Agenda

The way we collect extra recycling has changed. Our new recycling vehicles mean our collection operatives will not be able to manually handle recycling in the same way as before, when boxes and loose cardboard were emptied directly into the back of the trucks. We need better consistency of how extra recycling is presented as operatives will empty the blue bin, put the extra recycling in it and empty again. It needs to be easy to handle and easy to fit inside the bin.

Residents are now being advised to:

• Break down cardboard to a size which would fit in the bin if there was space. We will collect one bundle left next to the bin. Polystyrene should go into the black bin.
• Place other recycling in one transparent sack. Black sacks and more than one sack will not be collected. Transparent sacks are available online and in supermarkets.
• Put any glass bottles and jars inside their bin, not the sack, for safety reasons
• Order a free extra blue bin if they always need to put out extra recycling.

This advice is being widely communicated to residents via the South Cambs Magazine that is currently being distributed and via a recycling leaflet that will be delivered with the council tax bills. We have also updated the website.https://www.scambs.gov.uk/changes-to-the-way-we-collect-extra-recycling

If you have any queries please contact Rebecca Weymouth-Wood, Waste Policy Change and Innovation Manager. rebecca.weymouth-wood@scambs.gov.uk

We’re launching a new £55,000 grant scheme on 1 March to help support the delivery of energy saving and green initiatives for local communities. Grants of up to £3,000 per organisation will be available to voluntary and community sector groups, charities and parish councils.

Projects that this funding could support include:

• Energy saving and efficiency measures for community buildings and village halls, such as lighting and heating controls, upgrades to LED lighting, roof and cavity wall insulation and energy efficient boilers.

• Installation of electric vehicle charging points for community use.

• Battery storage for solar panels or other low carbon energy generation. measures.

• Energy surveys to allow the investigation of suitable green energy measures for community buildings and village halls.

Applications are not expected for the installation of low carbon energy generation measures, such as solar panels or air source heat pumps. If we were to fund these then the group installing them would not then receive the national Feed-in-Tariffs or Renewable Heat Incentive payments.

To help community groups and parish councils identify the most suitable energy saving measures for their community building, we are encouraging the completion of a community building self-survey, that has been created by the Centre for Sustainable Energy.  A link to this resource, plus scheme guidance and online application form, can be found at https://www.scambs.gov.uk/community-energy-grant

Applications will be accepted from Wednesday 1 March. For more information please email duty.communities@scambs.gov.uk or call 01954 713070

South Cambridgeshire businesses are being offered the chance to get valuable advice and find out about support available from South Cambridgeshire District Council during discussions and networking on Friday 16 March at IWM Duxford.

Speakers at the event will include senior councillors who will talk about the council support currently on offer to businesses and how that may be enhanced in future; the Director of Cambridge Science Park who will pass on valuable insights and experiences of doing business in South Cambridgeshire; and a marketing expert with inspirational hints and tips to help firms get the most from their brands.

There will also be an opportunity for local companies to help shape how the Council supports them, and promotes economic growth, with interactive group sessions to discuss the opportunities ahead, the challenges businesses face and how the council, along with its partners, could further strengthen support for local businesses.

Please could you circulate information on the event to any businesses that you think might be interested in attending. Places are limited so if a business wishes to book a place, they should register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/south-cambridgeshire-lets-talk-business-tickets-43308531985.

More details can be found on the Council's website at https://www.scambs.gov.uk/funding-and-grants-workshops or for further information contact Johanna Davies, johanna.davies@scambs.gov.uk

Please see below notification from Highways England on this week’s A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon closures

Tuesday 27 to Wednesday 28

A14 westbound Dry Drayton (J30) exit slip (each night, 9pm to 6am)

Thursday 1 to Friday 2

A1 southbound between Alconbury to Brampton Hut (each night, 9pm to 6am)

A1 northbound between Buckden to Brampton Hut (each night, 9pm – 6am)

A14 westbound Histon (J32) entry slip (each night, 9pm to 6am)

Friday 2 to Sunday 4

Potton Rd – small section St Ives Rd on the B1040 closed, after Hilton (Potton Rd) & before the A14 (Fri 8pm - Sun 7pm)

We regularly update details of closures specific to our A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme on our Facebook (www.facebook.com/a14c2h) and Twitter (@A14C2H) pages. You can also find our latest posts by searching #A14C2Hclosures.

Our official diversion route will be signposted and you can find diversion maps on our social media pages (or just email us for additional copies).

For questions about our A14C2H closures or scheme, just email A14CambridgeHuntingdon@highwaysengland.co.uk. For updates or information about closures not related to our scheme email info@highwaysengland.co.uk or call 0300 123 5000.

Please note - closures may be subject to change, so check out our social media pages daily for updates.

To contact your sections Stakeholder Manager, please use the email addresses below or our A14 helpline.

Section 1 & 2:Alconbury to the East Coast Main Line

Jon Lewell - jon.lewell@thea14.com

Section 3: East Coast Main Line to Swavesey

Jade Pettit - jade.pettit@thea14.com

Section 4 & 5: Swavesey to Milton

Bob Pettipher - bob.pettipher@thea14.com

A14 helpline 0800 270 0114 - This will be answered by a team member during site hours 8am - 5pm and messages can be left at other times.

Thursday 22 February: BBC Online: Government loses clean air court case

Campaigners have won a third High Court victory over the Government’s plans to tackle air pollution.

Friday 23 February: Times: Plastic packaging firms fight bottle deposit plans

The packaging industry is reported attempting to mount a last-ditch campaign against Michael Gove’s plan to charge a refundable deposit on plastic bottles and introduce charges on coffee cups.

Sunday 25 February: Observer: Councils using housing companies to build new homes

A feature in the Observer looks at how councils are using housing companies to build new homes.

Monday 25 February: Metro online: Plastic bottles to be recycled into roads

Transport for London has given funding to Enfield Council to use a pioneering substance on its streets which is a mix of plastic and asphalt.

Tuesday 26 February: Ministers accused of delaying plan to cut plastic bottles

The Government is stalling on introducing a deposit return scheme (DRS) to cut the billions of plastic bottles not recycled every year, MPs say.

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