Tag: Norfolk County Council

East Anglian devolution process questions arising

08:07 Friday 20th May 2016
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

DOTTY MCLEOD: A deadline of next Friday has been set to reach an agreement on East Anglian devolution involving Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. This timescale was revealed in yesterday’s BBC devolution debate, organised by BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, Radio Norfolk and Radio Suffolk. In the meantime a former civil servant has told me he also believes that unnamed local partners suggested Cambridgeshire joins the devolution arrangement, not the Government. Antony Carpen says he reached this conclusion after submitting Freedom of Information requests to the Government.
ANTONY CARPEN: Well I asked whether there was any formal commission or any request to Cambridgeshire, and the answer was again no commission from Ministers or private office exists. I’ve asked them. They’ve stated local partners put forward the proposals. I’ve asked them further who were those local partners, where is the transparency in this? And as we heard in your debate earlier, many people are complaining about lack of transparency.
DOTTY MCLEOD: So the reason that could be significant is because we’ve always been told before that it was the Government who suggested adding Cambridgeshire to a Norfolk and Suffolk devolution plan. The Government saying in these answers to Freedom of Information requests that actually that’s not the case. Who are these ‘local partners’ who stepped forward and suggested Cambridgeshire join in? Lots of unanswered questions then, and just seven days to reach an agreement on this. Our Political Reporter Hannah Olsson has spoken to the head of the East Anglian Devolution Leaders’ Board Andy Wood.
ANDY WOOD: The timescales as they stand, we really ought to be going back to Government next Friday with a good bit of the deal done. Of course after that there are a number of processes that kick in that lead through the summer and then into the autumn. And if we do finally get a deal done, to mayoral elections in May ’17. But as you can see from the discussions today, we are some way away from that. But we are making progress.
HANNAH OLSSON: So what’s happening at the moment in the next couple of weeks? Lots of meetings I imagine.
ANDY WOOD: Yes there are a number of meetings. Of course there are lots of people behind the scenes, employed by county councils and district councils, who are doing lots of work. So there’s lots of stuff going on, in the anticipation that we probably will get a deal. So there will be a number of meetings in that timescale as well of course, because I have no decision making powers in this. This is for local leaders, leaders of their places, to ultimately reach agreement and carry forward to Government. And I’m happy to carry that forward to Government for them.
HANNAH OLSSON: You have got people that are from all sorts of different areas, trying to bring those together to find a bit of common ground. Difficult job?
ANDY WOOD: Well there is. There’s a clearly a sort of county county county council boundaries.(sic) So there’s Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk. That’s one dimension. There’s an urban rural dimension. So there’s much of East Anglia is rural. But we’ve got Cambridge, we’ve got Norwich, we’ve got Peterborough, we’ve got Ipswich. We’ve got towns like Bury St Edmunds. They have a different feel to them. And then of course there’s a different political complexion. So there’s quite a bit of complexity in all of that. But actually overall leaders are focusing on can they get the best deal for their place, and can they get the best deal for East Anglia.
HANNAH OLSSON: So what will you be taking back to leaders from today’s discussion?
ANDY WOOD: Well I suspect a number of them heard it live. I suspect a number have followed it on Twitter. So they probably know anyway, but of course I’ll be talking to them. The big message I think has been the lack of transparency and the lack of communication around this. Now you can’t carry out a negotiation in public of course, and that may have been the reason why there has been a bit of radio silence. But actually we need to step up the communication. There’s no doubt about that. And that’s a big message from today.
DOTTY MCLEOD: That’s our Political Reporter Hannah Olsson talking with the head of East Anglian Devolution Leaders’ Board Andy Wood, who is also the CEO of the Suffolk brewery Adnams. Now Clare King who lives in Cambridge raised several concerns on Twitter while listening to our three county debate yesterday. Morning Clare.
CLARE KING: Morning.
DOTTY MCLEOD: So certain aspects of the way these devolution plans are working out really trouble you. What in particular has made you angry?
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Eastern devolution – the wooing begins

10:24 Wednesday 27th April 2016
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Is your neighbourhood getting a rough deal from the rest of Cambridgeshire? That’s our question, after the Leader of East Cambs. District Council launched a scathing attack on fellow-council leaders across Cambridgeshire. James Palmer said they were too Cambridge focused. Areas like East Cambs have been forgotten about. One of his quotes: “I’m afraid some councillors who represent the city of Cambridge have no idea what exists within two or three miles of them. They think East Cambridgeshire is off the edge of some cliff, Fenland is at the bottom of it.” He’s happy to go it alone without Cambridgeshire, and forge a union down the Yellow Brick Road of Norfolk and Suffolk. Well let’s speak to the head honcho, Lewis Herbert, Labour Leader of Cambridge City Council. Morning Lewis.
LEWIS HERBERT: Good morning Paul.
PAUL STAINTON: Have you forgotten about some parts of Cambridgeshire, forsaking all others unto Cambridge?
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National Audit Office – reservations around devolution

“It is certainly very complex. The point for us is given that complexity it’s really important to spell out these things clearly, so that local people understand at what level responsibility sits.”

