Comment

Out with the Arc and in with the “Pan-Regional Partnership”!

In January 2023, the Secretary of State Rt Hon Michael Gove MP announced support for the establishment of an ‘Oxford to Cambridge Pan-Regional Partnership’ (PRP). The Oxford-Cambridge Arc has effectively been re-introduced with a new name, and new local focus, following its abandonment as a Government-led initiative in 2022.

The nod of support from Government follows the submission of the joint venture by leaders from local councils, local enterprise partnerships, the Arc Universities Group and the area’s transport body, England’s Economic Heartland. But what will the difference be between the old Oxford-Cambridge Arc proposals and the new Pan-Regional Partnership?

Rewind back to 2021 – “long live the Arc”

In February 2021, the Government published a policy paper that set out how they intended to develop a ‘Spatial Framework’ to help realise their ambition to support sustainable economic growth within the Oxford-Cambridge Arc.

Subsequently, between July and October 2021, the Government consulted on the document titled ‘Creating a vision for the Oxford-Cambridge Arc’ which aimed to “support better spatial planning, provide a blueprint for better-targeted public investment, give investors and businesses greater long-term certainty over growth plans, and allow communities to shape the long-term future of places across the region.”

The consultation on this “vision” for the subsequent Spatial Framework represented the end of any formal works on the Arc within Government, with staff being relocated elsewhere within DLUHC, no funds allocated in the October 2021 Comprehensive Review and no sight of the much-promised Arc Growth Body. The outcomes of the vision consultation have never been reported.

After months of uncertainty resulting from indications coming out of central Government following Gove’s appointment as Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in September 2021, and the exclusion of the Arc from the White Paper, by June 2022 the Government effectively confirmed the scrapping of the Arc as a central initiative.

What is the new PRP?

In a letter from Secretary of State Rt Hon Michael Gove MP to Cllr Barry Wood dated 18 January 2023, he outlined support for the establishment of an Oxford to Cambridge Pan- Regional Partnership. In his letter, he stated that “I welcome these proposals and the initial priorities for the partnership, recognising that realising the region’s economic potential will be supported by a strong regional brand that can compete for investment on the global stage. By bringing together public and private sector partners under independent leadership in the pursuit of sustainable growth, I believe the partnership will be well placed to shape and deliver on the economic vision for the region.”

He consequently confirmed his support for the establishment of the Oxford to Cambridge Pan-Regional Partnership by 31 March 2023, and subject to annual business cases, is prepared to support the partnership with up to £2.5 million in total over the remainder of this Spending Review period.

This was accompanied by a press release dated 20 January 2023, which explains that the Partnership will have a Board which oversees its work and operations. This will include representation from:

• An independent chair
• One chair from each of the member Growth Boards or equivalent, plus one additional co-chair representing the Central Area Growth Board
• One chair representing the Partnership’s programme sub-groups: currently Environment and Economy 
• One chair from each of the main constituent stakeholder groups, one representing Local Enterprise Partnerships, one representing the Arc Universities Group and one representing England’s Economic Heartland 
• Two non-executive directors, following recruitment 

This public transparency represents a marked change on the previous approach with the Arc. To be a success it will be important for the new Pan-Regional Partnership to exercise more transparency in its operations and allow local stakeholders more control over decision-making in the process going forward.

Fast forward to 2023 – out with the old, in with the ‘new’

The role of the new Pan-Regional Partnership is said to aim to boost investment across the area whilst championing the region as a world leader of innovation and business, and acting to achieve environmentally sustainable and inclusive growth. It is hoped that the partnership will contribute towards strengthening cross-boundary collaboration among its partners to focus on tackling the issues that matter to the people who live and work in the region.

The Partnership’s stated initial programme is to: 

• develop a set of propositions to attract international investment and profile the region on a global stage; and 
• continue the work underway to embed shared Environment Principles. 

More details of the emerging PRP, and recent agenda items, can be found on their new website here. These include details of membership and their emerging approach.

In particular, the Mid-Year Review presentation (available here) sets out a helpful timeline of the groups proposed milestones, including a ‘transition period’ between January and spring 2023 to include having a Shadow Board in place to agree governance and funding, approval of the Partnership Constitution and appointments of an Independent Chair, Non-Exec Board Directors and Director.

Subsequently, the following workstreams are envisaged:

• Engagement with each other PRP initiated by June 2023 
• First Annual Plenary and Conference held by October 2023
• Oxford to Cambridge Partnership Ambition Statement –Evidence-based priorities, objectives, programme delivery, expected outcomes and measures for success -confirmed by new Board by October 2023
• Programme Delivery Plan for 2024/25 by December 2023

This presentation and agenda papers sets out a far-reaching programme, considering economic and environmental objections, with an emerging communication strategy.

Already it is apparent that the PRP has some traction, and we look forward to engaging with it and its members in the coming months and years.

For more information on the PRP and what it might mean for the region please contact Karen Barnes and Emily Rickard.

9 February 2023