School Funding In Cambridgeshire

In 2010 -11, Cambridgeshire received Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) of £4,093 per pupil, resulting in the county being ranked 132^nd out of 151 local authorities.  For the financial year 2011-12, Cambridgeshire will receive £4,643.51 per pupil.  This means Cambridgeshire will fall from 132^nd to 143^rd out of 151 local authorities.

What is of greater concern is the per pupil difference between ourselves and other local authorities.  Every £100 difference equates to approximately £7.9m of overall funding.  If Cambridgeshire was funded at the national average of £5,082.53 per pupil this would provide additional funding of nearly £35m for Cambridgeshire schools.

Concessionary Bus Fares Update

From 1 April, Cambridgeshire County Council becomes responsible for managing and administering the national concessionary bus pass scheme in the county.

 

The concessionary bus pass entitles holders to travel free of charge on off-peak local bus services anywhere in England. The statutory requirements under the bus pass scheme mean free travel is only allowed during the following times:

 

• Monday to Friday after 9:30 am
• Saturday and Sunday at any time
• Bank holidays at any time

In Cambridgeshire, we are also allowing free travel where the only bus serving a village departs prior to 9:30 am.

In a few instances, free travel may include coach services where part of the route is registered to the scheme, and passes may also be used on certain Dial-A-Ride services to give a 50 per cent fare reduction. These instances will be funded by the County Council.

Huntingdonshire District Council and Fenland District Council will also provide additional top up funding to allow their residents to travel for free on Dial-A-Rides in their local area and Cambridge City Council will also provide some funding to increase the concession for specific groups in Cambridge.

More information can be gained from concessionary.fares@cambridgeshire.gov.uk and www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/buspass,or 0345 045 1367.

 

Public Health Changes

Cambridgeshire County Council and NHS Cambridgeshire are jointly organising a stakeholder event on 31 March, to establish a shared vision for the purpose, function and ways of working for the early implementer Health and Wellbeing Board in the county.

Pre-meetings are being held with a range of stakeholders, including all District Councils, the Children’s Trust, the county-wide GP commissioning Senate, LINks, and voluntary sector representatives, to make sure that relevant background information is shared, and to enable the themes and issues raised by different stakeholders to be identified and brought together.

The output from the stakeholder event will be used to shape the development of the Cambridgeshire Health and Wellbeing Board. We are supported in this work by ‘Local Partnerships’ (part of the LGG), and will be actively sharing learning with other areas.

Public sector organisations in Cambridgeshire will be making a joint response to the Public Health White Paper ‘Healthy Lives, Healthy People’ and its associated consultations on public health outcomes and on funding and commissioning routes for public health.

The key question will be “will the cash follow the responsibility”. I hope so as this change could see a real improvement in public health.

 

Changes to Stagecoach service

On 17 April 2011 Stagecoach will be making a number of changes to bus routes across Cambridgeshire. Many of the changes are minor alterations to timetables, and a number of contracts currently held with the Council are either discontinued by or are being surrendered by Stagecoach. Please click on the link for information http://www.stagecoachbus.com/serviceupdatedetails.aspx?Id=2358

Parish Council Report – March 2011

FULBOURN DIVISION COMMUNITY NEWS March 2011

Parish Council report from County Councillor Nick Clarke

Jill Tuck standing down as leader in May

This all came as a shock to members of the ruling Conservative Group. Jill has been very effective in steering the council through some very tough financial times. She has been a strong leader who has always been fair, focused on the most vulnerable in our county and has always insisted on value for money for the tax payer – all this and with a sense of humour. She stands down for personal reasons and we all wish her well. Group elections will take place in the coming weeks.

Full Council – 15/02/2011

It is rare for a budget setting council meeting to attract such attention. Of course this was the budget that was set to make significant cuts for the first time in many years. Despite all the protests, arrests and the long day the budget was passed. This is a tough budget but one that takes into account the financial disaster the previous government left. A degree in economics is not necessary to understand that you cannot continue to spend without restraint. The opposition budget amendment suggested minor changes which would have been paid for by increasing taxation. This was not felt to be appropriate at this time when families are struggling.

Bus Subsidies

Bus subsidies are to be removed over a four year period. 80% of bus journeys are run commercially and not subject to subsidy. Lots of work is going on to see how effective community based transport can fill the gap. A transport forum took place in March to discuss possible solutions. Lots of different providers are engaging to see how they can help.

HCV Forum

An HCV forum is taking place at Swavesy Village College on the 2^nd March starting at 1845 to look into all aspects of large vehicles moving around the county and in particular going through our villages. I will be attending.

Cycleway Fen Ditton to Horningsea 14^th Feb 2011

It was with great pleasure that I officially opened the cycle way between Fen Ditton and Horningsea. The new off road shared use path is 2.5 metres wide and includes solar stud lighting, providing a safe and environmentally friendly link between the two villages. The new route which cost £480,000 to build, was jointly funded by Cambridgeshire County Council and Cycle Cambridge, a partnership of local councils working together to encourage more people to get pedalling in Cambridge and the surrounding area. Two new benches, made from wrought iron and recycled plastic, were installed as part of the project.

Meetings / Committees / Panels Attended in Feb in addition to above

Chaired Safer and Stronger scrutiny committee

Informal cabinet x 2

Corporate scrutiny committee

Cabinet / SMT

Members seminar

Full Council

Chaired a staff appeals panel

LGSS joint committee with Northamptonshire

Appointments committee x2

Cabinet

Highways management board

Met with Chief Exec Mark Lloyd

Reviewed Project Management process

Reviewed transformation of Highways

Reviewed CRB policy

 

HCV Strategy Meeting and Workshop – 2nd March 2011

HCV’s or HGV’s as most of us know them by are a mixed blessing. As they move around our county it is a demonstration that our county is thriving and that business continues despite the recession we have been through. The down size is that many of our roads and country lanes were not built to take the ever increasing HCV traffic. Of course, if an HCV is on its lawful business and is correctly taxed and insured it has a right to be on the road. People also have a right to expect that vehicles don’t make their lives a misery.

The County Council met with in the order of 100 parish councillors in Swavesy village college to discuss the way forward. There was a presentation followed by a workshop where everyone had a chance to comment on what was being proposed.

What was being proposed was a way of managing the negative impacts of HCVs. The process set out the escalation process and explored how the parish would be involved. There was a great sense that the parish and in particular the parish council should take responsibility for identifying the problem and collecting some of the data that would provide the evidence required. It was pleasing to see that the process included, at an early stage, discussions with commercial organisations to see if all sides could be satisfied through dialogue.

All the the comments have been taken away to be thought through. I await the outcome of this consultation with interest. I sit on the policy development group that will look at these matters.

Have a look at the slides from the presentation here. HCV meeting presentation