Combined Authority is asking the Public to have their say on the medium term financial plan

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CAMBRIDGESHIRE & Peterborough Combined Authority are asking members of the public and stakeholders to have their say on its draft Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP covering 2023-2027) in a consultation which will run until 13th January 2023.
 The MTFP sets out how The Combined Authority’s strategy and priority projects, including in transport, housing, skills and business support can be sustainably funded.

The Combined Authority cannot achieve the scale of its ambition with its resources alone and so will seek to work collaboratively with its constituent council partners, the Government, and local businesses to leverage other funding sources and ensure that the maximum impact, and value for money, can be delivered from the resources devolved to the area.

Last year the Combined Authority successfully worked with partners to secure an additional c.£20million for the region. This has funded work like Skills Bootcamps to support people taking the next step in their career and help local businesses grow.

Members of the public will be able to have their say on the Combined Authority’s strategic priorities which will drive decision making until 2025. Those strategic priorities are:

  • Achieving Good Growth

The Combined Authority will make investments to ensure that the economy of the area continues to grow.

Focusing on increasing the value of the economy more equitably across our region increasing productivity, innovation and attracting more businesses to deliver higher wages and sustainable employment. Investment will be targeted towards those areas that need it most such as parts of the Fens, Peterborough, and Market Towns.

  • Increased Connectivity

The Combined Authority will work to make it easier to move around the region or to work or do business online.

Delivering a sustainable, modern, resilient, integrated, and affordable transport system for the people and businesses of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Investing in digital connectivity so more people and businesses can benefit from technology.

  • Ambitious Skills and Employment Opportunities

The Combined Authority will work to create an inclusive and world-class local skills system.

It will raise ambitions and match the needs of employers, learners and communities to enable a successful, globally competitive economy; offering high-skilled, well-paid and good quality jobs to deliver increased productivity and prosperity for our communities.

  • Enabling Resilient Communities

The Combined Authority will make a range of investments to tackle future climate change as well as supporting communities to adapt.

It will address the decline in biodiversity and enable communities to respond to financial and social crises, looking to extend cultural opportunities for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to be a great place to live and work.

As reported to the Combined Authority Board on 30th November, £3.5million needs to be found in 2023 to help keep Combined Authority-supported bus routes going

In October of this year, Stagecoach East withdrew from 18 services and reduced a further 5 bus routes citing that declining bus travel compounded by the pandemic made these routes financially unsustainable. This led to an outpouring from the public, councillors and MPs who advocated that these services are vital to getting so many residents to school and work. Moreover, bus services provide a positive impact for residents who are not frequent bus users; for every £1 invested in local bus priority measures can deliver up to £7 of net economic benefit.

The Combined Authority stepped up to fund bus service provision on the cancelled routes until April 2023, to the tune of £1.25million. If these services are to continue, they need to be paid for.

The MTFP consultation includes an opportunity for the public to feedback on how they want their bus services to be funded, including whether they would support a Mayoral Precept as well as other options.

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough devolution deal allows the Mayor to raise a ‘Mayoral precept’ from every household in the region to fund activities for mayoral functions such as transport. The Precept is the amount Cambridgeshire and Peterborough council tax payers contribute towards the Combined Authority within their council tax bill.

Deputy Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, Cllr Anna Smith, said: “The Combined Authority fully understands that many people are feeling the effects of the cost-of-living crisis. Similarly, public services are facing difficulties in balancing service demands, inflation and rising costs. It’s a tough financial landscape that is compounded by historical underfunding in our region.

“Sadly Government spends only £16 per head on public transport in the East of England as opposed to £32 per head in Yorkshire and Humber or £36 per head in East Midlands.

“The public response to this consultation will be discussed at a Combined Authority board meeting on 25th January 2023. Please take this opportunity to tell us what you think of this financial plan.”

The consultation can be accessed here.

Survey closes 13th January 2023 at 5PM.

Hard copies of the MTFP consultation materials and survey form are available on request. For this, or other questions, please call 01480 277180 or email . ​

Watercourse Guidance

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Cambridgeshire County Council has prepared guidance documents for county residents to inform them about their rights and responsibilities in maintaining watercourses. The objectives are to provide detailed information on rights and responsibilities for maintenance, guidance on watercourses, and how to reinstate a piped or culverted watercourse.

