Shadow Combined Authority holds final meeting before official formation

Shadow Combined Authority holds final meeting before official formation

The body set up to manage devolution for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will meet for the last time as a ‘shadow’ authority on 22nd February, as they forge ahead with the formal launch of the new Combined Authority which is expected to be formally ratified in March.

Taking place at the HQ Huntingdonshire District Council from 10am, the meeting’s agenda focuses around the setting of the budget and allocation of funds which are earmarked for housing, transport and skills which will be the priority areas of focus of the devolution deal.

The meeting is open to the public and the agenda and papers are available for viewing on the Cambridgeshire County Council website by clicking here.

Huntingdonshire District Council leader Robin Howe, chair of the Shadow Combined Authority said:

“The Combined Authority has an ambition to double the size of the local economy over the next twenty-five years and the budget we have set out is ambitious to help us achieve that. Key transport schemes which will hugely benefit the area, and money to improve and increase housing are absolutely fundamental to our plan and are significant areas of focus for us. We are committed to delivering an efficient and effective service to achieve more growth for the region than would have been possible without devolution.”

The budget and projects will be managed in accordance with the Local Assurance Framework and Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, which will also be discussed at the meeting on Wednesday.

The ‘Shadow’ Combined Authority has been set up to drive forward the creation of the official Combined Authority for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough which includes a councillor from each of the local councils and a representative from the GCGP LEP.

The creation of this body was an important part of the deal which was agreed by all seven involved Local Authorities, and which serves to ensure that democratically elected representatives of local communities are making decisions about how and where the money is spent.