Grafham Annual Report from County Councillor Peter Downes.

Grafham Parish Annual Meeting, May 2010

County Council Report from Peter Downes

The County Council has wide-ranging responsibilities and this brief report can merely highlight major issues. Anybody seeking further details is invited to contact your County Councillor on 01480 398082 or by e-mail to peter.downes@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.

1. What the Council provides

a. Social Services to Children and Young People, Older People, people with Mental Health problems, Physical and Learning Disabilities.

b. Support for schools (although the funding for them comes from central government in a ring-fenced grant)

c. Coordinated Early Years provision, nurseries etc.

d. Libraries

e. Road maintenance

f. Road safety measures

g. Overall transport strategy

h. Growth and wider development issues

i. Trading Standards

j. Waste disposal and Recycling centres

2. The key issues it currently faces

a. Growing number of people needing care

b. Traffic problems and increasing congestion

c. Disparity of standards across the County

d. Shortage of funds, partly through government grant being only average and partly because the Council tax levied is the fourth lowest in the country.

e. The state of the roads

3. The structure of the Council

a. there are 69 elected members - 10 form the Cabinet and make the decisions. The rest are involved in scrutinising these decisions.

b. The political composition is: 42 Conservatives, 23 Liberal Democrats 2 Labour, 1 UKIP and 1 Green.

c. The senior staff has been restructured under the new Chief Executive, Mark Lloyd. There are three second tier officers - Children and Young People, Adult Social Services and Community, Transport and Environment, with 13 Service Directors in the third tier.

4. Council Tax

a. The County Council has set its tax increase for 2010-2011 at 2.9% which is below the maximum permitted under the government's capping regime. This increase runs ahead of general inflation because of demographic and service pressures, especially in relation to adult social care.

b. As the Cambridgeshire Council Tax is the fourth lowest in the country, the capping regime makes it difficult to raise enough through local taxation to meet the demands of a rapidly growing area. Although we receive an average grant from government (based on formulae including relative poverty and high area costs), the Council's overall financial position is very tight and this is the dominant theme in the County's deliberations.

For the fourth successive year the Liberal Democrats produced an alternative budget which would have seen greater reductions in administrative costs, a lower level of transfer of funds to contingency budgets, with extra funding devoted to tackling climate change, expanding youth provision, restoring the cuts made to highway and footpath maintenance, and supporting voluntary organisations. This alternative budget was rejected by the majority group on the Council.

5. Services for older people

The administration of services for older and vulnerable adults now comes under the management of a senior officer at the second tier. A restructuring took place last year.

An important development in the way social care support is given for elderly, frail, disabled and people with mental health problems started in April 2009. Instead of getting a 'care package' provided by the Council, service users will have greater flexibility to decide what kind of care they want through 'self-directed support'.

The adult social care budget was over-spent last year by nearly £5 million.

6. Transport

a. Work on the Guided Busway between Cambridge and St. Ives is still not complete and no date has been given for the opening of the service which was supposed to start in February 2009.

b. The contract for the A14 up-grade has been awarded. Detailed plans have been available for consultation and a public inquiry starts within the next few weeks.

c. The County Council submitted a bid for nearly £500 million of central government funding to improve traffic into and around Cambridge, probably including some road pricing mechanism. The government decided not to proceed on financial grounds.

7. Waste disposal

The Household Waste Recycling Centre on Buckden Road was closed in November 2008 and attempts to keep it open for local use were unsuccessful. A new HWRC has been opened in St Neots: this is convenient to use but it is further to travel for users from Grafham.

8. Work in Cambridge undertaken by your County Councillor

Although I am a member of the 'opposition', I play a full and constructive part in the day-to-day work of the Council. I serve on the Children and Young People's Scrutiny Committee and various other committees relating to education. I am the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat group and its Spokesman for Education. I represent the Lib Dems on the Pensions Committee and the Integrated Plan Scrutiny panel. I serve on the Area Joint Transportation Committee. I have an attendance record over 95% including every County Council meeting.

9. My work specifically for Grafham

I provide a monthly 'surgery' to which people bring issues and ask for advice. I also keep in touch with the Parish Council via my colleague Patricia Jordan (as the Grafham Parish Council meets on an evening when I have a regular scheduled District Council meeting). I distribute a regular Focus to keep village people informed on key issues.

