Mayor's View: You asked, I answered at my Mayor’s Question Time
Last week, I hosted my first Mayor’s Question Time in Peterborough, held in the impressive setting of St John’s Church, writes Combined Authority Mayor Paul Bristow.
Residents were invited to submit their questions in advance and put them to me directly. Chaired by local broadcaster Kev Lawrence, it was a chance to be challenged, to explain my priorities, and to hear first-hand what matters most to people in our city.
What struck me was the level of ambition in the room. People want investment for our city. They want Peterborough to be confident, successful and moving forward again. That was great to hear.
Regeneration came up repeatedly. There is a real appetite to revitalise the city centre and make Peterborough an even better place to live and work. Residents can see the city’s potential, and they are impatient to see progress. That frustration is understandable.
One issue raised was how the layout of the city centre can feel disjointed, affecting footfall and the overall experience. We discussed how the Station Quarter project will help better connect the city centre with the station, making the area easier to navigate and more welcoming. Free parking was also raised as part of the wider mix needed to increase activity, and it’s something I continue to push for.
I want Peterborough to be more of a destination. That’s why I stepped in to kickstart funding for a new lighting system at the Cathedral, helping it to continue to host concerts and major events. Looking ahead, a community stadium remains a big prize – a home for Posh, but also a venue capable of attracting large-scale events and visitors to the city.
However, people were clear that they want change to happen faster. At the Question Time, I talked about Mayoral Development Corporations, which are specifically designed to accelerate regeneration and unlock development. There is more work to do on what this could look like in Peterborough, but it is exactly the kind of tool that could help move things forward at pace.
Our recently launched Local Growth Plan sets out my ambition to triple the size of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough economy by 2050. It’s ambitious, but it is credible if we secure the investment needed in transport, housing, skills, energy and water. Roads, buses and opportunities for young people were all raised during the evening, and we are already making progress – including funding for a new bus depot, protecting services between Peterborough, March and Ramsey, and the launch of the Youth Hub at Peterborough United.
There is more to do. I will work with anyone who wants to deliver for Peterborough. That includes Government – last week we welcomed Devolution Minister Miatta Fahnbulleh to the city – as well as local businesses, the city council and our MPs. Real progress depends on partnership.
So, the message from residents was clear: be bold and get on with pushing Peterborough forward. Events like the Mayor’s Question Time give people a chance to hold me to account on delivering on that ambition – and that is exactly how it should be.