New Labour leader on Peterborough City Council elected

Cllr Shaz Nawaz (from and centre with the red rosette) alongside fellow Labour councillors and activists following his by-election victory in August 2017

Accountant Cllr Shaz Nawaz takes over from Cllr Ed Murphy following an AGM held last night.

After last week’s local elections Labour went from 15 to 14 seats, making it the second largest party, while the Conservatives took control of the council with 31 seats.

Cllr Nawaz is one of the newest councillors having only been voted in last August in Park ward following a by-election.

Following his victory he pledged to produce an alternative budget to the one produced by the Conservatives.

In the end Labour produced a page of amendments to the Tory budget, with Cllr Nawaz admitting that after only six months as a councillor it was too soon for him to produce an alternative budget.

Since joining the council he has put forward a motion, which was approved, calling on the authority to offer “whatever assistance it can” to FC Peterborough after some members suffered racial abuse.

He has also co-chaired a meeting on Myanmar, which was attended by MP for Peterborough Fiona Onasanya.

Fellow Park ward Labour member Cllr Richard Ferris was chosen as Cllr Nawaz's deputy last night.

On Tuesday night the Conservatives chose Cllr John Holdich to remain as their leader and, in turn, leader of the council, for a fourth year in a row.

Cllr Holdich will announce his cabinet a week on Monday at the next Full Council meeting, where the Mayor of Peterborough for the next 12 months, who is expected to be Cllr Chris Ash, will be confirmed.

The Liberal Democrats hold their AGM next week.

The Peterborough Telegraph is expecting to speak to Cllr Nawaz soon to discuss his plans as Labour group leader.