Your Councillors are always ready to help. If you have any questions about these – or indeed any other – matters, please do not hesitate to contact:
Pippa Heylings : cllr.heylings@scambs.gov.uk M: 07837228146
Martin Cahn : cllr.cahn@scambs.gov.uk M:07826748407
Sunita Hansraj : cllr.hansraj@scambs.gov.uk M: 07584671322

CIVILITY IN PUBLIC LIFE

This motion was submitted jointly by the Leader of the Council and the Leader of the Opposition. The motion read “The intimidation and abuse of councillors, in person or otherwise undermines democracy; preventing elected members from representing the communities they serve, deterring individuals from standing for election, and undermining public life in democratic processes. This Council notes that increasing levels of toxicity in public and political discourse is having a detrimental impact on local democracy and that prevention, support and responses to abuse and intimidation of local politicians must improve to ensure councillors feel safe and able to continue representing their residents’. The text of the motion went on to say that the Council should have a zero tolerance approach to abuse of councillors and officers and listed a number of actions. The motion was carried unanimously.

DRINK AND DRUG DRIVING

The Police have asked us to publicise the confidential hotline to report suspected drink or drug drivers. The hotline: 0800 032 0845 is available 24/7. If someone is in immediate danger always call 999

FREE SCHOOL MEALS

You may remember the Free School Meals campaign that, as District Councillors, we led together with the HI Covid Coordinating Team and implemented successfully with the generosity of residents and support from the Heads of our local schools and local charity HI Friends. We also sent letters requesting our local MPs and government to provide funding to cover all holidays. That was not forthcoming. That is why it was an important decision by the County Council to commit funding to cover all holiday periods last year. The County Council has committed to holiday meal vouchers for a further year. Given that we are in a cost-of-living crisis it is hardly surprising requests for free school meals during term time have increased by 24% in the past 16 months.

Please just google ‘Cambridgeshire free school meals’ to find out more about support and how to access it

MORE MONEY TO DECARBONISE COUNCIL HOUSES

Since declaring a climate emergency and setting its net zero target, Cllr Pippa Heylings and Cllr Martin Cahn, as Chair and Vice Chair of the Climate Change and Environment Committee, have
been pushing for the Council to do an audit of its own Council and also housing to understand how many homes have already had retrofitting through government Warm Grants Schemes and how many still needed retrofitting – and how much it would cost to make the remaining homes insulated so they’re warm and cheaper, something that’s critical given the volatility of energy prices. This has led to the first deep audit and the development of a new SCDC Asset Strategy that looks to ensure maintenance of residents, Council homes as well as ways to decarbonise our stock and keep energy bills down. Given Council funding, it is very difficult to fund the scale of retrofit needed alone. That is why we agreed to fund some additional time for an officer to find and apply for big government grants.

We are very happy that SCDC has successfully bid for 1.7 million Government funding to continue work to decarbonise Council homes. This will be added to projects the council has already started to improve the fabric of Council homes. It will also support the other measures being put in place to help the Council achieve its own and the Government’s Net Zero targets The District Council owns and maintains around 5,600 Council homes in South Cambridgeshire.

ZERO CARBON COMMUNITIES’ GRANTS

It was also through the Climate Change and Environment Committee recommendations that the Zero Carbon Community Scheme was created. We are now running the fourth round of the Grant scheme which has opened for 2023 to encourage exciting community projects that reduce carbon emissions and engage local people about climate change. Community groups are invited to bid for a share of 125,000, with the scheme closing on June 2nd.

Previous projects have included cooking classes that reduce food waste, tree planting, a community e-bike rental scheme, solar panels for village halls and a men’s mental health and wellbeing project that runs a mobile library for gardening equipment and tool hire. Parish councils and non-profit groups or organisations that are based in the district can apply.
Groups can apply to the grant scheme by visiting www.scambs.gov.uk/zerocarbongrants

PAYING COUNCIL BILLS

More people pay their council bills online or by direct debit. However we know that some people will be unable to do use these methods of payment. Council house rents can be paid by phone, if this is not working for you please let SCDC know. The cash payment office at South Cambs was closed because payment of invoices by cash declined. Cash payments can be made at Cambridge City Council cash office which remains open. There is also the facility to have a payment card issued which enables customers to pay at banks or post offices by cash or cheque. Just let the council know if this method would suit you.

ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

A recent spate of anti-social behaviour in Orchard Park has caused residents distress and has also caused damage to property. On one occasion around 15 children were involved in throwing stones at Marmalade Lane and passers-by including a toddler. Most of the children involved were identified and we found that not all children were residents of Orchard Park.

Cllr Sunita Hansraj spent a lot of time talking to residents and passing on information received to the Community Safety Partnership and the Police. Orchard Park has been granted funding for a part time youth worker to help with this disruptive behaviour. At present the measures we used seem to have contained this behaviour but will continue to be alert and responsive to it. As District Councillors together with Orchard Park Community Council, we have planned a further meeting with the Community Safety Partnership and residents to discuss the issue and ways forward to be held on the 10th of May

TAXIS IN SOUTH CAMBRIDGESHIRE

Taxis registered in South Cambridgeshire will be required to have CCTV installed in their cabs. This is for the safety of the drivers and their passengers

WARM HUBS – EVALUATION REPORT PUBLISHED

Using funding provided by the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Integrated Care System, we were able to commission Cambridgeshire ACRE to establish and run Warm Hubs in locations across the district through the winter. 25 Warm Hubs ran across South Cambridgeshire this winter, with more than 3,000 visits recorded up to the start of March. Some will now evolve into Community Wellbeing Hubs, offering more services. In the meantime, Cambridgeshire ACRE have just published an interesting and useful Evaluation Report on the project. This gives extensive insight into the difference Warm Hubs have made whilst they have been open in our communities this winter. You can view the full report here or the shorter infographic-based version here. Note that Cambridgeshire ACRE were also commissioned by East Cambridgeshire District Council to run Warm Hubs in East Cambs, so the report covers both districts.