To:                              Future Oxfordshire Partnership

Title of Report:        Principles for Appointments to Oxford-Cambridge Arc

Date:                          13 June 2022

Report of:                 Andrew Down, Director

Status:                       Open

Executive Summary and Purpose: This report sets out the basis on which appointments can be made to represent the Future Oxfordshire Partnership on any emerging pan-regional partnership covering the area currently known as the Oxford-Cambridge Arc. Recommendations: That the Future Oxfordshire Partnership agrees the principles that: (a) the Chair should be its representative on any emerging Arc collaboration board (b) in the event that the Chair is unavailable or is a member of the collaboration board in another capacity, the Vice-Chair should be the FOP’s representative.

 

Background

 

1.    Local government leaders in the Oxford-Cambridge Arc are currently considering the future for this collaborative venture.

 

2.    Indications from national government suggest that the Arc is now considered as a pan-regional partnership, alongside others such as Western Gateway, Midlands Engine and Thames Estuary.  It is not expected that any top-down governance model will be imposed.

 

3.    Government funding is expected to be available for a locally led collaboration, should local government collectively wish to take this route.  This funding would be matched with contributions from each Growth Board area, and in return there would be some dedicated resource available.

 

4.    The future collaboration model is currently under discussion and at this stage it is proposed it would include a single board representative from Oxfordshire.  This would be the Chair of the Future Oxfordshire Partnership and would operate as all other rotating leader representation on external bodies.  If the Chair were unavailable or indeed on the board in a different role the link would move to the Vice Chair as normal practice.

 

5.    No decision has yet been made about whether or not to proceed on this basis, although it is hoped that there will be more clarity by the end of June. 

 

Conclusion

           

6.     In the short term, officers propose that the FOP appoints the Arc representative as above, with a view to that individual taking up the position on the collaboration board, should it come to fruition. 

 

 

Report Author: Andrew Down, Director Contact information: andrew.down@southandvale.gov.uk