Former Prime Minister Harold Wilson once said a week is a long time in politics – my goodness was he right.
In the space of a week, I went from leading the portfolio for Adults and Health to Leader of the Council, after being nominated and supported by colleagues at an Extraordinary Council meeting last Friday.
It was a proud moment for me, not just because of the faith that other members have shown in me, but because it heralds the dawn of a new era for politics in the city which sees a coalition of members from Labour, Peterborough First and the Liberal Democrats.
I’m also proud to be the first female leader of the council in 26 years. Those of you with long enough memories will recall that the last woman to hold this post was Labour’s Cathy Weaver in 1999.
As I said in the Council Chamber last week, our objectives are clear. We are going to hit the ground running to continue the business of the council in a new collaborative and inclusive administration that will bring with it the stability that our city needs.
The cabinet I have formed brings experience in all areas and we will work together for the good of the city, putting party politics aside. Whether part of the Cabinet or not, every party will be offered the chance to contribute.
With so much change happening in our city, and so many opportunities for us to grasp to improve life for everyone, there is much hard work ahead.
Areas of focus will be Local Government Reorganisation, with proposals due to be sent to Government by the end of November; plans for a new indoor swimming pool which are progressing at pace with an established working group of key players including our MPs, the Combined Authority and City of Peterborough Swimming Club; budget setting for the new financial year which will once again require innovation and difficult decisions; and getting to grips with some of the long running issues.
I spoke about one of those issues on the radio on Monday morning; the role of the council in putting Peterborough on the map for tourism. As I said to listeners, we have so much to offer as a city and the strategy that has been developed now needs to be delivered. Progress is being made, and I will continue to drive that agenda.
I also want to continue working closely with our MPs, Andrew Pakes and Sam Carling, to attract even more extra funding to Peterborough. Our Labour Government has proved it is listening, allocating additional money to us in last year’s spending review, committing to investing in a new pool, and recently extending the Holiday Activities and Food programme (HAF) until 2029 as part of a £600m investment nationally.
The HAF programme makes such a different to so many lower income families in our city, providing enriching activities and healthy food during school holidays.
This substantial investment is further proof of our Labour government’s steadfast commitment to supporting children and young people. More locally, it ties in with our key goals of making Peterborough a 'child friendly' city, alongside ambitious plans to establish the first Youth Zone in the region.
So, as I near the end of my first week at the helm, to the people of Peterborough, I say this. This is your administration and your Town Hall. We will change the culture of how politics is perceived, and we will drive forward our ambition to create opportunities for all and to finally put Peterborough on the map.
It is the dawn of a new era, and from now we only look to the future and not the past.