Category: Cambridgeshire

The potential sale of a city’s leisure park could pave the way for a big revamp of the site.

Cambridge Leisure Park includes a hotel, car park, restaurants, cinema and bowling alley, and according to a sales brochure is the city’s “only multiplex and drive-to leisure destination”.

The brochure said it presented “a unique opportunity for major redevelopment”, with drawings including workspaces and a “new, sustainable home” for the Cambridge Junction, which hosts gigs and events.

LandSec, which is selling the site, said it regularly looked “at opportunities to buy and sell assets”. Cambridge City Council said the Junction could not be redeveloped without its permission.

The brochure said a “proposed masterplan” would include a mixed-use estate for office, lab, retail, creative workspace, the Junction and an “energy centre”.

“Whilst the masterplan leans heavily on offices and lab space,” it said, “the current commercial environment and local need would also position this site favourably for the massing of multi-family, co-living and senior living on those areas of the site currently designed for offices and labs, complimented by further retail and leisure uses”.

The site currently has a 611-space multi-storey car park, but the proposed masterplan has 145 spaces.

Cambridge City Council is the freehold owner of the site and LandSec is the long leaseholder for the majority of it.

A spokesperson for the council said: “This means LandSec would need our approval to redevelop, but legally we couldn’t unreasonably withhold it. LandSec would also need our approval to transfer the leasehold, but again, we couldn’t unreasonably withhold that.

“As freeholders but not leaseholders, we have limited influence on whether LandSec decides to sell, redevelop or retain the site as is. The exception is for the Junction, as the council is both the freehold owner and the landlord, with Cambridge Junction CDC operating the Junction.

“The Junction could not be redeveloped without our permission, and any proposals would need to meet a minimum of reprovision of the existing cultural offer of the Junction, although the council would be interested in any proposals to deliver a larger, bespoke cultural facility in line with our emerging Local Plan and Cultural Infrastructure Strategy.

“Any specific proposals, such as the number of car parking spaces, would be a matter for any future developer to propose through a planning application, and determined by the planning authority through the planning process in the usual way.”

A spokesperson for LandSec said: “Whilst we can’t comment on sales processes, we don’t have plans to redevelop Cambridge Leisure Park and the centre will remain open as usual for the foreseeable future.”

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Janine Krippner

Last week I woke up to find a set of MetService weather alerts on my phone. Safe in my Wellington apartment, I was unaware of the chaos that had erupted nearby. Residents woke in the dark to flood waters through their homes. The saturated landscape was under pressure and landslides were occurring, one through a home.

Janine Krippner

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90 trauma cases and 700 planned surgical procedures that happened during the time Ms Stohr was employed by the Trust have been examined

An investigation into a suspended Addenbrooke’s surgeon has been extended. Kuldeep Stohr, an orthopaedic surgeon, was suspended by Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust (CUH) after a review identified the “outcomes of treatment provided to a small number of patients were below the standard” the Trust said it would expect.

The independent review of surgical operations carried out on children by Ms Stohr was commissioned last year and has been extended to cover additional emergency procedures. This follows after the review team was asked to examine an initial 90 trauma cases to assess the standard of treatment, alongside 700 planned surgical procedures during the time Ms Stohr had been employed by the Trust.

In letters to patients, signed by Chief Medical Officer Sue Broster, the Trust says the decision to extend the review was taken “following careful consideration by the independent clinical experts.”

It reassures parents that cases are being selected for review “to understand whether the treatment provided met the outcomes we could expect”. According to Hudgell Solicitors, the letter says that each case will be considered individually, and that some patients may need to undergo a clinical review.

A number of families affected by the ongoing investigations are being represented including some who have reportedly now had confirmation from the Trust that their child was harmed.

Solicitors Elizabeth Maliakal said: “This is a significant development, given it comes 14 months after the initial review was commissioned by the Trust into the surgeries Ms Stohr had conducted in her time there.”

The focus will now be on the final independent report findings, which the Trust has said will be shared publicly on conclusion in the Autumn.

In a report last year, CUH Trust was found to have failed to act appropriately after an initial investigation into Ms Stohr’s practice in 2015. That investigation found “a series of shortcomings” in her surgeries and proposed remedial steps to address them.

However, an external review of the Trust’s response last year said it had done “nothing substantial” to address concerns over her practice, meaning “any deficiencies in Ms Stohr’s practice were allowed to persist for the next seven to eight years”, missing 32 opportunities to act.

Mrs Stohr went on a period of leave in March 2024 which led to colleagues raising concerns about patient outcomes and aspects of her decision-making. This resulted in an initial review of 55 cases which found nine where treatment provided was below the standard expected and Ms Stohr’s was consequently suspended.

