Children's safety must never be compromised

I’m lost for words and was extremely distressed to hear details from the recent trial and conviction of former Conservative councillor Rylan Ray. 

Hearing the accounts of his young victims was truly heartbreaking and my thoughts and prayers are with those brave young people. Their courage and bravery in speaking out and giving evidence is extraordinary and will have prevented even more young people falling victim, which should be commended. 

This man abused the trust that had been put in him to commit the most awful crimes, involving children and young people who deserved so much better. My hope for those young people is that they can find a way to move on from those awful experiences and the crimes that have been committed against them. 

Some have criticised the council’s social media pages for me identifying him as a Conservative councillor after his arrest, while he was on bail until charged. This was necessary and, indeed, I am of the view that an inquiry is needed to establish what was known and by whom. I will be urgently meeting with the council's Chief Executive and Director of Children's Services to discuss the scope and shape of this review. 

Whatever your political leaning, there is no room for argument when the safety of children is compromised. If my approach is unforgiving in this regard, I do not apologise. Those children come first, and every aspect of the abuser should be known, including who he was associated with at the time and what they knew. 

Everyone has a role to play in stopping perpetrators like Ray from committing their crimes and keeping children safe. If you have an immediate concern that a child is being harmed, ring the police on 999 or if you have concerns about the welfare of a child make a referral to the multi-agency safeguarding hub on 01733 864170 or via our website. 

Our council's future is still to be decided as part Local Government Reorganisation, We are a region that didn’t have its decision furnished unlike other regions which have had theirs withdrawn. I see this as a positive for our region, a decision that will be carefully considered, as it should be. 

The Government has said it will make a final decision by early next year at the latest. 

LGR will be one of the biggest changes in local government in decades. I remain convinced that Option D remains our preferred option for Peterborough. 

Our city's ambitious growth plans are a real cause for excitement and our bold work is attracting national attention. 

I was recently interviewed by a reporter from the Financial Times, who came to Peterborough to see for himself how we are boosting growth and facing challenges. 

Peterborough is highlighted as a city experiencing strong economic and population growth. Major investments such as Amazon’s new distribution centre have boosted employment, with warehousing jobs increasing sixfold over the past decade. We stress our caution against relying too heavily on a sector vulnerable to automation and highlight the need for more high-skilled, higher-paid jobs. 

The article shows we are focusing on education, regeneration and stronger links with Cambridge to help diversify the economy and create greater prosperity for residents. 

The article presents devolution, improved transport links, and investment in skills as key opportunities for Peterborough’s long-term future. 

I would also like to thank the Diwali Committee in Peterborough and the Nepalese community for inviting me to the annual Diwali Festivals. What a wonderful display of talent in the shows. I’m so proud of our diverse communities and would like to wish everyone celebrating in our city a Happy Diwali! 

Finally, I urge everyone to remember those who have lost their lives in conflict this Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day. 

The council, in conjunction with the Peterborough Branch of the Royal British Legion, will commemorate both the Remembrance Sunday Silence from 10.50am and Wreath Laying and the Armistice Two-Minute Silence on Wednesday from 10.50am at the War Memorial outside the Town Hall in Bridge Street.