 Welcome everyone to South Cambridgeshire District Council, we're meeting today on Thursday the 21st of July, and whether you are attending remotely or in person, welcome. My name is Councillor Anna Bradnam, I'm the Chair of South Cambridgeshire District Council, my Vice-Chair is Councillor Peter Fane. May I now make a few housekeeping announcements, so please make sure that all your mobile phones are switched off or to silent. Your microphones should be, please, kept switched off unless you're invited to speak. For those participating remotely, when you are invited to address the meeting, please make sure that your microphone and camera are switched on, and then when you've finished addressing the meeting, please turn your microphone and camera off. Thank you. These would members who are attending remotely indicate a wish to speak through a chat message in the Teams meeting. Those present in the Chamber should indicate their wish to speak by raising their hand. I'll ask the Vice-Chair to note the order of speakers both virtually and in the room. And I would remind people taking part in this meeting that the chat facility should not be used for any other purpose except where necessary to write down a simple amendment. Complex amendments should have been shared with democratic services in advance of the meeting. When we move to a vote on an item, and there is not clear affirmation, I will state that a recorded vote will be taken. Members in the Chamber will then vote electronically, selecting for, against, or abstain, and the result will be displayed. Members, you may remember at the last meeting we looked at changes to the constitution. I just want to remind members that you are able to stay seated when you speak, or you can choose to stand up if you wish, but if you do stand up, please make sure that your microphone is close enough to you that we can hear what you are saying and that members online can hear what you are saying. And if it's apparent to me that that isn't happening, I'll stop you and ask you to make that possible. So officers have confirmed that the meeting is courate and that we can proceed. Firstly, are there any apologies for absence? Chair, yes. Apologies for absence has been received from councillors Corinne Garvey and Peter MacDonald and also participating remotely are councillors Richard Stobart and Shribona Bhattacharya. May I ask if councillor Dr Tumi Hawkins is taking part online? No? Yes, I am. Yes, I am. I thought you might be too. Are there any other members who are participating remotely who we haven't alerted? Oh, councillor Lovelock, how nice to see you. Thank you very much. Right, so declarations of interest members, any members have any interest to declare in relation to any item of business on this agenda? If an interest subsequently becomes apparent later on in the meeting, you can raise it at that point, but do members have any points now? Councillor Batchelor, Henry. Thank you, chair. Until later in the agenda, I'm still the current member on the councils to investment partnerships. I thought I just mentioned that in case that does relate in any way to any items on the agenda. Thank you very much, councillor Henry Batchelor. So, moving on to item three, the register of interests, please may I remind members that they need to keep the register of interests up to date and they should inform democratic services of any changes. Item four, the minutes of the previous meeting which are on pages one to 14 of our agenda. So, members, are there any items of adjustment that people wish for? Councillor Ellington, please give the page. Thank you, Madam Chairman. On page six, it says that Richard Williams is on the scrutiny committee, but in fact it's me. Thank you very much. And there's also a substitute, which is quite difficult for him. Councillor Richard Williams is the substitute, you are the substantive member. Thank you very much, Councillor Ellington. Any other items? Councillor Riffith. On page 13, I've seen this as correct because it's Councillor Heather Williams' opposition leader's annual statement where it refers to the untimely deaths of two MPs. It's David Amos, not just David Amos. Thank you very much. Perhaps we can add the words into the minutes. Thank you. Are there any other items? That's all. Thank you very much then. So, members, can we approve the minutes thus amended of the meeting of the council held on 26 May 2022, please? Lovely. Thank you very much, Members. Sorry. Does anybody wish to abstain from that? No. Okay. Lovely. Thank you very much. So, we agree the approval of the minutes of 26 May 2022 as amended as a correct record by affirmation. Thank you. Item five is announcements. I have one announcement. I just wanted to draw your attention, Members, to the sad death of Robin Marslew, who represented Caldercott Ward for the Liberal Democrats between 2004 and 2010. And I just invite Councillor van der Ven, who I believe was appointed at the same time as Robin Marslew, to say a few words. Thank you. Thank you. Yes, I didn't represent the same ward, but Councillor Waters, Councillor Howell, Councillor Bachelor and I were all elected at the same time. And he had a great sense of humour. He made us all laugh. He was a really dedicated local councillor who paid attention to people. He helped me to write my first leaflet, which was full of puns and jokes that didn't make sense to anybody else. So, just wanted to stand up and remember him at this time. Thanks. Thank you very much. And Councillor Hawkins, Councillor Dr Tumi Hawkins, would you like to say something? Thank you very much for allowing me to speak. I very much miss Robin Marslew. I have been representing Caldercott since he stepped down and retired. He taught me a lot. And I still remember him saying to me, do not forget those people who are, I think we call them out, you know, not within the villages, but those who are difficult to get to. And because of that, I make sure that, of course, I make sure I keep them informed of what's going on within the district, because very usually they don't know these things. And yes, he was a good man, very active when he was a councillor, and I had big shoes to fill when he left. But I just want to say, I'm pleased that we are at least acknowledging him today, and for the opportunity that he in some ways gave me to be a good councillor for Caldercott Ward, as it was then and is now. May he so rest in peace. Thank you. Thank you very much, Councillor Hawkins. Leader, do you wish to make any announcements? No, I've no announcements to make, but I would just like to thank those two councillors who've talked about Robin. He was just a lovely man, actually, and I can't add anything to what's been said. Thank you very much. Right, so do any of the members of the cabinet have any announcements or need a paid service? Thank you, no. Right, thank you. So next item is questions from the public, and I understand, well, she is here, yes. So we've received a public question from Councillor Hannah Copley of Cambridge City Council, which can be found in our agenda packs on little two of our agenda, and Councillor Copley is attending remotely. Thank you very much for joining us, Councillor Copley. Would you like to read your question? Ask your question. Yes, thank you. Can you hear me okay? Yes, we can. Do you speak clearly? Yes, thank you. Yes, thank you to members of the meeting for the opportunity to ask this question. So this question relates to the police crime sentencing and courts bill, which I'm sure many members of this council will have heard of and may know about. As a very brief background, on June 28, new powers in the police crime sentencing and courts act came into the force, and they redefined trespass with the intent to reside as an imprisonable offence, which allowed police to seize vehicles from those suspected of this. There's a severe nationwide shortage of legal stopping places, which effectively criminalizes nomadic life in England and Wales, and has been described by gypsy and traveller advocacy groups as an attempt to eradicate their traditional and nomadic culture. And you may have seen in the news that the consequences of the Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Act were made very apparent in Milton Keynes last week, where there were multiple riot vans and the police brutally evicted a group of travellers, including children, from a roadside camp. The group wanted to leave voluntarily, but arrests were made and four vehicles were seized, which for the people that lived in those vehicles represents their homes and all their possessions. So my question to the chamber is following Royal Assent of the Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Bill now, the Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, what specific steps will South Cambridge District Council take to counteract and prevent contributing to the systemic racism that this act represents? Thank you, Councillor Copley. I believe Councillor John Bachelor will respond to that question. Right, thank you. Thank you, Councillor, for your question. Wasn't there a second question? Is that being asked now? The question that has been posed at this point is question A on our agenda. Okay, A. So a response to that is as follows. There are a number of parts in the bill that most certainly do cause us concern. This includes Part 3, which gives additional powers to the police to impose restrictions on peaceful procession, assembly and protest. These obviously impinge on people's rights for freedom of expression. However, given the second part of the question, it would seem likely that the question is based upon Part 4 of the Act, which provides increased powers for police to respond to unauthorised encampments, which would create a new offence of residing or intending to reside on land with a vehicle where it causes or is likely to cause significant disruption, damage or distress. It also increases the existing period in which trespassers directed from land will be unable to return from three months to 12 months and grants private landowners significant powers to trigger criminal offence with respect to what is ordinarily a civil dispute. The council recognises that these measures could indirectly discriminate against gypsy, Roma and traveller people, breach their rights to privacy and the home and be in breach of public sector equality duty. The council is limited in its ability to take steps to counteract this legislation, except in the few cases where the council is also the landowner. The council does, however, recognise that if more sites were provided for travellers, both long-term and stopping sites, this could provide better options and avoid unauthorised encampments. The council does currently operate two sites within the district and is working with officers from the city and the county council to look at the possibility to provide more such sites in Greater Cambridge. Moreover, a recent community safety partnership project saw a great many district and parish councillors and community members trained in GRT awareness and encouraged to consider identifying negotiated stopping sites where it would be acceptable for an encampment to remain in situ for an agreed period before moving on. This is an alternative or at least prior to resort into enforcement action. The council is also in the process of undertaking an accommodation needs assessment for