Councillors James Hutchcraft and Aisha Rashid

June 2026

Both Aisha and I are privileged and honoured to be writing our first monthly District Councillor report for Over and Willingham Parishes and even more humbled to have been elected by the residents of our two villages to represent their views at South Cambridgeshire District Council.

Since being elected on 7th May, and as new first-time councillors, we have thrown ourselves into the various induction and training events hosted throughout the last few weeks as well as undertaking a handover process with outgoing and retiring Councillor Bill Handley. We would like to take this moment to thank Bill for all his diligent hard work over the last eight years and we wish him well in the future.

Annual Meeting of South Cambridgeshire District Council

Both Aisha and I attended the first full council meeting of the new session on Thursday 21st May 2026. This was largely a procedural meeting where a Chair and Vice-Chair of the Council were appointed as well as the leader of the council. Importantly council member nominations were confirmed and approved for various committees and external bodies. 

I was proud to be confirmed as a member of the Civic Affairs Committee and Joint Planning

Advisory Group as well as the SCDC representative on the Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Panel and the Over & Willingham Internal Drainage Board. Aisha was confirmed as a member of the Licensing Committee and the Employment & Staffing Committee in addition to the SCDC representative on the Needingworth Quarry Liaison Committee.

Zero Carbon Communities Grant

SCDCs Zero Carbon Communities Grant is now open, and Willingham and Over Parish Councils or local community groups may be interested to know if they are eligible to apply. 

Grants of between £2,000 and £19,500 are available, with £152,000 to be awarded in total, so if there is a project that could reduce carbon emissions or encourage more sustainable living, this could be the funding to make it happen. Eligible projects might include improving energy efficiency of a community building through insulation, heat pumps, solar panels or LED lighting, supporting low-carbon travel such as cycling infrastructure, or community-led initiatives around waste reduction, nature, or sustainable lifestyles.

For full details visit the Zero Carbon Communities Grant page on the South Cambs website, or feel free to contact myself or Aisha at cllr.hutchcraft@scambs.gov.uk or cllr.rashid@scambs.gov.uk. The deadline for applications is 5pm on Friday 24 July 2025.

Local Government Reorganisation: Where Are We Now?

The process of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is moving forward at pace, with a number of significant milestones ahead. Following the MHCLG consultation earlier this year, a decision announcement is expected in July 2026. If confirmed, a Structural Changes Order (SCO) would follow in late 2026, with the legislation needing to pass through Parliament. The SCO will formally establish the new unitary authority, setting out names, boundaries, electoral arrangements, and the vesting day for new councils as well as the abolition date for existing ones, which would cut current councillors’ terms short by two years.

Elections to a shadow authority are anticipated for 6th May 2027, with the shadow authority meeting and appointing its executive and interim statutory officers by 20th May 2027. The expected vesting day, when the new authority becomes fully operational and South Cambridgeshire District Council is wound up, is 1st April 2028. In the intervening period, Joint Committees will play a crucial role in overseeing the transition, with political membership drawn from both county and district councils. MHCLG has committed to consulting closely on the content of the SCO, particularly around transitional and electoral arrangements, though it is acknowledged that further “mop up” legislation may be needed further down the line. Residents can expect more updates as the process develops.

First Faith and Community Site Allocated in Northstowe

Inevitably the further and future development in Northstowe will continue to have an impact on village life in Over and Willingham and will be of interest and concern to residents of the ward. 

One recent milestone worth noting is the allocation of the first community faith site in the new town.

Following a year-long bidding process run by South Cambridgeshire District Council, Northstowe Church Network was recommended for a 999-year leasehold on a 0.25-hectare plot off Stirling Road, having scored 81% against the agreed assessment criteria, compared to 65% for the other applicant, Hindu Samaj Northstowe. The process involved an eight-member panel, two external specialists, and a public survey which drew 440 responses.

This is the first of four planned opportunities for faith and community groups to secure land in Northstowe with further sites anticipated in the town centre and within phase 3 of the development. The matter will be considered at the Scrutiny and Overview Committee on 4th June before a final decision at Cabinet on 23rd June. With around 1,700 homes now occupied in a town planned to eventually reach 10,000, the provision of community and faith spaces will play an increasingly important role in shaping the character and cohesion of this growing new town on our doorstep.

High Court Injunction: West of Moor Drove, Histon/Cottenham

We are aware of concerns relating to potential unauthorised sites in Willingham in recent weeks. It may therefore be of interest to residents that South Cambridgeshire District Council has been granted a High Court injunction under Section 187B of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 against persons unknown in relation to land west of Moor Drove, Histon/Cottenham. The temporary injunction was granted on 24th May 2026 by The Honourable Mr Justice Mansfield and prevents any further unauthorised works or development continuing on the site.

The matter came to light over the bank holiday weekend when significant works were identified on the land, with the apparent intention of establishing a large traveller site in the green belt. Officers and legal advisors acted swiftly, submitting an emergency injunction application on the Sunday, with the judge granting the order the same evening. The Council subsequently worked with the police to serve notice on the site and secure drone footage as a record of its condition at the point of service. The matter returns to court in early June and while there remains some way to go, the swift securing of the injunction was an important first step in protecting this green belt land from unauthorised development.

Cllr James Hutchcraft                                                  Cllr Aisha Rashid

District Councillor for Over & Willingham                         District Councillor for Over & Willingham