Peterborough council leader says he has 'clear mandate' to lead despite Conservative group resignations

Peterborough City Council’s (PCC) leader says he has a “clear mandate” from his Conservative group to remain in the position.

Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald (Conservatives, West) said that his leadership was unanimously approved again through a vote on Monday, 5th May, for the “purposes of press speculation”.

The leader and his group have been scrutinised in recent days after four Conservative members resigned from the party and joined Peterborough First.

But while he’s “disappointed” they’ve gone, Cllr Fitzgerald said he doesn’t feel his position is in jeopardy.

Cllr Peter Hiller (Glinton and Castor), Cllr Brian Rush (Stanground South) and Cllr Ray Bisby (Stanground South) resigned from the Conservative Party on Friday,19 May, while Cllr Gavin Elsey (Wittering) resigned on Sunday, 21 May.

They have given various reasons for resigning, which Cllr Fitzgerald says he doesn’t agree with.

“I don't agree with what they're saying and neither do my group members,” he said of the four councillors who resigned, “but I wish them well”.

The councillors’ reasons included opposition to the Horsey Bridge development in Stanground: Cllr Bisby, for instance, said he believes he’d be “asked to vote for something that I don't believe in” in relation to the development if he stayed in the group.

Cllr Hiller, meanwhile, said that he doesn’t want to “go along with the political self-interest of the current administration”, while Cllr Elsey said he doesn’t want to “compromise” his “integrity”.

Asked for his response to this, and whether the Conservatives are being split by a clash of personalities, Cllr Fitzgerald said: “Inevitably there are clashes of personalities and people hold grudges.

“I try to be friends with everyone and like everyone, but unfortunately life isn't like that,” he said.

“I know that every member in my group tonight, individually, put their hand up to support me. That's all I need to know.”

On the suspension from the Conservative group of Cllr Mohammed Farooq (Hargate and Hempsted), he said: “It is a discipline matter. It's nothing to do with leadership or council; that's all I'll say about that. “And it's not me doing that investigation. It's a whip matter, but it's a completely confidential process.”