gypsies, travellers, travelling showmen and bar G travellers, as well as other caravan and houseboat dwellers. This assessment will help to identify the need for additional gypsy and traveller sites which will inform the next local plan and then assist and assist in our plan making for future provision. Thank you. Thank you, Councillor John Batchelor. Councillor Copley, did you want to ask yours the second part of your question, albeit that Councillor Batchelor appears to have answered that because it has been written in our agenda paper. Do you wish to ask your supplementary question? Thank you, yes. I haven't seen the answer to this question and Councillor Batchelor didn't answer it just then. So, if I may just briefly comment on what Councillor Batchelor said, it's very encouraging to hear that there has been encouragement to identify sites of negotiated stopping. The purpose of my second question is that I'm not clear to what degree evictions are happening in South Camershire District Council. The gypsy traveller accommodation needs assessment does not, by definition, include evictions as part of its methodology. I understand from discussions with officers. Ms Copley, do you want, Councillor Copley, sorry, would you like to just read your supplementary question since that is what is on our paper? Thank you, yes. So, this second question is asking how many evictions of members of the Gypsy Roma and Traffler communities, by specifically that unauthorised encampments, have taken place since July 2021 that South Camershire District Council have been aware of? Of those, whether those evictions have been carried out by South Camershire District Council, Parish Council, Counter Council, private landowners or any other bodies? I'm asking if I can be provided with the total numbers of evictions based on who carried out the eviction to the extent this knowledge is known by South Camershire District Council. Thank you very much, Councillor Copley. So, Councillor John Bachelor, would you like to respond to that? Yes, thank you very much. Well, I'm very pleased to say that as far as South Camershire District Council is concerned, the answer is zero. We haven't evicted any trafflers. In the broader context, we have more than 100 parish councils. The county council and private landowners all have separate legal entities who have no obligation to inform the district council of their actions. It's difficult for the council to provide accurate information and it would be more appropriate to contact these entities separately. Thank you very much, Councillor Bachelor, and thank you very much for attending, Councillor Copley. We move on now to item seven on our agenda, which is petitions, and we have not received any petitions. Item eight is to consider item eight on our agenda, north stone, which is the update and recommendations, and it's a recommendation of cabinet on the 11th of July 2022. So, members, please note that figures contained in appendices F, G and H, the purple pages in our agenda pack, contain information that is commercially sensitive. If members wish to discuss this sensitive information, there will need to be a vote to exclude the public and press from that discussion. The preference is to keep the meeting open to the public as far as possible, but if any councillor wishes to refer to this confidential information, they should make that known either now or later in the debate. To reveal confidential information, whilst we are still in open session, is a potential breach of the code of conduct. So, I would suggest that the discussion remain in public session for the main paper, and we only move to confidential session for discussion of the appendices if any member wishes to do so. So, is there any wish to discuss items in the confidential pages? Not at this stage. Great. So, may I call upon Councillor Bill Handley, the lead cabinet member for Communities in New Towns, to present the report and move the recommendation. Councillor Handley. Thank you, Chair. This report provides the background to the council's position on North Stowe and outlines the council's plans to help fund the growing new town sports pavilion and community centre on phase one, and the civic hub and a second sports pavilion on phase two. The council has an obligation to deliver these community buildings, and I'm pleased to be able to say that it's in a good position to do so financially. The phase one sports pavilion will be located near to the existing 3G sports pages in Bowling Green. It will provide changing facilities and a multi-use clubroom and catering facilities. Plans for this project are already well advanced and subject to the agreement of council today, the funding agreement of council today, it's hoped that this facility will be delivered in the early part of the middle of next year. The community centre will be a multi-use facility for North Stowe residents. This will be located within the local centre, which itself is expected to contain a mixture of shops and commercial development. The civic hub will be the landmark building within the town centre and will have space for community activities, library services, a GP surgery and other similar services. These buildings will be high quality community facilities built to the latest standards of energy efficiency, design and construction, and incorporating modern renewable energy technologies. There are 10 recommendations before you today. I'm not going to list them all, but the highlights are a £1.53 million towards the phase one sports pavilion, with 300,000 of this coming from the Renewable Energy Reserve, £6.5 million towards the phase one community centre from capital receipts, £4.82 million towards the phase two civic hub also from capital receipts. I think there's a typo in the paper about that, it's £4.82 million and £2 million towards the phase two sports pavilion from again from capital receipts. The council's agreement to these recommendations will allow the council to move forward with the development of these much needed buildings, and I move chair that council accepts the recommendations as set out in paragraphs small one to ten on pages 15 and 16 of the agenda. Thank you. Thank you very much, Councillor Handley, and may I call for a seconder? Councillor Bridget Smith, thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. Members, does anybody wish... I'll reserve my right to speak. Okay, thank you very much. So members, we move into debate unless there is...Councillor Hurley-Williams wants to speak. Thank you, chairman. I would like to speak to substantive item, but before that I'd like to move an amendment in relation to Roman Newmore 9, that along with the pause, that there will be a report back to council within six months as an update as to what is happening. I believe that is agreeable. Thank you. Can I check with councillor Bill Handley? Watch your responses to that. Yes, I agree with that sensible suggestion, and if that's right, I'm willing to second it. Thank you very much. Would you be happy for councillor Handley to second that? Yes, I do. Thank you very much. So that's great. So with that amended, should we move into debate then, members? Would anybody like to speak? Councillor Hurley-Williams. Thank you, chair. You didn't have to have such a tone of surprise at the fact we might have been able to agree on something. I was surprised at all, councillor Hurley-Williams. But yes, so I don't think anybody is going to argue that Northstone needs community facilities. I think we've rehearsed that debate well in the past, and motions have had full cross-room support. In fact, we had more parties in there, so it's a bit more meaningful than maybe. But one thing that obviously by my amendment you'll realise is that Roman Newmore 9 has created a bit of concern because there's an investment in there that hasn't gone to plan. These things happen. We appreciate that. But what I would like to do is seek assurance that given that things aren't going to plan on that investment and there was considerable millions of pounds spent on it, that what we won't see is this being given to one of our development partnerships, for example, chair, and that we won't be seeking to be building housing as is happening on the enterprise zone area in Campbell. I think for Northstone to thrive, this is an enterprise zone and should stay so. Thank you very much. I believe councillor Dan Lentel would like to speak. Yes, thank you. Just to say that I'm in Northstone twice a day for drop-off and pick-up and once again on Sundays. I would like to put on record that this is a really exciting new community and I think that the community is very well served by the proposals that councillor Handley has put before us today. This is an international community. It's a diverse and vibrant community and everything that we do here means that we have this dynamic new feature on our thin-edge landscape that will last considerably longer than any of us. So, it really does matter that we get these things right. So, thank you. I wasn't surprised. I was just trying to find my place in the papers. Thank you. I'd like to ask a question if I may and that is simply, since this is great and positive news, I'm really pleased to hear it and considering how important this is to the community at Northstone. I wanted to just ask how the community are being consulted on the development. Okay, thank you, Jay. Yes, we have recently set up a Northstone Development Board on which there will be a county councillor and a member of Northstone Town Council. It hasn't met yet but we'll meet soon. We've already had preliminary discussions and they've been very optimistic and positive. While I'm on, can I just answer Councillor William's question? I think you asked the question about you need reassurance that no housing is going to be built. Sorry, I missed the actual question you posed, but then... Would it help through you if I clarified my question? Yes, please do. Please. Yes, please do. So, obviously the investment hasn't gone as we planned. We can see that from the papers that are in the public arena. What I'm seeking is reassurance that the options that are looked at going forward will be of a business nature and an enterprise zone as is planned and not as we've seen in Canborn when land has been acquired by the council seek to add additional housing on areas of land that was meant to be for business use. For example, the business park just here, which was fed through the investment partnership. So, just wondering if those are options that are being looked at and could have some reassurance that it's not because we think Northstone needs to thrive as a sustainable area. For that, it needs business and not just housing. Thank you. Can I defer to this what's on that please? Yes, thank you. Thank you and through you, Chair. The terms of the sale of the enterprise zone prohibit housing and it's designated as enterprise zone land until 2042. So, there's no intention to put housing on that side at all. There has been a lot of work on the enterprise zone. Communities and businesses have been consulted last June and they have fed into the master plan between June and September. We're launching a website at the beginning of September. So, it's not that there's nothing being done. It's just being, you know, we're taking a bit longer than originally planned, but there's certainly no intention for housing. Can I ask Councillor