Agenda, decisions and minutes

To elect a Chairman for the 2015/16 municipal year.

Councillor Tim Bick was ELECTED as Chairman of the Greater Cambridge City Deal Joint Assembly for 2015/16.

Councillor Tim Bick was ELECTED as Chairman of the Greater Cambridge City Deal Joint Assembly for 2015/16.

To elect a Vice-Chairman for the 2015/16 municipal year.

Councillor Roger Hickford was ELECTED as Vice-Chairman of the Greater Cambridge City Deal Joint Assembly for 2015/16.

Councillor Roger Hickford was ELECTED as Vice-Chairman of the Greater Cambridge City Deal Joint Assembly for 2015/16.

To receive any apologies for absence.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Tim Wotherspoon (South Cambridgeshire District Council).

To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting held on 6 March 2015 as a correct record.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 6 March 2015 were confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record, subject to the correction of a typographical error on the final paragraph of page 4.

To receive any declarations of interest from Members of the Joint Assembly.

No declarations of interest were made.

To receive any questions from members of the public.  The standard protocol to be observed by public speakers is attached.

A number of questions had been received in relation to item 8(a).  The Chairman agreed to accept receipt of these questions as part of considering that item.

To receive any petitions for consideration by the Joint Assembly.

No petitions had been received.

To consider the attached report by Graham Hughes, Executive Director (Cambridgeshire County Council).

The Greater Cambridge City Deal Joint Assembly RECOMMENDED to the Executive Board:

(a)          That it should:

(i)            note the findings from the initial engineering assessment and technical study;

(ii)           approve the public consultation on the options as set out in the report;

(iii)          agree to receive a report on consultation later this year on a preferred option, or options, for full business case development.

(b)          That the public consultation should:

(i)            include a question asking for the public’s views on the optimum location for the new Park and Ride at Madingley Mulch;

(ii)           contain a discussion or analysis of the benefits/disadvantages of retaining/closing the existing Madingley Road Park and Ride site.

(c)          That it should instruct officers to produce a revised timetable based on ‘approval of the City Deal Executive Board final scheme’ being in May or October 2016, rather than December 2016 as currently shown, and explain what would need to change to achieve this timetable for the Executive Board then to consider.

(d)          That it should establish an officer Project Board to develop the project and proposals agreed by the Executive Board, which would sit alongside a Local Liaison Forum to be established (as with other major projects) consisting of local County, City and District Members, parish representatives and other key stakeholders, to exchange information and ideas on the project and ensure there was full information as it progressed.  In addition to this, it may be appropriate to establish a task and finish Member Working Group for particular issues and the need for this should be established on an ad hoc basis.

(e)          That it should encourage Cambridge University (the freeholder of the existing Madingley Road Park and Ride site) to discuss with the City Council’s Planning Department how the site might be developed for residential development (including for affordable housing, and all in a manner that reflects the aims and aspirations of the Greater Cambridge City Deal) if the Park and Ride was closed in the context of the opening of a new site at Madingley Mulch and if the existing site was to revert back to the University.

(f)           That it should instruct officers to bring a report to the September cycle of Joint Assembly and Executive Board meetings containing an initial and high-level appraisal of the technical implications and costs of creating bus-only slip-roads:

(i)            at M11 junction 13: when turning off the A1303 (going east) onto the M11 (going south);

(ii)           at the M11 junction 13: creating a bus lane alongside the existing sliproad off the M11, which would get priority treatment at the traffic lights;

(iii)          at M11 junction 11: turning off the M11 (going south) between the existing farm and footbridge and the existing slip-road, then going round the corner of the farmland at Trumpington Meadows, running parallel to (and west of) Trumpington Road, and entering the Trumpington Road Park and Ride thence joining up to the Guided Busway.

The Joint Assembly considered a report which set out the high-level options that had emerged from the initial stages of the A428/A1303 corridor technical study. 

Stuart Walmsley, Head of Major Infrastructure Delivery at Cambridgeshire County Council, presented the report which reflected on wide-ranging technical work that had identified six shortlisted options now proposed for public consultation.  Three of the options were for the east of Madingley Mulch, with the remaining three relevant to the west of Madingley Mulch.  The report set out conceptual plans and commentary for each option, together with a consultation strategy for consideration.