The pre-school was previously rated as requires improvement in 2025

A pre-school where children have a “sense of belonging” has improved its Ofsted rating. In March 2025, Cracker Jacks Pre-School in Kester Way, St Neots, was rated as requiring improvement across all areas by Ofsted.

Inspectors said the quality of education across the nursery was “not consistent” and organisation of nursery activities and routines required improvement. Following its latest inspection in February, the pre-school has improved its rating to expected standard.

It has been rated as an expected standard in all areas, including: achievement; behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines; children’s welfare and wellbeing; curriculum and teaching; inclusion; and leadership and governance.

The report said children who attend “achieve well” from the start, and gaps in children’s learning were “closing consistently”. Babies were said to “smile with delight” at the nursery.

Kim Seaman, nursery director said: “We are absolutely delighted that our nursery has now been recognised as achieving an expected standard, a result that reflects the passion, dedication and hard work of our entire team.

“After an unexpectedly early inspection in 2025, shortly after opening our new setting, we felt we had not yet been given the time many new provisions need to fully settle, embed routines and showcase everything we knew we could offer. Rather than allowing that to define us, our team remained committed to creating the warm, nurturing and inspiring environment our children deserve.”

Inspectors said staff have “high expectations” of the children’s behaviour, and they set clear and age appropriate boundaries for this. Staff were also said to create a “warm and nurturing environment”. Inspectors praised leaders for demonstrating an “understanding of curriculum quality and teaching” in its latest inspection.

The report added: “They make informed decisions to drive improvement as they regularly review and refine the curriculum in response to children’s needs.” It was also said that children show a “sense of belonging” when attending the nursery.

To improve its rating, Ofsted recommended a number of next steps. These were:

• Leaders should support staff to consistently allow younger children to demonstrate and practise their independence, giving them more opportunities to complete tasks on their own before providing support;
• Leaders should continue to build on staff practice to support older children to develop their critical thinking skills;
• Leaders should have a more focused approach to increasing children’s awareness of a healthy lifestyle.

Ms Seaman added: “This achievement is a wonderful recognition of how far we have come and the determination of everyone involved. It celebrates not only our staff, but also the incredible support of our families and local community who have believed in us every step of the way.

“Most importantly, this result reflects what we see every day – happy children, thriving in a safe, caring and stimulating environment. We are immensely proud of this milestone and excited for the future as our nursery continues to grow from strength to strength.”

Officers also discovered the man had exposed himself to other women on Christmas Day

A predator who sexually assaulted a woman in her own home has been jailed. Christopher Boulton, 78, assaulted the woman at her home in South Cambridgeshire on December 29, 2025.

Boulton entered the woman’s house, forced her into her bedroom, and touched her in a sexual way. He also threatened to kill her if she called the police and exposed himself while attacking her.

The victim, who is in her 70s, managed to fight him off and escape. Cambridgeshire Police found Boulton later that night at his home in Wilford Furlong, Willingham, where he assaulted the arresting officer.

During the police investigation, officers discovered Boulton had been exposing himself to passers-by, including on Christmas Day when he twice stepped outside his home naked and stared at women.

Boulton pleaded guilty to trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence, sexual assault, three counts of exposure, and assaulting an emergency worker. He was sentenced to six years in prison after appearing at Peterborough Crown Court on Friday, April 24. He was also handed an indefinite restraining order and an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

DC William Kerslake said: “The victim was in the one place she should feel absolutely safe, her own home. I am pleased Boulton was identified quickly because he is a danger to women.

“It’s another example of where ‘lower level’ sexual offending, such as exposure, can quickly escalate. I would urge people to continue to report all offences to us and help bring offenders to justice.”

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A minister has outlined upcoming reforms to address the Housing Benefit and Universal Credit ‘cliff edge’ for claimants in supported housing and temporary accommodation, due in autumn 2026

The DWP has issued an update regarding forthcoming changes that will affect housing benefit and Universal Credit claimants who face a so-called ‘cliff edge’. Ministers are finalising amendments to legislation that could have far-reaching implications for the financial circumstances of claimants.

The underlying cause appears complex but carries significant weight. At present, claimants experience what is described as a ‘cliff edge’ if they reside in supported housing or temporary accommodation.

This leads to them losing benefits when they start to earn income. The point at which this occurs is now set to be revised, with modifications anticipated before the year concludes.

The regulation centres on what is referred to as ‘earned income disregards’. The Department for Work and Pensions is looking to raise the amount people can earn that is disregarded when calculating housing benefit.

The matter was brought to public attention following a parliamentary question tabled in recent days. Lola McEvoy, a Labour MP for Darlington, asked the DWP what the ‘planned timetable is for the implementation of the earned income disregards; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of these changes.”, reports the Mirror.

