Governance

The Greater Cambridge City Deal document was signed on 19th June 2014 on behalf of all five local partners and the government.

The deal was underpinned by a commitment to deliver transformative economic benefits through investment in infrastructure and through a collaborative governance framework, featuring an executive board that brings together the partner organisations and a wider joint assembly.

Executive board

The board comprises three elected members with full voting rights (one from each of the three partner councils) and two non-voting members co-opted by the joint committee [executive board]; one nominated by the business board and one nominated by the University of Cambridge. Standing orders also provide for the appointment/nomination of a substitute member from each partner body. Nominations are submitted to the executive board for approval.

The executive board is the decision-making body, responsible for ensuring the objectives of the Greater Cambridge city deal are met. The executive board is responsible for commissioning projects funded by money provided through the city deal and for overall control of that programme of investments.

For up to date agendas and minutes, please see the Cambridgeshire County Council CMIS pages.

The executive board was formally established by Cambridge City Council, Cambridgeshire County Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council. It is a joint committee of the three councils, established by Cambridgeshire County Council under section 102(1) (b) of the local government act 1972 and by Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council under section 9EB of the local government act 2000.

Joint assembly

The role of the joint assembly is to advise the executive board, acting as a forum for discussion with a wider range of members and stakeholders across the Greater Cambridge area, so that the executive board benefits from a wider range of expertise in making its decisions.

For up to date agendas and minutes, please see the Cambridgeshire County Council CMIS page.

The joint assembly was formally established by Cambridge City Council, Cambridgeshire County Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council. It is a joint advisory committee of the three councils, established under section 102(4) of the local government act 1972. The joint assembly comprises three elected members from each partner council; three co-opted members nominated by the business board and three co-opted members nominated by the University of Cambridge.

Meetings

The executive board and the joint assembly meet at least four times a year. Papers for each meeting are published in advance on the county council website. Meeting dates and past and current agenda can be found via the links below:

• Executive board
• Joint assembly

Getting involved

GCP teams work with local communities to explain and outline their proposals and to seek the views and opinions of the people who will benefit from the projects being developed. This happens informally and through more formal consultation exercises at key stages of project design. Much of this happened in advance of joint assembly and executive board meetings and details are included in reports presented to them, so members can take them into account.

Public questions

At the discretion of the chairperson, members of the public may ask questions at meetings of the executive board and joint assembly. Arrangements are governed by a public questions protocol.

Petitions

At the discretion of the Chairperson, members of the public may submit and present petitions to the Joint Assembly Petitions should comply with a protocol as defined in Standing Orders.

There is no provision for presenting petitions to the Executive Board. Any matters arising from petitions considered by the Joint Assembly are reported to the Executive Board by the Joint Assembly Chairperson.

Assurance framework

The GCP's decision making process is guided by an assurance framework that was agreed between government and the partner bodies when the city deal was signed.

Corporate governance

The GCP adheres to the corporate policies of Cambridgeshire County Council, as its accountable body.

To understand more about those policies which are relevant to the GCP, and how they operate, please see the following links:

• The GCP welcomes feedback and is committed to learning from any feedback, positive or negative. We take all feedback (complaints, compliments, suggestions and representations) received seriously. For more information about how we deal with feedback, please see the Cambridgeshire County Council Feedback Policy
• You can access the information we hold in writing or online in accordance with various pieces of legislation. For more details about data sharing and access to information, including how you can request information under the freedom of information act, please see Cambridgeshire County Council Information and Data Sharing
• It is important that any fraud, malpractice or wrongdoing within the GCP is reported and properly dealt with, under the governance framework set out by Cambridgeshire County Council. To express any concerns as a member of staff, supplier, councillor or member of the public, please see the Cambridgeshire County Council Whistleblowing Procedure