Issue - meetings

To seek approval for submission of a formal consultation response on behalf of the District Council to the County Council on the Active Travel Strategy (ATS) for Cambridgeshire.

Executive Councillor: S Wakeford.

The Cabinet has agreed the proposed response set out in the completed questionnaire as submitted in Appendix A of the report and authorised any necessary minor amendments to be approved by the Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy and Housing and the Chief Planning Officer for onward submission to Cambridgeshire County Council.

Consideration was given to a report by the Chief Planning Officer (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) seeking approval for submission of a formal consultation response on behalf of the District Council to Cambridgeshire County Council’s public consultation on the Active Travel Strategy for Cambridgeshire. 

The Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy and Housing reported upon the aims of the Strategy to make active travel the “go to” option for local journeys through walking or cycling thereby improving air quality, providing affordable travel options and improving the health and well-being of communities. In referring to Appendix A of the report, the Cabinet’s attention was drawn to the Council’s proposed response to Question 6 of the consultation, where comments had been made around the deliverability of the objectives for Huntingdonshire which had not been sufficiently detailed, together with how success would be measured and a lack of detail on how the varying landscape of Cambridgeshire would be addressed. In his concluding remarks, the Executive Councillor for Job, Economy and Housing made comment that the loss of the private motor car in Huntingdonshire would be some way off in the future.

In acknowledging the importance of the challenge across all Cambridgeshire authorities which included both rural and urban communities and in noting the that this theme had also emerged as part of the Place Strategy consultation, the Cabinet received and noted the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Performance & Growth). Whereupon, it was 

RESOLVED

that the Cabinet

(a)  agree the proposed response set out in the completed questionnaire as attached at Appendix A of the report now submitted; and

(b)  authorise any necessary minor amendments to be approved by the Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy and Housing and the Chief Planning Officer for onward submission to Cambridgeshire County Council.

The Panel are to comment on the Active Travel Strategy for Cambridgeshire Public Consultation.

By means of a report by the Chief Planning Officer (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book), the Active Travel Strategy for Cambridgeshire Public Consultation report was presented to the Panel.

It was observed by Councillor Gray that the rural nature of Huntingdonshire was not at the heart of the strategy, in particular the lack of focus on walking and cycling routes in rural areas as compared to urban areas. The Panel heard that this sentiment was understood and covered by section six of the response.

In response to statements by Councillor Gardener and Councillor Pickering, who felt that positive improvements and options to improve active travel should form part of the response, the Panel heard that such suggestions would be welcomed by the Executive Councillor. The Panel agreed that there were many issues across the district with the failure to link pedestrian and cycle routes to form a district wide network, specific examples from Alconbury and Hail Weston were given by Councillor Gardener and Councillor Cawley. It was further observed that until valid alternatives were offered for rural areas, residents would not have a valid alternative to private cars thus affecting carbon targets and aspirations for the district. Councillor Cawley also observed that stronger language could be used in the response to reinforce this sentiment.

Councillor Howell questioned the lack of public consultation events in the north of the district, following which the Panel heard that the events had been arranged by the County Council who had also made the consultation and plans available at key libraries and online for all residents.

Having welcomed the report, it was thereupon

RESOLVED

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