Decision

A vote was taken (unanimous) and the motion was carried as follows:

“Council notes:

1. Cambridgeshire has among the lowest funding per person for GPs of anywhere in the country.
2. Between 2011 and 2021, Cambridge’s population grew by 18% - triple the national average. South Cambridgeshire is projected to grow by a further 37% by 2041, with the government pushing for that to be even higher.
3. Addenbrooke’s A&E was built for a quarter of the patients it now receives. It faces an acute care deficit of approximately 160 beds, and its regional major trauma capacity is regularly breached. Addenbrooke’s A&E saw 12,280 incidents of patients waiting more than 12 hours before receiving treatment in the year to November 2025.

Council further notes:

1. That the Government has laid before Parliament the “Greater Cambridge Development Corporation (Establishment) Order 2026”, which if approved, will go into effect on 23 July 2026.
2. The stated ambition of the Cambridge Growth Company (the predecessor to the Development Corporation) for growth in Greater Cambridge to be “infrastructure led”, including health and other social infrastructure.

Council recognises the campaigns being run to improve healthcare across Cambridgeshire, as spearheaded by our local MPs, including those putting pressure on the Government to introduce a right to see a GP in 7 days, calling for fundamental reform of and investment into NHS dentistry, and calling for urgent expansion of urgent and emergency care provision.

Council resolves to request that the Leader and the Lead Cabinet Member for Healthy Communities write to the Chair of the Development Corporation’s Board, once appointed:

• Outlining the importance of delivering new health infrastructure for both existing and new communities;
• Highlighting the concerns residents have raised about the provision of health infrastructure; and
• Inviting the Development Corporation to provide an update to the Council on its plans to work with the Integrated Care Board to deliver health infrastructure in Greater Cambridge, for example through attendance at a future meeting of the Scrutiny and Overview Committee, subject to that Committee’s agreement.”