Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority

The committee approved the initial bus stop, shelter and station improvement programme, with an initial £1,000,000 capital allocation expected to improve 106 locations. The programme includes accessibility, safety, signage and real-time information works, and officers said further sites could be added subject to funding and local authority contributions.

The combined authority has been awarded £26.1m of brownfield housing funding to deliver 870 homes by 2031. Officers confirmed £557k of revenue funding has now been provided for administration, and that the authority will need to prioritise sites, manage over-programming, and undertake due diligence quickly to meet the government's schedule.

The committee agreed to recommend Board approval to release £585,000 from the MTFP budget to progress the spatial development strategy. This is direct funding for strategic planning work, covering evidence gathering, plan development and the related statutory process.

The board approved up to £7.6 million for the Peterborough Bus Depot business case and further development, and up to £1 million for next-stage work, related costs, fees and an option or offer fee. Authority was delegated to proceed with land acquisition and final terms.

The committee recommended approval of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, including revisions from consultation, added priority species, clearer planning guidance, and a commitment to move towards delivery planning after adoption. The strategy is a statutory environmental plan with implications for land use, planning, biodiversity and future project delivery.

The committee heard that the Combined Authority passed a Gateway Review, unlocking five years of government funding worth £100 million, paid at £20 million per year to 2031. This is a significant secured funding stream that will underpin future delivery and commissioning decisions.

The committee primarily քննարկed approval of a four-year local transport grant allocation to Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council, including how the money will be split and governed. Members raised concerns about value for money, monitoring, and sustainability through devolution, while officers explained that detailed scheme-level decisions sit with the constituent councils. The meeting ended with approval of the allocation and a request for future reporting and KPIs.

The board focused heavily on bus reform, rural service withdrawals, subsidy decisions, and the transition to franchising, alongside broader transport priorities such as bus priority measures, rail station access, and community transport. It also discussed major growth and governance issues, including local government reorganisation, the mayoral status application, the Gateway Review funding unlock, skills capital investment, and destination management planning. Several decisions were formally approved, while some items prompted requests for further work, clearer governance, and improved communication with the public and stakeholders.