Bill Hanley, was there anything further you wish to add? Was there anything further you wish to add? No, no, thank you. Thank you. Councillor Rippus. I just really wanted to note and highlight that I think this is really positive news that Northstone will be getting some really high quality green buildings, which will serve the community, which has been established at the moment for years and years going forward, that they're going to be green to their core, like what we propose to be doing as a council, and it's really important for the placemaking, which is another thing that we say we are about. And I think in this case we really are about those two things and I'm really pleased to see that these buildings will be coming forward. Thank you very much. Councillor John Johnson. I would just like to say on behalf of Alex and I as local members of Northstone that we're really pleased with this proposal and are looking forward to the community getting so many of these buildings coming up and to be fully consulted on all of them. There's a lot of anticipation and excitement about these buildings coming up, so we would like to convey our thanks to the council for supporting the community on this. Thank you very much. And Councillor Ellington. Thank you. It is really exciting news and it's great to see the council being able to take the opportunity that's available. The two areas that I'm slightly concerned about in Northstone is one, a burial ground, because there's a lot more people there and they do keep dying. Sorry, did you say burial ground? I did say a burial ground and the other is that I believe there is land set aside for a religious or place of faith building and that would I believe come under the heading of community establishment and wonder whether any thought had been given to helping the various ecumenical religions around there to provide it. I might say that my colleague Councillor Batschaw would be looking for a Hindu temple but I think that is possibly one step slightly too far within that sort of context. Thank you, Councillor Ellington. Councillor Henry, would you like to respond to that? There is land set aside for a faith building, not part of the buildings we're discussing at the moment. It's a little way ahead and I know work on that will begin in due course. As far as the cemetery goes, I'm afraid I can't give you an answer unless there are any officers here who might be able to comment on that. I can't see any hands up amongst the officers. In that case, I'll get back to you on that Councillor Ellington. Somebody can, I'm being advised by Liz. Stephen Kelly, could you respond about the burial ground? I think I'd like to clarify it but certainly in the assessment of the planning applications we have had regard to the provision of burial facilities in terms of the infrastructure requirements. I can't offer a precise position on where and how they will be delivered but certainly we can come back to it on you but it was a planning consideration. And Councillor Nieto, did you wish to speak? Where are you from? No, thank you. Thank you. I just wanted to... Excuse me, if you're, are you reading from your laptop because could you put it to one side otherwise it blocks the microphone? Thank you. Go ahead. I just wanted to ask if there's any issues with businesses, if any businesses are going to be impacted by this delay? So are any businesses going to be impacted by this delay? Councillor Huntley? I know and I suspect any, that the local businesses are impacted it will be in a positive way because there will be building facilities that local businesses can use. Thank you very much. Are there any further questions on this matter? No, okay so let's move to the recommendation then which is on page 15 and 6. Oh sorry, Nieto, sorry, yes you're seconding it, I do apologise. Thank you very much indeed. So it's always a real pleasure to visit, visit Norstow. I was there some time ago now actually as part of, don't forget that it was a healthy towns initiative and we were there with various representatives from government concerned with the health sector. And so actually Norstow has been very successful in delivering the infrastructure to allow people to be fit and healthy, to cycle and to walk, to have walks where there's places to regularly sit down if your legs can't quite as good as they used to be. So you know we mustn't lose sight of the healthy towns initiative which was a government funded initiative in the first place. It's really sad the money didn't follow to do the assessment work on the efficacy of all the interventions there but I think that's what's very much appreciated by the people living there. Myself and Councillor Handley met with the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor just this week and they were really great pains to tell us what a great place Norstow is to live and how happy people are. And they had a special praise for the sports facilities that are there at the moment. They are exemplary, they're just missing a pavilion but you know the pavilion is hopefully ready to go once, well depending on the decision that is made today. Councillor Handley is referred to the Norstow delivery group which I think will ensure that you know the local voice, the local voice is paramount in helping us move all these plans forward. I'm confident that these aren't just going to be any old community buildings, they're going to be kind of M&S of community buildings. They're going to be landmark facilities which hopefully will provide a template for future community buildings in places like Bourne and Water Beach. And at a time of escalating construction costs, it's a relief to me personally I'm sure to everyone in this room that this council is in a position to make this happen through a fully funded package. Many councils would not be talking about doing what we're doing, they'd actually be talking about doing a lot less than originally planned, whereas we are actually talking about doing more certainly in terms of the quality of build and the quality of placemaking. So this is a really good news story, we would all like to have had it to tell earlier but actually you know this is it's complicated, it's taken a considerable amount of work on the behalf of officers and Ainsworth is now leading on this, she's got a fantastic team with her, most of whom are on the screen here. So I think we are going to move forward at pace and we will be delivering something that all of us in this room will be really proud of and perhaps we can even hold some of our meetings in some of these fabulous new buildings. Thank you very much leader. So we have Councillor Handley. Very briefly chair, I would just like to conclude by thanking the office, this report has been a huge amount of work, a lot of officers involved as the leaders just said and several of them are on the line now looking over us. Just thank you to all of them, it's a great report and I commend it to council. Thank you very much Councillor Handley and also thank you very much for the officers being available to answer any questions had we asked them so thank you. So we'll move to the recommendation as amended at item little nine which added in a requirement for a report after six months. Councillor Heather Williams, did you wish to speak? Chairman, I've just noticed that I needed to declare an interest and other members might need to. So on this supplement that we received today it referenced decision sheets and things in relation to the Greater Cambridge Partnership and I'm a member of the Greater Cambridge Partnership Assembly. I think there might be others that need to declare that interest. Not just yet, we haven't quite taken the vote on this one yet. So let's just do the vote on this. So we were told to make our declaration of interest when we realised it came up so that's what I'm doing but or prior to the relevant item. So just going back, we're looking at the recommendations on page 15. I'll come back to you Councillor Heather Williams. Page 15 and 16 item two small i to 10 with item nine amended to add a request for a report at six months. So members, does anybody wish to vote against this? Sorry, before you move on, I think we also have to amend little three from £4.82 to £4.82. Correct. Yes, we are going to amend more than £4.82 Pee. Correct. So can we amend item three? Thank you very much Councillor John Batchelor for pointing that out. £4.82 million allocated to the Civic Hub programme funded from capital receipts. With those two amendments, members, can we take a vote on this? Does anybody wish to object to this or abstain? Or can we take this by affirmation members? Agreed. That's fantastic. Thank you very much indeed. So with that, the council therefore agrees the motion as amended in two places by affirmation. Thank you very much for moving on. Members, so we move on to item nine, which is the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and we have a supplementary agenda. Councillor Heather Williams, would you like to just repeat in this location your registration of an interest? I'm a member of the Greater Cambridge Partnership Assembly. Thank you very much. I'm in this reference. And other members are also. So Councillor Bridget Smith, are there any and Councillor Brian Milne's and Councillor Paul Bear Park registering her interest in the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority? Okay. Sorry, isn't that what I said? The Greater Cambridge, sorry. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority. I thought that's what I read out. No, Greater Cambridge Partnership Assembly. Ah, okay. Right. I hope somebody knows what to a minute down for that, for the register of interest, because I've lost track. Sorry, Jim. Thank you. So moving on to item nine then. Oh, Councillor John Williams. No, it's John Batchel. What? Oh, Councillor John Batchel. Right. Now, we are on Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority, are we? Yes, we are. I'm a member of the Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority housing committee. Thank you for making that point so clearly, Councillor Batchel. And I'm the substitute for the leader on the CPCA board. Thank you very much. So have we got all those interests recorded? Okay. Members, do you have any questions for our representatives on the Combined Authority? Councillor Heather Williams. Thank you, Chair. I have a series of questions. So through yourself, would you like me to ask them individually or all as one? Could you ask them all as one and we'll list them and we'll come back to them. Just one moment. I can see Councillor Richard Williams has his hand up. Can I just ask? I was indicating to Councillor Fein I wanted to speak at some point in the debate. So okay, we've got one name on the list. Thank you. So Councillor Heather Williams, would you like to ask your questions? Thank you, Chair. Through yourself, I noted in page eight that Councillor John Williams substituted for Councillor Bridget Smith. Could the leader please confirm that she did not attend the recent extraordinary board meeting? Can the leader confirm that she is actively involved in resolving the issues raised in the External Auditors Report? And if yes, what has the leader done? If not, why not? Has the South Cam's board representative agreed to pay departing members of staff early retirement, gardening leave or compensation and if so, how much? With