Cambridgeshire County Council has agreed two motions at its Full Council meeting today (Tuesday, 19 May), reaffirming its commitment to the Armed Forces community and taking steps to address the growing pressures of freight development across the county.
The Council has restated its long‑standing commitment to ensuring that serving personnel, veterans and their families are treated fairly and face no disadvantage when accessing public services, by unanimously backing a motion brought by Councillor Yannifer Malinowski.
There are over 22,500 veterans living in Cambridgeshire and a strong Armed Forces presence across the region – this motion sets out a renewed programme of support, including:
- Signing a refreshed Armed Forces Covenant at the Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion Committee meeting on 25 June 2026.
- Increasing awareness of support available through Council services, libraries, the Forces Connect app and local networks.
- Publishing an annual report on delivery of the Covenant across Council services.
- Supporting continued funding for the Armed Forces Covenant Partnership Coordinator role into 2027–28.
- Writing to the Minister for Veterans and People in support of the Royal British Legion’s ‘Keep the Covenant Promise’ campaign, calling for clearer guidance, sustainable funding, greater public awareness and stronger monitoring of the Covenant Duty.
The majority of councillors also backed a motion from Councillor Luis Navarro to take a coordinated approach to better understanding and managing freight impacts.
To support this, the Council has resolved to request that the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority commission a county‑wide strategic freight study to assess the long‑term impacts on highway capacity, road safety and congestion, surface water and flood risk, air quality, noise and public health, and community wellbeing.
The study will also look at opportunities to shift freight from road‑only transport to rail and other options, supported by collaboration with Network Rail, National Highways, district councils, and other key partners.
The Council will contribute officer expertise, data, and local evidence, and ensure the findings are reported to its Highways and Transport Committee and the constituent authorities.
The Full Council meeting was live streamed on our YouTube channel, where you can now watch it back, and the papers discussed are available to read on our website.
