East Cambs council leader Anna Bailey wonders why the pedestrian crossing at Lancaster Way was even discussed by the county council. Why indeed and there you have the growing challenge – some may call menace – of our multi layers of local government.
CAPCA – the combined authority – is footing the bill, and East Cambs Council has thrown in some money but the (largely) redundant county council wanted their two pennorth worth.
Oh, for the days of yore when there was simply a parish/town council, district council and county council. Now we have CAPCA on top of that, with oodles of power and devolved responsibilities to strut the political stage.
And if that wasn’t enough bodies such as the Greater Cambridge Partnership operate on our border, not to mention a multiplicity of quangos and devolved posts such as police and crime commissioner.
Cambridgeshire is in danger of being swamped and with town councillors now sitting on a district or the county council (not to mention a seat at Mayor Palmer’s table) it looks more Alice in Wonderland with each passing vote.
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