the drastic amount of vacancies, is it reasonable to assume that the Combined Authority is functioning or is it reasonable to assume that they cannot? And if so, what is the leader doing about this on our behalf? Is the leader concerned for the welfare of officers of the Combined Authority, given the ongoing allegations? And what steps is the leader taking to ensure officer welfare is protected at the Combined Authority? Can the leader in response? Just one moment, Councillor Williams. Let's pause there. I think there's quite a few of them. Haven't you got one more, Chair? Okay, right here. I do like a list, Chair. Can the leader inform us as to why a copy of the letter was not included in the report, given the serious nature of it? Would it not have been more open and transparent to ensure all members of this Council were aware of the situation? Thank you very much. Can you just itemise how many questions that was because I lost track? Lucky six, Chair. Six, okay. So, can I ask Councillor Bridgesmith if you would like to have any of those repeated? Well, let me see if I've captured them. It was fast and furious. Okay, the extraordinary board meeting, which I'm just trying to remember. I might have to refer to Councillor Williams. He said that was split over two meetings, wasn't it? So, Councillor Williams attended the first bash at it, and then because he had been at the first running of this meeting, it therefore had to be him at the second bit of it. I think I attended as an observer for the second half, but I didn't have any voting rights, but I was allowed to attend as an observer. All right? Okay, activity involved in the audit report. So, you're asking what my involvement is on the report from the external independent auditor. Yeah, thank you. Would you like to clarify that? Yes, my question is, can you confirm that you are actively involved in resolving the issues? Raised in the external auditors as our representative? So, the responsibility is of the board. I'm a member of the board, so I'm involved as a board member. You will be aware that we have very recently appointed an interim chief exec, Graham Mitchell, so he's obviously taking a lead role on this. So, it is being dealt with as per proper process, very much under the auspices of the monitoring officer at the combined authority. And then, have I agreed to pay any compensation that has not come my way again? It's dealt with by the board. Are you talking about compensation for the outgoing chief executive? I'll just clarify. Thank you. Would you like to clarify, Councillor Heather Williams? Yes, any gardening leave or any of the staff that have been involved in the situation, have they been paid compensation? And if so, how much does it cost in the taxpayer? Because I believe there's been a chief executive, actually. Okay, so there was an agreement reached over a payment to the outgoing chief executive. Can't remember offhand how much that was. I'll have to get back to you on that. And as far as I'm concerned, there's been no decisions taken. I'm not aware of gardening leave because it's not a board matter. And I'm not aware of agreeing any other payments for any other individual. I'm just looking at this wats to just check that I've recalculated that correctly. Chief executive, would you like to speak? If I may, through you, Chair. These meetings were held in confidence and although a significant amount of information has been leaked from the meeting, I don't believe it's appropriate for Councillor Smith to share this information. It's not information that is in the public domain. And I think Councillor Smith is subject to the requirements of a combined authorities board in the vice one monitoring officer. But that the combined authorities monitoring officer, not our monitoring officer, who I imagine would say the same thing. Thank you. Thank you for the reminder of that. Okay, so then you've asked, is the combined authority functioning? Yes. I am reassured by the involvement of our chief executive and the chief executives of all the partner authorities now who are working with the officers, with the new interim chief executive and with the department of levelling up to address any existing issues with the combined authority. So yes, it is functioning and I am reassured now that the expertise of our chief executives are there supporting and giving advice. And then on welfare of officers, it's really not appropriate for me to comment on any allegations or on the welfare of officers or combined authority. And I'm sorry, you asked about a letter, what letter were you referring to? I don't know you said. Go ahead. So to perhaps my previous questions was, were you concerned about the welfare of officers and what steps are you taking to ensure officer welfare? I don't believe the steps. I'm not asking you to give details of allegations through your self-chair. I'm asking what steps have been taken to protect officers. Okay, so that's not quite the question that was answered. And also on my last question, it was the copy of the letter from EY that is in the public domain dated the 1st of June, which is not in our packs. Oh, okay. I'll just say it's in the public domain. We've never included in the packs every bit of correspondence coming to the combined authority. They're all available on the combined authorities website. So the links are there if people are interested. They can go to the combined authorities website. It's not for us. We routinely publish the decision sheets, but it would be very odd if we started cherry picking bits of information to put into our packs. I'm going to, because I think I'm very cautious about commenting on individual officers, I'm going to refer to Liz Watts, please, on the first question there. Thank you and through you, Chair. Concerns have been raised about the welfare of officers. It's not surprising when there's been significant change at the top of any organisation. The chief execs of the partner councils are working closely with the new interim chief executive and we've offered a lot of support. We're also, a number of us are working with a number of officers within the combined authority and they're trying to show as much support as we can so that the officers of the combined authority feel as though they are grounded in the councils of the combined authority. And I think that's a work in progress, but it's certainly something that we are very invested in. Thank you. Oh, Councillor Richard Williams. Thanks. Thank you very much, Chair. It's a related point, but of course the earnest young letter did raise significant concerns about the capacity capability or capacity and capability of the combined authority to discharge its governance and statutory duties. I wanted to ask about two specific things which may well be related to that. Firstly, as I'm sure members will be aware, the combined authority has been required to repay tens of millions of pounds to the government that it was given to promote home insulation in the county and has failed to spend the money on time. So has been required to repay that money, which is a significant failure of the authority. Secondly, that came hot on the heels of the failure of the authority to secure significant funds from the Department of Transport for active travel. Virtually every other combined authority in the country was awarded some millions of pounds to support active travel, but the Cambridge and Peterborough authority got barely 600,000. So then again, that's a significant failure. So I've got two questions, really. Could the leader or any other representative please update us on what steps, if any, are being taken to try and rectify those two problems? But secondly, what is being done to try and resolve the governance problems that not only are causing problems, as we've heard for the staff, but are leading to clear policy failures. And I think we want to see these remedied as quickly as possible. Thank you, Councillor Williams. Okay, so shall I share your disappointment about the failure to attract the active travel body? Yeah, it was really, really sad. And it does, it's not going to make it easy to deliver the local transport plan. So yeah, absolutely, deeply disappointing. On the home insulation money, I'm going to ask Liz for detail here, because it's really complicated. And the government keep launching new schemes for retrofitting, and they're all overlapping each other. And I can't, on the top of my head, without my notes, recall which was which. There was national failure here. This was not specific to our area, the major failures. My understanding is that the failure was because the body responsible for delivering the improvements pulled out for some reason. So suddenly, the delivery body wasn't there doing the work. Having said that, there's now a new funding scheme, again, all with really short timescale. So the government does not give realistic time frames for significant amounts of money to be spent. And so I know that the combined authorities applied for an extension, both of the original funding, I think, and Pippa Haley from knows a lot about this, the original amount of money, and also for this second lot which is overlapping it. It is absolutely imperative that we get the retrofitting of housing stock moving. And I think I saw an announcement yesterday about more government money that's specifically for local authority housing. So there'll be an interesting discussion about how we get our hands on that, because that's promising to retrofit the likes of our housing stock really quickly. Liz, can you add in more detail? Because I'm sorry, I've been quite woolly on that, I'm afraid. Thank you. Woolly but covered everything. So basically it's a supply chain issue. The combined authority appointed delivery partner, the partner pulled out. It is incredibly hard to procure delivery partners for this work because it's in such huge demand. The combined authority did negotiate an extension and they are working to deliver as much as they can within that extension. I was just looking to find, I think there's going to be a further 30 million pounds spent between the 30th of June and the 30th of September. So recovering the position a little bit, but it is essentially a fairly significant supply chain issue, which as Councillor Smith said is a national issue. We're not the only combined authority to be in that position. Councillor Richard. Yes, if I could just come back on that. Thank you both for those answers. It's unfortunate if the contractor pulled out, but the West Midlands combined authority did manage, I think, to spend all of its money that it got under the schemes. I'm not sure it's quite that every council has had problems with this. I did ask another question, which I just would be grateful for a few words on. Could you clarify the other question because I didn't quite capture what the actual question was. The question I came to is what are we doing or what can the leader tell us what South Cambridge District Council is doing to try to ensure that these failures to spend the money on insulation, particularly active travel, as you've said that you're very disappointed about, what are we doing as a council to try and ensure that the combined authority is better at these kinds of things? Because I don't think they're unrelated to the governance problems we talked about earlier. Yes, and if we're talking about money going back, you