Huntingdonshire District Council's cabinet met on 16 September 2025, and made decisions on a range of issues including approving a revised commercial investment strategy, and a building energy strategy, as well as authorising senior officers to execute leases for the Paxton Pits Nature Reserve extension. The cabinet also reviewed reports on corporate and financial performance, and received minutes from the Hinchingbrooke Country Park Joint Group.

Building Energy Strategy

The cabinet approved a Building Energy Strategy to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions from council buildings, with the goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040. The strategy identifies opportunities for renewable energy installations at sites including Pathfinder House, Eastfield House, and One Leisure centres in Huntingdon, Ramsey, St Ives and St Neots.

The cabinet also agreed to a recommendation from the Overview and Scrutiny (Environment, Communities & Partnerships) Panel to give further consideration to the relative merits of different green energy tariffs to ensure the council procures energy from genuinely renewable sources.

The strategy sets out five priorities:

• Review Huntingdonshire District Council's (HDC) corporate buildings strategy to focus on retained sites
• Electrification of heat by 2033, in line with the HDC Climate Strategy.
• Reduce energy consumptions by 60% by 2040
• Procure electricity from renewable sources
• Improve the EPC rating of Pathfinder House in advance of imminent MEES regulation evolution

The cabinet delegated authority to the Corporate Director Finance & Resources, in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Finances & Resources, Councillor Brett Alistair Mickelburgh, to amend budgets and release funds for the projects.

Commercial Investment Strategy

The cabinet approved a revised Commercial Investment Strategy aimed at generating income from investments to support council services. The strategy focuses on principles and a framework for investments, but does not review current investment holdings, which will be part of an overall review of property holdings. The council's policy is to create income from sources outside its operations to bolster reserves and generate additional revenue. The strategy operates alongside other council policies, including the Treasury Management approach.

The Overview & Scrutiny (Performance & Growth) Panel had discussed the report at its meeting on 3 September 2025, and raised concerns about the approach to risk, the yield, and the timing of investments given local government reorganisation¹ (LGR). The cabinet noted that the strategy's core thrust remains to drive income to enable the council to support its other activities.

Paxton Pits Nature Reserve Extension of Leases

The cabinet gave full approval for senior officers to execute the leases for land adjacent to the current nature reserve, allowing for an extension of Paxton Pits Nature Reserve following completion of gravel extraction and restoration works. The decision will allow the Head of Leisure, Health & Environment and other senior officers to explore wider opportunities to develop existing and new sites across the council's parks and open spaces.

The extension will increase the reserve from 78 hectares to 280 hectares, making it one of the largest nature reserves in Cambridgeshire. The land will be leased from Oxford University Chest and Thornhill Estate for a minimum of 80 years at a peppercorn rent. The site will have 27km of footpaths and 8.4km of cycleway.

The Overview & Scrutiny (Environment, Communities and Partnerships) Panel discussed the report at its meeting on 4 September 2025, and were advised that the increased site could be managed with existing staffing arrangements following the appointment of an Apprenticeship Ranger.

Corporate Performance Report

The cabinet received the Corporate Performance Report for Quarter 1 of 2025/26, providing an update on the council's performance against the Corporate Plan. The report summarised progress and performance by outcome, with detailed updates on Corporate Plan actions and projects provided in appendices.

Overall, 85% of Corporate Plan actions were reported as on track, with 15% within acceptable variance. For Corporate Plan projects, 91% were on track and 9% within acceptable variance.

Some operational performance measures were behind schedule, including the number of households housed through the Housing Register and Home-Link scheme, and the percentage of household waste reused/recycled/composted.

The Overview & Scrutiny (Performance & Growth) Panel discussed the report at its meeting on 3 September 2025, raising questions about council tax banding, street cleansing standards, and recycling performance.

Finance Performance Report

The cabinet received the Finance Performance Report for Quarter 1 of 2025/26, which set out the forecast outturn for the financial year. The report indicated a forecast revenue overspend of £0.602m, with underspends in some areas offset by overspends in others. The approved gross capital programme for 2025/26 is £14.527m, with a forecast in-year underspend of £1.489m.

The Council Tax collection rate at the end of quarter 1 (28.57%) is higher than the previous year (28.51%). The Business Rates collection rate at the end of quarter 1 (32.38%) is higher than at the end of quarter 1 in the previous year (32.06%).

The report also provided an update on the Commercial Investment Strategy and investment properties.

Hinchingbrooke Country Park Joint Group

The cabinet received the minutes of the Hinchingbrooke Country Park Joint Group meeting held on 18 July 2025. The group had been informed of a busy period for the park, with drought issues and management of people and habitats. The infrastructure of the park had been reviewed, and timber from the site was being reused on projects within the park and at neighbouring Hinchingbrooke House. The group also discussed the Hinchingbrooke Country Park Development Project, noting that planning permission had been confirmed.