(photo J. Naughton)
From the Editors…
Gmail users please note…
There’s a lot of information in this newsletter and your Gmail may clip it. If it does, simply click on the “View entire message” link that Gmail provides. Copy for inclusion in the June issue should be sent to us by 1st June.
Back numbers of the newsletter can be found at: https://madingleynews.substack.com
Please give new neighbours the link.
John and Fiona Naughton, Editors
madingley.news@gmail.com
Contents:
Diary Dates - Village Contacts - Remembering Ron Martin - Parish Council Notes - Community Speedwatch - Church News - Village Hall - CamShed - Cricket Club - Madingley Hall - Park Farm - American Cemetery - News from our Public Representatives (M.P., County and District Councillors) - Volunteering - Local Events, Activities and Engagement - Useful Household Information (Bin Collections, Royal Mail Collections, Bus Times)
Diary Dates for events in the Parish
see also under ‘Madingley Hall’ and ‘Local Events, Activities and Engagement’ section
March
Sunday 10th: 10:30 (in church)
Mothering Sunday service for all the family
Thursday 21st: 18:00 (in the village hall)
Parish Council Meeting (Everyone is welcome)
Sunday 24th: 10:30 (in church)
Palm Sunday service
Friday 29th: 11:00
Good Friday Service
Sunday 31st: 10:30 (in church)
Easter Day service
April
Saturday 6th: 10:00 - 11:30 (in the village hall)
Village Coffee Morning
May
Thursday May 2nd: 06:30 - 22:00 (in the village hall)
Polling Day (Remember to bring photo ID)
Saturday 4th: 10am - 11:30 (in the village hall)
Village Coffee Morning
Monday 27th: 10:45 for 11:00 (at the American Cemetery)
Memorial Day
June
Saturday 1st: 10:00 - 11:30 (in the village hall)
Village Coffee Morning
Village Contacts (and websites)
CamShed (Woodworking Group), Alex Barrett: alex.barrett1266@gmail.com
Coton School: 01954 210339
County Councillor, Michael Atkins: michael.atkins@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
District Councillor, Corinne Garvie: 07780 932267, cllr.garvie@scambs.gov.uk
District Councillor, Richard Stobart: 07950 934793, cllr.stobart@scambs.gov.uk
Madingley Cricket Club, Philip Done: madingleycc@gmail.com
Madingley History Group, Sue Baldwin: suebaldwin1000@gmail.com
Madingley Parish Church
- The Revd Christine Barrow: 01223 575089
- The Revd Michael Bigg: 01954 332040, vicar@madingleychurch.org
- Church Secretary, Sue Baldwin: secretary@madingleychurch.org
Madingley Parish Council
- Clerk, Karen Peck: clerk@madingleyparishcouncil.org.uk
- Chair, Charles Crichton-Stuart: chair@madingleyparishcouncil.org.uk
- Vice-Chair, Fiona Naughton: cllr.naughton@madingleyparishcouncil.org.uk
- Victoria Keevil: cllr.keevil@madingleyparishcouncil.org.uk
- Joan Stevenson-Hinde: cllr.stevenson-hinde@madingleyparishcouncil.org.uk
- Andrew Wallace-Hadrill: cllr.wallace-hadrill@madingleyparishcouncil.org.uk
Madingley Village Hall (bookings, etc), Chris Baldwin: chrisbaldwin1000@gmail.com
Member of Parliament, Anthony Browne: anthony.browne.mp@parliament.uk
Police
- Emergency: 999
- Non emergency: 101
- Crime Stoppers: 0800 555111
Stephen Perse Foundation Nursery: 01954 210309
The Three Horseshoes, Pub & Restaurant: 01954 210221
Useful websites:
Madingley Hall
Madingley Parish Church
Madingley Parish Council
Options for looking up bus times:
https://bustimes.org/search?q=madingley
https://bustimes.org/search?q=cambourne
https://bustimes.org/services/pr1-cambridge-city-centre-madingley-road-parkride
https://www.a2bbusandcoach.com/
https://bustimes.org/services/4-drummer-st-bus-station-bay-10-lower-cambourne-wo
https://bustimes.org/services/u1-girton-corner-biomedical-campus
https://bustimes.org/services/u2-eddington-biomedical-campus
https://bustimes.org/services/x2-corby-cambridge-rail-station
https://bustimes.org/services/x3-huntingdon-addenbrookes
To report potholes or broken signs, etc:
https://highwaysreporting.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/
To check bin collections:
https://www.scambs.gov.uk/recycling-and-bins/find-your-household-bin-collection-day
Remembering Ron Martin
by Peter Teversham
Ron and the Martin family moved to Cambridge Road, Madingley in 1948. Ron and his father worked at Home Farm for the Wiseman family. We lived in the high street but when the council houses were built in 1950 we moved to 17 Church Lane. Three weeks later the Martin family moved into number 19.