know, quite a substantial, some tens of millions went back under the previous mayor, of course, from money that was designated for housing because of failure to do that, and that was stopped again by government because they weren't happy about the governance around it. So I think we've already said that due luck of working with us, our chief executives who I have every confidence in are working as a team to try and address the inherited problems. These aren't problems that have cropped up in the last 12 months. These are problems that, you know, I've been on this board now for over four years. They go back to, you know, my experience has been that there's been room for improvement, but I'm now confident that we've got the will, we've got the people, and, you know, we can move this forward, and there's a question later on about combined authorities and what the benefit they will be to us, which I hope will add something to what the value is. So we are working hard, we're doing our best, it's not just down to the politicians, we have our chief execs in the room, South Cambridgeshire is doing its best, but very much in partnership with the other authorities. We need to make this work. Thank you very much, Leader. And we have a further question from, from Councillor, sorry, just before I go. Thank you for your question, Councillor Dr Richard Williams. Councillor Heather Williams, go ahead. Thank you, Chair. I've realised there's quite a few Williams' in the room. It gets a bit of a tongue teaser. I just would like to ask a question on what the Leader just said about confidence. So are we to take this that, despite the letter from EY and despite everything that's going on, that the Leader has confidence in the Mayor to carry out and exercise his duties, given everything that we have seen, whether it's meant to be seen by us or not, and also on the money, we've never been restricted to know how much before. Details of the person may be, but we have always been told how much of this council has been spent on gardening, maybe, etc. So will we ever know that, or do we just accept taxpayer money being spent to people for leaving? So there's two parts to that question. I didn't say, I did not categorically say I had confidence in the Mayor or anybody else. I have confidence in what we have put in place now to make, that we are all giving it our best shot to get this working. So it's not down to any one person who can determine the success or otherwise of a combined authority. But we now have what looks like an extremely good interim Chief Executive. I interviewed him, came across very, very strongly indeed. We now have him, we now have our Chief Executives, we now have, I think, more involvement from Government, hopefully positive involvement. There's an improvement board going to be set up, which will be an independently chaired improvement board. So I think everything is in place now to give us a best shot to move ourselves into being more productive and more functional. There are no guarantees, but the will is there and I think the expertise is there. I'm going to defer to the Chief Executive on the other question. Thank you and for you, Chair. I'm speaking purely in my experience as being a previous Chief Financial Officer I am fairly certain that the amount will be published in the Statement of Accounts in which it was paid. That's where it would be disclosed. I think that would be the requirement for the combined authority. Thank you, thank you. So, we move on now to the item on the Greater Cambridge Partnership and members, a further supplementary agenda has been published today on, sorry, before we move on. Members, can we just agree to note the report which is all we're required to do. Moving on, thank you very much. Moving on to the Greater Cambridge Partnership, members, a further supplementary agenda has been published today on the work of the Greater Cambridge Partnership. This standing item was inadvertently admitted from the agenda through oversight and is now added with my consent. Hard copies of the supplement have also been circulated to members. May I invite the council to note the decision summary of the meeting of the Greater Cambridge Partnership Executive Board at its meeting on the 30th of June as circulated? Sorry, Chair, I think the title paper says combined authority, not GCP, unfortunately. The title page says combined authority, instead of GCP. No, it covers it inside. I know, but it's just as it is. I will sit and look at the title. A bit confusing. The cover paper is entitled 21st of July. To what Rebecca was speaking. Sorry, Rebecca, would you like to speak? It's dobson. Thank you, Chair. Yes, as it was a late item added, it needed to be attached to one of the standing items that were existing on the agenda. So the item will reflect the combined authority item but the paper circulated as for the GCP Executive Board. So the apologies if that wasn't clear. Thank you very much, Ms Dobson. So that just clarifies it was part of the same item. So, may I invite the council to note the decision summary of the meeting of the Greater Cambridge Partnership Executive Board at its meeting on the 30th of June as circulated? And members, do you have any questions for our representatives on the Greater Cambridge Partnership Board? I don't see any questions. So this item then is noted. Thank you very much. So item 10 on our agenda is membership of committees and outside bodies. The purpose of this item is to note and endorse any changes in the membership of committees which have been made in accordance with wishes with the wishes of the leader of the political group to which the seat has been allocated as well as to agree any changes required in the membership of outside bodies. Firstly, council is asked to note that Councillor Agin Van Der Via has replaced Councillor Sarah Johnston as substitute on the employment and staffing committee. And do council note that? Thank you. Council is asked to appoint a member to the council's investment partnership boards. There are two investment partnership boards with the same nominee to both, but the agenda refers only to one such board. Therefore, I will alter the wording of the motion too. Council is asked to appoint Councillor Richard Stobart as the council's board member on both the South Cambridgeshire Investment Board and the South Cambridgeshire Partnerships Project Board. I invite council to signify its consent to this alteration. Do you agree, members? Thank you very much. I therefore propose the appointment of Councillor Richard Stobart to these two roles. May I have a seconder, please? Thank you. That's Councillor Peter Fane. Oh, sorry. Sorry. Is that acceptable, leader? So we're doing the Councillor Richard Stobart's. Yes. Yeah. Well, I'm sorry. That was, I forgive, forgive me. It was to have been seconded by Councillor John Lewis. Yes, yeah. Would you like to second that? Yes, certainly. Thank you very much. Thank you. So, members, are you happy to approve that? Thank you. The next item is that council is asked to appoint one Liberal Democrat and one Conservative to the Housing Engagement Board. So, may I ask for a nomination from the Liberal Democrat group? Councillor Bridget Smith. Thank you. I'd like to nominate Councillor Joseph Hales. How much? And do you have a seconder? Thank you, Councillor John Batchelor. So, the next one is, do we have a nomination from the Conservatives? Thank you, Councillor Heather Williams. I nominate Councillor Mark Howe. Thank you. And to second, Councillor Graham Cohn. Thank you very much. So, can we agree those by affirmation? Thank you very much. And finally, the council is asked to appoint a Liberal Democrat substitute member to the Police and Crime Panel. So, do we have a nomination for that panel? Thank you, Councillor Bridget Smith. That was Councillor Helen Leaming. Thank you. Councillor Helen Leaming. Do we have a seconder? But we do not need a seconder. Thank you. I don't think we need a seconder for that. We do, we do. Okay, so Councillor Judith Riffith has a seconder. Thank you. Can I just take your affirmation, members? Thank you very much. So, moving on, item 11 is questions from councillors. Members, you're reminded that a period of 30 minutes in total is available for consideration of questions. This includes those questions where notice has been provided as set out on the agenda. And if there's still being time remaining after the questions with notice have been dealt with, we will deal with any questions which have been notified to Democratic Services Manager before the start of the meeting. Have there been any others? There have been no others. So, these are the ones on our agenda. So, councillors, we'll turn to those questions as they appear on the agenda. Councillor Helen Leaming, would you like to put your question? Thank you, Chair. I'd like to ask what is the Council currently doing to support Ukrainian refugees? Thank you. And I believe Councillor Bill Handley is going to answer that. Thank you. Yes, thank you, Chair. And I hope you'll allow me a little time because this deserves some attention. The first thing I'll say to put things into perspective is that South Cambridgeshire has the highest number of visas granted for a district authority in the country. And many of the council officers now dealing with Ukraine refugees and their hosts are the same people that spent two years working flat out on the council's response to the COVID pandemic. As soon as it became clear that refugees would be coming to our area, processors were put into place to carry out home welfare and DBS checks and to administer welcome payments. Around 600 guests have already received, arrived in the district, and those processors are working very well. They continue to work very well and the efficiency has helped to keep sort of stress to both guests and hosts to a minimum. Once the guest started to arrive in the spring, it became quickly obvious that the 200 pound guest arrival payment was insufficient. It had to last until benefit payments were put in place. So the decision was taken to increase the amount to 350 pounds per guest, which is more in line with the benefits they would receive for that period of time. Fleeing a warton cwntry, I'm sure you understand and leaving loved ones behind is an unimaginable thing for most of us to contemplate. And for hosts, opening up their homes to people from a different country, different culture is also far from easy. And for these reasons, supporting and communicating with hosts and guests has been a high priority for the cwntrys team. Safe spaces online have been created for both hosts and guests to talk to each other and share their experiences. Trained professionals are providing support in dealing with the mental demands of being a host and officers are maintaining a support network with weekly email updates and a digital welcome pack on the council's website. To help guests overcome the challenges of living in a rural district, officers, south camps officers, led conversations with the county council and stagecoach to negotiate 10 free day pass bus tickets, which have become a standard part of the guest welcome pack, helps them get about. And another popular initiative that came from our officers is the Homes for Ukraine bike scheme where working with local charities, donated bicycles are refurbished and offered free to adult and child guests together with a