Cambridgeshire mayor may use devolved powers to scrap Mill Road bus gate in Cambridge
“Landmark” legislation will give Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayor Paul Bristow greater powers to unlock housing, transport and jobs – and that could pave the way for him to reopen Mill Road bridge in Cambridge to all vehicles.
The powers include the ability to make mayoral development orders, granting upfront planning permission for key sites and intervention rights on planning decisions of “strategic importance”.
The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, which received its first reading in the House of Commons last Thursday (10 July), includes what is described as a “radical reset of local government”.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said the Bill provides a “new dawn of regional power” that will “rebalance decade-old divides”.
Under the Bill, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority will become a mayoral strategic authority.
It would then be required to set up and co-ordinate a ‘key route network’ to ensure strategic oversight of the area’s most important roads.
Mayors will hold a ‘power of direction’ over constituent councils’ use of their local highway and traffic powers on this network, to support delivery of the Local Transport Plan.
Writing exclusively for the Cambridge Independent last month, Mr Bristow said he would designate Mill Road as part of a future network.
“When those powers arrive, I’ll use them, if needed, to get this city moving, including reopening the bridge,” he said.
The bridge was closed to most private motor vehicles by the county council earlier this year following consultation to encourage public transport, cycling and walking. Last week, the High Court rejected a challenge to the Traffic Regulation Order that introduced the bus gate restrictions, which had been made by those who argue it is damaging livelihoods.
Supporters, who say the restrictions improves air quality for walkers and cyclists and improves the reliability of buses, will have hoped that put an end to the debate.
But now the new legislation – providing it successfully passes through Parliament – means the saga may not be over just yet.
Among a range of other measures, the Bill would also introduce a “community right to buy” through which communities have the first option to purchase local assets such as pubs and shops that are placed on the market.
The Bill would also establish a new requirement for councils to put in place “effective neighbourhood governance” aimed at giving local people a direct say in decisions about their areas.
Mayors will be given responsibility for developing local economic plans and will gain control over licensing for e-bikes and planning decisions to “set the direction of growth”.
They will also be able to impose “development orders” to speed up developments, while new “mayoral development corporations” are intended to streamline implementation and attract investment.
Local development orders would give planning permission for specific types of development, meaning investors and businesses would not need to submit planning applications.
“As mayor, I was elected to get stuff done,” Mr Bristow said. “However, outside London, mayors have struggled to do things because they have lacked adequate powers, particularly over transport and planning. Far too often, the system has frustrated people and made getting things done a near impossibility.
“This Bill changes the balance of power. For example, instead of looking on, I will set the planning framework for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and be able to issue development orders. That’s a big shift, which is matched across other areas of mayoral responsibility.”
He continued: “Given my ambitions for our region, this rebalancing of power is hugely welcome. I’m delighted that the Deputy Prime Minister believes in devolution and wants me to get Cambridgeshire and Peterborough moving – and that’s exactly what I will do.”
In a push to restore taxpayers’ trust in council spending, the government has also pledged to address long delays in the process of local authority financial audits.
Ms Rayner said: “We were elected on a promise of change, not just for a few areas cherry-picked by a Whitehall spreadsheet, but for the entire country.
“It was never going to be easy to deliver the growth our country desperately needed with the inheritance we were dumped with.
“But that’s why we are opting to devolve, not dictate, and deliver a Bill that will rebalance decade-old divides and empower communities.
“We’re ushering in a new dawn of regional power and bringing decision-making to a local level so that no single street or household is left behind and every community thrives from our Plan for Change.”
The Bill will also allow more mayors to take on responsibility for police and fire including in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Richard Tunnicliffe, CBI regional director for the East of England, said the Bill provided the legal framework to “empower local leaders with the autonomy and resources needed to deliver inclusive growth and build resilient communities”.
“The East of England’s future as a key driver of the UK economy is stronger than ever. Through the combined strength of a devolved mayoral leadership in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and the planned shift to streamlined unitary authorities, the region is set to unlock new levels of efficiency and innovation. The Oxford-Cambridge Arc stands as a strategic national asset that is fuelling advancements in technology, sustainable energy, and transport infrastructure,” he said.
Local government minister Jim McMahon said power concentrated in Westminster and Whitehall has left councils “frustrated and diminished”.
He added: “This failed approach has held back growth across our country for far too long. Local people see this in the job market, on the high street and in their own household security and prosperity.
“Devolution begins the work of fixing that, with this Bill delivering freedom to local leaders to make decisions for their local areas in partnership with local communities, unleashing more growth and more opportunities for people as part of our Plan for Change.”
However, the Eastern Powerhouse, a business-led lobbying group led by former Tory mayor James Palmer, says the region needs to be actively involved in shaping the agenda to avoid the risk of being left to react to changes made elsewhere.
A spokesperson said: “Whether in business, local government, or the voluntary sector, all regional stakeholders must be ready to shape how this legislation lands. Done well, this Bill could decentralise power, unlock growth, and embed local leadership across the East.
“The call to action is clear: be at the table, shape the agenda, and ensure the region speaks with one voice.”
Kevin Hollinrake, shadow communities secretary, accused the government of centralising rather than distributing powers.
He said: “We believe in genuine devolution: empowering local people, not dictating from Whitehall.
“Communities deserve a voice, not another expensive Labour restructure that sidelines local priorities and inflates costs for taxpayers.”
Responding to the Bill, Louise Gittins, chairwoman of the Local Government Association, said: “It is critical that the full breadth, diversity and capability of local government is recognised and all councils are enabled to play a meaningful role as partners and, where appropriate, as part of strategic authorities in driving growth, improving services, and improving the lives of our residents.
Second-tier district councils have previously criticised the government’s plan to give the secretary of state powers to impose new local government structures across areas.
Sam Chapman-Allen, chairman of the District Councils’ Network (DCN), said: “DCN supports devolution. District councils passionately seek a sea change to put power much closer to communities. However, this Bill falls well short of doing that.
“The Bill’s devolution label doesn’t match the contents. Power isn’t flowing downwards. Rather than empowering local leaders, there are substantial new powers for the Secretary of State to direct local government. Many of the new responsibilities for strategic authorities are existing powers being reshuffled from other local bodies.”
The government has also set out plans to scrap the first-past-the-post voting system for mayoral elections, reversing a change made by the previous Conservative government.
The legislation reinstates the “preferential” voting system, which enables voters to indicate multiple candidates in order of preference, with these choices weighted or used as contingency votes.
Such a system helped Labour’s Dr Nik Johnson oust James Palmer at the previous mayoral elections, only for Mr Bristow to return the Tories to power under May’s elections, when the first-past-the-post system returned.
The Bill comes as the government continues to plan for larger unitary authorities to replace the two-tier structure of district and county councils, which has also raised concerns that power could become more remote from voters.