I am aware of road safety and speeding issues in the main village and on the road down towards Perry. I would like to see modifications to speed limits and greater enforcement.

District Council Report to Grafham

Grafham Parish Annual Assembly, May 2010

District Council Report

Councillors Patricia Jordan and Peter Downes

The composition of the Council, up-dated after the 2010 elections

Huntingdonshire District Council has 52 elected Members: 37 Conservatives, 12 Liberal Democrats, 2 UKIP and 1 Independent.

Council Tax and financial situation

The Council has set a tax increase of 2.5%, this being below the maximum thought to be permissible without attracting the 'capping' which was imposed on HDC three years ago by central government. Over the next four years, HDC has to find savings of over £6 million as the reserves on which the Council has been relying are now running out. The Huntingdonshire Council Tax is the 18th lowest out of 236 Shire Districts in the country.

Controversial issues

a. The Council has decided to increase car parking charges in Huntingdon and introduce them to a previously free car park in St. Neots.

b. The Council has decided to cease funding the maintenance of public toilets in the District.

c. The Council had intended to spend £900,000 on re-building the bus station in Huntingdon but this plan has now been shelved.

Huntingdon Town Centre developments

a. Developments on the site between George Street and Princes Street are approaching completion. Scott House is now in use, the Library is open and houses in the area next to Walden Road are now available for sale.

b. The new Council offices, Pathfinder House, are open and fully operational.

c. Although HDC approved the relocation of the Regional College from Oxmoor to Hinchingbrooke Park; this is now abandoned as the Learning and Skills Council froze its capital funding programme.

d. The Huntingdon West Area Action Plan is moving ahead and the road changes will have significant implications for residents from Grafham accessing the station and the town centre.

Waste collection

It is now possible to put glass into the blue bins. This will mean a reduction in income for parish councils that have operated bring sites. The waste collection system generally works well and concerns expressed by individuals have been dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

Planning, environmental and traffic issues

a. No major housing developments are scheduled for Grafham village.

b. The main environmental issue is the Chicken Farm and its smell and we have been working with the Parish Council Vice-Chairman to address this issue. We have been keeping those most directly affected informed of progress.

c. Representations have been made to us about the potential danger at the junction of Church Hill and Church Road, especially where cyclists swing round unaware of traffic coming into the village.

d. Representations have been made to us about the desirability of having allotments in Grafham, if possible and if we can offer any help from the District Council, we are ready to support this.

e. The siting of bollards on The Wyvern has been brought to our attention

District Council structure and constitution

The District Council has re-designed some of its processes to encourage greater public interest and involvement. This includes giving the public the right to ask questions at Full Council; Council is now held in the evenings; the public is encouraged to raise matters to be scrutinised; the scrutiny panels now have external lay members.

A Neighbourhood Forum has been set up, bringing together local councillors, police service and representatives of voluntary bodies. Attendance at this meeting is increasing although it is not yet totally clear what can be achieved. The next meeting of the Huntingdon Area Forum is on Wednesday, July 14th at 7 p.m. in the Civic Suite in Pathfinder House.

Representation and communication

Your District Councillors report back each month to the Parish Council on key issues and liaise with HDC on PC matters when requested. The Grafham meeting falls on the same evening as a Scrutiny Panel on which Peter Downes serves and so he is not able to attend. Patricia Jordan attends regularly. Key issues are reported direct to residents via the Focus newsletter.

Residents contact us by telephone, e-mail or letter as well as by calling at our surgery, held on the first Saturday of the month. We each receive contacts on a range of issues. Some cases are relatively straightforward and can be referred straight to the relevant agency; others are more complex and time-consuming but we are pleased to be able to give both a listening ear and practical support.

In the District Council

Patricia Jordan serves as a member of the Employment Panel and Employer Liaison Advisory Group. She also serves on the Safety Advisory Panel and the Scrutiny Panel for Social Well-Being. She has been involved in a working-party on car parking charges at Hinchingbrooke Hospital.

Peter Downes is on the Overview and Scrutiny Panel for Environmental Well-Being, Corporate Governance Panel, Standards Committee, Local Development Plan Advisory Group, Elections Panel and is Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group.

