Peterborough City Council's political groups announce new party leaders

The Conservative Party, Green Party and Peterborough First have each chosen their Peterborough City Council (PCC) group leader for the coming year.

Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald (West) will lead the Conservatives for another year, while Cllr Nicola Day (Orton Waterville) will lead the Greens and Cllr Chris Harper (Stanground South) will lead Peterborough First.

Labour, meanwhile, is due to choose its group leader later this week, while the Liberal Democrats will choose theirs early next week.

Cllr Fitzgerald was re-elected as group leader at the Conservative group’s annual meeting this week, while Cllr Steve Allen (Eye, Thorney and Newborough) was re-elected as his deputy, with both being confirmed unanimously.

Cllr Fitzgerald said that his party – the biggest on PCC, which will continue to control it despite not quite forming a majority – will prioritise growth, regeneration and economic development in Peterborough in the coming year.

He said: “The key to improving the lives of our residents in Peterborough is through growth.

“We need to build homes our residents want to live in and we need to provide the environment where our current businesses can expand and where new businesses can join our successful local economy.”

The party's policy chair, meanwhile, has been confirmed as Cllr Andy Coles (Fletton and Woodston), while its group secretary is Cllr Lynne Ayres (West) and treasurer is Cllr Rylan Ray (Eye, Thorney and Newborough). Its treasurer is Cllr Brian Rush (Stanground South).

Cllr Day, meanwhile, confirmed that she will continue to lead the Greens after being re-elected to the council alongside Cllr Fitzgerald and Cllr Allen on 4 May.

But, while she was elected “on mutual agreement”, she stressed that her party has “a more horizontal system” than “vertical leadership position”.

PCC’s Green Party, made up of Cllr Day, Cllr Kirsty Knight (Orton Waterville) and Cllr Heather Skibsted (Orton Longueville), does not have a whip telling members which way to vote, with each being able to make decisions independently.

Peterborough First also doesn’t have a whip, but is joined as a group to “discuss agendas, issues and proposals”.

Cllr John Fox (Werrington) has been appointed Cllr Harper's deputy and Cllr Judy Fox (Werrington) the group's secretary.

Incumbent Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Christian Hogg (Fletton and Stanground) said he will run again for the position.

“I’m by no means feeling it’s a foregone conclusion for my particular position," he said, "but I am putting myself forward and I’d like to think I’ll prevail.

"But in politics nobody should ever take things for granted.”

Labour has also confirmed its annual meeting will be held shortly.

Its leader, Cllr Dennis Jones (Dogsthorpe), has only held the position for around three months, replacing Shaz Nawaz who announced his resignation from the position, and the council, in February.