Elections 2024: Peterborough's turbulent year ahead of council vote

The political makeup of Peterborough City Council (PCC) could change after this week’s local elections.

Polls open on Thursday, 2nd May in the city’s 22 electoral wards.

But it’s already changed several times over the past year, culminating in a change of leadership.

To understand where the council’s politics are today, let’s take a look back over the last election cycle, from May 2023.

PCC holds its elections by thirds, meaning a third of council seats are up for election each year (followed by a fourth in which there's no vote).

Conservatives make gains at 2023 local election

Peterborough’s Conservative Party had the most successful night on 4th May 2023.

The group gained two council seats, bringing their total number to 30 out of 60. They continued to lead PCC with a minority administration.

Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald (West) remained leader of the party and of the council.

Meanwhile, Labour, the Lib Dems and Peterborough First had neither a net gain or loss of seats.

One Green councillor and one Independent councillor lost their seats: both had been members of the Labour group until shortly before the election.

Peterborough bucked national trends: the Conservatives lost more than 1,000 councillors across the UK while Labour gained more than 500.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pointed to Peterborough as an example of Conservative success.

Four Conservative councillors resign from party

Cllrs Peter Hiller (Glinton and Castor), Ray Bisby (Stanground South) and Brian Rush (Stanground South) resigned from the Conservative group in May, followed soon after by Cllr Gavin Elsey (Wittering).

The resignations came within weeks of the election, with all men subsequently joining the Peterborough First group.

Various reasons were given for their resignations, which included being unhappy that three other Conservative councillors had objected to the refusal of a planning application aimed at building a new business park at Horsey Bridge in Stanground.

Others included being unhappy that the Conservatives wanted a member of their own party to replace Peterborough First leader Cllr Chris Harper (Stanground South) as chair of the council’s planning committee and opposition to proposed electoral boundary changes across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

They also said they disapproved of the direction the Conservative Party in Peterborough was taking.

Three more Conservatives resign

The following month, in June, Cllrs Mohammed Farooq (Hargate and Hempsted), Saqib Farooq (Glinton and Castor) and John Howard (Hargate and Hempsted) resigned from the Conservative group.

Each also joined the Peterborough First group.

Cllr M. Farooq, who had previously been suspended, said the Conservatives had a “toxic culture”, which the group strenuously denied.

His son, Cllr S. Farooq, and his personal friend and ward mate, Cllr Howard, resigned in support of him.

Peterborough First launches vote of no confidence in the Conservatives

Several months later, the Peterborough First group – by then a party of 11 – led a vote of no confidence in Cllr Fitzgerald and his Conservative administration.

Backed by Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens, Peterborough First ended more than 20 years of Conservative rule in Peterborough, saying they no longer have “trust and confidence” in Cllr Fitzgerald and his ability to lead the council.

Cllr M. Farooq was then installed as leader of the council, with Cllr Howard as his deputy.

With the exception of Cllr Rush, all other members who had resigned from the Conservatives were given roles within the council’s decision-making cabinet.

The group said that the “political attacks and weaponisation of the council administration” had led to a break down in relationships among the Conservatives and opposition groups to an extent that delivering council services was “at risk”.

Cllr Fitzgerald said the vote was based on “personal agendas and vendettas” and refused to accept Cllr Farooq’s legitimacy as leader.

Eighth Conservative resigns

In the following month – December – Cllr Mohammed Rangzeb (Ravensthorpe) resigned from PCC’s Conservative group.

Unlike those who resigned the party earlier in the year, he didn’t blame the local party for his resignation and nor did he join Peterborough First.

He instead said he would remain sitting with the Conservative group, while serving as an independent.

The move was reported as him taking a “moral stand” against the national party for its policy around the conflict in Gaza.

He later brought a motion to the council calling for a ceasefire in the region.

His resignation pushed Conservative numbers down to 22.

Green resigns

In March this year, Cllr Kirsty Knight (Orton Waterville) left the Greens.

She’s up for re-election and is standing in her ward as an independent.

Cllr Knight said the local party was trying to run before it could walk.

Peterborough First councillor leaves council altogether

In the same month, Stephen Lane – who represented Werrington – stood down from the council altogether.

He was part way through his term, which was due to end in 2026.

Cllr Lane said he stepped down for personal reasons.

He had been unsupportive of Peterborough First’s takeover of the council, voting against the motion of no confidence in Cllr Fitzgerald, but said this wasn’t his reason for resigning.

Going into this year’s elections, Peterborough First remains in charge of the council and is a group of 10.

The Conservatives are the biggest party with 22, while Labour has 14 councillors; the Lib Dems eight and the Greens two.

There are three independents.