County Councillor Report Annual Meeting - May 2005

County Councillor - Mr John Powley

It is a privilege to have been elected to represent Soham and Fordham Villages on the County Council for the next four years. You will recall that this is the new arrangement following the Boundary Review I referred to in my report last year. The original proposal would have split Soham in half for County Council purposes to which I strongly objected. We had to settle for the compromise position of Soham and Fordham Villages but at least it leaves Soham Town in one piece for County Council purposes.

One of the significant developments in Soham over the past year has been the proposals on the north west of Soham for a new development of 357 houses. In discussions I held with various agencies I raised a number of issues, sewage disposal, surface water disposal, education provision, and medical provision amongst them. I pointed out that any detailed planning permission should be subject to the satisfactory resolution of those sorts of issues. The education provision for example is of concern to many parents. It is not widely known but there are empty school places at both St Andrews and Weatheralls Primary Schools and any children coming as a result of the new development will fill up the empty places. A similar situation will apply at Soham Village College. You will also be interested to know that I am involved in a series of meetings at the Staploe Medical Centre for the expansion of medical provision in the area. By co-incidence I have a further meeting with the Practice Manager and other parties on Thursday 12th May 2005.

It gives me a great deal of pleasure to remind the Town Council that the County Council has gone from being a failing authority under the combined Liberal Democrat Labour administration of 1993-1997 to an EXCELLENT authority under the Conservative administration 1997-2005. I referred in my report last year to the fact that Social Services had a "2 Star Rating". We have now achieved a "2 Star Rating" for four inspections running and secured an "Investors in People" award for the first time. A far cry from being on "Special Measures" under the Liberal Democrats/Labour administration.

I referred in my report last year to the £20 million grant money denied Cambridgeshire in the previous two years by the Labour government. Well, it happened again only the amount was £2.2 million of grant money denied us to prop up Labour authorities in the North of England. The County Council imposed a Council Tax increase of 4% for 2005-2006. It was a difficult decision, more so when you understand that the Government imposes all sorts of additional tasks and responsibilities on the County Council without providing the necessary resources.

The County Council has carried out a re-structuring of its own organisation. The Education department has gone, Social Services department has gone and so on. In future there will be the following:-

• Chief Executives Department

• Office of Children and Young Peoples Services

• Office of Corporate Services

• Office of Environment and Community Services

The role of elected members will change as well. The position of Cabinet Member for Social Services which I have occupied for the past eight years will disappear as will other Cabinet Member positions. The County Council remains Conservative controlled with an overall majority of 15, and we will decide who does what over the next week or so.

Conclusion

I am always pleased to hear from residents of Soham on County Council matters and I will list below all my contact details.

Mr John Powley
County Councillor Soham Division
(May 2005)

Address:    Kyte End, 70A Brook Street, Soham, Cambridgeshire, CB7 5AE.
Telephone:  01353 624552
Mobile:       07711 127832.
E-Mail: