County Councillor Peter McDonald’s report for December 2022

Report for Parish Councils – December 2022.

South Cambs District Council

Cost of Living Support

As reported last month these are the measures to support CoL:

· £100,000 top-up for Discretionary Housing Payments to support an extra 100 eligible families with housing costs.

· £60,000 for Discretionary Council Tax discounts for anyone who can show they are in financial hardship and are not claiming from a scheme elsewhere.

· A proposal to provide Localised Council Tax Support to provide up to 100% discount to some households and increase support for working claimants.

· £15,000 towards a Charitable giving fund gofundme.com/SCDCcostofliving that residents can also donate to. Money will go towards low-cost methods of staying warm and cooking such as slow cookers and electric blankets for people struggling and those only just managing.

· Expansion of Warm Hubs which are free cosy spaces which residents of all ages can visit to socialise, work, catch up with friends.

· £15,000 to expand the Warm Packs that are provided to Council tenants so that they include an electric blanket, hot water bottle, thermos flask, blanket, thermal socks, gloves and hat. Contractors, Mears, are providing 75 warm packs per year over a 10- year contract distributed to the most vulnerable tenants. The warm packs scheme will be expanded so Environmental Health officers can distribute to residents living in very cold conditions.

· Food parcels for people attending the Warm Hubs who are identified as being most in need, in parishes where there is no foodbank already in place.

· Financially and logistically supporting the creation of new foodbanks within South Cambridgeshire, providing grants to other foodbanks to help continue their provision.

Information about the above schemes will be made available on our website, including how to apply for support. https://www.scambs.gov.uk/cost-of-living-support

South Cambs Christmas Fair

An indoor market of 70 stalls is set to bring yuletide cheer to South Cambridgeshire, offering visitors the chance to snap up gifts and get into the Christmas spirit.

South Cambridgeshire District Council will be hosting a Christmas Market on Sunday 11 December which will be held across Cambourne Village College Performance Hall and the neighbouring gymnasium sports hall. Visitor entry to the market is free.

Between 11am and 3pm, 70 local independent business stalls will offer an array of products such as artisan crafts, edible gifts, artwork, handmade items and floristry. A selection of mobile caterers can also be found just outside of the venue, providing both hot and cold festive refreshments.

Go Fund Me Cost of Living Fund

People are invited to donate to a new emergency Go Fund Me campaign which will help finance the response to the cost of living crisis in South Cambridgeshire.

South Cambridgeshire District Council has kick started the initiative to help provide more vulnerable residents hit hardest by the cost of living crisis with lower cost options to keep warm and cook.

The Go Fund Me page officially launched 29th November) with money raised being added to Council support for people just about managing.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/scdccostofliving

Reporting Mould

People in South Cambridgeshire, who rent homes in the private sector, are being urged to seek help from the Council if mould issues are not resolved by their landlords.

The reminder follows the tragic case of Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old boy who died following chronic exposure to mould at the family home in Rochdale.

In South Cambridgeshire, the District Council has a role in ensuring that homes in the private sector and the Council’s own properties do not contain health hazards. Most properties within the private rented sector in the district are in good condition, but the Council’s Environmental Health team investigate any complaints.

Private Sector and Housing Association tenants can make a complaint about the condition of their home by emailing env.health@scambs.gov.uk

The following information is required:

· Their address

· The landlord’s details

· What the issue is

· How long it has been a problem

· Any photographs available to show the extent of the issue

The Council has the power to take the appropriate enforcement action if there are issues that need to be resolved. This action could include writing to the landlord to ensure the issue is resolved, but the Council can also serve a legal notice to instruct works to be carried out.

The Council manages around 5,500 Council homes. Leading councillors have said that the Council takes reports of mould seriously and does not assume that damp is a consequence of the lifestyle of tenants. Officers support people on the issue by:

· Actively informing residents about methods to reduce damp and mould

· Using specialist contractors to assess and remedy any issues reported

· Encouraging all operatives to check for damp and mould when they are working in properties as part of safeguarding and welfare procedures

When any repair is reported, the Council asks tenants if there are other issues at their home

The Council had already planned to carry out a stock condition survey on all Council-owned homes next year which will identify any issues with mould, or risk of mould developing to ensure proactive action can be taken.