When Ron finished on the land he was called up by the Army to do his national service. He was posted to Burma where he saw active service due to the unrest at that time. Today we know the country as Myanmar. When he came out of the army he worked for W. M. Sindalls the Cambridge Builder. He was responsible for the steelworks involved in the building of Churchill College. In the evening he worked as a barman at the Three Horseshoes for Freddy Gould. When the restaurant extension was built Freddy asked Ron to go full-time, which he did.
Ron continued to work there until the Goulds retired in the early 70s. He was already gardening in his spare time and decided to go self-employed. He soon built up a regular clientele and was always busy.
During Ron’s life he had always been involved in village life. In the 1950s he biked back and forth to Lolworth where he had helped to form a social club and would often serve behind the bar.
In 1957 he was a founder member of Madingley Cricket Club’s revival. He served as groundsman and secretary for over 25 years and it’s down to his hard work and determination in those early years, that the club is still going strong today.
In 1964 Ron was chief architect, engineer and foreman in building the Madingley cricket pavilion, purchased from Queens College by his brother Peter who was the then Chairmen of the cricket club.
The dismantling and reconstruction of it back on site at Madingley was a tribute to his knowledge and experience in the building trade.
Ron was also a founder member of the Sports Club. The Three Horseshoes had closed down; therefore, with nowhere to drink, Ron and others decided the village needed a club. This opened up in 1974 where Ron took on the duties of Treasurer, Barman, and Caretaker.
Ron had a dispute trying to get a pool team in the Cambridge league. He was then instrumental in forming a new league involving all the local sports and social clubs in the area which became very successful.
The Club became an integral part of his life and his spare time was spent in ensuing that it continued to thrive. Ron always made sure the club was open at Christmas, much to the despair of his sister Audrey, who didn’t know whether he was coming or going.
Ron was an excellent pool and darts player and he won many trophies in both. He loved his Friday night Dominoes school and the Sunday lunchtime crib. Woe betide you if you laid the wrong card or Dominoe. He would leave you in no doubt of his feelings.
Ron loved watching all sports especially football and cricket. He was a lifetime fan of Manchester United and a regular supporter of Cambridge City watching their home games in the old southern league.
Along with pool, Ron loved his horseracing. He enjoyed a bet even up to until the final day of his life. Along with his friends he visited many racecourses and among his favourites were Fakenham and York. York he called his lucky course as he won more bets there than anywhere else.
Ron enjoyed his holidays. He loved the sun and ventured abroad every year always to different destinations.
He enjoyed gardening and loved the competition he had with my father over who had the earliest potatoes peas and carrots!
On his 80th birthday he hired a bus and took all his family and friends to Peterborough greyhound stadium. He wanted to do something special and we all enjoyed a marvellous evening, such was his generosity.
Although he never married, Ron was a great family man. He was very proud of his nephews and nieces and supported his family throughout his lifetime.
It’s difficult to put 90 plus years in just a few lines on paper, it would take a book to list all the friends and acquaintances Ron has met during his stay with us, as there have been many.
Ron could never be called a natural sportsman but would always be available to help in any situation. The best 12th Man any club, family or friend could wish for.
Ron has been a friend, colleague and neighbour of myself and my family for over 70 years. Along with his family, we will miss him.
Parish Council Notes
Chairman’s Report
The Playground
Although it doesn’t particularly feel like it at the moment, spring is here, and with it the usual heavy rains that are now falling on the already saturated and waterlogged ground. I am pleased to see however that the drainage work undertaken in the playground last year has had the hoped-for effect and the entrance to the playground is not the muddy quagmire it so often was before.
Users of the playground will also note that the Parish Council has just replenished the bark under a number of the pieces of play equipment. Thank you to everyone who helped us with this. It had been flagged as an ‘amber’ risk in our annual safety report. Other ‘amber’ potential finger-trapping risks highlighted in the report were also mitigated last year.
