Agenda item

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

Councillors D B Dew and M A Hassall to provide an update on the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor S J Corney 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 and PowerPoint presentation, the Executive Leader, Councillor S J Conboy, presented an update of their activities. Copies of the decision summaries and presentation are appended in the Minute Book.

Councillor Conboy drew attention to the Green Homes Grant and Local Authority Delivery (LAD2) scheme and disappointment that part of the funding had been returned and not utilised to support low income and low energy rated households due to the scale of the task and practicalities of delivery and had made it clear that lessons needed to be learnt for future delivery of such projects. Similarly, the sustainable warmth project had not been delivered on time and was disappointed with progress.

Councillor Conboy reflected positively on the Changing Futures Programme that had been funded for the past three years, helping those in communities with the support of a Trusted Person. Reference was made to approval of the business case for the Huntingdon Biodiversity for All Project which was good news for Huntingdon to take forward climate commitment and the Shared Prosperity Fun Investment Plan and confirmed the Huntingdonshire projects that had been submitted for approval.

Attention was drawn to the Councillor Conboy’s concern for the inefficiency of the Board and the impact of delaying the delivery of projects on Huntingdonshire, but was reassured by the appointment of the new Interim Chief Executive and Senior Leadership Team and the emergence of an Improvement Plan to address ongoing issues and future work programme. She also reported upon the successful release of funding for the A141 St Ives business case and challenges of withdrawal of services by Stagecoach, with the outcome of the tender process by the Combined Authority to replace those services yet to be confirmed. Councillor Conboy encouraged Members to access the link to the Greater Cambridge Partnership City Access Scheme and drew attention to its relevance to the bus network and active travel in Huntingdonshire encouraging feedback to the consultation once live.

In response to a question raised by Councillor I D Gardener on the lack of bus service provision in the proposed bus network to the west and north of Huntingdonshire, whereby Councillor Conboy assured Members that the concern would be raised to ensure that any network covered the whole of Huntingdonshire, including the rural areas.

Arising from a question from Councillor J Neish on the potential for Huntingdonshire in future projects Councillor Conboy confirmed that with the new management structure in place she was confident of seeing an improvement and also reported that the focus should be wider to think about other partnerships that the District Council could join in Cambridgeshire, opening up wider opportunities for collaboration.

In welcoming the feedback from the Executive Leader, Councillor J A Gray referenced the investigations at the Combined Authority and expectation of moving beyond the current situation, whereby Councillor Conboy expressed her similar concerns and reported that she had been assured that matters would be resolved soon and was equally keen to have a determination to move forward. Councillor Gray further referenced recent statements from the Interim Chief Executive and the non-existence of basic elements of governance and Councillor Conboy reassured Members that she would do all she could to ensure that any progress on this was timely and effective to ensure that the Combined Authority could be held to account.

Councillor M A Hassall provided an update from the July 2022 meeting of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee. He reported that the largest focus of the meeting was surrounding the Improvement Plan and attendance by the Interim Chief Executive to address the risk that the Government could bring in commissioners to run the Combined Authority and drew attention to the significant issue of vacant posts at the Combined Authority that had been delayed by the governance arrangements and the changes made to recruit without Board approval to avoid any further delays in recruitment. He was reassured that the Interim Management Structure was taking the right steps forward in its improvement journey.

Members were provided with an update on the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Audit and Governance Committee by Councillor S J Corney and he referred to the recent meeting with attendance by the Interim Chief Executive and Ernst and Young Auditors. In particular concerns with the red actions highlighted on the Corporate Risk Register but was reassured by action proposed to manage the risks. He further reported that the Committee had requested attendance by representatives of the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities but this invitation had been declined at the present time to allow for the establishment of the improvement measures that had been put in place.