Information

James Timpson OBE will be giving a lecture on practical insights of prison reform, together with his commitment to seeing a step change in the way the system deals with offenders, will make a positive contribution to the Trust and the people it supports.

Where: Queens Building, Emmanuel College, Cambridge

When: Wednesday 8 March 2017 at 6pm

Cost: Tickets are £23 per head

For more information, please contact Gavin Lamb on 01473 705034.

The annual celebration of outstanding contributors to our communities takes place in the Chamber next Thursday evening, 9th March.  Awards will be presented for best Environment project, best Wellbeing initiative, Parish Councillor of the Year, Outstanding Youth Initiative, Outstanding Local Service or Amenity and Village Hero. 

Members are welcome to attend.  Please note that due to space restrictions, we are not able to extend the invitation to Members' partners this year, and it may be necessary to seat some guests in the Public Gallery during the presentations.

If you would like to attend, please contact Sustainable Communities Project Officer, Siobhan Mellon, Siobhan.mellon@scambs.gov.uk  01954 713395.

The event is likely to be of particular interest this year to Members for Bassingbourn, Cottenham, Croydon, Gamlingay, Ickleton, Little Abington, Longstanton, Milton, Over, Swavesey, and Toft.

"Tough Love" is a play addressing safe and appropriate relationships for young people. Part of the South Cambridgeshire Community Safety and Young People's Partnership work to raise awareness of Child Sexual Exploitation, "Tough Love" will be performed in all South Cambridgeshire secondary schools over the coming weeks for students aged 11+. In addition, there are 5 public performances of "Tough Love" being put on for anyone in the community who wants to understand more about signs of abuse in teenage relationships. Details of these bookable (but "free-of-charge") community performances are contained in the attached posters. We'd be grateful if you could promote "Tough Love" in your local Parish area and of course, you'd be welcome to attend.

As promised, we have organised the next South East parishes patch meeting.  This meeting will look at 'services for older people' and will be an opportunity to find out about some of the services already in place locally, and for them to showcase what they do.  We will be looking at the kinds of services and ideas you might like to see replicated in your local area, how to make this happen and hopefully giving information about setting up, funding, training and support. There will be time allocated to networking, stalls and case studies to take away on the day.

Confirmed speakers and attendees include:

·         Age UK Cambridgeshire and Peterborough - warden schemes, visiting schemes and handypersons scheme

·         Care Network Cambridgeshire - car schemes, navigators and care schemes

·         Jean Newman, Older People's Co-ordinator for Histon & Impington - her role and funding model

·         Joy Bray, Parish Councillor for Great Wilbraham - mental health first aid training

·         Helen Stepney / Jane Lampshire - activities for older people and Active & Healthy for Life GP referral scheme

·         Cambridgeshire County Council - a range of topics including Good Neighbour Schemes, scams and rogue trader prevention, time-banking

·         Cambridgeshire Community Foundation - funding opportunities

·         Cambridge CVS - support with setting up and running groups, funding, training and governance

If you, your parish council members, or members of your community with a keen interest would like to come, please contact kathryn.hawkes@scambs.gov.uk or call 01954 712932 as soon as possible.  Refreshments will be available on the night.

Thursday 23 February 2017: BBC Online: Parish council tax bills rise despite squeeze

The total amount of council tax collected by parish councils rose from £361 million to £434 million from 2013/14 to 2016/17, BBC analysis.

Friday 24 February 2017: Guardian: Successful business rates appeals falling

The percentage of successful business rates appeals has fallen, new figures show. Almost 2 million appeals were made to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) against 2005 and 2010 valuations.

Sunday 26 February 2017: Sunday Times: How to end fly-tipping scourge

In the year to September 2015, there were 900,000 recorded incidents of fly-tipping. LGA said the shorter lifespan of white goods and the way councils have made it easier to report fly-tipping have contributed to the rise.

Sunday 26 February 2017: Observer: Rethink on plans to cut housing benefit for 18-21s

Plans to cut housing benefit for people aged 18 to 21 from April are being reconsidered by government.

Monday 27 February 2017: BBC Online: Business rates a “ticking time bomb” for small firms

Business rates are a “ticking time bomb” for small companies in England which should be offered emergency help, the Shadow Business Secretary has said.

Monday 27 February 2017: BBC Online: Keep Britain Tidy calls for simpler recycling bin collections

Household recycling levels are low in England because some council schemes are too confusing, campaigners claim.

Tuesday 28 February 2017: Independent: Surveillance state? More than half of councils give body cameras to staff

More than half of UK councils have given body-worn cameras to their officials to help tackle anti-social behaviour and offences such as littering and dog-fouling.

Wednesday 1 March 2017: Guardian: New wave of cuts ahead

Frances Ryan warns government against any further cuts to local government in the Spring Budget.

A list of decisions currently within the call-in period is available on the Council’s website.

The call in procedure is set out in full in Part 4 of the Council’s Constitution, ‘Scrutiny and Overview Committee Procedure Rules’. 

The Housing Portfolio Holder

AGREED        to approve the project spend, including the use of £200,000 of commuted sums money, and to finalise the contract terms and legal requirements to achieve a start on site in Autumn 2017 to provide 13 affordable homes in Balsham.

Please note that this decision was first published on 22 February 2017 and so the deadline for call-in is Wednesday 1 March 2017 at 5pm. If not called-in this decision can be implemented on Thursday 2 March.

The Housing Portfolio Holder

AGREED        to amend combined rents and charges for 2 and 4 bedroom affordable rented homes to reflect the agreed Local Housing Allowance levels for 2017/18.

Please note that this decision was first published on 24 February 2017 and so the deadline for call-in is Friday 3 March 2017 at 5pm. If not called-in this decision can be implemented on Monday 6 March.

The Housing Portfolio Holder

AGREED        to approve the purchase of 3 affordable homes in Linton of £408,150 from the Council’s housing development programme.

Please note that this decision was first published on 22 February 2017 and so the deadline for call-in is Wednesday 1 March 2017 at 5pm. If not called-in this decision can be implemented on Thursday 2 March.

Please click on the link below to find details of decisions made by officers under delegated authority:

https://www.scambs.gov.uk/content/access-information