New city council chief optimistic but warns of ‘hard journey ahead’

New Peterborough City Council chief executive Matt Gladstone says tough decisions need to be made in financial crisis

The new chief executive of cash-strapped Peterborough City Council has spoken of his confidence of being able to bridge the local authority’s £27 million funding gap.

Former rugby player Matt Gladstone (50) is no stranger to tackling tough challenges and says he would not have taken on the top job without being sure he could restore the city’s fortunes.

The married dad of two and a former player and coach with Exeter Rugby Club in its ‘amateur’ years, Mr Gladstone began work at Peterborough City Council’s plush new offices at the newly regenerated Fletton Quays just a week ago.

But he has been attending crisis talks with leading councillors, council officers and government officials for months following the decision to appoint him.

He said: “We are coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic but it has hit places like Peterborough and the county very hard.

“It is time now to reset the finances and the direction of travel and I think it is timely to join the council now to provide a fresh perspective, leadership and drive.

“I am confident that I can turn it around - I wouldn’t have taken on the job otherwise.”

The council has just embarked on the second phase of its battle to bridge a £27 million funding gap with councillors considering £12.6 million of spending cuts, and other saving alongside a 2.99 per cent hike in council tax for the coming financial year.

Their work is being carried out under the watchful eyes of Government experts who have already warned they will take control of the authority if councillors and officers fail to put together a balanced budget for the next financial year.

Mr Gladstone said: “We need to take some tough decisions but we need to do it corroboratively with the community, the private sector and business community in particular. I am optimistic but it will be a hard journey and the next 12 to 18 months will be very stretching.”

Mr Gladstone joins Peterborough from Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council where he was executive director of place for about eight years but has also spent four years with the Audit Commission as well as undertaking a range of other central and local government roles.

He said: “I have seen 60 or 70 councils across the country, how they are led and managed and how they are directed and how they have recovered when they’ve had finance or governance issues or children’s services problems. I come with a good wealth and broad range and knowledge and experience and I am really relishing the opportunity to put it to good use in the city now.”

A key area of concern and argument during the budget debate has been whether councillors of all political persuasions have been willing to shoulder some of the responsibility for resolving the council’s financial plight.

Mr Gladstone said: “It is a maturing relationship. There are always going to be some political challenges.

“But it is a council-wide responsibility to deliver the best services that we can for the city and we do have to set a balanced budget.

He said: “There is a much stronger grip by all councillors on the financial challenges.

“We have appointed independent audit and governance arrangements throughout our committee system which is important to give more challenge and bring in external expertise. We have a stronger scrutiny system with councillors looking at how we run and deliver services. We have a cross-party group meeting almost every week looking at the budget, the proposals and excellent engagement and collaboration with my teams around those proposals and ability to question and challenge and put forward some solutions.

“And we have listened to some of those changes. There were some changes around things like the fountains, or the clean and green type agendas - we have listened to that and some of those proposals were taken off the table.”

Originally from Devon, Mr Gladstone opted not to follow his parents into the health service instead embarking on a career in local and central government.

He said: “My wife and I have been here a couple of weeks, “We’re living in the city centre and are loving it.

“We’ve just moved down from Yorkshire where we still have a property.

“We’ve been spending quite a bit of time out and about across the city just exploring different parts - places like Ferry Meadows and Nene Park and using the restaurants in the city centre and along the Embankment.

“It’s lovely - it’s a great city and a very green city. There is a real sense of change happening and lots of optimism.

“Everyone talks about the trains and access to London - it is a phenomenal service.

“Accessibility to different parts of the country is a real strength for learning, skills, and the economy - a real plus point.”

Mr Gladstone added: “Everyone I have spoken to has been incredibly friendly, really supportive and very positive and passionate about living here.

“A real sense of pride and passion comes through. For a city and a local authority it is really important to get that sense of community and engagement.”

New Peterborough City Council chief executive Matt Gladstone.