Agenda item

Councillor G J Bull, Executive Leader to present on the activities of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.

Councillors D B Dew  and T D Sanderson to provide an update on the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor L W McGuire to provide an update on the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Audit and Governance Committee.

Decision summaries for recent meetings of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Audit and Governance Committee and Board are attached to the Agenda for information.

In accordance with the Protocol agreed at the February 2017 meeting, this item provides an opportunity for District Council Members to ask questions and comment on Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority issues.

If Members wish to raise questions or issues requiring a detailed response, it would be helpful if they can provide prior notice so that the necessary information can be obtained in advance of the meeting

In conjunction with the decision summaries of the recent meetings of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, Councillor G J Bull presented an update of their activities. Copies of the decision summaries are appended in the Minute Book.

Councillor Bull explained that the Combined Authority had been through a number of staff changes with the departure of the Chief Executive and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had been investigating this. A new Finance Director had been appointed. Following his appointment, he had focussed upon the prioritisation of schemes into a list of deliverable projects. It was reported that the Business Board that had replaced the Local Enterprise Partnership had been formed and appointments made from an industrial sector basis.

It was further reported upon the new governance arrangements of the establishment of transport, housing and skills committees and Councillor Bull explained that he was a member of the transport and skills committees and had asked Councillor Fuller to represent the Council on the housing committee.

Members were provided with an update on the Mayor’s work on the Cambridge Autonomous Metro (CAM) with the Greater Cambridgeshire Partnership and a route to be announced for Cambridge to Cambourne and Councillor Bull also appraised Members with an update of items for their next meeting in October.

Councillor Mrs S J Conboy thanked the Managing Director and Combined Authority for sharing the Industrial Strategy document and reported that a number of members had met informally with the Mayor to raise the question regarding impact at parish level and was disappointed with his response and suggestion of responsibility, whereby Councillor Bull undertook to take this issue back to raise at a future meeting.

Councillor B S Chapman highlighted his impression of the Mayor’s progress, but also indicated his concern that provision for the Metro into the development at Loves Farm and Wintringham Park had not been highlighted and undertook to bring to the attention at the Combined Authority Working Party on St Neots regeneration. As well as the infrastructure, Councillor Chapman indicated his concern that there was a requirement for the digital infrastructure to be in place alongside such development, whereby Councillor Bull reported that digital communications was high on their Agenda and routes for the CAM had yet to be decided.

Arising from concern expressed by Councillor D R Underwood that feeder bus services would be side-lined at the expense of development of the Mayoral Transport Strategy, Councillor Bull reported that the Mayor had been looking at bus provision including the potential for a subsidy to increase specific services and dialogue between the District Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council on bus provision cross border would continue.

Councillors and T D Sanderson and J Neish provided an update on the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee, in particular their focus upon the recent staff turnover with the recruitment processes undertaken and regard to shortlisting practices in the future.

Members were provided with an update on the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Audit and Governance Committee by Councillor L W McGuire and it was confirmed that the Committee were reassured that there was enough finance available to support the current projects, with the exception of the University of Peterborough and Mass Rapid Transport further funding options would need to be investigated. Attention was drawn to the forthcoming Agenda in November 2018 where Members would be looking at the Medium Term Financial Plan and the recommendations of the Committee to follow best HR practice in any future short listing and recruitment.