Mayor took questions directly from
residents on growth, transport, new development, and the future
of Cambridge and the region at his first Mayor's Question Time
held in the city.
Held at the Guildhall, on Thursday 25
June, and hosted by the Cambridge Independent's Paul Brackley,
members of the public submitted questions in advance and from the
floor on the night, covering a wide range of topics including the
region's growth ambitions, buses and rail, Mill Road, and the
proposed Forest City development on the Cambridgeshire-Suffolk
border.
The Mayor set out his priorities for
Cambridge and the wider region, including the role of major
projects such as Cambridge South station which opened to
passengers on Sunday. The Combined Authority's work on bus
franchising, the Mass Rapid Transit study looking at new
transport infrastructure like light rail, and the region's Local
Growth Plan, which aims to triple the size of the Cambridgeshire
and Peterborough economy by 2050, were
raised.
Questions also touched on the
resilience of local infrastructure, including water supply and
energy, with the Mayor discussing the importance of a new Spatial
Development Strategy to better plan growth around
infrastructure.
A Mayor's Question Time was held
earlier this year in Peterborough and further events will be
organised around the region.
said:
"There's nothing like getting out and
hearing from residents directly. It's the best way
to understand what really matters in
our communities.
"This is a pivotal time in Cambridge
and the region's future and that came through with the range of
questions including growth, buses, trains, infrastructure,
standards of living, the environment and even things like Forest
City all on the agenda.
"Mayor's Question Time is about being
open, accessible and accountable and I look forward to more
events around the region during my time as
Mayor."
