Agenda item

Our Big Conversation

Decision:

 

The Executive Board AGREED unanimously to:-

 

(1)  Welcome the broad level of public engagement in Our Big Conversation.

 

(2)  Note initial findings ahead of the final report published as a supplement to the Future Investment Strategy (FIS) reports in March 2018.

Minutes:

The Chairperson invited James Littlewood to ask his question.  Details of the question and a summary of the answer given are set out in Appendix A to these minutes.

 

Mike Soper, Head of Research and Performance at Cambridgeshire County Council, introduced the report which presented the interim findings from the GCP’s autumn 2017 public awareness and engagement programme “Our Big Conversation”.  The exercise had aimed to strengthen the evidence-base needed to inform GCP’s Future Investment Strategy (FIS) by generating public dialogue on the Greater Cambridge growth story; testing emerging GCP proposals with the public and undertaking a comprehensive travel survey to refresh 2011 census data. A copy of the summary report “Our Big Conversation – Key Findings” was circulated at the meeting.

 

During discussion:

 

·         The Chairperson noted that “Our Big Conversation” had generated more than 10,000 individual responses and comments and, as such, was probably one of the most comprehensive engagement exercises of residents in the City and South Cambridgeshire.  The summary report presented the key findings but there was a significant amount of further data available to inform future development of the GCP’s FIS.

·         Attention was drawn to confirmation given at the Joint Assembly that the research was statistically relevant.

·         Reference was made to the further analysis to be undertaken on options to tackle cars coming into the City Centre at peak times and the need to integrate this with the work on ANPR.  The importance of linking the assessment of public views and priorities that had been identified in this study with the data gained from other analysis was highlighted.  Moreover, it was pointed out that that there would be differences of opinion between residents living in the City Centre and those living on the edge of Cambridge in respect of whom the aim was to achieve mode shift. 

·         Reference was made to Theme 8 – The Trouble with Housing – on page 20 of the summary document and interest was expressed in seeing further detail at the appropriate time with regard to the findings relating to housing and how this interfaced with transport.

·         The Executive Board acknowledged that the survey findings represented a rich and valuable evidence base which would be of benefit to other partners such as the Combined Authority, the city and district councils, parish councils and communities generally.  The Chairperson commented that the GCP Communications team would no doubt be reviewing the extent to which the findings were communicated to partners.  However he suggested that the summary report could be sent to City and District Councillors; that perhaps FeCRA could be requested to circulate it to residents’ associations; and that the District Council might be able to assist in distribution to Parish Councils. 

·         The Executive Board concluded by recognising that “Our Big Conversation” had been an excellent exercise which had provided an invaluable quantitative and qualitative research evidence base; and placed on record its thanks to Beth Durham, Niamh Matthews, Mike Soper and all officers involved in the exercise.

 

The Executive Board AGREED unanimously to:-

 

(1)  Welcome the broad level of public engagement in Our Big Conversation.

 

(2)  Note initial findings ahead of the final report published as a supplement to the Future Investment Strategy (FIS) reports in March 2018.

Supporting documents: