Agenda

The annual online Climate and Environment Fortnight of Events is taking place between the 21st February and the 7th March. Including 6 insightful and engaging events, the fortnight will celebrate climate action taking place in the district, as well as looking at some of the things that the Council is doing to mitigate and adapt to climate change in the future.

Please see the details of the sessions below, including information on how to sign up. Alternatively, visit our website.

21 February: 7pm to 8pm: Community Action in Response to the Climate Emergency. Free tickets are available here.

23 February: 7pm to 8pm: Cycling for Sustainability. Free tickets are available here.

24 February: 1pm to 2pm: Making your business greener. Free tickets are available here.

1 March: 1pm to 2pm: Planning for the Climate Emergency. Free tickets are available here.

3 March: 1pm to 2pm: Installing Electric Vehicle Charge Points for workplaces and public use. Free tickets are available here.

7 March: 6pm to 7pm: Post Covid Community Support Workshop. Free tickets are available here.

The Council has made the following decision and will amend the asset register accordingly:

The Navigator Public House, Little Shelford  – The Council has approved the listing of The Navigator Public House as an Asset of Community Value until 07 February 2027.

Further information about the Community Right to Bid and Assets of Community Value can be found on our webpage

The Cambridge Council for the Voluntary Service (CCVS) is hosting an online workshop on practical steps to safely run in-person events and move project delivery back to face to face.

Date: Wednesday 9 March

Time: 12:00 to 13:30

Contact the CCVS for more details: enquiries@cambridgecvs.org.uk

The Council would like to support communities in marking ‘The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee’. For this reason, the criteria for the Community Chest Grant scheme has been flexed on a temporary and one-off basis until 12 April to allow Parish Councils and community groups to make Jubilee-related applications of up to £700. Applications will then be assessed at the Grants Advisory Committee meetings in March and April to help parishes plan.

Examples could include the purchase of a Commemoration bench or the planting of a tree or a rose in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. These are just a couple of ideas! If you know of any community groups wishing to undertake a Jubilee-related project, we would ask you to make them aware of this fund.

Applications should be in the spirit of the rest of the Community Chest grant criteria. Further details and how to apply can be found at the Council’s Community Chest Grant webpage

Please note that the 3C Building Control monthly newsletter will be sent to all District Councillors from next month. This month’s newsletter can be viewed by clicking on this link.

Thursday 3 February, BBC News: Levelling Up plan for UK revealed

The Government’s Levelling Up White Paper, aimed at tackling regional inequality, has been published, promising improvements in education, broadband, transport and more.

Thursday 3 February, BBC News: Help to pay energy bills and council tax discounts for those in Bands A to C

Up to £200 could be available to help those in need as energy bills are set to see a record rise this April and the Government is also reportedly set to provide grants to pay for council tax discounts for those living in Bands A to C properties.

Thursday 3 February, BBC News: Councillor abuse

Pressure is growing for better legal protection to be introduced to combat an increase in councillor abuse on social media.

Thursday 3 February, Telegraph: Heat pumps could be inadequate

The Government’s plan to introduce heat pumps to heat homes could fail to warm homes adequately, MPs have warned.

Friday 4 February, Guardian: Council tax rebate to tackle rising energy costs

The Government have announced that there will be £150 council tax rebate for most households in England to tackle a rise in energy.

Friday 4 February, Times: Council tax cut is “loopy and lopsided”

Council tax banding has been criticised as being “loopy” and “unfair” by campaign groups as the Government announces plans to a rebate to tackle rising energy costs.

Saturday 5 February, FT: Calls for devolution of control of business rates

Michael Gove, Secretary of State of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has called for control of England’s main commercial property tax to be devoted to elected mayors.

Saturday 5 February, Guardian: Green opportunities missed in levelling up strategy

Opportunities to reach net zero carbon emissions and create green jobs in doing so have been missed in the Government’s Levelling Up White Paper, according to green campaigners and businesses.

Monday 7 February, Guardian: Councils forced into tax rises and drastic service cuts

After Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove last week unveiled the Government’s plans to address regional and social inequalities, councils across England are having to plan reductions to frontline services after more than a decade of austerity.

