Cambridge

Introduction

The City of Cambridge is located approximately 50 miles (80 km) north-northeast of London and is surrounded by a number of smaller towns and villages. Cambridge is a global centre of knowledge and innovation, particularly in the scientific and biotechnology sectors, based at the University of Cambridge, a centre of international scientific research excellence.  In contrast, the economy of the Cambridgeshire Fens is predominantly based in agriculture, food processing and related sectors.

Recent Visits

3rd April 2008- Phil Woolas (DEFRA): Speaking at the Institution of Water Officers Annual Conference, Cambridge
31st March 2008- Barbara Follett (Regional Minister): Chairing Regional Partnership Group, Cambridge
3rd March 2008- Barbara Follett (Regional Minister) : SNR Event, Cambridge

Demographics for Cambridge

Mid-2006 Population Estimates

Children and Learners

• Over £32m was allocated  to school renovation projects between 2001/02 and 2005/06, Projects including £7.8m to provide The Castle, a new area special school in Cambridge, as part of a programme to rationalise special school provision from four schools to two larger schools, and £2.7m to provide a new 120 place primary school serving the Arbury Camps area, North Cambridge.

Health and Well Being

• Addenbrookes Hospital has seen a number of improvements. The 3-star hospital became an NHS Foundation Trust in 2004, part of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The Trust plans to open a £85m PFI elective care, diabetes and genetics centre in spring 2007, becoming the only centre of its kind in the country to combine patient care and academic research
• The Mary Seacole Unit, a special facility for treating and assessing patients with infectious and tropical diseases, opened at the Addenbrookes Hospital in January 2006.
• A Research Endoscopy Suite opened at the Addenbrookes Hospital in February 2006. The suite is one of the first dedicated research endoscopy facilities in the UK and will lead the way in finding new methods of diagnosing and treating cancer and other diseases.

Crime

• The 2006/07 Cambridgeshire Local Area Agreement includes a range of outcomes to create a safer and stronger community. More than £850,000 from the Building Safer Communities, Anti Social Behaviour Co-ordinator Grant and the Drug Partnership Support Grant has been pooled to support these outcomes.
• The Basic Command Unit (BCU) covering Cambridge received a funding allocation of over £190,000 for 2006/07 and will support projects including Police Community Support Officers and the purchase of crime prevention materials for use at public events
• Cambridge Community Safety Partnership is working to implement the 2005/08 Cambridge Community Safety Strategy which details four priorities: Alcohol related Violent Crime, Domestic Violence, Anti-social Behaviour and Prolific & Priority Offenders
• Anti-social behaviour hotspots will be targeted with an ambitious project in six wards with the intention of improving the areas and reducing further criminal damage.
• The three strands of the Prolific and Priority Offender Initiative are in place, working closely with the Drug Intervention Programme to engage class A drug users, to get them into and retain them in treatment and keep them out of crime.

Transport

• The 2006/07 Local Transport Plan (LTP) settlement allocated Cambridgeshire more than £8.6m for integrated transport and nearly £13m for maintenance.
• Approval has been given to the Transport and Works Act (TWA) Order applied for by Cambridgeshire County Council, to build the Cambridge to Huntingdon Guided Bus. The 19km guided busway scheme is expected to carry over 40,000 passengers daily, improve public transport journey times and relieve the congested A14 trunk road between the A1 and the M11.

Regeneration

• Over £7m General Sure Start Grant has been allocated to Cambridgeshire Local Authority for 2004-06 for activities that will lead to better outcomes for children and families, including the creation of over 2,180 childcare places and the development of children centres in disadvantaged areas.
• Over £1m was allocated to the Cambridgeshire Children’s Fund for 2005/06, to identify children aged 5-13 yrs at risk of social exclusion, and develop services to support them. The programme will spend 25% of its allocation on services agreed with Youth Offending Teams towards crime prevention. A further £1.6m has been allocated for the period 2006/08.

European Funding

• £10m was allocated to LSC Cambridgeshire as the main Co-financing Organisation. Projects include, Aspirations, helping socially excluded individuals to obtain skills required to rejoin the world of work.
• Over £150,000 has been awarded to The Castle Project which provides employment advice and training to the most disadvantaged, young, unemployed people in the city.
• £175,000 was allocated to the Cambridge Women’s Resource Centre to offer advice, guidance and training for disadvantaged and/or vulnerable women through the New Chances project.
• Almost £100,000 was allocated to the Learning Disability Partnership to promote and provide NVQ Level 2 training through the Learning Disability Awards Framework (LDAF).