17:22 Wednesday 20th April 2016
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: New doubts have surfaced today over the Government’s devolution deal for East Anglia. The plan announced by the Chancellor earlier this year would mean powers over planning and transport would transfer to a new authority, combining Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have rejected the current deal, and today fresh concern, this time from the National Audit Office. It says the plan is untested, and by giving so much power to so many councils, accountability could be a problem. I spoke to Keith Davis from the National Audit Office a little earlier.
KEITH DAVIS: So what we’re saying about these deals is they offer the prospect of local growth and of public service reform, but what we’re trying to say is that they’re new, they’re untested, and therefore it’s particularly important that there is clarification on exactly what they’re trying to achieve, how impact is going to be monitored and assessed, the questions about accountability also need clarifying, who’s going to be responsible, how is that going to work. The other big point we’re making is that this is taking place against the backdrop of reductions in the funding of local authorities, 25% over the last five years, another 8% coming out over the next four. And then that makes it more of a challenge in terms of their capacity to implement these kind of changes.
CHRIS MANN: These aren’t little concerns. These are big issues, aren’t they? So should it go forward with all of these unanswered so far?
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Devolution for Cambridgeshire – Groups sets out their terms of engagement

“And fundamentally it’s up to the Government to decide whether it wants to press ahead and try and force this scheme on us, which I don’t think will be acceptable to the people, or whether or not to come back with a more viable compromise option.”

opposition_letter17:41 Wednesday 23rd March 2016
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: Tonight an open letter has been written by the Leaders of the Liberal Democrat, UKIP, Labour and Independent Groups on Cambridgeshire County Council about the devolution negotiations. It’s in opposition to the plan by the Government and the Conservatives to put some devolution into our area. Let’s bring in live now the Leader of the Labour Group, Ashley Walsh, who joins me on the line. Ashley, hello.
ASHLEY WALSH: Hello Chris.
CHRIS MANN: Now you’ve already expressed your opposition on the County Council yesterday at this Full Council meeting to the deal. Why have you felt it necessary to put it in a letter today?
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Devolution for Cambridgeshire – Council rejects Government offer

17:21 Tuesday 22nd March 2016
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: The plan for a devolution deal for East Anglia has been dealt a severe blow this evening, as County councillors rejected the current agreement. A deal joining Cambridgeshire with Norfolk and Suffolk was announced by the Chancellor in last week’s Budget, but there’s concern about how much it would actually benefit our county. Our political reporter Hannah Olsson has been at Shire Hall watching events take place, and she joins us now. Hannah.
HANNAH OLLSSON: Good evening Chris. Yes this evening’s debate centred around a proposal from the Opposition councillors on Cambridgeshire County Council to reject this devolution deal in its current form. We had a long debate lasting more than two hours, with councillors raising concerns about the speed in which this deal has been rushed through, the amount of money that’s being promised, initially just £30 million a year, and fundamentally whether Norfolk and Suffolk are the right bedfellows for the County. There was considerable criticism of the Chancellor, with the Leader of the Labour Party on the Council Ashley Walsh saying we’re being forced into a shotgun wedding, and George Osborne hadn’t even got the decency to take us out for dinner. Now Lucy Nethsingha, who’s the Leader of the LibDems here on the CountY Council suggested this deal was dreamt up on the back of a cigar packet. Now a key part of the proposal is a regional mayor leading this joint authority. There were also questions about how much this mayor will cost, and also whether someone representing such a large area could make the right decisions for Cambridgeshire.
CHRIS MANN: So that’s those who are opposing the deal. Are there any supporting it?
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Dissent on devolution for East Anglia

17:21 Thursday 17th March 2016
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

