- Greater Cambridge Partnership Integrated Governance Framework
- a) Greater Cambridge Partnership Executive Board
- b) Greater Cambridge Partnership Joint Assembly
- Appendix 1 - Greater Cambridge Partnership Executive Board (Terms of Reference)
- Appendix 1 - Annex A - Greater Cambridge Partnership Executive Board (Standing Orders)
- Appendix 2 - Greater Cambridge Partnership Joint Assembly (Terms of Reference)
- Appendix 2 - Annex A - Greater Cambridge Partnership Joint Assembly (Standing Orders)
Greater Cambridge Partnership Integrated Governance Framework
The Greater Cambridge Partnership has five local partners, Cambridgeshire County Council, Cambridge City Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, the Business Board of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and the University of Cambridge. Its governance framework consists of an Executive Board with five members, supported by a Joint Assembly with 15 members.
a) Greater Cambridge Partnership Executive Board
Summary of Functions
The Greater Cambridge Partnership Executive Board has delegated authority to exercise the following functions:
- Authority to set and review the objectives to be achieved by the strategic investments made pursuant to the Greater Cambridge City Deal agreement dated 19 June 2014
- Authority to:
- Approve single position statements in relation to strategic City Deal issues.
- Approve projects, including the allocation of project funding, which fall within the ambit of the City Deal agreement.
- Approve the major priorities under the auspices of the City Deal.
- Approve plans and strategies necessary or incidental to the implementation of the City Deal agreement.
- Consider recommendations from the Greater Cambridge Partnership Joint Assembly.
Terms of Reference and Standing Orders
The Executive Board’s Terms of Reference and Standing Orders are set out in Appendix 1.
b) Greater Cambridge Partnership Joint Assembly
Summary of Functions
The Greater Cambridge Partnership Joint Assembly has delegated authority to exercise the following functions:
- Authority to advise the Greater Cambridge Partnership Executive Board in connection to the achievement of the objectives of the City Deal agreement.
- Authority to prepare and submit reports and/or recommendations to the Greater Cambridge Partnership Executive Board.
Terms of Reference and Standing Orders
The Joint Assembly’s Terms of Reference and Standing Orders are set out in Appendix 2.
Appendix 1 - Greater Cambridge Partnership Executive Board (Terms of Reference)
1. Parties
Cambridge City Council.
Cambridgeshire County Council.
South Cambridgeshire District Council.
The Business Board of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority [the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) for the region – hereafter referred to as the ‘Business Board’].
The University of Cambridge.
2. Status
The Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) Executive Board has been 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.
3. Membership
Three elected members with full voting rights (one from each of the three member Councils).
Two non-voting members (one from the Business Board and one from the University of Cambridge).
4. Functions of the Executive Board
4.1 The Executive Board is established to ensure that the objectives of the Greater Cambridge City Deal are met. The Greater Cambridge City Deal aims to enable a new wave of innovation-led growth by investing in the infrastructure, housing and skills that will facilitate the continued growth of the ‘Cambridge Phenomenon’. To this end, the Executive Board will have oversight of the strategic direction and delivery of the City Deal and its objectives.
4.2 The Executive Board will also be responsible for the commissioning of projects funded by money provided through the City Deal and for overall control of that programme of investments. The scheme promoter for each individual project will be responsible for the delivery of that budget, under the oversight of the Executive Board. This shall also apply to circumstances in which funding is provided to the Executive Board by the member councils or by other parties, such as the Business Board.
4.3 The three councils agree to delegate exercise of their functions to the Executive Board to the extent necessary to enable the Executive Board to pursue and achieve the objectives of the Greater Cambridge City Deal and to undertake any actions necessary, incidental or ancillary to achieving those objectives, and, accordingly, the three councils shall make the necessary changes to their respective schemes of delegation. The Executive Board may further delegate to officers of the three Councils.
4.4 The Executive Board will consider any reports and recommendations from the Joint Assembly as appropriate.
5. Professional and Administrative Support
5.1 Cambridgeshire County Council shall act as the accountable body for the Executive Board in respect of financial matters and its financial procedure rules will apply in this context.
