The sight of people sleeping rough in Peterborough and other towns and cities in the UK is something that has sadly become all too common.
It breaks my heart to see people living this way, but my administration and our proactive Labour government are actively working to get rough sleepers off the streets and into accommodation.
Our new Prime Minister Andy Burnham may have only been in the role a few weeks, but this week he has made a bold pledge to do something to change the lives and opportunities of thousands of people in our country. And it is not an empty pledge, as he achieved a great deal in this area during his time as elected Mayor of Manchester.
His pledge to end rough sleeping nationally and give Peterborough and Cambridgeshire £7.3 million as part of this work was music to my ears. This has been a key priority for me locally and our council’s outreach teams work tirelessly around the clock to engage people sleeping rough, as they often have complex support needs.
I look forward to working in partnership with the Combined Authority Mayor in deciding how this vital funding is used, ensuring that we deliver a long-term impact by providing the lasting support that people coming off the streets need to rebuild their lives.
Here in Peterborough, we’re already in the enviable position of working successfully as a partnership with Safer off the Streets, so I am confident that we have the set-up and networks in place to make sure every penny of this money has an impact.
Our City Impact team that has been set up following the success of Operation Horizon to improve the look and feel of our city centre will also play a key part in this work. We all want the city centre to be more attractive and welcoming to visitors, while helping the most vulnerable members of our community.
Regular readers will be aware that we are changing the way support is provided for children and young people in Peterborough with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
We are currently asking people to help shape the future of SEND in the city by completing a short online survey before 25 September. This will only take a few minutes of your time, but your feedback will be vitally important.
When I posted about this on social media, I received a flurry of responses from parents who are exhausted and have felt unheard and dejected. I want to stress to these parents that we want to hear their honest experiences – we are not interested in judging, our main goal is to listen and help.
We want to hear from as many people as possible, the whole point of the consultation is making sure we are tailoring our services to those who use them, so please take part if you can.
The start of September marks an exciting moment for children going to school for the first time and everyone returning to our classrooms.
I want to wish all families with school-aged children the very best of luck for the first day of the academic year. For families with children starting for the first time, I know this will be an emotional day. That’s why we’ve been sharing top tips on our social channels about what to do if you or your child is feeling nervous about the first day, as well as what to expect in the first few weeks.
And we understand that it is not only emotional stress that might be experienced at the start of the school year, which is why we’ve been busy supporting families this summer with our school uniform shop. This offers the opportunity to buy second hand uniforms in good condition at a lesser cost. Don't forget the shop will be open tomorrow (11am to 3pm Friday 28 August) at St Peter’s Arcade in Bridge Street.
Finally, I would like to say a big thank you to everyone at Railworld for donating ten free tickets to deserving families in my ward (East) which I have allocated out.
The tickets have been gratefully received and will give these people a lovely day out to remember.