The start of spring is always a pleasant time of year, but it is also a particularly busy period in local government with a new financial year fast approaching.
There is much happening here in Peterborough, which was evidenced at our Cabinet meeting last week, where positive decisions were made on a range of issues including the insourcing of Peterborough Limited services, which fall under the Aragon banner.
At the meeting, members agreed the contractual arrangements and other matters relating to the insourcing which will take place from April 1. Make no mistake, this was a milestone decision which will have positive effects for residents.
Peterborough Limited provides some of our most public facing services which touch the lives of everyone in the city, such as recycling and waste collections, street cleansing and parks and open spaces.
The council has successfully reviewed other companies and contracts, including Serco and Opportunity Peterborough - and transferred employees in house, improving these services and delivering financial savings, so I see this latest move as another step in the right direction.
Whilst on the subject of Aragon services, I also want to encourage everyone to join in with litter picks taking place across the city as part of the Great British Spring Clean between March 13 – 29. Organised by the council and the Peterborough Litter Wombles, the events are free to attend and all equipment is provided, visit www.peterborough.gov.uk for more details.
At the recent Cabinet meeting I was also delighted that members agreed to allocate nearly £9 million towards highways improvements over the next year.
This funding package includes £2.7million earmarked specifically for pothole repairs, which I know are a big bugbear for motorists.
We have had many more pothole reports this year, compared to the same period in 2025 and carried out 1,641 repairs in January and February alone. Unfortunately, the dry summer followed by a cold spell and then a very wet spell has created a perfect storm for potholes to form.
The good news is that we have dedicated officers who assess all potholes reported and the most serious are made safe within two to 24 hours. We also have several weapons in our arsenal for repairing potholes, including a dragon patcher machine which I am very excited to see in action soon.
Please remember that you can help us fix potholes by reporting them online at www.report.peterborough.gov.uk.
There has been a lot of media interest in the decision to sell the New England Complex and the legal injunction issued by the Committee known as the Bharat Hindu Samaj (BHS), who are one of the seven tenants in the building is now underway.
The judge will now look at both sides and make a decision and we are fully engaged in that process. From my perspective, I understand the anxiety of the Hindu community in Peterborough and communications are ongoing, irrespective of the decision of the judge, the community needs their own place of worship in a building that is fit for purpose.
As anyone who knows me will testify, I am a proud Peterborian and I love the fact that we have such diverse communities in our wonderful city.
It means that at times like these when tensions are so high in the Middle East, we must be sensitive of how our communities might be feeling. I have spoken to people in our city who have been impacted by what has happened and I will continue to offer my support to them at this very difficult time.
The Government has committed to not embarking upon strikes and are working in the national interest. I am pleased that this decision has over 50% of public support nationally.