Lucius Vellacott, Soham South and Wicken councillor for East Cambridgeshire District Council, writes for the Ely Standard.
I want to start by congratulating Charlotte Cane on becoming our MP, and thanking my friend Lucy Frazer for her nine years of service to our district and country, both of which are better off for her work.
Over the last two months, I have enjoyed meeting people in every village in East Cambs and putting your views into practice wherever I can.
It was my pleasure to give out the awards and speak at the end-of-year celebration for Soham Village College. Thank you for inviting me, and the very best of luck for whatever you do next. It is my pleasure to remain a close friend of the school.
The district council is to hold a special planning committee on August 13, at 2pm at The Grange in Ely, to determine the outcome of the Eastern Gateway and Medical Centre applications in Soham.
The meeting is public and will be broadcast live. I am fully supportive of improvements to our medical services and will relay residents’ concerns about the housing proposals before the decision.
The council is adapting its waste service, so that from March 2026, a fortnightly general waste service with new black wheelie bins will operate, alongside an alternating weekly recycling/garden waste service and a weekly food waste collection.
Residents will also be entitled to free additional blue and green bins, to encourage a higher level of recycling.
In a much-needed breakthrough, Highways have agreed to install duck warning signs on the High Street and Paddock Street. I am due to meet the highways officer to finalise this. Thank you to all who have supported this campaign – it won’t be long now!
The fight for bus improvements in our area continues, and the Combined Authority are due to commence a consultation on this soon. I am insisting that we must have proper assurance of a service via Wicken.
Please do get in touch via: lucius.vellacott@eastcambs.gov.uk.
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