Issue - meetings

Matter for Decision

The Officer’s report provided an update on the key external partnerships the Council was involved with as part of a commitment given in the Council’s “Principles of Partnership Working”.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Strategy and Transformation

i.       To continue to work with the Greater Cambridge Partnership and other growth-related partnerships and to work with the new model of delivery for the Local Enterprise Partnership under the Combined Authority, so that together we can address the strategic issues affecting Cambridge, to the overall benefit of citizens.

ii.      To continue to work within the Cambridge Community Safety Partnership to fulfill our obligations to help reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in the city.

 

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 Head of Corporate Strategy.

 

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

     i.        Referred to p108 of the officer’s report and asked whether the Housing Development Agency was truly a creature of the Greater Cambridge Partnership and how the Leader saw this going forward given that the views of Cambridgeshire County Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council diverged. 

    ii.        It was understood that the Housing Development Agency was intended to be self-financing and questioned whether the City Council would have to pay in the future for its services.

   iii.        Commented that it would be interesting to see how the Greater Cambridge Partnership would relate to the Combined Authority in relation to skills.

  iv.        Made reference to the digital wayfinding project in paragraph 5.9 and the City Access package in paragraph 5.12 of the officer’s report.

   v.        Asked whether the Cambridge Community Safety Partnership was involved in the Police restructure in the City.

 

The Strategic Director said the following in response to Members’ questions:

     i.        Cambridgeshire County Council had taken the decision to transfer its assets into its own development company but they may require the expertise of the Housing Development Agency to deal with more complex issues.

    ii.        South Cambridgeshire District Council had taken services back in house but they may also require the Housing Development Agency’s expertise on complex sites.

 

The Executive Councillor for Strategy and Transformation said the following in response to Members’ questions:

       i.       The Housing Development Agency was created before the devolution arrangements.

     ii.       The Combined Authority was a commissioning body so it may be able to lead on some of the projects.

    iii.       The City Council wanted to get the best out of the Housing Development Agency and he believed that it would be self-financing as it could also win projects from other people in the future.

   iv.       The fact that the Greater Cambridge Partnership focussed on skills was important.

     v.       Confirmed that he had been consulted in advance about the restructure of the policing in the City and across the force area.

   vi.       Confirmed that his focus for policing would be to maintain neighbourhood policing and he would lobby for resources to continue to be focussed in the city. 

 

The Committee endorsed the recommendations by 4 votes to 0:

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

 

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

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.