County County news – June 2012 [1]

Cambridgeshire County Councillor John Reynolds.


County Council wins £2 million boost to help reduce A14 congestion

A grant of more than £2 million has been given to Cambridgeshire County Council by the Government to help reduce congestion on the over capacity A14. The County Council bid for the money to help play its part in improving the accident blighted trunk road which can become jammed, costing companies millions of pounds in lost business.

Cambridgeshire County Council, partners and the Department for Transport are working closely together to improve the A14 which is a vital international route and is important for the local and national economy. Nearly £2 million was awarded to by the Department for Transport to double the size of the St Ives Park and Ride to 1,000 spaces, encouraging even more people to get off the A14 and use the Busway.

Some £175,000 has also been given to provide variable message signs on the County Council's roads leading from Huntingdon and Cambridge onto the A14. These will warn drivers of hold-ups on the road, helping improve traffic flow.

The signs will go on:
     A141 Spittals Way, Huntingdon
     B1514 Cambridge Road, Godmanchester
     A1307 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge
     B1049 Histon Road, Cambridge
     B1047 Horningsea Road, Fen Ditton
     A1303 Newmarket Road, Cambridge

The money is part of a one off £20m allocation made by the Chancellor to provide short term congestion relief on the A14, the remainder will be allocated to the Highways Agency.

Local County Councillor John Reynolds, said: "This is brilliant news and shows the willingness from all parties to get on and improve the A14. The A14 is a major trunk road which serves international trade and is vital to our local and national economy. Anyone who uses it also knows the congestion and accidents on this route costs lives and local business and we all want to change that.

"The money will now be used to help encourage people to use public transport on the highly successful Busway as well as warning drivers early enough for them to make choices when the A14 becomes congested. It is part of the County Council's commitment to help deliver measures that improves our economy and improve the health of our communities."

See also options for A14 improvements published.

Work completed on Madingley Rise safety improvement scheme

Cambridgeshire County Council has completed work on a £115,000 safety improvement scheme designed to cut the number of accidents on Madingley Rise - and already the work has won the praise of a local community. The road was the scene of a number of fatal and serious injury accidents which caused the death of three people and many serious injuries to drivers and passengers in recent years.

Loss of control by drivers and skidding were a factor in a significant number of the accidents and improvements have now been put in place to address both issues. The measures were developed by County Council Road Safety Engineers taking into account local input from residents and Madingley Parish Council.

A high skid-resistance road surface has been laid, an overtaking lane on the uphill section of the road removed, the road alignment has been altered and double white lines and central islands introduced to prevent overtaking on the winding section of road between the Coton Crossroads and the American Cemetery.

County Councillor John Reynolds, said: "The stretch of road had a poor accident record.
I am delighted that the County Council has been able to identify the resources to make these important safety measures which have already been welcomed by the public and Madingley Parish Council. The villages of Madingley and Coton are absolutely delighted that everyone's hard work has resulted in these superb changes. The road will be much safer for those using it and locals will no longer live in fear waiting for the next accident."

New bus services announced

The County Council and a range of transport providers have been working together to create new bus services which started running from mid June. The move follows the announcement by Stagecoach of changes to their commercial network and services which are currently contracted to Cambridgeshire County Council due to come into effect from June 10. This announcement meant that the County Council needed to act quickly to help local communities who rely on these services.

Council Officers are already working with local residents and community groups in the area as part of a programme to develop permanent solutions that will, where possible, improve accessibility to employment, education and public services and is part of a £1.5m investment programme called Cambridgeshire Future Transport. Work with communities continues following some positive and well attended meetings including at Whittlesford and
Haddenham

The new services will operate until these permanent solutions are in place and mean that residents can still get to work, get to school or college and access important services such as healthcare and other local facilities that they need.

