East Cambs Parish Conferences

Parish Conferences enable the District Council to effectively engage with parish councils and communities; and work together to address common themes.

Parish Conference Presentations 

Parish Council Conference: 3 May 2022 - The Maltings, Ely 

Theme: Climate Change 

Parish Conference: 2 March 2020 - Littleport Leisure Centre 

Parish Councils and Council Members were invited to attend a drop in style event. The theme of the event was ‘Helping Parish Councils to help themselves’. 

East Cambs District Council departments and other external organisations (including Sanctuary Housing, Cambridgeshire Police, Combined Authority, Voluntary and Community Action East Cambridgeshire, Cambs ACRE, Community Land Trusts, the Highways Agency and Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Association of Local Councils), were represented, showcasing  the services each one offers to Parish Councils and the community.  

The topics covered represented items raised by parish councils, and included funding, waste related matters, housing, community hubs, community and voluntary sector support, social transport schemes, volunteering, community safety, climate change, open spaces, play areas, energy efficiency, Community Land Trusts, Neighbourhood Plans, Public Rights of Way, transport and many more. 

Parish Conference: 29 January 2019 - The Beeches, Isleham 

Parish Conference: 28 March 2018 - Mandeville Hall, Burwell 

Parish Conference: 10 October 2017 - Littleport Leisure Centre 

Parish Conference: 3 February 2017 - The Beeches, Isleham 

Theme: Report It 

Parish Conference: 16 June 2016 - The Arkenstall Centre, Haddenham 

Theme: Emergency Planning 

Dementia Awareness 

This session was part of the process to establish a Dementia Action Alliance across the District, in order to achieve “Working to become dementia friendly” status for East Cambs. Parish Councils will be critically important in the success of this endeavour; and we hope to see many of them joining the DAA over the coming months. 

For further info on joining the Dementia Action Alliance please contact Liz Knox (Environmental Services Manager) at ECDC on 01353 665555. 

For a Dementia Friends session for your Parish Council please contact Fiona Wynde Dementia Action Alliance Coordinator at Alzheimer’s Society on 07484  924563. 

Parish Conference: 4 November 2015 - Mandeville Hall, Burwell 

Theme: Health and Wellbeing 

East Cambs Pilot Parish Conference: 1 September 2014 - Soham Village College 

In 2013, the Neighbourhood Panel Service Review Group recommended that the East Cambs Neighbourhood Panels ceased.  However, all partners involved in Neighbourhood Panels over the previous six years recognised the benefits of multi-agency problem-solving and remained committed to working together to develop a forum that would be effective for all involved. 

The results of a consultation exercise carried out with Parish Councils in 2013 clearly suggested that a method of face-to-face engagement with partners would be welcomed by Parish Councils: 

  • 26 out of 35 Parish Councils replied to the Consultation. 

  • 66% of all 35 Parish Councils said they would attend a Parish Conference. 

  • 85% of those responding said that a Parish Conference was an appropriate model to engage with Parish Councils. 

It was therefore agreed that a pilot Parish Conference should be run to establish if the concept of a Parish Conference would work in East Cambs, before committing resources to a Parish Conference in East Cambs in the long term.  This pilot would enable a thorough evaluation of the event, an assessment of the benefit for all parties; and further discussion about how a Parish Conference could be resourced by partner agencies beyond a pilot. 

The East Cambs (pilot) Parish Conference was held on Monday 1 September 2014, at Soham Village College. Copies of the workshop notes can be found below: 

Copies of the presentations can be found below: 

The evaluation summary can be found below: 

The District Council's Commercial Services Committee will be asked to make a decision on whether there will be any further Parish Conferences at their meeting on 12th November 2014.  The outcome of that decision will be reported back to Parish Councils in due course and this webpage will be updated regularly with more information. 

Please find links to the minutes of the now ceased Neighbourhood Panels 

Please email East Cambs District Council Customer Services for accessible versions of these documents.