Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

Combined Authority Board - Wednesday, 22nd January, 2025 10.00 am

Venue: The Maltings, Ship Lane, Ely, CB7 4BB

Contact: Alison Marston 

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence

To receive any apologies for absence; and to receive notification of substitutions.

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Al Kingsley (with Nitin Patel substituting) and from Councillor Edna Murphy.

2.

Minutes of the previous meetings pdf icon PDF 200 KB

To approve the minutes of the meetings held on 13 November 2024 and 13 December 2024 and to note the action log.

Additional documents:

Decision:

The minutes of the meetings on 13 November 2024 and 13 December 2024 were approved as an accurate record and signed by the Mayor. The Action Log was noted.

Minutes:

The minutes of the meetings on 13 November 2024 and 13 December 2024 were approved as an accurate record and signed by the Mayor. The Action Log was noted.

3.

Declaration of Interests

To receive any declarations of Members’ disclosable pecuniary interests, non-disclosable pecuniary interests and non-pecuniary interests in respect of items on this agenda.

Minutes:

Councillor Chris Boden declared an interest as a trustee of FACT Community Transport.

4.

Announcements

To receive any announcements from the Mayor.

Minutes:

No announcements were made.

5.

Public Questions

To receive any questions from, and provide answers to the public in accordance with Standing Order 5.22 in the Combined Authority’s Constitution.

Arrangements for asking a public question can be viewed here: Public Questions - Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority

Minutes:

No public questions were received.

6.

Petitions

To receive any petitions in accordance with Standing Order 5.34 of the Combined Authority’s Constitution.

Minutes:

No petitions were received.

7.

Forward Plan

To approve the Combined Authority’s Forward Plan for January 2025. The Forward Plan is published here.

Decision:

It was resolved to:

A    Approve the Forward Plan for January 2025

Minutes:

It was resolved unanimously to:

A    Approve the Forward Plan for January 2025

8.

Combined Authority Membership Update pdf icon PDF 141 KB

Report advising of amendments to the membership of the regulatory and thematic committees since the last meeting of the Combined Authority Board.

Decision:

It was resolved to:

A    Note the temporary change in substitute member from East Cambridgeshire District Council on the Combined Authority’s Audit and Governance Committee at the 28 November 2024 meeting.

B    Note the temporary change in substitute member from Peterborough City Council on the Combined Authority Board at the 13 December 2024 meeting.

C    Note the change in substitute appointments from Huntingdonshire District Council on the Combined Authority’s Environment and Sustainable Communities, and Skills and Employment Committees.

D    Note the appointment of substitute member from Cambridge City Council on the Combined Authority’s Audit and Governance Committee.

E    Note the temporary change in substitute member from Cambridge City Council on the Combined Authority’s Skills and Employment Committee at the 20 January 2025 meeting.

Minutes:

The Board received a report outlining changes to the membership of board and committees of the Combined Authority.

It was resolved to:

A    Note the temporary change in substitute member from East Cambridgeshire District Council on the Combined Authority’s Audit and Governance Committee at the 28 November 2024 meeting.

B    Note the temporary change in substitute member from Peterborough City Council on the Combined Authority Board at the 13 December 2024 meeting.

C    Note the change in substitute appointments from Huntingdonshire District Council on the Combined Authority’s Environment and Sustainable Communities, and Skills and Employment Committees.

D    Note the appointment of substitute member from Cambridge City Council on the Combined Authority’s Audit and Governance Committee.

E    Note the temporary change in substitute member from Cambridge City Council on the Combined Authority’s Skills and Employment Committee at the 20 January 2025 meeting.  

9.

Combined Authority Chief Executive Highlights Report pdf icon PDF 141 KB

Report providing an update on the key activities of the Combined Authority and the Mayor since the last Board meeting which are not covered in other reports. Also providing information on key developments, risks and opportunities that have emerged.

Decision:

It was resolved to:

A    Note the contents of the report

Minutes:

The Chief Executive introduced the report, emphasising the importance of understanding the timing and legislative requirements of the white paper. The scope within the budget allows for necessary adjustments, and updates will be provided to the board. Work on the spending review and Local Growth Plan (LGP) is ongoing, focusing on new burdens funding and key regional projects like the Ely Junction. All Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) are awaiting a remit letter in February to guide their efforts.

Homes England's Strategic Partnership Programme (SPP) is expected to receive official sign-off soon, with governance structures being established to identify opportunities. The local visitor economy partnership is being developed in collaboration with Visit England, as Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is one of very few areas in the country which does not have one.

