The leader of the Liberal Democrats has warned it is “not acceptable” for Greater Cambridge to shoulder government growth plans without the proper infrastructure in place.
He said any expansion should make sure the community is “fully involved” in decisions and highlighted the problems with water infrastructure faced by Cambridgeshire.
Ed Davey Liberal Democrats leader and local Lib Dem MP Charlotte Cane visiting the Burwell Print Centre. Picture: Keith Heppell
He also added that the Liberal Democrats would be fielding a candidate for the upcoming mayoral elections for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, noting that the party was “doing really well in this part of the world” following General Election wins for Charlotte Cane, Pippa Heylings and Ian Sollom.
Mr Davey was visiting Ms Cane’s East Cambridgeshire constituency on Friday (10 January), where he took part in craft activities at social enterprise Burwell Print Centre.
He told the Cambridge Independent: “We can understand why we need a growth agenda. The problem has been both in the past and with these plans, where is the infrastructure to support local communities? Whether it’s social infrastructure like schools and GPs and hospitals, or then there is the transport infrastructure. Then there’s the water infrastructure as well, given that water is such an issue here with things like sewage and flooding. So we do need to make sure that if there’s any expansion, we get the infrastructure with it, and the community is fully involved in that expansion.
“The Liberal Democrats’ view is that any expansion should be community-led and have the infrastructure. And without that, it’s not acceptable.”
Ed Davey Liberal Democrats leader and local Lib Dem MP Charlotte Cane visiting the Burwell Print Centre. Picture: Keith Heppell
Mr Davey was given a tour of Burwell Print Centre, which is a print and design social enterprise that provides fulfilling work and social experiences for adults with additional needs. He had a go at cutting out shapes for pottery fridge magnets that are sold in the print centre’s village shop, Hidden Treasures.
He told the Cambridge Independent: “I’m visiting this amazing social enterprise, which is looking after adults with additional needs and enabling them to contribute to our society, printing and making soaps and making things to sell in the local shop that they also run. And it’s part of our agenda. We really believe in looking after people who are vulnerable. We have a very strong position on care and social care and supporting carers and these sorts of organisations do that brilliantly,
“Speaking as a father of a special needs boy, I’ve seen the impact of the under-funding, and whether it’s in my constituency in South West London or here, I hear from Liberal Democrat MPs and councillors of appalling under-funding. Clearly, the main people have left out by Conservatives who were in power for so long and didn’t make it a priority. And lots of councils have been left with debts and been told just to forget them, but they’re still there. So that under-funding we saw has to be turned around. The government has made a beginning for action but they’ve got to go further.”
The party has yet to name its candidate for May’s mayoral election, where a leader for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority will be appointed. So far, the Conservatives have confirmed their candidate is former Peterborough MP Paul Bristow. Labour has yet to confirm whether current mayor Dr Nik Johnson will be representing them again. although he has said he expects to run.
Ed Davey Liberal Democrats leader and local Lib Dem MP Charlotte Cane visiting the Burwell Print Centre. Picture: Keith Heppell
Mr Davey said: “I think you’ll find that the Liberal Democrats are doing really well in this part of the world and the many Liberal Democrat councils we now have in the area want us to fight every election. At the moment, we’re worried that Conservatives are trying to stop elections. We see Conservative councillors and councils trying to persuade the government to delay elections. That’s not good for democracy, and Liberal Democrats are alarmed at what Conservatives are doing. We will absolutely be standing in all elections in our area.”
He said that while the party was in favour of plans for further devolution of power from central government, he had some concerns.
“We like to have devolution from central government, but some of the proposals being put forward we’re very worried about for two reasons. First of all, they look like they’re taking powers up from communities to high authorities. Now that’s the reverse of real devolution. And secondly, there doesn’t seem to be a place for proper consultation and involvement of local people,” he said.
“I do think local people should have a big voice in how their communities are operated. Clearly, we do need to have more efficiency. We need to make sure the local government resources are improved. But the way the government is going about it, I think, has left a bitter taste for many people.”