The interim services are:

  • Service 14  Caldecote - Hardwick - Madingley - Coton - Cambridge. One peak journey in each direction will be provided although in the afternoon the journey will be combined with the current Whippet service 2 journey. In the morning it will replace the first journey on service 8 to provide a direct journey into Cambridge rather than having to change at Bar Hill. This service will be operated by Whippet Coaches.
  • Service 19  Burrough Green - Balsham - Linton - Haverhill. The service will be broadly every two hours and provide a service to Haverhill and Linton from where connections can be made into Cambridge. The service will be operated by The Voluntary Network, a community transport operator, and will utilise the minibus that was previously used for the Whittlesford pilot.
  • Service 7a  Hinxton/Heathfield - Whittlesford - Sawston. A broadly two hourly service will be provided from these villages providing a service into Sawston from where connections can then be made into Cambridge. This service will be operated by NCS, a transport operator.


On both of the 19 and 7a services the Council has negotiated an arrangement with Stagecoach, that people making onward journeys can purchase a ticket for the same price as a Dayrider Plus which will then be valid on the connecting journey into Cambridge at no extra cost.

On all services concessionary bus passes will be able to be used after 9:30am Monday to Friday and anytime at weekends and Bank Holidays.

Local County Councillor John Reynolds, said: "We have been working hard to make sure there are links in place from the stops that are to be affected in June and we are really pleased with Stagecoach's offer to make sure ticketing remains the same price. The Council will also build on the tremendous help we have had from the community in creating these new services to design permanent solutions. These will form part of the £1.5 million investment in the new way we are funding local transport services to make sure they are more targeted for the needs of communities, especially those in rural areas."

Have your say on expansion plans for Babraham to be park and wide

Two exhibitions are being held to showcase the proposed expansion of the Babraham Park and Ride site and encourage people to have their say on the proposals. This successful site, which is part of the Council's award-winning park and ride network, now needs to expand to meet the needs of its users.

The planning application for the site, submitted by Cambridgeshire County Council, includes plans to add a further 510 car parking and 80 sheltered cycle parking spaces at the Babraham Park and Ride site at Babraham Road in Cambridge.

The additional car parking spaces would be accommodated within the existing site of the Park and Ride. This will be achieved through reducing some of the current landscaping within the site. Additional parking is also proposed for the area to the west of the bus terminal which is already being informally used for overflow car parking. Sheltered cycle parking would be located near the existing terminal building.

Park and Ride service to the station

Cambridgeshire's award winning park and ride service has introduced new stops at Cambridge Railway Station to help travellers take the strain out of catching the train.

The new Green Route Park and Ride Service stops have been introduced at the railway station bus station – allowing rail passengers to reach the station without the need to drive into Cambridge or pay for parking at the station. The Green Route runs regular buses between Park and Ride sites at Milton and Babraham Road on the southern edge of Cambridge.

The service runs from Milton at 6.21 am in the morning with the last bus returning from the station at 8.31 pm in the evening during the week. The first bus from Babraham Road starts at 7.06 am in the morning with the last bus returning from the station at 8.26 pm in the evening.

The new railway station stops replace the previous bus stops outside the Centennial Hotel on Hills Road and mean that rail travellers will no longer face a walk to the station to catch their train.

Stagecoach services Citi 1, Citi 3, Citi 7, Citi 8 and the Green Park and Ride service will all leave from the Cambridge Rail Bus Interchange. Shelters one to four for journeys toward Cherry Hinton, Fulbourn, Addenbrooke's and Babraham Road. Shelters five to nine for journeys toward City Centre, Arbury and Milton Road.

Local County Councillor John Reynolds said: "These new stops will be another important part of the County Council's efforts to integrate rail an bus services by providing direct access for our passengers to this excellent new facility at the railway station."

New bank launched to help local business and grow the economy

A groundbreaking scheme to use pension funds from Cambridgeshire public services to support and grow local small businesses has been launched. The newly created Cambridge & Counties Bank is jointly owned by the  Cambridgeshire Local Government Pension Fund and Trinity Hall, a College of the University of Cambridge.

The move is part of the County Council's and Trinity Hall's commitment to get the best return on their investment while also supporting the local community. Investment in the bank brings good returns for the pension fund, which has more than 170 member organisations, reducing any burden on the tax payer so money can be spent on frontline services.