The parliamentary event for the launch of UKREiiF is scheduled for Monday, with high attendance expected. This event is part of the preparation for UKREiiF in May, highlighting the importance of investing in the region and linking to the LGP.

Concerns were raised about the Greater Cambridge Transport Strategy's timeline, with a draft document expected in the summer and consultation in the autumn. The complexity and challenges of the strategy were acknowledged, and assurances were sought regarding adequate resourcing to address these issues, as well as engagement with wider stakeholders. Officers confirmed the work is being undertaken by the Greater Cambridgeshire Partnership (GCP) team with direction from a senior officer steering group and members group. Officers are very aware of the milestones around the Local plan and will ensure the correct resource is in place at the various stages in order for milestones to be achieved. An update is being taken to the meeting of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee later this week, with a further update expected in March, which can include an engagement plan.

Members requested more detail regarding the Tiger on Demand figures, with a breakdown to include the number of actual passenger journeys and a definition of a “trip”. Officers confirmed this data is going to be regularly reported to the Transport and Infrastructure Committee as well as the Board so more information will be included going forward.

Discussions also covered the impact of potential changes in local government reorganisation, with a focus on maintaining effective decision-making and collaboration among constituent councils. The importance of clear communication, data sharing, and finding positive outcomes was emphasised.

It was resolved to:

A    Note the contents of the report

10.

Mayor's Budget pdf icon PDF 161 KB

Report recommending for Board approval, the Mayor’s budget proposals for the Medium-Term Financial Plan period covering 2025-26 to 2028-29, including the proposal to maintain the Mayoral General Precept at £36 per annum for a Band D property.

Additional documents:

Decision:

It was resolved to:

A    Note the proposed Mayoral budget for 2025-26, including the proposal to maintain the precept at £36 for a Band D property, and to provide comments to the Mayor regarding the proposed Mayoral Budget.

B    Approve the draft Mayoral Budget, including the proposed Mayoral precept noted above.

C    Delegate minor changes to the Mayor’s budget, due to finalisation of council tax base figures, to the Executive Director of Resources.

Minutes:

The Mayor presented the proposed budget for the financial year 2025/26, taking the opportunity to clarify that the £1.59 million within the budget for “Election Costs” is for the democratic process of undertaking the mayoral election, not for the Mayor's campaign. He also confirmed that the budget for conference attendance has not been utilised during his tenure and suggested that it may be removed in the future.

Councillor Chris Boden raised concerns about the mayoral precept for bus services, particularly in Fenland, where bus services have deteriorated. The Mayor acknowledged the challenges but highlighted CPCA efforts to save and improve bus routes, including new proposed routes and procurement processes. He emphasised that while there have been setbacks, there have also been substantive improvements.

While expressing her support for freezing the mayoral precept, Councillor Anna Bailey noted the failure to deliver all the promised bus services. She highlighted the frustration of residents who have been paying the increased precept without seeing the expected improvements. She called for better allocation of subsidies and more effective use of public funds. Officers confirmed that work is ongoing to develop a timetable for the number 9 bus route, with further investment planned; explaining the complexities of maintaining bus services and the need for public intervention.

Voicing support of the budget, Councillor Lucy Nethsingha acknowledged the challenges of setting council tax but emphasised the benefits of the contributions, such as the TIGER passes for under-25s. She highlighted the importance of these passes in providing access to employment and education for young people who cannot afford a car.

Councillor Bridget Smith queried the Tiger Pass engagement percentage (referenced in the Chief Executive Highlights Report in paragraph 4.1) , which officers confirmed to be the percentage of people who were engaged with and then went further in the process. Industry standard was stated to be about 0.5% so the engagement of 2.69% far exceeds this. 

Expressing her support of the budget, Councillor Sarah Conboy noted the importance of public money achieving high standards and the need for a direction of travel for rural areas. She emphasised the challenges of increasing services without clear funding solutions and the importance of working together to deliver for the community.

Councillor Anna Smith confirmed Cambridge City Council’s support of this budget, commenting that the subsidy for the bus fare cap is money well spent. She also highlighted the fact that the CPCA share of residents’ council tax bills is very small.

The Mayor concluded by emphasising the need for sustainable bus routes and exploring alternative solutions like Demand Responsive Transport (DRT), community car networks and working with other partners like the NHS. He acknowledged the challenges of reversing 40 years of bus deregulation and called for continued efforts to improve public transport services in the region.

