Since 2008 I have been elected to Cambridge City Council to represent the city centre (Market Ward), which is where I live. I serve together with my Lib Dem colleague Andrea Reiner, also a City Councillor, and alongside Ed Cearns, who is a County Councillor. My email address for ward matters is: tim.bick@btinternet.com.
It is both a privilege and a challenge to represent such an iconic area as Cambridge city centre. It is great that this is not one of those depopulated city centres. Residents live here cheek by jowl with a range of other activities – commerce, study, tourism and recreation – and the balance often needs checking. And alongside great prosperity we also witness homelessness and addiction, which pre-occupies us just as much – here working with homelessness charities.
I am leader of the Liberal Democrats on the City Council. Sadly, as result of last May’s elections, control of the council switched from Liberal Democrat to Labour and we are now in opposition. We have much to be proud of in leading the city over 14 years: both its standout success over that period and the way we put emphasis on safeguarding the vulnerable and the disadvantaged – while steering the city’s finances in difficult times. Our vision for this liberal city still holds. The fight back has begun. In the meantime our role is to hold Labour to account.
As Leader of the Council until last May, I initiated and led the successful negotiations with central government for the Greater Cambridge City Deal. This ground breaking deal, one of the highest value such deals in the UK, will enable the investment of £1bn in local transport infrastructure. Focus on public transport, cycling and walking is badly needed. It also brings the 3 councils governing Greater Cambridge together to act as one in creating and delivering a plan, along with the University of Cambridge and the Local Enterprise Partnership.
Tim Bick 