This blog post attempts to update residents on the status of residents’ parking across West Chesterton and East Chesterton.

There is an added level of complexity because the County Divisions do not match the City ones.  There is a Chesterton Division at County level, but West and East Chesterton Wards at City. This is important from an accountability perspective, as residents’ parking is a County matter.  I’ve tried to note in each area update which Division (County) and Ward (City) it is in.

Please read on for a summary of the main areas, and a lot of detail on the work that has been done since 2017 to find workable solutions.

Cambridge City Council would stop all use of pesticides by 2022 under plans submitted by local Liberal Democrats. The motion, to be debated at a meeting of the Council on July 18^th, calls for the cessation of pesticide use within Cambridge’s open spaces in 2020 and the establishment of a strategy to phase it out completely, including around highways, within three years.

Lib Dem Councillors in Cambridge’s Queen Edith’s Ward have today announced that their call for pedestrian priority at cycle lane crossings at the soon to be upgraded, Dutch-style roundabout on Fendon Road has been accepted by the County Council.

The Flying Pig pub on Hills Road must be retained in any new development says Dan Summerbell, newly elected Lib Dem city councillor for the area.

Lucy Nethsingha, Cambridge’s newly elected Liberal Democrat Member of the European Parliament, has this week resigned her seat on Cambridge City Council. A by-election in the city’s Newnham Ward will now follow.

Following the recent public meeting about the relocation of the Police hub out of Cambridge to Milton,  Cllr Tim Bick, city centre ward councillor and City Council Lib Dem leader, said:

“Until last night, the Police hadn't gone further than talking about leaving a public information point in Cambridge City Centre. At their meeting, it seems they are now proposing a new Police Station. This is welcome news and we must hold them to it. In a very busy city centre there must be a place where people can go and find the Police, however well they may be patrolling the streets. 

Cambridge Lib Dems have today launched a petition calling on Police and Crime Commissioner Jason Ablewhite to make good on his election promise to retain public access to city centre policing.

The people of Abbey deserve a safe tennis court to play on. 

Abbey Lib Dems were approached by a group of young people who were worried about the state of the tennis court on Newmarket Road.  The local team are helping them to create a petition which they will be taking to East Area Committee later this summer. 

Cambridge Liberal Democrats have welcomed a new parliamentary bill aimed at clamping down on engine idling. On World Environment Day, Lib Dem MP Wera Hobhouse tabled legislation which would give local authorities the right to increase fines for drivers leaving their engine running, particularly targeting repeat offenders.

27 rough sleepers were counted in Cambridge in the November 2018 rough sleeper count, one up one from 2017. Figures fell in some UK cities, suggesting that the problem is susceptible to local action. Market Cllrs Tim Bick and Nichola Harrison have published an update to their 2018 report.