New mayor reveals ‘bold’ 100 day agenda

James Palmer announces 32 ‘commitments’ to begin his tenure

A “bold” 100 day plan to kickstart new housing, apprenticeships and an upgrade to the roads has been unveiled by the new Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Conservative James Palmer has unveiled 32 ‘commitments’ he believes can be completed in little more than three months as he seeks to convince sceptical residents that devolution can bring big benefits to the county.

Speaking at a press conference at the Amazon Cambridge Development Centre, Mayor Palmer vowed that within 100 days the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, which he chairs, will announce the first tranche of funding for transport and infrastructure schemes, deliver more than 500 apprenticeships and reveal a wave of new affordable homes.

New funding will also be released to continue the task of setting-up a fully-fledged Peterborough University, which is due to open in the next four years, and to create a feasibil- ity study into extending the M11 to the A47.

Mayor Palmer said the extension could open up a new route from Peterborough to Cambridge, although no further details on the scheme have been made public yet.

The mayor told the Peterborough Telegraph: “This is a bold vision for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough - a whole county vision.”

Mayor Palmer revealed that he had just under £40 million for his 100 day commitments. He told reporters:

“We have to always be mindful that there is a huge amount of growth in this part of the country, and we’re not planning for the next year or the year after, we’re planning for the next 30 to 50 years.

“Thisisalong-termproject, and unless you put in the right infrastructure in this part of the world, what we have here could die.” Mayor Palmer also revealed that Peterborough CityCouncilleaderCouncillor John Holdich will be one of his two deputy mayors. + WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE MAYOR’S 100-DAY PLAN? EMAIL: Mayor James Palmer

‘This is a bold vision for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.’ James Palmer