The playground spruced up with fresh bark (photo Chris Baldwin)
Traffic
The speed and volume of traffic passing through the village continue to be higher than we would like. The Parish Council has now applied a second time for a Cambridgeshire County Council grant to implement a 20mph zone throughout most the village. Last year we were disappointed that our application missed being selected by a single point, and we are all too aware that if several applications are given the same number of points, the grant will go to the villages with the highest populations. But we have tried our best and very much hope for a different outcome this time.
Thank you to Cllr. Naughton for drafting the application and those in the village who have provided helpful supporting evidence or given advice.
Once a 20mph zone is in force, the installation of physical traffic calming measures (such as speed humps/tables etc) become less expensive as they would no longer require dedicated lighting.
Members of the parish council will be re-painting the phone box once the warm weather arrives and we are hoping for one or two volunteers. (Please contact either myself or the editors if you would like to help us.)
Charles Crichton-Stuart, MPC Chairman
Community Speedwatch
We’ve been running fewer surveys for a while, partly due to generally wetter weather, but our December survey supplied useful data for the Parish Council in its re-application for a 20mph speed limit through the village.
With thanks, as always, to our small yet committed pool of trained volunteers who support our surveys for the village and let's hope for better weather over the coming months!
Speedwatch Secretariat
Church News
Amongst the prayers which we offer week by week at our services in church and in the privacy of our own homes, have been those for our farmers as they cope with water-logged fields and the challenge to their crops. The wet conditions were emphasised for us recently when we arrived for the Sunday morning service only to find a small lake had appeared at the bottom of the path leading from Madingley Hall drive up to the church, and a new “stream” was pouring down a gulley in the wooded hillside above the churchyard, feeding this new water feature. We had to go back almost as far as the wrought iron gates before we could find dry enough grass so that we could walk up to the church without getting soaking wet feet. Any guesses as to what the reading from the Old Testament part of the Bible was that day? (It had been set months before by a central body representing most Christian churches in this country.) No prizes if you guessed it was about Noah and the ark. Who said church is not relevant?!
However, the appearance of the glorious display of daffodils up the drive brings us hope for better weather and draws our attention to the fact that spring is approaching, and therefore we are in the church’s season of Lent and running up to Holy Week and Easter. This means that there will be extra services, and also an experiment this year as we propose to offer a session called “Experience Easter” for children from pre-school through Primary School age. The children will be guided round 4 sites in the church, where there will be a short story and an activity as they are told about the events of Holy Week and Easter. Lasting between 30 to 45 minutes we are planning to offer this on Tuesday 2nd April OR Wednesday 3rd April at 10:30am, (not both). HOWEVER, we need to know whether anyone is coming so that we can carry out the necessary preparations, so if you would like to bring your children to this please do let me know. If we don’t receive enough positive responses we will need to postpone it. mcbarrow@me.com
Services during the next few weeks will include:
Mothering Sunday March 10th service for all the family, 10:30am
Palm Sunday March 24th service including receiving your own palm cross, 10:30am
Good Friday 29th March: Service, 11am
Easter Sunday 31st March 10:30 Celebrating the joyful news of Jesus’s resurrection.
Christine Barrow
VILLAGE HALL
Community Coffee Mornings: make a note for the first Saturday of each month, between 10 and 11:30am for a cup of tea or coffee, listen to the Madingley Harpist and chose from a selection of home-made cakes. An area is set out particularly for children with toys and games. This event has proved to be hugely popular so do drop in – you won’t find you are the only person there!
The Hall will be used as a Polling Station day on May 2nd 2024 and will be open from 6:30am until 10pm. Please remember that you need photo ID to vote.
The winter has been a quiet period for bookings though there are signs of improvement as we move into spring.
It is with sadness that we record the recent passing of Ron Martin who was a stalwart member of the Sports & Social Club which met in the Village Hall over so many years.
Thanks to the Parish Council for their support of the Hall and to those who help with setting up and changing the layout to suit the various users.
Please be in touch if we can help with an event for your family.
Chris Baldwin (Chairman and Bookings Secretary - Madingley Village Hall Trust)
chrisbaldwin1000@gmail.com
CamShed @ Madingley Hall
We meet every Wednesday from 11 a.m. and you can find us just to the left as you walk out of the back of the Madingley Hall car park. Please pop in and see us and maybe help us out with our projects.
We are always ready to welcome new members who might want to join us to ‘converse, connect and create’. Let us know if you have a suggestion for a woodwork project to benefit the community?
Hope to see you soon!
