Unlocking the Future: How Devolution is Driving Success for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

Unlocking the Future: How Devolution is Driving Success for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

Devolution has proved a winning formula for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and these new announcements from government show that bigger and better things are yet to come.

As the Mayor of this Combined Authority, I’m proud to say that we are well-placed to seize the opportunities this White Paper presents. We’ve already made huge progress in our capacity for cooperation, working together in pursuit of our collective interests and towards our regionally endorsed shared ambitions.

As a partnership, as an advocate for all things devo, we’ve done things like secure employment support ‘Trailblazer’ status with the DWP, which will help get more people into better paid work. We’ve confirmed a Strategic Place Partnership with Homes England, which will mean we can get do more to tackle the housing shortage. We’ve agreed an exemplar Single Assurance Framework, making clear how and where taxpayers’ money is being invested. We’ve made Public Health a priority factor in our decision-making processes, because prevention is better than cure. And, in recognising the social and economic value of inclusiveness, are an integral part of a pioneering approach to all things culture, heritage, and history.

We’ve done all this and more whilst similarly transforming our public transport network, vastly improving skills and qualifications across the region’s workforce, leading the way on behalf of the South-East of England in the race to Net Zero, and working alongside business, industry, and government to secure much needed inward investment for our nationally significant local economy.

On reorganisation, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will have much to consider in the weeks and months ahead. Fortunately for us, we also have great people – elected representatives and members of staff alike – who know and care about their respective communities, who are committed to providing outstanding public services, and who work day-in-day-out for the region’s best possible future.

Moving forwards, I have no doubt at all that we will continue to build on our success, and, as things progress from White Paper to Bill to an Act of Parliament, we will be ready to welcome the wealth of potential this next phase of devolution promises to unlock.