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.

In light of the dates on which the meetings were held there are no decision summaries attached to the Agenda for March 2023 on this occasion. All reports will be verbal.

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.

The Executive Leader, Councillor S J Conboy presented an update of the activities of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority. The Council were advised of the availability of a new Monthly Highlights report which provided a general update on the key activities of the Combined Authority, copies of which could be provided to all Members.

Members noted that the Improvement Programme was making good progress, although there was still further work to be done around procurement and value for money. It was also reported that changes to the Combined Authority Governance Arrangements and Constitution had also been approved and details of the Oxford Pan-Regional Partnership were also starting to emerge.

The Executive Leader was pleased to report that a funding request under the Market Towns Programme for Huntingdon and St Ives Market Town had been successful so funding would be available for Broadway (St Ives) Cycle Link Scheme, St Ives Community Bandstand, Shop Front Grant Scheme, Cromwell Museum Expansion and Huntingdon Bid Visitor Information. Amendments to the St Neots Masterplan had also been agreed.

Council then received a brief update on the Greater Southeast Net Zero Hub Local Energy Advice Demonstrator Projects and noted that more retrofit schemes were in the pipeline. Members were also advised that Skills Committee had recommended more funding for Cambridgeshire Regional College including the Huntingdon site and an increase in multiple maths courses. It was also reported that Peterborough were developing a new electric bus depot and the Executive Leader reiterated that she was still lobbying for transport in the northwest and buses and was expecting further information shortly.

Finally details of the newly appointed Chief Executive of the Combined Authority were reported to the Council meeting. Arising from which and having welcomed the new appointment, Councillor Gray sought clarification as to what the Executive Leader considered to be his most pressing challenges.

In response to a question from Councillor R J West, Councillor Conboy reiterated that it was important to be clear about what Huntingdonshire gets from the Combined Authority. She indicated that there was an ongoing challenge to be addressed which hindered the ability for the planning of large-scale strategic projects This point would continue to be made to Government at every opportunity. 

Councillor Ferguson requested that the Executive Leader remind the new Chief Executive that after Peterborough, Huntingdonshire was the most populous District in the County.

With the assistance of a PowerPoint presentation (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book), Councillors M A Hassall and J Neish provided an update on the activities of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

In doing so, the Council’s attention was drawn to the areas of focus incorporated within the reframed Improvement Plan.  Improvement Framework which had been reframed. Work was ongoing to improve the effectiveness of the Committee and several improvement proposals were now in place to improve the situation. It was hoped to see an improvement by June 2023.

There was no update from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Audit and Governance Committee.