Six Free Trees

Trees are being offered to parish councils across the district to help provide homes and food for wildlife and combat climate change. The Six Free Trees campaign is into its third year and has seen 390 trees planted across South Cambridgeshire since it was launched in 2019.

The campaign encourages tree planting by promoting its many benefits and is one of a range of initiatives by South Cambridgeshire District Council which supports its ambitions to double nature and get the district to net zero by 2050.

Parish Councils have until 21 December 2022 to apply for six free trees which will be delivered to them from 30 January 2023.

Trees can be chosen from a list of native varieties including field maple, alder, silver birch, hornbeam, hawthorn, beech, wild cherry, oak, rowan and crabapple. Bio-based and compostable guards, stakes and ties will also be supplied.

Ukraine – new hosts for guests needed

Cambridge and South Cambs have between them about 500 hosts for Ukraine guests. With the war in Ukraine continuing, the six-month hosting arrangements have needed to be renewed, though not all hosts are in a position to do so. Anyone who might be able to provide a spare room for a guest from Ukraine is asked to get in touch with SCDC. We need new homes for about 200 people. For this reason we have launched the GOT A SPARE ROOM campaign. If you are interested all you have to do is text ROOM to 88802. https://www.scambs.gov.uk/support-for-ukraine-it-all-starts-with-a-spare-room/

Cambridgeshire County Report

Budget Gap

CCC business planning for 2023-24: The County Council faces a budget gap of about £29 Million due to inflation, as we have reported previously. At the time of writing, much work has been done to close that gap ahead of the February budget meeting, but a £13 Million gap remains to be filled. Detailed papers on service areas will go to December committees.

Making Connections Consultation

No apologies for including this a second month running – it is very important that YOU give feedback. The Greater Cambridge Partnership ‘Making Connections’ 2022 runs until 23 December 2022. This is about a completely different way of running bus services, more active travel links and a congestion charge for Cambridge. We are being asked to share this information as widely as possible, and to encourage everyone to respond. Points of local detail are vital and in their best form these can only be provided by local residents based on their everyday travel needs.

The proposals are a once-in-a-generation opportunity to change how we travel in Greater Cambridge and the wider area, relieving pressure on the road network and responding to air quality, cost of living and climate crises; and also, creating workable public transport and active travel links in more rural areas where currently, costly private vehicle transport is the only way to get to jobs, education and other essential daily travel needs.

The survey, plus information about the proposals, including maps, frequently asked questions, dates of public meetings etc can be found at: http://www.greatercambridge.org.uk/mc-2022

Residents and those travelling to the area are asked for their thoughts on the three parts of the proposal:

1) Transforming the bus network From mid-2023, GCP is proposing to transform the bus network through new routes, additional services, cheaper fares and longer operating hours. Please check the proposals and add your comments: are these satisfactory or is there a better way?

2) Investing in other sustainable travel schemes Alongside the bus network, GCP is proposing to invest in new sustainable travel schemes, such as better walking and cycling links. Again, input is needed.

3) Creating a Sustainable Travel Zone GCP is proposing the introduction of a Sustainable Travel Zone which includes a road user charge. Vehicles would be charged for driving within the zone between 7am and 7pm on weekdays, and money raised would fund improvements to the bus network and other sustainable travel schemes. The Zone would be fully operational in 2027/28 but only after the bus improvements are introduced. Again, your input please.

Cost of living Support.

This mirrors the South Cambs information and also to be updated regularly.

https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/council/communities-localism/support-with-the-cost-of-living

Contact Centre

Opening times for Cambridgeshire County Council’s customer service centre are to change from Thursday 1 December. From this date, all service lines into the contact centre will operate from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday only. The recorded messages that customers will hear on the telephone lines outside these hours will direct them to other ways to get information they need, including emergency out of hours contacts.

Out of hours contacts will still be available for social care, highways and flooding issues or council services that respond to other out of hours needs such as registrars. For more details visit here. Highways 0345 045 5212

Flood Preparedness Webinar

An event on Dec 14^th will cover this topic

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/flood-preparedness-webinar-tickets-476354799027

Great Chesterford Hardcore Site : ESS/20/22/UTT

This is in abeyance as a new application is being made

https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ViewCase.aspx?CaseID=3306988&CoID=0

Covid Vaccination Dates

https://www.thevaccinators.co.uk/

Foxton Hub

Im still waiting for an update from GCP and draft papers for the hub.

Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you All.

Peter McDonald