County Councillors have yesterday, (Tuesday, 17 March), approved a series of motions at Full Council aimed at improving a junction on the A10, exploring new anti-poverty measures, strengthening co‑operative approaches to service delivery, protecting local policing, and supporting bids for national cultural recognition.
Councillors backed an altered motion from Cllr Elisa Meschini which had been worked on with Cllr Alex Beckett, recognising safety concerns at the Humphries Way junction in Milton, which is a collision “cluster site”. The Council endorsed a package of measures to accelerate long‑needed improvements. A petition from over 600 residents calling for improved safety at the Humphries Way junction was also presented at the meeting.
As a consequence, the Council will:
- Request that the Mayoral Combined Authority for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough consider allocating funding from the Road Safety Small Capital Projects and Delivering Transport Strategy Aims Programme to underwrite these improvements.
- Write to the Mayoral Combined Authority asking that Humphries Way junction improvements be prioritised as part of the A10 improvement scheme
- Bring an update report to the Highways and Transport Committee, on funding options and progress for Humphries Way.
A motion proposed by Cllr Bryony Goodliffe and amended by Cllr Alison Whelan, which highlighted the continued impact of poverty and the cost‑of‑living crisis on the 25,000 children in Cambridgeshire who receive Pupil Premium support. The amended motion noted that the previous holiday voucher scheme funded through the Government’s Household Support Fund could no longer be offered under new Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) criteria and stressed the council’s belief that no child should go hungry during school holidays.
The Council agreed to:
- Explore targeted holiday support, including the option of a new voucher scheme for specific families experiencing financial shock, aligned with the new CRF guidance.
- Use part of the £5.3m annual CRF allocation, subject to committee approval, to prioritise food and financial support for eligible children and families from autumn 2026.
- Ensure that any scheme developed includes access to financial resilience advice, such as help with benefits, debt, and money management.
- Write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to request sufficient national funding for continued holiday support.
A strong majority of Councillors also approved a motion from Cllr Edna Murphy, raising concerns about Government plans to merge the 43 police forces across England and Wales into larger regional bodies. The Council emphasised the importance of visible, community‑based policing supported by local accountability leading to greater public confidence.
The Council agreed to oppose proposals to merge Cambridgeshire Constabulary with other police forces; to call on Government to prioritise investment in community policing, improved technology, better data sharing, and stronger national vetting standards; and requested that the Chief Executive write to the Home Secretary and Cambridgeshire MPs to set out the Council’s position.
A further motion from Cllr Geoff Seeff was passed, confirming the Council’s support for emerging bids from both St Neots and Huntingdon to become UK Town of Culture in 2028, following expressions of interest submitted by local partners.
If bids are shortlisted, the County Council will offer preparatory support including access to library facilities, archives, and officer expertise; channelling requests through the Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion Committee; the Council also agreed to appoint an elected member liaison for each Delivery Body and provide further support if either town is awarded the title.
An altered motion from Cllr Alex Bulat was approved, noting 2025 as the UN’s International Year of Co‑operatives and acknowledging the contribution co‑operative organisations make to local communities and economies.
Through this motion, the Council agreed to strengthen expectations for the council’s procurement and commissioning teams to consider co‑operative and community‑led models when planning services and to consider membership of the Cooperative Councils Innovation Network (CCIN) – bringing a report with recommendations to the Assets and Procurement Committee. The council will also explore options for a Community Asset Transfer Policy and a fund to help local groups take ownership of valued facilities.
