Local Elections 2026: Reform councillor explains how he will address PT readers’ concerns if his party wins election

In less than 24 hours, we received hundreds of replies on social media from people of all ages and backgrounds, eager to share their thoughts, feelings and opinions.

We put these concerns to all six of the local party leaders who are campaigning to become Leader of the Council on May 8.

This is what Councillor Andrew O’Neil of Reform UK said he would do to tackle the city’s most pressing issues if his party triumphed in the 2026 local elections

PT READERS HAVE VOICED ANXIETIES ABOUT THE STATE OF PETERBOROUGH CITY CENTRE, WITH ISSUES LIKE BEGGING, ABSENT TOILETS, STREET-SLEEPING, AND CRIPPLING BUSINESS RATES BEING OF PARTICULAR CONCERN. WHAT WILL YOU DO, IF YOU BECOME LEADER OF THE CITY COUNCIL ON MAY 8, TO IMPROVE THE CITY CENTRE?

“Much of the aggressive begging and rough sleeping in the city centre is due to homeless people with alcohol and drug addiction problems. Since this behaviour has been decriminalised, now constituting anti-social behaviour, the responsibility for dealing with it is a little blurred and open to interpretation (council versus police issue?).

“In a leadership role, I would be working with officers at the council to find accommodation and support for the homeless.

“In terms of business rates… the council can offer discretionary reductions in business rates for businesses that support the wider initiatives of the council. I would like to see greater use of these to support local businesses, including those wishing to establish premises in our city centre.”

MANY PT READERS HIGHLIGHTED EXPENSIVE PARKING AND POT-HOLED ROADS AS ISSUES THEY’D LIKE TO SEE THE NEW COUNCIL TACKLE AT PACE. HOW WOULD YOU GO ABOUT DEALING WITH THESE ISSUES IF YOU WERE COUNCIL LEADER?

“I would make road repair and maintenance a Reform UK priority. In setting the next council annual budget, we would aim to include greater road repair and maintenance without above inflation rises in Council Tax, by reducing both capital expenditure and the associated costly borrowing, for projects such as Cygnet Bridge.

“I would not be in favour of providing free parking in the city centre during the day [as] there is already considerable traffic in the city centre (around Bourges Boulevard, for example). However, free or subsidised parking for staff that work in the city centre in our service sector is definitely a policy that I believe has merit and the potential to reduce staff turnover and thereby better support our retailers.

“Where I do believe that the city centre could afford and sustain a free-parking scheme is supporting those businesses that operate during the evening. Too many of our city centre restaurants fold within a few years of being established.”

ISSUES WITH CRIME & ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR IN THE CITY ARE CLEARLY UPPERMOST IN PT READERS’ MINDS. MANY HAVE SUGGESTED DEPLOYING MORE VISIBLE POLICE FOOT PATROLS TO DETER CRIMINALITY AND MAKE PEOPLE FEEL SAFE. IS THIS SOMETHING YOU WOULD CONSIDER IF YOU WERE TO BECOME LEADER?

“Yes. I recently met with the Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicestershire, Rupert Matthews. He recounted how he had trialled using security guards in high-visibility uniforms as foot patrols in Melton Mowbray, to deter crime in the town centre (there were no police foot patrols anywhere in Leicestershire at the time).

“It was hugely successful and demonstrated that old-school policing practices are still relevant and, crucially, still work.

“The Police and Crime Commissioner would need to budget for this but potentially this could be funded by reducing the fleet of vehicles the police use, thereby enabling recruitment of more police officers instead, to actually police our streets and city centre (again without the need for above inflation increases to Council Tax).”

AND, FINALLY - FLY-TIPPING. WHAT WOULD BE YOUR NEW ADMINISTRATION’S APPROACH TO TACKLING THIS PERSISTENTLY TROUBLESOME ISSUE?

“I personally believe that there is an association between fly-tipping and Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs). These have a high-turnover of residents who appear to discard their furniture and white goods when they move on.

“What also concerns me is that areas around schools have seen houses traditionally used as family homes converted into HMOs, for example Palmerston Road, Woodston, Belsize Avenue. Not only do we now have an epidemic of fly-tipping but we have lost considerable housing stock that was available to families."