Working in Partnership with Parish Councils

Parish councils are key to helping communities influence district-wide and countywide priorities and to achieving an excellent quality of life in local communities.

Parish Council and Cabinet Liaison Meetings

The District Council's Cabinet invites parish representatives to meet with them at least twice a year. The meetings provide an opportunity for parish councillors and clerks to hear about key issues facing the Council and to add agenda items of their choice.

Previous meetings:

Community-Led Plans

Community-led plans (also known as Parish Plans) identify community needs and set out a shared vision for the local community. The resulting action plans are used by the Local Strategic Partnerships to shape its Sustainable Community Strategy.

In South Cambridgeshire there are currently 16 plans (including one refresh) being undertaken and 28 plans completed:

Arrington (2004)
Barrington (2007)
Barton (2004)
Bassingbourn-cum-Kneesworth (2008)
Bourn (2009)
Comberton (2003)
Coton (2007)
Cottenham (2004)
Dry Drayton (2009)
Eltisley (2007)
Fulbourn (2009)
Gamlingay (2008)
Grantchester (2004)
Great and Little Abington (2004)
Great and Little Chishill (2007)
Histon (2002)
Linton (2003)
Little Shelford (2010)
Longstanton (2005)
Meldreth (2005)
Milton (2009)
Over (2006)
Sawston (2007)
Steeple Morden (2005)
Swavesey (2008)
Whaddon (2006)
Whittlesford (2005)
Willingham (2008)

The community-led planning process is managed by Cambridgeshire ACRE (This link will open in a new window) on behalf of South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridgeshire County Council.

Parish Planning: What's in it for my Community?

On 31 March 2010 Cambridgeshire ACRE, on behalf of the Local Strategic Partnership, hosted an evening dedicated to the topic of Parish Planning across South Cambridgeshire. The evening provided an opportunity to learn from others' successes in meeting the challenges of developing and delivering a Parish Plan. The aim of the evening was to let communities know about the process of producing a Parish Plan and the benefits that it can bring to a community.

An evaluation of the event was completed by Cambridgeshire ACRE.