Latest news with #CombinedAuthority
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Plan to protect habitats under 'intense pressure'
A plan to encourage and rebuild wildlife habitats in a nature-depleted county under "intense pressure" is set to be put to the public. The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, which brings together the mayor and local councils, is set to approve a draft Local Nature Recovery Strategy at its meeting on Wednesday. There will be a consultation in July before it becomes one of 48 similar documents published across England setting out priorities and actions for that region. According to the draft strategy, Cambridgeshire has one of the lowest proportions of land designated for nature in the UK, at 3.3%, and the second-lowest woodland cover at 4.8%. But it said Cambridgeshire was home to many "internationally important" nature sites, with the Fens supporting populations of European eel and spined loach. It pointed to invasive species in the county, such as muntjac deer and American mink, and tree diseases that have impacted the Cambridgeshire landscape by killing elm and ash trees. The county's population had increased by 20% since 2000, the strategy said, putting "intense pressure" on local habitats such as Wicken Fen. The report said: "The rapidly growing population of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough does not have national parks, national landscapes or large areas of open access downland, forest, moorland or coast on its doorsteps." Cambridgeshire was also said to have lost 88% of its marsh habitat, 84% of its semi-natural grassland but gained 85% of its woodland between 1930 and 2018. Part two of the draft plan talked about protecting Cambridgeshire's chalk streams and historic orchards, and for the county's grasslands, woodlands and wetland habitats to be "cherished and managed". The strategy discussed differences anyone can make, such as gardeners leaving some of their lawn unmown for part of the year, or for farmers to crop less land at the edges of fields. Each of the 48 strategies will map out areas important for biodiversity, and those with the potential to be important, and produce a local habitat map. If approved, an eight-week public consultation on the draft strategy will begin on 18 July. Follow East of England news on X, Instagram and Facebook: BBC Beds, Herts & Bucks, BBC Cambridgeshire, BBC Essex, BBC Norfolk, BBC Northamptonshire or BBC Suffolk. Station project plants trees at expanded reserve Rare birds appear on restored wetland 'in hours' Nature reserve sees first crane chick take flight Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority
BBC News
5 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Cambridgeshire plan to restore under-pressure natural habitats
A plan to encourage and rebuild wildlife habitats in a nature-depleted county under "intense pressure" is set to be put to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, which brings together the mayor and local councils, is set to approve a draft Local Nature Recovery Strategy at its meeting on will be a consultation in July before it becomes one of 48 similar documents published across England setting out priorities and actions for that to the draft strategy, Cambridgeshire has one of the lowest proportions of land designated for nature in the UK, at 3.3%, and the second-lowest woodland cover at 4.8%. But it said Cambridgeshire was home to many "internationally important" nature sites, with the Fens supporting populations of European eel and spined pointed to invasive species in the county, such as muntjac deer and American mink, and tree diseases that have impacted the Cambridgeshire landscape by killing elm and ash county's population had increased by 20% since 2000, the strategy said, putting "intense pressure" on local habitats such as Wicken report said: "The rapidly growing population of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough does not have national parks, national landscapes or large areas of open access downland, forest, moorland or coast on its doorsteps."Cambridgeshire was also said to have lost 88% of its marsh habitat, 84% of its semi-natural grassland but gained 85% of its woodland between 1930 and 2018. Part two of the draft plan talked about protecting Cambridgeshire's chalk streams and historic orchards, and for the county's grasslands, woodlands and wetland habitats to be "cherished and managed".The strategy discussed differences anyone can make, such as gardeners leaving some of their lawn unmown for part of the year, or for farmers to crop less land at the edges of of the 48 strategies will map out areas important for biodiversity, and those with the potential to be important, and produce a local habitat approved, an eight-week public consultation on the draft strategy will begin on 18 July. Follow East of England news on X, Instagram and Facebook: BBC Beds, Herts & Bucks, BBC Cambridgeshire, BBC Essex, BBC Norfolk, BBC Northamptonshire or BBC Suffolk.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Wakefield's roads to get £2.4m pothole repair boost
