As we look ahead to the new year, I would like to begin by welcoming Emma Grima as the new Chief Executive of East Cambs District Council following the well-earned retirement of John Hill. John leaves a Council that is financially strong, innovative and deeply rooted in its communities, and I thank him for his many years of dedicated service. Emma is no stranger to East Cambridgeshire. She has been closely involved in many of the initiatives I highlight below, and I am confident she will provide outstanding leadership as we navigate both opportunity and change.
Before setting out some of the work we are doing, it is worth reminding readers that all of this sits alongside the day-to-day delivery of high-quality services. Last summer, a survey carried out across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough by all councils showed East Cambridgeshire consistently scored top across nearly every measure: service quality, value for money, community belonging, cultural alignment, responsiveness, and connection with Councillors. These results matter, particularly at a time when 81% of residents say they are worried East Cambridgeshire could be overlooked during local government reorganisation. They show why our identity, performance and local voice must be protected.
A major reason for this success is our long-standing commitment to fiscal responsibility. Conservatives have frozen our share of Council Tax for 12 consecutive years, the only authority in the country to do so, and we carry zero external debt, so we are not using Council Tax payers’ money to service debt interest payments. We provide free parking in our town and city centre car parks to support local high streets and we continue to offer a free green waste service when over 70% of councils now charge an extra fee for this. In June we will also provide additional green waste and recycling bins at no extra charge for households that want them.
In 2016, we established the East Cambs Trading Company, wholly owned by the Council and driven by a “commercial for community” ethos. The company runs Ely’s hugely popular markets, now nationally recognised and with a long waiting list of traders. The company’s building arm, Palace Green Homes, delivers high-quality market and affordable homes, often in partnership with Community Land Trusts, bringing significant financial returns back to the Council. Our Parks and Open Spaces team also operates through the company, reducing Council costs while providing specialist services, particularly in tree management, to others.
Housing affordability remains a serious challenge, which is why we are delivering £100k Homes – new-build, one-bedroom homes sold at £100,000 to people who live or work locally. Crucially, the discount stays with the property forever, ensuring long-term affordability for future buyers.
East Cambridgeshire has also become a national leader in community-led housing through Community Land Trusts (CLTs). We give these schemes priority in our Local Plan, provide start-up grants, fund professional support, and offer ongoing guidance and technical support. CLTs ensure homes go first to local people, with rents linked to local wages, and generate long-term income that can be reinvested into village priorities. Kennett Garden Village, which is the largest community-led development of its kind in the country, shows what this approach can achieve.
Finally, we are looking to the future by protecting our way of life. Our proposal for a network of locally built agricultural reservoirs is about water security, climate resilience, and safeguarding our farmland and communities. By capturing excess winter water for use in dry summers, we can support farming, biodiversity, and long-term sustainability – practical, local solutions shaped by local needs.
This is what strong, locally rooted government looks like. It is innovation worth protecting and building upon for East Cambridgeshire’s future.
Anna Bailey
East Cambs District Council, Member for the Downham Ward
Leader of the Council
Deputy Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough
Chairman of East Cambs Community Land Trust
Deputy Chair Political of Ely & East Cambridgeshire Conservative Association
email: anna.bailey@eastcambs.gov.uk
