Peterborough council leader ‘will have a particular focus on city’ as he is appointed deputy mayor of combined authority

Cllr Fitzgerald (Conservative) will be deputy to Mayor Dr Nik Johnson (Labour). It is the first time the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the authority have represented different parties.

Cllr Fitzgerald said; “It is a real privilege and an honour for me to take on the role of Deputy Mayor of the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority. I was one of the people that was involved in its creation and there is now an opportunity for me to get back involved and be more hands on once again.

“I look forward to working with the new Mayor Dr Nik Johnson as I believe all involved with the Combined Authority have a big job ahead of us to improve the health and wellbeing outcomes for people and hopefully at the same time reduce inequalities across the whole of Cambridgeshire. 

“Amongst many things – I want to see the university build come to fruition and continue our investment in affordable housing, innovative transport schemes and infrastructure along with our culture and leisure offerings as we seek to level up for all our residents. I will have a particular focus on Peterborough for sure, but I do recognise the wider responsibilities that come with the role and I will do my very best to do what’s right for everyone in Cambridgeshire.”

At the meeting, Cllr Fitzgerald was also confirmed as being the Combined Authority’s lead member for Economic Growth.

Mayor Dr Johnson said: “This is local politics done differently. A successful Combined Authority is one that collaborates across traditional political divides to improve the lives of people across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. I said when I became Mayor I would put the ‘3Cs’ – Compassion, Co-operation and Community – at the heart of everything I do, and today is another step in that direction.

“One thing which unites all the leaders of the councils which make up the Combined Authority is a passion for the areas they represent, and none more so than Cllr Fitzgerald, who is a staunch and proud champion for Peterborough. We will not realise our region’s potential to level up – to reduce inequalities and increase opportunities and quality of life – if we do not all come together to use our combined energies and talents to make it happen. I’m very much looking forward to working with Cllr Fitzgerald, our Committee chairs, and all of my colleagues on the Combined Authority Board in a spirit of co-operation and determination to improve every corner of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.”

At the meeting, chairs of each of those committees were also appointed.

They are:

Transport and Infrastructure Committee: Dr Nik Johnson, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

Housing and Communities Committee: Cllr Lewis Herbert, Leader of Cambridge City Council

Skills Committee: Cllr Lucy Nethsingha, Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council.

Additionally, nominated councillors of constituent councils were appointed to both the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Audit and Governance Committee. Alan John Pye was approved as the independent person to chair the Audit and Governance committee until May 2025, a role he held under the previous Mayoral term.