YOUR OPINIONS MATTER

Our refreshed 2023-25 Corporate Plan sets out how we are working towards the delivery of this vision and the positive impact we can make on residents, businesses and communities. Through this consultation we want to hear your views on our priorities and will use your feedback to help shape our future work programme.

In addition to understanding what is important to you, we also want to get your views on how we fund what we are delivering. This is outlined in our draft 2024/25 Medium Term Financial Plan.

One element of this is the Mayoral Precept, this tax was introduced last year to support buses across the region and for 2023/24 the precept was set at £12 per year for a Band D property.

For 2024/25 the Mayor is proposing to increase the precept to £36 a year on a Band D property (£3 a month per household).

If implemented the additional money raised will be invested in delivering the Mayor’s bold vision for bus services across the area. This will include paying for new routes and improving existing routes to keep our communities connected with each other, work and education.

The Combined Authority is also investing £20m into its Strategic Growth Fund to fund infrastructure including £5m for the University of Peterborough. The Levelling Up Fund will provide public realm improvements while 3m has been earmarked for a creative industries hub.

A further £22m has been set aside for road and rail improvements including £6.5m for the A16.

Meanwhile, £9m is being invested into managing climate changes and £3.85m into reduced fares for under 25s. To find out more click here.

Last year, thanks to your support, the Combined Authority’s share of the precept paid for additional bus services including saving some services that were under threat.

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) was formed in 2017 and is led by directly elected Mayor Dr Nik Johnson. It is made up of seven local councils and the Business Board which represents local businesses in the area. The seven local council leaders make up the Combined Authority’s Board along with the directly elected Mayor. We work with local public services, Government departments and agencies, universities and business to grow the local economy.

The seven councils are Cambridge City Council, Cambridgeshire County Council, East Cambridgeshire District Council, Fenland District Council, Huntingdonshire District Council, Peterborough City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council.

Our Responsibilities

We are responsible for growing the region’s economy including creating the UK’s most technically skilled workforce. We are also responsible for making sure our residents and businesses are connected – both digitally and physically – so our communities can access the best jobs, get a good education, access healthcare and connect with one another.

We aim to grow international recognition for our unique knowledge-based economy which will bring in more funding to the region and improve our residents’ quality of life by tackling areas suffering from deprivation.

Achieving Good Growth

We want to increase productivity and have a goal of almost doubling GVA (Gross Value Added) for the Combined Authority area by 2040. This is the measure of the total value of goods and services produced in an economy.

We want to do this in a way that reduces inequality across the area, delivering better jobs and higher wages, so that we realise everyone’s potential no matter where they come from or what their background is.

To do this we are working on many different projects with our partners such as developing Enterprise Zones and knowledge clusters to support innovation in our priority sectors like life sciences, agri-tech and advanced manufacturing.

It is important that the local workforce has the right skills to benefit from new jobs, so we are also working with employees and education to train the future workforce.

Here are some examples of what we have already achieved:

• Created 12,000 jobs
• Created 13 acres of new commercial space for businesses, equivalent to approximately 24 football pitches or 43 basketball courts
• ARU Peterborough University opened its doors to its first students in September 2022
• One hundred young people leaving the care system have now benefitted from a bursary set up by the Combined Authority to fund education and training to support their futures.

By 2025 we aim to have:

• Created a further 9,000 jobs
• Completed 1,450 plus new affordable homes
• Created a £25m grant funding scheme to grow businesses
• Grown work-ready talent pools for all our key sectors to drive economic growth

Improving connectivity

We want better digital and physical connections across the region, from professional networks, health services and leisure to employment and education. We want a transport system that is locally determined and fit for the future to help us get to the places we need to get to. At the same time, we want to reduce the need for travel by having more services located locally in communities.

To do this we are working on our 5 priorities for better buses to improve everything from reliability to value for money and will be investigating taking the bus network back under our control. We are campaigning for improvements to rail infrastructure and are actively exploring innovative transport solutions that not only improve connectivity but also reduce the environmental impacts of travel.

Here are some examples of what we have already achieved:

• Over 99% of the area has access to broadband internet, with 70% of the region having access to gigabit broadband internet
• We subsidise 70 of the 110 bus services within the Combined Authority region to keep people connected to work, education, leisure and essential services

By 2025 we aim to have:

• 85% of the region with access to gigabit broadband internet

Together with our partners, by 2025 we will have contributed to:

• Number of people killed or seriously injured in road traffic accidents reduced to 300 or fewer

Ambitious skills and employment opportunities

We are working with our partners to create a world-class post-16 education system which ensures we can meet the needs of businesses looking for highly skilled workers now and in the future. We believe this will help us create a globally competitive local economy that offers well-paid, good quality jobs to our communities.

To do this we are working with businesses to increase the number of high-quality apprenticeships available for our young people. Through the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Careers Hub, we are providing advice and guidance as well as lifelong learning. We are also improving our education offer, particularly in areas such as the Fens, and we are implementing a Health & Work Strategy to address economic inactivity.

Here are some examples of what we have achieved:

• Over 19,000 people enrolled into Adult Education and over 700 apprenticeships funded through Combined Authority investment

By 2025 we aim to have:

• Created joined up talent pipelines into all our key sectors, creating sector-specific and work-ready employees to meet industry needs 
• Continue to promote apprenticeships so that apprenticeships are seen as an equal route into work as university

Together with our partners, by 2025 we will have contributed to:

• Increase in the proportion of people from less advantaged backgrounds who benefit from degree level apprenticeships

Enabling Resilient communities

We are providing our communities with the tools to be resilient, whether that means coping with environmental or climate changes or financial or social crises, we want our area to be a great place to live and work for all residents.

We are doing this by leading on the delivery of the Climate Action Plan for the area, including supporting businesses transitioning to a net zero economy and improving local biodiversity. In the Fens, we are supporting sustainable agriculture, and we are helping more homes to be retrofitted to save on energy bills. We are also improving our high streets to make them more attractive to visitors.

What we have achieved:

• Over 3,500 homes retrofitted across the South-East of England

By 2025 we aim to have:

• Continue to retrofit homes across the South-East of England

Together with our partners, by 2025 we will have contributed to:

• Reduced total annual net CO2 emissions to under 5000 ktCO2
• Reduced total CO2 from transport
• Fewer households in fuel poverty

Achieving Best Value and High Performance

Through all our work we want to provide the best possible value for taxpayers. That means we are always improving by being economic, efficient and effective.

We are doing this by ensuring the books are balanced, embedding a culture of continuous improvement, reviewing plans and strategies for the region, supporting the Mayor’s office and managing performance.