Cabinet members at Peterborough City Council have approved a Greater Peterborough proposal (Option D) being sent to Government as one of the options for Local Government Reorganisation across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
The Cabinet meeting which took place yesterday (Tuesday 18 November) followed meetings of Full Council and the Joint Scrutiny Committee where members were asked to comment on the five proposals being drafted for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) locally.
At a Joint Scrutiny meeting on 28 October members unanimously decided to recommend two of the five options for Cabinet consideration:
• Option A – North/South Split (two unitary authorities)
• Option D – Greater Peterborough (three unitary authorities)
At the Full Council meeting held on 12 November, Option D was supported by a majority of councillors.
Yesterday, Cabinet members reviewed the options and unanimously supported submitting Option D to Government for a new arrangement of councils in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Option D (Greater Peterborough) would include three unitary councils. One for Peterborough and West Huntingdonshire, one for Fenland, East Huntingdonshire, East Cambridgeshire, and another for South Cambridgeshire, Cambridge City.
Speaking at the meeting, Councillor Shabina Qayyum, said: “This cabinet meeting marks a pivotal moment, we are not just being asked to review the options, we are being asked to lead. This decision has the potential to shape the future governments of our region and must be made with clarity, confidence and collective purpose.”
Councillor Mohammed Farooq, deputy leader and cabinet member for growth and regeneration, said: “What we are discussing now is the biggest decision we have ever made in our careers. This change is not driven by us – but by the Government – and we are participating in it to ensure the best change possible is made for Peterborough in terms of prosperity, growth, identity and the best way to deliver our services to vulnerable people. Option D satisfies that criteria the best.”
Councillor Christian Hogg, cabinet member for housing and regulatory services, said: “Based on the options we have been given to decide from, what I’m really concerned with is the lack of locality under Option A. Councillors need to have a good understanding of the areas in which they operate. The goldilocks option is Option D here.”
All seven councils across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will be impacted by LGR, which is a Government plan to abolish two-tier arrangements, replacing them with unitary councils. Where existing unitary areas are deemed too small, these too are included in the reorganisation.
The other six councils across Cambridgeshire will also make decisions on which of the five proposals will be presented to Government ahead of the 28 November deadline.
A decision is expected next summer on the Government's preferred option, following which there will be consultation with the public.
Read the LGR Cover Report on the Democracy Peterborough website (opens PDF).