Contact: Alex Barrett at: alex.barrett1266@gmail.com
Cricket Club
I'd like to open by expressing condolences on behalf of everyone associated with the club at the passing of Ron Martin on Sunday 4th February, aged 93 years. Quite simply, there would be no cricket club without the hard work of Ron and the other founders in the early days, and we are grateful.
By the bench are Ron Martin and Denis Harvey (with the saw). At the back (left to right) are Graham Johnson, George Newell and Stephen Naylor
For myself, I recall Ron regularly turning up to support the 2nd team when it was restarted in 2011. It is comforting to know that on his last cricket outing to Cambourne he saw both teams win convincingly, and celebrated with a whiskey afterwards.
The club has started indoor nets on Saturday lunchtimes, and will continue these during March before hopefully moving to outdoor nets. This, of course, relies on a significant improvement in the weather! We are expecting league fixtures to be finalised imminently, with both teams remaining in the same division as last season; Senior 2 for first team and Junior 3 West for the second team. The teams will use 3 home grounds this year: Kings College sports ground, Cambridge University Press and Girton College sports ground. I know some of the older 1st teamers are looking forward to returning to the latter, particularly the batters! The season starts on Saturday 4th May, although the 2nd team doesn't play their first game until the following weekend. We also have a couple of pre-season friendlies planned, plus regular midweek friendly games during the middle part of the season. All fixtures will be on the club website soon.
We are always happy to hear from new players of any ability, so please get in touch if you are interested in getting involved with the club.
Philip Done, Secretary
madingleycc@gmail.com
http://madingley.play-cricket.com/
https://www.facebook.com/madingleycc/
https://twitter.com/madingleycc
Madingley Hall
We hope you’ve all been keeping well.
The 2024 International Summer programme will be taking place in Cambridge from 7th July-3rd August 2024, both residential and non-residential places are available to book and there is a course for everyone. With a mix of over 120-, one and two-week courses on offer, you can attend for one, two, three or four weeks and pick courses in a multitude of fields to build your own programme. There will be the opportunity to take part in a variety of cultural and social events alongside your studies. To find out more and apply for this fantastic opportunity, visit: https://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/courses/international-summer-programmes
Our next weekend courses hosted at Madingley Hall and Gardens will take place on 26-28 April 2024 with an array of topics from ‘Creativity in business: putting theory into practice’ to ‘The role of beauty in scientific practise’, and ‘Defending Scotland’. You can view a list of all the 2024 Weekend Courses and their dates, here: https://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/courses/short-courses-madingley-hall
Don’t miss out on Cambridge Festival this year. We will be hosting 4 events, taking place between 22nd- 24th March with some held online while others taking place in or around Cambridge. Topic areas for the Cambridge Festival events this year include archaeology, creative writing, and sociology. For more information and to book your place, visit our website here: https://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/events/lectures
If you’re looking for a flexible way to take your first steps in higher education, boost your career, fill a gap in your knowledge or simply indulge in a topic that fascinates you, our part-time undergraduate courses allow you to achieve your goal. As an affordable option for those who cannot commit to a full-time bachelor’s degree, you can learn online, focusing on one or multiple subjects. Applications for our 2024-25 courses are now open. Find out more: https://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate-certificates-and-diplomas
If there is a particular course you’re interested in, we have an Undergraduate Open Week coming up from 15-19th April where you can find out more about our range of courses and ask any questions you may have. There will also be separate student and academic panels. More information on our open week will be made available soon. Keep an eye out on our website here: https://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/events/open-days
We will continue to update you throughout the year and look forward to seeing you, in person or online, very soon.
Kate Weddepohl
Institute of Continuing Education, University of Cambridge
Park Farm
(photo F. Naughton)
American Cemetery
American Battle Monuments Commission
Memorial Day 2017 (photo from ABMC)
Memorial Day 2024 will be on Monday 27 May. Please come at 10:45 for 11:00.
All are welcome.
Suzie Harrison
News from our Public Representatives
Anthony Browne MP
[For an update on Anthony Browne’s concerns and activities, see:
https://www.anthonybrowne.org/new]
County Councillor Michael Atkins
February Report
Changes to council membership
Councillors from all parties were saddened to hear of the death of Cllr McGuire (Yaxley & Farcet, Hunts) who was the longest serving member of the council and held a number of roles during that time. I will miss his contributions to the Children & Young Peoples committee especially. A by-election will be held in due course.
