As a council we know that we can play a leading role with our partners in supporting people who are in financial crisis, both in the short-term to help them make ends meet and in the longer term to support them to become financially stable.
One of the many ways we are trying to help people is by making them aware of benefits which they may be missing out on.
The Policy in Practice ‘Missing Out 2025’ report concluded that a huge number of benefits have not been claimed by eligible residents in Peterborough – more than £92m to be precise. These benefits include Universal Credit, pension credit, child benefits, Warm Homes Discount and others.
There are a number of different reasons people might not apply; some might not possess the knowledge to access the appropriate websites, or maybe unaware that certain benefits exist for their situation. People should remember that benefits are there to help those most in need.
This Administration is proactive in our approach and will be contacting hundreds of elderly residents who have been identified as possible claimants. There’s also a new Better Off Calculator on the Peterborough City Council website to help residents check their potential eligibility in minutes.
Next week I will be able to tell you more about our new Crisis Resilience Fund, a Government scheme which will see £3.6m a year coming to Peterborough over the next three years to help people in financial hardship.
More information about all the help and support available is on the money and benefits page.
I’m delighted that our iconic Lido will be opening earlier this year as part of its landmark birthday celebrations.
The Lido turns 90 this year and as a result the 2026 season will be brought forward, with the pool opening for public use from Saturday 28 March.
The season will run for six months until the end of September – that’s almost twice as long as last year. It is our Administration who have worked hard to make this happen. And why not? It is important to celebrate such a beautiful asset within our city.
Along with the extended season, work is underway to install new pool covers to help reduce the running costs of keeping the heated water warm. There are going to be lots of special events to mark the anniversary so watch this space.
I’d also like to congratulate Andrew O’Neil for Reform on his election to the city council for Fletton and Woodston ward.
It was sad for us to have lost the seat once held by Labour, Harvey is lovely young man. We ran a clean campaign and respect the decision of the electorate. We would like thank all those who voted for us and also, those who didn’t. We will embark upon a listening exercise to see what it is that people wish to see in their local representatives.
I’d like to congratulate all the candidates who worked hard to attract votes despite the small amount of time they had to canvass. It was disappointing to see some of the campaign material attempt to divide and polarise our communities – this is not something we want to see in our city, nor should we tolerate it.
And finally, don’t forget to pay a visit to our wonderful cathedral to see the fantastic Helios exhibition before it leaves next week. A seven metre in diameter sun sculpture created by internationally renowned UK artist Luke Jerram is on show until 28 February, revealing extraordinary detail at a safe and awe-inspiring scale. It may be the only sun we see for a while, so don’t miss it!