New Peterborough City Council leader appoints cabinet and promises 'start of new era'

Labour's councillor Dr Shabina Qayyum was elected as leader of Peterborough City Council at an extraordinary full council meeting on Friday, September 12, forming a coalition with Peterborough First and the Liberal Democrats.

At the meeting, Cllr Qayyum and Conservative group leader Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald were both nominated to become the new council leader.

After a round of voting, Cllr Qayyum was elected with 37 votes, with Cllr Fitzgerald receiving 12 and four abstentions. Notably, seven councillors were absent from the meeting.

The new leader described it as a "humbling moment" and told councillors that it was the "start of a new era".

Cllr Qayyum appointed her new deputy leader as Cllr Mohammed Farooq of Peterborough First, who is a former leader of the council himself.

Her new cabinet is as follows:

Deputy leader and cabinet member for growth and regeneration - Cllr Mohammed Farooq (PFirst)

Cabinet member for finance and corporate governance - Cllr Mohammed Jamil (Labour)

Cabinet member for adult services - Cllr Neil Boyce (PFirst)

Cabinet member for children's services - Cllr Katy Cole (Labour)

Cabinet member for housing and regulatory services - Cllr Christian Hogg (Lib Dems)

Cabinet member for environment and transport - Cllr Angus Ellis (Labour)

Cabinet member for communities, poverty and public health - Cllr Zameer Ali (Labour)

Cabinet advisors - Cllr Ray Bisby (PFirst) and Cllr Chris Wiggin (Lib Dems)

Cllr Qayyum also announced that she had appointed eight women to chair committees.

Deputy leader Cllr Faqrooq said: "What brings us all on the same page here, and I'm delighted to see that, is that we all are drumming about stability.

"Stability is key. Conservative colleagues have drummed that and I think that's the best way to deliver for our residents."

The Conservatives voted against the committee appointments and group leader Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald confirmed that his members would not fulfill their appointed roles, claiming that the appointments had changed without his group's knowledge.

He said: "There was an opportunity today to be fully inclusive, but it was squandered."

Referring to a motion of no confidence tabled in June in a bid to oust the former Labour leadership, Conservative Cllr John Howard said: "Those who tried to bring down the administration just eight weeks ago have been rewarded nicely."

In response, Cllr Qayyum said: "In order to make an omelette, you have to break a couple of eggs. It is the first time that a coalition of this size has taken place.

"I take on board Cllr Fitzgerald's comments on vice-chairs and the distribution and equity of it. That's the nature of coming together with different minds and also trying to secure a compromise."

She added: "I'm sorry if Cllr Fitzgerald and the rest of the group feel this way, it isn't personal. It was about making representation across the board and we also have to look at gender balance and giving opportunity to women in our city to develop for the very first time."

Notably, former leader of the council Cllr Dennis Jones was not in attendance at the meeting.

Cllr Jones resigned last week and was suspended from the Labour Party following comments made about Rotherham grooming gang victims. He is now an independent councillor.