Decision details

The purpose of the report was for Cabinet to consider the outcomes of discussions held at the meeting of Full Council, prior to determining a number of recommendations relating to a combined authority for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area, with a directly elected Mayor.

Subject to the recommendations of Council, Cabinet were requested to endorse the Review, approve the content of the Devolution Deal and the draft Governance Scheme and to approve the arrangements for public consultation on the Governance Scheme and to authorise the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to provide the Secretary of State with a summary of consultation responses in due course and to progress any further matters as required in connection with the proposed Deal.

It was a legal requirement that Cabinet meet to approve the consultation process and the meeting was to take place immediately following the Council meeting which allowed Cabinet members to have regard to the discussions of and the will of Council when considering whether to approve the recommendations within the report.

Cabinet considered the report and RESOLVED:

1.   To consider and endorse the conclusions of the outcome of the Governance Review, (Appendix A of the Council report dated 27/06/16), that the establishment of a Combined Authority with a Mayor for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area would be likely to improve the exercise of statutory functions in that area.

2.   To approve the content of the Devolution Deal proposal, (Appendix C of the Council report dated 27/06/16), and confirmed that this replaced in its entirety the East Anglia Devolution Agreement signed in March 2016.

3.   To approve the draft Governance Scheme, (Appendix B of the Council report dated 27/06/16), and authorised the Chief Executive to make any appropriate revisions to the draft Scheme before publication as she may consider appropriate in consultation with the Leader and in liaison with the other Chief Executives of constituent authorities and to take all necessary actions to progress any matters arising from the report.

4.   To approve the arrangements for public consultation on the Governance Scheme and authorised the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of Council to provide the Secretary of State with a summary of the consultation responses in due course and to circulate that summary to all members of the Council.

5.   To convene a further meeting of the Executive to take place in October 2016 to consider whether to give consent for the Secretary of State to bring forward an Order to establish a Mayoral Combined Authority covering the area of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

*The Waive of call-in provision has been invoked on this decision. The reason being that the matter has been publically debated at the Full Council meeting of 27 June 2016 and owing to the tight timescales involved.

To consult on a scheme for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area, with a directly elected Mayor, in order to devolve powers from Government to a combined authority.

The Governance Review, at Appendix A of the Council report, considered a number of alternative options.

None.