lock, a helmet and training to help them get around safely for fun or work. And so far 150 bikes have either been provided or are being refurbished as we speak. I have received myself some very supportive and complementary comments from residents on the effectiveness of the council's response to this crisis and I'm hugely proud of the immense efforts that officers have put into dealing with it. I know how hard the, in particular, the communities and the housing teams have been working on this and I'm sure there are other officers in the council that deserve a mention to and I'm sure that you chair and all of the members present will join me in thanking officers for their quite brilliant response in rising to this challenge. I think everyone associated with the council can be very proud. Thank you members. Our second question comes from Councillor Stephen. Supplementary. Oh sorry, sorry. Councillor Leaming, would you like to have a supplementary question? Yes, thank you. I'd like to thank the officers for all their hard work. Can I also have a second question which is what are the challenges that potentially lie ahead? Thank you. Absolutely. Okay chair, thank you. Yeah, looking forward is indeed a challenge. It's going to be six months soon since the first guests arrived and the minimum hosting time period will be up, will have been reached. Hopefully the host-guest relationship will have been good and the arrangements that have been in place for the first six months will continue, but of course that won't always be the case. So far the government's national plans have not really been made clear to local authorities and our officers have been working with the LGA district council network and other partners to seek clarity on it. Locally officers have launched a host survey in an attempt to quantify the scale of the possible challenge ahead and the council's homeless team is on hand to give advice to. And finally, I know that officers are looking for new ways, creative ways to help people find a home, especially those on very low incomes. To sum up, this is really very much an ongoing task. Thank you very much. Councillor Handley. Moving on. The second question is from Councillor Stephen Drew. Would you like to put your question, Councillor Drew? Thank you, chair. In what ways is South Cambridge District Council promoting local markets across the district? Thank you. I believe Councillor Handley is going to answer that question too. Thank you, chair. The council is currently engaging with existing market organisers in South Cambridge to gain a better understanding of the current climate, the appetite for markets, the market for markets, if you like, and to assess future demand. There are at least 10 regular community markets running in the district and officers are building positive relationships with the organisers of these markets to better understand the challenges they face and how they might help them. One outcome of the discussions has been the creation of an online markets toolkit and a directory to provide support to these communities, to communities who are thinking about setting up a market. And we do actively promote markets on our Visit South Cams website. Thank you. Thank you very much. And Councillor Drew, did you have a supplementary question? Yes, thank you, chair. Can the leader explain the benefits that residents can expect to gain from this promotion of markets within South Cambridgeer? Councillor Handley. Local markets are part of the lifeblood of the community and we are very, very supportive of them. We certainly, we're working with Cams Acre at the moment, should have said that to identify community spaces, village halls and so on, in which they may wish to establish regular markets. And significantly, we're also currently working with Norstow Town Council to help them establish a regular market there to provide daily essentials for their residents. On the Norstow thing, I expect to see things start to happen in the autumn. But rest assured, chair and Councillor Drew, that we are very alive to the advantages of local markets and we will promote them as much as we possibly can. Thank you very much. The third question is from Councillor Dr Richard Williams. Thank you very much, chair. So my question is, can the leader explain to the residents and the communities who would be severely and decrementally impacted by the proposed new line, the decision to sign letters, because I've now seen another one, backing east-west Britain. Thank you. Leader, would you like to take that? Thank you. As you know, I don't normally read prepared statements, but I'm going to on this one because it's absolutely imperative that this is very clear. So this statement is on behalf of the Liberal Democrats in Cambridgeshire, not to South Cambridgeshire. So the Liberal Democrats in Cambridgeshire have been lobbying for the reinstatement of an east-west rail link for 50 years. The only thing that's changed in that time is the urgency with which we need to give people viable alternatives to the car in order to cut journey times, reduce our very high carbon emissions and help people with the escalating cost of living. East-west rail is a government scheme being delivered by a private company resulting in poor accountability and very little transparency. And it's been an enormous frustration that government has kept residents completely in the dark for years now about their intentions and this is a pitiful way of delivering a major piece of public transport infrastructure. The two recent letters signed by all local council leaders, the universities and key business organisations to the Secretary of State and to the Chancellor were intended to pressure the government to come clean and make its position clear so that we can start to plan for a low carbon, low cost of living future for our region. We, and I said South Camtsliffel Democrats, made it absolutely clear before May's election that we support the principle of a rail link and a station serving Camborn because it is only by providing really good quality public transport that we enable all people to travel easily to work, to have equal access to opportunities, to reduce the reliance on cars and the consequential air pollution, the carbon emissions, the congestion and the increased cost of living. And Camborn was built without any associated public transport infrastructure and residents will benefit hugely when this deficit is addressed. However, and to pick up on your point, we are reserving judgment on the final route alignment and the location of the station because we do have grave concerns about the environmental impact of the whole scheme and especially the impact on villages close to a new station along the route. And additionally, we believe that a new station must be readily accessible by cycle or by foot for the majority of residents of Camborn and the surrounding villages. And furthermore, it's absolutely essential that a railway line fit for the 21st century is electrified and the Cambridge and Liberal Democrats will continue to campaign for that. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Dr Richard Williams. Do you have a set of mentions? Surprisingly don't remember that being mentioned in the Liberal Democrat leaflets in Newton but I very much look forward to it being mentioned on the Liberal Democrat leaflets in the county council elections in 2024. I'm sure the residents of Newton would love to know that. Anyway, go back to this letter to the Chancellor. Now that letter basically writes a blank check. It says that the leaders who signed it offer full support for East West Rail and they demand a commitment from the Treasury to deliver it in full. No caveats, a complete blank check. The letter that was sent to the Chancellor refers repeatedly again and again and again to Cambridge's growth. Cambridge's growth. There is not a single word in that letter to the Chancellor about the villages that are impacted by that line. There is not a single request in that letter that concerns of residents be addressed. Yes, I am through you chair. There is not a single word in that letter about the villages that will be impacted. So I would ask the leader that she have such little influence on the other leaders who signed this that she couldn't at least get a sentence about the impact on the villages and why that should be mitigated. In the words of one campaigner though on the broader point of East West Rail no business case has ever been published. The communities affected by this line have never been asked. How could any responsible council sign a blank check for this project? And I would add show so little respect for the communities that it is supposed to represent. Thank you, Dr... Chancellor, Dr Williams. Chancellor Smith. Thank you. So the lack... So this is a government scheme. And it's a government scheme that's all about growth. As you know, that's government's focus. Until we have clarity from government about whether they are going to fund and East West Rail line you know, there is no point in talking about anything else. We have to have the clarity that they are going to fund it. We had grant shafts coming out last week completely and appropriately just announcing that you know, he thinks it should be ditched. I gather that the MP for... I gather the MP for Cambridge City... What is the point of order that Councillor Heather Williams wishes to make? 12.7A. Which is what? A direct all answer. The question has been asked in relation to what the leader has done in signing that letter and what is contained in the letter. It is nothing to do with what any government minister has said or anything else. The question is about the actions of the leader and not of those around him. Thank you. Councillor Smith, would you combine yourself to what you have done? So what councils and business and the university's need is clarity over whether government is going to invest in our region and the levelling up white paper and the speech from the Secretary of State of the Time was that the East of England was actually not going to get anything else. The money was all going to the red walls. So the letters were to pin government down to come clean on whether they are going to invest in our region. Once we know that they're not or once we know that they are we can start talking about the detail. You know, this is a letter. It could have been a novel. You know, if we'd addressed every issue. I hope my statement made it very clear that we have serious reservations about the impact on our villages. But we need to know that government are going to invest in our region. They are simple souls in government. They need simple questions asked of them. And we need a simple answer. Thank you, Members. Thank you, Members. Thank you. Moving on, we have item 11D from Councillor Lisa Reddraught. Thank you, Chair. My question is, what are the revised savings from greening South Cambridgeshire Hall? I believe Councillor Brian Mills is going to be responding to this one. Thank you. Yes, thank you. And thank you. Councillor Reddrockon, excuse my back while I answer your question. The fact that the utility prices have risen to record levels means that generating our own renewable energy here on site in South Cambridgeshire Hall has substantially reduced the payback period for this project. And that's driven by a price differential of roughly 15 pence per unit and only 50 pence