Peterborough councillor ‘furious’ her ward was left out of £40m government funding
A Peterborough city councillor has voiced her frustration after the ward she represents did not receive any government funding.
It comes after the government announced last week that £40 million had been pledged to support community regeneration in two Peterborough neighbourhoods including Paston, Gunthorpe and Welland; and Orton Malborne and Orton Goldhay.
The two projects are worth £20 million each, with local Labour MPs Andrew Pakes and Sam Carling helping to set up a local steering group so that residents in the area can help determine how the funding will be spent.
Labour leader of Peterborough City Council Shabina Qayyum said she was “thrilled” with the announcement.
“This is yet another sign that government is listening to our calls for increased investment in local government after years of underfunding,” she said.
However, Cllr Nicola Jenkins, who recently resigned from the Peterborough Labour group to become an independent, said she was “furious” that her ward of Bretton was “left out” of the funding.
She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We were promised regeneration across Peterborough.
“But no effort has been made to include Bretton — one of the oldest New Town townships of the 1970s, now in desperate need of investment.
“Because we don’t have space for flashy new developments, my ward has simply been left to rot.
“Other areas of the city are pushed to the front of the queue, while Bretton is shoved to the back.”
Cllr Jenkins claimed that the basic maintenance of Bretton had been “nothing short of disgraceful” and it felt like her ward had been abandoned.
Peterborough MP Mr Pakes said the £40 million community investment was a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to transform left behind areas.
In response to Cllr Jenkins’ concerns, he said: “This has been a team effort and will support much needed projects across the city.
“We should be celebrating success rather than talking the city down. We need to break this negative cycle and start working together.
“We’ve also got an extra £1.5 million for other parts of the city. This is just the start. These initial areas were chosen as they are some of the most deprived areas in the country.
“I’ve worked closely with Cllr Jenkins in the past and hope we can do so in the future. She just needs to pick up the phone.”
Cllr Kirsty Knight who represents the Orton Waterville ward which will receive £20 million in funding, said her residents were “buzzing”.
She said: “Many parts of the Ortons have been neglected for far too long, so the news that our MP, Sam Carling, has secured £20 million over the next 10 years is a fantastic step forward.
“Already, people are asking for the AstroTurf at the Orton Centre to be done up and turned into a proper multi-use facility so more sports can be played there.
“Others are calling for much-needed extra car parking spaces and better parks, with safe and modern play areas for children and welcoming green spaces for families to enjoy.
“This is just the start and I’ll be pushing residents to share even more of their ideas with Sam so this investment delivers real improvements for our community.”