Opinion: School fields decision will have a lasting impact

We ask that question because that is how long the decision to lease and fence the area known as Werrington Fields will last. Until 2149. This is a big decision, the impact of which will be felt for generations.

For perspective, 125 years ago Queen Victoria was on the throne, the Boer War had broken out, and Marconi sent the first radio waves across the English Channel. In another 125 years, the residents of Werrington will be living with the legacy of our decision-making today.

Although the leasing and fencing of Werrington Fields will not be a ‘historic event’ in the world-altering sense, its impact will still be felt by the local community and that is why it is essential that the final decision made by the City Council is the right one. The decision- making process must be transparent and democratic, balancing the needs of all stakeholders, the Academy Trust and the local community.

The decision about Werrington Fields primarily concerns the residents of Werrington, but the significance of the decision and how it was made last week by the Cabinet of the City Council to grant the entire area equivalent to eight football pitches to the Academy Trust has serious implications for the whole city and the way that the people of Peterborough view the political governance of the city. It has been really heartening to see the cross-party cooperation in supporting the residents of Werrington to articulate their views on this matter.

Peterborough First has always taken the view we will use our independence to support decisions which benefit the city and oppose those which we feel are wrong for our communities.

Since 2019, the Werrington Ward Councillors, John and Judy Fox, have worked tirelessly with local residents and stakeholders to manage any changes to the use of land so it is fair and balanced and minimises the harmful impact on the environment and community.

Following some excellent speeches in support of compromise, the lack of debate and questioning by Cabinet Councillors has clearly harmed people’s faith and trust in the democratic process. It is always a privilege to represent the people of Peterborough, but it has been a hard week reading the strength of feeling expressed by the many people disappointed by the Cabinet’s decision, and the lack of transparency regarding who made the decision, and when.

Our current MP, the previous MP, members of Peterborough First, Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Green Party all favour the compromise available - not fencing the entirety of the field.

We as the Werrington ward Councillors, feel what happened last week, was a prime example of short-term decision making, with long term ramifications. We believe the decision taken was wrong on multiple fronts; it was wrong for the community, wrong financially - asking a cash-strapped Council to fund additional fencing and the wrong decision-making process was followed.

On your behalf, we continue to work with our political colleagues across the spectrum to support the compromise solution that would allow children to safely participate in outdoor sports without fencing off an excessive amount of this beautiful space.

This week, we have submitted a ‘call-in’ request. This request will be reviewed by a legal officer and if they agree with us, the Cabinet’s decision will undergo the cross-party scrutiny process.

We feel decisions, such as the significance of a decision on Werrington Fields, should be considered by the full Council, not just Cabinet members of a single political Party. The people of Werrington and Peterborough should hear a proper debate and the views of Councillors across the political spectrum.

On such an emotive and long-lasting decision, it is imperative the process be completely transparent and democratic. We urge people on all sides of the debate to forget the past and any short-term political point scoring, now is the time to do what is right – now, and for future generations.