Voice of the River on the Greater Cambridge Development Corporation

Residents of Greater Cambridge are asking for there to be a permanent voting seat for the Voice of the River on the board of the Greater Cambridge Development Corporation (the GCDC). By “the River”, we mean the catchments of all rivers affected by the GCDC’s decisions and activities (the River Cam, its tributaries and parts of the Great Ouse). ‘Catchment’ includes groundwater, chalk streams and the aquifer that we draw water from.

ReAnglia has collaborated with Water Sensitive Cambridge and members of other local organisations. On July 29 a group of us sent a letter to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government making the case that the Voice of the River would support the board to reach the best decisions possible for all stakeholders, including the river. The letter has been shared with GCDC’s interim board and officers.

UPDATE: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government replied to us in mid-August, failing to acknowledge the substance of our request and inviting us to apply to the open recruitment exercise for non-executive directors on the GCDC board. We have written back – see below.

We told them about the public support on this webpage and explained why inviting an individual to apply personally is different from a genuine Voice of the River. Without the governance features we proposed – independence to consult experts, reporting rights, and rights to flag Nature-related matters – a Voice of the River would be no different from any other Board member.

A Voice of the River is different from having an environmental specialist on the board – modelled on how courts represent parties who can’t represent themselves, it has the standing to flag matters, require published reasons, and report independently, as well as bringing a much needed alternative perspective to safeguard ecosystems that will support all life. This isn’t a fringe idea: Cambridge City Council passed a motion to recognise the rights of the River Cam unanimously in July, and over 19 UK councils have recognised river rights since 2025. It’s also increasingly urgent – Cambridge had its first hosepipe ban in 30 years this summer, amidst drought across the East of England, and biodiversity loss is rated the world’s second greatest economic risk over the next decade. We believe the Voice of the River is necessary to support delivery of the GCDC’s objectives because economic growth depends heavily on the services provided by Nature. These are not peripheral concerns, yet Nature currently has no voice in the room when development decisions are made.

Photo: The River Shep chalk stream at RSPB Fowlmere, taken by J. Ramos

ReAnglia CIC (Company No. 17185336)