LETTER: 'Useless' Peterborough City Council too slow to react to city's 'raw deal' from central government

Unfortunately, it has taken several years for the current administration running Peterborough City Council (PCC) to realise this.

While other councillors have been telling them this, John Holdich, David Seaton, John Peach, Marco Cereste and their Conservative colleagues have been in denial.

For years, they have neglected this city, choosing instead to outsource services and claim ‘it’s not our problem’.

As a consequence, the former dairy on Midland Road, together with the former bakery, lay derelict for over 15 years - a serious council would have made efforts to attract clients to the site, and gain revenue in business rates.

I believe that this negligence, in this instance alone, could have cost PCC £15 million in lost revenue.

Similarly, Frobisher House was left vacant for a similar length of time, and Bretton Court, which has only now been given approval for development to help the homeless crisis in the city, lay vacant for over 10 years.

Add to that the Orton Centre and other former commercial sites which PCC has constantly ignored, the revenue lost will become breath-taking.

The former Freemans site on Ivatt Way, left derelict and which has NOT been put on the market in nine years.

How much revenue in business rates has been lost by neglecting this site? PCC must take responsibility for this city and stop ignoring it. Thank goodness PCC are in negotiations to sell the former Freemans building, though I seriously doubt that PCC will get a decent price; not if John Holdich and David Seaton have anything to do with it, Peterborough has indeed received a raw deal from central government, in more ways than one.

Unfortunately, the useless Conservative administration running PCC has done absolutely nothing to help the situation. Instead, John Holdich in particular, is too busy dreaming about new hotels and a waterfront along Fletton Quays, while David Seaton borrows £15 million for the hotel contractors instead of this city.

Peter Hiller is too busy arranging more roadworks to stagnate this city and deter any new business, so as a few people can turn right out of the station (south) car park. That is how little they care for this city.

Alan Gasparutti - Peterborough