Changes were announced during Rachel Reeves’ Budget last year. However, specifics regarding the implementation date remain to be confirmed. The Budget papers stated at the time: “The government is introducing new earned income disregards in Housing Benefit for claimants in supported housing and temporary accommodation. This will reduce the financial cliff edge when moving into, or progressing in, work, ensuring that work pays.”

A minister has now provided further details in response to the Labour MP’s enquiry. Stephen Timms – Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions), said: “As announced at Autumn Budget, the department will be introducing new earned income disregards for those in receipt of Housing Benefit and live in Supported Housing and Temporary Accommodation. These disregards will help smooth the transition between the Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for individuals in Supported Housing and Temporary Accommodation as they move into work or increase their earnings, ensuring work always pays.”

“The new disregards will be in place from autumn 2026. This will require legislative changes and be accompanied by IT changes made to local authority IT systems. In preparation for this, we have already begun engagement with stakeholders to ensure that the implementation meets the needs of those affected. This is accompanied by clear communications to support local authorities, housing providers and third sector organisations to ensure that eligible customers are aware of and able to utilise this change.” Industry specialists argue the present system is deterring numerous individuals from pursuing work. In a briefing note to the DWP, homelessness charity St Mungo’s explained: “Supported housing exists to help people to live as independently as possible, helping improve their quality of life, their well-being, their health, and their employment prospects.”

“Yet people in supported housing face a specific barrier and disincentive to work due to the way the welfare system is configured. Whereas people in receipt of benefits in the Private Rented Sector become steadily better off the more they work, people in supported housing see their benefits taken away more quickly and can actually become worse off when they work more hours.

“This is because of an anomaly in the benefit system where people in supported housing are still receiving Housing Benefit for their rent but are on Universal Credit for their living costs. The way these two benefits interact, and the high Housing Benefit taper rate (set at 65%), means that people hit a ‘cliff edge’ after which they become worse off as they increase their hours. This puts residents at risk of accruing arrears as the rent becomes unaffordable.”

The charity stated that “because of this cliff edge and the fear of people not being able to afford their rent, we often see residents’ securing jobs that they need to turn down because they are ‘too many hours’.” It cautioned that those already in full-time employment frequently request reduced hours or abandon work altogether when part-time options are unavailable.

It noted: “Residents can also understandably be anxious about entering employment whilst in supported housing, due to the complexity and risk associated with the current benefit rules. When St Mungo’s clients were asked in its 2023 survey – ‘What barriers put you off from going into work, if any?’ 27% of its residents stated ‘I’m concerned that working whilst living in homelessness accommodation will cause problems with my benefits’.”

Local News

Toshiaki Takenaka, 21, has been missing since April 21, Cambridge police said.

By Carson Lyle

April 26, 2026 | 6:27 PM

Less than a minute to read

Cambridge police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a young man who went missing last week, police said.

Toshiaki Takenaka, 21, has not been seen since April 21. His family has not seen or heard from him since then, which is “unusual,” Cambridge police said in a Facebook post.

Takenaka has not shown up to work or been at his home, police said. 

Police described Takenaka as 5’ 7”, with a medium build and dark hair, the post said.

Anyone with information regarding Takenaka’s location should contact (617) 349-3300, police said.

Spring is in full bloom and with the sun shining, it’s the perfect time to explore some scenic sights. There are many places that offer some pretty places to walk in the warmer weather.

One glorious place to visit for a delightful walk is Kathy Brown’s Garden in Stevington, Bedfordshire, which is just over an hour’s drive from Cambridge. The gardens are said to be “overflowing with bulbs and blossoms”, at this time of the year.

It is made up of four and a half acres, and has been over 30 years in the making. It was first created by Simon and Kathy Brown in 1991. The couple planned their garden out, firstly by planting a cottage-styled garden at the back of their home. It started with the planting of hostas, ferns and foxgloves in shady places, followed by flowering clematis and roses.

Over the years, the gardens grew and they have become a popular attraction to visit. The gardens are open to the public, but are only open for a limited time. The gardens are open on the following dates over the next few months:

May

June

• June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 (Tuesdays)

• June 20 (Charity open day for Guide Dogs)

• June 21 (Father’s Day)

• June 27 (Evening, bring your own picnic)

July

• July 7, 21 (Tuesdays)

• July 16 (Special event)

• July 18

August

• August 4, 11,18, 25 (Tuesdays)

• August 15

• August 20 (Special event)

• August 22

• August 31 (Bank Holiday Monday)

September

• September 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 (Tuesdays)

• September 10 (Special event)

• September 12

Tea, coffee, squash, apple juice and Kathy’s homemade cakes are available to purchase on visits to the gardens. There is also a shop that sells gifts and books to inspire gardeners.

Free parking is available for visitors. The gardens cost £11 for adults to visit, £5.50 for children aged between four and 17 and entry is free for children under three years old.

