinerator given the go-ahead by the Secretary of State
A proposal for a large incinerator in Wisbech was given permission by the Secretary of State last month. Medworth CHP Ltd applied for planning permission to create an energy from waste combined heat and power facility, capable of generating over 50 megawatts of electricity.
Due to the size of the proposed development, the planning inspectorate, rather than any local authority, examined Medworth’s application. The planning inspector made their recommendation to the Secretary of State for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Rt Hon Claire Coutinho MP, who has made the decision to approve the proposal.
Councillors from all parties at Cambridgeshire County Council were united in opposing this development. It was also opposed by Fenland District Council, Norfolk County Council, and the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, as well as hundreds of local Wisbech residents. Fenland District Council has resolved to begin the process of considering whether it has any grounds for judicial review of the decision.
The scale of the development put forward by Medworth CHP and its effects on the surrounding area has raised serious concerns. In representations at the public inquiry earlier in the year, the county council highlighted the impact of the suggested development on the landscape, carbon emissions, and transport links in and around Wisbech.
But when it comes to nationally significant infrastructure projects like this one, the decision—and responsibility for the decision—lies with central government.
In a strange twist, the decision by the Minister was removed from the planning inspectorate’s website the day after it was announced—but it was reinstated within a matter of days. A separate decision by the Environment Agency on permitting for the facility has not yet been made.
Envar incinerator ‘called in’ for Government to decide
The owners of the Envar waste facility at Woodhurst near Somersham are currently appealing against the decision of the county council to refuse their application for a clinical waste incinerator—and an appeal hearing is ongoing. However, the Government has now intervened and ‘recovered’ the application for the Secretary of State to determine. The Planning Inspector will therefore only make recommendations to the Secretary of State.
Community Flood Risk newsletter
The Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Flood and Water Partnership (CPFloW) agreed to start publishing a Community Flood Risk newsletter to help support residents, businesses, and communities in relation to flooding. This will include input from organisations such as the Environment Agency, Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) and water companies.
Reporting flooding
If you are in Cambridgeshire and have experienced flooding, please do report it, even if it is not internal flooding, and even if the immediate danger has passed. In the event of a flood, if there is a threat to life call 999. To report a non-life threatening flood emergency to the police, please call 101.
Outside of those events, the County Council’s flood reporting page https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/travel-roads-and-parking/roads-and-pathways/report-a-flood provides options to:
- Report a flooding problem on roads and pavements
- Report flooding in a property, home or garden
- Report flooding from water pipes or sewers
- Report flooding from surface water, groundwater or ordinary watercourses
- Report flooding from a main river or the sea as well as information on how to prepare for flooding, and flood emergency contacts.
Crucifixion
The skeleton of a man who was crucified in Roman-era Cambridgeshire is on display as part of a blockbuster exhibition at the British Museum, after a loan of the remains was agreed by Cambridgeshire County Council. The British Museum’s exhibition is called Legion: Life in the Roman Army and will run until 23 June 2024 in the Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery.
Discovered as part of an excavation in Fenstanton, the body is only the second confirmed example of the Roman use of this barbaric punishment ever unearthed, and the first found in Europe. It was possible to prove death took place through crucifixion, as a nail was found lodged in the man’s heel.
The find was the subject of a BBC4 documentary, ‘The Cambridgeshire Crucifixion’, which aired in January. It showed a facial reconstruction of the man as well as scientific analyses which indicated that he was likely to have been a lower status Briton who lived his whole life in Cambridgeshire.
Once the exhibition ends, the remains will be transferred back into the guardianship of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Historic Environment Team.
HIGHWAYS & TRANSPORT
Weeds Policy
The council’s Highways & Transport Committee has changed its policy on highways weed spraying. It will now be reverting to regular twice-yearly weed killing in the places where it used to do this before last year’s policy change. Communities which do not want chemical weed spraying in their area will however be able to opt out in favour of manual weed removal by volunteers.
Cllr Alex Beckett, chair of the Highways and Transport Committee at Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “I know we didn’t get this change right, which is why I asked for a review of the policy. While some communities really appreciated the reduction in chemical weed killing, a large number did not. Local decision making is important, we have listened to that feedback and hope these new changes, if approved, will allow those communities who wish to continue without chemical weed killing to do so whilst allowing those who preferred the previous regime to go back to that.”
