It is a real honour and privilege for me to lead this fantastic city, working alongside my newly-formed Cabinet team.
The response to my Cabinet appointments for 2026/27 has been overwhelmingly positive and we will be actively working to build on the great progress our administration has already made.
We are also under no illusions that the council still faces significant challenges, including financial pressures, rising demand for services, and the need to continue regenerating our city while protecting what matters most to our residents.
My new Cabinet is built on three clear principles. Strong leadership and accountability, collaboration and shared responsibility and a clear focus on delivery for residents.
We are not here to manage decline. We are here to make a difference. And to do that, we will focus relentlessly on the priorities that matter most. Protecting vital frontline services, driving economic growth and jobs, supporting our most vulnerable residents, improving the environment and the places people call home, and ensuring we are open, transparent, and accountable in everything we do.
We will work as one team — not in silos — because the challenges we face do not fit neatly into departmental boxes. Whether it is housing, health, education, or community safety, the solutions require us to work together.
I also want to be clear; leadership is not just about those sitting around the Cabinet table. It is about every councillor, officers across the organisation, and partners across our city. We will only succeed if we work together and stay focused on what really matters — the people we serve.
I spent an enjoyable and highly productive three days in Leeds last week as part of UKREiiF 2026.
This prestigious event is the UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum, which attracted over 16,000 attendees, including developers and master-planners.
The council, along with the Combined Authority and Homes England highlighted our exciting plans to transform the city through major regeneration, strategic partnerships and new investment opportunities. There wasn’t an empty seat in our packed pavilion as we outlined our bold new vision for Peterborough and highlighted why our wonderful city is one of the UK’s most exciting places for growth, innovation and investment.
It was fantastic to showcase our progress and the shared commitment from across the political spectrum to drive forward regeneration.
One of the proudest achievements at the event was to nail down our plans to deliver for a YouthZone in the city. This will be the biggest positive contribution to our young people and will help with jobs, skills and getting them ready for their next phase of life.
From our perspective, this year’s UKREiiF was the most successful yet and I was proud to play a part.
On the subject of regeneration, plans for our city’s much-needed new leisure development are progressing at pace.
Last week we held a special open day at Sand Martin House, giving residents a unique chance to view the current designs and give their feedback.
It was another positive event and I want to thank everyone who attended and everybody who has given us their views previously. We are listening to people’s opinions, which is evidenced by the fact that we are now proposing for single-sex changing rooms to be included.
The proposed changing rooms now include an open family changing space along with a larger disabled changing space and single sex changing space too. I welcome this move which is positive for families, such as for parents going swimming with their children which has been somewhat misinterpreted as gender neutral facilities. Families need to have spaces to change with their young children too. That’s where the concept has come from.
Finally, our city has always had a strong history in providing support to those who need it financially.
The new Crisis Resilience Fund is launching today to continue that work, injecting £3.6m a year for the next three years into helping Peterborough residents who are struggling the most financially.