Decision details

Matter for Decision

The report provided an update on the activities of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) since the 7 October meeting of Strategy & Resources Scrutiny Committee.

Decision of Executive Councillor for Strategy and External Partnerships

i.       Noted the update on issues considered at the meetings of the Combined Authority held on 30 October 2019, 27 November 2019 and 29 January 2020.

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

Scrutiny Considerations

The Committee received a report from the Chief Executive and noted the decision notice of the Combined Authority Board meeting held on the 29 January 2020, which was circulated at the meeting.

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

i.               Asked why the lead members and chairs of committees  in the Combined Authority structure did not have a representative from Cambridge City or South Cambridgeshire District Council.

ii.             Questioned the £100,000 homes business case.

iii.            Asked if the Local Transport Plan which had been approved at the most recent Combined Authority Board meeting had retained reference to the role about demand management and highway congestion.

iv.           Questioned what the impending Cam Metro consultation would be about as there seemed to be little or no information about it.

Councillor Herbert said the following in response to Members’ questions:

      i.         The Combined Authority Mayor appointed the Deputy Mayor and the lead members.  Neither he nor the leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council had been appointed to chair any of the committees. 

    ii.         The committee model had improved representation on the Combined Authority and he noted that there had been a number of changes to various local authority leaders since the inception of the Combined Authority.

   iii.         The homes business case was about trialling different types of development within the different Combined Authority areas. He hoped to see trials in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire but this would depend on how the funding could be brought together. 

  iv.         He would follow up the Local Transport Plan query.

    v.         He could not add anything further to the query regarding the Cam Metro consultation. He hoped as the authority most affected that the City Council would have had the opportunity to see the consultation before it went public however, he anticipated that the City Council would see the consultation at the same time as everyone else.

The Committee noted the report.

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.