The East Anglia Devolution Agreement

CHRIS MANN: It’s been twenty four hours since the Chancellor George Osborne used the Budget to unveil devolution plans for East Anglia, handing more powers to Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. There would be in his plans a single authority for East Anglia with an elected Mayor. The Communities Secretary Greg Clark has been visiting Huntingdon today. He’s been telling the BBC exactly how devolution would work for the county.
GREG CLARK: So on transport, of course if you’re building new homes, one of the problems in the past is that the homes have gone up, but often the transport has not been in improved, so the roads have got more congested. So what the council leaders have negotiated in this deal is a big fund, nearly a billion pounds,of money to be put in the hands of locals, to make sure that when homes are built for example, or indeed when new commercial premises are built, there can be investment in the roads, in the railways, to make sure that the area continues to flow. But also for housing, we know right across the area when jobs are being created, people do need to live close by them. And they want to get a home of their own. There has been a housing shortage, so there’s money specifically again, over £175 million, to invest over the next few years in more homes here, with local people taking those decisions. So it’s a big big transfer, from rather than decisions made way down in London, have those decisions made locally.
CHRIS MANN: Cambridge City Council is the only authority out of twenty two that doesn’t support the plans. Labour’s Lewis Herbert is the Council’s Leader.
LEWIS HERBERT: The money on the table is about £1 million per council per year, and that really isn’t going to make any difference. Our infrastructure needs hundreds of millions of pounds just for Cambridge. We’ve only had three weeks to actually make our case to Government. Not enough money, nothing for housing. A bit like the Budget, there’ll be nothing for lower income and middle income people needing housing.
CHRIS MANN: But the Communities Secretary Mr Clark hopes the Council will change its mind.
BBC: Let me just ask you just about the practicalities of that deal. Three counties, with Peterborough as well. Is it really practical to take that forward, when you don’t have the likes of Cambridge City and the Local Enterprise Partnership on board? Because without Cambridge, how can that really be of any meaning?
GREG CLARK: Well it’s early days, and certainly I hope that when the City of Cambridge considers the amount of investment that is open to them and to their residents, as well as Cambridgeshire and the other counties, that they will see that actually there’s great benefits for everyone there. And of course when it comes to the City of Cambridge, a fantastic global success, but a lot of the challenges, you know, benefits of success that Cambridge has, the challenges that it gives on housing for example, on transport congestion, on skills, a lot of the solutions are not just within the city limits. They go into their neighbouring areas. So that’s what this deal does. It brings everyone together, so you’ve got better transport, rail and road across the area, places that are able to train people to take up those jobs. And crucially housing for people, young people who want a home of their own, and can put down the roots here, or stay here if they’ve lived here.
CHRIS MANN: Well let’s hear from a senior local Conservative, the Leader of Huntingdonshire District Council, Jason Ablewhite believes that had devolution happened twenty years ago, the A14 would have been upgraded by now.
JASON ABLEWHITE: Everybody locally knew that that local need was there. I think it’s always a battle going to Government to say look, you know, we need a big chunk of cash to do this. The whole point of devolution is that this will be about local decision making. And if I take Huntingdonshire for example, where we’ve got a lot of big brownfield sites, former military sites, which are very challenging in their geography and where they are, to deliver those we need infrastructure investment . If we’ve got that local power, if we’ve got local money that we can put into that, then that’s got to be a positive for the future. And it helps us with our plans. I think in ten years time I’d like to see East Anglia as an absolute powerhouse. We already know that economically it’s one of the largest economies in the UK. And in terms of GVA, between East Anglia, London and the South East, that is a big chunk of the UK PLC GVA every year. And I think a geography that’s wider, the governance is going to be an issue. I can see that because of the size, the sheer scale and size of it. But I would fundamentally love to see an Eastern Powerhouse.
CHRIS MANN: So we’ve heard from the Government proposing it. We have heard from there a council leader who accepts it. We’ve also heard from a council leader who doesn’t, Lewis Herbert for Labour. Let’s bring in, now that we have more details, Nick Clarke, former Conservative Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, who last year defected to UKIP. Hello Nick.
NICK CLARKE: Good evening Chris.
CHRIS MANN: If you were still running the County Council of course you’d be involved in negotiating all this. Would you be in favour?
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Bloated bureaucracy bogus democracy

A veteran Independent councillor states plainly what he feels is wrong with our local government.

10:39 Monday 4th January 2016
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: On the subject of this idea that’s on the front of the Peterborough Telegraph this morning, a new Eastern super-council, apparently talks are going to get underway soon which will encompass Peterborough and Cambridgeshire and Norfolk and Suffolk and Fenland and bring all that together. On the subject of that Pete says “I’m in favour of it all in consolidation Paul. Less management, an economy of scale for procurement. It can only be a good thing. Besides, living in Fenland we are ignored. Everything goes to Cambridge, so we have nothing to lose here.” says Peter. Do we need a revamp as to how our county, and Fenland of course as well, and Peterborough are governed? Council bosses in Cambridgeshire have been told that the county is too small to be given devolved powers from the Government. So it’s no good Peterborough and Fenland and Cambridgeshire county councils teaming up. Too small. It could mean that we have to buddy up with Norfolk or Essex or Suffolk, and get all those extra powers. Well the news has left one councillor, a former County Council Leader Martin Curtis, to call for a complete review of how councils are drawn up, and how we’re all governed. Well with me now is Peterborough councillor Charlie Swift. He’s seen it all and more in his years on Peterborough City Council. Morning Charlie.
CHARLES SWIFT: Morning young man.
PAUL STAINTON: Is this the Emperor’s new clothes, or a brand new idea?
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Wisbech Transport Consultation

17:18 Tuesday 17th June 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[S]UE DOUGAN: A consultation is taking place today and again on Friday at Wisbech on future transport plans for the town. It’s a chance for local people to share opinions on everything from road congestion to the return of a passenger railway. We’ll speak to Simon King who’s Chairman of the Bramley Line Group in a moment. They have long campaigned for the return of the March to Wisbech rail line. But first let’s talk to Jeremy Smith. He’s Transport and Infrastructure Strategy Manager at Cambridgeshire County Council. Jeremy, hello, good evening. There’s a lot for local people to look at and consider. Which proposals and ideas in particular would you like to hear opinions on?
JEREMY SMITH: Well obviously the railway line is one of the big things that are on our agenda at the moment. And work the County Council has done indicates that there may well be a good commercial case for the opening of the line. And one of the key things that will enable us to push that forward with Government and the rail industry is a good response, a good level of support from local people. So we really need to know whether people want this to happen.
SUE DOUGAN: Have they said that to you today then? Have they ventured an opinion one way or the other?
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