Issue - meetings

To seek approval for submission of a formal consultation response on behalf of the District Council to the County Council on the draft Huntingdonshire Transport Strategy.

Executive Councillor: S Wakeford.

The Cabinet has endorsed the submission of a response to Cambridgeshire County Council supporting the Huntingdonshire Transport Strategy and raising points of detail as identified in the analysis section of the report now submitted.

A report by the Chief Planning Officer was submitted (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) seeking approval for submission of a formal consultation response to Cambridgeshire County Council’s draft Huntingdonshire Transport Strategy on behalf of the District Council.

In introducing the report, the Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy and Housing reported that District Council Officers and Members had contributed to the development of a draft Strategy but there was an opportunity for the Council to submit a response to the consultation on behalf of the District Council. Whilst the consultation period had ended on 7th November 2022, the County Council had granted the District Council an extension to this time period. It was noted that a more detailed transport investment plan would emerge in the future. The Cabinet’s attention was drawn to the diagram in paragraph 3.1 of the report portraying how the various transport policies would work with each other.

Having had their attention drawn to the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Performance & Growth), the Cabinet received assurances from the Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy and Housing that Ramsey’s interests would be adequately reflected within the response. In noting that the Member Steering Group would continue to be actively involved in the next stage of the development of the Strategy, which included a meeting in December 2022 to review the consultation responses which had been received, it was

RESOLVED

that the Cabinet endorse the submission of a response to Cambridgeshire County Council supporting the Huntingdonshire Transport Strategy and raising points of detail as identified in the analysis section of the report now submitted.

To receive a report on the Draft Huntingdonshire Transport Strategy prepared by Cambridgeshire County Council.

By means of a report by the Chief Planning Officer (a copy of which was appended in the Minute Book) the Huntingdonshire Transport Strategy report was presented to the Panel.

Councillor Gray observed a carelessness in the approach of the County Council on this strategy with incorrect road labelling on the map at page 5 and incorrect figures for the population of Huntingdonshire, it was further noted that these inconsistencies did not inspire confidence in the Strategy. Councillor Gray also observed that the strategy did not address the significant developments across rural areas of the district with specific reference to policy TSH1 in regards to sustainable growth, by this omission and the broad assumptions made, the robustness of the strategy must therefore be called into question. The Panel heard that the strategy will support the delivery of the Local Plan 2036.  The Local Plan has sustainable growth at it’s core with not only the market towns but key services centres and smaller settlements being identified within the strategy. The rural nature of the district is understood but the Council need to be mindful of what can realistically and reasonably be achieved.

The growth of developments in key services areas was observed by Councillor Gray, along with the lack of active or alternative travel options thus encouraging reliance on private car usage. The Panel heard that Huntingdonshire would be unlikely to see the disappearance of the private car any time soon, however it should be possible to use alternative transport methods for part journeys which would be progress.

It was observed by Councillor Gardener that the document holds grand aspirations but lacked in the detail of how this would be achievable for the district. The Panel heard that the detail is expected to follow as the strategy is finalised and the action plan taken forward and linked into the County Council Transport Investment Plan.

In response to a question from Councillor Howell on the development of 5,000 homes at Great Haddon, which is outside of the County but bordering on the north of the district, the Panel heard that planning process would have been followed for this development with local infrastructure and transport options being taken into account.

Following a question from Councillor Cawley, the Panel heard that the Council would continue to work with the County Council and would involve Councillors in this conversation as much as practicable.

Having discussed the report, it was thereupon

RESOLVED

that the Cabinet be encouraged to endorse the recommendations within the report.