Further details can be found on our website with links to the papers incl. response to survey, survey trends and YouTube recording: https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/news/weed-changes-set-to-be-discussed
Active Travel Maintenance
The Highways & Transport Committee has approved changes to the Highways Operational Standards to improve recognition of, and response to, faults on cycleways and footways. These changes will help ensure a safe environment for cyclists and pedestrians, encouraging and facilitating active travel.
Gulley clearing
The council’s Joint Administration has reinstated the programme of regular, cyclical gully clearing that the previous Conservative administration ceased—a decision which had contributed to many local flooding problems. The programme has completed my ward and reports have been requested.
Highways capital programme
A draft highways capital spending programme has been put to the council’s Highways & Transport Committee for comment. It remains in draft only, and further work will be done to prioritise the use of the council’s capital funding.
B1050 Hattons Road Bridge (flyover the A1307)
Both Cambridgeshire County Council and National highways are working jointly to address the embankment settlement issues at Bar Hill A14 Interchange and B1050 Hattons Rd bridge.
In October 2022 Cambridgeshire County Council undertook surface repairs to the B1050 Bar Hill Interchange bridge following numerous complaints from vehicle users. However, by January 2023 further movement/settlement was becoming evident at both sites and warning signs were installed.
Further settlement has continued to occur, so that further temporary surface patches have been needed at Hattons Rd Bridge.
In parallel to this both National Highways and Cambridgeshire County Council are going to install some soil monitoring equipment to try to ascertain what is happening to the embankment fill materials (12 month period) with a view to gaining data to enable a long term solution to the settlement issues.
A14 Trees
National Highways have reported that the replanting is progressing well. Despite the recent inclement weather, they are still on schedule to complete the exercise by the end of March. It should be noted that any further poor weather may extend the replanting although April still provides a good environment (again subject to weather!). You may have noticed the new earthy coloured tree stumps that are now being used on our end of the A14 corridor, they are non-plastic fully biodegradable tree guards which National Highways are using for all replanting on the project. The tree guards have also won an award just before Christmas. The project is currently the largest user of this product in the country.
Ward News for Over
Here is a summary update of the highways matters for Over:
- 5A bus – a local resident has raised concerns with timings of this route as follows: any improvements envisaged for this service as spring approaches? Possibly an evening service and some buses on Sundays. The viability of the weekday services would be improved by alternating the direction of travel. I have written back copying in all parties including Stagecoach.
- Fen End sewage flooding issues – these do not fall under the County Council remit, but we are still conducting a way of raising these issues to Anglian Water from across the County.
- Glover Street – Recent failed repairs were picked up by the contractor at no extra cost. More intervention level works have now been ordered along this stretch.
- Long Furlong – Intervention level defects x 25 have been raised under an urgent order.
- Anglesey Way – trees and vegetation has been flailed back due to overhanging the carriageway.
- Anglesey Way – Reported pothole repairs have been ordered.
- Mill Road – Pothole repairs that have been missed have been ordered on an urgent order.
- Longstanton Road – Vegetation blocking views of the 30 MPH signs on entering the village; work to remedy was completed 07/03/24
- Junction of Mill Road/Willingham Road – Trees and hedges have been cut back now next to the community orchard.
- Willingham Road – New pothole has been marked and repair ordered
Reports are coming in faster than the Highways can respond to them, they are continually working on the potholes, this is probably 80% of the issues. They are at the moment just working on reactive works but as we come towards the end of March, they will be looking at more preventative works as we move into the better weather.
Please keep reporting any potholes or issues on the roads and footways on the reporting tool below, even if someone else has reported it. This will alert the Local Highways Officer and inspectors as they are out and about. Reporting it solely on Facebook will not reach the Highways officers. Also note that not all potholes will need to meet intervention levels.
You can report highways faults online using this hyperlink: Report a highways fault – Cambridgeshire County Council.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the above, or any other matters.
Firouz Thompson, County Councillor for Longstanton, Northstowe, Over and Oakington & Westwick
Email: firouz.thompson@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
For those on social media we have a highly active Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/libdems3rdMay18 – Over & Willingham