The board resolved to support the budget, recognizing the challenges and the need for continued efforts to improve public transport services in the region.

On being proposed by the Mayor, seconded by Councillor Dennis Jones, it  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

Draft 2025/26 Corporate Strategy and Budget and Medium-Term Financial Plan 2025-2029 pdf icon PDF 586 KB

Report setting out the draft Corporate Strategy, following refresh and consultation with Overview and Scrutiny Committee, as well as the proposed Combined Authority draft Budget for 2025-26, the Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP) and Capital Programme for the period 2025-26 to 2028-29.

Additional documents:

Decision:

It was resolved to:

A    Note the consultation feedback received during the consultation period including the feedback from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee as set out in paragraph 2.26.

B    Approve the draft Corporate Strategy following its refresh subject to the inclusion of the final financial information once the budget is approved.

C    Approve the use of the Programme Response Fund in 2024-25 and 2025-26 to support the requirements of the English Devolution White Paper with any underspend on the Fund in 2024-25 being set aside in an earmarked Response Reserve.

D    Delegate authority to the Chief Executive to approve the draw down of the Programme Response Fund in 2024-25 and 2025-26, and the earmarked Response Reserve, in relation to costs arising as a result of addressing the English Devolution White Paper.

E    Approve the inclusion of the “Connect to Work” Get Britain Working initial funding of £100k split across 2024-25 and 2025-26.  See paragraph 2.23.

F    Approve the Draft Budget for 2025-26 and the Capital Programme & Medium-Term Financial Plan 2025-26 to 2028-29 as contained in Appendices C, D and E and including project reprofiling set out in Appendix F, subject to the reduction of the bus subsidy funding by £313k and a corresponding reduction of £313k in the transport levy to be divided between Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council using the existing formula.

G   Approve a 2% increase in the Transport Levy for 2025-26 totalling £14,039,563 - £10,277,774 from Cambridgeshire County Council and £3,761,789 from Peterborough City Council.Approve a 0.27% reduction in the Transport Levy for 2025-26 totalling £13,726,563 - £10,048,640 from Cambridgeshire County Council and £3,677,923 from Peterborough City Council.

H    Approve the usage of the 2025-26 BSIP revenue grant allocation to fund an extension of the local single journey bus fare cap beyond 31 March 2025 as set out in paragraphs 2.54 and 2.55, noting that the additional costs associated with the £2 fare cap retention from January to March 2025 will be the first call on the transport underspend in 2024-25.

I      Note the Mayor’s intention to allocate Highways Maintenance grants totalling £37,369,000 to Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council in line with the Department for Transport formula for determining each Council’s share resulting in the allocations of £29,793,213 and £7,575,787 respectively with more detail set out in paragraph 2.24.

J     Delegate any minor changes required to the budget before 1 April 2025 to the Executive Director of Resources including the inclusion of grant announcements made prior to 1 April 2025.

Minutes:

The Executive Director, Resources, along with the Director Policy and Engagement, introduced the report, emphasising key points to members.

An amendment had been received: proposed by Councillor Anna Bailey and seconded by Councillor Chris Boden.

The CPCA Board notes:

·     That the CPCA has adopted a benchmark of £12 per passenger journey in public subsidy for bus services

·     The hard work that officers have put in to try to improve bus routes and ensure they perform at sustainable and justifiable levels of public expenditure

·     That despite best efforts, based on currently available data, certain underperforming routes are operating at totally unrealistic and unjustifiable levels of public subsidy, which are costing the public purse far in excess of 10 times the £12 benchmark and in one case over 20 times

The CPCA Board further notes:

·     The Mayor is proposing to increase the Transport Levy on Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council by 2% in 2025/26, followed by an additional 4% in 2026/27, 4% in 2027/28 and 2% in 2028/29, reducing the amount the Highways Authorities have to maintain our roads and pavements.

The CPCA therefore agrees to the following additional recommendation:

·     Subject to the reduction of the Bus Subsidy funding by £313k and a corresponding reduction of £313k in the Transport Levy to be divided between Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council using the existing formula.

During the debate on the amendment, Councillor Anna Bailey highlighted the lack of changes in the worst-performing routes, emphasising the need for better oversight. Councillor Chris Boden proposed that the reallocation of funds equivalent to three bus services to reduce the levy for the highways authority would be a more sensible use of the money, diverting it for more potholes to be repaired.

A request was made to verify the accuracy of the passenger data, which was confirmed to be from 2023/24 with costing updates for 2024/25. The need for clarity in decision-making and the effective use of public money was highlighted, with work underway and suggestions to reconfigure routes with low uptake.

