County agrees budget: Highways and anti-poverty services prioritised
On Tuesday 13 February, a meeting of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Full Council agreed a balanced budget for 2024/25.
The county council had to close a gap of £37.4m – with 75% of the council’s net spend now being funded from council tax.
The council has also prioritised a number of key areas, based on 
resident feedback from the Quality of Life survey, and are aligned with the vision to make Cambridgeshire greener, fairer and more caring.
These priorities include sustaining critical adults and children’s social care, highways funding, and support for vulnerable communities.
The county council agreed to a council tax rise of 4.99% (2% for adult social services) – raising £17.5m of local income to help maintain and protect critical services for the most vulnerable communities.
Read the full story on our website
Have your say on creating Healthy Places
Our public health team is inviting Cambridgeshire residents to have their say on how new and existing communities can be healthy, supportive and inclusive.
Work is currently underway to develop the Healthy Places Joint Strategic Needs Assessment for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, a piece of work which will support the development of healthier, easy to access, and inclusive communities. To inform this, the team has launched a survey asking for views on access to healthcare services, inclusive and accessible green spaces, opportunities for active travel and healthy play and leisure, and the provision of affordable healthy food options.
The survey is open until Monday 15 April at 5pm. Complete the survey here.
It will take around 10-15 minutes to fill in and may be completed on behalf of yourself or someone you care for. If you’d prefer to complete a paper copy of the survey, you can pick one up from your local library or New Shire Hall from Monday 26 February.
If you have any questions about the survey or the Healthy Places Joint Strategic Needs Assessment for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, please email [email protected].
Share your views on electric vehicles and planning for more charging points
With more and more electric cars on our roads, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority are asking people across the county for their views on electric vehicles (EV) and electric vehicle charging points.
Working with Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council, the Combined Authority are seeking local opinions to help plan for more EV charging points in the region to help meet demand.
The Combined Authority is responsible for transport planning in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and its recently approved Local Transport and Connectivity Plan aims to transform journeys in the region, including lowering greenhouse gas emissions to support net zero carbon emissions targets.
The survey only takes five minutes to complete, and can be completed here. Alternatively, email your comments to [email protected] or request a hard copy of the survey by emailing the same address or calling 01480 277180.
The survey closes on 26 March 2024.
Read a Little Aloud sessions in libraries
Why not join one of Cambridgeshire Libraries ‘Read A Little Aloud’ sessions and listen to volunteers reading aloud in a friendly and relaxed environment.
Six back, relax and listen – the sessions are a great opportunity to listen to a variety of poems and extracts from books, and discover authors who might be new to you.
The monthly themed sessions take place in different locations across Cambridgeshire, and are drop-in events with no need to book in advance. To find the closest library to you offering ‘Read A Little Aloud’ sessions, please visit the Cambridgeshire Libraries website.
Further updates from around Cambridgeshire
Find below an additional range of news, highlights and updates from around the county this month:
- Wisbech incinerator decision announced by Government.
- Honorary Alderman award for former ‘father of the council’.
- Rural business opportunities on three council-owned farm sites.
- Access information and resources for your health and wellbeing on the Be Well in Cambridgeshire website.
Access support with running or starting up a business with the Business and IP Centre Cambridgeshire
Library coat rails keeping communities warm over winter
Libraries in Cambridgeshire are helping dozens of people to stay warm this winter by offering
free coats to those in the community experiencing financial hardship.
Libraries in Bar Hill and March, run by Cambridgeshire County Council, have a rail of winter coats that visitors can discreetly take without any questions being asked.
The rails in both libraries stock coats for adults and children and have proved very popular. Both libraries are still welcoming donations and plan to keep the rails available to anyone that might need a warm coat until the spring.
March Library is planning to replace the coat rail with other clothing soon to be in high demand, and Bar Hill Library is happy to receive suggestions of other services is can replace the coat rail with over spring and summer – if you have any ideas, get in touch with colleagues in the library, over social media, or by calling 0345 045 5225.
All our libraries are warm and welcoming spaces open to everyone. During particularly cold weather remember that you can visit your local library as a warm hub whilst taking advantage of their wide range of services.
Updates from the Communities Service
The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise between the nation, the government and the Armed Forces community – ensuring that those who serve, and have served, in the Armed Forces and their families, are treated fairly and are not disadvantaged by their service.
The Covenant covers all serving personnel, regular and reservists, and their families, as well as bereaved families, veterans and cadet adult volunteers. The Armed Forces Covenant Officer, Tommy Kelly, sits within the Communities Service, and plays a vital role across the county.
One very practical way all of us can support this work is to download the Forces Connect app on our smartphones. Hosted by Surrey County Council, and with the Cambridgeshire section maintained by Tommy, the app contains links to, and information about, support and advice for the Armed Forces Community.
There are links across all support areas to national and Cambridgeshire-based civilian and military-focussed organisations. The Forces Connect app is free, and downloading ensures you can provide signposting support for a member of the Armed Forces Community.
Download the Forces Connect app
You can download the app on both Google Play and the Apple app store.
Use the links below or simply search “Forces Connect” in your preferred app store:
Forces Connect on the Apple app Store
For more information about the Armed Forces Covenant, please contact Tommy Kelly.