5.2 Committee management and administrative support to the Executive Board will be provided by one of the constituent councils [Cambridgeshire County Council from May 2019].
5.3 The lead role on projects shall be determined by the Executive Board, subject to the principle that the lead authority should be the Council primarily responsible for the service in question for their area. The procurement and other rules of the lead authority will apply in respect of projects.
6. Standing Orders
6.1 The Executive Board will be governed by the Standing Orders set out in Annex A attached to these Terms of Reference.
7. Costs
7.1 The three Councils will each bear its own costs in relation to the operation of the Executive Board, with the exception of approved project delivery costs met from budgets managed by the Executive Board.
7.2 Each council makes a legally binding commitment that, should it withdraw from or modify its role within the Executive Board, it agrees to pay all additional costs that fail to be met by the other partner councils that are reasonably attributable to that decision. This could include, for example, the costs that are locked into projects that have already been committed to, or the costs of dissolving integrated officer and Member arrangements and re-establishing independent arrangements.
7.3 The firm intention is that the Executive Board will continue until it is either replaced by a Combined Authority, subject to the carrying out of a governance review following necessary legislative changes, or until the programme is completed. Recognising the very serious implications of withdrawal from the Executive Board for the delivery of the City Deal programme, if a council decides to withdraw from or modify its role within the Executive Board, it commits to sharing this with the GCP at the earliest possible opportunity, and to entering into constructive discussions to avoid this happening or to reach a way forward.
Appendix 1 - Annex A - Greater Cambridge Partnership Executive Board (Standing Orders)
1. Membership
1.1 The Executive Board will have a voting membership of three, each council being entitled to appoint one voting member.
1.2 The Executive Board will also have two non-voting members, to be co-opted by the Committee on a nomination by each of the Business Board and the University of Cambridge.
2. Alternate or Substitute Members
2.1 Each council will be entitled to appoint one named alternate or substitute member who may act in all aspects as a voting member of the Executive Board in the absence of the voting member appointed.
2.2 Alternate or substitute members will be invited to attend all meetings of the Executive Board.
2.3 The Business Board and the University of Cambridge will each be entitled to nominate an alternate or substitute non-voting member to act in the absence of their principal co-opted member.
3. Term of Office
3.1 The term of office of voting and alternate or substitute voting members shall end:
- if rescinded by the appointing Council; or
- if the member ceases to be a member of the appointing Council.
3.2 The Business Board and University of Cambridge may at any time ask the Executive Board to replace their nominated co-opted member and alternate or substitute member by way of further nomination.
4. Appointment of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson
4.1 The Executive Board will appoint a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson at its first meeting and thereafter annually at the first meeting following the Annual Meetings of the three Councils. The Chairperson and, in his or her absence, the Vice-Chairperson shall have a casting vote.
4.2 The non-voting co-opted members of the Executive Board shall not act in the role of either the Chairperson or the Vice-Chairperson of the Executive Board.
5. Quorum
5.1 The quorum for meetings of the Executive Board will be three voting members.
5.2 If there is no quorum at the published start time for the meeting, a period of ten minutes will be allowed, or longer, at the Chairperson’s discretion. If there remains no quorum at the expiry of this period, the meeting will be declared null and void.
5.3 If there is no quorum at any stage during a meeting, the Chairperson will adjourn the meeting for a period of ten minutes, or longer, at their discretion. If there remains no quorum at the expiry of this period, the meeting will be closed and the remaining items will be declared null and void.
6. Member Conduct
6.1 Executive Board members appointed by the three councils shall be bound by the Code of Conduct of their nominating authority. Board members nominated by the Business Board and the University of Cambridge will be bound by the Code of Conduct of the council providing democratic services support to the GCP.
6.2 If a member persistently disregards the ruling of the Chairperson, or person presiding over the meeting, by behaving improperly or offensively or deliberately obstructs business, the Chairperson, or person presiding over the meeting, may move that the member be not heard further. If seconded, a vote will be taken without discussion.
