April 2021

5 Buckden Roundabout April 2021 From your councillor From Your District Councillor The Valley Land Management Programme I am delighted to report that Huntingdon District Council has approved a CIL bid by the Buckden Village Hall Trust for the renovation of the Lake, Pathways, Banks and Scrub below the playing fields. This will provide more open space for our ever - increasing households. We are very grateful to HDC, for listening to our arguments and coming to this decision. Many congratulations to BVHT Chairman, Cynthia Alers, who worked incredibly hard to re- search and produce a totally professional bid document. I have helped as much as I can with information, lobbying at many levels, and many memorable cold and wet contractor briefing trips around the Lake, looking for Bats, Great Crested Newts, and anything else that moved. In reality our bid had the support and/or advice of many expert bodies, FWAG (Farming Wildlife Advisory Group), Woodland Trust, Department of the Environment and not least our local hero Mark Ward at the RSPB. I am really grateful to the above and our other advisors for their help and support. Hopefully, once finished this initiative will transform the village facilities, with walking, fishing and open woodland for all. HDC Budget 2021/22 The HDC met on 24 February 2021 to review and approve the annual Budget and to review the Medium - Term Financial Strat- egy. This was a successful process, and the Budget was passed. Usually there is some discussion, between Councillors about the relative merits of actions or strategies. These discussions are usually made on party lines or by independent Councillors. In what was a possibly historic moment at HDC, all Councillors approved the Budget, bar two abstentions. Key points were: 1. Financial support will be continued for the £12.4 million re - development in St Neots. The Council Tax Freeze will continue in the 2021/22 Budget with an increase of 2.6% in 2022/3. Cur- rent Council Tax for 2021/22 will be £145.86 for a Band D equivalent property. HDC is financially stable because of the policies of financial prudence run by the Conservative majority over many past years. The Council generates a considerable amount of its own funding from various services it provides, Car Parking, One Lei- sure, and charging for Licensing and Planning Services. 2. In addition there is income from Commercial Estates which the Council proactively develops to provide a medium to long term revenue stream. 3. Planning for the future is difficult with Covid and Grant in- come from Government changing year on year. HDC continues to review its assumptions and strategic options on a continuing basis. 4. Services have been and will be continued as usual with no cuts envisaged at this time. 2050 Carbon Neutral I joined a Zoom briefing by Guy Opperman MP and Minister for Pensions. Carbon Neutral is core to this Government ’ s policy. More importantly new Laws have been passed, notably the Pensions Schemes Bill in February 2021, that will force all Plc listed companies to make an annual report on their role in Car- bon Neutral. This will include a wide range of statutory issues, including the carbon zero progress of their supply chains. But it all becomes law by 21 September, just in time for the COP26 Conference, effectively making the UK the lead nation in this area. More legislation will enable the Pensions and In- vestment Industry to be able to invest in new types of security. The aim is to help New Nuclear, Wave, Mass Solar and Hydro- gen Technologies to emerge and grow. COP26 will channel Carbon Tax strategy, and with the help of Canada, and the EU will encourage the USA and China to get back into play. So, we are going to get Net Carbon Neutral by 2050. Local Government Association: Role of Data in Local Govern- ment I joined a Zoom conference on the above. Discussion centered on the use of data for Care, Vulnerability, etc. The use of Artifi- cial Intelligence is growing especially to trigger automatic transfer of key issues to higher level decision making. Combined Authority There are a number of recent posts by the Mayor on develop- ments in the area, mostly to the north with little impact on Buckden directly, but useful as background data. The move of the County Council to Alconbury has been completed. The Hub and Spoke strategy, where the key towns will have administra- tion hubs and dispersed service points is in place. Underpass North and South Highways England have cleaned and maintained both under- passes and have also undertaken more remedial work follow- ing the recent flooding, circa 8 th March. Following extensive lobbying by myself and others HE appear to have accepted responsibility for maintaining these structures. The County Council have also repaired the white lining at Mayfield and High Street. hamish.masson@huntingdonshire.gov.uk. Hamish Masson—District Councillor