At the same time it shows that Cambridgeshire is open for business and will provide financial support to help small and medium businesses grow and create jobs at a time when it is harder to secure funding.

Analysis of industry data by Cambridge & Counties Bank reveals that in the second half of 2011, over 60,000 loan and overdraft applications from SMEs worth as much as £3 billion, were rejected by banks. New research from the bank reveals that 47% of businesses believe that their relationship with their main business bank is only average or bad.

In order to be issued with a banking licence, Cambridge & Counties Bank has been formally authorised by the FSA. In addition, each of the directors of the bank have been authorized by the FSA as an approved person to carry out the controlled function of a board director.

Local County Councillor, John Reynolds said:  "The new bank will give local SMEs a real boost and the chance to grow, at a time when it's proving hard to secure funding even for viable business propositions. This venture will not only produce a good return for the pension fund, but also mean that money from public services pensions is being used to support the economy, create jobs and improve the quality of life for our communities.

"The return on investment will reduce the burden on local taxpayers and leave more money available for frontline services. The bank has been properly assessed and is a very good investment. I am really pleased that we are taking a lead here and investing with Trinity Hall in this exciting opportunity."

Paul ffolkes Davis, Bursar and Steward, Trinity Hall, Cambridge said: "We regard Cambridge & Counties Bank as an unprecedented opportunity to marry a strong investment promising good returns with support for small businesses at a time when they need it most.

"While the traditional high street banks are pre-occupied with their legacy problems, which are having a negative impact on their lending, by contrast Cambridge & Counties Bank has no past and is looking forward to a successful future. While the outlook for higher education funding looks ever more challenging, this investment is also intended to strengthen the College's endowment returns in order to secure our world-class teaching and research for coming generations of Cambridge students."

Cambridge & Counties Bank will provide SMEs with loans secured against commercial property as well as a highly competitive deposit account. In addition to this, it will also offer secured pension scheme lending, and has plans to launch professions financing, as well as other competitive savings accounts into both the retail and non-retail sectors.

The bank feels that now is an opportune time to launch, because many SMEs are finding it difficult to secure finance.

Helping businesses grow

Small to medium sized companies in the East of England can get assistance to help them grow their business and protect the environment. In an event held last month, open to private sector organisations based in the region which have fewer than 250 employees, topics covered included:

  • How to take advantage of a free energy audit and access a grant of £500 to implement changes - this is only available to businesses registered in Huntingdonshire.
  • How to save money on water bills, with an expert from Anglian Water.
  • Advice on how to cut waste and save money.
  • 1:1 grants advice with advice on funding opportunities for small and medium enterprises.
  • The chance to tour the 'green house' which has been retrofitted with the latest energy efficient and low carbon technology equipment.


Help sought to support work with disabled children

The Short Breaks service have be visiting Addenbrooke's hospital to encourage local people to help disabled children and their families. Staff from Cambridgeshire County Council representing a range of disability services have provided more information about how people can get involved. The Short Breaks service allows parents to have a break or spend time with their other children and gives the disabled child opportunities to enjoy new experiences and to meet other children and families.
 
A range of leisure, cultural, and educational activities are offered to disabled children, which help contribute to personal and social development and help reduce social exclusion. The service relies on a team of dedicated carers to support its work and currently has opportunities available in the Cambridge area and south of the county.
 
One Short Breaks provider is the Family Link Service, which matches disabled children and their families with carers who can regularly welcome the child into their home. This provides the child with a 'home from home' and gives their family regular breaks from caring. Short Breaks are also provided by the Community Support Service, where support workers go into a child's own home to help parents with caring tasks or to take their child out.

The service also runs a number of its own regular clubs, as well as holiday clubs, and helps disabled children to access other activities within the community. In addition, a number of other services are also commissioned to help meet the needs of disabled children and their families. 
 
You can contact the team on 01480 379 800 or visit www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/childrenyoungpeople/disabledchildren/shortbreaks.