The Chairman took this opportunity to invite members of the public and local Councillors to put forward questions.  As they were relevant to the contents of the report, it was noted that answers were likely to be provided or respective issues raised as part of the debate.  Questions were asked, with initial answers provided, as follows:

Robin Pellew

“On the matter of the A428 transport corridor, the point I want to make is that the transport must service the maximum number of people particularly the new residential and employment areas to the West of Cambridge.  Therefore the proposed busway should commence at St Neots where extensive new residential development is underway, link through the centre of Cambourne and Bourne Airfield, and then be routed through the University developments of North West Cambridge and West Cambridge before joining Madingley Road into the City.”

Mr Pellew also referred to the Local Development Plan and said that one of the reasons cited by the Inspectors for suspending its examination related to their concerns in respect of the availability of City Deal funding and there being no other alternatives should it not materialise.  He called on the Joint Assembly to work with the Councils concerned and provide the Inspectors with any information they needed in order that they had necessary assurances regarding future receipt of City Deal funding.

Graham Hughes, Cambridgeshire County Council’s Executive Director of Economy, Transport and Environment, informed Mr Pellew that the first tranche of funding, consisting of £100 million, was as guaranteed as it could be and that City Deal partners continued to work closely with Government on the mechanism to unlock funding from tranches two and three.  He was confident that if schemes and objectives were delivered with triggers met, the funding would be received.

The Chairman reminded those present that discussion on the Inspector’s decision to suspend examination of the Local Development Plan was outside of the Joint Assembly’s remit.

Rob Hopwood

“The National Planning Policy Framework requires any plan to be justified with the most appropriate strategy when considered against reasonable alternatives based on proportionate evidence.  Why, therefore has the land immediately to the south of the A428/A1303 Madingley Mulch junction not been included as a potential Park and Ride site option at this initial stage of investigation? As it has not been included as an option at this initial stage of consideration does it mean that it cannot be considered  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8a

To consider the attached report by Graham Hughes, Executive Director (Cambridgeshire County Council).

The Greater Cambridge City Deal Joint Assembly RECOMMENDED to the Executive Board:

(a)          That it approves the process for developing the strategy to address congestion issues in Cambridge City.

(b)          That it approves the development plans for an initial engagement exercise with key traffic generators in Cambridge City followed by a public consultation.

Consideration was given to a report which outlined proposals to develop a strategy for addressing the congestion that occurred regularly in Cambridge City.

Graham Hughes, Cambridgeshire County Council’s Executive Director of Economy, Transport and Environment, presented the report and highlighted that congestion was a significant issue within the morning and evening peak periods in Cambridge which, in the long run, would harm business and the environment.

The City Deal Executive Board had agreed to an initial consultation to develop this strategy at its meeting on 27 March 2015.  Since that meeting officers had been looking at development of the strategy options and the consultation.

It was proposed that the following three stage approach to the development of this strategy be followed:

·         an initial workshop of Joint Assembly and Executive Board Members to be held during June, informed by work undertaken so far on the extent of the problems and some new analysis of the current level of congestion;

·         subsequent engagement with a range of the largest traffic generators in the city, such as major employers and academic institutions, schools and retailers.  This would seek to develop plans with them on how their actions could address the congestion problems and what measures would need to be introduced in addition through the City Deal;

·         following this engagement activity, a wider public consultation exercise would be undertaken to test the developing solutions.

It was proposed that implementation of an agreed strategy would take place over at least the first five years of the City Deal programme and a series of shorter and longer term measures was likely.

The Greater Cambridge City Deal Joint Assembly unanimously RECOMMENDED to the Executive Board:

(a)          That it approves the process for developing the strategy to address congestion issues in Cambridge City.

(b)          That it approves the development plans for an initial engagement exercise with key traffic generators in Cambridge City followed by a public consultation.

To consider the attached report by Alex Colyer, Executive Director (South Cambridgeshire District Council).

NOTE – Appendices 2 and 3 of the report contain exempt information as defined in paragraphs 2 and 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual and information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person, including the authority holding that information).  These appendices have therefore not been published and the press and public may be excluded from the meeting for all or part of this item.

The Joint Assembly considered a report which set out the business case for the formation of the Housing Development Agency. 

Alex Colyer, South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Executive Director (Corporate Services), presented the report and informed the Joint Assembly that the business case had been submitted to this body and the Executive Board for consideration in advance of the three partner Councils.

