What’s left of a £2,841m ‘windfall’ to Fenland District Council – latest estimates suggest it is £1.604m – is likely to be given to Wisbech and not shared among other Fenland towns and villages. The money was shunted into a ‘Cambridgeshire Horizons Reserve’ by Fenland District Council when it arrived in 2021.
It comes from the dissolution of Cambridgeshire Horizons Ltd, a county wide initiative to create housing and jobs, funded by Government, that was wound up 10 years earlier.
In a report to Cabinet on Monday – that was approved without discussion – Peter Catchpole, corporate director and chief finance officer and Mark Saunders, chief accountant explained the latest position.
“After taking into account current commitments, there remains a balance uncommitted of £1,604m.
“Consideration is currently being given to optimum funding strategy for the works to properties in the High Street, Wisbech and other initiatives such as the outcome of the accommodation review.
“Further details will be provided to Cabinet at future meetings.”
The report offered a breakdown of what has happened to the £3,891.000 since it arrived in Fenland Council’s coffers.
The pay out prompted the immediate payment of £1,050,000 that was an agreed contribution to the A14 improvements, and which was paid last year to the Department of Transport.
However, this left £2,841,000 which Fenland Council say was “available for the council’s future use and was set aside in an earmarked reserve.
“There are numerous conditions attached to the use of this money, mainly around regeneration and future economic development of the district which restricts its future use.”
So far the council has spent well over half a million pounds of the original sum to consultants – including £114,000 on the aborted levelling up bid for Wisbech.
Consultants for regeneration schemes have swallowed a further quarter of a million pounds – and a further £88,000 is coming from the same windfall pot this year,
The council has also used £75,000 for what is being termed an ‘accommodation strategy review’ which confidential Cabinet papers say is to enable the council to agree ‘future space requirement’.
One contract worth £56,500 has already been awarded to Carter Jonas LLP to conduct that review.
Fenland Council – who have never explained to full council the extent of the spending – also spent £20,000 on a traveller needs assessment (which they would normally have funded from Council Tax).
And in the coming year £177,000 of the windfall is committed to what is broadly defined as “economic growth strategy” which will also be allocated £388,000 in 2025/26.
Last December, when quizzed by opposition councillors, council leader Chris Boden refused to confirm the amount or spending plans of “surplus funds” received from Cambridgeshire Horizons Ltd.
But Cllr Anna Bailey, leader of East Cambs District Council had earlier last year promptly revealed how her council’s windfall would be spent.
She announced in July the formation of a £2million “growth and infrastructure fund to support sustainable projects that improve the quality of life for residents”.
But in Fenland, Cllr Boden told opposition councillors that “I was instrumental in ensuring monies lying unused for the best part of nine years were made available to the constituent councils”.
He said he was also the individual who proposed the way the money was distributed “and for Fenland that is quite favourable”.
But he was pushed as to “why did East Cambs Council get all the publicity?”.
Cllr Boden replied: “We are not in the habit of always necessarily putting out publicity which I have to say some members might think is party political.
“We achieved what we needed to achieve, no need to publicise it, but will spend it wisely.”
Cllr Alan Melton, a former leader of Fenland District Council and a founder member of Cambridgeshire Horizons, has been chasing the cash, particularly as he is now clerk of Manea parish council. The village is strapped for funding to support a new pavilion.
“Cambridgeshire Horizons made significant investments using up to £2billion of Government funding,” he recalls.
“It was always agreed that when Horizons was wound up and its mission(s) completed, there would be significant dividends to the partner councils.”
Of the money Fenland Council has spent, it has not always achieved a successful outcome.
£150,000 was utilised for the unsuccessful levelling up fund (LUF) bid for a £1.7m visitor centre and improved link to the Market Place, Wisbech.
The proposal formed part of a £14m package of three schemes that were bundled together when the council submitted its bid.
The scheme included £2.6m worth of improvements to the old Market Place, street greening and public realm enhancements linking the town centre to the Nene waterfront.
The castle element formed part of a wider masterplan for the town that was commissioned by the council.
“Cambridgeshire Horizons is a company that holds historical funds, originally received from central Government, to deliver projects that support growth in the county.”
Meanwhile in East Cambridgeshire Cllr Bailey was able to provide cash from the Horizons settlement that appear not to have the same restrictions as Fenland Council has suggested.
Cllr Bailey said she had been able to negotiate funds from Cambridgeshire Horizons “to benefit East Cambridgeshire specifically.
“We know there are lots of fantastic ideas out there that with a little bit of funding can deliver some really good and sustainable benefits for our local residents.
“This fund is providing those organisations, clubs, or parish councils with the opportunity to make that happen.
“We are really open-minded around how the money is spent, providing it’s for a capital project that supports the growth of the district and benefits local residents.”
Applicants were told they needed to match fund a minimum of 10 per cent of the total project costs and should commit to an environmentally friendly approach.
By last November she was able to reveal that nine projects had been awarded a share of the £2m funding that the council had by then upped with an additional £300,000.
She said the finance and assets committee was “so impressed with the high calibre of the nine projects which met the criteria for funding, they agreed to add a further £300,000 to the budget so all could be funded”.
£800,000 was offered to Soham Town Council for the Soham to Wicken cycleway.
£250,000 towards adapting the footbridge linking Wicken Fen with Burwell Lodge.
£124,056 towards extending Spencer Mill in Soham to create an apprenticeship, trainee and learning hub for the Viva Arts and Community Group.