County Council Report to Perry

Perry Parish Annual Meeting, May 2010

County Council Report from Peter Downes

The County Council has wide-ranging responsibilities and this brief report can merely highlight major issues. Anybody seeking further details is invited to contact your County Councillor on 01480 398082 or by e-mail to peter.downes@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.

1. What the Council provides

a. Social Services to Children and Young People, Older People, people with Mental Health problems, Physical and Learning Disabilities.

b. Support for schools (although the funding for them comes from central government in a ring-fenced grant)

c. Coordinated Early Years provision, nurseries etc.

d. Libraries

e. Road maintenance

f. Road safety measures

g. Overall transport strategy

h. Growth and wider development issues

i. Trading Standards

j. Waste disposal and Recycling centres

2. The key issues it currently faces

a. Growing number of people needing care

b. Traffic problems and increasing congestion

c. Disparity of standards across the County

d. Shortage of funds, partly through government grant being only average and partly because the Council tax levied is the fourth lowest in the country. This will get even worse in 2011-2012 as the new government has decided to freeze council tax and reduce grants to Local Authorities.

e. The state of the roads

3. The structure of the Council

a. there are 69 elected members - 10 form the Cabinet and make the decisions. The rest are involved in scrutinising these decisions.

b. The political composition is: 42 Conservatives, 23 Liberal Democrats 2 Labour, 1 UKIP and 1 Green.

c. The senior staff has been restructured under the new Chief Executive, Mark Lloyd. There are three second tier officers - Children and Young People, Adult Social Services and Community, Transport and Environment, with 13 Service Directors in the third tier.

4. Council Tax

a. The County Council has set its tax increase for 2010-2011 at 2.9% which is below the maximum permitted under the government's capping regime. This increase runs ahead of general inflation because of demographic and service pressures, especially in relation to adult social care.

b. As the Cambridgeshire Council Tax is the fourth lowest in the country, the capping regime makes it difficult to raise enough through local taxation to meet the demands of a rapidly growing area. Although we receive an average grant from government (based on formulae including relative poverty and high area costs), the Council's overall financial position is very tight and this is the dominant theme in the County's deliberations.

For the fourth successive year the Liberal Democrats produced an alternative budget which would have seen greater reductions in administrative costs, a lower level of transfer of funds to contingency budgets, with extra funding devoted to tackling climate change, expanding youth provision, restoring the cuts made to highway and footpath maintenance, and supporting voluntary organisations. This alternative budget was rejected by the majority group on the Council.

5. Services for older people

The administration of services for older and vulnerable adults now comes under the management of a senior officer at the second tier. A restructuring took place last year.

An important development in the way social care support is given for elderly, frail, disabled and people with mental health problems started in April 2009. Instead of getting a 'care package' provided by the Council, service users will have greater flexibility to decide what kind of care they want through 'self-directed support'.

The adult social care budget was over-spent last year by nearly £5 million.

6. Transport

a. Work on the Guided Busway between Cambridge and St. Ives is still not complete and no date has been given for the opening of the service which was supposed to start in February 2009.

b. The contract for the A14 up-grade has been awarded. Detailed plans have been available for consultation but the public inquiry has been put on hold and there are serious concerns that the road will be a victim of the national financial crisis.

c. The County Council submitted a bid for nearly £500 million of central government funding to improve traffic into and around Cambridge, probably including some road pricing mechanism. The government decided not to proceed on financial grounds.

7. Waste disposal

The Household Waste Recycling Centre on Buckden Road was closed in November 2008 and attempts to keep it open for local use were unsuccessful. A new HWRC has been opened in St Neots: this is convenient to use but it is further to travel for users from Perry.

8. Work in Cambridge undertaken by your County Councillor

Although I am a member of the 'opposition', I play a full and constructive part in the day-to-day work of the Council. I serve on the Children and Young People's Scrutiny Committee and various other committees relating to education. I am the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat group and its Spokesman for Education. I represent the Lib Dems on the Pensions Committee and the Integrated Plan Scrutiny panel. I serve on the Area Joint Transportation Committee. I have an attendance record over 95% including every County Council meeting.

