Peterborough’s political leaders gear up for election fight after Government U-turn on May ballot

Their comments come after the Labour Government announced on Monday (February 16) it was abandoning plans to cancel or postpone local elections for 30 local authorities – including Peterborough City Council.

The decision was announced in a letter by Steve Reed, the Local Government Secretary, and came ahead of a legal challenge by Reform UK to the cancellation of the elections.

It means that 18 Peterborough City Council wards will now be contested by the political parties on May 7.

But just a month ago the council’s ruling cabinet had agreed that postponing the May local elections for one year would ‘release essential capacity to deliver Local Government Reorganisation in our area.’

Councillor Chris Harper, leader of Peterborough First, said: “Restoring the local elections was the right thing to do.

“The Government should never have asked the question of the council whether it wished the elections to go ahead.

“It is the democratic process and should not be stopped.”

Cllr Harper added: “We do not have enough candidates to contest all the seats.

“We will target those seats where we have the right people.”

Conservative group leader Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald said: “We are delighted that democracy has been restored despite Labour’s attempt to frustrate the situation and cancel this vote .

“We fear no one at the ballot and stand by our record.

“If it was not for previous Conservative administrations there would be no Station Quarter, no university, and no schools building programme.

He said: “The council might have some debt but has £650 million of assets.

“The city has grown enormously during 20 years of Conservative administration.”

He added that it is Conservative Party policy to contest all available seats and the candidates, which have been in place for six months, would now be ‘stood up’.”

Cllr Christian Hogg, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said: “It was the wrong decision of the government to withdraw the elections in the first place.

“It was a strange decision to ask the council for its opinion, the Secretary of State should have made the decision from the start.

“But the elections are back - let’s get on with it now.”

He added: “There are questions about how we engage with the voters and how they can make their voices heard.

“The turnout at last week’s by-election in Fletton-Woodston at 25 per cent was woefully low. Usually such elections will get a 30 per cent turnout but even that needs to be doubled.”

Cllr Hogg added: “Realistically, I don’t think we will be able to contest all the available wards on May 7.”

Cllr Heather Skibsted, leader of the council’s Green group, said: “It was a surprise to hear the Government had decided that the local elections were to be held.

“It is not a good look for the Government to choose to do a U-turn on this.

“But we were always strongly in favour of keeping the elections.

“It is undemocratic to cancel elections.

“Local government reorganisation was not a sufficient reason to cancel the elections. The bar needed to be a lot higher.”

Cllr Skibsted added: “We will certainly be targeting the majority of the available seats.

“We are in a good position to win some more seats.”

Reform’s Cllr Andrew O’Neil, who won the Fletton and Woodston by-election last week to become the first Reform representative on the council, said: “Democracy has been restored.

"Regardless of legal advice one way or another the only reason they cancelled elections was because they are scared of the public.

"Reform are proud to have pressured the government to ensure the people are listened to.

"Cancelling democracy is never acceptable. Delighted that the people of Peterborough can have their voices heard.”

Independent Cllr Julie Stevenson stated on X: “This whole debacle has caused so much stress and distress to residents, to councillors, to council candidates and to council staff. I feel for all of them.”

And Independent Cllr Mark Ormston added: “Across the 30 Councils, the Council Officers and Leaders will have to rapidly shift resources and relook at budgets (many of which would have just been finalised).

"I am delighted that the elections are going ahead, but what a shambles!”

Council leader Labour Councillor Shabina Qayyum said: "We accept the decision by the Government to reinstate elections which means local elections will take place in Peterborough on May 7.

"We put forward our view at the request of the Secretary of State, with the knowledge that their decision may not go ahead, and therefore preparations for the elections have continued.

"We didn’t vote to cancel elections as was being stated, we put forward the view that a postponement would help with addressing the significant challenges associated with delivering Local Government Reorganisation for our city.

“Now that elections are going ahead, the huge pressures associated with local government reorganisation and how we deliver the greatest reform of local government in a generation remain.

"Therefore I welcome the Government's decision to provide funding to support additional capacity to meet the requirements of this significant change.

She added: "However, I am still very conscious of how we will meet a challenging LGR timeline whilst continuing to provide vital services for residents.

Peterborough councillors due to be up for election in 2026

Scott Warren (Conservative, Bretton)

Alison Jones (Labour, Central)

Dennis Jones (Independent, Dogsthorpe)

Samantha Hemraj (Labour, East)

Rylan Ray (Independent, Eye, Thorney and Newborough)

Christian Hogg (Lib Dem, Fletton and Stanground)

Andrew Bond (Lib Dem, Gunthorpe)

Marco Cereste (Conservative, Hampton Vale)

Mohammed Farooq (Peterborough First, Hargate and Hempsted)

Noreen Bi (Labour, North)

Michael Perkins (Conservative, Orton Longueville)

Julie Stevenson (Independent, Orton Waterville)

Mohammed Sabir (Labour, Park)

Asif Shaheed (Lib Dem, Paston and Walton)

Mohammed Rangzeb (Green, Ravensthorpe)

Ray Bisby (Peterborough First, Stanground South)

Sarah Hillier (Peterborough First, Werrington)

Political breakdown:

Conservative 3, Labour 4, Independent 3, Lib Dem 3, Peterborough First 3, Green 1

The balance of power on Peterborough City Council:

The make up of the city council is currently as follows:

Labour: 13 councillors

Independent 11 councillors

Conservative: 10 councillors

Peterborough First: 10 councillors

Liberal Democrat: 8 councillors

Green Party: 5 councillors

Reform 1: councillor

Not specified: 1 councillor

One seat in Fletton and Woodston is currently vacant following the death of Cllr Alan Dowson