6.3 If the member continues to behave improperly after such a motion is carried, the Chairperson, or person presiding over the meeting, may move that either the member leaves the meeting or that the meeting is adjourned for a specified period. If seconded, a vote will be taken without discussion.
7. Notice of and Summons to Meetings
7.1 Notice will be given to the public of the time and place of any meeting of the Executive Board in accordance with the Access to Information rules of the council providing democratic services support to the GCP.
7.2 At least five clear working days before a meeting, a copy of the agenda and associated papers will be sent to every member of the Executive Board. Other than in exceptional circumstances this will take place five working days before the deadline for submission of public questions. The agenda will give the date, time and place of each meeting and specify the business to be transacted, and will be accompanied by such details as are available.
8. Meeting Frequency
8.1 The Executive Board will meet on at least a quarterly basis, with one of those meetings acting as the annual meeting.
9. Voting
9.1 Executive Board members commit to seek, where possible, to operate on the basis of consensus.
9.2 Should it not be possible in a specific instance to find a consensus, the issue will be deferred to a later meeting of the Executive Board. Executive Board members can choose to simply re-submit the item to a following meeting, or to refer the item to the Joint Assembly for consideration and recommendation. Following this, a vote will be again taken and, if a consensus is still not achievable, the decision will be made on the basis of a simple majority.
9.3 The voting members of the Executive Board will act with due regard to the opinions of the non-voting members of the Board.
10. Reports from the Joint Assembly
10.1 The Executive Board will receive reports and recommendations from the Joint Assembly as appropriate and the Chairperson of the Joint Assembly, or a nominated representative on his or her behalf, will be entitled to attend meetings of the Executive Board to present them.
11. Questions by the Public and Public Speaking
11.1 At the discretion of the Chairperson, members of the public may ask questions at meetings of the Executive Board. This standard protocol is to be observed by public speakers:
(a) Notice of the question should be submitted to the GCP ‘Public Questions’ inbox by 10am at least three working days before the meeting;
(b) Questions should be limited to a maximum of 300 words;
(c) Questioners will not be permitted to raise the competence or performance of a member, officer or representative of any partner on the Executive Board, nor any matter involving exempt information (normally considered as ‘confidential’);
(d) Questioners cannot make any abusive or defamatory comments;
(e) If any clarification of what the questioner has said is required, the Chairperson will have the discretion to allow other Executive Board members to ask questions;
(f) The questioner will not be permitted to participate in any subsequent discussion and will not be entitled to vote;
(g) The Chairperson will decide when and what time will be set aside for questions depending on the amount of business on the agenda for the meeting;
(h) Individual questioners will be permitted to speak for a maximum of three minutes;
(i) In the event of questions considered by the Chairperson as duplicating one another, it may be necessary for a spokesperson to be nominated to put forward the question on behalf of other questioners. If a spokesperson cannot be nominated or agreed, the questioner of the first such question received will be entitled to put forward their question; and
(j) Questions should relate to items that are on the agenda for discussion at the meeting in question. The Chairperson will have the discretion to allow questions to be asked on other issues.
12. Petitions
12.1 Petitions received in relation to the Greater Cambridge Partnership will be referred to the Joint Assembly for consideration. Any matters arising from petitions considered by the Joint Assembly can be reported to the Executive Board, as per Standing Order 10.
13. Participation at Executive Board Meetings by Other Members of Partner Councils or Other Representatives of Partner Bodies
13.1 At the discretion of the Chairperson, other elected members of the three partner Councils or other representatives from the Business Board or the University of Cambridge may be entitled to speak and participate at meetings of the Executive Board.
14. Minutes
14.1 The Chairperson will sign the minutes of the proceedings at the next suitable meeting. The Chairperson will move that the minutes of the previous meeting be signed as a correct record.
14.2 The minutes will be accompanied by a list of agreed action points, which may be discussed in considering the minutes of the previous meeting should they not be specifically listed as items on the agenda for the meeting.
15. Exclusion of the Public and Press
15.1 Members of the public and press may be excluded from meetings in accordance with the access to information rules of legislation as applied by the administering authority with regard to the consideration of exempt or confidential information.
