District and County Councillor Report May 2022 Bassingbourn Parish Council
South Cambs District Council
Election results
I’m delighted and honoured to become your District Councillor and look forward to working with everyone to support residents and the community as a whole on matters relating to the district council. It is very humbling to step into Nigel Cathcart’s shoes and I’ve learned a lot from his work as District Councillor.
The coming month will see the new council organize itself with its annual meeting on 26 May. I’ll be undertaking various inductions and training and will work with Nigel to understand ongoing case work and planning and other district council issues.
I’ve been made aware of several SCDC grant opportunities which I wanted to alert you to – please note some deadlines are imminent.
Action on Energy scheme
Run in partnership with neighbouring councils, SCDC is providing grants to help low-income households install energy efficiency improvements and low carbon heating. The grants are available for homeowners and private landlords that meet both of the following criteria:
- Homeowners or tenants on certain means-tested benefits (see ‘eligible benefits’ below) or with a total household income of less than £30,000 before tax or other deductions
- The property’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating is E, F or G (Check your EPC rating– contact SCDC if you don’t have one)
For homeowners the grant will cover 100% of the cost of improvements. For landlords the grant will cover two-thirds of the cost of the improvements, with the landlord expected to cover the outstanding amount.
The maximum amount of grant available depends on the way the property is heated and its current EPC rating. The maximum ranges from £10,000 to £25,000 for homeowners, and £5,000 to £16,666 for landlords.
https://www.scambs.gov.uk/climate-emergency-and-nature/energy-saving/action-on-energy/
Solar Together discount offers
Solar Together Cambridgeshire is a partnership between Cambridgeshire County Council and Cambridgeshire’s district councils, to offer homeowners high-quality solar PV panels through a group purchasing scheme.
The first round of the scheme in autumn 2020 saw just under 1,000 installations completed. The second round which has just taken place resulted in more than 9,000 registrations of interest. This is 59 per cent higher than the total registration figures in the autumn 2020 scheme. Homeowners are able to secure average discounts of 34 per cent compared to typical market rates. Those taking up the scheme will also benefit from the recent removal of VAT for solar PV. The offer is valid until Friday 13 May.
Three winning bidders—Greenscape Energy, Green Energy Together UK, and Everyone’s Energy—have been chosen to carry out the installations.
Business Rates Relief
SCDC has established a business support team which is free to use and includes a monthly newsletter. This included a portal for distributing government and council grants.
Businesses in South Cambridgeshire which have been adversely affected by the pandemic, but unable to access COVID-19 support linked to their business rates, may be eligible for the latest financial support. South Cambridgeshire District Council is now welcoming applications for its discretionary COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF).
The Government funding is to provide additional business rates relief to support rate-paying businesses affected by the pandemic between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021. It is for businesses which weren’t eligible for previous support linked to business rates, who can prove they have been adversely affected by the pandemic and have been unable to adequately adapt to that impact.
Eligibility criteria will apply, and the scheme will not cover ratepayers who were eligible for Extended Retail Discount (covering Retail, Hospitality and Leisure), those who were eligible for Nursery Discount, or businesses where the premises was unoccupied. Premises that were temporarily closed due to government advice on COVID-19 may still apply.
Applications will close on 13 May 2022. Rate Relief will be paid onto Business Rates accounts as soon as possible after all applications have been assessed.
Full details and eligibility criteria, along with an application form, can be found here: https://www.scambs.gov.uk/business/grants-and-funding/
Cambridgeshire County Council
Household Support Fund
During 2021/22 the Council administered the Household Support Fund scheme to support those most in need over the winter months, primarily with food and fuel costs. This used £2,457,158 of Government funding. The Joint Administration’s budget in February set aside £1M for a new Household Support Fund wider scheme for 2022/23.
In March the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced further funding for the Household Support Fund nationally. We do not yet know how much of that is allocated to Cambridgeshire. The £1M provided from Council funding will enable the 2022/23 offer to be more flexible, as it will not be limited by the Government rules that applied to last year’s funding. Information is here:
https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/coronavirus/household-support-fund
Cambridgeshire Green Spaces map
The County Council has launched a #LetsGetOutdoors campaign which is encouraging people to make use of Cambridgeshire’s parks and green spaces. The campaign is highlighting a new online map https://www.cambsopenspace.co.uk/ which lists all the main green spaces across Cambridgeshire.
North End Bassingbourn footway alongside church
Following a number of requests to smooth the surface of this key conduit into the village centre, it’s good to report that it is on the list for slurry sealing, though there is a very long queue, and this will not be done until 2023/24.
LHI scheme successful
LHI schemes were announced on April 26, together with a note about the current state of scheme delivery which is behind schedule due to late decisions on schemes in 2021 (due to pandemic), plus significant staff shortages in the LHI team. (Please note that the lead officer is currently on paternity leave.)
A review of the LHI scheme is taking place and will take account of the council’s new policy on facilitating 20 MPH schemes – which will pick up elements of a number of schemes in the current cohort. Subject to the review group’s proposals, the provisional application window for next year’s round will be October-November 2022, with approval of schemes in June 2023 and pricing and construction March-June 2024.
Bassingbourn’s scheme was approved and detail around the process for the 20MPH element will be clarified once the lead officer has returned from paternity leave.
Bassingbourn Active Travel Scheme
Bassingbourn’s scheme is still in the running and fingers crossed will be getting full support, though this must go through a Combined Authority confirmation process for which timings are not clear. Nevertheless details are being fine-tuned and a County Cycling Officer will be joining me on Friday to look at various key points in the scheme including the cemetery entrance. If this scheme is approved, it will offer more than the LHI scheme that has just been approved. Hope to have confirmation over the summer.
No Mow May
Cambridgeshire County Council is not cutting grass on its road verges during May this year to support local biodiversity, with a particular focus on pollinators such as bees. ‘No Mow May’ is run by Plantlife, an organisation that promotes the maintenance and growth of wildflowers, plants and fungi. According to Plantlife, more than 700 species of wildflowers grow on road verges in the UK. Cutting the grass less often will help reduce carbon emissions, as well as providing habitats for pollinators, such as bees, to thrive. Road safety is a priority, so in agreement with Plantlife, the Council will still cut grass where not doing so could cause danger, such as at junctions or bends.
Combined Authority
Bus Improvement Programme – no funding
The Combined Authority’s Bus Improvement Programme has been snubbed by Government, with no funding at all being awarded to Cambridgeshire & Peterborough at all for better bus provision. This is crucially important as bus ridership does not always provide sufficient revenue to make a service viable, and extra support funding needs to come from somewhere – certainly that is the case for the 17 service running between the Mordens, Litlington, Bassingbourn-cum-Kneesworth, Whaddon, Meldreth, Melbourn and Royston.
South Cambs Turtles: Swimming for Home-Start, May 22
Thank you to those who have already agreed to sponsor this swimathon group aiming to raise funds for Home-Start.
For new councillors – we are a group of 12 South Cambs residents and parish, district & county councillors of all swimming abilities, aiming to raise funds for our local Home-Start on May 22. We would be really grateful for support however big or small – 100% of funds raised will go to Royston and South Cambs Home-Start. The sponsorship link with further information is here:
https://visufund.com/south-cambs-turtles
Home-Start has been supporting local families since 1983, working alongside parents through all kinds of tough times such as mental ill-health and post-natal depression, isolation, physical disability and illness, endings of relationships, bereavement, multiple births, recovery from abusive relationships, and much more.