An extra £2.4m of investment to improve Wakefield's roads and pavements is set to be approved by the district's cash, which will come from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, is likely to be formally accepted at a meeting next Tuesday.A council report said the money would go towards improvements at Wrenthorpe Bypass in Carr Gate; Common Lane in Upton; Bacon Avenue in Normanton; Barnsley Road in South Elmsall; Pope Street in Whitwood; St Pauls Drive , in Alverthorpe; Standbridge Lane in Kettlethorpe and Thornes Moor Road in report said it was "essential" that road users were kept "safe". Matthew Morley, the council's cabinet member for highways and planning, said: "We are investing in our roads and footpaths every day."Getting this extra funding will really help us to keep people moving right across our district."Wakefield Council is responsible for maintaining 903 miles (1,454 km) of roads, 1,208 miles (1,944 km) of footways, and 93 miles (150 km) of cycle lanes and year, the authority carried out repairs to over 3,100 potholes, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
BBC News
10-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough awarded £5m for 'youth guarantee'
A county will get a share of a £45m scheme to match young people with jobs or training Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has been awarded £5m to introduce a "youth guarantee".The government promised in last year's Get Britain Working White Paper that every 18 to 21-year-old in England would get access to education, training, or help to find a job or an apprenticeship.A report being presented to the combined authority on Monday said: "The youth guarantee trailblazer is making significant progress." Cambridgeshire and Peterborough was chosen as one of eight regions across the country to take part in a pilot of the youth were 3,250 people aged between 18 and 24 claiming unemployment-related benefits in the county in April, according to the House of Commons library, a 13% increase on the previous submitted by the combined authority, which brings together the mayor and local councils, have since been approved by the government. 'Game changer' The work in Cambridgeshire will focus on supporting those young people most at risk of falling out of education or people will be involved in the advertising and marketing of the youth scheme will also try to find the best groups and organisations to support young people and work with other resources such as Job Centre Plus and Youth Employment Phillipson, the education secretary, said in May that the plan would be a "game changer" for young people."Every young person deserves the best life chances – and we won't stop until everyone has a level playing field to succeed," she is another region signed up as a "trailblazer" area, and there were plans to set up a panel of young people to help make decisions on the England, some 923,000 young people were not in education, employment or training in January to March 2025, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).The scheme will run until 31 March 2026. Follow East of England news on X, Instagram and Facebook: BBC Beds, Herts & Bucks, BBC Cambridgeshire, BBC Essex, BBC Norfolk, BBC Northamptonshire or BBC Suffolk.
BBC News
05-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Combined Authority backs mayor to save bus route to Peterborough
A bus route between a market town and a city in a county has been saved. The 33 route between March, Cambridgeshire, and Peterborough was due to be shortened on 31 August due to "extremely low passenger numbers", Stagecoach East the route would start and finish in Whittlesey, putting the villages of Eastrea and Coates at risk of being cut off from Peterborough with no public Combined Authority Board has since backed a proposal by the Conservative Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Paul Bristow, to save the service. On Wednesday the authority board approved funding for the at-risk section of the 33 service. Bristow said: "This is an essential service for communities that were at real risk of losing their only public transport link to Peterborough. "I'm pleased that all of our constituent councils supported the proposals and there was widespread agreement among the Combined Authority Board. "I hope this brings some relief to people in Eastrea and Coates that there will still be a bus service for them from September this year."Stagecoach East will continue to run the Whittlesey to Peterborough section of the route commercially. While the route has been saved, the bus company announced five others would be withdrawn from 31 August. These included: 9/X9 (Cambridge – Ely – Littleport)31 (Ramsey – Whittlesey – Peterborough)604 (Milton – Impington Village College)606 (Cambridge City Centre – Impington Village College)607 (Trumpington – Sawston Village College)Bristow said: "We can't replace every commercial route when an operator pulls out, but where the case is clear, like it is here, we must act. "I am making tough choices to deliver value for taxpayers while protecting our rural communities." Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
