Each month I write a column for the Cambridge Independent (online here but it will ask you to acccept coookies or pay) that’s also published on the City Council website.
However I believe in a principle known as POSSE, which stands for Publish (on your) Own Site, Syndicate Elsewhere. You never know when someone else’s site will go away or add a paywall, so it’s worth having your own copy, under your control.
So here it is.
As the leader of Cambridge City Council, I often find myself reflecting on the issues that keep us up at night, not just as politicians, but as neighbours, parents, and members of a vibrant, interconnected community. And the recent hot weather, which has made it hard to sleep for many of us, has given me lots of time to consider the connections between climate change and two of the issues which got me into local politics in the first place – water and food.
Before I became a councillor I studied food policy and campaigned for food security. In 2024 the council’s support for the Cambridge Sustainable Food Partnership helped the city obtain a Gold Award from Sustainable Food Places, recognising Cambridge as leading the way in transforming local food systems to better serve our communities, the environment and the local economy.
However, it was always clear that water supplies in Cambridge were limited and precious, and the needs of farmers, developers and residents sometimes came into conflict. In 2019 I organised awater crisis forum with experts and local people to talk about the wider issues of how to get enough water to support the city as it developed, and the use of water for farming was one of the issues we discussed.
Continue reading “Joining the dots between water, food, and a growing city”