Cambridgeshire and Peterborough's mayor has been 'trying to do a turnaround' since he started

Mayor Dr Nik Johnson (Labour) has been “trying to do a turnaround” since he took over the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA), he says.

The mayor, freshly back in post after more than three months’ medical leave, acknowledges that the CPCA has “had its problems in the past” but says he remains “incredibly positive” about the work it can do.

Led by the directly-elected mayor, the CPCA’s role in the region is to improve transport infrastructure, deliver housing and help the local economy grow, often through bids to central Government for cash.

The authority, which Dr Johnson took over in 2021, has been criticised for failing to spend all of the money it has been granted, most recently by Peterborough MP Paul Bristow (Conservatives) who called the CPCA a “failing authority” in February.

The mayor had no comment on Mr Bristow’s criticism, but said he “doesn’t hide” from the fact the CPCA has had problems in the past.

The CPCA was being told it was failing to deliver a sustainable affordable housing programme by Government when he walked in, Dr Johnson said, and “ever since, I’ve been trying to do a turnaround”.

This has been helped, he added, by a change in management, but also “willingness and cooperation” between CPCA officers and those of its partners including Peterborough City Council (PCC) – "releasing a real sense of common purpose across the whole area”.

But negative perceptions of the CPCA’s abilities did make project delivery more difficult before these changes came about, the mayor said.

Asked about the “potential reputation of the Combined Authority getting large amounts of money and not being able to spend them”, he said: “there is probably agreement with your point of view and it has actually made the delivery of important projects, for the benefit of the whole of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, problematic”.

Combined Authority 'forced into a corner' over bus funding

On the brand new mayoral precept – a £12 per year charge which will be added to residents’ council tax bills to fund public transport– he said that “no-one wants to pay extra money” but that it’s “important”.

It's important to “build up a public understanding of the importance of public transport for all”, he said, and also to “preserve bus services for the here and now whilst we develop new ambitions for Peterborough and Cambridgeshire”.

“To some extent we were forced into a corner,” he added. “There would have been other difficult choices elsewhere in terms of service provision or other projects the CPCA would have had to consider.”

The CPCA’s own money from the Government has also become tighter, he added, as – while the figures have remained the same – inflation and rising costs mean that it doesn’t stretch as far.

Despite this, the CPCA is “in a very strong place” with a “very positive atmosphere”, Dr Johnson said.

Partners to take 'greater ownership' of Combined Authority

And while he will return to his own role at “full throttle”, there is “every expectation” going forward that constituent authorities including PCC will take greater ownership of the CPCA.

“In some of the new proposals around the governance, there is every expectation that across the board leaders from across different constituent authorities will be hopefully stepping up to take ownership of the Combined Authority,” he said, with a “much more collaborative approach to decision making”.

But his own role won’t exactly be moot. “I wouldn't come back if I didn't think I had a lot to offer,” he said.