City Council Update December 2025

There were two large items on the agenda for the council this month – the Local Plan and Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).

Local Plan

This was considered at the Performance Assets and Strategy Overview Scrutiny committee and at Cabinet.

I have already given an overview of the key items in the Plan here https://karenyoung.uk/2025/12/02/cambridge-new-local-plan/

It is ambitious in terms of climate change and biodiversity. It is really important that we state our support for those measures we think are beneficial, as developers and business will be doing so too and they might have a different view. Please take a look at the documents yourself (they are easy to read) and comment here: https://consultations.greatercambridgeplanning.org/draft-greater-cambridge-local-plan-consultation

We will be going through the main provisions together with officers at a couple of sessions within Queen Edith’s:

• 5pm to 7pm, Thursday 15 January: Presentation and Q&A on Cambridge Biomedical Campus, 1000 Discovery Drive 
• 5pm to 7pm, Friday 16 January: Drop-in session at the Nightingale Pavillion Community Room 

There are further sessions around Greater Cambridge and a full list of events can be found here: https://www.greatercambridgeplanning.org/local-plan

Local Government Reform (LGR)

This is covered mainly in the County update. See here: https://karenyoung.uk/2025/12/03/county-council-update-december-2025/

Cambridge City Council voted for and cabinet approved option B which was submitted by the deadline to central government.

Civic Affairs and Audit Committee

This committee is all about how the Council keeps itself in check. The items on the agenda this month concerned:

1. Internal audit who are responding to the change in governance to reform their reporting methods to a more agile and frequent reporting format. Of the 4 areas reviewed in the last quarter 3 received full assurance and 1 reasonable assurance.
2. Information governance looks at how well the council is handling personal data and wider information rights. It covers things like data protection compliance, cyber security, freedom of information and environmental information requests, data subject access requests, and how the council responds to data breaches.
3. Performance management: a new format will be used going forward.

Joint Development Management Committee

A pre-application briefing was given for the redevelopment of Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road.

Applications considered and approved were:

• Trinity Hall Farm Industrial Estate. This is the demolition of existing buildings and erection of new offices, research and development and ground floor retail in this site in the North of Cambridge near Kings Hedges.
• Cambridge Business Park, Robinson House, Cowley Road. This is the refurbishment and extension to the existing building (including office and laboratory use with ancillary cafe, event and community space)

Council

The following motions came to Council:

1. The Guildhall. This motion brought by Labour affirmed the importance of the Guildhall to civic life in the city centre in the view of Cambridge City Councillors. The Green Party wanted to merely note that the decision on this will be made by the successor council under local government reform, which is true, but not the point of the motion. The motion passed unamended by the Green Party changes.
2. The Conservative Councillor proposed a motion which was more properly casework concerning his ward. No one else seconded the motion and so it was not debated.
3. The LibDems brought a motion to ask a team to consider how to improve the city centre, making it inclusive and accessible for all, while considering future uses and requirements given modern on-line shopping habits. This motion was passed with small amendments from Labour.