Fletton & Woodston by-election – meet the candidates
Peterborough’s next by-election will be held on Thursday, February 12th.
The contest in Fletton & Woodston has been called to fill the vacant post created by the sad passing of Councillor Nick Thulbourn, who died on Saturday, December 13, 2026.
There are five candidates in the running:
Ed Murphy – Green Party Andrew O’Neil – Reform UK Neil Walton – Liberal Democrats Andrew Willey – Conservative Harvey Woodhouse – Labour
Here, in alphabetical order, we look at each candidate in brief and learn a little about what each of them would like to help achieve on behalf of the people of Fletton & Woodston:
Ed Murphy (Greens)
Peterborough Honorary Alderman Ed Murphy has been nominated as the Green Party’s by-election candidate. Ed has already been out talking to voters and working in the ward for some time.
He has discussed a number of local issues with residents, and has been endeavouring to help reduce the number of empty homes within neighbourhoods and introduce phase one of traffic calming measures in Woodston.
“I would like to thank all those who have helped get our newsletters out, and residents who have already promised they will vote for me,” Ed said.
“If elected I will voice your concerns in the council chamber irrespective of party politics.
“I will scrutinise council decisions so that they operate a more effective, efficient and economically sound council. One that is dealing with the core issues: cleaning the streets, fixing roads, tackling homelessness and providing proper leisure and cultural facilities, rather than wasting millions on costly mistakes such as unfinished hotels.”
Andrew O’Neil (Reform UK)
A Fletton resident for ten years, Andrew first became formally involved in community matters when he set up the Neighbourhood Watch Group for Old Fletton, a group for which he now acts as coordinator. If elected, Andrew would like to further his work in reducing crime, improving local services, and establishing initiatives that will help business owners and the self-employed.
“If I am chosen to represent Fletton & Woodston in this by-election I will fight for reduced financial waste and spending cuts on woke projects such as ‘diversity’ initiatives and net zero,” he stated.
The Reform UK candidate also asserted he would pursue “better public services and a more attractive city centre; prioritising crime reduction initiatives to create a safer Peterborough [and] increased support for local businesses and the jobs they create.”
Other priorities for Andrew include “a halt to housing asylum seekers in our communities [and] prioritising the needs of residents over foreign nationals, in particular in respect to social housing.”
Neil Walton (Liberal Democrats)
After spending many years in Oxfordshire and Hampshire, Neil moved to Peterborough in 2019 for work. He has spent the last 20 years with a national telecoms company working in the field of data networking. Neil describes himself as “a bit of a nerd” who enjoys reading, watching TV, listening to music and playing the occasional video game, albeit badly.
“If elected, I want to be a councillor who listens and acts. I believe local health services should work for residents, not leave people struggling to get appointments or support when they need it most,” he said.
“And I want to see real action on environmental issues that affect daily life, from fly-tipping to waste and water quality, so our area is cleaner and better looked after.
“I also care strongly about protecting the community spaces that bring people together, places that should be improved and cherished, not quietly sold off.
“At times like this, it’s important to choose practical solutions rooted in the community, not empty slogans or soundbites.”
Andrew Willey (Conservatives)
Andrew has lived in Fletton & Woodston for over 20 years. He last stood as a Conservative candidate in the ward in 2023 when he lost by just 12 votes. An active member of his community, Andrew has organised litter picking groups in Woodston and arranged meetings with local residents, police and drug agencies to tackle the issue of discarded needles and drugs paraphernalia. He has also brought five wildflower areas to Fletton & Woodston, and is keen to enhance the ward’s biodiversity and green spaces.
“My aim is to give the electorate the confidence that, if I were elected, they would gain a strong voice on the council, representing the views of our whole community and working to ensure a fair share of resources across all parts of our ward,” he said.
“I will encourage more community events and community involvement so residents feel they are making a difference to where they live. I will look to bring back the popular Santa float to Woodston and Botolph Green after a five-year absence.”
Harvey Woodhouse (Labour)
A caseworker for Fletton and Woodston’s local MP, Harvey moved to Cambridgeshire after his family suffered a no-fault eviction from their home of ten years. His experience of an invisible disability (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) has made him a passionate advocate for helping disabled people to thrive. The Labour candidate has a background in animal science, and volunteers locally with the Wildlife Trust on nature conservation and environmental protection.
“Fletton and Woodston’s close-knit communities deserve a hard-working councillor that understands the local issues people are dealing with,” he said.
“Having spent time volunteering on warm spaces initiatives, I’ve seen firsthand how people are struggling with the cost of living, and I want to be a councillor to provide a voice in the room for people in need when decisions are made about our local services.”
If elected, Harvey said his key priorities for Fletton and Woodston would include “focusing on improving green spaces for all, pushing for CCTV coverage of fly-tipping hotspots and lobbying the Conservative police and crime commissioner for more visible policing in the area.”