New Labour mayoral candidate wants to share Cambridge growth with Peterborough

Kevin Price, Cambridge City Council deputy leader and executive councillor for housing, was selected after Labour Party members across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough backed him in a ballot.

He said: “I am very grateful to Labour members across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough who have put their trust in me to fight the mayoral election in May.

“Decisions taken in Westminster have failed our region and I look forward to making the case that, under Labour, we can do a far better job of running it ourselves.

“It doesn’t have to be a choice between growth and prosperity for some whilst others are left behind, and under a Labour mayor it won’t be.

“Tackling poverty and inequality goes hand-in-hand with sharing Cambridge’s growth across the whole area, tackling the housing affordability crisis and delivering far better road, rail and bus services for all.”

As council deputy leader, Mr Price helped negotiate the devolution deal for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough which is creating a new combined authority to be led by a mayor.

He led on securing a housing grant in the deal for £100 million for housing across the county, and an extra £70 million for new council homes in Cambridge.

The combined authority will feature a representative from all seven councils in the region and a representative of the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Local Enterprise Partnership.

It will be given powers over transport and hundreds of millions of pounds to spend on housing and to support economic growth.

Outside of politics, Kevin has worked as a porter at Clare College, Cambridge since 2006.

He started work in the print trade and has been a member of Unite the Union since 1974.

In his spare time he is a keen photographer and likes to walk.

He has three children, two grandchildren and lives with his partner in Cambridge.

The other confirmed candidates for mayor are:

. Entrepreneur Peter Dawe, the independent from Ely

. Cambridgeshire county councillor Paul Bullen - UKIP

. Cambridge city councillor Rod Cantrill - Liberal Democrat

. East Cambridgeshire District Council leader James Palmer - Conservative

. Peterborough parish councillor Julie Howell - Green Party

. Former Peterborough City Council deputy leader Stephen Goldspink - English Democrats