16. Recording of Proceedings
16.1 The recording in any format of meetings of the Executive Board is permitted, except:
- Where the Chairperson, or person presiding over the meeting, rules that filming is being undertaken in such a way that is disruptive or distracting to the good order and conduct of the meeting;
- Where the public have been excluded from the meeting during the consideration of exempt or confidential information [see section 15].
17. Disturbance by Public
17.1 If a member of the public interrupts proceedings, the Chairperson, or person presiding over the meeting, will warn the person concerned. If the individual continues to interrupt, the Chairperson will order his or her removal from the meeting room.
17.2 If there is a general disturbance in any part of the meeting room open to the public, the Chairperson, or person presiding over the meeting, may call for that part of the room to be cleared.
17.3 If there is a general disturbance making orderly business impossible, the Chairperson, or person presiding over the meeting, may adjourn the meeting for as long as he or she thinks is necessary.
18. Interpretation of Standing Orders
18.1 The ruling of the Chairperson of the Executive Board as to the application of these Standing Orders shall be final.
19. Suspension of Standing Orders
19.1 Any of these Standing Orders may, as far as is lawful, be suspended by motion passed unanimously by those entitled to vote.
Appendix 2 - Greater Cambridge Partnership Joint Assembly (Terms of Reference)
1. Parties
Cambridge City Council.
Cambridgeshire County Council.
South Cambridgeshire District Council.
The Business Board of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority [the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) for the region – hereafter referred to as the ‘Business Board’].
The University of Cambridge.
2. Status
The Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) Joint Assembly has been 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.
3. Membership
3.1 Three elected members appointed by each of the three member councils.
Three co-opted members nominated by the Business Board.
Three co-opted members nominated by the University of Cambridge.
4. Functions of the Joint Assembly
4.1 The Joint Assembly is established to advise the GCP with regard to the latter’s role in achieving the objectives of the Greater Cambridge City Deal Agreement dated 19th June 2014.
4.2 The Joint Assembly will act 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.
4.3 To this end, the Joint Assembly may receive and comment on (“pre-scrutinise”) reports to the Executive Board, may offer advice to the Board on the discharge of its functions and may review its work.
4.4 The Joint Assembly may develop its own work programme and submit reports or recommendations to the Executive Board for consideration, as appropriate.
5. Professional and Administrative Support
5.1 Committee management and administrative support to the Joint Assembly will be provided by one of the constituent councils [Cambridgeshire County Council from May 2019].
5.2 Other professional support will be provided to the Joint Assembly on an ad hoc basis as agreed between the three councils.
6. Standing Orders
The Joint Assembly will be governed by the Standing Orders set out in Annex A attached to these Terms of Reference.
7. Costs
7.1 The three councils, the Business Board and the University of Cambridge will each bear its own costs in relation to the operation of the Joint Assembly.
Appendix 2 - Annex A - Greater Cambridge Partnership Joint Assembly (Standing Orders)
1. Membership
1.1 The Joint Assembly will have a membership of 15, with each council being entitled to appoint three members and the Business Board and the University of Cambridge both being entitled to nominate three co-opted members.
1.2 The appointments made by the three councils will take account of the political composition of the Greater Cambridge area. Appointments by Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council will therefore be proportional to the political composition of the respective authority, whereas appointments by Cambridgeshire County Council will be proportional to those electoral divisions that fall within the Greater Cambridge area.
1.3 Members nominated by the Business Board and the University of Cambridge will become co-opted members on endorsement by the Executive Board.
2. Alternate or Substitute Members
2.1 No alternate or substitute members will be permitted on the Joint Assembly.
3. Term of Office
3.1 The term of office of members from the three councils shall end:
- if rescinded by the appointing council; or
- if the member ceases to be a member of the appointing council.
3.2 The Business Board and University of Cambridge may at any time ask the Joint Assembly to replace any of their nominated co-opted members by way of further nomination.
4. Appointment of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson
4.1 The Joint Assembly will appoint a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson at its first meeting and thereafter annually at the first meeting following the Annual Meetings of the three Councils. The Chairperson and, in his or her absence, the Vice-Chairperson will have a casting vote.
