East Cambridgeshire District Council has outlined ambitions to make the region “cleaner and greener” in their 2020-2023 plans.

The plans – to also improve transport and housing support in the district – were revealed at a full virtual council meeting on Thursday, July 16.

It comes following a review of the 2019-2023 plans which showed the council had met a “significant number of its promises”.

Promises met include:

• A freeze on the East Cambs element of council tax for the seventh year in a row

• Developing and beginning to deliver the Environment and Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan

• Supporting high street retailers by reducing business rates

• Undertaking a district wide bus, cycle, walk consultation with residents

• Commencing work on the Haddenham Community Land Trust (CLT)

The refreshed plan includes supporting the district’s businesses and residents following the coronavirus pandemic.

The council are also committing to deliver 20 pledges of its Environment Plan within twelve months following the climate change emergency declaration last October.

The corporate plan also promises to aim for a consistent 65 per cent recycling rate and continue its ongoing enforcement action against fly-tipping, graffiti and littering.

Leader of East Cambridgeshire District Council, councillor Anna Bailey, said: “We have a record of delivery and this corporate plan sets out the promise of more.

“One of our top priorities is to develop and deliver a post-COVID-19 recovery plan for the district helping to rejuvenate the economy, businesses and tourism as well as supporting our residents.

“We promised sound financial management and for the seventh year in a row, we have frozen the East Cambs element of council tax whilst continuing to deliver great services.

“We are behaving more commercially, but always for the benefit of the community and we’ve strived to provide better housing options for local people to help them get a home of their own, in their own community and we will continue to do so.

“We promised a cleaner, greener East Cambs and we have made great strides towards this, with the council agreeing to the completion of 20 firm commitments from our environment and climate change plan this year.

“We promised to try to land transport infrastructure improvements for our residents and we have had significant success with a number of schemes that we are contributing to financially.

“We’ve delivered business rates cuts for our local high street retailers and we look forward to making bids into the Combined Authority’s market towns fund to support delivery of the market town strategies for Ely, Soham and Littleport.

“We achieved great things in 2019-2020 and I’m excited about our ambitious plans for the next three years.”

Housing is also top of the agenda, with continued support for existing CLTs across the district, in addition to the establishment of new ones.

The council will continue its work with the Combined Authority on the delivery of £100k homes and seek developer contributions to support open spaces, walking and cycling infrastructure.

Significant promises are also set out to improve transport.

These include the improvement of the strategic cycle/footpath network, support of improved bus services and work with Suffolk County Council to improve rail connectivity and frequency in the south of the district.

The council will support the phase one delivery of the Soham Railway Station and key road improvement projects such as the A14/A142 junction upgrade and the A10 dualling project.

It will also continue its commitment to retain free parking in its city and town centre car parks.

During 2019-2020, the council also:

• Continued to provide free car parking in our town and city centres

• Secured planning permission and negotiated a S106 Agreement for Kennett Garden Village

• Submitted the Littleport vision to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority for adoption

For more information about the corporate plan, visit: www.eastcambs.gov.uk/east-cambs-district-council/corporate-objectives