Decisions

Following the panel hearing held on 4 February 2025, the Code of Conduct Decision Notice was published on 11 February 2025.

RESOLVED: (Unanimous)

A.    To note the completion of the bus reform consultation process, its extent and the responses received

B.    To note the contents of the Westco Consultation Report at Appendix 2

C.   To recommend to the Combined Authority Board that it approves the contents of the CPCA Consultation Response Report at Appendix 3

D.   To recommend to the Mayor that he makes a franchising scheme as set out at Appendix 5, complying with all associated statutory requirements.

It was resolved to:

A    Note the completion of the bus reform consultation process, its extent and the responses received including the discussions and feedback from Transport and Infrastructure Committee and Overview & Scrutiny Committee in January 2025.

B    Note the Westco Consultation Report at Appendix 2

C    Approve the CPCA Consultation Response Report at Appendix 3.

D    To recommend to the Mayor that he makes a franchising scheme as set out at Appendix 5, complying with all associated statutory requirements

E    When the Mayor has decided whether or not to make a franchising scheme agree:

·     to adopt and publish the Combined Authority’s response to the consultation, together with the Mayor’s decision as the report to be published by the Combined Authority under section 123G (1) of the Transport Act 2000 (as amended by the Bus Services Act 2017) (the “Act”);

·     in accordance with section 123G(2) of the Act to give notice to the Traffic Commissioner

F    If the Mayor decides to make a franchising scheme:

·     to publish the scheme set out at Appendix 5 on behalf of the Mayor at the same time as the Westco Consultation Report (Appendix 2) and CPCA Consultation Response Report (Appendix 3) to be published under section 123G(1) of the Act;

·     at the same time to publish a transitional notice in the terms set out in Appendix 6 and then within 14 days of the date upon which the transitional notice is published, to give notice to the Traffic Commissioner of its publication on behalf of the Mayor if the Mayor so decides (or alternatively CPCA) as required by the Public Service Vehicles (Registration of Local Services) (Franchising Schemes Transitional Provisions and Amendments) (England) Regulations 2018;

·     to agree that, in conducting the procurement process for the provision of local services, the Combined Authority will facilitate the involvement of small and medium sized operators in the provision of local services as set out in the report “Bus Franchising: Facilitating the involvement of small and medium-sized operators” at Appendix 4 to enable compliance with section 123 G (3) of the Act;

·     to commence with implementation and mobilisation of franchising, noting section 4.4 of this report (Next Steps in the event of a Mayoral decision to approve franchising).

G   If the Mayor decides not to make a franchising scheme:

·     to advance the process to implement an Enhanced Partnership in accordance with sections 138A to 138J of the Act, relevant statutory guidance and supporting legislation noting section 4.5 of this report (Next Steps in the event of a Mayoral decision not to make a franchising scheme).

·     Approve the repurposing of the existing ‘development of bus franchising’ budget to be used for the initial development work for the Enhanced Partnership.

The Committee did not make any recommendations for the CA Board. 

The Committee received a verbal update from the Chair for Skills and Employment Committee. 

The Committee considered and noted the report on the public and stakeholder consultation held from August to November 2024 and the CPCA response to the consultation. 

The dates of the next meeting were confirmed as follows: 

• Informal Meeting on 20th February – virtual meeting 

• O&S Committee on 12th March, CPCA Meeting Room, Pathfinder House

No public questions were received.

There were no declaration of interests made.

Apologies were received from Councillors Thornburrow, Cllr Jones and Cllr Hay

Following the panel hearing held on 28 January 2025, the Code of Conduct Decision Notice was published on 4 February 2025.

RESOLVED:

A.    To note the update on the progress of the previous Affordable Housing Programme from 2017 – 2022.

RESOLVED:

A.    To note the presentation from Natural Cambridgeshire.

RESOLVED:

A.    To note the progress on the Climate Action Plan review.

B.    To note the progress on the Climate Programme and on funding projects in line with the Single Assurance Framework.

C.    To note the update on the Opportunity Fund bidding round.

RESOLVED:

A.    To note the presentation on Locally Determined Contributions.

RESOLVED:

A.    To approve the use of £230,500 grant on seven units of accommodation in Peterborough, with the units to be provided as shared home ownership by Heylo as part of the Affordable Housing Programme.

RESOLVED:

A.    To note the Director’s Highlight Report.

RESOLVED:

A.    To note the Combined Authority Forward Plan

RESOLVED:

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting in accordance with Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended, as the following item of business has an exempt appendix and the discussion may involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of schedule 12A of the Act; information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

To provide an update on the Fletton Quays Footbridge (Cygnet Bridge) Improvement and to seek approval to move to the next stage.

RESOLVED:

A.    To note the progress of the Fletton Quays Footbridge, also known as the Cygnet Bridge

The minutes of the meeting on 4 November 2024 were approved as an accurate record.

The Action Log was noted by the Committee.

RESOLVED:

A.    To note the progress to date on the Royston to Granta Park Strategic Transport Study

RESOLVED:

A.    To note the content of the report.

RESOLVED:

A     To note the Combined Authority’s response to the East-West Rail Company’s non-statutory consultation.

RESOLVED:

A.    To note that the Investment Committee (13 January 2025) agreed to recommend to the Combined Authority Board to agree the Full Business Case (FBC) which is being submitted to Department for Transport. With their approval, this would then enable the drawdown of funding from the £47.85m capital investment from HM Government’s Levelling Up Fund.

B.    To note that subject to the Department for Transport's approval of the Final Business Case (FBC), a Grant Funding Agreement will be executed with Peterborough City Council, in accordance with the delegations granted by the Combined Authority Board in March 2023.

To recommend to the Combined Authority Board to approve the updated LTCP Monitoring and Evaluation Key Indicators

RESOLVED: (Unanimous)

A.    To take note and comment on the update to the Local Transport and Connectivity Plan’s monitoring and evaluation

B.    To defer the voting on recommendations B and C as outlined in the report, to the 5 March meeting of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee when a revised report will be presented, following a Members’ workshop to further explore aspects of the KPIs and performance reporting.*

*Text in bold denotes additional recommendation

Agreement to award the contract to the organisation who were successful in the Homes England Framework mini completion recently completed.

Agreement to enter into contract with the successful organisation to provide consultancy support services

It was resolved to:

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

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.

It was resolved to:

A    Approve the Forward Plan for January 2025

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.

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

To approve concept papers and business cases recommended from the Investment Panel

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.

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.

It was resolved to:

A    Note the contents of the report