If there’s one thing that all councillors agree on it’s that fly-tipping and littering is a curse on society and blights our city’s communities.
It happens in all areas – people dump rubbish on isolated rural roads and there is commercial fly-tipping involving lorry loads of waste, whilst in urban areas we sometimes see people who can’t be bothered to dispose of rubbish properly.
We already do much work to tackle the problems, so it’s a great frustration that fly-tipping levels remain high in Peterborough and some areas are litter-strewn.
To help up the ante, we’ve launched a new campaign called ‘Love Where You Live’, emphasising that everyone has a part to play in tackling the problems and that by disposing of litter and waste properly, residents can help us create cleaner and stronger communities and save money.
We will also be launching city-wide free bulky waste collections, with plans for one free community bulky waste collection in each ward for the remainder of 2026/27 currently being developed. The proposals include increasing free collections to two per year in each ward during 2027/28 and updates will be announced shortly.
Fly-tippers will now be regularly named and shamed, along with CCTV images and footage of culprits being published on our website. I hope this new approach changes people’s mindsets, particularly those who commit fly-tipping, making them feel uncomfortable and acting as a warning to others.
New Prime Minister Andy Burnham is getting tough on the issue and our proactive administration is following suit, but we need your help – please promote our Love Where You Live messages on social media and report fly-tipping to us.
Supporting our city’s most vulnerable residents is a key goal of our administration and something that I care deeply about.
That’s why I set up our Good Neighbours scheme which I’m delighted to say has now been expanded across the city.
It all started because I knew an elderly lady who became a recluse in the three-bedroom home she had lived in for over 50 years. She had isolated herself and was worried about reaching out for help, but once I got to know her and helped to allay her concerns, she became more confident and outgoing again.
Good Neighbours is about bringing back neighbourliness and recognising the difference that local people can make in their own communities. A friendly conversation, help with a small task or support to get out and about can help someone stay connected and independent.
By expanding the scheme area by area, we can work with residents and trusted local organisations to develop an offer that reflects each neighbourhood. We’re keen to hear from anyone interested in volunteering - visit www.peterborough.gov.uk for more information.
We recently launched our Peterborough Get Moving 30 Day Challenge to help people build simple and sustainable movement habits.
Please spread the word and share our videos on social media which show quick and easy ways to get or stay active.
For example, I love gardening and have been growing tomatoes and cucumbers this summer. Simply walking up and down the garden and tending to them keeps me moving and keeps my relatives and neighbours well fed!
Finally, whilst many of us enjoyed this year’s warm summer, the hot weather also caused some serious issues. For example, our adult social care teams saw a lot more people contacting them for support.
Elderly people struggled too and can become vulnerable in the cold weather as we move towards winter. That’s why support schemes like Good Neighbours are so vital and I’m proud that we’re helping those most in need.