Cambridgeshire Together

As well as a number of conversations and emails about Bassenhally Farm/Feldale Field reinforcing my wish for the exhibition to take place at a better time, I went to the Cambridgeshire Together meeting. CT is a body that pulls in all of the public services in Cambridgeshire into a single entity, creating a joined up approach to delivering services to Cambridgeshire. It is quite a bureaucratic set up which can be frustrating, but the intent is certainly right.

We had a discussion about the withdrawal of Housing Growth Fund funding. The strength of the animosity about this cannot be underestimated.

My main role at the meeting was to talk about the development of the Children's Trust, which is a new statutory board with a similar role as Cambridgeshire Together, but dedicated to Children's issues. My main concern about the Trust is that the expectations placed upon it are huge, and it may distract attention away from those with the genuine responsibility on the ground - but a joined up approach, if it can be made to work, must have a benefit for safeguarding children (which has to be our priority).

I spent ages examining my navel trying to see if there was a solution that was a bit simpler, but I eventually realised that "complicated but works" was the only way. Our officers have done a great job, along with the working party I have been part of, in putting, what I hope is our final structure, together.