As the year comes to an end, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on what I’ve been working on as a town councillor, and what’s gone well, what’s been slow, and what I’ve learned along the way. This is a long post,so please feel free to skim or dip in and out.
🏗️ Planning and growth
There is going to be growth around Huntingdon. The challenge is to make sure it meets the needs of existing residents, that schools, GPs and infrastructure are built at the start and not the end, and that Huntingdon keeps a sense of itself.
Because of the local plan update, planning and growth were big areas for me this year. I worked extensively on the town council’s responses to the draft local plan and the A141 consultation. There have been changes to the local plan following the town council’s comments. In particular, I’m pleased that the Sapley Garden Village proposal did not appear in the draft plan, and that a kilometre of open space is to be retained between the Lodge Farm proposal and any development near Wyton.
This may surprise some people, but I think Huntingdonshire District Council has not just listened to what people have said about the local plan. In several cases it has made tangible changes as a result.
I’m also chair of the town council’s planning committee. It’s not glamorous and it doesn’t come with big wins, but it does make a difference over time. This year we’ve looked at everything from small household applications to major developments that will shape Huntingdon for decades.
Where we’ve added value is not by opposing growth for its own sake, but by using local knowledge to improve what’s proposed:
- pushing for safer streets, better parking, noise mitigation and genuine biodiversity on large housing schemes
- defending the character of Huntingdon’s town centre and standing firm where proposals would harm conservation areas
- protecting mature trees and green spaces where removal wasn’t justified
- ensuring major developments around Hinchingbrooke faced proper scrutiny on parking, traffic, flooding, noise and access
- using Huntingdon’s Neighbourhood Plan to support jobs and vitality in the town centre
- focusing on everyday impacts that matter to residents: construction traffic, parking, walking and cycling routes, and disabled access
Planning is slow, technical and often frustrating. I’ve learned a lot, and there are positions I took in the past that I wouldn’t take now (in the unlikely event the head of planning at HDC reads this: yes, you were right and I was wrong). I’m aware of how complicated planning is, partly because of the system we have but also because it’s trying to do a genuinely difficult thing. But done carefully and consistently, it’s still one of the ways local voices make a difference.
📍 North East Ward
In North East Ward, which I represent on the town council, I’ve focused mainly on:
- parking on Essex Road
- a smiley-face speed sign on Sapley Road
- litter bins
Many of the issues residents raise with me aren’t things the town council directly controls. My role is usually to get the right organisation to engage. That’s usually Huntingdonshire District Council, Cambridgeshire County Council, or Places for People. That cooperation can be slow, and while I’ve learned a lot about how the system works, delays are understandably frustrating for residents.
🚗 Essex Road
Parking is a problem almost everywhere, but it’s particularly acute on Essex Road.
I’ve been working with the Essex Road Residents’ Association on ways to improve parking and reduce verge parking that turns green space into mud each winter. The basic idea is that the garages were built when cars were much smaller, so many aren’t used. By replacing some garages with flat parking, we could actually increase the number of spaces.
Early in the new year, HDC and Places for People are expected to consult on removing a couple of standalone garage blocks and replacing them with parking. Other garages would remain, and anyone affected would be offered alternatives on Essex Road. There’s also the possibility of using a small amount of HDC land to improve layouts and planting.
I think this would ease parking problems, but it wouldn’t solve them entirely, and it would only happen with residents’ support. This process has taken well over a year, and I completely understand why people are frustrated, especially given that Essex Road missed out on earlier Oxmoor improvements.
🚦 Sapley Road speed sign
A smiley-face speed sign will be installed at the top of Sapley Road.
Residents raised concerns about speeding traffic coming round the bend from Kings Ripton Road. After talking to people locally, I surveyed households on Lamport Drive, Beaumont Close and Burnett Way. There was strong support, so the town council successfully submitted a Local Highway Improvement bid.
The frustrating part is timing. I first raised this over a year ago, and even now it may not be installed until mid-next year. The LHI scheme is badly backlogged, and eighteen months for a relatively small intervention is not ideal.
🗑️ Bins
Many people will know the two gentlemen who regularly pick up litter around the Oxmoor. It’s admirable — but they shouldn’t have to do it. Please use the bins.
They showed me something I hadn’t realised: some parts of the Oxmoor have lots of bins, and others hardly any. I’ve suggested to HDC that bins be moved from oversupplied areas to places like the play area near Sapley Square. It wouldn’t cost anything, and I doubt anyone would miss the relocated bins.
Sorting out Sapley Square itself is harder, but I’m hoping HDC will at least consider moving benches or adding bins near them.
🌍 Beyond ward issues
Huntingdon saw an international story unfold on 1 November after the train attack. There were extraordinary acts of bravery, not least from Sam Zitouni, and many reasons to feel proud of our town. Police and ambulance crews from Huntingdon responded, as did MAGPAS.
A conversation I had with the police chaplain afterwards has stayed with me. He spoke about how many people brought tea, coffee and food to the police station — practical kindness, quietly given. I did some TV and radio representing the town council, and said how proud I was of Huntingdon.
I’ve also represented the town council at district planning committees, raised concerns about the 20mph scheme with the county council, given information to Policing Huntingdonshire about noisy motorbikes, and tried to attend as many civic and community events as possible. I’ve even run an elf workshop! These aren’t just ceremonial. They’re opportunities to listen, to learn, and to meet people I otherwise wouldn’t.
🏛️ Inside the town council
There have been important internal changes too. We’ve reduced committees and sub-committees from 13 to 5, making it easier to follow what the council does and reducing the administrative load on officers. Communications continue to improve, and we now ask residents to suggest and then rank local highways improvement ideas, rather than relying on an ad hoc process.
None of this is flashy, but it matters. It makes the council more efficient, transparent, and accountable.
💻 Me on Facebook
Social media is not the only way for councillors to stay in touch, but I find it really useful.
Things have been quieter from me over the last few weeks as I was unwell and then catching up with the day job. I’ll be posting more regularly in the New Year, and I’m going to try to break things up more. Detail matters, but walls of text aren’t always what people want on Facebook. I’ve had a couple of posts do particularly well (on local government reorganisation at https://www.facebook.com/davidlandoncole/posts/pfbid02gox3qBeN9mjyfVwEWLv4Hbzbc8tjKAR7tM59LK8Hya4gYD17vguhxoRZUHLxH17Tl?__tn__=%2CO*F and on the A141 at https://www.facebook.com/davidlandoncole/posts/pfbid02941iKTZhwwf72jchir9FSejko2WgR4UYozR5kNf9gB3ugSH3qW5Nib3MXSPPiJNUl?__tn__=%2CO*F, and I think the discussions on those have been really useful.
🌙 A final thought
I know Christmas is a difficult time for many, for many reasons. Whether you celebrate or not, it’s a slower part of the year that invites reflection. I don’t want to shy away from the difficulties people face, but I do hope everyone finds at least some peace over the coming weeks.
Politics and politicians are not well regarded, but I do believe elected office is a noble calling. I’m very aware of the mistakes I’ve made, but I’m proud to serve in this role. I’m grateful to my wife and to my family (especially Morris 🐈 and Sheldon 🐈⬛), to my fellow councillors, to the Huntingdon Town Council staff, and to the residents of Huntingdon. A few people have stopped me unexpectedly to say they appreciate my efforts. Those moments mean a great deal, and I particularly thank them.
I’d like to wish you and your loved ones a peaceful Christmas and a prosperous New Year.