Budget
The Council will be setting its budget at a special meeting later this month. The core proposals see an increase in council expenditure, particularly for Adult and Children social care, and additional investments in Highways, offset against the various monies (new and old) from central government and a 5% increase in Council tax. There are a number of proposed amendments, including allocating some recently announced government funding, so I will update you fully on the outcome in my next report.
Measles
Measles cases have been rising nationally over the last few months, with the outbreak declared an official incident on 19th January. Measles is highly infectious: for example, if a child in a class has it, unvaccinated children have a 90% chance of catching it.
So far the outbreak has not spread to Cambridgeshire but we must expect it to do so. The following advice has been issued:
Parents should have their children vaccinated if they have not already done so
Residents should call their GP or 111 if measles is suspected, or if a vulnerable person has been in contact with a confirmed case. Typical symptoms: high fever, red and watery eyes, blotchy red-brown rash
Isolating when asked to do so is important if the outbreak is to be contained
Weeds policy
The Council has reverted to the previous approach to tackling weeds, i.e. a twice-yearly weed killing spray. Communities which do not want this will be able to opt out in favour of manual removal by volunteers. We believe is the right compromise between safety on our transport routes, and respecting those communities which object to chemical weed spraying.
20mph zone funding reopens
The 2024/25 round of funding for 20mph zones has now opened, both for new and resubmitted applications. The deadline for submissions is 5pm on 15th March. The website has been updated with the latest details and advice here: https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/travel-roads-and-parking/roads-and-pathways/improving-the-local-highway/20mph-funding
News from GCP & Combined Authority:
Haslingfield Greenway
At its meeting last month, the GCP Executive Board approved the route of the Haslingfield Greenway. Whilst I am supportive of the aims of this project, and excited to see better cycling options for villages to the south of Cambridge, I am disappointed that they have not agreed with the village or my own intervention to consider off-road routes around Grantchester village instead of through it. I will continue to work closely with the Parish Council as further details and designs are published.
Mayoral precept
The Mayor has proposed to increase his precept on the Council tax to £36/year (for a reference band D property). This is intended to subsidise a number of local bus services, including the Citi4 and 28. The Authority is continuing to develop proposals for some form of bus franchising which will enable a greater degree of political and local control over bus routes, but in the meantime these cash subsidies are necessary to prevent a significant reduction in the bus network.
East West Rail
I have been informed that EWR co. intend to hold two statutory consultations this year, one to share new designs and proposed environmental mitigations, and a second with the final proposal for the whole route. Dates are not yet available. More information can be found here: https://eastwestrail.co.uk/news/latest-stories/preparing-for-dco
Civil Parking Enforcement
Following a lot of work behind the scenes, civil parking enforcement officers have started work in South Cambridgeshire. Parking offences have mostly been decriminalised so that officers can issue penalty charge notices (tickets) in instances such as parking on single or double yellow lines. Dangerous parking and obstructing the footway will continue to be a police matter.
Patrols are initially focusing on areas of high parking demand, such as around railway stations, but this will evolve over time as we seek to tackle bad parking across the whole district. If there are particular hot spots in your parishes, please let me know and I will contact the relevant team.
Councillors and residents are welcome to contact me on any issue which is concerning them:
Cllr Michael I. Atkins
matkinslibdem@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/cllrmichaelatkins
07968 264637
From our District Councillors, Corinne Garvie and Richard Stobart
South Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC) - Full Council Meeting on 27th February 2024
Full Council met on Tuesday afternoon, 27th February 2024 for what turned out to be a marathon session of six hours. This is the annual budget meeting , so budget considerations took up most of the time, but there were also questions raised and three motions discussed and approved. Council voted to approve Budgets and Business Plan
Unlike many other councils, SCDC is on a very sound financial footing. Well-targeted commercial investments bring in around £7M per year, which mitigates the huge cut in Government support that all councils have endured in recent years. If it were not for the threat of the Government’s Fair Funding Review, which threatens to strip district councils of business tax revenue and give it to bigger, unitary councils, SCDC would have a projected surplus all the way to 2029.
In regard to Council Tax, SCDC remains one of the lowest taxing authorities in the country, with a £5 per year increase – 42p a month - for the average band D home, equivalent to a below inflation rise of around 3%. There are three parish councils in South Cambs that have a bigger council precept than SCDC.
The Council Tax relief threshold has been increased in line with inflation so that people on the lowest incomes can continue to claim. SCDC is one of the few councils offering up to 100% relief for those residents in most need.
