'Just a parting of people': Lib Dem councillor resigns from party in Peterborough

A Liberal Democrat councillor has resigned from the party in Peterborough.

Simon Barkham, who represents Paston and Walton ward, is now sitting as an independent.

He has served three terms on Peterborough City Council (PCC) and was most recently elected last year.

Cllr Barkham told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that his decision to leave the group was a “just a parting of people” and “not an issue with the party”.

His former group leader, Cllr Christian Hogg (Lib Dems, Fletton and Stanground), said it was indeed down to a “difference with a colleague that can’t be undone in his mind”.

He added that he’d “always envisioned doing something after the election” to try to rectify it, but that “he’s pre-empted it and decided he’s going to go out on his own”.

“I would have liked to have had the opportunity to do something about that,” he added. “It’s sad that we’ve lost a member and I wish him well.”

Cllr Barkham’s resignation cancels out the Lib Dems’ single gain in last week’s local elections.

The group is now reduced back down to nine members: it’s the fourth largest group on the council behind Labour, Peterborough First and the Conservatives. Only the Greens, with four councillors, is smaller.

“What could have been two gains has now translated into nothingness,” Cllr Hogg admitted, as the party picked up two extra seats on election night but one was already cancelled out by the loss of Nick Sandford in Paston and Walton ward.

His seat was won by new Conservative councillor Alex Rafiq.

Cllr Barkham joins three other councillors sitting as independents: Cllrs Julie Stevenson (Orton Waterville), Mohammed Rangzeb (Ravensthorpe) and Kirsty Knight (Orton Waterville).

His resignation means Paston and Walton ward now has three councillors of different stripes: its other representatives are Cllr Rafiq and Cllr Asif Shaheed, who remains a Lib Dem.