4.2 Where there are three or more candidates for appointment and there is, after balloting, no candidate with a clear majority, meaning in this case the votes of more than 50% of members present and voting, the candidate with the least number of votes will withdraw and there will be a fresh ballot of remaining candidates; and so on until a candidate has that majority.
5. Quorum
5.1 The quorum for meetings of the Joint Assembly will be five members.
5.2 If there is no quorum at the published start time for the meeting, a period of ten minutes will be allowed, or longer, at the Chairperson’s discretion. In the absence of the Chairperson the Vice-Chairperson will have discretion to act. If there remains no quorum at the expiry of this period, the meeting will be declared null and void.
5.3 If there is no quorum at any stage during a meeting, the person presiding over the meeting will adjourn for a period of ten minutes, or longer, at their discretion. If there remains no quorum at the expiry of this period, the meeting will be closed and the remaining items will be declared null and void.
6. Member Conduct
6.1 Joint Assembly members appointed by the three councils shall be bound by the Code of Conduct of their nominating authority. Assembly co-opted members nominated by the Business Board and the University of Cambridge will have regard to the Code of Conduct of the council providing democratic services support to the GCP.
6.2 If a member persistently disregards the ruling of the Chairperson, or person presiding over the meeting, by behaving improperly or offensively or deliberately obstructs business, the Chairperson, or person presiding over the meeting, may move that the member be not heard further. If seconded, a vote will be taken without discussion.
6.3 If the member continues to behave improperly after such a motion is carried, the Chairperson, or person presiding over the meeting, may move that either the member leaves the meeting or that the meeting is adjourned for a specified period. If seconded, a vote will be taken without discussion.
7. Notice of and Summons to Meetings
7.1 Notice will be given to the public of the time and place of any meeting of the Joint Assembly in accordance with the access to information rules of the Council providing democratic services support to the GCP.
7.2 At least five clear working days before a meeting, a copy of the agenda and associated papers will be sent to every member of the Joint Assembly. Other than in exceptional circumstances this will take place five working days before the deadline for submission of public questions. The agenda will give the date, time and place of each meeting; specify the business to be transacted, and will be accompanied by such details as are available.
8. Meeting Frequency
The Joint Assembly may set its own timetable for meetings but will initially meet quarterly, normally on a date preceding meetings of the Executive Board in order to allow the Joint Assembly to consider issues the Board will be taking decisions on and advise accordingly.
9. Voting
9.1 All Joint Assembly members will be voting members.
9.2 Voting for meetings of the Joint Assembly will be conducted on the basis of a simple majority.
10. Reports from the Joint Assembly to the Executive Board
10.1 The Chairperson of the Joint Assembly, or a nominated representative on his or her behalf, will be entitled to attend meetings of the Executive Board to present reports from the Joint Assembly as appropriate.
11. Questions by the Public and Public speaking
11.1 At the discretion of the Chairperson, members of the public may ask questions at meetings of the Joint Assembly. This standard protocol is to be observed by public speakers:
(a) Notice of the question should be submitted to the GCP ‘Public Questions’ inbox at the latest by 10am three working days before the meeting;
(b) Questions should be limited to a maximum of 300 words;
(c) Questioners will not be permitted to raise the competence or performance of a member, officer or representative of any partner on the Joint Assembly, nor any matter involving exempt information (normally considered as ‘confidential’);
(d) Questioners cannot make any abusive or defamatory comments;
(e) If any clarification of what the questioner has said is required, the Chairperson will have the discretion to allow other Joint Assembly members to ask questions;
(f) The questioner will not be permitted to participate in any subsequent discussion and will not be entitled to vote;
(g) The Chairperson will decide when and what time will be set aside for questions depending on the amount of business on the agenda for the meeting;
(h) Individual questioners will be permitted to speak for a maximum of three minutes;
(i) In the event of questions considered by the Chairperson as duplicating one another, it may be necessary for a spokesperson to be nominated to put forward the question on behalf of other questioners. If a spokesperson cannot be nominated or agreed, the questioner of the first such question received will be entitled to put forward their question; and
(j) Questions should relate to items that are on the agenda for discussion at the meeting in question. The Chairperson will have discretion to allow questions to be asked on other issues.