Two more Environmental Enforcement Officers (Envirocrime) are being employed to tackle the increasing problem of fly-tipping and two new posts created for highways litter-picking.
We’re also adding more staff support to the Zero Carbon Communities Grant scheme – so it should be easier than before for parishes to get support from SCDC on projects to help save energy or generate it.
Other News
SCDC passed a motion where it will now treat care experience as a protected characteristic – meaning that when the council makes decisions moving forward, as part of its Equality Impact Assessments, it will now also assess the impact on care leavers. This is a positive step towards treating care leavers more inclusively in society and was agreed unanimously by district councillors. The County Council, Combined Authority, Peterborough City Council and Cambridge City Council have all passed similar motions. Part of the motion was to call on town and parish councils to also take a similar step in support of care leavers.
SCDC also passed a motion in support of the White Ribbon Campaign, after a decision was taken to seek accreditation. White Ribbon is a domestic abuse advocacy organisation who work to provide education about domestic abuse, in particular violence against women. This motion was also agreed unanimously.
SCDC also approved all the parish council precepts at full council. We also approved an updated pay policy, which included the pay ratio between the highest and lowest paid workers at SCDC (1:6.1), this ratio is fairly typical for local government and is lower than that City Council’s ratio.
Cambridgeshire Home Improvement Agency
Cambridgeshire Home Improvement Agency (Cambs HIA) is a strategic partnership between SCDC, Cambridge City Council and Huntingdonshire District Council and is dedicated to enhancing the living conditions of residents, particularly focusing on older adults, individuals with disabilities, and those with limited incomes. Last year it helped more than a hundred families in South Cambs to access grants such as Disabled Facilities Grants and Special Purpose Grants to undertake adaptations and repairs in their homes to help prevent accidents, assist people to cope with long term health conditions and to live comfortably and independently. For further information, please email Frances Swann frances.swann@cambshia.org or call 01954 713456.
Childcare Choices and the Do Something Big campaign resources
This week (from 12 February), the Department for Education is promoting the Childcare Choices campaign, which aims to raise awareness and understanding of the government childcare support for parents to help them with the cost of childcare. The refreshed toolkit includes information about existing and upcoming childcare support and includes resources for organisations to share. Additionally, the Do Something Big workforce recruitment campaign aims to highlight careers available working in the early years and childcare sector. The campaigns website includes information on careers, job application advice and information on training and qualifications. A downloadable communications toolkit has been produced containing information and resources to help councils communicate the campaign.
Award shortlisting
SCDC has been shortlisted as a finalist in the iESE Public Sector Transformation Awards 2024. The category is described as looking for an organisation that has “harnessed the real potential in their organisation, delivering elevated performance, creating efficiencies, and delivering outstanding customer service with improved value to their residents. Above all, this organisation has shown its ability to adapt to a fast-paced and ever-changing environment, while achieving fantastic results in doing so.” It is in the final along with Kent Police and Swindon Borough Council. The event, when we will find out if we will win, is due to be held on Wednesday 6 March
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) updates
Consultation on changes to various permitted development rights opens today
Yesterday the Department launched a consultation seeking views on changes to several existing permitted development rights that allow for householder development, building upwards to create new homes, the demolition of certain buildings and rebuild as homes, electric vehicle charge points and air source heat pumps. The consultation closes on 9 April 2024. If you have any questions, please contact PDRconsultation2024@levellingup.gov.uk Consultation:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/changes-to-various-permitted-development-rights-consultation/changes-to-various-permitted-development-rights-consultation
Addressing the local audit backlog in England: Consultation, joint statement and Code of Audit Practice consultation
DLUHC has today launched a consultation and joint statement on proposals to clear the backlog of local audits in England. On 8 February, the National Audit Office launched a consultation seeking views on changes to the Code of Audit Practice. The consultation closes on 7 March. The Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 makes the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) responsible for the preparation and maintenance of the Code of Audit Practice. It gives the C&AG the power to issue guidance to auditors in support of the Code, to which auditors must have regard when carrying out their work. Schedule 6 of the 2014 Act requires that the Code be reviewed, and revisions considered, at least every five years. The current Code came into effect on 1 April 2020.
