The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority is a corporate legal body that facilitates decision-making on large-scale strategic projects that are important to the whole region, like transport, housing, regeneration and skills.
Each of the 7 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough councils has one seat on the combined authority, held by the council leader.
The mayor joins the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority as its chair and eighth member.
Many functions are exercised by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority itself, rather than being exercised by the mayor individually.
What they are responsible for
The mayor and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority have responsibilities in various areas, such as transport, housing and skills.
What they are not responsible for
The mayor and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority do not replace, nor can they overrule Cambridgeshire and Peterborough councils when the councils are exercising their own functions.
The councils continue to be directly responsible for many of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough's day-to-day services, like housing, waste collection, street cleaning, parking permits, council tax collection and birth, death and marriage certificates.
Central government leads on welfare, most forms of taxation and many other areas.