Corporate Enforcement Policy
Open for comments until Friday 20 February.
We are reviewing the council’s Enforcement Policy to ensure it is fair, transparent, and supports effective regulation.
The council has a duty to enforce a wide range of statutes relating to:
- public health and safety
- quality of life
- preservation of public and residential amenity
- maintenance of the environment
- protection of public funds
All of these activities will be carried out having regard to the general principles of good enforcement practice outlined in our Corporate Enforcement Policy. This policy is in line with the Statutory Regulators Code.
The City Council has had a policy in place since 2014, and it has been reviewed regularly. The last review was completed in 2022 and the policy is now under review.
Next steps
Your feedback will help shape the final policy and improve how we work with residents, businesses, and partners.
Your views will help us make sure the policy is clear, fair, and easy to understand.
All comments will be considered and fed into the policy. The Corporate Enforcement Policy will then be published on the council's website.
Take the survey
A hard copy version of this survey can be downloaded here:
If you are completing a hard copy survey, please return it to our Customer Service Centre in person or via post at the following address:
Communications and Engagement Team, Customer Service Centre, Mandela House, 4 Regent Street, Cambridge, CB2 1BY
The survey closes on Friday 20 February 2026. Any responses received after this date will not be considered.
If you are in need of any further assistance, please email us at communications@cambridge.gov.uk.
Phases
Publish report
- Publish report with findings from survey
Corporate Enforcement Policy
How clear do you find the Enforcement Policy?
What would make the Enforcement Policy easier to understand?
Most respondents emphasised the need for the Enforcement Policy to be written in Plain English or Simple English, avoiding jargon and making it more concise. Several mentioned that the policy is currently too abstract and would benefit from real-life examples or practical context. There were also comments about accessibility, including difficulties for neurodiverse readers and technical issues such as broken hyperlinks. A few respondents indicated a lack of awareness or understanding of what the policy actually is suggesting a need for better promotion and clearer communication.
Do you think the council's approach to enforcement is fair?
Do you think the policy strikes a good balance between helping people comply and taking action when needed?
Does the policy give you confidence that the council makes enforcement decisions openly and responsibly?
Do you have any other comments?
Respondents most frequently raised concerns about the effectiveness and enforcement of corporate policy, particularly in relation to planning conditions and environmental standards. Several highlighted that enforcement is often lacking or too slow, with calls for prosecution to be more frequent and timely and for landscape planning conditions (such as replacing failed plants and trees) to be properly enforced. There were also comments about the need for clearer environmental standards and responsibilities, especially for new developments regarding water supply and waste management.
A recurring theme was dissatisfaction with communication and transparency, with respondents noting a lack of accessible information about policies and their impacts, and suggesting the council has a public relations problem. Some felt that actions often do not follow stated intentions, describing enforcement as "lip service".
Other points included concerns about the cost of enforcement to council tax payers, with suggestions it should be self-funding and the importance of fairness in the actions of those implementing the policy. There were also comments on the council’s perceived lack of kindness and its impact on general happiness. A few responses were unrelated or offered personal remarks.
Demographic of respondents
Respondents are invited to share some details about themselves as part of the registration process on our online engagement platform. This helps us better understand how representative the responses are of the people who live and work in Cambridge.
To ensure that the survey is accessible to as many people as possible, we do not make it compulsory to provide this data. The online engagement platform is continually working to improve how it presents this data.