Biodiversity net gain requirements
The legal requirement for developers to deliver at least a 10% bio-diversity net gain on new developments came into effect on Monday (12 February). DLUHC published guidance giving further information including on the biodiversity net gain statutory framework, planning processes, exemptions and appeals. To help Local Planning Authorities integrate biodiversity net gain at a local level, £10.6 million of funding is being committed to help councils recruit and expand ecologist teams. Further Information: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/biodiversity-net-gain
Reforms to social housing allocations consultation – reminder
On 30 January 2024, DLUHC launched a consultation on reforms to social housing allocations. The consultation seeks views from the public, councils, social housing tenants and providers on a range of reforms to how social housing is allocated in England, including to eligibility and qualification criteria, as well as proposals for the social housing waiting list and grounds for eviction. The consultation will run for eight weeks and closes on 26 March. For any enquiries about the consultation, please contact socialhousingallocationsconsultation@levellingup.gov.uk Announcement:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-social-housing-reforms-to-crack-down-on-rule-breakers
More good news on DLUCH funding
Following a successful bid last year via the ‘PropTech’ DLUHC fund, the Shared Planning Service has been successful in a further bid for £200,000 from the DLUCH Planning Delivery Skills fund for 2024-25. Our bid focused on our aim for Greater Cambridge to not only thrive economically but for new development to be high-quality design, innovative, sustainable and respond to its local context. The monies will fund 3 fixed term posts: one in Planning Policy to focus on infrastructure and viability, and a landscape officer and designer in the Built and Natural Environment Team providing additional capacity for major applications, our strategic sites and to support our policy work.
Have your say on creating Healthy Places
Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council’s joint Public Health team is inviting residents to have their say on how new and existing communities can be healthy, supportive and inclusive.
Work is currently underway to develop the Healthy Places Joint Strategic Needs Assessment for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, a piece of work which will support the development of healthier, easy to access, and inclusive communities. To inform this, the team has launched a survey asking for views on access to healthcare services, inclusive and accessible green spaces, opportunities for active travel and healthy play and leisure, and the provision of affordable healthy food options.
The survey is open until Monday 15 April at 5pm and can be found at https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/WNC1CB/
It will take around 10-15 minutes to fill in and may be completed on behalf of yourself or someone you care for. If you’d prefer to complete a paper copy of the survey, you can pick one up from your local library or New Shire Hall, Emery Crescent, Enterprise Campus, Alconbury Weald, Huntingdon PE28 4YE. If you have any questions about the survey or the Healthy Places Joint Strategic Needs Assessment for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, please email healthinallpolicies@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
If people don’t have a computer and would like to find out more, contact us or a kind neighbour with a printer. Alternatively you can contact the Council on 01954 713000 and tell them what you want to find out about.
Cllr Corinne Garvie: 07780 932267, cllr.garvie@scambs.gov.uk
Cllr Richard Stobart: 07950 934793, cllr.stobart@scambs.gov.uk
Volunteering
A new website has been launched by Support Cambridgeshire. The Volunteer Cambs website allows residents of Cambridgeshire to explore volunteering opportunities and can also be used by community organisations to seek volunteers. The post New Volunteer Cambs website calls on the local community to make their mark with volunteering appeared first on Support Cambridgeshire.
Emma Dyer
Development Officer, Communities team
Local Events, Activities and Engagement
What’s on in South Cambridgeshire?
This is a website first launched in 2021 giving information on local events, places to eat and drink, markets, volunteering (e.g. on Coton Reserve), etc.
https://visitsouthcambs.co.uk/what-s-on
‘The Library Presents’
is a programme of arts activities, online and in locations around Cambridgeshire (some free) run by Cambridgeshire County Council. There is something for all ages across a range of art forms including; music, drama, art, dance, storytelling, comedy, puppetry, and magic. Bringing arts activities to locations across Cambridgeshire
Brochures and tickets are available in Public libraries, or visit
www.library.live/the-library-presents
Useful Household Information
Bin Collections
Madingley collections are generally on Thursdays.
https://www.scambs.gov.uk/recycling-and-bins/find-your-household-bin-collection-day
Royal Mail Collection times
Pillar box near Madingley Hall Gate
Monday to Friday: 9:00am
Saturday: 7:00am
Small box near No. 31, High Street*
Monday to Friday: 9:00
Saturday: 7:00
*This box was stolen in January and has not yet been replaced.
Bus Times between Madingley and Cambridge
A2B Bus and Coach, No. 8
https://www.a2bbusandcoach.com/
(No service on Sundays or public holidays.)
