Opinion: Looking back on a year of progress

Now I don’t know about you, but the past 12 months have really flown by and overall, 2022 has been a year that I will always remember fondly.

There were sad times too of course and I think we will all remember where we were when we learned that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II had passed away, but I recall with pride the way the city came together to mark her passing and to welcome the new King.

This was the first year since Covid that people were able to gather together again en masse and we saw the benefits of that in our city.

Among the festivities were some fantastic concerts on the Embankment, the return of the Peterborough Beer Festival and the Great Eastern Run and we will continue to do all we can to carry on attracting exciting events and activities to the city.

The past year also saw the opening of our new university which will play a vital role in attracting people and businesses here for years to come. To see the first students arriving in September after many years of planning was a significant moment.

Another project which will massively enhance our city also took a step forwards, with the council and Combined Authority submitting a Levelling Up Fund bid for around £48million for the first phase of redevelopment of the area around Peterborough Train Station – known as Station Quarter.

This involves constructing a new western entrance to the station with a car park – creating a double-sided station – with a new wider footbridge over the train lines. Green areas with biodiversity, community spaces and better connections to the city centre will make it safer and more attractive for bikes and pedestrians. We’ve already secured approval for the project’s business case and will now develop design options and hold a public consultation.

We’ve also secured several millions of pounds of government investment which will see exciting developments including a pedestrian bridge linking the Embankment with Fletton Quays and a raft of street and highway improvements in Lincoln Road.

Meanwhile, construction of the government hub at Fletton Quays is nearing completion, along with the new Hilton Hotel, transforming what was once a derelict wasteland and dramatically altering our city’s skyline for the better.

As I always say, Peterborough’s time is now and there is much to look forward to in 2023.

The past year has also been a tough one at times, not least because of our financial challenges and the impact of the cost of living crisis.

Our hard work has paid off and we have taken giant steps towards becoming a financially sustainable council. Don’t take my word for it, read the latest report from our independent Improvement Panel which is glowing about our progress.

We ended 2021/22 with an underspend, which improved the council’s reserves position, and delivered a balanced budget for 2022/23 without government support.

Since then, a high level of control on revenue expenditure has been maintained, and we are now working towards delivering a balanced budget for 2023/24.

Since I became leader in 2021, I have ensured we have greater control of our finances, and that members are working more collaboratively, and we are developing plans to transform the way we operate and deliver services in the medium to long term.

However, we must not take our foot off the pedal as there remains much hard work ahead, to mitigate the risks and deliver on our plans to transform the council.

As the year draws to a close, we are reminding residents of the importance of recycling, particularly when the festive season often leaves us with a load of wrapping paper, cardboard and extra food than usual.

Recycling materials saves money by reducing the cost of production during manufacturing. Recycling your waste is cheaper than putting it in the black bin for incineration, which saves communities money in the long-term. Recycling food waste is also cheaper than putting it in the black bin.

Every 1% increase in recycling achieves a £66k benefit to the council – money that can be used to provide services. We are fully committed to improving recycling rates in Peterborough and that’s why we are proposing as part of next year’s budget to invest in dedicated education and engagement officers. If approved, they will work directly with our communities to raise awareness about the many benefits of recycling.

There’s plenty of advice about what you can and can’t recycle on our website – www.peterborough.gov.uk.

Finally, I’ve been delighted to see so many people enjoying the Ice Rink in Cathedral Square over the past few weeks.

Don’t forget that it will be here until Tuesday 3 January, so there’s still plenty of time to get your skates on.