Agenda item

Cabinet Member: Leader

Forward Plan Ref: 2023/027

Contact:Robin Rogers, Programme Director (Partnerships and Delivery), robin.rogers@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Report by Chief Executive (CA7).

To formally commit the County Council to participate in the pan regional partnership.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

a)                  Agree that the County Council will be a participant in the proposed pan-regional partnership for the Oxford to Cambridge area;

b)                  Delegate to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, agreement to future arrangements with respect to establishing the constitution of the new partnership.

Cabinet was asked to consider County Council membership of a new pan-regional partnership for the Oxford to Cambridge area being proposed by local authorities and other regional partners and supported by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Before discussing the report, the Chair had agreed to a request to speak.

Councillor Ian Middleton stated that he was all for regional cooperation but did not think that it necessarily needed to be formally constituted in the way proposed. He was concerned that the partnership would largely speak for landowners, developers and the universities and could see little benefit for the County Council in getting involved.  He urged Cabinet to reject the proposal.

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of the Council, summarised the report.  Following the folding of the previous Oxford Cambridge Arc proposal, it was still felt that there was a need for a pan-regional body.  The Government had provided £250,000 to establish such a body with the possibility of £2.5m if it is organised and agrees a programme.

Councillor Leffman noted that the city and two districts had already indicated that they wanted to be part of it and it will be linked to England’s Economic Heartland Strategic Transport Board so it was important that Oxfordshire County Council be a part of it as well.

Councillor Tim Bearder proposed an amendment.  He believed that Cabinet needed to see the objectives and governance of the proposed body before making a final decision to join.  He proposed to add a condition at the end of recommendation a) and to reword recommendation b):

a)          Agree that the County Council will be a participant in the proposed pan-regional partnership for the Oxford to Cambridge area subject to recommendation b;

b)          To engage positively and proactively with the proposed pan-regional partnership's shadow board to establish the governance structure, leadership and constitution. Prior to accepting formal membership of the pan-regional partnership, the Leader and Chief Executive will bring back to a future Cabinet meeting the set of guiding principles, covering both governance and this Council’s objectives for its participation in the partnership.

The amendment was seconded by Councillor Gant and agreed.

Other Cabinet Members added the following comments including from a written statement from Councillor Miller which was read out:

·       The body needed to have a transformative vision, shifting the emphasis from consumption to wellbeing.

·       The independent positions on the Board should be filled by experts on environment, climate change and circular economy.

·       It will not be a statutory body or joint committee – the member local authorities will retain autonomy.

·       It was imperative that Oxfordshire County Council is represented on the board of the partnership.

·       It should be clearly stated the objectives we are pursuing through the partnership and the activities we will not support.

·       Voting on substantive issues should be by elected members only.

·       The UK had one of the most centralised forms of government and there was a need for more regional cooperation.

·       This presented an opportunity to work more closely with the universities.

The recommendations as amended were agreed.

RESOLVED to:

a)          Agree that the County Council will be a participant in the proposed pan-regional partnership for the Oxford to Cambridge area subject to recommendation b;

b)          To engage positively and proactively with the proposed pan-regional partnership's shadow board to establish the governance structure, leadership and constitution. Prior to accepting formal membership of the pan-regional partnership, the Leader and Chief Executive will bring back to a future Cabinet meeting the set of guiding principles, covering both governance and this Council’s objectives for its participation in the partnership.