Comment

Political legitimacy in the Oxford-Cambridge Arc

Head of Strategic Communications, Nick Jones and Senior Consultant, Jack Boyce explore how the ambition for strategic planning in the Arc can be squared with the complex political situation on the ground.

We finally got movement on the Arc earlier this year, something many of us have been hoping for some considerable time. And not just a small move; the Government announced it is preparing a regional spatial framework for the area which will guide development in a number of areas, including homes, jobs, green infrastructure and the battle against climate change. We’ve also seen significant announcements regarding infrastructure provision, including the next stages of East-West Rail and the abandonment of the expressway.

For many of us this is excellent news, with significant numbers asking whether other parts of the country could have something similar.

Starting from the position of being ardent supporters of strategic spatial planning, we look at the issues this decision raises for local accountability and decision making, and for the forthcoming elections and local politicians’ mandates.

A complex local government picture…

The Oxford-Cambridge Arc approach to spatial planning is Government-led, in part because the constituent authorities were unable to come up with a co-ordinated local approach after years of delay. Much of this is down to the complexities of local government in the area, rather than a lack of appetite for investment and growth (although there is of course no uniform position). This isn’t helped by the myriad of other players in the region, including the LEPs and England’s Economic Heartlands, and the lack of any champion or Government lead at ministerial level.

Local government structures across the area are complex: 

• There are a range of democratic structures, ranging from 1 to 4 tiers; unitary to parish, district, county, and combined authority.  
• There has been extensive local government reorganisation in Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire, and there are transitional arrangements between the abolished authorities and the new ones. 
• Several tiers of government have scheduled elections on 6 May, with some delayed from last year, and others with none.

Voters could be forgiven for not knowing who to turn to express their support, or otherwise, for the ambitions of the Arc because the myriad of local authorities make the political landscape more than a little confusing. To help our clients understand it, we’ve prepared a breakdown of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc local authorities, including political control, planning powers and whether there are elections this year.

From local authorities to the electorate: interpreting mandates 

Whilst we are delighted with progress, planning is a contentious local issue and is likely to be a feature of the coming elections. When combined with the complex situation on the ground, this election will provide us with the first look at how the Spatial Framework will translate in local communities and their representatives.

Questions we are currently asking include: 

• Will locally-elected members take responsibility for the Arc; who will look to gain advantage from supporting it or objecting to it? 
• Will the result of these elections have any bearing on the progress we hope to see with the spatial framework?
• How will this all affect planning on the ground in the Arc authorities?

The complicated structure of local government and the Government’s involvement in spatial planning makes this situation uniquely complex. The question of democratic legitimacy for the framework is unlikely to be cleared up by these elections and will likely remain a local political issue for years to come.
 
We don’t yet know which way it will play out, but we will be monitoring the campaigns and the results. If it becomes a hot topic in these key Tory heartlands, we expect James Palmer's (the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Mayor) call for a Minister responsible for Oxford-Cambridge Arc to be fast-tracked, along perhaps with the much awaited growth body.

As the Spatial Framework moves forwards, we hope to see some clarity in terms of what elements of the Arc proposals will be dictated as ‘top down’, and what will be left for local politicians to decide within their own authority areas. 

If you would like help navigating the political complexities of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc please get in touch with Nick Jones or Jack Boyce.

20 April 2021