Our city’s caring and diverse communities are one of the best things about living here, along with the many people who do selfless good work.
Sometimes these people don’t always get the recognition they deserve and that’s why our city’s MP, Andrew Pakes and I organised a special event last week to thank them & celebrate their efforts.
It was fantastic to see so many happy faces and show gratitude to everyone who has contributed to our city over the past year.
We fully accept that hard challenges lie ahead, but we have achieved so much this year and wanted to celebrate the best that our wonderful city has to offer.
I chose to get involved in politics for several reasons, but chiefly among them was wanting to listen more to people thus hoping to make a positive difference.
So I am delighted to be spearheading an administration that does exactly this, as evidenced by our work to help save the Tiger Bus Pass.
After much hard work and Peterborough leading on lobbying the Combined Authority Mayor, a proposal will go before the Combined Authority this week to secure the Tiger Pass in its current form until March 2027.
This will protect the £1 fare for under-25s, keeping affordable, reliable travel in place for thousands of young people across the region. Since its launch in May 2024, the Tiger Pass has seen significant uptake, with over 60,000 passes issued and more than 3.2 million journeys made.
It has also reduced car usage helping the environment as more people are travelling on buses to school and work than ever before.
So I want to thank all of those who have supported this vital cause and fought long and hard for the Tiger Pass, including Councillor Angus Ellis, our Cabinet Member for Transport. As a transport authority, we have supported travel schemes which are making a positive difference for our residents.
I love a heart-warming story and recently had the pleasure of reading one as part of the council’s Twinkling Tales campaign.
You may have seen it on our social media accounts – it's a delightful series of bedtime stories read by special guests (including yours truly) designed to help children snuggle up and enjoy the days leading up to Christmas.
This delightful idea was set up by our successful Family Hubs team. Keep a close eye on our social media channels for daily updates or visit our website to discover the latest story.
Last week the council published a report relating to a property transaction that took place five years ago that our current Monitoring Officer and Section 151 Officer now believe to have been made unlawfully.
I know this has caused concern for many of our residents, as it has for members as well.
I want to make it clear that it is absolutely right and proper that this matter has been brought to light, that our Administration is taking steps to ensure as far as possible that similar unlawful actions do not happen again.
Since taking over the administration in 2024, we are committed to rapid and far-reaching improvements in relation to governance and financial management. The publication of this report is proof that where unlawful acts are identified as having taken place, the council’s statutory officers will not shy away from their duty to report that wrongdoing, and my administration and I fully support that approach.
I also attended the opening of Frasers at Queensgate shopping centre in time for Christmas with our MP Andrew Pakes and Mayor Judy Fox. I am so pleased that after John Lewis closed, we are slowly seeing Queensgate gain retail big business, make a comeback. This is exactly what our city needed!
Finally, please don’t forget that the council will operate on special opening hours over the Christmas and New Year period.
If you need our help over the festive period please visit our website where you will find full details on our Christmas opening hours as well as how you can contact our services in an emergency.