Speaking ahead of the City Council's Full Council meeting next Tuesday, 15 November, Councillor Herbert said: "Next week is devolution decision time for all Cambridgeshire’s councils and Councillors, including at a special meeting of Cambridge City Council on Tuesday.
“I will be arguing in favour of our council pressing the devolution 'go' button for several reasons. £70 million in funding will enable the City Council to start building at least 500 extra council homes in Cambridge over the next five years and provide badly needed affordable housing for rent for hundreds of families and people who would otherwise be priced out of Cambridge.
“Our neighbours in South Cambridgeshire and other nearby councils have similar plans to build hundreds more affordable homes nearby, working with Housing Associations, from a second county-wide pot of £100m for additional affordable housing across the county.
“Devolution is a real opportunity to make more decisions locally rather than in Whitehall, and to work jointly with Government departments and agencies like Network Rail in a way that hasn’t been possible until now.
“The partnership of Cambridgeshire councils will also be able to plan for the county’s long term future including potential new rail links to places like Soham and Wisbech, enabling much more of the county to share in the growth generated by places like Cambridge.”
The government proposals for devolution to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are due to be debated by all seven councils across the area following the summer's consultation period. Cambridge City Council meets on Tuesday, 15 November and the agenda can be found here:
http://democracy.cambridge.gov.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=17294#mgDocuments
The proposals cover a wide range of funding and powers to cover infrastructure, transport and skills and includes a landmark housing deal with £70,000,000 for new council homes in Cambridge and £100,000,000 for new affordable homes delivered through housing associations across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.