Our proposal

Local Councils already work collaboratively across Greater Lincolnshire but through this proposal would see greater responsibility being passed from Government making it necessary to formalise these arrangements and to make them open and accessible to those that live and work here. 

Coming together as a Combined County Authority would provide greater visibility and transparency for this work across Greater Lincolnshire and give us the necessary capacity to use key growth levers such as transport, skills, economic development, and regeneration. It would enable focus on the things that will make the biggest difference to the lives of our residents and the businesses within Greater Lincolnshire. 

The Constituent Councils have worked collaboratively with the City, District and Borough councils and the two police and crime commissioners to develop governance arrangements for a proposed Combined County Authority. These arrangements would ensure transparency of decision-making, effective collaboration between all parties and a strong local voice in all that we do. 

To secure all the powers and funding we need in Greater Lincolnshire would require the most robust level of local accountability and so the Combined County Authority will also include a mayor elected by and accountable to all the residents of the area. 

The mayor would work with the members of the Combined County Authority to deliver the purpose and outcomes set out within this proposal. They would establish a strong relationship with businesses, skills providers such as our universities and colleges, along with other stakeholders to understand and address local challenges. They would also be a champion for Greater Lincolnshire at regional and national levels, ensuring that our voice, and our needs are heard alongside those of the West Midlands, South Yorkshire and Hull and East Riding. 

Name and area 

The Combined County Authority (CCA) would be formally known as the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority (GLCCA). It would cover the geographical areas of the Lincolnshire County, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire Unitary Councils, which together would form the Constituent Councils of the CCA. 

Membership of the CCA 

The Combined County Authority would have up to 13 Members in total, comprising: 

• The directly elected Mayor; 
• 6 Constituent Members (Members appointed by the Constituent Councils, with each Constituent Council appointing a Lead Member (expected to be the Leader or their nominee), and one further member from its elected members) 
• 4 Non-Constituent Members nominated by the City, District and Borough Councils within the Area 
• Up to 2 further Non-Constituent or Associate Members. One of these will be one of the police and crime commissioners for the area and the other is expected to come from a business background. 

The Mayor 

The Combined County Authority would have a directly elected Mayor who will be elected by the electorate within the Area every four years. The Mayor would be a member of the Combined County Authority, as well as having a number of powers and functions which may be exercised exclusively by the Mayor (see below). The first mayoral election is expected to take place in May 2025. 

City, District and Borough Councils 

There are seven District and Borough Councils within the area of the proposed Combined County Authority. The City, Districts and Boroughs would be empowered to nominate four individuals as non-constituent members of the Combined County Authority. 

The Constituent Councils have worked closed with the City, District and Borough Councils to agreed that their nominations would be through the use of a joint committee of the City, District and Borough Councils. The City, District and Borough Councils will all be voting members of the Joint Committee and would nominate four Non-Constituent Members. 

The joint committee will also be used as the mechanism for the City, District and Borough Councils to nominate additional individuals as substitutes and representatives on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and Audit Committee, who may come from different Councils than the nominated Non-Constituent Members. 

The inclusion of a mechanism by which the City, District and Borough Councils can have a key role on the CCA ensures that the identities and interests of all of our local communities are fully reflected on the CCA. It is intended that Greater Lincolnshire’s City, District and Borough councillors would have the greatest involvement of any Combined County Authority in the country. 

Strong voice for local business 

The voice of business will be a critical component in the future Combined County Authority, given that a key area of focus will be economy, our key sectors, innovation and productivity. It is expected that the proposed Combined County Authority would consider appointing an Associate Member who can represent the views of business. 

The Greater Lincolnshire LEP function would be integrated into the Combined County Authority. The Government guidance is that integration be achieved via the establishment of a business focussed Advisory Board. Whilst the Advisory Board would not be a formal committee of the Combined County Authority, it would be part of the formal governance arrangements and would exist to provide advice to the Combined County Authority on all issues of business and economy relevant to the Combined County Authority. The Combined County Authority could then appoint the Chair of that Advisory Group to the Combined County Authority as an Associate Member representing the views of business on the Combined County Authority. 

Police and crime 

The proposals see the two Police and Crime Commissioners working closely with the Combined County Authority to ensure public safety is considered as part of policy development, and that where appropriate strategies, policies, and action plans can be aligned. The two Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (Humberside and Lincolnshire) would be invited to nominate a Police and Crime Commissioners as a non-constituent member of the CCA and the other as a substitute. 

CCA functions 

The majority of the functions of the proposed Combined County Authority will be exercisable by the Combined County Authority as a whole. 