The Watercourse Guidance covers everything that can affect watercourse maintenance, from birds and bats to hedges, highways, and ancient monuments. There are eight documents available on the website: Watercourse guidance – Cambridgeshire County Council

 

PR0864 – Proposed 30mph Speed Limit on The Green and Hilton Road, Hilton.

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Hilton Parish Council’s bid for a reduction in the speed limit across the Green from 40mph to 30mph has reached the formal consultation stage.

This scheme involves changing the signs and potentially a painted “30” roundel on the road where the first 40mph sign is, just round the corner from Hampden House on the way to Hilton End Farm. The Council has declined to install roundels across the Green and has not considered installing speed reduction measures across the Green, as it would spoil our fabulous village asset.

Hilton Parish Council would like to encourage all parishioners to respond in support of this application. Details of how to respond are below:

Cambridgeshire County Council (The Green and Hilton Road, Hilton) (30mph Speed Limit) Order 202-

Cambridgeshire County Council proposes to make an Order under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and all other enabling powers. The effect of this Order will be to reduce the existing 40mph speed limit to 30mph on The Green (two sections) and Hilton Road, Hilton. For further details of the above proposals, including a drawing showing the specific lengths of road subject to this proposal, please visit our permanent traffic regulation orders page and select PR0864. To request copies of documents please telephone 0345 045 5212 or use the e-mail address below. Objections to the above proposals, stating the grounds on which they are made, or any other comments must be sent in writing to the undersigned or by email to by 21st December 2022 quoting reference PR0864. Comments received will be used as part of our consultation process and may be published, but will be anonymised, in any reports.
Steve Cox, Executive Director, Place and Sustainability, c/o Policy and Regulation, Box No.D8E, Huntingdon Highways Depot, Stanton Way, Huntingdon PE29 6PY

Cricket Pavilion Refurbishment

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Hilton Parish Council has agreed the specifications for the refurbishment of Hilton Cricket Pavilion, which has now been published on Contracts Finder. The specifications for the refurbishment are below:

Specification 1
Fit glazed windows to the front – Hardwood flush casement
Insulate loft area – 250mm mineral wool
Insulate external walls – Method to be agreed
Remove internal walls and build stud walls to new layout-TBC
Strip wood T&G, baton & dryline with plasterboard and skim throughout
Plasterboard and skim ceilings
Replace plumbing
Add central heating system (Air source heat pump)
Make good septic tank if necessary
Replace WC (x2), remove shower, WC to suit disabled requirements
Replace electrics, rewire throughout, new consumer unit
Replace lighting – Ceiling spots and wall lights
New external lighting on PIR sensors
Replace kitchenette
Replace external doors and frames – Hardwood ledged
New disability access to west wall
Decorate throughout
Replace flooring – engineered wood boards
Replace missing roof tiles
Fit new protective window lattice screens
Fit retractable dividers to changing room and kitchenette
Fit new external lighting

Specification 2
All the above plus:
Baton and shiplap board external surfaces in larch or oak
Replace six brick peers with cast aluminium posts
Place rainwater goods with galvanised steel

The plans for the current and refurbished pavilion are below:

22-23-172. HPC18003-01 Plan Existing

22-23-172. Pavilion-Plan View-02

If you would like any further information, or would like to quote for this work, please contact the Clerk – or 830605.

Thermal Imaging Camera

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The Parish Council received a suggestion that it could organise a thermal imaging camera to assist parishioners in identifying areas of their home where there is heat loss. If there is sufficient interest, the Parish Council will organise a co-operative project for parishioners to hire a camera, at the parishioners’ shared cost. If you would like to be involved in this project please contact the Clerk – or 830605.

Dredging

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The dredging work is due to start today and will remove the silt from the two ponds in Graveley Way, the pond at the Cross Roads, the pond outside the Village Hall and Reeves Ditch in the High Street. This is to increase the capacity of the ponds in the village and improve the water flow through the village. The dredged material will be deposited on the Wilderness initially, and then spread over the Wilderness and Green at a later date. The work is due to last 1-2 weeks. Please be cautious when walking near any machinery, particularly with dogs on the Wilderness.

