Ros Hathorn, 76 Cambridge Road, Impington, Cambridge CB24 9NU Ros.Hathorn@cambridgeshire.gov.uk Tel: 07548 745197  https://hiopcouncillors.org

CONTENTS: Government’s White Paper on democracy and local government reorganisation, Funding to County Councils, Council Budget, Social Care Reform in 2028, £10m to Highways Maintenance, Continuation of £2 fare cap in Cambridgeshire until March 2025, Bus franchising decision, £850,000 to Citizens Advice for income maximisation advice support

The White Paper on local government and democracy gives the Mayor a lot more powers; health, police, fire, planning, transport and more.  As the Mayor won’t have the capacity to manage all these it will lead to Mayor’s recruiting unelected commissioners on large salaries.  Already the Combined Authority has no mechanism of talking to or understanding the bus issues relating to local communities, unless a Mayor is elected with a comprehensive strategy of how they will understand local issues don’t expect things to improve. From my perspective that is the question parish councils and people should be asking – how will you have any understanding of what happens here, what mechanisms are you going to be put in place because more consultations that feel anonymous and futile is not the answer.

District and County Councillors are unsurprisingly far more excited about the proposals for county and district councils to merge and become unitary authorities which is given far less attention in the white paper. It’s worth understanding that this is legislation from 2007.  The white paper talks about how local councils are expected to reach consensus and submit proposals by May 2025 (6 weeks of which County Councils will be out of action whilst local elections are running and where councils’ political make up may completely change).  The end game is a significant reduction in local councillors and suggested efficiencies through larger organisation of services which as we see at the Combined Authority are far harder for local residents to engage with.  Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are very unlikely to have a consensus proposal by March (although this is unhelpfully taking up a lot of time and energy and council leaders could submit this without discussion with other councillors).

The county council has not submitted a proposal to become a unitary authority as of when I’m writing this report and there has been no request to delay elections on May 1 for county councillors.

Funding to County Councils, we have yet to see what the new government’s approach is but it is very likely the formula they choose will prioritise areas with the greatest deprivation and Cambridgeshire will not do well from the new settlements.

The County Council will set it’s budget on 11 February.  Each year councils are required to set a balanced budget for the year ahead this is very challenging;

• -there is growing demand for services and increasing complexity of health and care needs
• -inflation
• -market failures in services such as provision for children in care with high demand insufficient supply, provider profiteering and diminished council negotiating power.

The totality of the gross budget including schools and services funded by specific grants is expected to be over £1.1billion for 2025-26.  Of this over half (£567 million) is proposed to be spent on children, education and families and health and adult social care.  In December councillors were told that efficiencies and savings or additional income of £34 million would be needed to set a balanced budget for 2025-26 and considered draft proposals to achieve this.  However the coming five years show an overall funding gap of £132 million of which £73 million is not yet addressed.

Social care reform but not until 2028 The government has promised to finally ‘grasp the nettle on social care reform’ but not until 2028,  when the proposed commission chaired by Baroness Louise Casey is not due to publish it’s final report until then whilst councils and providers across the country are on their knees and calling on the government to move faster.

£10 million for highways maintenance.  The government announced how much Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will received with a quarter being held back until councils have met certain criteria as yet to be disclosed.   This money goes through the mayor’s office who allocate it to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough by a mathematical formula. In Cambridgeshire alone the backlog of highways maintenance is £600million so whilst much needed this money is far short of what is needed.

Combined Authority £2 capped bus fares The Combined Authority voted to keep the bus fares at £2 per trip whilst the government funded fare cap has increased to £3.  This fare cap will rise to £3 in March. Capped £1 Tiger fares for young people will continue beyond this date although a future mayor could stop them.

Bus Franchising the vote on whether Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s buses should move to a franchised model comes to the Combined Authority on February 6 2025 following last years consultation.

£850,000 for Citizens Advice to advise residents on income maximisation making people aware of benefits they are entitled to. This proposal was agreed at the Communities committee as the most effective way of using a portion of the government’s household support fund.

INFORMATION

Report a Highways fault If you see a problem; blocked gully/ drain, pot hole or other Highways issue please report it using the tool below. https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/travel-roads-and-parking/roads-and-pathways/roadworks-and-faults

Adult care assessment Call centre: 0345 045 5202  8am – 6pm Mon to Fri,  9am – 1pm Sat https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/adults/organising-care-and-support/care-needs-assessment Do get in touch with me directly if you have any problems, questions or concerns.

I’ve got a problem who do I contact? Organisational structure in Cambridgeshire is complicated, just ask the question.  Email me, a District Councillor or the Parish Clerk we’ll all point you to the right person.

Government Structure in Cambridgeshire  detailing responsibilities

County Council; education, transport, highways, heritage, social care, libraries, trading standards, ­waste management, maintaining their estate.

District Council; council tax payments, household bin collections, housing and housing benefits, council leisure facilities, environmental health, residential planning, local emergency, community policing contact point.

Parish/ Community Council; looking after community buildings, open spaces, allotments, play areas, bus shelters, community projects.

Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) ‘The local delivery body for a City Deal with central Government worth up to £500 million over 15 years to deliver infrastructure (decarbonising transport), 44,000 new jobs, 33,500 new homes and 420 additional apprenticeships.’ Partnership between Cambridge City Council, Cambridgeshire County Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, University of Cambridge

The Combined Authority, Cambridge and Peterborough, our elected Mayor (CPCA)  A board consisting of representatives from the District, City and County Councils and Peterborough Unitary Authority, headed by the Mayor.   Responsible for – Business support, skills, housing, transport strategy-liaising with Department of Transport, environment, international, digital connectivity, resilience, research and strategy and new homes.

Police and Crime Commissioner, Fire Authority, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough separate democratically accountable organisations responsible for the scrutiny of these essential services.