Alan Carter, Head of Strategic Housing at Cambridge City Council, reminded Members that the essential requirements for an organisation to successfully develop housing were land, funding, skills, knowledge and experience.  Partners represented on the Greater Cambridge City Deal owned land in the Greater Cambridge area and had access to different funding streams.  The skills and capacity of the three partner Councils would be optimised and combined as part of the Agency as a shared service, initially, to drive delivery of the additional houses that had been committed as part of the City Deal objectives. 

The business case itself was based on a target programme of at least 4,000 homes by 2031, which equated to an average of 250 homes per year.  The business case also set out a self-sustainable funding model, with operational costs covered by fees charged to each capital development scheme.  It was emphasised that the Agency would be commercially focused.

In answer to a question about the initial £400,000 of funding to set the agency up, it was noted that this would be paid by the three partner Councils as part of their New Homes Bonus contributions that had already been committed to the City Deal. 

Options in the business case set out a collaborative model, a shared service model or a wholly partner owned local company model for the Housing Development Agency, with the shared service model recommended at this stage with a view to progressing to a partner owned local company.  A question was asked as to why the partner owned local company could not be delivered at this stage and it was noted that it would take too long to set up in view of the urgent need to commence delivery in respect of additional homes.  It was noted that it took approximately 15 months to establish South Cambridgeshire District Council’s housing company, Ermine Street Housing Ltd.

Members of the Joint Assembly commended the way in which the business case had been written and outlined their support.

The Joint Assembly NOTED the report.

To consider the attached report by Graham Hughes, Executive Director (Cambridgeshire County Council).

The Greater Cambridge City Deal Joint Assembly RECOMMENDED to the Executive Board:

(a)          That it adopts the model of the Skills Service and its governance, as described in the report.

(b)          That it requests that officers establish the Skills Service so that it can start work at the beginning of the next academic year (September 2015).

(c)          That a Cambridge Area Partnership Secondary Head Teacher be co-opted onto the Working Group.

A report was considered which outlined proposals for a Skills Service for the Greater Cambridge area.

Graham Hughes, Cambridgeshire County Council’s Executive Director of Economy, Transport and Environment, presented the report and referred to a working group that had been established consisting of Joint Assembly and Executive Board Members.  This group had met twice to consider options for the proposed City Deal Skills Service.

The business model for the Skills Service was set out in the report, which would act as a broker and facilitate connections between schools, colleges and employers. This sought to guide students from education into working life, design curricula that fit local business needs, gather and share information on labour market trends and employer requirements, help young people think more strategically about their futures and provide activity programmes that offered students opportunities to improve their employability and careers awareness.  This approach had been unanimously supported by the working group.

The commitment as part of the first tranche of City Deal funding was to deliver 420 additional apprenticeships and a question was asked about how many apprenticeship schemes there currently were.  It was noted that there were approximately 20,000 in Cambridgeshire, but additional apprenticeships as part of the City Deal would only relate to those within the Greater Cambridge area.  Data was available through the University on the number of apprenticeship schemes currently ongoing within the Greater Cambridge area and it was agreed that this would be circulated to all Members of the Joint Assembly.

The Greater Cambridge City Deal Joint Assembly RECOMMENDED to the Executive Board:

(a)          That it adopts the model of the Skills Service and its governance, as described in the report.

(b)          That it requests that officers establish the Skills Service so that it can start work at the beginning of the next academic year (September 2015).

(c)          That a Cambridge Area Partnership Secondary Head Teacher be co-opted onto the Working Group.

To consider the Greater Cambridge City Deal Work Programme and schedule of meetings.  Future meetings of the City Deal Joint Assembly are scheduled to be held as follows:

15 July 2015 – 2pm (Cambourne)

25 August 2015 – 3.30pm (Cambridge)

16 September 2015 – 10am (Cambourne)

7 October 2015 – 2pm (Cambridge)

13 November 2015 – 2pm (Cambourne)

The Joint Assembly considered the Greater Cambridge City Deal work programme for 2015/16 and requested that the Executive Board gave consideration as to whether it would be necessary to hold meetings in August and September given the relatively light workload currently planned for those meetings.

The work programme and schedule of meetings for the Joint Assembly were NOTED.