17 THE CAMBRIDGESHIRE AND PETERBOROUGH DEVOLUTION PROPOSAL, GOVERNANCE REVIEW AND SCHEME PDF 243 KB
To consider a report by the Managing Director and the Monitoring Officer regarding proposals to establish a Combined Authority across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Contact: J Lancaster 388301 J Slatter 388103
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Further to Minute No. 60 of the meeting of the Council on 24th February 2016, the Council considered a report by the Managing Director and Monitoring Officer (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) to which was attached Appendices relating to the establishment of a Combined Authority across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough including the results of a Governance Review, a Devolution Deal proposal and draft Governance Scheme.
Members were acquainted with a presentation by Mr M Whiteley, Devolution Programme Manager. A copy of the PowerPoint presentation is appended in the Minute Book and would be circulated to all Members following the meeting. Mr Whiteley provided an overview of the Devolution Deal for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and highlighted the financial package available that was substantially more than the deal in Manchester. Members attention was drawn to the substantial rewards available through income and power.
The Council were informed of the changed geography of the deal since it was last considered and now only covered Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. The investment through the deal would provide infrastructure investment of £20m per annum over 30 years, although not linked to inflation and a Housing Fund of £100m over five years.
Mr Whiteley referred to a meeting of Leaders and Chief Officers on 19 January 2016, whereby discussion ensued on the major challenges faced by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough including the provision of and correct mix of housing. Other areas highlighted included investment in the transport system and the considerable skills shortages.
Members were informed of the benefits of Devolution that would enable Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to create more investment to deliver economic growth and speed up the delivery of infrastructure to support the development. The Council were also advised of the benefits to the residents and businesses in Huntingdonshire, in particular the recognition of St Neots as a growth area.
Particular attention was drawn to the provision of multi-year transport budgets that would replace budgets previously not fixed which would provide infrastructure to support housing and employment developments. Attention was also drawn to potential to input into transport franchises and development of transport solutions such as a single ticketing model.
A comparison was provided of how Devolution could enable and accelerate the delivery of infrastructure compared to the top infrastructure priorities identified by the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the additional funding through Devolution could be made available to identify infrastructure relevant to the area, as well as levering private sector investment.
Members were acquainted with details of a the development of a stronger role in the delivery of future housing proposals through a non-statutory Cambridgeshire and Peterborough spatial plan, plans for a suitably skilled workforce to exploit growth opportunities and the redesigning of public services through an integrated employment service delivered locally.
The Council were advised of the timetable for the establishment of a Combined Authority with a directly elected Mayor with first elections in May 2017. The Combined Authority would include representatives from each authority and ... view the full minutes text for item 17
Following the meeting of the Council held immediately prior to this meeting, to consider a report by the Managing Director and the Monitoring Officer regarding proposals to establish a Combined Authority across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Contact: J Lancaster 388301 J Slatter 388103
Decision:
i) Endorses the conclusions and the outcome of the Governance Review, (attached at Appendix A of the Officer’s report), that the establishment of a Combined Authority with a Mayor for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area would be likely to improve the exercise of statutory functions in that area;
ii) Approves the content of the Devolution Deal proposal, (attached at Appendix C of the Officer’s report), and to formally confirm that this replaces in its entirety the East Anglia Devolution Agreement signed in March 2016;
iii) Approves the draft Governance Scheme, (attached at Appendix B of the Officer’s report), and authorise the Managing Director to make any necessary or consequential amendments in order to issue the Scheme for appropriate consultation to be undertaken on its content;
iv) Approves the arrangements for public consultation on the Governance Scheme and authorise the Managing Director in consultation with the Leader of Council to provide the Secretary of State with a summary of the consultation responses in due course; and
v) Resolves to convene a further meeting of the Cabinet to take place in October 2016 to consider whether to give consent for the Secretary of State to bring forward such an Order establishing a Combined Authority with a Mayor covering that area of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Minutes:
The Cabinet considered a report by the Managing Director (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) to enable the Cabinet to endorse and approve the relevant documents relating to the establishment of a Combined Authority across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough including the Governance Review, a Devolution Deal proposal and draft Governance Scheme.
It was a legal requirement that the Cabinet approve the consultation process and the meeting of Council held immediately prior allowed the Cabinet to have regard to the discussions of and the will of Council when considering whether to approve the recommendations as detailed in the Officer’s report.
In conjunction with the Council, Councillor R Howe moved the recommendations and was duly seconded by Councillor J A Gray. Whereupon, the Cabinet
RESOLVED
i) that the conclusions and the outcome of the Governance Review be endorsed (attached at Appendix A of the Officer’s report) that the establishment of a Combined Authority with a Mayor for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area would be likely to improve the exercise of statutory functions in that area;
ii) that the content of the Devolution Deal proposal be approved (attached at Appendix C of the Officer’s report) and formally confirmed that this replaced in its entirety the East Anglia Devolution Agreement signed in March 2016;
iii) that the draft Governance Scheme be approved (attached at Appendix B of the Officer’s report) and the Managing Director be authorised to make any necessary or consequential amendments in order to issue the Scheme for appropriate consultation to be undertaken on its content;
iv) that the arrangements for public consultation on the Governance Scheme be approved and the Managing Director be authorised, in consultation with the Leader of Council, to provide the Secretary of State with a summary of the consultation responses in due course; and
v) that a further meeting of the Cabinet be convened to take place in October 2016 to consider whether to give consent for the Secretary of State to bring forward such an Order establishing a Combined Authority with a Mayor covering that area of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.