Christmas and New Year Waste Collection Arrangements

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Please find below some information regarding waste collections during Christmas and New Year and some additional information which I hope you will find useful

 

During the Christmas and New Year period waste collection days will change which can be seen in the table below.

Residents can also download a collection calendar from www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/bins

 

Scheduled Day of Collection Revised Day of Collection
Monday 19 December Saturday 17 December
Tuesday 20 December Monday 19 December
Wednesday 21 December Tuesday 20 December
Thursday 22 December Wednesday 21 December
Friday 23 December Thursday 22 December
Monday 26 December Friday 23 December

 

There are no further amendments to collections days after Monday 26 December. 

Our collection crews will be working on the following Bank Holiday’s – Tuesday 27th December and Monday 2 January.

 

The household recycling centres will close at 1pm on Christmas Eve and will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.  Visit www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk for more information.

 

Christmas Tree Recycling

Real trees can be placed by the side of the garden bin on collection day.  If the tree is bigger than the bin we ask that it is chopped in half.

The Household Recycling Centres will also take Christmas trees.

 

We will be informing residents of these changes via a bin hanger (a copy is attached for your records) which will be placed on grey bins over the next two weeks.  We will also be posting on our social media sites too. (Facebook – Huntingdonshire Recycles, Twitter – HDC Recycles)

 

East West Rail Accessibility Advisory Panel

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Message from East-West Rail:

We want to build a better and inclusive railway that works for everyone. To help us do that, we’re setting up an Accessibility Advisory Panel to help us understand the barriers for disabled passengers and ensure we arrive at inclusive and innovative solutions.

The panel will consist of up to eight people who live in the area between Oxford and Cambridge, representing a broad range of disabled people and impairments. They will meet on a bi-monthly basis, either in person or via Teams/Zoom.

As Local Representatives, we’re asking if you could kindly share this information with your communities. More information about how to apply to the Accessibility Advisory Panel can be found here.

Health and Wellbeing Project Questionnaire

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Hilton Parish Council has been offered the opportunity to bid for funding from the NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care System via Huntingdonshire District Council to improve the health and wellbeing of the residents of Hilton. The first step in this process is to identify the needs of our residents. We invite you to complete this short survey and would encourage all members of your household to contribute. If the boxes don’t suit your household, please complete more than one. Please click here to complete this survey  by Friday 25th November.

Alternatively, just drop your completed paper survey to 10 Church End (please note that this is not Church Lane) or in the box at the shop.

If you wish to be contacted about the outcome of this survey please provide your details on the last page. If you have any queries please contact the Clerk— or 830605.

 

Important roadworks information: A1307, junction 24 – slip road lighting renewal

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Information received from National Highways:

 

A1307, junction 24 – slip road lighting renewal

 

Earlier this year, we started work to renew the lighting on the A1307 slip roads at junction 24. We wasn’t able to complete all the works we needed to complete the project. We plan to complete this work over 2 nights on Monday 21 November and Tuesday 22 November, between 8pm and 5am, weather permitting.

 

Closures and diversions

To carry out the work safely, there will be a lane closure on the roundabout at junction 24. We’ll also need to close each of the slip roads, which will be done 2 in phases, as set out in the table below:

 

Closure points Dates Diversion route
A1307 junction 24 westbound entry and exit slip Monday 21 November

 

 Entry slip diversion

Traffic will be diverted to junction 26 and return.

 

Exit slip diversion

Traffic will be diverted to junction 23 and return.
A1307 junction 24 eastbound entry slip and exit slip Tuesday 22 November Entry slip diversion
Traffic will be diverted to junction 23 and return.

 

Exit slip diversion
Traffic will be diverted to junction 26 and return.

 

How to find out more

To find out more about road improvements we’re carrying out across the East of England, please visit our website at https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-work/east/.

 

If you would like more information, please contact us on 0300 123 5000, or by email at