New mayor must listen to people - Rod Cantrill, Lib Dem candidate for mayor

Whether it’s high house prices, poor public transport infrastructure, the need for more skilled jobs or even just the litter and fly tipping on our streets it’s clear that politicians could do so much more to make this great city an even better place to live.

Like many residents, I’m concerned by the way politicians at all levels have failed to listen. Choosing to push pet projects rather than delivering the change that local communities want. I strongly believe that if the Mayor continues this trend the mayoralty will be a huge waste of our money and the devolution deal will be a wasted opportunity.

I’m standing to be our first elected Mayor because I believe I have the right skills, knowledge and real life experience to get a better deal for Peterborough and change the way politics works in our area.

I will be a listening Mayor who works with residents to deliver the change they want. I will survey residents every year and hold an annual series of ‘Meet the Mayor’ events here in Peterborough to ensure your views are heard properly.

Indeed, it’s as a result of feedback from Peterborough residents that I am already working on several challenges across our city.

One of the biggest issues that comes up on the doorstep is problems around housing. I think it’s shocking that the average three bedroom house in Peterborough is eight times the average income. As Mayor I will do all I can to change this.

Among other schemes to tackle our housing crisis, I will help to make living more affordable by introducing a local living rent for affordable homes on major new developments. This will mean that developers will only be able to charge 30% of the average income for the area in rent.

As part of my plan to deliver better quality jobs across the city, I have already committed to boosting the city’s economic and cultural future by delivering the long promised Peterborough University. However, I think it’s so important that in building a new university we don’t add to Peterborough’s housing problems. As Mayor I would work to improve public transport across Peterborough. When Cambridge is planning its third railway station I think it’s wrong that Peterborough only has one. With your support I will build a second station in the south of the city near Hampton and Stanground to help rail commuters and ease congestion around our existing station during rush hours.

But it is no good building an extra railway station if the improvements aren’t part of a wider, integrated plan. That’s why as Mayor I will use new powers to make sure we have a joined up bus and rail network to make using public transport much more convenient. Together I believe we can both change how politics works and improve Peterborough. So if you have ideas about how you want Peterborough improved please do contact me. In the meantime I hope you will lend me your first preference vote on 4th May.