Agenda item

Councillor R Fuller, Executive Leader to present on the activities of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.

Councillors S J Corney and D B Dew to provide an update on the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor G J Bull 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. Decision Summaries for the November meetings are marked TO FOLLOW.

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, Executive Leader, Councillor R Fuller, presented an update of their activities. Copies of the decision summaries are appended in the Minute Book.

The Executive Leader drew attention to the current items for discussion, specifically the budget setting and many different proposals with the new Mayor that were being considered alongside those that had been carried over from the previous administration. The focus has also been on climate change and whether the existing transport projects aligned with these priorities and it was anticipated that the budget proposals would be rolled over and given further consideration once the strategic direction of the new administration was determined.

Further attention was drawn to the Local Transport and Connectivity (LTCP) programme with the cancellation of proposals for the CAM and proposals for a refresh focussing on cycling and walking which was likely to be a challenge from Huntingdonshire’s perspective and other rural districts, with particular concern around rural communities accessing the bus networks. Members noted the soft launch consultation in November 2021, followed by further consultation in January 2022 on the LTCP programme.

In response to a question raised by Councillor S Wakeford on the Combined Authority’s approach to climate change and assurance that the District Council would be working as constructively as possible with the Climate Working Group, the Executive Leader explained that he had written to the mayor recently highlighting the concerns with the timescales proposed but the Council was clearly committed to addressing the issues of climate change through working together, but also expressed his disappointment with the Combined Authority’s lack of consultation and questioned their rationale for the very short notice period of four days to Council’s to respond to the Climate Change report.

Councillors S Corney and D B Dew provided an update on the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Councillor Corney reported upon the attendance of the Mayor at two of their meetings, but he had not provided any further direction as well as not providing detail on why the £100k homes project was pulled. He further highlighted his concern at the new approach to questions at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, whereby questions were being requested in advance with no ability to ask supplementary questions. This issue was further supported by Councillor Dew and highlighted his concern that the questions were heavily edited before being asked at the meeting. He further updated that he was hopeful with the transport agenda moving forward and fully supported the cycling and walking agendas being discussed.