Conservative Peterborough City Council leader chosen to stay on in role

Councillor John Holdich was unopposed by Tory councillors when he stood for re-election at the party’s AGM on Tuesday evening.

Cllr Holdich, who is also cabinet member for education, will now seek re-election as leader from all councillors when they hold their annual meeting on Monday, May 22, but that should be a formality as the Conservatives hold 30 of the 59 seats.

The Glinton and Castor ward member said: “It’s going to be a tough year. We’ve already had to make £60 million worth of cuts and take on another £60 million worth of responsibilities. And we have another £20 million to go.

“As I normally do, I will try to involve the whole council into finding a consensus of opinion.”

In an exclusive interview with the Peterborough Telegraph in March, Cllr Holdich set out his agenda for the next 12 months.

His plans include introducing a new right-turn on Bourges Boulevard for motorists to get into the station’s long-stay car park, with the car park then turned into a multi-storey.

Further priorities for the year include having plans for the long-awaited redevelopment of North Westgate on display to the public, while proposals for a “very special” museum to display the finding at Must Farm, as well as a new research facility, could also be drawn up.

The AGM of Conservative councillors at the Town Hall also saw deputy council leader Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald re-elected unopposed, while Cllr Howard Fuller now takes up the vacant post of group policy chair.

Cllr Holdich will announce his cabinet for the next year if re-elected by the council on May 22.

There were no local elections this year, but a third of the council will be up for re-election in 12 months’ time.

A by-election is also being held in East ward on June 8 following the death of Conservative councillor Marcus Sims.

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