Bedroom tax policy adopted by Housing Portfolio holder

From April 2013 Welfare Reform changes have taken place which means Housing Benefit is potentially reduced for households deemed to be under-occupying a property. This is the so-called “bedroom tax” that has been much talked about.   There is no definition of a minimum bedroom size set out in legislation. The Department of Work and […]

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Council releases new SHLAA assesment with revised data for Bourn Airfield Development

Two weeks ago, South Cambridgeshire District Council announced it was extending the consultation period for the new draft Local Development Plan by two week and would provide some revised housing data information, intended to rectify an omission. The StopBAD campaign had its first victory in its fight to stop the Bourn Airfield Development by highlighting […]

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Communities secretary Eric Pickles criticizes Cambridge as too anti-car

It is rare that I agree with sentiments expressed by a government minister, and this is one of them, especially in the ongoing context of the transport plans for Bourn Airfield Development as contained in the draft county council transport strategy document.   Cabinet minister and Communities secretary Eric Pickles lashed out at Cambridge city’s […]

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Fly to Australia, Kruger, Abu Dhabi and Phuket from Cambridge Airport

I saw this article in the Cambridge News and thought it was interesting … and definitely not surprising having once gone on a tour of the airport arranged specifically for councillors.   The news is that the revolution in Cambridge air travel is continuing at a dizzying pace. Local travellers will now be able to […]

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Council extends local plan consultation by two weeks

  The current South Cambridgeshire Local Plan consultation is being extended by two weeks. This final consultation was originally due to close on Monday 30 September but this is being extended to 5pm on Monday 14 October 2013.   The news release from the council earlier this afternoon says that “Council bosses took the decision […]

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New Transport Strategy for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire

The County Council is preparing a new Transport Strategy for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire in parallel with the South Cambridgeshire and the Cambridge Local Plans. The draft strategy is looking at ways to improve transport in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire up to 2031, and affects the viability of the proposed Bourn Airfield Development.   The […]

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Council consults on its draft Community Infrastructure Levy charging schedule

South Cambridgeshire District Council is currently working towards the introduction of a charging schedule under the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Regulation 2010 (amended).   Community Infrastructure Levy is expected to be a more simplified way of securing planning obligations compared to the Section 106 agreements, and is based on simple formulae on a per square […]

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Caldecote and Bourn villages sold out by Council for sake of expediency

On a number of occasions at planning committee meetings, I have told the South Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC) administration that Caldecote residents felt “dumped on” by the decisions of the council. Little did I know that it was going to get worse … This time, its not just a dumping on, but a betrayal, a […]

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LibDems helping young people get on in life

Tackling youth unemployment is one of the top priorities for the Liberal Democrats. On Tuesday Nick Clegg was in Salford to announce an extra £50m in funding the for youth contract, a scheme which provides a simple cash incentive for businesses to take on young people.   This is making a real difference, with 4,000 […]

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Free business workshops back again in South Cambridgeshire

Following the success of the South Cambridgeshire Business Support Service, a series of free workshops is re-launching to help business-owners in South Cambridgeshire become more successful.   The 15 half-day ‘how-to’ workshops are delivered by experts and have been designed to address specific issues of businesses in the local area, including business planning, improving profit, […]

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