Government extends warning to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority over its performance

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) has been issued with a new formal notification by Government officials about ongoing concerns around its performance.

A revised Best Value Notice has just been sent to CPCA by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).

It extends for six months a previous best value notice issued 12 months ago which highlighted concerns over ‘significant weaknesses’ in the authority’s governance arrangements that are believed to be ‘pervasive’.

The new notice calls on the CPCA to continue to engage with DLUHC to ensure improvements are made.

Minister for Local Government, Simon Hoare MP, in a letter to Peterborough MP Paul Bristow announcing the revised Best Value Notice, states: “Where authorities demonstrate that they may not be working as effectively as they can, the Department will pro-actively take steps to highlight and seek rectifications of concerns.

"I would be grateful if you can offer whatever support you are able in order to assist and ensure improvements at CPCA continue.”

The original notice was issued in January 2023 with the Government highlighting the CPCA’s governance, project delivery and company culture as areas of concern.

A letter to the authority’s interim chief executive Gordon Mitchell, the DLUHC stated the notice had been issued due to ‘significant concerns highlighted by the external auditor published on 1 June 2022 in relation to the year 2021/22 audit year confirming significant weaknesses in the authority’s governance arrangements that they believe to be pervasive.’

It called on the CPCA to take action to implement cultural change, achieve strong partnership working and ensure a transparent recruitment campaign.”