Monday to Saturday (Outbound)
Madingley (The High Street, next to the painted village sign) to
Cambridge (Drummer St, Bay 3, via Coton, Madingley Rd and Bridge St)
10:03, 11:33, 15:03
Monday to Saturday (Inbound)
Cambridge (Drummer St, Bay 3) to Madingley (the High Street, near the village hall)
10:30, 13:00,16:30
Stagecoach East, PR1
PR1 is mainly a service from the Madingley Park & Ride into Cambridge. There is a regular service between Bay 3 of the P&R and St Andrew St (Stop S1): outbound from the P&R between 7:00 and 20:10; inbound from St Andrews St between 7:20 and 20:30. (Free travel for holders of bus passes is only available after 9:30.) Madingley itself is served in addition by a single bus in the morning and evening!
Monday to Friday (Outbound)
Madingley (Opposite Park Lane and then by the painted village sign) to
Cambridge (St Andrews St, Stop S1) via Madingley Park & Ride (Bay 3) and Bridge St
7:15 only
Monday to Friday (Inbound)
18:00 Cambridge (St Andrews St, Stop S1)
18:15 P&R (Bay 3)
arrives Madingley 18:20
Stagecoach East, no. 4 (Cambourne to Cambridge)
(Please note that the bus times, and the website to find the timetable, have changed.)
https://bustimes.org/services/4-drummer-st-bus-station-bay-10-lower-cambourne-wo
The inbound bus leaves from Drummer St, Bay 10 but the outbound bus usually arrives at Emmanuel St, Stop E5 rather than Drummer St, Bay 10.
Monday to Saturday (Outbound)
Madingley (request stop opposite Madingley Mulch, ‘Coton Inglewood’) to Cambridge (Emmanuel St, Stop ‘E5’), via Chesterton Rd and Victoria Avenue
6:13, 7:13; 7:45; 8:13 (then every 30 minutes until) 20:13
20:13 to 23:13 (hourly)
Sunday (Outbound)
9:23 to 18.23 (hourly)
Monday to Saturday (Inbound)
Cambridge (Drummer St, Bay 10) to Madingley (request stop opposite Madingley Mulch, ‘Coton Inglewood’)
6:10 to 19:10 (every 30 minutes)
19:10 to 23:10 (hourly)
Sunday (Inbound)
9:13 to 19:13 (hourly)
Whippet Coaches, X2 - Huntingdon - Cambridge rail station
https://bustimes.org/services/x2-corby-cambridge-rail-station
Madingley (request stop opposite Madingley Mulch, ‘Coton Inglewood’) to the Railway station. Journey time up to 45 minutes.
Monday-Friday (Outbound)
8:08; 10:57
Monday-Friday (Inbound)
12:09, 16:06
Whippet Coaches, X3 (Huntingdon to Addenbrookes)
Please check this website for bus times:
https://bustimes.org/services/x3-huntingdon-addenbrookes
Monday to Friday (Outbound)
Madingley (request stop opposite Madingley Mulch, ‘Coton Inglewood’) to Addenbrooke’s, via Madingley Rd, Queen’s Rd, The Railway Sation (Bay 2), Hill’s Rd, Long Rd. Journey time is 33 minutes (but allow 50 minutes during peak periods)
5:51, 6:39, 7:02, 7:33, 8:57 (then hourly until 14:57), 16:01, 17:21, 18:38, 19:46, 21:41
Saturday (Outbound)
5:51, 8:11, 9:11, 9:57 (then hourly until 15:57), 17:17, 18:32, 19:46, 21:41
Sunday (Outbound)
5:51, 9:11, 9:57 (then hourly until 15:57), 17:17, 18:32, 19:46
*Inbound buses collect from the Railway Station (Stop 8) and Drummer St (Bay 3). Instead of Queen St, they reach Madingley Rd via Bridge St and Magdalene St.
Whippet Coaches, U1 and U2
Please check these websites for bus times:
https://bustimes.org/services/u1-girton-corner-biomedical-campus
https://bustimes.org/services/u2-eddington-biomedical-campus
Both buses pick up from the stop on the east side of the Park & Ride, on Eddington Avenue, and run approximately every thirty or forty minutes on weekdays - (less often, and reduced hours, at weekends) - via the West Cambridge Site, Grange Rd, Silver Street and the railway station to Cambridge Biomedical Campus (including Addenbrooke’s) and return the same way to the Park & Ride. The U1 route to Silver St is via Grange Rd, West Rd and Queens Rd; the U2 route to Silver St is via Grange Rd, Barton Rd and Newnham Rd.
(Allow about 35 minutes for the ride to Addenbrookes. The website provides a map of the route with bus stops.)