Issue - decisions

Matter for Decision: To approve Councillor Appointments to the Local Highways Improvement Panel for municipal year 2024/25

Why the Decision had to be made (and any alternative options):

The County Council have requested that two city councillor representatives are appointed to the Local Highways Improvement Panel for municipal year 2024/25. As these appointments were not made at the Council’s Annual Meeting, an out of cycle decision is required so that city councillor representatives can attend meetings and represent the Council at Panels. 

Local Highways Improvements (LHIs) is a countywide County Council led programme of work which considers suggestions from Councillors and communities for improvements to their local highways. The proposed programme of work will be taken to the Cambridge Joint Area Committee (CJAC) for comment prior to any bids being taken to the County Council’s Highways and Transport Committee for approval.

It is the intention for CJAC to approve City Councillor appointments to any future LHIP from October 2024. 

The City Council made provision within its budget to contribute up to £35,000 per annum for 2024-2028 towards Cambridgeshire County Council’s managed programme in order for the top prioritised schemes to proceed. Local community contributions are a fundamental principle of LHIs, and without this support from the City Council a programme would be unlikely to proceed in Cambridge. The involvement of City Councillors in the prioritisation process ensures that thorough representation and scrutiny takes place.

The Executive Councillor’s decision: The appointment of Councillor Baigent and Councillor Young to the Local Highways Improvement Panel for municipal year 2024/25

Reason for the decision: As above.

Scrutiny Consideration: The Chair and Spokesperson of Planning and Transport Scrutiny Committee were consulted prior to the action being authorised.

Report: None

Conflict of interest: [None].

Comments: The Chair of the Planning and Transport Committee, Councillor Nestor and the Liberal Democrats Opposition Spokes, Councillor Porrer both provided comment they supported the decision and noted that this would be undertaken by Cambridge Joint Area Committee in future years.