Monday 7 February, Guardian: Most Conservative voters want more affordable housing stock

New polling by YouGov has found most Conservative voters want their party to deliver more affordable housing and let councils buy up empty properties.

Monday 7 February, BBC Online: Greenfield homes increase car dependency – report

A report from Transport for New Homes has found housing developments on former farmland are adding hundreds of thousands of extra car journeys to England’s roads.

Monday 7 February, Telegraph: Fears heat pumps could reduce value of properties

Energy scores for homes are set to be overhauled by the Government, with fears that under the current system, installing a heat pump could reduce the value of properties.

Monday 7 February, Guardian: Government review of gambling laws now not expected until May

Government proposals to reform gambling laws are reportedly now unlikely to be published until May.

Tuesday 8 February, BBC Politics Live: (15:15): Asylum seeker accommodation costs

The LGA’s call for councils to be involved in discussions with the Home Office on accommodation for asylum seekers was referenced on the BBC’s Politics Live.

Tuesday 8 February, Telegraph: Thousands rush to challenge council tax bands to get £150 rebates

Almost 100,000 homeowners are expected to request an overhaul of their council tax, after missing out on a government payment to help with rising energy.

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’. 

Cabinet:

a)    Considered the proposed 2020-25 Business Plan at Appendix A (with the Action Plan primarily focused on delivery 2022-23) and recommend it to Council for approval, with any amendments as required.

b)    Authorised the Chief Executive to make any minor wording changes required to final drafts, in consultation with the Deputy Leader.

This decision was first published on Monday 7 February and so the deadline for call-in is Monday 14 February at 5 pm.

Cabinet:

Supported an application by Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC) to the Department of Transport (DfT) to introduce Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) across South Cambridgeshire and granted delegated authority to the Head of Transformation, in consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport, to provide feedback on behalf of the Council to the application for CPE to DfT and the Funding Agreement between CCC and Greater Cambridge Partnership.

This decision was first published on Monday 7 February and so the deadline for call-in is Monday 14 February at 5 pm.

Cabinet:

a)    Agreed the Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council - Authority Monitoring Report for Greater Cambridge 2020-2021 (included as Appendix A) for publication on the Councils’ websites.

b)    Delegated any further minor editing changes to the Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council - Authority Monitoring Report for Greater Cambridge 2020-2021 to the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development, in consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member for Planning Policy and Delivery, including the final designed version of Appendix 3.

This decision was first published on Monday 7 February and so the deadline for call-in is Monday 14 February at 5 pm.

Cabinet:

a)    Considered the main issues raised in the public consultation, and responses to the representations received and the proposed changes to the SPD as set out in the Statement of Consultation (Appendix A of this report);

b)    Approved the amended Greater Cambridge Biodiversity SPD (appendix B of this report) and to delegate authority to make any necessary editing changes to the Supplementary Planning Document prior to publication to the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development, in consultation with the Lead Member for Planning Policy and Delivery.

This decision was first published on Monday 7 February and so the deadline for call-in is Monday 14 February at 5 pm.

Cabinet:

Approved the HRA Asset Management Strategy 2021-2026, as set out at Appendix A, subject to the Foreword being agreed with the Lead Cabinet Member for Housing.

This decision was first published on Monday 7 February and so the deadline for call-in is 5 pm on Monday 14 February.

Cabinet:

Approved the Property Acquisition as specified in paragraph 9 of the exempt report.

This decision was first published on Monday 7 February and so the deadline for call-in is Monday 14 February at 5 pm.

Cabinet:

Approved the Property Acquisition and onward sale as specified in paragraphs 7 and 8 of the exempt report.

This decision was first published on Monday 7 February and so the deadline for call-in is Monday 14 February at 5 pm.

The Lead Cabinet Member for Housing agreed to

(a)       Enter into Heads of Terms followed thereafter by a 3CT contract for the build of the 9 affordable homes and a land contract and transfer to purchase the site for the 9 affordable homes at Orchard Gardens, Melbourn.

(b)       Approve the sale of and grant of shared ownership leases up to a maximum of 50% for the shared ownership properties with the option to staircase to 100%.

This decision was first published on Friday 4 February and so the deadline for call-in is 5 pm on Friday 11 February.

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