New post helps give charities a half a million pound boost

A £25,000 investment has helped unlock around half a million pounds to help local charities thanks to a partnership between Cambridgeshire County Council and Cambridgeshire Community Foundation. The funding was given to the charity by the County Council to help bring in more money from the private sector to build funds which make grants to local community and voluntary groups in Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire Community Foundation helps donors (including local people, families, companies, national and local government, and other charities) to learn about and support local charitable causes that are of interest to them.

In a recent visit to the organisation Cambridgeshire County Council Leader Nick Clarke leant how the funding for an extra officer had helped increase funding from around £2 million to £2.5 million. The Foundation uses its expertise and contacts to match groups with potential sources of funding that they normally might miss out on. The County Council has been supporting the Foundation over the last eight years and the vital work it does in raising millions of pounds for organisations in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

Councillor Clarke said: "This shows how a small investment in the right place can have major consequences for local charities and organisations. Cambridgeshire Community Foundation do fantastic work and helps bring in funding that single organisation like a council would never be able to afford. The County Council is committed to finding smarter ways of supporting the community and voluntary organisations that does such vital work."

Chief Executive Jane Darlington, said: "We have been working with the Council since we were set up in 2004 and have run number of grant making programmes with them.  The additional support the Council have offered us over the last 9 months has enabled us to increase our work with existing and new donors and this has been very welcome."

Top marks for County Council respite service

A respite service for adults with learning disabilities has been given top marks in every category after a visit by Government inspectors. The service in Alder Close, March, recently underwent an unannounced routine inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and was found to be performing well in all aspects of the inspection. The centre provides respite care for up to five people at a time with overnight and weekend stays. In total Alder Close provides support and services to around 40 people.

CQC inspectors spoke to service users, families and carers. They reported that people were positive about the care and support provided and the variety of activities available. Relatives interviewed were complimentary about the service and staff and found what was provided met their relative's needs well.

"The outcome of the CQC inspection is an excellent achievement by everyone involved with Alder Close and a reflection of the hard work, empathy and dedication that the staff team put into support those people who really need it."

CQC looked at all aspects of the work in the home, including measures to ensure users were kept safe and supported in a away which reflected their individual needs and they were protected from abuse with respect for their human rights. The quality and accessibility of the building, staff training, supervision and management practice and processes were also checked.

One relative commented that the service gave their family member: "A good break and they really enjoyed their stay at weekends and at other times." Another relative commented: "The staff were knowledgeable and were skilled in providing the care that was needed."

No-ped safety: check finds 90% of mopeds to be illegal

Cambridgeshire County Council's Road Safety Team joined forces with the Police and Cambridge Regional College as part of an initiative to improve safety among students who ride mopeds and scooters.

CRC organised an education morning as part of the college's ongoing safeguarding programme, and the session found a number of faults and defects with machines - which will now be put right during a drop-in workshop for students that has been arranged by the college.

Twenty mopeds and scooters were checked and 90% of them failed the Police checks which disclosed faults including illegal tyres, no mirrors, riders not using eye protection and modifications which enabled the bikes to exceed the speed limit imposed according to the rider's licence.

In recent years overall road casualties in Cambridgeshire have steadily declined, while at the same time casualties among moped and motorcycle riders under the age of 25 have increased by 12% over the last decade, with the most vulnerable riders being aged between 16-17.

Local County Councillor John Reynolds, said: "We recognise how important mopeds and scooters are to young people, enabling them to access important education and training and we are keen to work with all the colleges in Cambridgeshire to help ensure the safety of their students as they travel to and from college and I would like to thank CRC for the positive way in which they are helping their students stay safe on the roads."

During the checks, riders of the faulty machines were warned of the penalties they would face if they were stopped again and the defects had not been rectified which can include a fine, penalty points on their licence and the risk their bikes could be seized and crushed for certain offences.

County Council Cabinet approves measures to reduce isolation and lonliness among older people

The County Council's Cabinet has approved a new approach designed to reduce loneliness and isolation among older people living in Cambridgeshire. The Community Navigator project will coordinate and enhance existing networks of support working closely with local communities, statutory and voluntary organisations to enable older people to find the services and support they need to meet their individual needs.
The work of the Navigators will build on the existing best practice in Cambridgeshire by supporting the existing safeguarding measures provided by the County Council and other organisations in the County.