Questions were raised about the contract lengths for bus services, with an explanation provided about the 1+1 year contract model and the commitment to monitoring and evaluation. The importance of increasing ridership and the potential negative impact on residents who rely on bus services was emphasised. Reservations were expressed about the amendment, but there was support for better relationships with operators and up-to-date information.

Confirmation was sought that the amendment would not impact planned or current services, which was affirmed for the short-term of 2025/26 but that it would need to be revisited next year. Concerns were also raised about the amendment implying a formally adopted cap on subsidies. The common goal of providing the best value bus service and resolving legacy issues was acknowledged.

Following a request for clarification about the amendment, the Monitoring Officer confirmed that if a member of the Board was to vote in favour of the amendment it did not mean that the member concerned agreed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

12.

Investment Committee Papers pdf icon PDF 250 KB

Report presenting for approval the change request for the Cygnet Bridge project, concept papers for the Strategic Investment and Innovation Growth Fund, and Littleport Business and Community Centre. Also presenting for note, previous Investment Committee and Chief Executive decisions.

Additional documents:

Decision:

It was resolved to:

A    Approve the change request and budget increase of £2m for the Cygnet Bridge project.

B    Approve the concept proposal for the CPCA Strategic Investment and Innovation Growth Fund and for it to be developed into a business case as the next stage.

C    Approve the concept proposal for Littleport Business and Community Centre and for it to be developed into a business case as the next stage.

D    Note the Chief Executive Approval Decisions from December 2024.

E    Note the decisions from Investment Committee held on 16 December 2024.

Minutes:

The PMO Programme Lead introduced the report and highlighted key points to members, clarifying that paragraph 5.2 of the report (referring to the Digital Connectivity Strategy Implementation) should have stated that the cost of year 1 is £1.8m.

The Mayor expressed delight that the Cygnet Bridge project, which began in 2022, has secured further investment to continue its development in the city.

Regarding the Strategic Investment and Innovation Growth Fund, it was noted that earlier work is needed to ensure equitable distribution of resources. Lessons learned from past experiences will be applied to reach areas that typically do not receive top priority.

It was emphasised that the fund should align with growth plans to create interventions that have the largest economic impact.

For the Littleport project, discussions focused on ownership and implementing different approaches. To ensure project viability, it was suggested to include mechanisms for clawback or ongoing interest, such as placing a charge on property. This would allow the Combined Authority to recoup funds if projects do not proceed as planned.

On being proposed by the Mayor, seconded by Nitin Patel, it was resolved unanimously to:

A    Approve the change request and budget increase of £2m for the Cygnet Bridge project.

B    Approve the concept proposal for the CPCA Strategic Investment and Innovation Growth Fund and for it to be developed into a business case as the next stage.

C    Approve the concept proposal for Littleport Business and Community Centre and for it to be developed into a business case as the next stage.

D    Note the Chief Executive Approval Decisions from December 2024.

E    Note the decisions from Investment Committee held on 16 December 2024.

13.

Greater South East Net Zero Hub - Overview of programmes, finance and governance pdf icon PDF 409 KB

Report providing an overview of the Greater South East Net Zero Hub (GSENZH) including an overview of programmes, finance and governance

Additional documents:

Decision:

It was resolved to:

A    Note the overview of the Greater South East Net Zero Hub (GSENZH) including an overview of programmes, finance and governance

Minutes:

The Director of the Greater South East Net Zero Hub introduced the report and highlighted key points to members.

Members expressed their satisfaction with the work taking place and the level of leadership carried out across the country. Thanks were requested to be acknowledged on the record for this really impactful work.

Councillor Bridget Smith particularly expressed her thanks to the team as a lot of the work has been extremely difficult with some of the grants and they have done astonishingly well.

It was resolved to:

A    Note the overview of the Greater South East Net Zero Hub (GSENZH) including an overview of programmes, finance and governance

14.

Committee Calendar 2025/26 pdf icon PDF 129 KB

Report requesting approval of the calendar of committees and meetings for the 2025/26 Municipal year.

Additional documents:

Decision:

It was resolved to:

A    Approve the calendar of meetings for the 2025/26 Municipal Year

Minutes:

The Director, Legal and Governance and Monitoring Officer introduced the report.

On being proposed by Mayor, seconded by Councillor Lucy Nethsingha, it was resolved unanimously to:

A    Approve the calendar of meetings for the 2025/26 Municipal Year