Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence from committee members.

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of interest.

To authorise the Chairman to sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 18 February 2016 as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 18 February 2016, were agreed as a correct record.

There were no public questions.

The Leader of the Council will be in attendance for this item, along with the Chief Executive of the Greater Cambridge and Greater Peterborough Local Enterprise Partnership and the Leader of Cambridge City Council.

The Chairman welcomed Councillor Peter Topping, Neil Darwin and Councillor Lewis Herbert to the meeting and invited them to provide a brief update on devolution.

Discussion ensued:

The panel was asked whether the result of the EU Referendum would impact devolution. Councillor Herbert informed the committee that the referendum result did not impact devolution and that proposals would be discussed at all of the councils’ full Council meetings in October 2016, as well as to the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). If devolution was supported by all councils and the LEP, it would proceed.

Members pointed out that £20 million funding from devolution was not a significant amount in terms of what was needed for infrastructure projects in South Cambridgeshire, however the committee was informed that this amount could be used to open opportunities to further funding. Devolution was not only about funding but also about leverage for the area.

Members were informed that work was being undertaken regarding governance for a combined authority, with the opportunity to shape the combined authority before a mayor was in place. The combined authority would be a commissioning organisation made up of seven councils and the Local Enterprise Partnership, each with a vote. The model being worked on was one of collaboration where the mayor and combined authority worked together. Issues such as housing would be devolved for councils to solve.

Leaders would be accountable to their own councils. Partnership scrutiny was envisaged, with much scrutiny taking place within councils. Pre-scrutiny would be sought where possible.

The committee was informed that clarity would be needed regarding whether or not there would be a mayor. 

The public consultation was discussed. It was acknowledged that the timing of the public consultation had not been ideal, however much had been dictated by government deadlines.

Devolution was seen as an opportunity for the area, if a success was made of it and if organisations worked together to deliver it.

The Chairman thanked the panel for attending the meeting and for answering the committee’s questions.

The committee noted the update on outside bodies and thanked Councillor Ellington for her update on health and wellbeing. 

The committee’s draft work programme is attached along with the Council’s Notice of Key and Non-Key Decisions (as published in August 2016), to make members aware of future scheduled Executive decisions.

The committee’s work programme was discussed. The committee decided that for its next meeting it would like to look at the way in which the NHS envisaged provision of health services, specifically mental health services, in new developments and the use of Section 106 funding.

Councillor Tregoing highlighted the importance of the committee making proposals and recommendations when it considered items.

The date of the next meeting was to be confirmed, subject to the availability of representatives from other organisations and relevant officers.