Council leader pledges new efforts to tackle fly-tipping in Peterborough

Fly tipping and rubbish dumped on the former B & Q and Matalan site on Station Road East ENGEMN00120131014132052

Trying to get a grip on fly-tipping will be a focus from the Conservative-run city council in the next year.

Council leader Cllr John Holdich admitted the issue was repeatedly raised on the doorsteps in the run-up to the elections.

The council brought back free bulky waste collections this year in a trial but Cllr Holdich said that made no difference to the amount of fly-tipping, with the only result being the council missed out on £40,000 from fewer paid collections.

Fly-tipping was an issue which repeatedly came up on the doorsteps in the run-up to the elections the council leader acknowledged, adding: “We will come up with new proposals in the new council year.

Cllr Nick Sandford (left), next to Cllr Christian Hogg

“It’s a national problem and nobody has come up with a panacea.”

Cllr Holdich, who saw his party take control of the council after increasing their number of councillors from 30 to 31, said he will disclose the administration’s full agenda once he has chosen his new cabinet.

But he believes the electorate have given the Conservatives their backing after guiding the council through challenging financial times after the Government slashed its budget.

He added: “I’m absolutely delighted. We’ve had a few tough years financially and had to modify the council, but it’s very gratifying the electorate have realised we have done a good job.

Peterborough City Council local election count at Kingsgate. Ed Murphy is re-elected in Ravensthorpe EMN-180405-101608009

“In other people’s literature all they did was slag off the Tories. When they had something to put forward people realised it was not affordable.

Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Nick Sandford was also pleased after Thursday’s elections as the party also gained a councillor, with Christian Hogg taking Fletton & Stanground.

He said: “It was a really good set of results for the Liberal Democrats.

“It’s the Liberal Democrats’ philosophy to work all the year round in the areas where we have existing councillors and in areas where people are intending to become councillors.

“We have to transform the council and make it open, accountable and inclusive.”

Labour group leader Cllr Ed Murphy held onto his seat in Ravensthorpe by 28 votes after a concerted effort from the Conservatives to unseat him.

He felt his party had not targeted seats well enough, adding: “I’m disappointed not to have made some gains in Peterborough.

“We need to make the council now listen about policy and do things to tackle the housing emergency in Peterborough, the need for school places, and we will be challenging mistakes on pet projects.”