Local County Councillor John Reynolds, said: "One of the biggest problems faced by our older residents is loneliness and isolation - even for those who live within our supportive communities.

"The development of the Navigator project is at a very early stage, but we are fully committed to providing the services and support older people need to live full and fulfilling lives, while at the same time ensuring they can stay within their home and local community wherever possible and a key to this is identifying the needs of the individual and ensuring they know what help and advice is available to them from both the County Council and other organisations across Cambridgeshire."

Cabinet  approved a three-year pilot scheme which will appoint a paid Community Navigator in each district council area who will develop closer links with their local communities, voluntary and statutory agencies and work with local people to identify gaps in existing services, and also help to support and develop the volunteers who are often the first point of contact for older people.

Cllr John Reynolds, added: "Similar schemes elsewhere have had a very positive impact on efforts to ensure that older people are able to have the best possible quality of life, while at the same time reducing the loneliness and isolation that some older people experience. There is already much work going on in Cambridgeshire and where there are
already individuals, groups and charitable organisations involve we will endeavour to champion and support them whenever possible."

For more information go to www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/CMSWebsite/Apps/Committees/AgendaItem.aspx?agendaItemID=5469.

New improved library system for Cambridge

Residents using Cambridgeshire Libraries are to benefit from a new improved IT system. The system, being installed in the coming weeks, has been jointly purchased with Suffolk County Council saving Council Tax payers money. It will include an improved library catalogue and will give customers access to a wider range of services.

To ensure the system is installed successfully, libraries across the county will need to close for a brief period, usually one day. However, during this time library book loan periods are being increased, meaning disruption will be kept to a minimum. All other services will continue as normal and customers will be able to borrow and return items in libraries. The public computers and WiFi will remain available for existing members.

Local County Councillor John Reynolds, said "This new, modern library system, funded by Improvement East, will pave the way for improved customer service within all of our libraries. We'd like to ask all our valued customers to bear with us during this short period of time, and take advantage of the extended loan periods - meaning you can borrow books for up to six weeks."

Library buddies getting more people on line

 More Cambridgeshire residents are getting online thanks to help from Cambridgeshire library and learning centre staff. Thirty computer buddies and staff across Library Learning Centres and Community Access Points offer free one-to-one sessions to help people use the Internet for the first time or develop their confidence using new technology. These volunteers have contributed towards helping the Society of Chief Librarians (SCL) meet the nationally set target to get 500,000 new people online by the end of 2012 - several months early.

Local County Councillor John Reynolds, said:  "Our fantastic library computer buddies, learning centre tutors and volunteers have helped hundreds of people navigate their way around the internet since 2011. Credit must be given to them for the quality of the tutoring they provide and the time they devote to the scheme."

For more information about Cambridgeshire Libraries Computer Buddy scheme please contact Maggie Brown on 07824 406103.   To find out more about Library Learning Centres and Community Access Points, or to volunteer as a Community Access Point tutor please contact Nyree Scott on 07881 837543.

Computer buddies are a network of volunteers based in Libraries who help people over 50 years of age with IT enquiries and the use of the internet as a resource. Library Learning Centres offer dedicated learning support from qualified, friendly tutors - providing courses from introductory computer and internet skills through to recognised qualifications (including those in English and Maths). Community Access Points offer free internet connections and optional support from both trained staff and skilled volunteers.

For the hundreds of people helped online at Cambridgeshire libraries, these new skills are changing their lives for the better. In fact some previously unemployed people have found jobs as a result of their newly acquired skills. In addition, libraries work closely with DirectGov, NHS Choices and the Adult Careers Service to ensure that citizens can confidently access the health, employment and benefits information they need, as well as pay for their driving licence, passport or parking permit online.

Contact John Reynolds

       County Councillor John Reynolds
       4 Holly Trees
       Bar Hill
       Cambridge
       CB23 8SF 

       T  01954 200 571
       F  01954 200 571
       M  07720 379699
       E  john.reynolds@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

 Contact Cambridgeshire County Council


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