The proposed functions, powers, consent and voting for the Combined County Authority are set out in full as an appendix to the proposal. These would include: 

• The duty to set a budget for the CCA (including funding for the functions of the CCA) 
• Economic development and regeneration functions, including the preparation of an economic assessment for the area; to embed a strong, independent, and diverse local business voice into local democratic institutions and to carry out strategic economic planning that clearly articulates the area’s economic priorities and sectoral strengths 
• Adult education and skills functions 
• Transport functions, including to identify, agree, set up and coordinate a Key Route Network (KRN) on behalf of the mayor, including traffic regulation, permit schemes and highway, bridge or transport works across the KRN 
• Housing supply, regeneration and place-making functions, along with provision of housing and land, land acquisition and disposal and the development and regeneration of land functions 
• Power to borrow up to an agreed cap for all functions 
• Data sharing with the Constituent Councils in areas relating to the MCCA functions Power to establish joint arrangements 
• Incidental powers in relation to its functions (the power to do anything which is incidental to the exercise of its functions) 
• A functional power of competence (this means that the CCA will have the power to do anything reasonably related to the exercise of their functions). 

CCA decision-making and voting 

The Members of the Combined County Authority would be the main decision-making group of the Combined County Authority. The Combined County Authority would have the power to establish committees to exercise Combined County Authority functions. 

It is expected that the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority would establish three committees known as boards to develop policy, review performance and delivery, scrutinise proposals and take decisions in relation to matters within their remit: 

• Greater Lincolnshire Transport Board 
• Greater Lincolnshire Skills and Employment Board 
• Greater Lincolnshire Business and Infrastructure Board. 

It is expected that the membership of the Boards would include at least two members nominated from each Constituent Council and at least 4 members would be nominated by the City, District and Borough Councils. Only full Combined County Authority members of the Committee (and their substitutes) will have voting rights on the Committee. 

Whilst the proposed Combined County Authority’s Constitution will set out voting requirements for the CCA and its committees, the following principles will be applied: 

• All of the Constituent Council Members and the Mayor have a single equal vote. 
• None of the Non-Constituent Members automatically have a vote, but the CCA is able to confer voting rights on Non- Constituent Members and the Constituent Councils are committed to the right to vote being available on some topics for Non-Constituent Members. 
• Associate Members do not have and cannot be given the right to vote. 
• Each member of the Combined County Authority will nominate two substitutes who will have the same voting rights as the member they are substituting for. 
• The quorum for meetings of the CCA will include the mayor and one member from each of the constituent councils. The quorum for committees will be set in the Constitution. 
• The majority of decisions taken by the CCA will be subject to a requirement for a simple majority in favour, with the additional requirement that the Mayor must vote in favour. 
• Certain decisions will additionally require the Lead Member of the relevant Constituent Council to vote in favour, specifically this includes agreeing the CCA budget, agreeing any levy, any decision to compulsorily purchase land by the CCA, agreeing routes for inclusion in the KRN and any decision of the CCA which would lead to a financial liability falling directly on the Constituent Council. Further instances in which there will be a requirement for the Lead Member of each Constituent Council to vote in favour will be set out in the CCA Constitution. Where consent is required for a decision, this will be given at the meeting where the decision is to be taken. 
• The CCA can amend the Mayor’s budget, if a 2/3 majority vote to do so or, if a 2/3 majority is not reached, if 3/6 Constituent Members (or substitute members), including 2 of the 3 lead members entitled to vote do so. 
• The CCA can amend the Mayor’s transport strategy if a 2/3 majority vote to do so. 

The decision of the CCA which would lead to a financial liability falling directly on the Constituent Council. Further instances in which there will be a requirement for the Lead Member of each Constituent Council to vote in favour will be set out in the CCA Constitution. 

Mayoral functions 

Some of the functions of the proposed Combined County Authority will only be able to be exercised by the elected Mayor, and this will be prescribed in the Establishment Order. 

Functions, powers, consent and voting for the Mayor are set out in full as an appendix to the proposal. The main Mayoral functions are as follows: 

• Duty to set a Mayoral budget for the cost of exercising the Mayoral function and any mayoral initiatives (subject to any CCA vote to amend the mayor’s budget). 
• Power to impose a business rate supplement on non-domestic ratepayers in the Area to fund Mayoral functions/ initiatives as part of the Mayoral budget (subject to a ballot of business); 
• Power to set a precept on council tax on behalf of the CCA (a precept is an amount added to council tax) to provide funding for mayoral functions in the area; 
• Power to provide relief from non-domestic rates in areas covered by a Mayoral Development Corporation; 
• Power to pay bus service operator grants and to franchise bus services; 
• Power to create a Mayoral Development Area, and to form a Mayoral Development Corporation to take responsibility for planning functions in the part/s of the Area covered by the Mayoral Development Area (the exercise of these functions is subject to the consent of the Constituent Councils and the Local Planning Authorities for the areas included); 
• Housing and land acquisition powers to support housing and regeneration (the exercise of these functions is subject to the consent of the Constituent Councils and Local Planning Authorities for the areas included); 
• Power to draw up a local transport plan (subject to any CCA vote to amend the local transport plan) and power to direct over KRN 
• Functional power of competence (this means that the Mayor will have the power to do anything reasonably related to the exercise of their functions). 

Mayoral decision-making 

The elected Mayor would be required to appoint one of the Members of the CCA as their Deputy Mayor. The Deputy Mayor must act in the place of the Mayor if for any reason the Mayor is unable to act, or the Office of the Mayor is vacant. The mayor will draw advice from and be supported by members of the combined county authority, all of whom are supported by appropriate officers. 