9. My work specifically for Perry

I provide a monthly 'surgery' to which people bring issues and ask for advice. I also keep in touch with the Parish Council by attending at least part of most meetings. I distribute a regular Focus to keep village people informed on key issues.

I am aware of road safety and speeding issues in the main village. I would like to see modifications to speed limits and greater enforcement. The improvement to the cycle route is a major concern and I have been arguing the case for improvements.

District Council Report to Perry

Perry Parish Annual Assembly, May 2010

District Council Report

Councillors Patricia Jordan and Peter Downes

The composition of the Council, up-dated after the 2010 elections

Huntingdonshire District Council has 52 elected Members: 37 Conservatives, 12 Liberal Democrats, 2 UKIP and 1 Independent.

Council Tax and financial situation

The Council has set a tax increase of 2.5%, this being just below the maximum thought to be permissible without attracting the 'capping' which was imposed on HDC three years ago by central government. Over the next four years, HDC has to find savings of over £6 million as the reserves on which the Council has been relying are now running out. The Huntingdonshire Council Tax is the 18th lowest out of 236 Shire Districts in the country.

Controversial issues

a. The Council has decided to increase car parking charges in Huntingdon and is considering introducing them to a previously free car park in St. Neots.

b. The Council has decided to cease funding the maintenance of public toilets in the District.

c. The Council had intended to spend £900,000 on re-building the bus station in Huntingdon but this plan has now probably been shelved or reduced in scope.

Huntingdon Town Centre developments

a. Developments on the site between George Street and Princes Street are approaching completion. Scott House is now in use, the Library is open and houses in the area next to Walden Road are now available for sale.

b. The new Council offices, Pathfinder House, are open and fully operational.

c. Although HDC approved the relocation of the Regional College from Oxmoor to Hinchingbrooke Park; this is now abandoned as the Learning and Skills Council froze its capital funding programme.

d. The Huntingdon West Area Action Plan is moving ahead and the road changes will have significant implications for residents from Perry accessing the station and the town centre.

Waste collection

It is now possible to put glass into the blue bins. This will mean a reduction in income for parish councils that have operated bring sites. The waste collection system generally works well and concerns expressed by individuals have been dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

Planning, environmental and traffic issues

a. No major housing developments are scheduled for Perry village.

b. The main Perry issue is the re-routing of the cycle path and this is subject to consultation at the moment, with, hopefully, a decision soon and a positive outcome in due course.

c. Cars speeding through the village remains a concern in spite of the flashing lights.

District Council structure and constitution

The District Council has re-designed some of its processes to encourage greater public interest and involvement. This includes giving the public the right to ask questions at Full Council; Council is now held in the evenings; the public is encouraged to raise matters to be scrutinised; the scrutiny panels now have external lay members.

A Neighbourhood Forum has been set up, bringing together local councillors, police service and representatives of voluntary bodies. Attendance at this meeting is increasing although it is not yet totally clear what can be achieved. The next meeting of the Huntingdon Area Forum is on Wednesday, July 14th at 7 p.m. in the Civic Suite in Pathfinder House.

Representation and communication

One of your District Councillors reports back at most meetings of the Parish Council on key issues and liaises with HDC on PC matters when requested. The Perry meeting usually falls on the same evening as Patricia Jordan's late shift at the hospital but Patricia continues to help me follow up any individual concerns that may arise in the village. Key issues are reported direct to residents via the Focus newsletter.

Residents contact us by telephone, e-mail or letter as well as by calling at our surgery, held on the first Saturday of the month. We each receive contacts on a range of issues. Some cases are relatively straightforward and can be referred straight to the relevant agency; others are more complex and time-consuming but we are pleased to be able to give both a listening ear and practical support.

In the District Council

Patricia Jordan serves as a member of the Employment Panel and Employer Liaison Advisory Group. She also serves on the Safety Advisory Panel and the Scrutiny Panel for Social Well-Being. She has been involved in a working-party on car parking charges at Hinchingbrooke Hospital.

Peter Downes is on the Overview and Scrutiny Panel for Environmental Well-Being, Corporate Governance Panel, Standards Committee, Local Development Plan Advisory Group, Elections Panel and is Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group.