Devolved authority for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will meet for the first time next week

They are making a start to the 'hard work' of creating the new layer of government

Following the decision by councils to accept plans for Devolution, the team tasked with pushing the deal forward will meet for the first time next week, Wednesday 14 December.

The ‘Shadow Combined Authority’, as it is known, will meet at The Allia Future Business Centre, Hawksbill Way, Peterborough from 11am.

On the agenda are items such as the selection of a chair and other representative posts, procedure rules, scrutiny and the process for the election of a Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to lead the official Combined Authority, which is due to launch in February 2017.

Cambridgeshire County Councillor Steve Count, Chairman of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Devolution Partnership, said: “We have been given a clear mandate from both local people, the Local Enterprise Partnership (GCGP LEP) and the seven Local Authorities that they were supportive of the Devolution deal, so we need to get the wheels in motion and start delivering on what has been laid on the table. The Shadow Combined Authority will be making some key decisions in pushing forwards the creation of the official body – and that hard work starts 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 will include the Leader from each of the constituent local councils and the Chairman from the GCGP LEP.