Conservatives still 'very much in charge', council leader says as elections results announced

Peterborough’s election results are “really good news” for the council’s administration, leader Wayne Fitzgerald has said.

Cllr Fitzgerald (Conservatives), freshly re-elected to his West ward seat, said his party’s results are a “really positive message for the Conservatives”.

But, while they’ve gained a seat in Ravensthorpe, they’ve lost one in Bretton.

There are still two seats left to call – both in Park ward.

LIVE BLOG: Peterborough heads to the polls

“We’re hoping to make two more gains,” Cllr Fitzgerald said. “At least one of those I’m fairly certain of.”

The seats were previously held by Shaz Nawaz and Ikra Yasin, both Labour.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives’ performance “shows the confidence the public have in the administration,” he continued.

“The Labour vote has gone up elsewhere in the country; here it’s gone up slightly but we’re very much in charge right now,” he added.

The Conservatives haven’t regained the majority they last held in 2018, but are the largest individual party on the council.

And, while his party is “very much in charge”, Cllr Fitzgerald will continue to collaborate with other parties, he said.

“I’ve always said to the opposition I’ll work with them and we’re still not out of the woods financially. I’m one of those people that has worked hard in the last two years to get the budget passed, with only one member who’s incidentally lost his seat tonight – Cllr Ansar Ali. “That work will continue, my attitude hasn’t changed; I want to work with all members and all parties.”

He’s also celebrating being re-elected.

The long-standing councillor was first elected in 2006.

“If I lost my seat, we’d be in real trouble,” Cllr Fitzgerald said.

“I work hard as a ward councillor, let alone as the leader of the council, and it’s very gratifying that people know who I am when I go to the door and talk to them.”