12. Petitions
12.1 At the discretion of the Chairperson, members of the public may submit and present petitions to the Joint Assembly. This standard protocol is to be observed by petitioners:
(a) Petitions should include a clear statement of the petition organiser’s concerns and what they would like the Joint Assembly to do;
(b) Petitions must relate to something which is within the responsibility of the Joint Assembly, or over which the Assembly has some influence;
(c) Petitions must include the name and contact details of the petition organiser;
(d) Petitions must include at least 500 signatures. Petitions below this threshold will not be presented to the Joint Assembly, but Assembly members will be notified of them as long as they contain at least 50 signatures;
(e) Petitions must be submitted to the Democratic Services Team at the County Council (as the administering authority) either in paper format or using its e-petitions facility at least 5 clear working days before the date of the meeting;
(f) Petition organisers will be permitted to present their petitions to the meeting and will be allowed to address the meeting for a maximum of three minutes;
(g) Where more than one petition is received in time for a particular meeting and they are considered by the Chairperson as supporting the same outcome or being broadly similar in intent, it may be necessary for a spokesperson to be nominated and present the petitions. If a spokesperson cannot be nominated or agreed, the petition organiser of the first petition received will be entitled to present their petition; and
(h) Petitions will be rejected if the Chairperson considers them to be abusive or libellous, frivolous, vague or ambiguous, rude, offensive, defamatory, scurrilous or time-wasting or require the disclosure of exempt information (normally considered as ‘confidential’).
12.2 Any matters arising from petitions considered by the Joint Assembly can be reported to the Executive Board as per Standing Order 10.
13. Participation at Joint Assembly Meetings by Other Members of Partner Councils or Other Representatives of Partner Bodies
13.1 At the discretion of the Chairperson, other elected members of the three partner councils or other representatives from the Business Board or the University of Cambridge may be entitled to speak and participate at meetings of the Joint Assembly.
14. Minutes
14.1 The Chairperson will sign the minutes of the proceedings at the next suitable meeting. The Chairperson will move that the minutes of the previous meeting be signed as a correct record. The only part of the minutes that can be discussed is their accuracy.
14.2 The minutes will be accompanied by a list of agreed action points, which may be discussed in considering the minutes of the previous meeting should they not be specifically listed as items on the agenda for the meeting.
15. Exclusion of the Public and Press
15.1 Members of the public and press may be excluded from meetings in accordance with the Access to Information legislation as applied by the administering authority with regard to the consideration of exempt or confidential information.
16. Recording of Proceedings
16.1 The recording in any format of meetings of the Joint Assembly is permitted, except:
- Where the Chairperson, or person presiding over the meeting, rules that filming is being undertaken in such a way that is disruptive or distracting to the good order and conduct of the meeting; and/or
- Where the public have been excluded from the meeting during the consideration of exempt or confidential information [see section 15].
17. Disturbance by the Public
17.1 If a member of the public interrupts proceedings, the Chairperson, or person presiding over the meeting, will warn the person concerned. If the individual continues to interrupt, the Chairperson will order his or her removal from the meeting room.
17.2 If there is a general disturbance in any part of the meeting room open to the public, the Chairperson, or person presiding over the meeting, may call for that part of the room to be cleared.
17.3 If there is a general disturbance making orderly business impossible, the Chairperson, or person presiding over the meeting, may adjourn the meeting for as long as he or she thinks is necessary.
18. Interpretation of Standing Orders
18.1 The ruling of the Chairperson of the Joint Assembly as to the application of these Standing Orders shall be final.
19. Suspension of Standing Orders
19.1 Any of these Standing Orders may, as far as is lawful, be suspended by motion passed unanimously by those entitled to vote.
[Chapter E3 (Greater Cambridge Partnership) was last amended on 11 February 2025]
A PDF version of this chapter is available to view or download on the CMIS section of the Council’s website, along with a PDF version of the full constitution.