now. So that increase in price means that the project will have now covered its cost in around 10 years versus the original anticipated 20 years. So stalling the virtues of generating our own renewable energy. Thank you. Thank you. And Councillor Reddraught, did you have a supplementary question? Yes, I do. Thank you, Chair. Thank you. Councillor Mills, a few responses. I just wondered if this could be a prototype for future projects or how that could be done. Thank you. Sorry, did you say a prototype? Sorry, thank you very much. Councillor Mills, would you like me to go ahead? I think it does. I mean, we have several projects on our green to the core agenda. Those of you know that I was getting excited a week or so ago about our new electric bin vehicle with its rotor press, which pushes it in and draws it back out. And actually is actually quite energy efficient in doing so. I'm glad. But I do like the idea that we have 2000-year-old Archimedes screw technology in a modern vehicle that's electric powered. But we have a limitation on those vehicles because of the generating capacity of the local grid. So the project that we have coming forward to build a solar panel array next to the Water Beach depot will mean that we will be able to generate electricity for our own fleet and increase that by 10-fold or so. And that's another example of the advantage of generating our own electricity, a renewable electricity when we're moving forward to a zero carbon environment. So yes, it's an exemplar and a prototype. Thank you. Thank you very much, Councillor Milms. The next question comes from Councillor Daniel Lentel. Thank you, chair. What can my constituents in Over and Willingham expect in terms of tangible tangible benefits following the appointment of a new interim chief executive of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough combined authority? Thank you, Councillor Lidw. I think you're going to take that one. Thank you very much. So we've done, we've talked quite a bit about the combined authority and mayors today. So in the draft leveling up white paper, which of course might disappear or might survive, Government proposes three options for local government reform. There's the do nothing option, stay as we are, and then there's two models of county deals. So there's county deals where a couple of counties just do a deal together and then there's the county deal with a mayor. And this paper leaves us in no doubt that the money goes with the mayors. So this level two of just a county deal without a mayor actually delivers virtually nothing. So the bottom line is no mayor, no money. Now obviously we already have a mayor so we're in a slightly different situation here but I can't see Government changing that because certainly the last sector of state was very very committed to mayors. So the combined authority should very soon be talking about putting together its bid for the devolution deal two and that's got to reflect the needs and the priorities of all the constituent councils and of their wards. So as a board member I need to hear from you about what's important in your wards. As things stand at the moment any levelling up money comes through the combined authority. Money and powers for bus franchising comes through the combined authority. As we've already discussed earlier the housing retrofit money comes through the combined authority and almost all of the skills money sits with the business board which is a subsidiary of the combined authority. And most importantly for me the independent climate commission's report and action plan is owned by the combined authority and the combined authority albeit it's not responsible for implementing all of it is absolutely responsible for overseeing its delivery by its partners and we are one of those partners. Now the cost there is estimated at 700 million pounds per annum to get us to zero carbon and only the combined authority will be able to attract money that even touches that to help us deliver on the recommendations of the independent climate commission. So it's incumbent upon us as a good partner to ensure the success of the combined authority in the future as this is undoubtedly in the best interests of all of our residents all of our wards including all of our businesses. Thank you leader. Councillor Lentell did you have a supplementary? No thank you leader the chair just to quote Jerry Maguire show me the money. Thank you. Thank you. And the final question is from Councillor Stobart. Would you like to ask a question Councillor Richard Stobart? Yeah thank you chair. So my question is this could the leader please comment on the council tax collection rates for the tax year 2021 to 2022 bearing in mind of the very difficult economic circumstances prevailing. Thank you leader would you like to respond? I think Councillor John Williams is dealing with this one. I'm sorry yes yes sorry. Thank you chair. The council was the second highest performing council for collection rates on council tax in recently published government figures. This is despite the many challenges we are living through so our local residents must be thanked for supporting vital vital front line services for everyone in the community. Being able to collect such a high proportion of the council tax means local services benefit without to mentally benefits everyone in the community. It's difficult times for everyone and we have of course worked sensitively with those who needed help paying their bills such as arranging payment plans to spread those payments. We are always here to help residents who are concerned about their ability to pay in any way we can and I would encourage those residents with understandable continuing worries to contact us as soon as possible. Have you finished Councillor Williams? I have finished. Thank you very much. Councillor Stobart you've got we've not got very much time left so do you want to ask a supplementary? I'll be very brief. Thank you chair. Thank you Councillor Williams for your response. So I think you partly answered what I was intending to ask next which is what measures are being taken to help those who are having difficulty paying. You're talking of fairly generic terms. Does that translate into detail that in particular councillors can convey to parish councils and to residents? Councillor John Williams could you respond? Yes, you'll know from the budget making process back in the beginning of the year that we have introduced into the into this year's budget new posts to help our residents particularly housing with to support them in helping them with their expenditure and helping therefore helping them to pay their council tax as well as their other bills. We also as I've said we also have schemes available to help people to spread their payments and we also have within the revenue and benefits department benefits and revenue department people with skills to help those who are entitled to to ensure that they have the benefits that they are entitled to. So we are in doing everything we can to help our residents meet the challenges ahead or the challenges they face now and that I'm not going to deny it's going to be a very difficult year and it's going to be a very difficult next year and a year after that that I can assure you that we are going to we are determined to all we can to help our residents not just to pay their council tax but to pay all their bills. Very much councillor John Williams and thank you councillor Stobart for your question and we're done in the time that's good. So we move on then to notices of motion. Your reminded members that a maximum period of 30 minutes is allowed for each motion to be moved, seconded and debated including dealing with any amendments. At the expiry of the 30 minute period debate will cease immediately and the mover of the original motion or if the original motion has been amended the mover of that amendment now forming the substantive motion will have the right of reply before the motion or amendment is put to the vote. So our motion is we just have one on the paper which is from councillor Heather Williams would you put your motion please. Thank you chair. I'd like to move this motion. Those of you who have been at the council in 2019 will probably recognise it because it's almost word for word the same motion as I brought back then when I believe I was deputy leader of our group. It's something that I truly believe is necessary and would be an asset to this council if it was to move forward. I joked then that there's three of us in our 30s and that we couldn't stay young forever as much as I may like and it concerns me that we're still some of the young ones. So I do hope that no offence made chair for anybody that's puzzling now to which bracket I may have or may not put them in. So I very much hope that this will have a better airing than it did last time. I believe the leader's words were not today last time and I think I was definitely not in her good books at that point. So I'm very much hoping I am putting it's the same motion chair. So I'm hoping for a different response. I was told not today or perhaps today will be the day and I would urge people to look at the content of the motion as I did that day and unfortunately didn't happen but actually the words that are here in front of you not the person who happens to have their name against the motion. So on the hope that there may have been a change of course chair I will move this motion and would be very excited to take part in it. Thank you very much. Do you have a seconder? Happy to second that. Thanks to Councillor Cohn. Do you wish to speak now or to reserve your right to speak? I'll reserve my right. Thank you very much Councillor Cohn. So members we're open to debate whenever you'd like to speak on this Councillor Stephen Drew. Thank you very much chair. Um first of all one of the great benefits of being young something I am no longer which is very clear is that you get to reflect upon the things that happen and you can always look at a positive outcome. So therefore I would definitely hope that Councillor Williams who is slightly older than maybe she was when she first proposed it will be able to engage with us all in moving forward. I would most likely definitely like to speak in support of the motion as councillor for Camborn the town in our district that has the highest proportion of young people and which has a demographic which is significantly away from the demographic of most of the district. The needs of young people are absolutely crucial for us. That is not to say it is not the case for all councillors but clearly in Camborn young people are vital. I think there is a lot of good work would have been done by the council. I'll draw attention to the fact that the district council provided half a million pounds of upfront S106 funding which paid a significant part in the building of the new amazing Camborn soul building which our young people are benefiting from. I'd also like to draw attention to the fact that the district council is supporting care leavers through apprenticeships targeted at them which again brings us in support of vulnerable young people and also the wild mind scheme that the district council has spent significant resources and time supporting. I think that Councillor Williams suggestion regarding youth engagement in local politics is absolutely crucial. When I first joined Sourston