Opinion: ‘Here in Peterborough, a total rethink is required...’

First and foremost, Happy New Year.

It’s risky to make prognostications about what the next 12 months will bring, but it’s not too much of a reach to suggest that we are set up for a better year than the one that has just passed.

Vaccines are starting to roll out.

I am concerned about the proposed extended timeframe between doses and the idea that we “mix and match” various types. This was not the vaccination regime that won approval by our testing agencies, nor by any other body around the world. Despite this, I suspect that in our own stumbling, “shoelaces tied together” way, we will make halting progress towards clearing out the coronavirus. Perhaps by the time the summer comes, this horrible, peculiar period will be fully in our rear-view mirror.

Then, there will be a reckoning. At the time of writing, the United Kingdom has suffered nearly 75,000 deaths; I would not care to guess what the ultimate tally will be. We should ask the following question: could we have done better? The economic reckoning will also come: the furlough scheme will end, and a new business environment will arise. The fact that there won’t be tariffs or quotas on our goods going into and coming out of the European Union is welcome: however, the Single Market was never solely about that.

Non-tariff barriers such as procurement rules are just as important: what will be the effects of this additional friction on trade?

Will prices rise? Again: could we have done better?

Here in Peterborough, a total rethink is required.

So much of our city’s strategy is based upon retail, tourism and a low-wage economy; this was part of the rationale for Fletton Quays and the Hilton.

The pandemic has accelerated changes in the economy that were already afoot: more shopping will occur online. We need to adapt our schools to be more flexible and digitally enabled: apart from the obvious benefit of being prepared for a future event like a pandemic, it makes sense if education follows a person, rather than is tied to a particular location. The next wave of change will include robotics, artificial intelligence, and digital technology.

We need to be at the forefront of that opportunity.

We are going to have to work twice as hard to attract tourists: given the popularity of programmes like “The Spanish Princess” which have revived public interest in Tudor history and Katharine of Aragon, why aren’t we capitalising on the fact that Katharine’s final resting place is Peterborough Cathedral?

There are challenges, but there is hope. It’s a question of who is best placed to take our country and our city into the coming 12 months and beyond.

It’s clear that in both Westminster and our own town hall we have administrations that are reactive, constantly playing catch up to events. The past year has shown that this simply isn’t good enough. In the coming months, the Labour Group will be setting out its prospectus for the future of our city.

2021 is set to be a better year; however, the choices we make can influence how much of an improvement it is on its predecessor. We can demand, select, and do better. Once again: Happy New Year.