As discussions on devolution progress much has been made of the vote at the County Council stating “the deal is unacceptable in its current form”. The chief executive has already written the letter explaining that in more detail and I thought it would be useful if I posted my letter on my site.
Dear Greg
Further to the letter from my Chief Executive outlining the motion agreed by the Full
Council of Cambridgeshire County Council on 22 March, I would like to request an
urgent meeting with you to discuss our concerns and how a changed devolution
deal could be moved forward that would benefit the people of Cambridgeshire and
Peterborough, as well as the wider region.
While there were major concerns expressed during the meeting, which the Chief
Executive has outlined, I want to make it clear that we certainly understand the
benefits and opportunities for the communities we serve of moving powers and
funding from Government to be held locally.
The County Council believes that Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is a viable
geography for a strong devolution deal with Government. Cambridgeshire and
Peterborough have innovative, world beating, fast growing economies, whose
continued success is vital for the future of UK plc. With greater local freedoms and
funding we could support this growth by improving housing, transport, skills and jobs
for the benefit of our residents and the UK as a whole.
Building upon the work that has previously been done on a Cambridgeshire and
Peterborough deal, we would like the opportunity to revisit the key areas of benefit
that such a deal could offer. Recognising the need for closer working with
surrounding areas on strategic issues, such as transport, we would also reinstate
our plans for a Memorandum of Understanding with Norfolk and Suffolk.
Our members are very keen to present these arguments and promote the potential
of a different devolution deal for our area. I therefore request a meeting with you as
soon as possible and look forward to hearing from your office when this might be
possible.
I would also like to thank you for the time and effort you are putting into seeking to
take forward devolution for our area.
Yours sincerely
Councillor Steve Count
Leader, Cambridgeshire County Council
Councillor Steve Count 