Coronavirus: Major effort to support businesses in Peterborough and keep job losses to a minimum

The city council is working hard to get government funding to companies to mitigate losses due to the country being in lockdown, the authority’s leader Cllr John Holdich told the Peterborough Telegraph.

Cllr Holdich was due to retire from local politics in May after more than 40 years but has delayed his leaving day for another 12 months to help Peterborough’s response to the crisis.

And while attention is understandably focused largely on keeping essential services going, millions of pounds of government grants are being distributed to city firms while progress is being made at both the Fletton Quays and Northminster development sites.

In the past few weeks, the former Whitworth Mill at Fletton Quays has been sold to be used as a boutique hotel and arts space, while works are ongoing with the Peterborough Investment Partnership to come up with a scheme to redevelop Northminster in the city centre.

Moreover, remote meetings have been taking place to discuss the new University of Peterborough, which is due to open in 2022, and progress has been made with the new Hilton hotel to be built at Fletton Quays where works are now ready to begin, according to the council leader.

Speaking about the efforts being made across the city to keep services and the economy running, he said: “What’s going on (in Peterborough) is amazing. It’s a fluid situation and is changing by the hour, let alone by the day.

“The council still has to run - we still have to empty the bins and do that sort of stuff, and our staff are doing an exceptional job in a challenging time.

“If they’re not working from home they’re doing all sorts of jobs to keep everything going and at the moment we’ve only had to stop a couple of services. Brown bins have gone to (collection) every month and we’ve stopped the recycling centre at this point in time.

“The staff have responded well and we’ve got some great volunteers as well. A number of them have now been trained and are being used. A number of people have applied to be community carers.

“I’ve also got to keep the economy going. I’m working with the Peterborough Investment Partnership, we’ve sold the old mill and we’ve got all the other developments that are still going on.

“I’ve got to make sure the economy is working. We’re ahead of most authorities in sending out to businesses the small business grants. We have distributed 500 out of the 2,200 rural business grants. We’re hoping to deliver the majority of those this week.

“We’ve done 900 payments of £25,000 to the retail and hospitality sector. We’ve sent out to the business community around £34 million, and we’ve also implemented what the Government asked us to for the £33 million rent relief by stopping the direct debits.

“Everyone is working really hard. Peterborough has responded well and the council staff have responded well.”

Cllr Holdich is also deputy mayor of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority which is leading the support for businesses.

He said he has been in contact with people concerned by the potential loss of their companies, while he also praised city schools and colleges for making kit which is being by local NHS staff.

He added: “There will be some casualties and we will work with businesses in Peterborough to keep that to a minimum.”

As for the council’s future, the pandemic will bring lasting changes to the way it operates.

The council leader said: “It’s a fair assumption (things will change). Coronavirus stops travelling. I had an online meeting on the university with people from different parts of the country and it was very handy. People will get used to this.”

Asked about the city’s overall response to the outbreak, he replied: “Everybody has put their hands to the wheel. They’re working out of their comfort zone as they’re doing other people’s jobs as well. They’ve been amazing and the volunteers have been amazing.

“We saw a lot of this when Thomas Cook went bankrupt. A lot of people put their heads above the parapet. I’m very proud of the city. Your town expects and it has (delivered).”