The Mayor is able to arrange for the exercise of any of their Mayoral functions by: 

• The Deputy Mayor
• Another Member or Officer of the CCA
• A committee of the CCA, consisting of members appointed by the Mayor (which need not be Members of the CCA)

UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UK SPF) 

The proposed Combined County Authority would be the lead authority for the planning and delivery of the UKSPF from 2025/26 if there is a continuation of the Fund and the delivery geographies remains the same. If the delivery model remains the same as the previous Spending Review period, it is anticipated that the CCA will have overall accountability for the funding and how the Fund operates in the area, with wide flexibility to invest and deliver according to local needs. In carrying out this role the Combined County Authority would engage Constituent Councils, city, district and borough councils and passport an allocation of funding to each based on the existing funding ratio. 

Advisory panels 

Both the CCA and the Mayor, may choose to establish advisory panels. Advisory panels are formally constituted groups which form part of the operation of the CCA, but which have no decision-making power. 

The Constituent Councils intend that the CCA should establish a Greater Lincolnshire Economy Advisory Panel to provide a strong business voice in decision-making. The Combined County Authority would consider whether additional Advisory Panels focussed on other issues are required. The role of any advisory panel established would be to advise the CCA, and possibly also the Mayor, on the exercise of functions in their areas of expertise. 

Member allowance 

The statutory instrument which would create the proposed Combined County Authority would set out the position on members allowances. It is proposed that no remuneration is to be payable by the Combined County Authority to its members, other than allowances for travel and subsistence paid in accordance with a scheme approved by the Combined County Authority. 

The Combined County Authority may establish (or use an existing constituent council) independent remuneration panel to recommend a scheme to the Combined County Authority regarding the allowances payable to the mayor and the Deputy Mayor provided that the Deputy Mayor is not a leader or elected mayor of a constituent council; and any independent persons who are members of the combined county authority or its committees. 

Overview and Scrutiny Committee 

The proposed Combined County Authority would be required to have at least one Overview and Scrutiny Committee. 

The role of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee would be to monitor the decision-making of the Mayor and members and officers of the CCA to ensure that the decision-making is appropriately focussed on community needs, and that high quality delivery is taking place for the benefit of the area. 

In accordance with The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 and given the role of the Committee its membership must involve different individuals than those who are Members of the CCA. The constituent councils, City, District and Borough Councils would be represented on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Combined County Authority would consider how and whether to represent other bodies on the Committee. 

At least two members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee would be nominated from each Constituent Council of the Combined County Authority. At least 4 members would be nominated by the City, District and Borough Councils. Any members of the Committee not drawn from the Constituent Councils would not automatically have voting rights on the Committee but could be given voting rights by the CCA. The Constituent Councils are committed to the right to vote being available on some topics for Non-Constituent Members 

There would be a requirement for political balance on the Committee so that members of the committee taken as a whole reflect so far as reasonably practicable the balance of political parties for the time being prevailing among members of the Constituent Councils when taken together. 

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee must be chaired by a person who is independent of the CCA and the constituent councils or is not from the same political party as the mayor or (if the mayor is not a member of a political party) the party with the most constituent council representatives on the CCA. 

Audit Committee 

The proposed Combined County Authority would be required to have an Audit Committee. The role of the Audit Committee is to support and monitor the authority in the areas of governance, risk management, external audit, internal audit, financial reporting, and other related areas to ensure that the financial and governance decision-making position of the Combined County Authority and the Mayor is sound. 

The Combined County Authority would ensure that the Audit Committee has the right people to ensure effective oversight of the adequacy of the CCA’s overall assurance arrangements, and scrutiny of financial decision-making by the Mayor and the CCA. 
It is expected that two members would be nominated from each Constituent Council. Further members would be appointed to the Audit Committee based on appropriate best practice guidance such as that issued by CIPFA on the composition of audit committees. 
Members of the Audit Committee must not be the same individuals as those representatives who are members of the CCA and there is a requirement that one member of the Audit Committee be an independent person. 

Membership of the Committee taken as a whole would be required to be politically proportional by reference to the balance of political parties prevailing among members of the Constituent Councils taken together at the time the MCCA appoints the members to the Committee. 

Joint arrangements for the Humber 

Strong, credible and effective governance arrangements including a clear business voice are integral to the success of Greater Lincolnshire and the development of evidence based proposals for cross estuary working on clean growth, ports and the Humber Freeport. 

The existing Humber Leadership Board (a joint committee of the four Humber Local Authorities) will be enhanced to include broader membership comprising of the Greater Lincolnshire mayor, the Leader and one Executive Councillor from Lincolnshire County Council as a Greater Lincolnshire constituent council, the Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner on behalf of both the Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner and the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner, the Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and strengthened business representation. 

The intention would be to see these collaborative working arrangements develop further to include similar Combined Authority membership from the north bank of the Humber, should a Devolution Deal be entered between the Government and Kingston upon Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire Councils.