Decision details

The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the activities and achievements of Opportunity Peterborough; to provide an overview of the opportunities and challenges that face the company in the very near future; and to provide information to the Committee for its consideration regarding the continued funding of the company.

The Shareholder Cabinet Committee considered the report and RESOLVED to:

·         Note the achievements and impact of Opportunity Peterborough with regards to support for the local economy and jobs creation.

·         Note the opportunities for enhancing its services, and thus its impact, as laid out in the Business Plan in Appendix A.

·         Note the challenges that the company will face should it be unsuccessful in securing a new contract with the CPCA.

·         Recommend that Cabinet consider the continuing benefits of Opportunity Peterborough as a valued asset, and to pursue the potential to share costs and service outcomes with neighbouring authorities such as Cambridgeshire County Council and South Kesteven District Council.

It is recommended that the Shareholder Cabinet Committee consider the benefits of continued funding for Opportunity Peterborough to enable the company to continue delivering valuable services to the city, particularly in this time of economic uncertainty.

Peterborough City Council could withdraw funding for Opportunity Peterborough from 2021/22 with the associated loss of the benefits as outlined above.

Peterborough City Council could contract Opportunity Peterborough to deliver specific services to the Council on a case by case basis. However, without a long term commitment to levels of funding it would be difficult to retain resources to enable delivery.

Given that Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council enjoy a close relationship sharing many officers, and given that CCC does not have its own economic development function, services could be further enhanced or a cost saving could be realised if costs were shared with CCC and both organisations were provided with access to OP’s services. Likewise, an approach by PCC to South Kesteven District Council suggesting a merging of OP with InvestSK, which has recently been through a streamlining process, could again provide some costs savings to PCC whilst retaining access to services currently provided by OP. Such arrangements would not have to be mutually exclusive and could provide increased efficiencies and collaborative working across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and South Lincolnshire providing ongoing benefits to all involved.

None.

None.