Scrutiny calls for staff pay

A proposed major restructure of staff at Peterborough and Cambridgeshire’s mayoral authority has been called-in.

The staffing budget for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority is expected to be reduced from £6.3 million to £4.5 million, a reduction of 29 per cent, but there has been criticism that more money is set to be spent in the mayor’s office.

At least two members of the combined authority’s scrutiny committee have now called-in the proposals so they can be looked at in more detail.

There have been claims the new staffing structure - which has not yet been shared with the public does not include a director of finance or transport, de- spite the combined authority having a major transport portfolio in the county.

However, a spokesman for the office of Mayor James Palmer said there will be three top-level ‘strategic directors’, one of whom will have responsibility for transport.

There will still be a finance officer at the combined authority, he added, but they will sit on a tier below the strategic directors. He said: “The plans do suggest a slight strengthening of the size of the mayor’s office, but not dramatically. The mayor’s office in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is smaller than for other metro mayors, other than one.

“The mayor feels he needs to have adequate support within his office.

“But the reduction in staffing from £6.3 million to £4.5 million should be welcomed.”