Cambridgeshire Matters – June 2025

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Have your say on plans for the future of local councils Communities across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are being given an opportunity to have their say in shaping the future of local government.    It follows a national government requirement to replace current district, county and city councils with single-tier councils.   Three proposed options for reorganisation were shared earlier this month. Council leaders now want to hear the views of residents, businesses and local stakeholders, like town and parish councils and community groups, to inform the development of these proposals.    An engagement survey has launched so people can share their thoughts on what priorities they think new unitary authorities should have and what is important to them when it comes to local government.    You can take part in the survey online. Hard copies will also be available in all libraries. Share your views before midnight on Sunday 20 July 2025.  

 
Quality of Life survey Our third annual countywide survey has launched to understand and track the views of residents across Cambridgeshire.   This year’s survey seeks the feedback of 5,500 residents, which will give councillors and decision makers vital insight when they make business planning decisions.    There is an opportunity for everyone to take part if they want to, with the survey available via the county council’s website until Monday 21 July.   

 
Cambridgeshire County Council celebrates win at LGC Awards
Cambridgeshire County Council is celebrating success after winning at the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards. The county council won the award in the Community Involvement category, recognising the work of both the Fenland Youth Work Network and Fenland Youth Tribe in supporting young people aged 11 to 18 at risk of serious violence, exploitation and involvement in county lines.   
 
Get Activated this summer
Local organisations are teaming up to offer free and low-cost activities all over the county.  Look out for #GetActivated over the coming weeks for fun and healthy activities run by Cambridgeshire County Council, district councils and their partners to keep families busy this summer.   
 
Bookings open for the Holiday Activities and Food Programme
Bookings are now open for our summer Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme. Running from Thursday 24 July to Thursday 29 August, the programme offers 64 hours of free fun activities for eligible children throughout the summer holidays. Summer eligibility codes were issued to parents on Monday 9 June by email and text.   
 
Highways and transport
Be an information champion about highways work in your area
Have you ever wanted to find out what highways work is taking place in your area, and how long the work will take?    Well now you can. Our website has details of planned capital maintenance work on the public highways across Cambridgeshire. Capital maintenance work tends to be high-value, long-term major projects. It includes structural road maintenance, road treatments, footway maintenance, drain projects, repairs to bridges, upgrading traffic lights, maintaining public rights of way, upgrading signs and road markings, and grass cutting.    You can sort the information by type of work, by district, and see delivery dates and working hours. The information is updated regularly to keep it accurate. A lot is weather dependent, so bear in mind dates can change at short notice.     We are making the biggest investment in highways maintenance for over a decade. So it is more important than ever that communities are aware of the work taking place and how their money is being spent.   
Make a difference and have a say about highways and transport
Cambridgeshire residents are being asked for their views on Cambridgeshire County Council’s highways and transport services – from the condition of roads and footpaths to public transport and the quality of cycling facilities – in this year’s annual National Highways and Transport (NHT) Public Satisfaction survey.   A questionnaire is being sent to a minimum random sample of at least 3,300 Cambridgeshire residents – with local and national results to be published in late-October 2025. The county council uses the questionnaire results to evaluate how well we are currently providing services, and to help us decide what to prioritise.    Please encourage anyone in your community who receives a questionnaire to respond and take part. 
Care Together
Keeping local people at the heart of everything we do, the Care Together team at Cambridgeshire County Council work with communities and partners to design and develop local services that enable older adults to remain independent and at home for as long as possible.   This includes a wide range of options to keep people socially and physically active in their communities and a variety of events and activities funded by the Care Together 2025-26 seed funding.   
Communities Service
New sustainable trim trail installed at Dry Drayton school
The aging timber trim trail at Dry Drayton C.E Primary School has been replaced with a sustainable long-lasting alternative – 100% recycled plastic from domestic waste collections.    As a relatively small village, Dry Drayton doesn’t have a dedicated green space or traditional playground, so for many years the school has made the field and the trim trail available to the whole community outside of school hours.    Thanks to a grant from the county council, the new trim trail will benefit not only the schoolchildren, the on-site pre-school and after-school clubs, but also the wider village and visitors.    The school children helped teachers to choose play equipment that would appeal to, and provide opportunities for, children of all ages.   
Creating cohesion in new communities
Following the successful New Communities Conference held last year, this half day session will focus on community cohesion in new communities. If you live or work in one of Cambridgeshire’s new communities, be a part of the conversation and hear from others with lived experience of moving into a new community.    The event will take place on Saturday 19 July from 9am to 1pm at Northstowe Secondary College.    Armed Forces Covenant supports event at Bassingbourn Barracks At the beginning of June, serving troops at the Mission Ready Training Centre (MRTC), Bassingbourn welcomed veterans to the Warrant Officer’s and Sergeant’s Mess for a breakfast and tour of the facility.    Jointly funded by the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Armed Forces Covenant Partnership and South Cambridgeshire District Council, the event coincided with the 81st anniversary of D-Day and provided opportunities for local veterans to engage with troops stationed at Bassingbourn Barracks, forge new friendships and reminisce about their own time in service.   
Waste and recycling
Recycle batteries responsibly to prevent fires We support the national Take Charge campaign to tackle the growing number of fires cause by carelessly discarded dead batteries, known as ‘zombie batteries’.    When thrown away with other waste and recycling, they are likely to be crushed or punctured during waste collection and processing. Some battery types can ignite or even explode when they are damaged. Once this happens, the batteries can quickly set fire to other materials present in the waste, such as paper, leading to serious incidents.    Batteries should always be recycled separately from other waste material. But all battery types can be recycled for free at locations across Cambridgeshire, including Household Recycling Centres, supermarkets and DIY stores. Options for recycling batteries can be found on the Take Charge website, and you can also use their postcode finder to find battery recycling points near where you live.   
Cambridgeshire Libraries
Older person smiling whilst using a computer in the library Stack of books on a table
Support to get online
Libraries across Cambridgeshire offer a variety of free resources to help improve your digital skills.    From access to free CambWifi and public computers to expert support from a Digital Buddy, there are plenty of ways to get online and boost digital confidence. You can also explore Learn My Ways courses, designed to help individuals at all levels improve their digital skills.    Find out more about the full range of digital support and digital inclusion services available at your local library on the Cambridgeshire Libraries webpage
New collection of books and resources to support family wellbeing Cambridgeshire Libraries is now offering Reading Well for Families – a supportive collection of books and digital resources designed to help families thrive from pregnancy through early parenting.   Topics include becoming a family, wellbeing, perinatal mental health, anxiety, postnatal depression, and coping with loss such as miscarriage or baby loss.    The collection features practical guides, personal stories, and poetry, with inclusive support for all families – including dads, solo parents, autistic and LGBTQ+ parents, or those expecting multiples. All titles are recommended by health professionals and people with lived experience.    Library membership is free, and materials are available in branches and online