parish council about five years ago when I lived there I was 44 and I found myself to be the youngest member of the parish council. Something I had not experienced for many years and I found it most entertaining to be the youngest person what worried me was when I then moved to Camborn four years later I was still the youngest member of the council. So I think it beholds us all to recognise that it is not about the slightly sort of contrite or silly statement of young people of the future because I feel that that's not necessarily a sensible thing to say because it's too obvious but I think it's important we recognise that Councillor Williams point about there not being sufficient young people in the council is obviously very important. We in the Lib Dem group now have a university student as one of our councillors which is something we're very proud of. So I definitely like to support it and I know that from discussion with my colleagues in the Lib Dem group that we are very positive and supportive of this motion and today is a new day Councillor Williams. Thank you. Would anybody else like to speak? Oh yes, Councillor Ellington. Thank you. I think I discovered the other day that I'm the oldest councillor in the chamber. So but when I was a cabinet member I did introduce a youth council which brought young people from a number of schools in the district and was very, very well received. And I think it's important to get young people's views on our plans for North Stowe and all the other things that they're going to inherit. The only drawback to this I should warn you is that the chairman of that youth council lived next door to me and stood against me as a Labour candidate at the last election which all goes to show what your back does. Please lovely. Thank you Councillor Ellington. Councillor Dr Tumi Hawkins I believe you'd like to say something. Thank you very much Chair, yes. I think I do recall the youth council that Councillor Ellington mentioned and I was going to say I don't know why that youth council ended when it did or how it did but perhaps that is a lesson that we could look into and learn from. I mean I do support the involvement of our young people definitely in what we do going forward. I'm pleased to say that the planning team actually has a youth engagement programme that has been quite successful in engaging young people in some of the developments that have come through their villages from places like Cotinum to site on the Science Park to very recently something in I think it was Foxton. So we do take account that you know and I say to young people when I do go and talk to them during these engagement events that they are the future the things we are building now or looking to build now will be for them to live in, work in, play in and even now we have been looking at making places young people friendly. So I do support this and I think that we are at the stage where yes we can take this forward we already are involving young people so this will help us to actually do it perhaps in a wider way Thank you chair. Very much. It was just a couple of weeks ago that the climate change and environment advisory committee members had a workshop and looking at how we are planning ahead of forward planning and brainstorming about what we did and at that meeting I raised this the proposal that we do in terms of climate environment knowing that the latest report about climate anxiety amongst young people has shown to terrifying statistics really about how they feel fearful depressed and anxious about the climate and ecological emergency but why and the reasons that came back in terms of the majority of the respondents of 10,000 young people in 10 countries including this country was that one they felt that decision makers did not listen to them and two that they could not trust them to make the right decisions for their future so they could have given up not listening to them but if even then they didn't trust them to make the right decisions anyway it was this lack of agency so that agency to be part of it within the climate change and environment advisory committee we invited in local eco councils and we had them come to the committee and young people speak to us here in council and those who were there know that was one of the most moving and humbling but also motivating meetings it was also a class master class we gave them one minute each there were six of them they did it and boy did they smash it and I think we could all learn a bit myself included about that one so I would just like to say in that workshop we did work with office to see how we would bring them in address the climate anxiety give people that agency those young people so we'll definitely be looking at doing that from that angle and I support this motion thank you thank you very much and I've got councillor Handley councillor John Johnson councillor Bachelor Henry Bachelor and councillor Brian Milms and would you like to go ahead thank you chair probably a symptom of my advancing years I actually can't remember the discussion that we had on this in 2019 but I'm sure there was a very good reason for the outcome the way the outcome went I'd like to support councillor Williams on this I think it's a good idea as a lead member for communities I'll take away and speak with Gareth Bell and other officers to see how we might make progress I hope that to councillor Williams thinks that's acceptable Dutch and councillor John Johnson I too would like to support this motion and that's really welcome focus on the young people because I think after councillor Drew has highlighted his demographic for his ward is got more young people in it than perhaps those of you in the rest of the room and obviously what we've seen over the last decade or so is cuts to youth services sure starts youth workers and I think it's clear across the district that there is actually a real lack of facilities for our teenagers and for young people to do things we also have a lack of leisure facilities I know councillor Drew would also agree with ourselves that we'd love to see a swimming pool in our new towns so always good to put a plug in for that so what I would like to suggest perhaps that this task and finish group which is a great idea could also if possible be covered with the county because obviously the county has its own responsibilities on young people if not formally as part of the task and finish group then maybe in some kind of connection meetings that could happen at the start midway through and at the end so that some of this cohesive working could work to deliver something positive and also knowing young people and the points that they might want to raise to ensure that there is also some budget to try and enact some of their wonderful proposals that I'm sure they will come up with thank you Thank you councillor Henry Batchelor Thank you chair as someone whose first involvement in local government was being elected to this council at the age of 24 into a party that was then in opposition I can tell you the learning curve was quite sharp so I mean I would absolutely support anything that we can do as an authority to help ease younger people into local authority without having to stand for public office at the first hurdles so yeah absolutely support this motion chair and has grown into the role beautifully Thank you very much councillor Brian Milnes So I'll bring news from Sourston where councillor Drew brought youthful vigour but has now been displaced by somebody even younger than him but we are more serious now we really do need to foster an awareness and interest some capture and harness the youthful vigour that I refer to in our young people and it is there I've witnessed it first time by being engaged by an 11-year-old at Sourston Fate who was absolutely on the money in terms of his awareness of politics in this country and we need an opportunity to capture that and there is enough of it around if we can entice it into a youth council So I'm very much in support of the idea I really look forward to the day that we are debating a motion generated by such a youth council Thank you Thank you very much and I'd just like to point out that I have a role in the corporate I chair the corporate parenting subcommittee on the county council and in that we make a really active effort to include children in care in our decision making to such an extent that we have alternate meetings with young people's involvement actually in the meeting and then those suggestions that come up which are often fresh and different to those which we might have thought of they're brought forward into the subsequent meeting which is the formal meeting at which we can make decisions so I heartily endorse in that case involving children and young people both those in care and those fortunate enough not to need that so absolutely I endorse this and it sounds like we've got unanimous support for this so can I just come back to Councillor Graham Cohn as seconder to this motion Thank you chair I endorse many of the comments that have already been made I think it's really important that this council reaches out as much as possible in terms of youth engagement across the board and across all the different committees as well so I support the motion in that as it stands Thank you very much and Councillor Heather Williams would you like to sum up? Thank you chair and it is very welcome to hear the comments that I've had it's definitely a new day as it didn't go this way last time so may that be a reminder to everybody that perhaps perseverance pays off if at first you don't succeed try and try again you might get a different answer and I'm very pleased chair that today there has been reflection and a change of mind in relation to what was said about bringing in county I mean that's not something that I would oppose I have carefully worded this that obviously cabinet will have an involvement to establish this as they are the only ones that really could and budget would be lovely but I don't think I'd have got that past our very hardworking monitoring officer if I'd done that because that would have been a budget requirement he's shaking his head so I hope I get a gold star from him but thank you for your support and let's hope that this is a trend setting for the future thank you very much I haven't heard anybody speaking against this so I'm going to suggest we take this by affirmation our members in agreement is anybody against and does anybody wish to outstain no great so we can take that motion by affirmation thank you members item 13 on our agenda is chairs engagements I just wanted to point out that I had a splendid time on Saturday welcoming the Queen's Baton Relay which is the Queen's Baton going towards the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham at the end of the month and thank you very much to all the staff at South Cams including and councillors from South Cams who attended that event and who made it such as helped to make it such a splendid occasion I also wanted to thank publicly the director of the Welcome Genome Campus who was so welcoming to our school and who they ran a really splendid event there so thank you very much indeed final item on the agenda is the date of our next meeting members which will be on Thursday the 22nd of September at 2pm and with that I close this meeting at 1553 thank you very much indeed members have a lovely afternoon