Three Peterborough councillors spend no cash from fund to improve wards

Each of the 60 ward councillors in Peterborough can apply for up to £1,000 per year to fund projects in their neighbourhood.

This year a record 91 per cent of the funding was used in the city - but three councillors did not have any projects approved.

The deadline for applications was on Valentines’ Day - but less than two weeks before the cut off, The Peterborough Telegraph reported that just 49 per cent of the money had been allocated.

All councillors received four emails over five months from the council regarding the money, and how to apply for it.

Conservative councillor for Orton Waterville Kim Aitken, Conservative councillor for East ward Azher Iqbal, and Liberal Democrat councillor for Paston and Walton Asif Shaheed had no successful CLF requests for this year, and the money will remain in the general council budget.

None of the three councillors responded when the Peterborough Telegraph contacted them about the issue.

However, Cllr Aitken did respond when the PT reported the original story, when she said she was looking at outdoor seating on the path to Ferry Meadows.

She said: “We only get £1000 and it has to be put towards an asset which makes it quite difficult at times as everything I would like to do costs a lot more money.”

A total of 16 councillors did not use up their full allocation - although some had less than £10 left in their budget. Some councillors grouped together with their fellow ward councillors to fund multiple projects.

Projects funded by the CLF this year include a defibrillator for Fletton High Street, funded by Stanground South councillor Brian Rush, road safety signs to be placed outside schools, which has been funded by Paston and Walton councillor Simon Barkham, and measures to stop vehicles parking on grass verges, funded by Glinton and Castor councillors John Holdich and Peter Hiller.