Meet our brilliant candidates standing for the 3 District Council seats here; Martin Cahn, James Rixon and Geo Sebastian in their own words. In reverse alphabetical order. All standing for election on May 7 2026. All of them are hardworking local people committed to sensible, community focussed action and ensuring that the District council works as effectively as possible in an ongoingly challenging environment.

Geo Sebastian

I am an NHS nurse. That is where everything starts for me. Working on the frontline has shaped who I am and how I see my community. My first step into politics came from campaigning on the nurses’ NMC registration issue. This campaign now has more than 42,000 supporters across the UK. It showed me that speaking up really does matter, and it still guides me every day.

Every shift reminds me how stretched our health service has become. Staff are doing their best, but the pressure is constant. People in Histon, Impington and Orchard Park tell me they feel it too. They struggle to get a GP appointment, they wait too long for NHS dentists, and they feel let down when they need help most. That is why I support the GP surgery planned for Darwin Green. I am pushing for it to open as soon as possible. It would ease pressure on existing practices and give residents more choice. As a nurse, I see the strain clearly, and I know the questions we should be asking to make sure our community gets the care it deserves. Better access, earlier support and more joined‑up care must be part of that.

I love spending time in Histon and Impington. It is a place with many clubs, groups and activities. I am fond of Impington Windmill. I made a story video about it, and it featured on the BBC. I am proud to have played a part in sharing its history with the BBC.

Helping at the HiSUS Imaginarium in Histon was a highlight. It was a creative day that showed how much pride people have in their community. The Histon and Impington litter pickers inspired me to start a group in Orchard Park. It has been brilliant watching neighbours come together to look after our streets and create cleaner, greener spaces for everyone.

Locally, there are issues I will keep pushing on. In Orchard Park, some residents live on unadopted roads that developers have failed to maintain. Families with neurodiverse children face long waits and too much paperwork. Unpaid carers hold everything together. They deserve recognition and support.

https://www.facebook.com/LibDems4HIOP

James Rixon

I have been proud to serve as a South Cambridgeshire District Councillor over the last year and a half and excited for the opportunity to stand again to represent residents of Histon, Impington and Orchard Park.

With my wife and two children I have lived in Histon for three full and enjoyable years.

Professionally I am a registered Architect and Co-director of a successful architecture practice specialising in retrofit and low energy design. Additionally I am a certified passive house designer and qualified retrofit coordinator.  I am passionate about reducing the carbon impact of the built environment and collaborating with other disciplines to achieve net zero.

In my time as District Councillor I have put my professional knowledge to good use within the Council itself by sitting as the Vice-Chair of the Climate Change Advisory Committee and as a member of the Planning Committee. However more importantly I have used my knowledge of planning, environment and project management to help residents with local issues. Whether that’s assisting groups and individuals with navigating and understanding the planning system or wider issues of collaboration, community group engagement and environmental impact.

If I were to be re-elected I would continue working to represent the interests of our thriving communities and helping residents with issues that matter directly to them. I will continue to champion initiatives that improve our relationship with nature and reduce our collective impact on the environment and use my position to support residents in collaborating and contributing to our fantastic communities.

Martin Cahn

Let me introduce myself – I am Martin Cahn, your district councillor for the last eight years. I have lived in the village for the last 14 years, with sons going to IVC and my wife serving on the Parish Council.  

Like many in the village, we are a multicultural family. My father arrived as a refugee; my mother has deep roots in the area; my grandmother was brought up in the Cambridge area. I met my wife, Aga, when I lived in Europe; we both know from experience what it is like to have to juggle languages and cultures, an experience typical of many of the ward’s inhabitants and which gives depth to our lives.

Following a biology degree and Ph.D. in ecology, I worked in or with local authorities throughout my life. I was a pioneer local authority ecologist for 17 years (secretary of the national association), establishing new nature reserves. Later I networked between European local authorities on sustainable energy issues. A qualified planner, I have been on Planning Committee for eight years now. I was a strong environmentalist before it was fashionable.

I love working on your behalf to help, protect and improve our environment. Providing strong support for environmentally-friendly policies supports our enthusiastic officers. Many local opportunities arise without warning – and we can set the right framework for those decisions in effective environmental and social actions delivered with compassion and care. Our team can build on our achievements in protecting the Green Belt environment and saving carbon, setting up a strong basis for the newly merged authority that will replace us. This will be vital if it is to continue to deliver for the next fifty years.

I hope to be able to continue to provide the knowledge, support and judgement to both provide new opportunities here, for instance in the design of the new Darwin Green Park in our ward, and to protect the local community from local environmental and social problems through the planning process.