The East of England – where some councils send recycling more than 400 miles away – has “weaknesses” in its waste infrastructure, a meeting has heard.

Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council’s recycling waste has been transported to Newry in Northern Ireland since March 2025.

Bryony Rothwell, waste partnership manager for Recycling in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough (RECAP), told a Cambridgeshire County Council meeting it was “nationally recognised” the East of England did not have enough capacity for particular materials.

She said her teams were considering potentially building and operating a facility themselves.

The RECAP waste partnership is made up of all the local authorities in Cambridgeshire and the unitary authority of Peterborough.

Thursday’s environment and green investment committee endorsed a new RECAP waste strategy, which according to council papers, aims to “reduce levels of waste within the county by 2031 and also increase the capture of recycling, all aimed at reducing reliance on landfill”.

The Labour administration at Cambridge City Council has said that the Newry-based waste management firm Re-Gen offered the best option on cost and processing quality.

Green councillor Darren Green questioned whether the strategy would address the issue of transporting waste a long distance for reprocessing.

Rothwell responded: “The strategy does give a sense of direction from the partnership, which is acknowledging the weaknesses within infrastructure within the East of England.

“It’s been nationally recognised that we don’t have sufficient waste capacity for particular materials, such as dry mixed and recycling.”

She continued: “We recognise that that is a long journey to potentially build and operate a facility… but that’s something that the strategy was aiming to explore and see whether it is viable or whether we’d need to carry on going through the mainstream and the market providing solutions for us.”

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Truancy rates have been going down, but have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels

The school with the worst attendance rate in Cambridgeshire has been named. Newly released data from the Department of Education shows the rate of truancy, or unauthorised absences from school, in every state-funded secondary school in the country.

Pupils at state-funded secondaries in Cambridgeshire missed the equivalent of around one in 42 days through unauthorised absences in the 2024/25 academic year, equalling a rate of 2.4% lost “school sessions”. This rate was well below the national average of 3.2% which was also down from 3.5% in 2023/24 and 3.4% in 2022/23.

However, truancy rates both nationally and in Cambridgeshire have never recovered to their pre-pandemic numbers where only 1.8% of sessions were lost nationally to unauthorised absences. The rates of truancy were also far higher at certain schools compared to others.

City of Peterborough Academy had the highest rate in Cambridgeshire, with around one in every 15 school sessions last year (6.5%) lost due to unauthorised absences. That saw the school ranked 233rd in the whole of England.

A spokesperson for the Academy said: “We are committed to supporting strong attendance for all our pupils, recognising the clear link between regular attendance and positive educational outcomes. Since the 2024/25 academic year, the Academy has taken positive steps to strengthen attendance, including drawing on best practice and effective strategies from across the Trust.

“Our focus remains on ensuring that every pupil is supported to attend regularly, access the full benefits of their education and be well-prepared for life beyond the school gates.”

Thomas Deacon Academy in Peterborough had the county’s next highest rate of unauthorised absences at 4.8%. That was followed by St Peter’s School in Cambridgeshire at 4.3%, and Neale-Wade Academy at 4.1%

You can check to see how your child’s school is performing with our interactive list below.

The schools with the 10 worst rates in Cambridgeshire are as follows:

National rank. School: Unauthorised absence rate

233. City of Peterborough Academy, Peterborough: 6.5%

657. Thomas Deacon Academy, Peterborough: 4.8%

838. St Peter’s School, Cambridgeshire: 4.3%

953. Neale-Wade Academy, Cambridgeshire: 4.1%

980. North Cambridge Academy, Cambridgeshire: 4.0%

981. Queen Katharine Academy, Peterborough: 4.0%

1293. Longsands Academy, Cambridgeshire: 3.5%

1343. Thomas Clarkson Academy, Cambridgeshire: 3.4%

1403. Cambridge Academy for Science and Technology, Cambridgeshire: 3.3%

1636. Cromwell Community College, Cambridgeshire: 3.0%

Truancy has shown to have potentially detrimental consequences to children’s development and academic attainment.

Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, argued that the government needs to take more responsibility for unauthorised absences. “Schools are working very hard to reduce absences and improve attendance because every day counts in terms of good outcomes and life chances,” he said.

“Absence is driven by a range of complex factors… and what we need is more support from the government to deal with some of these issues. This includes things like better access to mental health support for children who are experiencing severe school anxiety, and more attendance officers who can work with families to get children back into education.”

Di’Iasio also cited parents taking their children on holiday during term time, often in an attempt to avoid the surge pricing that typically occurs during term breaks, as a major contributor to the attendance rats. “We would like to see the government engage with the travel industry to limit the massive price hikes which take place in school holiday periods and clearly drive this behaviour,” he said.