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Welcome to the November 2024 edition of Cambridgeshire Matters.

Latest news from across Cambridgeshire

Business Plan and Budget proposals for 2025/26: Online session for parish and town councils

Cambridgeshire County Council will present its draft Business Plan and Budget proposals for 2025/26 at the Strategy, Resources and Performance Committee on Tuesday 17 December. A live stream of the meeting will be available on the county council's YouTube channel. 

The council is inviting all parish and town councils to attend an online session on Thursday 12 December from 6.30pm until 7.30pm where a member of the Corporate Leadership Team will discuss the proposals. You can register your attendance via this link. 

You will be able to share your view of the proposals via the Business Planning and Budget Consultation which will open on Monday 9 December and close on Wednesday 9 January 2025.

Cambridgeshire County Council achieves 'Gold' in prestigious employers' award

Christmas Holiday Activities and Food Programme

Don't miss out on Pension Credit this winter

Next steps agreed for Milton Household Recycling Centre

Public Health

Share your views on healthy behaviour services in Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC) wants to hear from you. We're conducting research to understand how we can better support healthy lifestyles in our communities.

On behalf of CCC, our research partner S Squared Analytics is exploring thoughts and motivations around healthy behaviours, such as quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake, eating a balanced diet, staying physically active, and accessing NSH Health Checks. 

By completing the survey, you can help shape the future of health and wellbeing services in Cambridgeshire to ensure they meet the needs of residents. Your feedback is invaluable and will guide us in making services more effective and accessible. 

The survey is anonymous, and your responses will be used for research purposes only. The survey closes on Saturday 14 December 2024.

Be Winter Wise

Stay warm, healthy and well-prepared with Be Winter Wise

Cambridgeshire County Council’s Be Winter Wise campaign has returned to help keep residents informed and prepared to stay safe, warm and healthy throughout the colder months.

The campaign, which launched on Friday 1 November, offers practical advice on staying well this winter, support available with the rising cost of living, including Pension Credit and help with heating your home, and how to prepare for freezing temperatures and flooding.

As temperatures drop, we’ll be providing updates on gritting schedules and advice on staying safe on the roads. The campaign will also promote low or no cost winter activities to support mental and physical health.

You can follow the campaign by searching for #BeWinterWise on our social media channels.

Getting Cambridgeshire highways winter-ready

As part of winter preparations, all the salt barns have been refilled at four depots across the county and our fleet of trucks and quad bikes are now going out gritting. We have recently shared information on highways preparations and how the March depot has been getting ready for winter.

Grit bins have also been filled, and these are for public roads and footpaths. If you spot a grit bin that is empty or running low, please let us know through our online reporting tool. 

You can find frequently asked questions about gritting operations on our website. For live updates on our gritting operations, follow Cambs_Traffic on X. 

Local volunteers can also help keep their communities moving in freezing weather by taking part in the Community Gritting Scheme. Volunteers can sign up to grit local footpaths chosen by their parish council using equipment provided by the county council.

Volunteers will need to sign up and any parish or town council looking to join the scheme can email highways@cambridgeshire.gov.uk or speak to your local highway officer.

Enjoy the ride with the Winter Wheelers cycling challenge

Winter Wheelers is a fun, free, and friendly challenge that's open to all riders of all levels. Whether you're just getting back on a bike or you're an avid commuter, everyone is invited to take part. 

Pedal your way through the challenge from Sunday 1 December until Friday 31 January 2025 and feel the benefits of cycling during the winter months. Every mile brings you closer to fantastic rewards, which you can win by logging your bike rides throughout December and January - the more you ride, the better your chances of winning.

Take part with family, friends and colleagues and register for free via the Love to Ride website. 

Care Together

This month's update from Care Together features lots of positive news stories from across the county - including improving the physical and mental wellbeing of residents in South Cambridgeshire and helping residents in Huntingdonshire feel more confident and connected with their local community. 

Read the November update to learn more about how we're supporting older people in Cambridgeshire to remain independent for longer.

For more information on Care Together, visit the council's website or contact the team at care.together@cambridgeshire.gov.uk. 

Cambridgeshire Skills

We are pleased to announce that Cambridgeshire Skills has successfully retained the Matrix Standard, following a comprehensive three-day assessment. 

The Matrix Standard is the Department of Education's mark of quality for delivering high-quality information, advice, and guidance to learners, ensuring they receive exceptional support and direction on their educational journeys. 

Cambridgeshire Skills is the council's adult learning service. During the last academic year, the service supported 5,820 enrolments and engaged with 3,526 adult learners from across the county. 

Retaining this standard has ensured that Cambridgeshire Skills continues to deliver meaningful and impactful learning experiences for all and enhance opportunities for our communities. 

Communities Service

New Changing Places facility opens in St Neots

A new Changing Places facility with enhanced accessibility has opened in St Neots, part funded by a grant of £40,000 from Cambridgeshire County Council.

The project is a partnership between the county council, Huntingdonshire District Council, and St Neots Town Council, and the initiative aims to create inclusive and accessible toilet facilities for everyone. 

The new facilities will allow residents and visitors with disabilities to spend more time enjoying Riverside Park, the town centre, and the various events held at Riverside Park throughout the year. 

Read more about the new facilities in Riverside Park car park. 

Skate park workshop in Cambourne and the benefits of play

The Communities Service recently held a workshop in Cambourne following requests from communities to develop suitable facilities for older children.

The event gave interested individuals and groups the opportunity to meet with skate park designers and developers, as well as residents with lived experience of having built skate parks in their own areas. 

Read more about the workshop.

Annual Cambridgeshire Youth Work conference

This month the Communities Service hosted their annual Cambridgeshire Youth Work conference, which saw more than 80 partners come together for a series of talks and workshops.

Vaping, serious organised crime and fundraising were the most popular workshops, with many participants providing feedback on the value of connecting to specialists in these fields. 

Read about the highlights of the workshop, including positive feedback from partners. 

Cambridgeshire Libraries

As winter draws closer, you'll always find a warm welcome at your local library. In safe and friendly surroundings, you can browse the shelves, sit and read, access computers and Wi-Fi for free, or get involved with a variety of events and activities, including board games clubs, craft sessions, and special talks. 

Many of our libraries also offer free hot drinks during the colder months. Find your local library and check opening times on our website. 

For enquiries about Cambridgeshire Matters, please contact internal.comms@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.

This email was sent to tracey.coulson@cityofelycouncil.org.uk using Microsoft Dynamics on behalf of Cambridgeshire County Council.

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